On starting to teach using CI

Michelle Ramahlo

doi:10.1017/s2058631019000072

Abstract

According to Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory, developed by Stephen Krashen, the way humans acquire languages is through receiving input, usually aural, that is understandable; this is termed ‘Comprehensible Input’ (CI). Think, for example, of a parent talking to their child: when they ask the child, ‘Do you want milk?’, the milk is visible, tangible. The child understands that they are being offered milk. Parents don't just say this once, they offer it hundreds, even thousands of times. According to this hypothesis, the input (the parent talking) is comprehensible (the child understands it); the brain is trained to automatically make meaning.

Highlights

When I first learned about CI, it was through the lens of a specific technique invented by Blaine Ray called TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling)
While the goal of most Latin programs isn’t to produce fluent Latin speakers, the brain is most adept at making meaning from aural input
Increasing the time that students spend hearing Latin is helpful to this goal

Summary

Cornelia est sollicita quod

Point to the picture of the tree, to the word arbor. Point to the tree picture when saying arborem. You will notice in that entire sequence the teacher repeats the word arbor at least six times, possibly more, taking student answers into consideration. A key component is to pause right before the end for students to make predictions (in English or Latin, depending on your comfort level); try not to reveal the end in the actual movie talk. If my target structure is coquere vult, in that questioning sequence, students heard it a minimum ten times. As I look at vocabulary for a particular story, I know I want to use the words canis, vult, habet and laetus or tristis. If you want more control nomen puellae est Sabrina an Rashmi? 9. Timothy est tristis quia canem vult

12. Rashmi est laeta an tristis?

Sustained Silent Reading

Findings

Pictures