Different Models in FL-Medium Instruction: Spectrum of Content and

Language

Lotta Saarikoski, Principal Leturer in Industrial EconomicsVaasa University of Applied Sciences

Contents :

• Different models in language learning

• Terminology – confusing ?

• FL-medium instruction in Finland

• Why increasing popularity ?

• Threats and Opportunities if FL-medium instruction increases

different options forlanguage learning

DIFFERENT MODELS IN FL-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION –with focus on tertiary education

Language learner(intermediate/advanced level)

will be offered

Presentations in the afternoon will add-ress the learning process from the learners’ view point

We will first categorizethese different options

TWO WAYS OF LEARNING LANGUAGE…. related to the models offered in educational systems

NATURE(”luomutapa”)-> Implicit LL

NURTURE(”hoivatapa”)-> Explicit LL

AFFORDANCESfor Language

learningoutside

the school

MAINSTREAM LANGUAGETEACHING

LSP/ESP(Language/English

for SpecificPurposes)

CBLT (Content-BasedLanguageTeaching)

WEAK STRONGINTENTIONAL LANGUAGE LEARNING TARGET

FL-MEDIUM COURSES/DEGREE

PROGRAMS

Different models in the context of tertiary education

CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)

INTENTIONAL SUBJECT- SPECIFIC LEARNING TARGETSTRONG WEAK

FL-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

Different Terminology

wider (in/nonformal)application:any language environment

in which the learner is ”fully immersed”

narrower (institutional)application:

primary (secondary) education Learning through target language

-early-middle

-late

-partial-total

1. Language immersion ”kielikylpy”

Language Immersion, cont.

Difference between young learners (immersion) and adult learners (FL-medium instruction/CLIL on

tertiary level) in terms of exposure to L2:

• adult learners (usually) have prior knowledge of target language

• adults learners have more cognitive skills to handle the linguistic data ( next presentation…)

Conclusion: term “immersion” should be used with care when speaking of tertiary level students

Different Terminology, cont.

2. TCFL (Teaching Content through a Foreign Language)

3. TTFL (Teaching Through Foreign Languages: English-medium degree programs

4. TBL (Task Based Learning - ESP contexts)

FL-medium instruction in Finnish universities of applied sciences

English medium 4-year (e.g. engineering) programmes (=International programmes)

• some kind of language module is often provided• sometimes the same programme offered in Finnish, as a

parallel option Single modules or study units (eg. 4 cp)

offered in FL English / SL Swedish In Vaasa University of Applied Science:

Three degree programs (IT eng, int. bus., hotel and restaurant bus.)

Single study units (especially in Hotel and rest. bus. -> Swedish language being used for Finnish students)

Other FL-medium educational programmes in Finland

• All universities offer part of their instruction in English

• Immersion programmes (in Swedish) are -frequent in bilingual regions (eg. Vaasa area)

• In many secondary-level schools certain subjects are taught through English

• IB (International Baccalaureate) schools in university cities

Why is FL-medium instruction gaining more and more popularity on tertiary level?

• Good experience from (Canadian) immersion programs

• Increasing awareness of need/benefits of multilingualism and pluralingualism (cf. current European Council language policy, eg. 1+2)

• The Bologna process: to boost European mobility. EHEA (Higher European Educational Area (44 countries by 2010)

• Pedagogical evolution:behavioristic approachcommunicative simulation tasksreal-life tasks and materials as means and input for learning

Opportunities and Threats if FL-Medium Instruction Increases

Horror scenario: More student drop-out rates Language teachers made redundant Loss of national identity

Success scenario: More English-medium instruction larger area for European higher

education more European mobility (Bologna Process) People learn more languages and in a more effective way New opportunities for language teachers