Creating Context for Comprehensible Input
Video for content area teachers to support Multilingual Learners
I decided to link a short video today. It’s an oldie but goodie that illustrates the importance of creating context in language learning. I have shared this video many times through the years and have found that it consistently expands ideas for teachers to create comprehensible input for Multilingual Learners.
What is comprehensible input?
Great graph by Spanish Mama.
Comprehensible input, a theory developed by linguist Dr. Stephen Krashen, is language a student can understand. Language inputs include what a student hears (like podcasts, the radio, conversations, teacher directions, etc.) or reads (like books, articles, blog articles, etc.).
Krashen's research specifies that students can’t just read or listen to anything and improve their language. They need to read or listen to input that is just slightly more advanced than their level.
How do you create it?
The best way to create comprehensible input is through visuals such as relia, film clips, drawings, pictures, and gestures.
I show the following short video to aspiring secondary content teachers (science, math, social studies, art, etc.). Most of my students don’t speak Farsi, but I had a student once who did. That was a wonderful experience. Anyway, most of my students are not familiar with Farsi. I ask them to tell me what they learned from the first video. Generally, they don’t don’t understand any words and are not able to explain what the lesson is about. Frankly, they are a bit frustrated.
I then show the second part. Though they can’t produce the Farsi language, they know much more about the lesson's content. It’s amazing how much they take away without knowing any more Farsi in the last few minutes. They are definitely more engaged.
I ask them:
What you were able to understand during the second clip?
List the topic and main ideas, and if you recognize any words.
Why were you able to comprehend more?
I encourage you to watch this and then reflect on how much context you add to your lessons to connect your MLs to the content you are trying to teach. Sometimes, it takes just a little effort to provide that i + 1 (input that is a bit higher than their current level).