Culture & SLA - Week 13 - Multicompetence as an Alternative to the Native Speaker Model

Introduction: Hello and welcome to Week 13 of the course Culture and Second Language Aquisition. In this class we will explore the topic of multicompetence as a model to explain the unique abilities of the L2 learner.

Today's Goals:

• Look back and topics, assignments, and activities covered in this course and express ways in which our beliefs and understandings of culture have changed, deepened, or remained the same.
• Explore the features of Multicompetence as a model for healthy L2 learner identity formation.
• Collaborate to plan the final details and logistics of your ELT Textbook Review Assignment.

Guiding Questions:

• What is multicompentence?
• Do I consider it to be a valid alternative to the native speaker model in ELT?
• What implications does it have for the formation of healthy teacher and learner identities?
• What are my takeaways from this course?

Task 1: Final Course Reflection

Over the last 13 weeks we have covered a lot of content related to the nature of culture, culture's relationship with naturem, how culture is learned, how to teach culture, and other topics in SLA that have connections to culture. Click on your group link and complete the tasks. 

• Group 1: CLICK HERE
• Group 2: CLICK HERE
• Group 3: CLICK HERE
• Group 4: CLICK HERE
• Group 5: CLICK HERE

Task 2: Deficit or Additive Model?

Language learners are often unfairly judged in terms of what they do "incorrectly" and they are seen to have a "deficit" compared to some ideal standard. Although Bert is talking about accent change among native speakers of English, how can his views of language learning being an "additive" process relate to the concept of Multicompetence?

Task 3: Exploring Multicompetence and Appropriate Models for L2 Learners to Follow

For our final topic of this course we will explore possible problems with holding the native English speaker as the ideal model for learners to follow and instead look at the possible benefits of the Multicompetent English L2 User as an alternative. Click the link below and discuss the questions with your partners.

• Discussion Prompts: CLICK HERE

Task 4: Theory Break

• "Being a native speaker is ... an unalterable historic fact; you cannot change your native language any more than you can change who brought you up (Cook, 1999)."
• "L2 students cannot be turned into native speakers without altering the core meaning of native speaker in English. A view such as 'adults usually fail to become native speakers' is like saying that ducks fail to become swans: adults could never become natives speakers without being reborn (Cook, 1999)."
• "Most L2 users differ from L1 monolinguals in the way they know and use the L1 and the L2, but...should such differences be seen as deficits from the native speaker standard (Cook, 1999)."
• "L2 users have to be looked at in their own right as genuine L2 users, not as imitiation native speakers (Cook, 1999)."

• Implications for teaching: 
• Classroom teaching should be related to L2 user goals.
• Use L2 users in course materials and encourage learners to identify Multicompetent L2 users as language role models. 
• Native English speaking teachers are not the best teachers by virtue of the L1.
• Acknowledge students L1 in class activities. 
• View students' L1 knowledge as a meaning making resource.
• Encourage codeswitching
• Taking a multicompetent view of L2 learners can, "begin to acknowledge that L2 users have strengths and rights of their own by giving the students role models of L2 users in action and by requiring the use of both languages by one person: in short, convincing students that they are successful multicompetent speakers, not failed native speakers (Cook, 1999)."

• How did Kahlylah's English L2 identity and sense of self change over time?
• How can we help our students develop a healthy authentic sense of self as L2 users?

Task 5: Group Collaboration Session for Final Project

Feel free to take the remainder of our class time to work with your partners on your final project, ELT Textbook Analysis Paper and Presentation.

References:

Cook, V. (1999). Going Beyond the Native Speaker in Language Teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 33(2), pp. 185-209.