Much of what students are asked to do with language in lessons (read, write, listen, speak, converse) is not authentic communication. Students answer questions to make the teacher happy; they write essays to get as many points as possible on a rubric; they "read" texts just to answer questions, etc. This is what I call pseudo-communication, and it tends to foster what I call the "bare minimum syndrome."
Authentic communication, by contrast, means that a student uses language (along with gestures, facial expressions, visuals, etc.) to communicate a message to others who want or need it for some engaging and/or meaningful purpose (i.e., beyond getting points or praise from the teacher). Authentic communication also includes understanding messages from others orally or in writing and engaging in conversations that build up ideas.
Enhancing Instruction with Authentic Communication
Many curriculums and lessons--even in language classes--have forgotten that language is meant to fill information gaps, to communicate ideas and information to others who don’t already know them, to get things done and to build up ideas. Students’ language doesn’t need to be perfect, correct, or in English, but it needs to communicate. If it is fake or just for show, it won’t grow. To truly reach--and exceed--new standards, students need to learn how to use language to clearly communicate, in real time, to build up whole ideas that are valued in the discipline.
How can we enhance the communication of any activity in any discipline in any lesson? To begin, we look for and build up three features of authentic communication, which are:
Many curriculums and lessons--even in language classes--have forgotten that language is meant to fill information gaps, to communicate ideas and information to others who don’t already know them, to get things done and to build up ideas. Students’ language doesn’t need to be perfect, correct, or in English, but it needs to communicate. If it is fake or just for show, it won’t grow. To truly reach--and exceed--new standards, students need to learn how to use language to clearly communicate, in real time, to build up whole ideas that are valued in the discipline.
How can we enhance the communication of any activity in any discipline in any lesson? To begin, we look for and build up three features of authentic communication, which are:
- Purposeful building of relevant idea(s)
- Clarifying and supporting are needed and pushed
- Filling Information gaps (students need to use language (or other means) to give or receive information needed by them or others) (Here is a slide I often use to present the three features:
Authentic Communication
Authentic Communication
Pedagogical Justice
Idea-Building Approach
Authentic Communication
Integrated Language & Content
Classroom Talk
Formative Assessment
Purposeful
building of idea(s)
building of idea(s)
In the activity, students use language to do something meaningful and engaging (beyond just to answer questions or get points); the activity (or something similar to it) prepares students to use language for academic purposes.
In a listening activity, for example, I might tell students, instead of just writing down what they listen to for points, to take notes that they will use in order to prepare for a roundtable discussion to decide whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated.
Clarifying & Supporting
are Needed & Pushed
are Needed & Pushed
In order to build up meaningful ideas, students need to clarify language and support ideas with evidence, examples, and reasoning. If clarifying and supporting are not needed (e.g., just do a quickwrite that the teacher glances at), then they won't happen. These skills should be "pushed" by aspects of the activity, peers, and/or teacher.
For example, in pair-shares and peer editing of articles on Columbus, students need to get different perspectives and evidence from others; and the teacher requires students to ask at least one clarify and support question in each pair-share and during peer editing of their article drafts
Designing & Leveraging Information gaps
In the activity, students get or give information that they want, need, and don’t have. For example, if all students read the same story and answer questions about it in small groups or whole class, many will know the answers and not need to put extra effort into speaking or listening.
Instead, I might have students read different texts about Columbus and create podcasts based on several prompts. There are now more information gaps to cross, in which students need to clarify their ideas to others, using language on deeper levels.
Instead, I might have students read different texts about Columbus and create podcasts based on several prompts. There are now more information gaps to cross, in which students need to clarify their ideas to others, using language on deeper levels.
Benefits of Authentic Communication
- Language development (first, second, third, academic) occurs best when students use it to communicate, which includes listening, reading, speaking, writing, and conversing. Language was created to get things done, to communicate—to solve problems, express needs, create ideas of value in the world. We learn when we need to use language to do interesting and realistic things. We learn when we push ourselves to communicate.
- Content understandings and skills are reinforced and retained better when communicating them authentically. Students push themselves to be more like experts in the topic or discipline.
- Social skills development. When students do more than go through the motions or "play school," they try to understand others and learn how to care about others, their ideas, and their feelings.
- Agency and identity development. When students are given the freedom to be creative in how they construct ideas and communicate them, they develop their sense of academic agency and identity.
RESOURCES
Narrative Structure Map
This reading or writing visual helps students to organize events in a typical narrative.
Argument Balance Scale
This visual can be used to organize both sides of an argument and evaluate them. It can be used when reading, writing, and/or viewing.
Narrative Structure Map
This reading or writing visual helps students to organize events in a typical narrative.
Argument Balance Scale
This visual can be used to organize both sides of an argument and evaluate them. It can be used when reading, writing, and/or viewing.
Zwiers, J. (2019). The Communication Effect: How to Enhance Learning by Building Ideas and Bridging Information Gaps. Corwin.
For example, let’s say my initial idea for a lesson activity is having students listen to me read an article aloud about Columbus and then answer comprehension questions in pairs. How can I strengthen this with the three features? Here is an example.