Taking a Cue from the Artist in the ELT context

Córdoba

Conferencia; XXXV FAAPI Conference: EFL and ART ? Learning with all our senses; 2010

FAAPI

This presentation aims to awaken among the participants a genuine interest in art in general and the use of art-related content in post-intermediate and advanced level ELT classes, starting with the basic assumption that art plays a fundamental role in our lives, since ?our physical existence, our spiritual identity, and our history, are inseparable from our artistic activities and achievements? (Bredin and Santoro- Brienza, 2000). The proposal centers around the uses of an art-related content unit in the context of the subject English Language III, at the School of Languages (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba). Such unit is employed not only to develop and enhance students? lexical competence specifically related to the thematic areas of painting and music, but also to provide them with a context for the integrated practice of the macro-linguistic abilities, and to contribute to the development of learner autonomy through a blended learning component to the class materials. During the course of the presentation, part of the material specifically designed for this purpose will be shown and analyzed with a view to explaining how, following Scarcella and Oxford?s analogy (1999), the context of art becomes a kind of tapestry which weaves together the multiple strandsoflanguageskillsandsub-skills. Ademonstrationoftasksandactivitiescreated to foster and increase learner autonomy will also be included in the presentation, which will elaborate on current notions of autonomy and multiple approaches (Resource- based, technology-based, learner-based, classroom-based, curriculum-based, and teacher-based approaches), as fully defined and classified by Benson (2001). This demonstration will be accompanied by the explanation of a series of versatile resources available on the web to fulfill the teaching goals proposed, within a blended learning frame (Sharma and Barrett, 2007). The presentation will close with a refreshing and stimulating video talk delivered by a well-known conductor and speaker, Benjamin Zander (Boston Philarmonic Orchestra), from whom it is possible to take a cue to perform, as teachers, the work that artists do as magical transformers. Key words: lexical competence ? macro-linguistic abilities ? skills ? sub-skills - autonomy