Homework in a Foreign Language classroom is an extremely useful tool to reinforce classroom lessons at home. Homework also acts as a precursor to a lesson so discussions can be initiated based on readings or exercises. Students assigned something as little as conjugation practice, translations, or vocabulary activities for outside the classroom will retain more on those subjects as well as overall helping them with thinking in the target language.
Some teachers will assign busy work thinking the more time students spend in the language will help, but I believe the opposite. Hours of busy work will not improve Spanish skills but rather disinterest the student with mundane work. A combination of assignments done before class that are meant to enhance a lesson and discussion, and exercises after class to reinforce the learning is the key to successful use of a students out of class time without burning them out.
I agree that busy work does not help the student learn the information. I do, however, like the idea that there are many different way to improve the understanding of the lecture material. There are a variety of ways to assign homework including crosswords, word searches, and other multimedia devices.
ReplyDeleteI like Eric's ideas of all the different types of assignment styles. I do agree that 'busy work' does not improve students ability and in the end does make them disinterested and unmotivated to learn the target language. However, what would you consider busy work? Some students might think that almost any homework assignment is busy work.
ReplyDeleteO.K. Some students need homework to learn and practice L2 but some don't so should homework be optional?
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ReplyDeleteI like your question. Maybe homework should be optional for some students if they show that they do not need reinforcement in that subject area. But, I do not think that ALL homework should be optional. There is a reason we were given spelling test from elementary all the way through middle school, we were made to practice writing the words, their definition and using these words in our own sentences. A teacher when assigning homework should have a goal in mind. He or she should not give homework for the sake of giving homework. "Busy work" is unproductive and homework should not be seen merely as busy work.
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