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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.8

Publication Date: August 25, 2020

DOI:10.14738/assrj.77.8639.

Sanchez, A. C., & Arias-Zelidon, M. E. (2020). Using The Picture Word Inductive Model, Art And Actfl 5 C’s To Learn A Second Or Foreign

Language. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(8) 35-48.

Using The Picture Word Inductive Model, Art And Actfl 5 C’s To

Learn A Second Or Foreign Language

Ana Cristina Sanchez

West Chester University, PA

Maria Elena Arias-Zelidon

Temple University, PA

ABSTRACT

This paper will examine how art can be used as a visual aid and a

primary input to teach and learn Spanish language and culture. Art will

be limited to the use of photographs and paintings that will be combined

with the Picture Word Inductive Model [PWIM] and the 5C goal areas on

the teaching of a foreign language as recommended by the American

Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages [ACTFL]. The five C goals

stand for Communications, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and

Communities.The Picture Word Inductive Model [PWIM] was developed

by the Language Arts Specialist, Emily Calhoun in 1998 to help children

expand their vocabulary repertoire and develop reading and writing

skills using pictures. Art is a meaningful input that promotes vocabulary

acquisition, listening, speaking and literacy skills. It can be incorporated

to any curriculum regardless of the language methodology to build

background knowledge, scaffolding as a bridge from existing knowledge

and new information. Art also promotes motivation on the students

‘part, which is a key aspect to successful learning. The researchers will

provide a unit plan that can be incorporated in a fourth or fifth semester

Spanish course.

Keywords: Picture Word Inductive Model, PWIM, word and image, art to

teach language and culture.

INTRODUCTION

Second and foreign language methods and approaches have been evolving since the 1900’s when

the grammar translation method prevailed until the 1950’s. It is important to go over some of the

most salient methods over the years, since the approach proposed in this paper, can be incorporated

as a unit regardless of the methodology and/or approach, that many language institutions use as

part of their teaching/ learning process. Most of the methods fall into four main theoretical

frameworks, which range from interpersonal, structuralism, cognitivism, behaviorism, and the

communicative approach. In the next section, these methods and pedagogical affordances will be

examined before exploring how Art, PWIM and ACTFL 5 cultural C’s can be a pedagogical tool that

can be incorporated into any curriculum.

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 8, August-2020

OVERVIEW OF METHODS AND APPROACHES

Throughout the history of second language learning and teaching, many theories have been

proposed based on the research in applied linguistics. We have seen many changes from an

emphasis on structures and behavior, such as the Grammar Translation and the Audiolingual

Methods, which focused on repetition and memorization, to the new Cognitive Theory, which

opened the door to the differentiation Chomsky made between competence and performance in his

research Aspects of the Theory of Syntax [quoted in Tejada Molina et al. N. pag.].

The Cognitive Theory takes us to the notion of communicative competence and the communicative

teaching approaches. One example is the Natural Approach, which is based on Krashen’s Monitor

Theory, in which meaning is more important than the structures of the target language. However,

this method also had its problems, especially when it comes to students’ output and interaction with

their peers.

There were also a series of approaches and methods that focused on the humanistic aspect of

language learning. Curran [1970] developed the Counseling language learning based on religious

and psychological principles, and he has described his approach in terms of an "incarnate- redemptive process," whose goal is "to incorporate teachers and learners together in a deep

relationship of human belonging, worth and sharing” [Curran,1969, p.211]. Other methods in this

category are the Silent Way and Suggestopedia. Even though, the three approaches are student- centered, they did not accomplish what they intended to do, which was a successful language

learning process.

Then, from the 70’s on, we had a revolution called The Communicative Approach or the

Communicative Language Teaching [CLT], which became so popular and had such good reviews by

the experts, that to be a good language teacher; it was necessary to use the Communicative Language

Teaching, [CLT]. This was, indeed, a revolution in the teaching of languages that lasted several

decades, until a few experts started to point out some of its weaknesses. It is important to mention

that we made progress with the communicative approach and the contributions it made to language

learning are undeniable. As stated by Swan [1985]

“Syllabus design has become a good deal more sophisticated, and we are able to give our

students a better and more complete picture than before of how language is used. In

methodology, the change has been dramatic” [p. 2].

However, some scholars [Swan, 1985; Ur, 1996] have also expressed some of the deficiencies of the

CLT, one of which is the avoidance of students’ native language in class. The above scholars have

stated that “students’ first language” plays an essential role in language learning:

it is useful for clarifying, for instructions, for awareness-raising through contrastive

analysis, and even for testing. Translation is furthermore inevitable and it is precisely

this continuing comparison between the FL and the mother tongue that allows students

to put into use the knowledge they already possess and prevents them from having to

re-categorize the world all over again” [Tejada Molina et all. 1985, p. 34].

Additionally, the information gap activities, characteristic of the CLT, may lead to disinterest on the

student’s part, specially the information gap activities. Many times, these types of exercises do not

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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.78.8639 37

Sanchez, A. C., & Arias-Zelidon, M. E. (2020). Using The Picture Word Inductive Model, Art And Actfl 5 C’s To Learn A Second Or Foreign Language. Advances

in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(8) 35-48.

get the student’s interest and attention. In addition, the neglect of the CLT to grammar accuracy can

lead to fossilization of linguistic features of the target language.

After scholars exposed some of the weaknesses of the CLT, other approaches to language teaching

proliferated. These new pedagogies leaned towards eclecticism, where elements from various

approaches are combined to meet the needs of the learners. The model proposed in this paper, is

one of the eclectic approaches that combine art, ACTFL 5 C’s, and a modified version of the PWIM.

This method and its components are explored in the next sections.

BENEFITS OF USING ART TO LEARN A SECOND OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Art, in this study, will be defined as a “visual message that “tells the audience something about the

artists, about ourselves, or about society in general” [Havé, 2013, p.15]. Art is a broad concept, and

its use will be limited to the use of photographs and paintings. Using Art to learn a language also

means to provide learners not just with meaningful but also authentic input, or realia. Some scholars

[Miquel, 1997; Prada, Lombardo, Medrano, 2012] have supported the use of realia in the classroom

arguing that the material is “adecuado para tratar aspectos socioculturales de la lengua; acerca de

la lengua y la cultura de la L2 al discente mostrándole aspectos de la vida real del país donde se

habla la lengua que se estudia; despiertan mayor expectación e interés y nos ofrecen la oportunidad

de enseñar lengua y cultura desde una perspectiva pragmática” [Miquel, 1997, p.4]. In English, it

means that

it is adequate to cover sociocultural aspects of the language and culture of the target

language by showing students real aspect of the country where people speak the

language they are learning; it awakens interests and expectations that offer us the

opportunity to teach the language and culture from a pragmatic perspective.

Meaningful Input

Stephen Krashen developed the Input Hypothesis in 1985, which states that the input is one of the

most important elements for students to acquire a language, learners must receive input that is

relevant for language acquisition to take place.

“The best methods are therefore those that supply 'comprehensible input' in low anxiety

situations, containing messages that students really want to hear. These methods do not

force early production in the second language, but allow students to produce when they

are 'ready', recognizing that improvement comes from supplying communicative and

comprehensible input, and not from forcing and correcting production” [Krashen, 2019,

p.2].

Therefore, Art is a critical visual meaningful input since visual communication is part of our daily

lives. We are constantly looking at other people’s faces and trying to read their movements,

behavior, even body language because all of them have a message to convey. Along the same line of

research [Farokhi & Hashemi, 2011] concluded that the use of art in the classroom makes the

learning experience more pertinent and fun for students.

Background Knowledge

Other scholars [Havé, 2013; Jordan & DiCicco, 2012] have added to the benefits of using Art to learn

a language by emphasizing the activation of students’ background knowledge. A painting can serve

as the main input to connect the experiences students already have, to new information displayed