Meeting the challenge of diversity with
TBLT:
Connecting speaking and writing in
mainstream classrooms
Stefania Ferrari, Elena Nuzzo
Università di Verona
Meeting the challenge
Mainstream classroom (L1-L2)
Different levels of language proficiency
Common standards
TBLT
From oral retelling
to written narrative production
TASK
“The mysterious movie”
- oral retelling
- written narrative
Subjects
Analysis
Quantitative
CAF measures
- Complexity
- Accuracy
Qualitative
- Syntactic features
- Textual features
Quantitative measures
CAF complexity
- word/clauses
- dependent clauses/AS-unit or T-unit
CAF accuracy
- % accurate dependent clauses/dependent
clauses
Qualitative analysis
- variety of dependent clauses
- cohesive devices
- connectors
- anaphors
Results
Quantitative analysis
Complexity
Accuracy
Results
Qualitative analysis
Andrej: Variety of dependent clauses
adverbials
relatives
oral
written
causal (perché)
1
0
temporal (quando)
1
1
temporal (mentre)
0
1
temporal (dopo + inf)
1
0
final (per + infinitive)
1
1
che (subj and obj)
1
2
dove
0
1
If we look at how the same events are reported in the oral and in the written
versions, there seem to be no important differences in terms of variety of
dependent clauses.
Andrej: Textuality
Qualitatively, no significant differences in the use of:
•connectors
•anaphors
Andrej: Textuality
The written version seems the transcription of the oral
retelling.
OP: … andò fuori vide una donna con i bottoni e cominciò a inseguirla… la
donna vide un poliziotto e raccontò tutto e il poliziotto cominciò a rincorrerlo
Charlie Chaplin tornò dentro la fabbrica…
… he went out he saw a woman with buttons and he started to follow
her… the woman saw a policeman and told everything and the policeman
started to run after him Charlie Chaplin went back into the factory…
WP: … andò fuori vide una donna che aveva i bottoni e la inseguì… la donna
si fermò vicino a un poliziotto e gli raccontò quello che Charlie faceva. Il
poliziotto lo inseguì. Charlie scappò dentro la fabbrica.
… he went out he saw a woman who had buttons and he followed her…
the woman stopped next to a policeman and told him what Charlie was
doing. The policeman run after him. Charlie run into the factory.
Ivan: Variety of dependent clauses
adverbials
argumentatives
relatives
oral
written
causal (perché)
1
0
temporal (quando)
4
1 (2)
temporal (dopo che)
0
(1)
hyp. comparative (come se + subj)
(1)
(1)
final (per + infinitive)
0
(1)
subject
2 (2)
0
object
2 (2)
3 (1)
che (subj and obj)
3 (1)
2
dove
2
1
da dove
0
(1)
In brackets numbers of non standard realizations
If we look at how the same events are reported in the oral and in the written
versions, there seem to be no important differences in terms of variety of
dependent clauses.
Ivan: Textuality
One important difference between oral and written productions involves
cohesive devices, and in particular the number and variety of connectors.
OP:
4 occurrences of one single connector, poi (then)
WP:
2 occurrences of poi
2 occurrences of in seguito (later on)
1 occurrence of dopo (afterwards)
1 occurrence of dopodiché (after that)
1 occurrence of dopo di questo (after that)
1 occurrence of a un certo punto (at a certain moment)
1 occurrence of alla fine (eventually)
As a result, the written retelling appears more accurately planned, as we in
fact would expect from a written narration.
Andrea: Variety of dependent clauses
oral
written
causal (perché)
1
1
modal (gerundive)
0
1
argumentatives object
0
1
relatives
2
3 (1)
adverbials
che (subj and obj)
In brackets numbers of non standard realizations
If we look at how the same events are reported in the oral and in the written
versions, we find a wider variety and a higher number of subtypes of
dependent clauses in the written version.
Andrea: Textuality
One important difference between oral and written
versions involves cohesive devices, and in particular
connectors.
OP:
no connectors
WP:
1 occurrence of poi (then)
1 occurrence of dopo (afterwards)
1 occurrence of successivamente (later)
2 occurrences of allora (then)
Andrea: Textuality
Another important difference: In the written versions the use of
nominal and pronominal anaphors is clearer and more precise:
OP: ruba un portafoglio a un altro signore un altro signore lo
vede però lui lo mette in una tasca la mette nella tasca di charlie
chaplin
(he) steals a wallet from another gentleman another gentleman
sees him but he puts it in a pocket puts it (fem.) in the pocket of
charlie chaplin
WP: aveva rubato ad un signore il portafoglio, ma un polizziotto
lo vide e lo inseguì, allora il malfattore mise il portafoglio nella
tasca del protagonista
he had stolen from a gentleman his wallet but a policeman saw him
and chased him, then the wrongdoer put the wallet in the pocket of
the protagonist
Matteo: Variety of dependent clauses
oral
written
causal (perché)
0
0
causal (gerundive)
0
1
temporal (quando)
0
1
temporal (mentre)
0
1
temporale (gerundive)
0
1
final (per + infinitive)
1 (1)
0
argumentatives object
0
1
relatives
4
0
adverbials
che (subj and obj)
In brackets numbers of non standard realizations
Quantitatively, higher number of dependent clauses in OP, but…
If we look at how the same events are reported in the oral and in the written
versions, we find a wider variety of dependent clauses in the written version.
Matteo: Variety of dependent clauses
OP: il mattino seguente l'uomo che ha accettato il lavoro si reca per
fare colazione e incontra una ragazza che è molto affamata la
ragazza prende il cibo
The morning after the man who accepted the job goes for breakfast
and meets a girl who is very hungry the girl takes the food
WP: Il mattino seguente mentre charlie si stava preparando la
colazione una signorina molto affamata vide il cibo e ne prese un
pezzo
The morning after while Charlie was preparing his breakfast a very
hungry young lady saw the food and took some
Matteo: Textuality
Some differences in cohesive devices, and in particular
connectors:
OP:
1 occurrence of il mattino seguente (the following
morning)
1 occurrence of poi (then)
WP:
1 occurrence of il mattino seguente (the following
morning)
1 occurrence of a un certo punto (at a certain
moment)
1 occurrence of perciò (therefore)
1 occurrence of così (so)
Summary of results
Quantitative analysis
in complexity:
-
NSs tend to be more complex in WP than OP, producing longer
clauses and more complex T-unit
NNSs show less important differences between WP and OP, with
WP resulting in general slightly more complex in terms of amount
of dependent clauses
in accuracy:
-
NSs show mixed results, with some students more accurate in
OP and some students more accurate in WP
NNSs are more accurate in oral production
Summary of results
Qualitative analysis
variety of dependent clauses:
- NSs use a wider variety in WP
- NNSs do not show any difference
textuality:
- Both NSs and NNSs use a wider range of connectors and
more precise and/or elegant anaphors
Thank you!