CityU talk features renowned second language acquisition expert to discuss transformative methods for teaching and learning

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) at the City University of Macau (CityU) hosted a lecture exploring the evolving landscape of foreign language instruction. Delivered by Prof. ZhaoHong Han, a renowned second language acquisition expert from the Teachers College of the Columbia University, the talk was titled “Foreign Language Instruction in the 21st Century: Connecting Teaching and Learning to Real and Virtual Worlds.”

In her presentation, Prof. Han challenged the traditional view of language as mere subject matter, emphasizing the need to understand language as a dynamic, context-dependent medium of communication. She highlighted the shift towards contemporary approaches, such as the “natural method,” “CLT (communicative language teaching),” and “TBLT (task-based language teaching)”. The goal of language teaching should be to enable learners to develop functional competence in the new language. “Educators could step into the teaching process following the INFO loop, which is ‘Input-Negotiation-Feedback-Output’ and bring in quality,” said Prof. Han.

A key focus of the lecture was the potential of emerging technologies, such as ChatGPT, to enhance the language learning experience. Prof. Han discussed how AI-driven language models can be leveraged to create “information affordances,” promote incidental language learning, and foster critical thinking skills among students. She explained that these technologies could help bridge the gap between language instruction and the real world, providing learners with authentic language-use opportunities and exposure to diverse linguistic and cultural contexts.

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The event provided a thought-provoking and refreshing perspective on the future of foreign language instruction, challenging the academic community to embrace the transformative potential of language teaching and learning in the digital age.