Abstract:

Foreign language learning and teaching processes have been shifting from traditional language-centred approaches, characterized by rather repetitive, isolated and monolingual exercises focused on developing knowledges, skills and linguistic competences to more holistic and plurilinguistic approaches, in which language is considered as a vehicle to achieve successful communication in different settings and, therefore, with an inevitable social dimension (O’Leary, 2014). In this communicative and learner-centred approach, language acquisition is perceived as a collaboratively oriented process, which requires higher levels of learners’ autonomy and aims at developing not only communicative competences, but also social and soft skills, as for example creativity, conflict management and empathy, among others. Furthermore, phenomena like „language anxiety“ and other affective factors are known as potentially blocking forces in the language acquisition process, slowering or even conditioning its success (Schmidt 2011). Therefore, it is crucial to create concrete positive social experiences within the language learning process.

Due to the recent Covid pandemic, where distance and blended learning have become a common reality in language education and have increased social isolation and lacking learning motivation, several aspects of the language learning and teaching process needed to be re-thought and adapted, bearing in mind the learners’ needs and characteristics on one side, and the learning objectives, on the other (Drope-Brongs et al 2020). A common agreement though seems to be the idea that innovative methods facilitate the process of effective learning and improving the learners’ performance.

In this communication, we will present and discuss concrete examples of innovative collaborative methods and strategies for German FL, put into practice with university students in Portugal during and after the Covid pandemic. We implemented a Padlet-based project entitled “Das bin ich” [That’s me] with 54 students in 2021, in distance and blended learning classes. Learners were asked to produce different products, all of them related to curricular topics:
1) podcasts with presentations in teams;
2) videos of professional interviews;
3) poems and
4) audio-recordings of the poem.

These collaboratively created products were published on a Padlet page, so that students could see and comment on other groups’ works. Each product required specific linguistic abilities (oral and written production, pronunciation etc.), as well as technical skills (producing and editing a video and audio file, designing a presentation etc.).

The aim of the project was not only to develop linguistic competences according to the A1.2 level (CEFR), but also to enhance social skills and abilities such as collaborative work, autonomy, motivation, creativity, as well as to improve digital competences (digital content creation, information and data literacy etc.). We also aimed at creating positive learning experiences in small teams. The evaluation criteria were adapted: besides linguistic and content related aspects, a special focus was put on creativity and technical quality of the outcomes.

At the end of the semester, a questionnaire was carried out to obtain the students´ perceptions regarding their learning progress and developed competences. The results indicate mainly positive self-perceptions and self-evaluations, as well as higher motivation and engagement levels.

Keywords:

German FL Didactics, collaborative learning methods, social dimension of foreign language learning.