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   B-Slim ModelB-SLIM: Bilash's Success-Guided Language

Instructional Model

        B-SLIM is a planning model for second language teaching in classroom settings. Dr. Olenka Bilash, a professor at University of Alberta, has presented a cycle of planning, teaching and evaluating for teachers to consider in a language education program. BSLIM consists of five parts of understanding instructions for a lesson.          As we have seen in several of the case studies, many teachers are unaware of how to provide their students with the structure and support they need in order to be successful in their learning. Structure and support go hand in hand and are therefore referred to simultaneously. These terms refer to what the teacher must consider for the learners to successfully complete the task.

          Planning and preparation is the first element of B-SLIM. This stage shows not only HOW and WHAT TO prepare but also perspectives of understanding language learners.           The "Giving it " stage begins when the teacher enters the classroom. It consists of ways to make what is taught (vocabulary, structure, culture. . . ) comprehensible . In this stage, this model shows how to put into practice research from cognitive psychology, such as Miller´s magical Number of 7 +/- 2, Gardner´s Multiple Intelligences, cognitive capacity and cognitive load and others.           As a stage of practice to be able to use the target language, "Intake" comes after "Giving it" "Intake" has two categories of types of activities. If the activity requires less high level thinking in learners´ mind, it is called "Getting it" activity, for example repetitions, mimic and drills.           The other type of activities is called "Using it" activity. It triggers a higher level of thinking, in other words creativity of language use.             The next part of B-slim is named "Proving it". In this stage, the activity becomes more authentic and the learners show spontaneous language use in a meaningful context or a project.             Although found at the end of the continuum "Assessing it" means that teachers assess both the progress of the learners and the effect of their instruction throughout every class. Assessing student interest, progress and competency makes it possible to adjust and improve the instruction that will take place later, so B-slim becomes a cycle of instruction of a language. Assessing it appears not only at the end of a set of a language course but also during the four stages that have been shown above.

Why use B-SLIM?

             If you know B-SLIM, you will be able to clearly see what you need to do in the next lesson. The stages of B-SLIM, help to provide most of the things that language teachers should know and think about, so you will be sure to start an action to move on to the next stage. Think about the names of the parts of BSLIM just like the names of railway stations.              If you understand the elements of the parts, you can clearly explain, "why you teach like that" to your co-workers, your students, their parents and yourselves. It is just like introducing your town to tourists on the street.What are the theoretical underpinnings of the B-SLIM model?              Cognitive Science (Piaget, Vygotsky, Gagne) (We organize knowledge of different types into schema through mental processes. As learners who are active participants we require scaffolded instructional material that utilizes demonstrations, illustrative examples and corrective feedback to maximize memory retention.)           Constructivism (Bruner) (We construct our own understanding of the world by generating our own rules and mental models to make sense of our experiences.)             Developmentalism (Ryle, Schwitzgebel) (We learn concepts and dispositions in a gradual way frequently passing through periods of being "in between" genuine understanding and failure to understand.) What are the goals of the B-SLIM model? 1. to develop self directed learners, especially in second languages2. to ensure that every learner succeeds at each phase of the learning process by maximizing exposure to concepts through all learning styles/intelligences and encouraging intellectual/thinking growth in systematically developed steps3. to help students develop all aspects of language by applying research findings from all areas of second language learning and acquisition (language awareness, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, situations- fluency-accuracy, culture and Culture, learning strategies, listening comprehension, speaking, writing, reading, forms, skills, content, motivation-attitude)4. to ensure that learners can transfer what they have learned in one familiar context to new contexts.5. to learn language and to learn through language.6. to identify success in learning in concrete provable terms (assessment for learning and assessment of learning). What are the characteristics of the B-SLIM model?         I t is linear in that each phase of B-SLIM is designed along a continuum and activities at the beginning of the phase are simpler (less cognitively demanding) than those at the end. For example, activities at the beginning of the ‘getting it’ phase are more structured and focused than those at the end of the ‘getting it’ phase. The same is true about ‘using it’ activities.          Similarly, each type of input or 'giving it' can be placed along a continuum so that L2 learners have specific goals at beginner, intermediate and advanced stages. For example, being able to “speak” for a beginner may mean saying isolated words or short sentences with long pauses between them while speaking for an intermediate learner may be described as the ability to express simple and complex sentences in dialogue about familiar topics without pauses and with minimal errors.          It is hierarchical in that each phase is more difficult than its predecessor (it calls upon more cognitive resources than previous phases). Furthermore, with the progression through each phase the teacher’s roles change and the class time should involve more and more time for students to produce or create in the L2. However, just as one who is going up a set of stairs between the second and third floor cannot say precisely which floor they are on when they are going up those stairs, some activities may appear to belong to both the previous and next phases at the same time, being advanced versions of one phase and simpler versions of another. 

             As a recursive model, the teacher can introduce an activity at ANY phase of the model and recognize whether the activity is appropriate for the student(s) or not; if it is too difficult teachers can clearly see what supports students need in order to progress through the phase and beyond and provide them. If the task is not sufficiently challenging more advanced activities can be foreseen and provided. Furthermore, the B-SLIM fully acknowledges that sometimes learners think they understand something but only when they begin to use or apply it do they recognize that their understanding is not totally clear. Thus arises an opportunity for student questions, which is an opportunity for the student to take initiative to be a self-directed learner. It also recognizes that some learners can mentally process information so rapidly that they can appear to ‘skip’ the ‘getting it’ phase (or that they may make hierarchical leaps through acquisition of some vocabulary, grammar or cultural features).
               Lastly, the B-SLIM model has at its core, the goal of making learners feel successful. The model is success-driven in that it provides the necessary structure and support for students to feel successful at all stages of the learning process. For example, in order to student success with oral language during the ‘getting it’ or ‘using it’ stages, teachers may want to provide visual supports, which will allow students to produce more than what they may be able to produce without this added support. By facilitating learner success through B-SLIM, teachers are able to increase positive feelings and attitudes in students which in turn increases student motivation and investment in the language.

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