Definition

Goal

• To learn and practise language in a written or spoken text by putting it into another form

Features

• Information is reorganised by students into another form, for example a chart, grid, diagram or picture
• Student focus – focus on the message
• Language modes – can be designed for any of the language modes (receptive or productive)
• Other features can be varied (student arrangement, information distribution, etc)

Procedure

For receptive language modes :

• Students read, listen to or view an appropriate text, talk or video excerpt (This is the ‘input’)
• During or after the input, students complete a diagram or chart, etc, that reorganises the information into another form

For productive language modes :

• Students are given a chart or diagram of information (This is the ‘input’)
• After studying this, they produce a piece of writing, a formal talk or informal conversation that conveys this information in complete sentences

The forms that the information can be reorganised into or from include maps, plans, grids, tables, diagrams, charts, diaries, calendars, lists, and forms. (Palmer, 1982)

Teacher considerations

·         You need to choose the appropriate form for the text chosen (for example: a grid or a diagram, depending on the content).

·         Make sure that the students can’t just copy chunks without understanding them by requiring a different organisation to the text.

·         Information transfer charts can highlight the structure of a text to make it easier for students to follow.

·         If focusing on specific vocabulary or grammar, make sure this language is used in places in the text where the most information occurs. If the language is in an important part of the text, it is more likely to be used. (Nation, 1989, p. 61)

·         It is best to use this technique receptively (students listening or reading) before using it productively (students speaking or writing). (Nation, 1989, p. 61)

Variations

·         If using this technique for listening practice with the teacher speaking, the teacher can draw attention to frequent words or important topic words by giving a quick definition or by repeating the word. (Nation, 1989, p. 61)

·         Use charts that can be used for any text of a certain topic type (for example: physical structure or instructions). Headings should be those relevant to the topic type, for example, for a description of a physical structure (such as a plant or a form of government), headings would be “parts”, “locations”, and “functions”. For an instructions text, headings would be “materials and tools”, “steps”, “cautions”, and “results”. (For more information on topic types, see Nation, 1989; Johns & Davies, 1983; or Franken, 1987.)

·         Repeat information transfer tasks using the same topic type (for example, instructions) but different texts so that students become familiar with the structure of a topic type. As they become more familiar with the topic type, the language can become more difficult because they will be able to predict better from their knowledge of the topic type.

·         Once students are familiar with the technique, they can be taught to use self-questioning to make their own chart for similar texts. For example, four questions can be used with any text that gives instructions – What materials and tools are needed? What are the steps? What do we have to be careful about at each step? What is the result of the steps? (Nation, 1989, pp. 63–64) See “Complete a chart using topic type” under examples Panui (see below).

·         Information transfer can be used with combining tasks, cooperatively (where students work together with the same information), in a superior-inferior arrangement (where a teacher, student or other has the information), or individually. 

     Benefits

·         Information transfer requires students to process information deeply which is good for learning. They show they have understood the information deeply enough to adapt it. (Nation, 1989, p. 61)

·         If using charts based on generalisable topic or text types, “The ability to fit a text into an existing schema has a positive effect on learning unknown vocabulary contained in that text.” (Nation, 1989, p. 64)

·         Especially where listening is the input, the repetition of similar grammatical structures within a meaningful, communicative context is valuable for learning.

Evaluation of the task

·         Did the students need to reorganise the information to complete the task?

·         Did the students need to use the words or structures that you wanted them to practise?