language teaching in the digital age glord
TRANSCRIPT
Language Teaching
in the
Digital Age
Gillian Lord
University of Florida
A little bit about me
2
A little bit about you
• I’m going to ask you some questions using
an online polling software.
• You can use your
phone to text a
response or
answer through
a web browser:
3
http://drp.mk/QtHf
Outline
1. Trends and challenges in language teaching
2. Re-envisioned language teaching in the digital age
3. Guiding principles for technology incorporation
4. Tools to use
5. Hands-on time
Language Program Direction in the Digital Age 7
TRENDS AND
CHALLENGES
“Communicative Language
Teaching”
•Skills
−Focus on skills development
−Emphasis on oral/aural modalities
•Reading and writing
−Seen as separate skills
−Taught independent of audience
•Content
−Often driven by transactional concerns or "practical" language use
−Mostly self-referential
•Culture
−Often conceptualized as a static 5th skill
−Treated separately and incidentally
Language Program Direction in the Digital Age 9
StudentsChanging demographics
• More students work full time
• Overall longer time to degree
• Fewer see relevance of foreign language
• Always connected, on-the-go
• More Hispanics in U.S.
Language Program Direction in the Digital Age 10
Instructors
Changing conditions
• Fewer full-time positions
• More people teaching more classes
• Need to attract and retain students
• Pressure to incorporate newest digital tools
Language Program Direction in the Digital Age 11
Other Challenges
Changing environments, changing conditions
• Growth of hybrid and online offerings
• Proliferation of technology, but simultaneous need for
simplicity
• Focus on student outcomes/objectives
• Push towards student-centered learning
and accountability
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Where does this lead us?
A re-envisioned approach to language teaching,
combined with the judicious integration of
appropriate digital tools can help us to:
• Transform the student learning experience
• Engage students at a greater level
• Better prepare students to engage
in meaningful L2 communication
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A RE-ENVISIONED
APPROACH
Integrated Skills
• Reading and writing should be viewed as opportunities
to reflect on language use in its cultural context
• All skills are equally important and practiced together
• Provide students with strategies and scaffolding
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Technology allows us to…
Incorporate multimodal language
Provide context for language in use
Encourage simultaneous processing
of content, context and skills
Content
• Content is text-driven and/or genre-based, with
communication as ultimate (but varied) end-goal
• Content encourages students to looks outward
while still enjoying the community building achieved
through self-referential activities
• Articulated learning outcomes and objectives to
facilitate visible learning by both student and
instructor (i.e., backward design)
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Technology allows us to…
Access vast resources
Present multiple genres and
perspectives
Expose learners to different varieties and
registers
Culture• Integrated and intentional approach, with emphasis on
identifying multiple perspectives and transcultural
competence (MLA 2007)
• Encourage guided student exploration and critical thinking
• Recognize culture as inherently fluid and
context-bound
• Explore culture as mediated through
language use
Language Program Direction in the Digital Age 17
Technology allows us to…
Access to both ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture
Remain relevant and up-to-date
Encourage students to explore on their own
Delivery
• Recognize different learner preferences
• Offer multiple learning paths
• Focus on student mastery
• Accommodate a variety of class
delivery modes
Technology allows us to…
Present materials in multiple modes/formats to
accommodate varied learner preferences
Encourage independent learning
Facilitate a “flipped” classroom approach
Accommodate mastery-based approaches
to learning
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR
TECHNOLOGY
INCORPORATION
How, Why and When?
SOLID PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
MUST BE OUR GUIDE!
Frameworks
• The 5 Cs
• Integrated
Performance
Assessments
(IPA)
Modes of communication
• Interpretive: Students listen to, view and / or read an authentic text and answer information as well as interpretive questions to assess comprehension.
• Interpersonal: Students engage in communication with each other or others about the topic.
• Presentational: Students share their research /ideas / opinions. Sample presentational formats: speeches, drama, skits, videos, radio broadcasts, posters, brochures, essays, websites, etc.
“Content serves as the core around which language is used to carry
out the three communicative modes... The five C’s serve as the
backdrop for developing the tasks that students perform in the IPA.”http://carla.acad.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/assessment/ipa/index.html
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TOOLS TO USE
Tools to use: Interpretive mode
• Reading
• News sites, blogs, tourism pages, etc.
• Listening
• News / radio sites, podcasts, songs, etc.
• YouTube
• Curation of tools and resources
• Diigo | Reddit | Scoop.It | Delicious
• Finding themes
• Bubbl.Us |Wordle | Tagxedo
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Tools to use: Interpersonal mode
• Speaking
• voxOpop
• VoiceThread
• Other voiceboard tools through LMS
• Writing
• Bubbl.Us
• Wikispaces | PBwiki | etc.
• Blogger | Wordpress | etc.
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Tools to use: Presentational
mode
• Digital posters
• Biteslide | NewHive
• Animated movies
• Animoto | GoAnimate | XtraNormal
• Visuals & Storyboards
• Instagram | Pinterest | ToonDoo
• Narrated Journey
• Google Earth (tutorial)
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Putting it all together
Sample technology-enhanced integrated
performance assessment
• Language: SPANISH
• Level: Elementary
• Theme: Food and cooking
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Interpretive (A)
• Students watch a
Spanish-language
cooking show.
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Interpretive (B)
• As they view, they take
note of the food- and
recipe-related words
they recognize from the
unit they have been
studying.
Interpretive (C)
• As they watch the video a
second time, students answer
comprehension and
interpretation questions.
• Students share answers to the
questions with the group.
• Groups work together to come
to an agreement, either by
discussing answers together
and/or by viewing the video
again.
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Interpersonal
Groups use images to
discuss their own
favorite foods and
recipes to decide on a
dish to prepare.
Presentational
• Group creates cooking show
segment, in which they:
• Introduce the dish
• List the ingredients and tools
• Describe the steps involved in
preparing the dish
• Whole class can view all the
cooking segments, leave
comments, and vote on the best
one (etc.)36
… (etc.)
Your turn!
• Working with a partner, discuss the following. Be prepared to share your responses!
A. Decide on a theme around which you could build a feasible, usable IPA.
B. Discuss the tasks that you would have your students carry out for the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes.
C. Decide which tools you would use to assist you in implementing these tasks - don’t be afraid to log in to these sites and play around!
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Image credits• http://pardistoos.com/en/wp-content/uploads-en/conversations-150x150.jpg
• http://www.greenspoint.org/Uploads/Demographics.jpg
• http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/11146/11146,1156114067,2/stock-vector-vector-silhouette-graphic-depicting-
concept-overworked-1714732.jpg
• http://www.admedia.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/social-media-icons-cloud.png
• http://www.afsusa.org/global-education-news/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/bilingual-brain3.jpg
• https://s3.amazonaws.com/eightythousand.org/posts/images/78/original/confused-character.jpg?1358182416
• http://www.mapcentia.com/images/icons/frontpage/upload.png
• http://www.clker.com/cliparts/t/a/C/n/w/j/people-holding-hands-around-the-world-md.png
• http://zarbosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/settings_icon.png
• http://www.scarbrough-intl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/technology_consulting_1-1.png
• http://carla.acad.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/assessment/ipa/index.html