[EDU] A Handful of Great Apps for literacy

Web: Writing Tools, K-12 Educators

Best Literacy Apps

[L544] Reflection #5 (Promoting Autonomy)

• Healey, D. (2007). Theory and Research: Autonomy and Language Learning. In J. Egbert & E. Hanson-Smith (Eds) CALL environments: Research, practice, and critical issues (2^nd edn) (pp.377-388). Alexandria VA: TESOL.

Autonomy is more than sitting in a lab with material, more than being motivated to learn, more than having company in one’s studies, and more than having choices in terms of topics. Autonomy can be seen as knowing one’s goals for learning, preferred ways to learn, and ways to feel motivated, and then creating a learning community that allows one to achieve these goals – in many ways, being able to make adult decisions about learning. (p.388)

As for the term ‘Autonomy’, before reading the article, I simply thought it is a capacity to be an independent learner in their learning. According to Healey’s theoretical point of view, however, it deepens the concept of autonomy with multiple facets. As my conclusion about autonomy in CALL with the reading, first, it is being an independent learner in that the learner knows what technological materials to choose and how to control their language learning with or without teacher’s instruction by themselves. Second, more than being an independent learner, students can teach others based on what they have learned, and they learn from each other in language learning community of pair/group work, as Vygotsky’s concept of zone of proximal development. Third, vesting more power in learners (locus of power), in a way, enhances learners’ autonomy and motivation.

Healey(2007) mentioned several times about WebQuest as an example of encouraging learners’ autonomy, and I’d like to share my review of a WebQuest I did in another course. “Learning more about the TOEFL and IELTS: a WebQuest for EFL learners” (http://susanmarandi.tripod.com/intro.html ) is an EFL WebQuest designed by Dr. Susan Marandi. This WebQuest targets at EFL intermediate university students who have basic understanding of using computer/ internet. The WebQuest aims at improving students’ English proficiency in the process of obtaining information about TOEFL and IELST and acquiring Internet navigation skills and MS word processing skills. Students are expected to work collaboratively to learn about the TOEFL and IELTS exams, compare the information, and write a report to explain their preference and justification. Students’ English proficiency will be improved spontaneously while they are focusing on the task. In terms of content objectives, by completing this WebQuest, students will learn about the TOEFL and IELTS tests and be able to compare the two tests, deciding which test meets their need better. In terms of computer literacy objectives, students are expected to improve both their online information navigation skills as well as their word processing skills on MS Word. In terms of language objectives, students will demonstrate online skimming and scanning skills; by completing this WebQuest, they will also improve their English writing and oral presentation skills.

This WebQuest lesson deals with an authentic topic. The main task is getting to know about TOEFL and IELTS. Considering the target students (college-level students in EFL English class) for this WebQuest, the task topic itself is very authentic and closely related to students’ interest, thereby motivating them to engage in the group work and participate actively in group discussion, which promotes their autonomy due to their need in English language learning. There is a high potential for taking these English tests in the future by students, so the choice of topic in this lesson reflects students’ academic needs very well. Learners can also control the learning time, pace, sequence, and even content, according to their different circumstances, such as whether they choose TOEFL or IELTS, which reflects Healey’s (2007) technical perspective of setting issues for learners’ autonomy.

[Edu] 22 Ways to Use Mobile Phones in Your Classroom

resource link: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/03/22-ways-to-use-mobile-phones-in-your.htmlhttp://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/03/22-ways-to-use-mobile-phones-in-your.html

• Learn a new language
• Use Calculator
• Camera Phone+ One Note or Evernote= instant searchable notes
• Use it as a Digital storytelling tool
• Use it for Physics video analysis
• E-reader or text book option
• Dictionary or word play pal
• Time feature
• Send SMS reminders
• Receive SMS from students
• Free text wall
• SMS based chat room
• Calendar
• Use Posterous as a class blog for language students
• Use StudyBoost to review/study
• Use Google SMS
• Phone blogging
• Create a mobile group
• Vote/poll using a QRcode and a smartphone
• Unit converter
• Class video projects
• develop language skills with cell phones

<access the full presentation> https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1P_cfWd6S9UwXLKk4xCbRnTuoGmHrVGSbWrWZHW5P1pg/edit#slide=id.i28

[L544] CALL Software/Website Evaluation #2

L544 CALL Software/Website Evaluation #2 

Website Title: Word on the Street

Website URL: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street

Grade/Age/Proficiency Level: Intermediate/Advanced Adult ESL classroom

Language & Content:

1)   Intended purpose

Word on the Street is an exciting new English Language learning/teaching program co-produced by the BBC and the British Council. Word on the Street looks at how English works in everyday life and presents lively aspects of young British culture. Each half hour episode is filmed in a different place in the UK and features drama, interviews and reports to help learners improve their English language skills.

2)   Content

There are 20 main topics and 5 episodes per each topic, so in total 100 video clips of episodes followed by a few tasks provided. On the main page, users can see a brief introduction of the website in the middle, and a list of topic titles on the right column so that users can click it and move directly to the specific topic. If scrolled down a bit, it shows three tabs for learners to help choosing the episodes efficiently; episodes categorized by ‘Most recent’, ‘A-Z list’, and ‘Most popular’.  

[Figure 1.  Main content]

If the users click one episode, a video clip is shown with a brief description below it. Transcript and preparation questions are offered with hidden arrows, and it can be used or not based on the needs from learners or teachers. Each episode includes 2-4 tasks created for learners’ individual comprehension check. 

[Figure 2.  Content of episode ‘Halloween’]

[Figure 3.  Comprehension task]

                 

3)   External documents

There are no external documents that guide or support for the learning content. However, the website contains Cambridge Dictionaries Online on the very right column of the task section, so learners are able to look up the new words while watching the video or doing the tasks. The result of vocabulary looking-up shows with a pop-up box, not with moving to or opening a new window, so it is a very handy tool to use for the learners. 

                             [Figure 4.  Cambridge Dictionaries Online]

[Figure 5.  Result of dictionary look-up]

 

4)   Interesting?

Since the website provides live visual and auditory materials, it can motivate and capture learners’ interest at first sight, compared to the studying context with only written resources provided. Besides, all the episodes contain a real-life British everyday lives and views with a variety of interesting topics. Learners may have fun in choosing about which topics they would like to explore first.

5)   Language goal(s)

The main language goal of this English learning website is Listening comprehension skill. The primary learning materials are a number of video clips filmed by BBC and British Council, and all the task questions are based on the content of the episodes. Thus, it helps and improves learners’ listening proficiency. Inside a big frame of listening content, in addition, some episodes more focus on language usage with specific Grammar lessons or Idiom expressions, titled with ‘Language focus’. More examples of screenshot will be in the next part.

[Figure 6.  Learning video episode and tasks]

6)   Practice / Assessment / Feedback (with examples)

As mentioned above, all the practices start with watching a video clip. After watching it as many as needed, learners go ahead the task sections to check their comprehension and understanding about the content, as an assessment. Clear instruction guides learners how to complete the task correctly. Each episode offers different numbers of tasks based on the content (usually 2-5 tasks). With numerous tasks, I categorized their types as 4 learning domains; Comprehension check, Grammar, Idiom expressions, and Language use.

a.  Comprehension check

After watching the video clip, learners can check their comprehension with different types of questions, such as True or False question, Reordering, Multiple choice question, Matching, etc.

[Figure 7.  Task instruction]

[Figure 8.   T/F Question]

 [Figure 9.  Reordering]

[Figure 10.  Matching]

[Figure 11.  Multiple-choice question]

 

b.  Grammar

The video clips also provide a wide range of grammar lessons followed with tasks. It covers from the basic lesson as 5W1H question forms to the advanced lesson as the Tense.

     [Figure 12.  5W1H Question forms]

[Figure 13.  Rearranging question of How question]

[Figure 14.  Tense question 1]

[Figure 15.  Tense question 2]

  c.  Idiom expressions and Vocabulary

The website also offers practices for useful English expressions and vocabulary learning. 

[Figure 16.  Vocabulary question]

[Figure 17.  Useful expressions question]

       [Figure 18.  Everyday expressions]

 [Figure 19.  Use of ‘Just’]

d.  Language use

Small parts of tasks consist of specific English language use, such as a comparison of formal and informal expressions, or expression in certain context (e.g. hotel, airport, shopping). 

       [Figure 20.  Formal vs. Informal expressions]

[Figure 21.  Language use in hotel]

In terms of feedback after accomplishing the tasks, learners can immediately check whether they got correct answers or not by clicking ‘Check Answers’ button. If there are any incorrect ones, they can click them again to edit. After completing all the tasks, it shows the final score of the tasks with accuracy percentage and the number of correct answers.

       [Figure 22.  Checking Answers with button]

              [Figure 23.  Task score result]

7)   Easy to use?

‘Word on the Street’ is one of the submenus on ‘Learn English’ website, provided by BBC and British Council. There are other submenus that help English learners other than ‘Word on the Street’, such as Magazine, Vocabulary games, Grammar exercises, or Stories & Poems. But I specifically chose the domain of ‘Word on the Street’ separately because it itself already has abundant teaching/learning resources there, and each submenu seems to have different target learners. As long as the learners get to the main page of Word on the Street correctly with provided short-cut link http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street, they can easily access to the learning materials and tasks because it is well-organized and easy to navigate.

8)   Strengths

a.    Amusing video clips and Plentiful task activities

=> All the topics and video episodes can capture English language learners’ interest and motivation. Also, each episode includes 2-5 task activities so that learners can assess their understanding by themselves. Instruction is very clear and the layout is also very neat and well-organized. Learners might feel like exploring popular British sightseeing areas and tasting its culture through the lessons with live visual resources.

b.    Integrated learning

=>  Learners are able to study not only listening skill but also grammar, vocabulary, and idiom expressions in each lesson. With one episode video clip, developers seem to try to approach from multiple perspectives, and they created tasks for each learning purpose. Furthermore, teachers might be able to expand this into reading lesson with transcript, or even communication (speaking) class with preparation questions for discussion.

c.     User comments

=> Under the main learning content, there is a platform for users to leave comments about each episode. On this area, online English learners from all over the world can share their feelings, questions, opinions, worries, etc. They are able to teach and learn from each other as well using this space.

d.    Online Dictionary 

=> As mentioned previously, an online dictionary called Cambridge Dictionaries Online is provided on the right of the main task area. Learners can look up the new words right away while doing the tasks, and the result shows as a pop-up box that users can check and close quickly and easily.

e.    No need of Join/Log-in

=> The website is absolutely free to use, and also does not demand join-in or logging-in by users.

3)   Suggestions for Improvement

a.    Control of the Speed in Listening

=>  Considering the low level of learners especially in listening skill, it might be better if the developers could provide video clips with a function of controlling the speed of video play. If the speed is too fast, learners can first start with a lower speed, repeat watching the episode, and then keep increasing the speed until the normal level. Reading transcript before or after watching the video might help those low listening level of learners as well.

b.    Intensive Tasks

=>  Although there are 2-5 tasks per each lesson, the number of questions per each task is a bit small (4-6 questions). Various types of task can allow the learners to study extensively but not intensively because of this scant number of questions per each task. It would be better if supported by more questions added in each task domain.

c.     Grammar explanation

=>  In the episodes of ‘Language Focus’ in particular, they are focusing more on the English grammar. Therefore, a briefly summarized grammar explanation could be added below the video clip or on the script. Program developers also could offer the external document of Grammar lecture note as a Word file attachment or an external webpage.