Arabic Chats, Korean IM-Pals, Kendo, and Chinese TV Nights: Technology and

Strategies for Soaking Up Target

Culture NCOLCTL Conference 2007 Saturday, April 28, 2007

1:45 – 2:15 p.m. Jill Robbins & Anna Uhl Chamot(thanks to Laura Blythe Liu, Kristen D’Avolio, & Candice Michalowicz)

The George Washington University/ National Capital Language Resource

Center, Washington, DC

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

National Capital Language Resource National Capital Language Resource Center (NCLRC) is one of 15 foreign Center (NCLRC) is one of 15 foreign language resource centers in U. S.language resource centers in U. S.Since 1990 NCLRC has conducted Since 1990 NCLRC has conducted research on language learning research on language learning strategies, both identification and strategies, both identification and classroom applications studies.classroom applications studies.Learning Strategy Resource Guides Learning Strategy Resource Guides produced for elementary produced for elementary immersion, high school, and immersion, high school, and university language teachers and university language teachers and students.students.

PURPOSE OF CURRENT PURPOSE OF CURRENT NCLRC STUDYNCLRC STUDY

Explore how US college Explore how US college students learnstudents learn

ArabicArabic

ChineseChinese

JapaneseJapanese

KoreanKorean

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDYRATIONALE FOR THE STUDY

Most learning strategy research on Western languages.Good language learners (of Western languages) use similar strategies.Effect of non-Western writing systems on strategy use?Impact of unique grammar and non-cognate vocabulary?Interest in updating what we know about how students use technology in language learning

PARTICIPANTSPARTICIPANTS

College learners of Arabic, College learners of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.

Low Intermediate (fourth Low Intermediate (fourth semester) level at two U.S. semester) level at two U.S. universities.universities.

11 students of Arabic.11 students of Arabic.

10 students of Chinese.10 students of Chinese.

6 students of Japanese.6 students of Japanese.

4 students of Korean.4 students of Korean.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

What are the challenges in learning (language) ?What strategies do you use to overcome these challenges?What advice do you give to other students of this language?How are you learning the target language culture?

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

Record and videotape focus group interview protocols.Transcribe interviews verbatim.Analyze transcripts for learning challenges and responses.Identify student perceptions of effective and ineffective instruction.

FOCUS GROUP FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEW STRUCTUREINTERVIEW STRUCTURE

Writing task with think-aloud prompts.Questions on

SpeakingReadingListeningVocabularyCulture

Advice to a new student of the language.

TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY USED BY LEARNERSUSED BY LEARNERS

Use computer to writeUse computer to write Online listening, iPodOnline listening, iPod Instant messagingInstant messaging Online translationOnline translation Interactive web Interactive web activitiesactivities

ARABICARABIC

Instant Messaging: using numbers and letters (see Wikipedia article)

Email

Listen to Arabic music

Listen to and read Al Jazeera: use images to guess meaning

CHINESECHINESE

Writing to friends on IM or email

CHINESECHINESE

Using DVD subtitles in Chinese and English (Lilo & Stitch)

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

CHINESECHINESE

Listening with an iPod)

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

CHINESECHINESETyping is hard - doesn’t help to learn characters

Email with teachers, pen pals

JAPANESE JAPANESE

Online listening harder than in class

Online quizzes require dictionary use

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

KOREAN -KOREAN -Use an online translator

Check translation with online dictionary

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

KOREANKOREANKeyboarding easier than writing by hand “It’s fun to type in Korean”

Online newspapers

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

KOREAN KOREAN

Online listening exercises

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

KOREANKOREAN Internet radio, downloaded Korean music

QuickTime™ and aH.264 decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

NEXT STEPSNEXT STEPS

Continue data analysis.Continue data analysis.Develop descriptions of Develop descriptions of learning strategy learning strategy applications for each applications for each language.language.Produce resource guide for Produce resource guide for teaching learning strategies teaching learning strategies to students of Arabic, to students of Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.Korean.

FUTURE RESEARCHFUTURE RESEARCH

Ways to teach learning Ways to teach learning strategies for language-strategies for language-specific challenges.specific challenges.

Effects of strategies-based Effects of strategies-based instruction (SBI) on student instruction (SBI) on student achievement/proficiency, achievement/proficiency, attitude, and motivation.attitude, and motivation.

Instructional model for SBI for Instructional model for SBI for non-Western languages.non-Western languages.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONFOR MORE INFORMATION

Please visit the NCLRC website for Please visit the NCLRC website for free resources on language free resources on language learning strategies and other learning strategies and other topics topics

http://www.nclrc.org

Special thanks to our transcribers: Special thanks to our transcribers: Laura Blythe Liu, Kristen Laura Blythe Liu, Kristen D’Avolio, and Candice D’Avolio, and Candice MichalowiczMichalowicz