6. How to use chat

Chat in language teaching Types of chat Chat programs Why use chat in language teaching? How to start using text or voice chat

with leaners How to structure a text or voice chat

lesson A sample text chat lesson plan

Chat in language teaching

Chat is to exchange messages with someone using a computer so that you are able to see each other’s messges immediately,especially on the internet

Chat has enormous potential to link students around the world, in real time.

The teacher can link up classes and groups in different locations, as part of collaborative project work or for one-off chat sessions.

One most important issue to bear in mind is that using chat needs to have a clear purpose for learners.

Types of chat Text chat,

Communication between chat user takes place via typed chat.

Audio or Voice chat,Communication between chat users takes place via audio, much like a phone conversation.

Public chat,There are innumerable public chat rooms on the internet, on a huge variety of topics, which user can join.

Private chat (instant messaging),This requires the installation of a client program, which connect individual user over internet.

Types of educational chat Free topic chats,

There is no topic or agenda set for the chat. Collaborative, task-oriented chat

Learners meet via chat out of class to complete a real task. Informative or academic chats

For example, a learner or teacher gives a presentation on a topic via chat. This approach works well in the context of a blended learning solution(meet online and face to face)

Practice chats,These chats will practise a specific function or form of language, or a specific skill or strategy, and will probably take place out of class time. Example are : a voice chat practising a telephone job interview or indeed any telephone situasion, circumlocution to describe an object, practising pronuncation faeture via voice chat.

Chat program

How to download Skype

skype.flv

Why use chat in language teaching ?

Does using text or voice chat with learners improve their English ?

What kind of English should learners use in chat ?

What technical skills do teachers and learners need to be able to use chat ?

What benefits does the use of chat bring to the classroom ?

Is it better to use text or voice chat with learners ?

Does using text or voice chat with learners improve their English ?

Researchs has shown that by using it can improve learners’ language abilities.

Chat text providing opportunities for negotiating meaning, seen as a key to language acquisition by many linguists.

Voice chat is more likely to make learners produce more fluent language.

What kind of English should learners use in chat ?

Common abbreviation use in text chat- btw for by the way- CU L8r for See you later

Some basic rules of netiquette-How to behave online and some common conventions

For more examples of conventions ,look at pages 75 and 76 on your text book.

Summary of conventions in text and voice chat

Text chat Voice chat

Use ? To ask the floor Use a convention to ask for the floor – this could be via text, or a special phrase such as turn please

Use ‘...’ at the end of your sentence to show that you have not finished a contribution

Use a special phrase or word such as Over or Done to show when you have finished speaking

Use ‘.’ at the end of your sentence to show that you have finished a contribution

One participant should be responsible for taking notes during the chat

Use square brackets [ ] to make an aside to another participant, or off-topic remark

The moderator can nominate quieter participants by name to contribute.

Expalin abbreviations the first time you use them in a chat, e.g. Btw= by the way

What technical skills do teachers and learners need to be able to use chat ?

Knowing where and how to type comment in a chat window for text chat.

How to use a microphone and speaker or a headset, in voice chat.

Typing ability Connection speed to transmit and

receive audio and video data

What benefits does the use of chat bring to the classroom ?

Text chat Voice chat

Advantages Leaners may already use text chat at home

Learners may already use voice chat at home

Bring current technology into classroom

Bring current technology into classroom

Use a new tool can be motivating for learners

Use a new tool can be motivating for learners

Enables learners to make contact with learners in other countries

Enables learners to make contact with learners in other countries

A low tech option ‘Real’ oral practice of language

Continued....Non-threatening and easy to use

Voice chat software increasingly easy to download and use

Chat transcipt can be used later for language analysis

Disadvantages

Text chat can be chaotic (overlapping turns,disjointed,topic decay..)

Suitable for very small groups only

Unclear whether text chat really improves learners’English.

Realiable broadband internet connection needed

Do we need to teach chat speak ?

Recording a chat may be complex and require other software

Can be difficult to identify errors vs typos vs non-standard chat speak

Weaker typist are put at a disadvantage

How to start using text or voice chat with learners

Install and learn to use the software A practice chat class Contact with another class

How to use skype

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evvHXRtKA8o&feature=related

Skype group video call http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp2

Y83mDSRY&feature=relatedHow to make free video call http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M5

yOYqwCXo&NR=1

How to structure a text or voice chat lesson

An introductory/warmer phaseThis phase may include detailed introductions and exchange of personal information if learners are chatting together for the first time, or it may consist of a simple exchange of information, such as ‘What was the best thing you did last weekend ?’ for learners who have already chatted in the past. This stage serves to set the scene and acts as an icebreaker.

Continued...

The main content of the chatThis may consist of one main task, or a series of short tasks, which learners need to complete, and cuold be based on a worksheet which learners have been given before chat. See the sample chat lesson on page 80.

A closing stageIn this stage learners may summaries what they have covered or achieved in the chat, and say goodbye. The teacher might have set a brief closing task, such as asking learners to tell each other one thing they have enjoyed about the chat

A sample text chat lesson plan

Before the class1. Make contact with the teacher of a similar class in term of level, class size and access to technology2. Learners also need to be confident about how to use the chat program.3. With the teacher of other class, set a time for the chat.4. Try out with other teacher before class

Continued...

Class room management issues1. Ideally learners are put in pairs for the first chat.2. Learners can either conduct the cat in pairs, or consecutive learners can be allowed access to the same computer for a certain amount of time3. Using voice chat rather than text chat in the single computer classroom

During the cat1. Provide hand out worksheet2. Each learner has a slightly different worksheet3. Asking questions on their worksheet4. Print out their chat script and complete the worksheet from that, once the cat is finished.

After chat1. Display their profile in the classroom separately2 Create learner profile in an inter-class blog (see chapter 7)

Summary

Try the software out in the computer room with the class before setting up the real time chat

Make contact before class using blogs project or email. Set a clear task The purpose of using chat is to connect people who

geographically far apart The ideal group size, about 6 to 8 people for text chat,

and 3 to 5 people for voice chat. Record the chat. Recording chats makes the whole

experience less ephemeral, and provides a basis via the transcript or audio recording for later language analysis,

Have a contingency plan, have a backup plan to do something else with your leaners if your school’s i nternet connection is down.