Language Teaching

in the

Digital Age

Gillian Lord

University of Florida

glord@ufl.edu

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:

Everything I

reference or

cite today is

available on

my Dropmark!

What is Dropmark?

• Dropmark is a collaborative sharing tool that

allows you to create presentations or collections

of information online.

• Easy to use

• Web-based or browser extension

• Include images, webpages, videos, text

• Reorder information

• Public or private

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 9

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 11

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 12

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 13

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

14

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

15

Where does this lead us?

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

17

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)

18

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 19

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

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

Tools to use: Interpersonal mode

Speaking

• voxOpop

• VoiceThread

• Other voiceboard tools through LMS

Writing

• Bubbl.Us

• Wikispaces | PBwiki | etc.

• Blogger | Wordpress | etc.

Digital posters

• Biteslide | NewHive

Animated movies

• Animoto | GoAnimate | XtraNormal

Visuals & Storyboards

• Instagram | Pinterest | ToonDoo | Fotobabble

Narrated Journey

• Google Earth (tutorial) | Dipity

Tools to use: Presentational

mode

Putting it all together

Sample technology-enhanced integrated

performance assessment

• Language: SPANISH

• Level: Elementary

• Theme: Food and cooking

Interpretive (A)

• Students watch a

Spanish-language

cooking show.

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.

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.)

… (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!

Thank you.

Resources

http://drp.mk/QtHf

Questions?glord@ufl.edu

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