a framework for selecting appropriate online vocabulary learning environments dr. rob waring notre...
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A framework for selecting appropriate online vocabulary
learning environmentsDr. Rob Waring
Notre Dame Seishin University
Example Activities
• Explicit teaching• Dictionary work• Studying from a grammar book• Intensive reading• Language awareness activities• Conscious word learning
• Controlled language production activities.
• Language and pronunciation drills
• Gap fill exercises• Memorized dialogs• Sentence completion tasks• Tests
• Easy reading• Easy listening• Watching movies• Browsing the Internet• Listening to the radio or music
• ‘Free’ language production activities.• Casual conversations• Debates and discussions• Email, and online chat• Diary writing• Essays
Example Activities
• Explicit teaching• Dictionary work• Studying from a grammar book• Intensive reading• Language awareness activities• Conscious word learning
• Controlled language production activities.
• Language and pronunciation drills
• Gap fill exercises• Memorized dialogs• Sentence completion tasks• Tests
• Easy reading• Easy listening• Watching movies• Browsing the Internet• Listening to the radio or music
• ‘Free’ language production activities• Casual conversations• Debates and discussions• Email, and online chat• Diary writing• Essays
Example ActivitiesReceptive Productive
• Explicit teaching• Dictionary work• Studying from a grammar book• Intensive reading• Language awareness activities• Conscious word learning
• Controlled language production activities.
• Language and pronunciation drills
• Gap fill exercises• Memorized dialogs• Sentence completion tasks• Tests
• Easy reading• Easy listening• Watching movies• Browsing the Internet• Listening to the radio or music
• ‘Free’ language production activities.• Casual conversations• Debates and discussions• Email, and online chat• Diary writing• Essays
Example ActivitiesReceptive Productive
• Explicit teaching• Dictionary work• Studying from a grammar book• Intensive reading• Language awareness activities• Conscious word learning
• Controlled language production activities.
• Language and pronunciation drills
• Gap fill exercises• Memorized dialogs• Sentence completion tasks• Tests
• Extensive reading• Extensive listening• Watching movies• Browsing the Internet• Listening to the radio or music
• ‘Free’ language production activities.• Casual conversations• Debates and discussions• Email, and online chat• Diary writing• Essays
Example ActivitiesReceptive Productive
• Explicit teaching• Dictionary work• Studying from a grammar
book• Intensive reading• Language awareness
activities• Conscious word learning
• Controlled language production activities.
• Language and pronunciation drills
• Gap fill exercises• Memorized dialogs• Sentence completion tasks• Tests
• Easy reading• Easy listening• Watching movies• Browsing the Internet• Listening to the radio or
music
• ‘Free’ language production• activities.• Casual conversations• Debates and discussions• Email, and online chat• Diary writing• Essays
Language Study
Fluency practice
The Balanced Curriculum
Receptive Productive
Language Study
• Explicit teaching• Dictionary work• Studying from a
grammar book• Intensive reading• Language awareness
activities• Conscious word learning
• Controlled language production activities.
• Language and pronunciation drills• Gap fill exercises• Memorized dialogs• Sentence completion tasks• Tests
Fluency Practice
• Easy reading• Easy listening• Watching movies• Browsing the Internet• Listening to the radio or
music
• ‘Free’ language production activities.• Casual conversations• Debates and discussions• Email, and online chat• Diary writing• Essays
The Balanced Curriculum
Receptive Productive
Language Study
Fluency Practice
Build language knowledge and get control over it
Develop learning strategies
Build language knowledge and get control over it
Develop learning strategies
Develop a sense of how the language works
Build autonomy
Build pragmatic and cultural knowledge
Balance in Language Teaching
Receptive Productive
Language Study
Fluency Practice
- provides new knowledge about language features-raises awareness of how the language works- raises awareness of learning strategies
- Learners get a feel for how the language works- consolidates the discretely learned language features- allows learners to meet huge amounts of text
-gives practice in checking whether something is known- allows learners to actively construct language- focuses on accurate control over language features
- gives real time opportunities to experiment with language use- gives feedback on the success of language use- builds fluency of language production
The Balanced Curriculum
Receptive Productive
Language Study
Fluency Practice
Box 1 - Formal Learning
Building knowledge about the language
Awareness raising
Box 2 - “Getting Control”
Linking knowledge
Accuracy focus
Box 3 - Fluency Input Networking knowledge
Comprehending input fluently
Box 4 - Fluency Output Experimenting with language
Developing fluency
How does learning happen?
Noticesomething
We don’t understand
Get feedbackTry it out
Get more input
Understandand add to our knowledge
Correct use
Incorrect use
“Then they saw an ancient temple …”
Notice something
Get more input
(feedback)
Try it out
Add to our knowledge
The Cycle of Learning
How does the cycle of learning fit The Balanced Curriculum?
Receptive Productive
Language Study
Fluency Practice
Notice things
Add to your knowledge
Get more input
Notice things
Add to your knowledge
Get more input
Try it out (controlled)
Try it out (free production)
What happens if they don’t do these things?
Receptive Productive
Language Study
Fluency Practice
- Fewer chances to notice new things- Hard to add new knowledge
- Can’t check the accuracy of what they learnt
- Not enough input- Few chances to develop automatic processing - Can’t develop fluent eye movements
- Can’t experiment with their knowledge fluently
Two states of vocabulary learning
Form-meaning relationship - matching the spelling and sound to a meaning
The ‘deeper’ aspects of vocabulary learning- multiple meaning senses / nuances of use- frequency, usefulness etc.- use in context- domain (lexical set)- restrictions on use / pragmatic values- register – polite, rude, spoken, written, formal, informal- collocation and colligation- lexical access speed, fluency, automaticity- etc.
Central Vocab Concepts
Frequency – Usefulness / Need - RangeReceptive – Productive Contextualized – DecontexualizedIntentional – Incidental learningScaffolded learning – Random learningSingle items – Multi-part wordsMassed – Distributed practiceSpaced retrievalScheduled review / recycling / repetition
What happens to things we learn?
We forget them over time unless they are recycled and memories of them strengthened
Our brains are designed to forget most of what we meet - not to remember it
Time
KnowledgeThe Forgetting Curve
Leitner’s Memory System
Image source: www.lexxica.com
Spaced, expanded retrieval
Memorization software
Anki http://ankisrs.net/Supermemo http://www.supermemo.com/Memosyne http://www.mnemosyne-proj.org/Open cards http://www.opencards.info/Quizlet http://www.quizlet.com AWL Builder http://www.charlie-browne.comFlashcardDB http://flashcarddb.com/SocialDecks www.socialdecks.comFlashcard friends http://www.flashcardfriends.com/
iKnow.jp
iKnow.jp
iKnow.jp
iKnow.jp
Comparison of softwareAnki Supermemo iKnow! WordEngine Mnemosyne
OS Mac, PC, Browser, IOS,
Android
PC, iOS, Browser
Browser, iOS, Android
Browser Mac, PC, Browser, Android
Import, add Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Audio / images
Yes Yes Yes ? Yes
Sync Yes No? Yes No No?
Demo video Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Memosyne
Anki
Online Intentional Learning Apps
Current vocab software do quite well:recognition, productive practicespellingspaced repetitionsequenced /scaffolded learningimmediate feedbacksometimes and LMS included for trackingalmost all is controlled practice
Online Intentional Learning Apps
They don’t do so well with these things:indicating frequency or usefulnessengagement – too functionalgeneral appeal – not all will like these methodpoor tie in well with current reading and courseswide variety of features - ? Lack of clear principles?often lack context and pronunciationfew contrasts with antonyms and synonymsgenerative vocabulary (adding uses take a test -> take a drive, take a rest, take
time-out, take a XXXX)uneven block sizes (20-50 optimal)
Integrated Software solutions
EnglishCentral.comNative level input from thousands of YouTube videosFacility to practice your speech / pronunciationVocabulary tracking
DynEd.comHighly controlled and sequenced learningFocus on listeningPronunciation modeling and practice
Rosetta StoneIntegrated solutions in dozens of languages
DynEd
The Balanced CurriculumReceptive Productive
Language Study
Fluency Practice
The Balanced CurriculumReceptive Productive
Language Study
EnglishCentral.comDynEdRosetta Stone
AnkiMnemosyneQuizletiKnow.jpWord Engine
EnglishCentral.comDynEdRosetta Stone
AnkiMnemosyneQuizletiKnow.jpWord Engine
Fluency Practice
? ?
Recommendations for Vocabulary Software Designers
Focus less on functional, form-meaning level aspectsFocus on contextualizing the learning, tooReplace native-level definitions with those like learner dictionariesThere should be a transition /link to course work or some direct
end goal for the learning Where’s the context/ the narrative/ the story?Personalization of the learning to one’s own interests?Make it fun! Make it engaging
‘Flow’ in gaming
‘Flow’ refers to intense focus on a task to the exclusion all distractions.Csikszentimahalyi (1990) identifies several aspects of flow
loss of sense of time; few feelings of self-consciousness and bodily needs; clear goals and high sense of control; high concentration; direct and immediate feedback a chance to adjust behavioursa highly rewarding task Examples:Being lost in a good bookVideo gamers who play for 20 hours straight
Textual input
BeeOasis.comOnline graded readerswww.robwaring.org/er/OUP graded readers on iTunes
Note:Moodlereader.org (2000 tests for graded readers online with LMS)
Vocabulary Size Tests
There are (too) many?Some are good, but many are poorly made – tests not properly leveledMany lack contextMany are for natives and text levels too highNot enough low level itemsNo good test for younger learnersTests are not adaptive
http://www.lextutor.ca/tests/levels/productive/
http://www.lextutor.ca/tests/levels/productive/
http://www.insightin.com/test/take_test.phtml
my.vocabularysize.com
Summary
Keep the framework in your mind when selecting online vocab software – balance of receptive/productive and language focus/ fluency focus
Ask: Is it flexible? How integrated is it?How does it fit each learner’s needs?LMS? IT issues? Access to machines and devices?
You?
Which of these software might you consider for:Yourself?Your students?
Thank you for your time
Dr. Rob Waring
http://www.robwaring.org/er/http://www.robwaring.org/presentations/