Technology Essentials: Strategies for Effective

Language LearningLeonardo A. Mercado, M.Ed., M.B.A.

Challenge:How can we get our learners to succeed each and every day?

Today’s learners are different….Today’s teachers have to learn to communicate in the language and style of their students. (Prensky, 2001, pp.3-4)

Teachers must help their students come to terms with two unknowns: a new language and new cultures different from their own. Rather than become a traumatic experience, it should be an adventure. Merril Valdes, J. (1986)

Today’s Learners

Millenials

Digital Natives

Net Geners

Technology

Technology: A Tough Role to Fulfill

Enabler

Enhancer

“The power of technology is often enlisted in order to solve problems that are non-technological in nature, language learning being the prime example….[T]he idea that change can be effected by a quick technological fix is ingenuous to say the least”, Thornbury (n.d., ¶ 3-4)

“It is important not to see teachers and technology as interchangeable and to clearly distinguish what one can do that the other cannot” (Sharma, 2007, p.13)

Challenge:How can we get our learners to succeed each and every day?

Motivation

SLA & Motivation

• Gardner’s (2001) concept of integrativeness: The motivation of language learners is strongly grounded in the desire to get closer psychologically to another language community or cultural group.

• Dornyei’s “Self-Concept”: “an internal process of identification within the person’s self-concept rather than identification with an external reference group” (Ishioda & Dornyei, 2008, p.3).

Cultural Input & Communication

with other language learners

Social media, MOOCs, blogs, wikis, mobile

apps, and content management

platforms

Pedagogical

Technologies

Opportunities for personalization of

the learning experience, goal

setting and achievement, self-

determination, and imagination.

Social media, blogs and wikis, projects,

e-portfolios/journals and virtual worlds.

Motivational Theories & TechnologyL2 Motivation Construct Pedagogical Implications Examples of Supporting Technology

Integrativeness Provide cultural input from other countries and the world in general as well as the opportunity to interact with social and cultural groups that share the same language.

Social media, MOOCs, blogs, wikis, mobile apps, and content management platforms can all provide learners with vast amounts of input in the L2 that can reinforce their identification with or desire to learn more about a target language user group or culture. They can also offer channels of communication with their classmates as well as learners from other groups, cities and countries.

Self-Identity Offer opportunities for personalization of the learning experience, goal setting and achievement, self-determination, and imagination.

Virtual worlds, such as Second Life, can offer language learners the possibility of assuming alternative, desirable selves. Learning analytics technology allows students to monitor their progress and set learning goals that are in line with their current and future needs. Modern Learning Management Systems (LMS’s) and other educational databases can allow learners to personalize their daily lessons and build up readily accessible e-portfolios of their achievements as they strive to attain a future state of being.

Instrumental Development of competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities that are relevant to the person’s development and well-being in the real world.

Content platforms can provide learning content, assessments, and resources to support English for Academic or Professional Purposes. Virtual environments and laboratories can serve as venues for practicing essential life skills. Cloud technology allows students to upload their work, content, etc., at any time during their very busy lives.

Achievement-Self-Expectancy

Creates environment for constant goal-setting, monitoring of progress, feedback, and overall recognition of achievement.

LMSs and other content-management platforms, virtual student websites, apps, and other technologically supported content feature progress tracking and other achievement-oriented data for teachers and students alike. Feedback for most kinds of exercises and activities is automated. Gamification in particular promotes goal setting and achievement targets, with rewards for completion.

Lesson Planning: Checklist

1. Will technology help me make this part of the lesson more engaging or effective?

2. Will technology help me save time at this point of the lesson?

3. Which technology should I use in terms of practicality and accessibility?

4. Which technology should I ask students to use to extend the lesson beyond class time if needed?

L2 Input Via Technology Checklist

• Target form(s)?• Course / Proficiency Level? • Length?

• 3 – 5 minutes for videos • 10 – 40 seconds for IEs (A2 – B2,

CEFR)• 30 seconds – 4 minutes for

audios (proficiency level)

• Scope: exemplars • Prompts for L2 Output?• Correlation: curriculum • Engagement

Curricular Planning with Technology

Analyze curriculum &

previous lesson

Identify goals, objectives, and outcomes for new lesson

Choose content for learning and

practice

Assess available technologies

and assign enabling /

enhancing roles

Implementation

Evaluate outcomes: Learning & Technology

Practical Ideas for the Classroom & AL

Shared insights from real teachers

1. Time Management

Not having enough time in class is perhaps one of the greatest sources of teacher stress and learning process inefficiency.

Timing of Activities, Tasks, &

Presentations

Content: Presentations, examples, flash

cards, prompts, etc.

#1 Digital Stopwatch (Kagan, 2011)

• Tell your partner about your last vacation. Think first, then begin.

Use it for…1. Student activities and

tasks.2. Prep/thinking time. 3. Timing discussions and

presentations.

#2: Social Media – Writing on Facebook

• Any course level• Posts from teacher and students

• Pictures, words, sentences, questions• Sharing articles or similar content at higher levels• Minimum participation per # of days or week• Level of accuracy can vary depending on post type• Bloom’s taxonomy can serve as a reference for teacher

postsJose Diaz Patrick Arana

Tips:1. Create special account 2. Set ground rules for

posts and content. 3. Keep dialogues focused

on target language.

#3: Blogs and Wikis for Vocabulary Building

Valeria Guerra William Machado

1. Establish minimum # of participations.

2. Link to class discussions and activities.

3. Train students on vocabulary building techniques.

#4: More Vocabulary

- 3 correct words: more difficulty- Incorrect word: less difficulty- 60 levels

Research says that games and explicit vocabulary learning techniques are helpful, especially at lower levels.

#5: Vetting L2 Input

Check Comprehension Level

• Students in class• Microsoft Word: Flesch-Kincaid

Reading Ease / Grade Level

Score Description

90.0 – 100.00

Easily understandable by an average 11-year-old student

60.0 – 70.0 Easily understandable by 13- to 15-year-old students

0.0 – 30.0 Best understood by university graduates

Yang, Wong, & Yeh, 2008

Vocabulary: LexTutor (VP English v.3)

#5: MALL – Student Presentations & Sharing

Antonio Galimberti

Tips: ALPs 1. Content types can vary.2. Length of recording

should be set before. 3. Questions for exchange

and tasks should be carefully chosen.

4. Recordings on mobile devices directly or on YouTube for greater sharing.

#5: MALL – Vocabulary Practice

Franco Cook

1. Selfies in places with target vocabulary.

2. Ss exchange phones with pictures and discuss vocabulary in context.

3. L2 Output turns: Ss receive feedback and can be evaluated.

#7: Digital Journals with Penzu: Ongoing Writing

Ana’s Rationale: • Poor student motivation • Lack of interaction

among students• Limited Feedback for

writing tasks (Paragraphs, Essays)

Benefits: • Reminders• Personalization• Mobile compatible• Possible to share• Free

Procedure: • Introductory PPoint• First entry: Intro• Form groups• Final feedback from T• GradingAna Rojas

Penzu: Digital Journals

Autonomous LearningHow do we get students to work on their own?

STRATEGY TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONPROVIDE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND OUTCOMES FOR LEARNERS.

Learning goals, objectives, outcomes, and standards, or LGOOS (Mercado, 2016), can be made available on the institutional intranet. All web- and app-based content can have LGOOS statements readily accessible.

ALLOW LEARNERS TO CREATE THEIR OWN GOALS AND CONTENT.

Learners can create their own presentations, videos, audios, images, publications, etc., and include references to LGOOS statements.

ENCOURAGE LEARNERS TO USE THE L2 OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

Learners can read, listen, speak, and write in English through a wide variety of communication media, learning resources, and technological devices, with structured tasks and teacher facilitation as means for scaffolding the experience.

RAISE AWARENESS IN LEARNERS IN TERMS OF HOW THEY LEARN

Learners can keep an e-log and e-portfolio in order to reflect on their learning and determine the best practices and strategies.

ENCOURAGE LEARNER CHOICE

Learners can choose from titles in a virtual library of graded readers, diverse LMS and other web-based activities and tasks, learning targets, Internet-based project options, etc.

ENCOURAGE LEARNERS TO BECOME TEACHERS

Learners can create content that is course-aligned or even more flexible so it can be explained to their classmates by way of role plays, presentations, and lessons transmitted by e-media.

ENCOURAGE LEARNERS TO BECOME RESEARCHERS Learners can research an endless number of topics in order to carry out project work, perform in class, or simply pursue their own personal interests.

Nunan, 2003

Other ideas…

• Teachers should guide, monitor, and offer back to students.• Evaluation can account for AL. • There should be a bridge between

CL and AL. • Content must relevant, engaging,

and challenging. • AL should lead to perceived

benefits for learners.

Practical examples:

• Autonomous Learning Project• Online graded reader program.

TESOL Tech Standards

TEACHERS• Demonstrate familiarity with technology

tools and resources • Integrate technology throughout

learning experience to enhance instructional efficacy.

• Design lessons that promote the effective use of technology in order to meet learning goals, objectives, and outcomes.

• Gather information about student progress and achievement to improve instruction.

STUDENTS• Demonstrate competency in the use of

technology, including an ability to use a variety of technology tools, Internet browsers, and input and output devices.

• Use and evaluate technology-based tools that promote or enhance productivity, skill-building, communication, collaboration, and research.

• Recognize the value of technology to support autonomy, lifelong learning, creativity, metacognition, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

- LESSON PLANNING CHECKLIST- JOURNAL WRITING- FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS

- DIVERSIFY MEDIA, CONTENT, AND TASK TYPES

- ADJUST ASSESSMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR TECHNOLOGY

- S REFLECTONS

Extended Learning

Conclusion

• Technology is an enabler and enhancer, not a problem solver.• Today’s students expect technology.• Technology will not replace teachers, but teachers who use technology will

replace teachers who don’t.

• Technology should be carefully chosen. • MALL should be encouraged, not feared. • Classroom and AL should be integrated. • Learning should be confirmed. • Anyone can use technology. Start off slow!

References

Dornyei, Z. (Autumn, 1994). Motivation and motivating in the language classroom. The

Modern Language Journal, v78 (3), pp.273-284Merrill Valdes, J. (1986). Culture bound: Bridging the cultural gap in

language teaching. Cambridge University Press Noels, K.A., Pelletier, L.G., Clément, R., & Vallerand, R.J. (February,

2000). Why are you learning a second language? Motivational orientations and self-determination theory. Language Learning, v50 (1), pp.57-85

Nunan, D. (2003). Nine steps to learner autonomy. Retrieved March 16, 2015 from:http://www.andrasprak.su.se/polopoly_fs/1.84007.1333707257!/menu/standard/file/2003_11_Nunan_eng.pdf

References

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2012 from: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/prensky%20-%20digital%20natives,%20digital%20immigrants%20-%20part1.pdf

Sharma, P. (2007). Blended learning: Using technology in and beyond the classroom. Macmillan

Thornbury, S. (n.d.). Ed Tech: the mouse that roared? Retrieved March 16, 2015 from: http://auselt.com/2014/01/15/ed-tech-the-mouse-that-roared-scott-thornbury/