Blog post (3/18 #2). Using wikis as CALL material?

It seems that using wikis is one of the possibilities for a CALL material these days. One merit of using wikis is that students can collaborate in their work anytime, and anywhere. This is a strong point which other CALL materials does not seem to have, especially in terms of writing (we can say that voicethread can be a counterpart in speaking field). It sounds like an attractive material, but we still have to be careful how we use it in language classes. One of our reading shows that the engineering students did not feel comfortable with using wikis for their class. The reasons the researcher gave why it did not work good were: the students were not familiar using wikis; they needed to have extra work besides wiki writing; engineering majors may have a negative attitude towards collaborative writing tasks. This study shows that wikis are not almighty. However, if we use it in an appropriate way, it will work good for language acquisition. To use it appropriately, we first need to know the merits of using wikis. As I wrote at the beginning, one, and maybe the biggest merit is that students can collaborate in their work. So, wikis will be most appropriate when it is used for group works (in the research, it was not used for a well designed group work, and I think that is a reason why the students felt uncomfortable with wikis). Also, easy accessibility is another merit for wikis. In my opinion, I think it will be better to assign simple tasks for wiki tasks, not very complicated and hard tasks. This is because if the tasks are very hard, learners may feel reluctant to access wikis, which will spoil one of its merits.

Blogpost (3/18): Text-based chat? Face-to-face conversatioon?

The reading of this week "Noticeing and text-based chat" argues the possibilities of the effect of Computer-Mediated Communication (chatting) on Noticing. This article concludes that text-based chatting elicits learners' attention on what they typed on the chat, which is a necessary factor for second language acquisition according to the Noticing Hypothesis. Although I agree with the point that text-based chat can work good for noticing, I doubt if it really works for SLA. The reading shows that learners' self error correction occurs more in text-based chatting than face-to-face conversation, it does not show that this error corrections enhanced their language acquisition. Also, the article does not mention the negative aspect of the frequent error correction: it can interrupt the fluency of the communication. The data shows that the face-to-face conversation has less self correction than text-based chat, it does not mean that it is less efficient for SLA. I think that the face-to-face conversation does good for learners fluency (while text-based chat does good to their accuracy). Ann E. Chun et al's study (1982) shows that in native-nonnative conversations, native speakers correct nonnative speakers' errors in terms of vocabulary, not too frequently to keep the fluency of conversation. This projects another point of view on the article in that error correction from the face-to-face interlocutor can work good on SLA.

My question is that how Computer-Mediated Communication (text-based chat) should be used to enhance the learner's acquisition. Should it be used to improve their accuracy? Or should it be used for their fluency improvement?
My current answer is that since chatting is casual, not very academic, it will work better when the purpose is set on the improvement of the learner's fluency, not accuracy.
What do you think?

Reference:
Ann E. Chun, Richard R. Day, N. Ann Chenoweth, Stuart Luppescu (1982) "Errors, Interaction, and Correction: A Study of Native-Nonnative Conversations" TESOL QUARTERLY Vol. 16, No. 4 December 1982.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3586471

Final Project Proposal

I would like to create a CALL activity which helps learners with connecting their listening to speaking, especially conversation. The CALL tools I will be using are listening website which provides real conversation-based listening, and discussion space where learners can chat not only with each other, but also with native English speakers in other countries.

elllo (http://www.elllo.org/english/0951/T999B-Todd-elllo.htm)
ESL listening lab (http://www.esl-lab.com/)
Nicenet (http://www.nicenet.org/)
The first two will be used for listening activity, and the third will be used for discussion about the listening.

The intended audience of this activity is intermediate to advanced level English learners who are interested in improving their conversation ability. The purpose of this activity is to connect what they learned from the listening to communication. In the class, learners first listen to the story from the website, and then do some listening exercises. At the same time, learners are encouraged to pick up words or expressions that they think will be helpful for English conversation. Each listening websites are designed based on real conversation, so learners will find many useful expressions. After the listening, discussion about the listening will be set on the Nicenet, and learners are guided to chat on it, using the expressions that they have learned from the listening. Also, native English speakers from other countries will be asked to join the discussion, so that learners will be able to communicate with them. The topics will be related to learners’ real life, so that they can make comments easily. This CALL lesson will enhance language acquisition, especially for convey meaning in conversation, since it provides many chances for both input and output conversational expressons in appropriate context.

I might also use this website to create chat space.

http://home.kanto-gakuin.ac.jp/~taoka/lecs/

Blogpost (3/11): Podcast Project 3

University Life in America 2

This podcast is for intermediate level English Learners. Click the title above, and you'll find the podcast.
Have a quick look at direction 1, and start playing.


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Direction 1
Before you listen, read the exercise 1, and try to get answer for each question from the listening.


Exercise 1:
1. What is Nacho's major?
2. What are the two main topics of the interview?



Direction 2
Listen to the interview again. This time, pay attention to the words below and try to figure out the meanings.

・military
・affect
・conflict
・strategy
・tactics


Exercise 2: Give the definitions to each word provided above. Answers are at the bottom of this page.



Direction 3
Read the exercise 3, and try to catch the answers from the listening.


Exercise 3: Answer the questions below. Choose the best answer if choices are given. Correct answers are at the bottom of this page.

1. In his class, what are some specific features tried to be understood from wars and conflicts?

2. What kind of job does he mention where military knowledge can be applied? Choose all the correct answers.
a. political career
b. solder in Air Force
c. FBI
d. business person

3. In his view, what is important to know for future jobs?



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Answers for the exercises
Exercise 1.
1. Military History
2. What he learns in his class, and how he will apply the knowledge to the real life the two topics.


Exercise 2. (click each word to see more definitions)
・military: related to members of the armed force
・affect: to produce an effect or change in something
・conflict: (noun) often prolonged fighting
・strategy: the science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during war
・tactics: the art or science of disposing military or naval forces for battle and maneuvering them in battle

Exercise 3.
1. How would wars affect the future, and how the nations came to be what it is to be, and what impact wars and conflicts have on people.
2. a, c
3. What kind of strategy/tactics you can use, and how can we prevent mistakes that were done before. Also, he mentioned about the importance of applying what was learned to the future world.


podbean page: http://kazkuma.podbean.com/

Podcast Project 2

University Life in America 1


This is a podcast for English listening practice designed for beginning to intermediate level learners.
Click the title above, and you'll find the podcast.
Start playing the audio, with following the directions below.

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Direction 1
Listen to the interview, and try to figure out what is talked about. After the interview, go on to the exercise 1.

Exercise 1: Answer the questions about what is talked about. Answers are at the bottom of this page.

1. How many years do students usually spend in a university?
2. What is Paul's major?
3. What does Paul do during the summer break?



Direction 2
Listen to the interview again. This time, pay attention to the words below and guess the meanings.

・semester
・college
・commute
・break

Exercise 2: Explain the meaning of the words in this interview. Answers are at the bottom of this page.



Direction 3
Listen to the interview again. This time, try to catch more details of the interview.

Exercise 3: Answer the questions below. Choose the best answer if choices are given. Correct answers are at the bottom of this page.

1. When does each semester starts?

2. What subject did Paul mention for general required classes? Choose all the right answers.
a. Math
b. Architecture
c. Art
d. Science

3. How did Paul go to UIC when he was a junior student?

4. What does he want to do with his money?


Post Listening Activity
Think about how university students in your country spend their time. Are there any differences between your country and America? What are the differences? Talk about it with others, and share your thoughts.




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Answers for the exercises
Exercise 1.
1. Four years
2. Film (Moving Image)
3. He works

Exercise 2. (click each word to see more definitions)
・semester: a division constituting half of the regular academic year
・college: an undergraduate division or school of a university offering courses in a particular field.
・commute: (verb) to travel regularly over some distance
・break: (noun) a pause or an interval

Exercise 3.
1. From the end of August, and from January.
2. a, b
3. He drove a car to the UIC.
4. To buy ticket to go to Japan.


podbean page: http://kazkuma.podbean.com/