Classroom integration of interactive technologies to support learner autonomy

Sharpening pencils in the digital age: classroom integration of interactive technologies

to support learner autonomy

Shona WhyteUniversité Nice Sophia Antipolis

LaDiLS, Department of Linguistics and Comparative Studies Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy International seminar : Education technologies & language learner autonomy 14 October 2013

Shona Whyte

applied linguist Department of English StudiesUniversité Nice Sophia Antipolis, France

teaching EFL (oral expression, translation)second language acquisition/teaching technology (digital literacy, ICT for FL)teacher education (primary, secondary)

research teacher educationclassroom interactiontechnology integration

Education technologies & language learner autonomy

Shona Whyte (Université Nice Sophia Antipolis)Sharpening pencils in the digital age: classroom integration of interactive technologies to support learner autonomy

Christian Ludwig (University of Duisburg-Essen) The Use of Education Technology Tools in Foreign Language Learning – Advantages, Constraints and Challenges

Sharpening pencils?

projector

touch sensitive screen

computer

Pencils versus (IWB) pens

pedagogical exercise versus communicative task

http://bit.ly/1bJesF6

43

Writing the date

Primary EFL What is the goal of the activity?

8 year-olds2nd year of English

What teaching method is the teacher using?

Opening routine What do you think her general learning objectives might be?

Example 3

Writing the date

goal of activity practice pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar by writing and reciting dates

teaching method

•PPP (presentation, practice, production)•memorisation as homework•public performance

learning objective

produce sentences using correct pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar

Example 3

Story retell

Primary EFL

8 year-oldsmixed-level class

final task

Example 4

Pupil 2Pupil 1

Story retell

What is the goal of the activity?

What teaching method is the teacher using?

What do you think her general learning objectives might be?

Example 4

Story retell

goal of activity

use the target language in communication by retelling a story

teaching method

•comprehensible input with noticing activities•listening, repeating, recreating story segments; drawing/retelling•public performance

learning objective

successfully complete communicative activities or tasks

Example 4

Writingthedate

Story retell

goal of activity

practice pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar by writing and reciting dates

use the target language in communication by retelling a story

teaching method

•PPP (presentation, practice, production)•memorisation as homework•public performance

•comprehensible input with noticing activities•listening, repeating, recreating story segments; drawing/retelling•public performance

learning objective

produce sentences using correct pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar

successfully complete communicative activities or tasks

Scholastic tradition(Communicative or) Task-based

Language Teaching (TBLT)

principles of teaching and learning

learning and teaching a second language

second language acquisition

second language

acquisition

1. interlanguage hypothesis: learner has built-in syllabus with developmental stages (rate but not route of acquisition may vary)

2. interaction hypothesis: meaningful communication and interlocutor feedback drives acquisition3. noticing hypothesis: focus on form helps learner to notice aspects of L2 and gap with own production

(Cook, 1998; Ellis, 2005; Lightbown, 2000; Myles 2002)

second language

acquisition

1. interlanguage 2. interaction 3. reflection

1. whole-class, lock-step instruction

2. decontextualised, rote learning 3. structural syllabus

LIMIT

other teaching and learning

“the mind is an instrument, you first sharpen it, and then use it”

one of the most fatal, erroneous, and

dangerous conceptions ever introduced into the

theory of education

Whitehead, 1904-60

The mind is never passive; it is a perpetual

activity, delicate, receptive, responsive to stimulus. You cannot postpone its life until you have sharpened it.

Whitehead, 1904-60

Whatever interest attaches to your subject-matter must be

evoked here and now; whatever powers you are strengthening in the pupil, must be exercised

here and now; whatever possibilities of mental life your teaching should impart, must

be exhibited here and now.

Whitehead, 1904-60

Despite my great emotional involvement in work, I just hate to start

doing it; it's a battle and a wrench every time. Isn't

there something I can (must?) do first?

Shouldn't I sharpen my pencils perhaps?

Halmos, 1916-2006

“isn’t there something I must do first?”

In fact I never use pencils, but pencil

sharpening has become the code phrase for

anything that helps to postpone the pain of

concentrated creative attention.

Halmos, 1916-2006

And the answer, inevitably, is not nearly as long as we make it out

to be

Robert Duke Head of Music

University of Texas at Austin

“How long does it take to get to the good stuff?”

teaching and learning foreign languages

What is “the good stuff”?

Why don’t we get straight to it?

Whitehead’s model of learning

1.romantic

2.precision

3.generalisation

scholastic tradition

methods of second/foreign language

teaching

communicative language teaching

task-based language teaching

romantic stage

... first apprehension ... ... immediate cognisance of fact ...

... a ferment already stirring in the mind ...

Whitehead, 1917/32

scholastic tradition

communicative language teaching

task-based language teaching

access to cultural knowledge

the engagement of learners in communication in order to allow them to develop their communicative competence […or] ability to make meaning (Savignon, 2007, 209)

task-based teaching calls for the classroom participants to forget where they are and why they are there and to act in the belief that they can learn the language indirectly through communicating in it rather than directly through studying it. (Ellis, 2006: 31)

romantic stage

precision stage

... the stage of grammar, the grammar of language and the grammar of science.

It proceeds by forcing on the students' acceptance a given way of analysing the

facts, bit by bit.

Whitehead, 1917/32

scholastic traditioncommunicative

language teachingtask-based

language teachingstructural syllabus: development of grammatical competence

natural approach: no precision stage (Krashen & Terrell)

pre-­‐  and  post-­‐task  ac*vi*es

audiolingual method: overlearning of linguistic patterns (Lado & Fries)

interaction hypothesis: communication breakdown, negotiation of meaning (Gass, Long)

focus  on  form  (Long)

CER: development of linguistic (notional/functional) competencies

noticing hypothesis (Schmidt)

precision stage

generalisation stage

... a return to romanticism with the added advantage of classified ideas and relevant technique. It is the

fruition which has been the goal of the precise training.

Whitehead, 1917/32

scholastic tradition

communicative language teaching

task-based language teaching

accurate use of language to structure cultural knowledge

[…] ask for information, to seek clarification, to use circumlocution […] to negotiate meaning, to stick to the communicative task at hand, […] to take risks, to speak in other than memorized patterns. (Savignon, 2007: 209)

engagement in a planned learning activity with a primary focus on making meaning and engaging with real-world authentic language use with a defined communication-based learning outcome (Reinders, 2008)

generalisation stage

learning spiral

1.romantic

2.precision

3.generalisation

generalisation stage = learner autonomy

what is “the good stuff”?scholastic tradition CLT/TBLT

romantic goal understand the target culture use  the  target  language  in  communica*on

precision stage •explicit learning of linguistic structures, vocabulary, pronunciation •analyse cultural artefacts

•task  prepara*on  •no*cing  ac*vi*es  •incorpora*ng  feedback

generalisation phase discuss cultural knowledge without making grammatical errors

successfully  complete  communica*ve  ac*vi*es  or  tasks

obstacles & challenges

The pupils have got to be made to feel that they are studying something, and not merely executing

intellectual menuets (Whitehead, 1917)

For a student of mathematics to hear someone talk about mathematics does hardly any more good than

for a student of swimming to hear someone talk about swimming (Halmos, 1975)

too much precision work, not enough generalisation experiences

• beliefs about second language learning and teaching

• proficiency & self-efficacy

• institutional constraints

• lack of pedagogical models

obstacles & challenges

Writing the date Story retell

impoverished and decontextualised input

rich, contexutalised input

no focus on meaning, no communicative purpose

exclusive focus on meaning and communication

complex grammar (copula, modal, grammatical inflections)

little explicit instruction, only simple grammatical forms produced

focus on accuracy focus on fluency

one learner performing in front of whole-class

volunteers take turns to perform

Writing the date Story retell

Seems simple to teachers, because they

•underestimate the complexity of the activity

•overestimate learners’ capacities to reproduce forms

Seems difficult to teachers, because they

•underestimate learners’ capacities for formulating meaningful utterances

•overestimate the difficulty of the activity•

less likely to promote language learning - does not involve meaningful communication - rote learning and accurate reproduction

more likely to promote language learning - focuses on meaningful communication - provides support for successful task completion

Brainstorming about a sales pitch

goal of activity learn how to make a good presentation

teaching method

•comprehensible input•discussion/brainstorming•revision after class

learning objective

express opinions on topic using appropriate vocabulary and grammar

Example 6

I tend to use slides like this 1) for myself to use instead of a lesson plan so that

I know what’s coming next and 2) for learners to make sure everything is on the slide.

They don’t have to take notes and can see it later. This, I think, allows learners to listen more actively because they know the notes will be uploaded on the online platform afterwards. They are not concerned with taking notes so much and more

with the lesson itself.

I added a slide there because content hadn’t really been discussed. This is something I had not prepared

as such. But the IWB allows you to remain flexible.

• beliefs about second language learning and teaching

• proficiency & self-efficacy

• institutional constraints

• lack of pedagogical models

obstacles & challenges

Hubbard, 2008

research in teacher education

• iTILT

• video-conferencing

collaborative action research

teacher development

• high ICT & IWB confidence & strong IWB convictions

• wide range of tools and teaching objectives

• innovative participation in IWB community

It corresponds to the children's experience, because

they showed me with the pen, it's giant, and I'm in front.

So I thought "Uh-oh. If I'm teaching from the front, there's something wrong." It's called an interactive

whiteboard, there's this notion of interactivity, so it's clear that I'm too much in the spotlight.

So I need to find a way to get myself on the sidelines, because the goal is for them to be

more autonomous.

Framework for language teacher development with IWB

IWB use teacher development classroom practice

1• little experience/access• low IWB beliefs • low self-efficacy • limited tool use + teaching goals

• peripheral participation• (negative) focus on

technology + project

• decontextualised language practice

• IWB as whiteboard substitute (no software)

2

• more IWB experience• higher IWB beliefs• moderate self-efficacy• different user patterns but limited

goals

• peripheral participation• (negative) focus on

technology + project

• technical rather than pedagogical interactivity

• limited interactional opportunities

3• experienced IWB user• high self-efficacy and beliefs• range of tools + goals

• core participant in development programme

• interest and initiative in range of teaching and technology issues

• contextualised language practice

• focus on learning opportunities

Whyte, S. (2013). Interaction and interactivity in technology-rich second language classrooms: the iTILT project in France. WorldCALL, Glasgow, UK.13 July.

authentic tasks• video communication

with young beginners

• telecollaboration in English between French and German primary classes (English as a lingual franca)

• IWB supporting live communication via video link and screen-sharing

Whyte, S. (2011). Learning to teach with videoconferencing in primary foreign language classrooms. ReCALL 23(3): 271–293.

collaborative action research

• collaboration between teachers and researchers

• novice-expert teacher tandems

• technological and pedagogical support (activity design and implementation)

Cutrim Schmid, E., & Whyte, S. (Eds.) (forthcoming). Interactive whiteboards for language teacher professional development. Bloomsbury, January 2014.

a major affordance of technology is learner autonomy

learner autonomy depends on individual interlanguage development

interlanguage development requires

1. rich, contextualised, comprehensible input

2. sustained, repeated, communicative interaction

3. reflection on target language and own language production

learner autonomy depends on teacher willingness to provide input, orchestrate

communication and guide reflection, and so to ...

• value open-ended, communicative tasks

• give time and space for learner contributions

• refrain from excessive grammar instruction and correction

obstacles but also opportunities

becoming digitally sharpeffective classroom integration of interactive technologies

supported by ongoing teacher education

can encourage greater learner autonomy in and outside class

• http://www.music.utexas.edu/directory/details.aspx?id=36

• http://www.maa.org/sites/default/files/images/upload_library/1/Portraits/halmos5.gif

• http://www.maa.org/sites/default/files/images/upload_library/1/Portraits/whitehead.gif

• Eric T Gunther

• icondock.com

Sharpening pencils in the digital age: classroom integration of interactive technologies

to support learner autonomy

Shona [email protected]://efl.unice.fr@whyshona

http://bit.ly/19BPgi9