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Running head: 2020 VISION

2020 Vision of a Foreign Language Classroom

Andrea Reinsmoen

Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota

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2020 Vision of Foreign Language Classrooms

Chapter One: Introduction

Globalization has brought a new dimension to foreign language. Many politicians

and businessmen agree that knowing a foreign language is a vital skill needed in our

global economy. Sunita and Sucheta (2006) argue that in order for our students to

become strong candidates in the business world, they need a very solid knowledge of at

least one other language and its culture. Technology is breaking down distance

boundaries and bringing the world closer together and consequently it is another skill that

students will need to master when leaving school. Global communities are coming closer

together and more diverse, and so are school classrooms. As a result, teachers need to

find teaching methods allowing them to take into consideration the uniqueness of each

student.

Foreign Language Methodology

Schools are currently facing a change in trend, where French and German are no

longer considered useful languages in the business world. In the United States students

can study Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Spanish and more (McGray,

2006). These trends depend on the economic and political events of the time. In 1975,

when the Soviets put the first space satellite into orbit, the USA was taken by surprise.

This event had the USA realize its lack of foreign language translators, interpreters and

decoder of intelligence to help bridge the scientific knowledge with the political power.

In the same way, the attack on 11 September 2001, of the World Trade Center in New

York City and of the Pentagon in Washington, brought back an interest in foreign

languages to help the war against terrorism (Kramsch, 2005). There is also a change in

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economic powers with globalization. Businesses are now relocating and China is

becoming a focal point in economy. Therefore, schools need to change their language

programs to meet these requirements (McGray, 2006).

Oleksak (2007) agrees that the USA has put little attention into the foreign

language program and therefore suffers from a “language deficit” (p. 5). Earlier in 2007,

the National Research Council (NRC) talked about the need to come up with a better

curriculum for learning foreign languages (Zehr, 2007). A study showed that methods

teachers currently used in traditional foreign language classrooms do not meet the diverse

needs and interests of students (Wilbur, 2007). This study showed how most teachers use

methods they learned in high school or in college; and therefore schools still hold on to

the traditional classrooms settings and direct teaching instruction even though these

methods are outdated and in some cases are even opposed to current brain research,

theories and methods that have been studied (Wilbur, 2007).

Technology

Technology allows us to go into the real world and beyond the school setting

without leaving the classroom and taking expensive trips overseas (Gousie, 1998).

Distance learning technology has enabled students to capture at least some aspects of the

outside world anytime, anywhere and at any pace. Laser discs, hypertext cards, CDs, CD-

ROMs and Internet no longer restrict educators and their students to the classroom, but

allow them to study abroad with their fingertips (Gousie, 1998). Computer software

allows students to work one-on-one with the computer to build their vocabulary,

pronunciation and grammar. This authentic material has enabled the students to have a

better feel and understanding for the language and its culture. Technology has allowed

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students to learn the language both interactively and individually, as well as be able to

attend to their level, their needs, and interests.

Purpose of the Capstone Project

This action research was initiated to show how differentiated instruction could

help integrate technology into the foreign language curriculum through the vision of a

futuristic foreign language class of the year 2020. The research started by looking at the

current methods used in foreign language. The theory of differentiated instruction was

discussed as well as the current technology trends. During the creation of the future

foreign language classroom the following problems from the current foreign language

curriculum were addressed: outdated methods and strategies, integration of culture, the

use of authentic materials, diverse classrooms, and the fast changing world of technology.

There was a description of the future classroom setting and environment, and an

explanation of how the roles of the student, the teacher, and technology were different

from their roles in the present foreign language classroom.

The purpose of the capstone project was to demonstrate how a teacher could

create a successful foreign language classroom through the use of technology and

differentiation, to give all students the opportunity to become global citizens. The goal of

this classroom was to create a place where one could teach students to learn a language

effectively, rapidly, and independently and prepare them for the global world. One can be

better prepared for the future when getting a glimpse of it.

Definition of Terms

Foreign Language: It is a language other than the language of the curriculum. In the

United States, the curriculum language is English and the current

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most offered foreign languages are Spanish and French. German is

slowing being replaced by Chinese. Foreign language is also

referred to as the second language, but for more and more students

it is a third and even fourth language.

Target Language: The language that is being taught is referred to the target language

as opposed to the curriculum language or their native or first

language.

Traditional Class: In middle and high school, a traditional class met 45-50 min 3-4x a

week. In elementary they met 25-30 min 3x a week. This class

taught skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Materials

were textbooks, workbooks, a CD and a video with teacher’s lesson

plans. Both English and the target language were used in class. This

type of class could be student-centered and teacher-centered, but

tended to be more teacher-centered.

Proficient Language Learner: A student who has acquired a level of a foreign language

where they could speak, read, write and listen to a language

fluently. This learner could communicate by speaking and writing

the foreign language with little to no errors. The student did not

communicate as a native speaker, but communicated with minimal

to no misinterpretations. At the same time, the language learner

understood the culture and was able to identify what was

appropriate and inappropriate. The student was also familiar with

the body language and gestures specific to the foreign language, and

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was able to interpret them in a conversation. A proficient leaner

could also be referred to as someone who mastered the language.

Cultural Linguistics: The relationship between language and culture and how they are

both influenced by each other. As a student learns a language, they

also need to learn when and how to use it appropriately.

Teacher-centered: This is a teaching method where the teacher presented the content

in a direct way and every student was expected to learn from it.

The teacher was the active person giving the information while the

student was a passive learner receiving the information.

Student-centered: This was a teaching method where the student is the focus point.

The lesson was planned according to the student’s needs, readiness

and interest. Students were learning in an active way, while the

teacher guided them through the learning. This allowed students to

follow their own pace and choose the strategies according to their

learning styles. The motivation for learning was more intrinsic as

the student became an active learner.

Globalization: It is the view of a world where the Internet and advanced

technology have reduced distances and boundaries between

countries. People are becoming more interdependent economically,

socially, politically, and culturally with the one another around the

world.

Technology Tools/Resources: Any type of hardware, software, network and networking

capability, and staff.

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Technology Integration: The frequent use of technology in a classroom enhancing the

curriculum.

Asynchronous: In technology, this is when the communication does not happen in

real-time. Examples of this are blogs, e-mails and wikis.

Blog: This is a personal journal on the Internet that other users were

invited to read and comment on.

Wiki: This is software on the Web that allows users to freely create, add,

edit or change any content on a Web page. It usually contains

hyperlinks allowing users to navigate from one page to another.

Wikis allow people to collaborate to come up with the content of

the Web page. The most common example is the Wikipedia, an on-

line dictionary where anyone can add, edit or delete definitions.

Differentiated Instruction: This is a theory implying that not all students learn the same;

and therefore, lessons and teaching must be modified according to

the student’s profile, background and readiness. Differentiated

Instruction (DI) sees the need of a class being student-centered,

where content is delivered in various ways and the learning is

verified through on-going assessments.

Student Profile: This refers to the student’s learning style, prior experiences and

background. People have different preferences as how they better

understand and learn. Coming from diverse communities, students

have prior experience and background that affects the way they

learn.

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Student Readiness: The student’s level and prior knowledge

Student Needs: The student’s weaknesses and/or disabilities

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Chapter Two: Literature Review

Introduction

Too many students are able to say, “I took Spanish/French/German for four years

in high school and I can’t remember a thing.” They can relate to the disappointment of

not being able to communicate with others after studying six years of foreign language at

school. This researcher went to Switzerland to continue her studies and was shocked

when realizing that even though she scored very well on all her high school French

exams, when placed in a real situation, she was unable to ask for the location of the bus

stop. Classroom knowledge did not transfer to the real world. As a second language

teacher, the researcher finds the need to implement successful teaching methods in the

foreign language classroom. This review focused on how technology in a differentiated

instruction based classroom created a strong foreign language curriculum where learning

was retained and transferred into the day-to-day experience.

Foreign Language Methodology

The typical programs found in today’s language instruction were

immersion, traditional and explorations programs (Learning a Second Language, 2006).

The immersion program, also known as dual-language program, has proven to be

successful, but very few schools offer it (Genesee, 1985). It is a program where the

American curriculum has been taught in the target language. The immersion schools

provide target language fluent speakers, but not necessarily teachers from a country

where the target language is spoken. These two aspects have said little about the

integration of the culture of the target language in the program. Additionally, in his

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article, Philips (1994) commented that these programs have not made American students

competent language learners.

Most elementary schools have used the foreign language exploration program

where one or more languages were introduced and students learned about both the

language and the culture (Learning a Second Language, 2006). This program has given

the students an overview of the foreign language, but did not create proficient language

learners.

The majority of middle schools and high schools in the United States have used

the traditional program, where a set textbooks and curriculum are followed. This

curriculum includes reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, but integrates minimal

cultural aspects and does not use authentic material. Foreign language is usually an

elective and is taught between 45 to 55 minutes, two to three times per week in a

traditional secondary classroom (Cutshall, 2004/2005). The textbook used both the target

language and English. Students learn basic conversational skills but minimal attention is

given to the culture.

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) has

recommended that elementary school language programs include classes three to five

days a week for 30 to 40 minutes; middle schools should hold classes daily for 40 to 50

minutes. Few public schools have done this, even in Spanish and French, the most

commonly taught languages. However Cutschall (2004/2005) mentioned Strauss’

research estimating that it takes between 2400-2760 hours of instruction to become

proficient in a language like Arabic that is challenging to English speakers. This would

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roughly mean that students would need 24 years to become proficient. This would put the

United States even further behind in a world that is constantly and rapidly changing.

Resources commonly used in foreign language classrooms are textbooks

emphasizing listening and speaking skills and the culture of the language (Dutcher,

1995). Teachers usually have a guide with ready lesson plans, quizzes, tests, CD’s, video

and the students have the student’s textbooks and workbook. Some textbooks have

websites that review what is being covered in the book through games and interactive

links. However, most teachers also have made up their own material according to the

needs of the classroom. Culture is minimally integrated into the curriculum.

Assessments in the classroom have consisted of informal achievement testing,

grades on quizzes, tests and projects. There has been no national program of language

assessments required for students. There have been placement tests such as the College

Level Examination Program (CLEP) and the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT II) that

assessed the student’s language level after leaving high school (Dutcher, 1995).

These three current programs were teacher-centered. Many students completed a

middle school, high school and college program with low proficiency in the language and

with little understanding of the culture (Luke, 2006).

Culture

Learning a foreign language is no longer just being able to read, write, speak and

understand the language, but it is also focused on the cultural dimensions of discourse

competence (Kramsch, 2005). The national standards have included the five Cs:

communication, cultures, connections, comparisons and communities. Learning a

language is beyond communicating. In a global world, there is need to also understand

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the cultures. Sunita and Sucheta (2006) explained how culture affected the way people

work, think, and determine their values. Some researches have estimated that verbal

communication only represents 35% of the message (Olson & DeFrain, 2006). The rest

of the message is delivered through non-verbal communication such as gestures, space,

facial expressions, and vocal cues. As a result, language learners should not only be able

to speak the language, but also should be able to understand how to use it with

appropriate non-verbal behaviors.

Peterson and Coltrane (2003) agreed that a language couldn’t be mastered until

the student acquired the understanding of cultural linguistics. They also agreed that it is a

competence that is developed through an extended period of time. In a traditional

classroom, teachers have explored cultures through food, songs, holidays and costumes,

but culture is much broader than this. The National Center for Cultural Competence

(NCCC) defines culture as:

An integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications,

languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of

interacting and roles, relationships and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic,

religious or social group; and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding

generations. (Goode, Sockalingam, Bronheim, Brown, & Jones, 2000)

The NCCC has believed that teaching culture is raising awareness, increasing

understanding and knowledge, as well as developing skills of cultural linguistics (Goode,

Sockalingam, Bronheim, Brown, and Jones, 2000). Students learn to view things

differently through the learning of a foreign language, learning more about others as well

as themselves (Blackman, 2005).

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Consequently, students need to be able to understand, interpret, and compare the

new language and culture to their own. Internet connections allow students to connect

with authentic material and collaborate with other students. This authentic material and

collaboration will enable the students to have a better feel and understanding for the

language and its culture. It will allow them to build cultural self-awareness and the

cultural consciousness needed to lead multicultural teams and negotiate across cultures

with a global mindset (Sunita & Sucheta, 2006). It should be learned so it can be used

beyond school settings and in the real world to enrich personal knowledge.

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction (DI) is a fairly new theory and therefore does not have

much empirical evidence behind it yet (Hall, 2002). However, this theory has brought

together many researched theories and practices (Learning Points Associates, 2007). This

student-centered philosophy has concentrated on providing multiple approaches to

content, process and product according to students’ interests, profile, and readiness. This

proactive way of teaching has been rooted in assessment and has provided qualitative

instruction through flexible grouping (Tomlinson, 2002). A new methodology can be

created for the foreign language classroom through this theory.

Most middle and high school teachers highly agree that motivation has affected

their student’s achievement (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Even in a non-diverse

classroom, each student’s interests vary. Teachers must design tasks that captivate their

students’ attention, motivating them to learn and increase their learning.

In today’s diverse classrooms, students come in at different levels. Most of the

students enter a classroom with a difference in the amount of knowledge and

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understanding they have for each subject. They also come in with a wide variety of

backgrounds and experiences. Every student learns differently (Gardner, 1993;

Tomlinson, 2002; Dunn, 2005) and teachers need to consider learning styles and multiple

intelligences during lesson planning. Students should be given tasks according to their

readiness and what they need to learn (Tomlinson, Brighton, Herlberg, Callahan, Moon,

Brimijoin, et al., 2003).

After looking at the student, differentiated instruction looks at offering different

approaches to content, process and products of the learning. The content is what the

student is going to learn according to what they need. Some strategies are concept-based

teaching, curriculum compacting and using varied texts and resources (Tomlinson, 2002).

Once the teacher has decided what the students is going to learn, they decide on

the process or how they will learn it. The goal of this part is to have students understand

an essential or big idea. This goal can be achieved through flexible grouping, scaffolding

and carefully choosing from many instructional strategies such as graphic organizers,

tiered assignments, and learning centers (Tomlinson, 2002). Throughout the process, the

teacher will carry out ongoing assessments to ensure the student is going in the right

direction and to give guidance when needed. There are various ways this can be done

formally and informally. Some ways of assessing are through students’ work, class

discussions, and observations (Tomlinson, 2002).

The product is how the students demonstrate what they’ve learned. Students need

to share what knowledge, skills and understanding they have learned through a choice of

varied modes of expression, materials and technology (Tomlinson, 2002).

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Differentiated Instruction is not a theory that can be easily integrated into a

classroom. Tomlinson et al., (2003) agree that the following characteristics must take

place in the classroom to successfully integrate differentiated instruction in a classroom:

proactive lesson planning involving knowledge, understanding skills and being able to

use them, flexible grouping, varied materials, on-going assessments, and varied pacing.

DI can be integrated into a foreign language classroom to create a student-

centered program that accommodates the diversity in our classroom. The integration of

technology can ease this process for both the students and the teachers.

Technology

In his article, Gordon Moore predicted that technology will reduce its size by

double every two years, the speed will increase, and the cost will dramatically drop

(Hiremane, 2005). This prediction written in 1965 is referred to as Moore’s Law. Jukes

and McCain (2007) explain how Moore’s Law and prediction of the future has been

accurate. Technology is growing exponentially at a pace that teachers have a hard time

imagining. The Moore’s Law chart (see Figure 1) clearly shows how technology has been

changing since 1975 and will continue changing until 2019. Jukes and McCain (2007)

mention in their article that Moore is adjusting his prediction of changes doubling every

18 months to changes doubling every 12 months.

The exponential growth of technology is a concept that is hard to understand in a

world that is use to a linear growth. Our future students, however, will be dealing with

this growth and as teachers we need to help them prepare for the future. Jukes and

McCain (2007) agree that teachers can no longer pretend that change is not affecting

them.

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Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) refers to language instruction

through technology. Since computers have been invented, schools have been trying to

find ways to use them to improve teaching and learning. Currently, there are many tools

that fall under this category. There are software programs that come with the textbooks

that provide listening activities, videos and learning games and activities. The World

Wide Web has created a big resource by providing informational pages and interactive

activities such as virtual trips and learning environments, video conferencing and

WebQuests. In addition there are presentation software such as PowerPoint, Digital

Video, Podcasts and Teachertube. Teachers also have access to authoring software

allowing them to create their own activities according to their student needs (Rosch,

2002). Computer-mediated communication has been created through the Internet and

Web2.0 allowing students to learn in a collaborative way through blogs and wikis. There

is an overwhelming amount of technology tools and resources to be explored and used.

Following, the research will define and discuss a variety of technology tools that could be

incorporated into the teaching of a foreign language.

Virtual Trips

Klemm and Tuthill (2003) have defined a virtual field trip (VFT) as a field trip

that “embraces a range of instructional approaches and technologies but generally

denotes a multimedia presentation that brings the sights and sounds of a distant place to

the learner through a computer” (p. 177). There are numerous VFT web sites that

teachers can use, or they can also choose to create their own. Teachers can currently use

VFT in various ways such as, pre-post activities to actual and virtual field trips. In the

Field Trip Site educators selected sites to be threaded together so students could be

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guided from one to another. Some web sites offered student collaboration where they

exchangeed information about their local field trips and investigated real-world

situations. Klemm and Tuthill (2003) described in their article how the Global Learning

and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program engaged students to

study the scientific world both virtually and actually. It engaged students to use high

order critical thinking skills and inquiry during their learning experience. They also

described how VFT allowed teachers to create scaffolding learning experiences, taking

into account the individual needs of learners. In a foreign language classroom, language

learning and culture exchange could happen through this technological tool. These

electronic field trips were also known as Cybertours, which allowed students to view the

world and visit places to which they physically could not travel.

As with any other technological tool, VFT’s had to be carefully implemented in a

classroom to enhance the student learning. Teachers needed to plan the VFT according to

the essential question of the unit. They also took into account the students’ learning

experiences, provided them with interactive activities that supported problem-solving and

high order critical thinking. Assessments needed to reflect the experience the students

were given.

Virtual Learning Environment

Jukes and McCaine (2007) defined Second Life as “a virtual learning

environment where people created virtual identities, personalities and led virtual lives.

Through this environment, students socialized, interacted commercially, earned real

money, and bought property using the virtual monetary system called Linden Dollars” (p.

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29). This environment could be adapted to teach the students the target language and its

culture and could bring a lot of positive learning to the classroom.

Webquests

Halat (2003) defined WebQuests as “a computer-based teaching and learning

model in which learners were actively involved in an activity or situation and used the

Internet as a resource” (p. 109). Teachers started out a WebQuest by presenting a topic or

activity and giving out tasks for students to accomplish. These tasks and resources guided

students to the different places they needed to go in order to gather their information.

Students presented the vast amount of information they gathered after completing a

WebQuest, that showed their understanding of it. This teaching technique enhanced the

students’ motivation and required them to be active learners. Using this technology at the

beginning of the classroom presented students with useful websites they could refer to

throughout their learning.

Video Conferencing

The Internet allows cross-cultural, long-distance communication with one or more

students, instructors and native speakers of the target language (Semons, 2001). A way

this can be used is video conferencing. Skype is an example of a free Internet phone

service that can be used for this. Rusling (2007) talks about how Mr. Acker’s Spanish

students, use this technology to exchange communication with Spanish native speakers

who in return want to practice their English. Students can have real-life/real-time

conversations with people around the globe through the use of the Internet connection, a

web cam, a microphone and headphones (and most computers now come with all of this).

These people are referred to as virtual guests. This connection is not limited to class time

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and can be done anytime of day or night. Students can change virtual guests so they can

hear a great variety of accents and speaking styles. Experts can also be brought from

around the globe into the class through video conferencing. There is a limitation to this

type of conversation because one cannot read body language and gestures, which could in

return cause misinterpretations. However, this type of communication opens wide doors

to cross-cultural communication. The school’s main concerns about this type of

communication are security and bandwidth problems.

Virtual guests can also have discussions with students through asynchronous

communication such as e-mails, discussion boards, wikis and blogs. This type of

communication will enable students to communicate when the Internet phone is not

working. Students will be able to carry out their activity and still have a native speaker as

an audience.

Podcast

A podcast is a digital audio recording that can be made by the teacher or student

on a digital audio player or computer. They can be recorded through web sites or through

software such as Garageband and Audacity and are downloaded to personal audio players

enabling students to easily access them. These recordings can be placed on compact disks

for students who do not own iPods or MP3 players, these

This tool is becoming increasingly popular for students and adults and has many

uses in the classroom. This type of technology allows teachers to record lessons for

students to take home and complete. It allows students to listen to the content as many

times as needed without having the teacher repeat it. This way the students are able to

learn at his or her own pace. Students can use this tool for projects such as creating songs,

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skits, radio program, talk shows, and story telling (Nolan, 2006). These projects can

then be downloaded onto the Internet for other students to view. A larger audience

motivates the students to produce a project of better quality. There are currently

thousands of podcasts ready to be downloaded for diverse languages and levels albeit this

is a fairly recent program (Nolan, 2006). Students can choose the ones from which they

want to learn according to their readiness, learning style and interest.

Enhanced podcasts are not yet as popular, but they include video or images with

the audio. This is a new way for student to present projects. Since students are recording

their presentation, they are able to edit it accordingly, encouraging them to elaborate

better quality language. Podcasts can be saved by teachers to provide documentation on

the students’ progress.

Digital Video

To create a digital video, students record images through a digital camcorder that

allows the images to be stored, edited, and manipulated through a PC. Goulah (2007)

studied the use of digital video projects in foreign language classrooms. His students had

to critically think about the essential questions of the unit through the making of

commercials. His study shows how students learned about both the language and its

culture. Apart from learning the unit language and grammar, students also had to learn

the technology vocabulary in order to edit, add text, music, save and more on their digital

video commercials (Goulah, 2007). Skits are commonly created in a foreign language

classroom. Students produce better quality of work when given before an audience. Skits

can be edited and modified before they are presented to other students. These recordings

can also be saved to document the students’ progress throughout the year.

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Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)

CMC is defined by Wolz, U., Palme, J., Andreson, P., Chen, Z., Dunne, J.,

Karlsson, G., Laribi, A., Mannikko, S., Spielvogel, R., & Walker, H. (1997) as:

Any form of interpersonal communication that uses some form of computer

technology to transmit, store, annotate, or present information that has been

created by one or more participants. Using this definition, CMC tools include

email, conferencing, groupware, chat rooms, desktop videoconferencing, and

Internet-based audio applications (p. 2).

In a language class it is a way to have students collaborate by imitating a conversation

similar to real-life. Foreign language learners are asked to be spontaneous when

responding to others in this written interaction (Semons, 2001). CMC is a bridge between

speaking and writing (Cummings, 2004).

Chatting, a type of CMC, allows the student to use more elaborate language than

in a face-to-face conversation. They have opportunities to respond under less time

pressure and are able to edit their messages. This method of communication has

advantages as it transforms the classroom to a safe and positive environment where

everyone has an equal voice and no one dominates the floor. Taking turns in class can be

very stressful and unpleasant for some students. Shy students are most likely to

participate with CMC since anxiety levels decrease allowing the quantity and quality of

language and interaction to increase (Alvarez-Torres, 2001).

There are currently two types of chats to choose from according to the objective

of the lesson plan. The text-based synchronous CMC is a linear chat where students

instantly message themselves. This works best with smaller groups to avoid a discussion

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diverging into multiple mini discussions. This type of messaging allows students to share

their ideas and opinions about topics. Ytalk is a text-based synchronous CMC that allows

students to not only see the message posted, but also to see messages being written. This

resembles more speech-like interactions in the sense that students can read what is going

to be said and can interrupt or quickly respond. MOO is a text-based virtual reality that

works in the same way as Ytalk, yet it also allows students to interact with other objects,

providing a three-dimensional aspect to the virtual classroom. Another type of chatting is

the graphic-based synchronous CMC. These programs have backgrounds, settings and

characters like computer games. Messages appear in balloons similar to those in comic

strips and some even enable audio. A second window can be opened if the student only

wants to read the text messages. The graphics can be distracting for focused tasks, but

allows practicing the target language in a real-life setting (Alvarez-Torres, 2001).

Collaborative writing software programs such as CommonSpace allow learners of

all different levels to instantly give feedback on discussions. This program includes

resources such dictionaries and thesauruses. Semons (2001) studied the capabilities and

limitations of a collaborative writing program. She found that students put more effort

and time into their writing tasks because of the change in audience and due to the help

they got from their peers. In a student-centered classroom the teacher should not be the

only audience (Semons, 2001).

Cummings (2004) study shows how CMC creates a non-threatening environment,

creating a better student-teacher relationship, motivating students to learn from each other

as well as through native speakers. At the same time, it also allows students to collaborate

to further their knowledge (Lord & Lomicka, 2004).

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Blogs, Wikis and RSS

Richardson (2006) defines blogs as Websites that allow people to interact through

on-line conversations or by adding information to the Website. Currently thousands of

teachers and students are using this type of written conversation to collaborate and

discuss in their classrooms today. This type of communication asks readers to think and

respond.

A wiki is also a collaborative Webspace. The difference, however is that anyone

can change the content of the Webspace by adding or editing it (Richardson, 2006).

People work together on assignments and projects without being in the same classroom.

Richardson (2006) defines Rich Site Summary (RSS) as a technology tool that

allows students and educators to receive information to which they have subscribed. This

helps the students and educators not to use up their time looking for the content since the

content comes to them.

Computer labs

The researcher was able to learn what a computer lab brings to the foreign

language classroom at a workshop by the company ASC Direct (ACTFL, November,

2007). This software includes a media library, student recording, video-subtitling feature,

testing tools, and tools for communications with others. By recording themselves, playing

back content and watching video files, students can improve their learning at their own

pace. The teacher has access to the master audio panel allowing control over simple

things such as volume and speakers and access to students’ screens and computers to

control activity from their workstations. This software makes it easy for both students and

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teachers to document their progress by saving the audio files as well as orally responding

to quizzes and tests.

At the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)

conference on November 16-18 2007, the researcher found that there is a very

competitive market for computer learning labs. Systems are being updated at a very rapid

pace. These labs are interactive tools that can be used individually, in groups or with the

whole class. It allows the development of materials using text, video and sound allowing

for learning through videos, music and phone type conversations. Not only does it

increase interaction, but it also increases opportunities in listening and speaking.

CD-Rom offered by textbooks is another type of language lab. To access this lab,

the students need to connect to a server provided by the publisher. The student can then

work on any lesson. These lessons are follow-ups of what is in the textbook and include

various activities.

Technology Integration

To successfully integrate technology into our classrooms, we must see it as a part

of a classroom just like we see content, pedagogy and knowledge. In their article, Mishra

and Koehler (2006) explain Shulman’s idea of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).

They show how each part, pedagogy, content and knowledge should work together in the

classroom. They argue that technology has been around for a while, but has still not

managed to find a place in Shulman’s work on PCK. They state “Quality teaching

requires developing a nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between

technology, content, and pedagogy, and using this understanding to develop appropriate,

context-specific strategies and representations” (p. 1029). According to Mishra and

2020 Vision 25

Koehler (2006) content, pedagogy, knowledge and technology can no longer be seen as

isolated issues and therefore they have created the idea of the TPCK approach.

Teachers need to reevaluate technology and pedagogical decisions in order to

create an efficient integration in the foreign language classroom. Technology has a great

effect on learning, but if not chosen appropriately the effect can be a negative one.

Activities must be chosen according to the objectives of the lesson plan to serve its

communicative purpose (Alvarez-Torres, 2001). This new way of learning has opened

doors to a high communication level that if not used efficiently, can become meaningless

instead of meaningful (Lord & Lomicka, 2004). Teachers should not depend on any

technology resources anymore than they depend on textbooks. Their role is to use

creatively develop ways that all these tools can be used to fit the needs of the students,

allowing students to explore, interpret and arrive at their own conclusions. Teachers need

to do purposeful planning in order for technology to enhance foreign language learning

by allowing the student to discover it (McDonough, 2001).

Mishra and Koehler (2006) agree that teachers realize they have to do more than

just learn the new techniques and skills. They also need to learn what new sources are out

there that can be used to enhance their curriculum. Teaching is no longer just about

knowing the subject they are teaching, but also knowing the different resources that are

available for their classes. Many of the software programs are developed primarily for

business and not for education. Teachers must evaluate which resources best fit the needs

of education and their current students. The ongoing change means that teachers also

have to constantly be updated on the new techniques, skills and resources. Workshops are

not enough to produce deep understanding of the technology that allows them to

2020 Vision 26

understand how to integrate and apply this information to their classroom. One must not

just learn about technology, but also mainly learn how to teach with it. They need to have

enough time to learn by doing and collaborating with other members and sharing what is

working and not working in their classrooms (Mishra and Koehler, 2006).

Technology is advancing at a very fast pace and many of our students adapt easier

to this change than their teachers (Gousie, 1998). This alone creates a gap between

teachers and their students who are digital natives. Many teachers today have not been

trained appropriately and do not feel comfortable with the new technology; consequently

they do not integrate it in their classroom. El-Shamy recommends teachers to use: “ A

more rapid pace; A style that relies prominently on interactivity and hands-on approach;

A need to make the content delivered relevant to them and their situations; To give

options, variety and unpredictability; game-like approaches to training” (as cited in

Sunita & Sucheta, 2006, p. 104). These recommendations were made to help teacher keep

up with the students’ demands and to create an effective integration of technology.

Jukes and McCain (2007) agreed that educators have not taken time to step out of

education to see and understand what is happening outside of education. In their article

they discussed how teachers do not appreciate the add-ons and temporary fads that are

placed in teaching, without realizing that it reflects the change that is happening outside

of the school. Our current school system is becoming increasingly irrelevant with what

the students need to know to succeed in the real world. Educators need to accept change

and work with it to better serve our student population (Jukes and McCain, 2007). The

researcher’s goal is to show how combining differentiated instruction and technology,

can create a classroom that focuses on student needs in today’s and tomorrow’s world.

2020 Vision 27

2020 vision of a foreign language classroom

Several factors would create a change in the structure of a foreign language

classroom. First of all, the one that is affecting these classrooms already is globalization.

Young adults applying for jobs are being required to be proficient in a foreign language

as well as in technology. Lum (2006) has found that more and more businesses use

technology to communicate with their partners and clients all around the world,

consequently expecting students to be able to do so in the foreign language (Hubler,

2006). Less communication is done face-to-face as a consequence of technology. As

teachers we need to prepare our students for such tasks.

Globalization is also increasing the diversity of our classrooms. The one size-fits

all lesson plans did not work in classrooms when there was little diversity, and neither

will it work in the diverse classrooms of today. Students come with their individual

backgrounds, profile and needs. Teachers need to be ready to teach to each individual

student.

Students are more focused in the 21st century while many educators are still in the

20th century (Wesley, 2007). According to Prensky (2005), digital natives are today’s

students who were born into the digital world and therefore are “native speakers” of

technology. These students are changing and evolving exponentially with the technology.

The problem is that teachers often are not.

Technology is growing at an exponential pace and it is gearing into a more

collaborative dimension (Jukes & McCain, 2007). Computers are a big part of our

students’ lives, allowing them to access the virtual world and any foreign language. The

technology tools previously described only touch the tip of the iceberg of what is out

2020 Vision 28

there today and make us realize that the way we teach in our classrooms is going to

change.

The researcher predicts that trends that are new today such as blogs, wikis,

moodle and podcasts, will take over current popular trends such as PowerPoint and word

processors. These simple tools to more complex ones such as video conferencing and

virtual trips, will enable students to practice all forms of foreign language skills and to

understand cultures through their keyboard. This will also create a classroom where the

teacher will no longer be the primary source, rather a facilitator who will enable students

to find what they need. The teacher will be teaching how to learn about a culture and its

language through technology, according to their readiness, learning profile and interests.

Combining differentiated instruction and technology can create a new and effective

method of teaching foreign languages, generating proficient language learners who will

be competent in the future global world. The researcher’s goal is to find how one can

guide these changes to be positive ones that will enhance the teaching of foreign language

and be part of the new method that is needed to provide proficient language learners.

Summary

Schools are currently in need of a foreign language curriculum that provides

competent language learners. Our global world is requiring young adults to be competent

in a language other than English. Consequently, foreign language classrooms need to be

rethought in order to respond to the demand of the future world. Integrating technology

into the foreign language curriculum will help fulfill the demands of the world by

teaching students how to learn a language and its culture. Technology can be integrated

into the classroom with the help of differentiated instruction, meeting the learning

2020 Vision 29

demands of each individual student. The researcher is going to envision a foreign

language class in the year 2020 responding to the demands of our future world with the

support of research and journals.

2020 Vision 30

Chapter Three

Introduction

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is.

-Jan L.A. van de SnepscheutStudy Discussion

This research was conducted to determine how differentiated instruction could

help technology be successfully included in a future foreign language class. It is evident

through the literature review that there is a need for a new foreign language program.

Research has also shown that there are many positive and negative effects of integrating

technology in a classroom. Many factors must be taken into account when envisioning

what a futuristic foreign language classroom would look like when integrating

technology.

Foreign Language, Differentiated Instruction and Technology

In the literature review, the weaknesses of current foreign language methodology,

the theory of differentiated instruction and current technology trends were pointed out.

The futuristic classroom will demonstrate how integrating technology, as shown through

the TPCK approach, together with differentiated instruction, would be a way to provide a

more effective curriculum for our current and future students.

One of the findings through the literature review was the need of a new foreign

language program that is student-centered. Teachers must let the students explore more as

they are learning (Luke, 2006). The teacher’s role is no longer to provide the information,

but to guide them through their learning exploration and adventures by showing them

where the resources can be found and how to choose them. As teachers guide their

students, they ought to find meaningful interactive material (Lord & Lomicka, 2004) and

2020 Vision 31

resources that fit the students’ needs according to their interests, learning style, and level

(Tomlinson, 2002). The amount of authentic material that technology has to offer through

software programs and the Internet allows students the opportunity to choose material for

their level and interest and enable them to work at their own pace.

Teachers and students need to have access to varied material in order to create a

differentiated classroom (Tomlinson et al., 2003). Technology is a library of authentic

material offering commercials, music videos, radio programs, newspaper articles,

restaurant menus and more that can be used to integrate culture into the classroom.

The use of authentic material is a great way to bring culture to the classroom.

Research has shown the importance of learning culture when learning a foreign language.

Students are required to understand the culture and how communication takes place in

that culture in order to master the target language (Peterson & Coltrane, 2003). Cultural

linguistics must therefore be part of the curriculum. Authentic material reveals different

cultural aspects, increasing students’ awareness, and helping them better understand

them. This type of material can be adapted according to the students’ levels. Films, TV

shows, radio broadcasts, magazines, newspapers, photographs and more can be used to

analyze the cultural context. Authentic material enables students to discuss non-verbal

behaviors they see such as facial expressions, body language, spatial distance, and more

(Peterson & Coltrane, 2003). Students will have access to all these types of authentic

materials through their computers.

Students can then compare these to their own culture as well as understand what

language is appropriate in different situations. They can explore various situations and

2020 Vision 32

determine cultural aspects that are the same and different from their own (Blackman,

2005). Through their exploration they will make their own judgment of the culture.

Not only does the Internet offer culture, but it also exposes students to the target

language with a real audience (Semons, 2001). In our current programs, reading, writing,

listening and oral skills are limited to the restrictions of a traditional classroom. Students

should be able to use the target language in a more spontaneous way so they are prepared

for real-life situations. Their learning adventure through the Internet or software

programs enables them to assimilate many different skills. For example, as they read a

newspaper article from a different culture, they are reinforcing their reading skills

through authentic material while indirectly taking in the culture. Virtual tours and Web

Quests of cities and museums offer the same opportunities. Virtual Field Trips engage

students in active learning and encourage them to think and solve real-life problems

(Klemm & Tuthill, 2003). Video conferencing allows students to practice their listening

and oral skills in real-life situations (Lord & Lomicka, 2004). This technology exposes

students to the many different accents and idioms that exist around the world and opens

doors to cross-cultural communication (Rusling, 2007). Blogs and wikis make it possible

for students to practice their written and reading skills through collaboration of their

interest that takes place at their own pace. Students are not under the pressure on the spot,

allowing them to think and produce quality work (Cummings, 2004). Students are

practicing their skills, and understand them while they are doing hands-on activities. It

helps create proactive lesson plans involving knowledge, understanding and skills.

Most traditional classrooms do not offer the amount of time needed to proficiently

study a language (Cutshall, 2005). Technology allows students to continue their learning

2020 Vision 33

outside of the classroom. Students can also continue their friendship with their virtual

friend both through video conferencing, blogs and wikis. Podcasts make it possible for

students to practice their listening and oral skills at any place and time. It is more likely

that they will spend time after school to continue exploring that material if the students

are given material of their interest through technology, it (Nolan, 2006). This extra

amount of time outside of the classroom will enable the student to have an opportunity to

become proficient in a language at a faster pace.

Students can individually work on the skills they need according to their learning

profile, readiness and interest by means of the integration of technology in the classroom.

The teacher’s role is changing from being the main source of information to being a

facilitator, observer and a coach (Gousie, 1998). The student is given the opportunity to

advance at their own pace while the teacher assists them as they explore the language.

On-going assessments help teachers better guide their students through the content. The

correct use of technology can help each individual student learn to master a foreign

language and culture.

2020 Vision of a Foreign Language Classroom

After researching the needs of the Foreign Language classroom and finding how

technology can be used to meet these needs, the researcher decided to create a prediction

of a futuristic foreign language classroom in the year 2020. While designing the

classroom the researcher will be keeping in mind the classroom environment, the

classroom objectives, the role of the teacher, the student and of technology. The

classroom description will include the classroom set-up, examples of technology

activities, the description of center activities, an example of a classroom schedule and

2020 Vision 34

lesson plan, and the expectations. At each point there will be a discussion how the

students are being exposed to each skill including listening, reading, writing, speaking,

and cultural linguistics. Not all of the classroom activities and projects will be technology

based. There will also be time for flexible grouping where students will collaborate and

learn from each other. The design will primarily be based on the theory of Differentiated

Instruction.

Summary

The task of redesigning the teaching of a foreign language with the integration of

technology is an extensive one. Every aspect has to be thoughtfully planned out so that

the redesigned classroom ensures enhancement in the learning of the target language. The

vision of a foreign language classroom in 2020 will show how integrating technology can

provide a student-centered classroom where both the language and culture are extensively

studied, and every student is able to reach their full potential.

2020 Vision 35

Chapter Four

The best way to predict the future is to invent it

–Alan Kay

Plan for implementation

This research was conducted to answer the question about how differentiated

instruction could help integrate technology in a foreign language classroom and predict

what a foreign language classroom would look like by the year 2020.

Moore’s Law that computers will be very affordable and capable of providing a

lot more than today is the foundation for this question. The futuristic vision foretells that

all students will own a computer and schools will provide bandwidths that allow a

smooth access to the Internet. Technology funding will allow schools to provide

computers to those students in need. This funding will also allow teachers to keep

classroom tools such as whiteboards, projectors, microphone and headphones updated.

There will be vast amounts of information on the Internet from all around the

world. Each school will have the funding to provide training, workshops and exploring

time to enable teachers to update themselves with the resources. Therefore, teachers will

be more comfortable using this technology. A technology support team will be on site to

help with any unpredictable problems.

As the researcher looks into creating a vision of a foreign language classroom,

they need to keep in mind the classroom’s goals and objectives, the teacher’s role, the

students’ role, the role of technology resources and the classroom environment. Examples

of a classroom set-up, technology activities, center activities, scheduling and expectations

2020 Vision 36

will give a better idea of the classroom and how the students will learn each skill and the

language as a whole.

Classroom goal and objectives

This prediction states that each student will have their own computer, and many

will have access to the Internet. This means that students would be able to do their work

and research at home and transmit their work via the Internet. However, there is still a

need for students to come to school. For those students from low-income families, it is a

place to have access to the Internet. In the same way, students will need access to the

school’s servers because they will not have the software programs needed. However, a

more urgent need will be to have students come to school to interact with other students,

to share their work and learn to collaborate with each other.

In Cummings (2004) action research, we are reminded of Vygotsky’s theory that

learning starts through interaction. The goal of the futuristic foreign language classroom

is to provide learning through interaction, interpretation and collaboration. It should

allow students to learn in a holistic rather than in a linear process. The objectives are to

create motivation in learning, improve self-concept and mastery of basic skills. The

students will engage in the learning process resulting in high-order thinking skills and

better recall (Stepp-Greany, 2002).

Teacher’s role

The teacher’s role in a foreign language class where technology is being fully

integrated is to become a facilitator. The teacher is no longer the information carrier, but

rather a guide who helps the students find information that is of interest to them, at their

level and according to their learning style. In this type of classroom, teachers are able to

2020 Vision 37

increase assistance to those students who need help. As the teacher creates activities for

the students, they need to promote activities that guide the students through collaborative

reading and writing, promote activities that grow motivation, give the students a true

audience and promote activities where the student is using their own material, interests

and choices (Stepp-Greany, 2002). To integrate differentiated instruction, the role of the

teacher is to know each student’s profile in order to choose activities according to the

students’ profiles, readiness and interests. In a classroom where technology is integrated,

the teacher’s role is to choose technology resources that enhance student learning. While

in the classroom, teachers will show the students where different resources can be found.

Since the students will be taking in all different types of information, students

may ask unpredictable questions at any moment. Therefore, teachers need to be ready to

respond to these unpredictable questions. Teachers must also be ready for unpredictable

situations such as when technology is not properly functioning.

Student’s role

The main role of students in the futuristic classroom is to become independent

learners and to take responsibility for their own learning. Students must be able to

collaborate with peers to ask and answer questions as well as share information and their

knowledge (Stepp-Greany, 2002). At the same time, the students must be able to

understand the guidelines of the proper use of the Internet and be able to use it

responsibly.

Technology Resources

As explained in my previous chapters, there are many technology resources that

can enhance the learning of the student. Technology should not only be used for drills,

2020 Vision 38

but also as an opportunity to go beyond the classroom (Stepp-Greany, 2002). The four

main skills that need to be worked on in a foreign language classroom are written,

reading, oral and listening.

Technology will have several roles to fulfill in a future foreign language

classroom. First of all, it has to ensure that interaction occurs enhancing the student

learning. Another role is to engage students in real communications using all four skills.

It must also help students improve these skills by giving the students more opportunities

to express themselves with real audiences. Technology helps give students an audience

during their learning. The teacher should choose resources so the students are willing to

provide more quality work because of their audience. An example of technology that

includes these roles is video conferencing. It is an interactive technology resource

allowing students to have immediate communication with a real person. During this time

students are practicing both their listening and oral skills. An example for written

communication would be wikis or blogs that allow the student to ponder about their

response, making sure it is what they want the audience to read. This interactive forum

gives students the opportunity to discuss their interests. During this interaction the

students are practicing both their written and reading comprehension skills.

Another of technology’s role is to help increase students’ motivation to learn by

allowing them to choose their own material according to their interests and level. As

students are trying to discern the writing on their e-pals message, on the French website

or the lyrics of a song, they improve their reading skills by using authentic material.

Itunes, Mp3’s and Evoca are technology resources upon which students can record

information in different formats such as songs, videos and dialogues. All Internet users

2020 Vision 39

can then view these recordings. Student may revise their recordings until they are

satisfied. They also may try to choose something that is more interactive, spontaneous,

and that requires more skill than just reading. Some examples of these are interviews,

Podcasts, conference calls, training sessions and team updates.

Technology resources will allow the creation of a student-centered environment

providing help for students who need it. Technology’s role is to help increase the

students’ self-confidence because they are directing their own learning at their own pace.

Students have more control in their learning which helps reduce their anxiety. All these

contribute to positive attitudes in the class (Stepp-Greany, 2002).

Classroom Environment

Establishing a positive classroom environment is crucial for students to be able to

learn. Students need to feel part of the classroom and a sense of trust needs to be

established (Solley, 2005). Technology, if used incorrectly, could create an individualistic

learner who does not see the value of working as a team and trusting others. Ways to help

students feel part of a class are displaying the student’s work, allowing collaboration

activities, hosting student performances and sharing projects (Solley, 2005).

Reading, listening, speaking and writing are all skills that need to be learned when

learning a foreign language. When creating a class where students will be practicing all

of these skills at their own pace and time, we need to consider the factors that create a

positive classroom environment. Desk arrangement, centers set-up, posters, bulletin

boards, material storage, and computer centers, all contribute to the learning environment

in a classroom. (see Appendix A1 and A2 for examples). When designing a classroom,

space, time, materials, groups, activities and expectations need to be taken into account.

2020 Vision 40

Furstenberg’s ideal classroom “is equipped with workstations placed not at the center but

against the wall, available at all times as resources to multiply channels of

communications and to diversify forms of interaction” (as cited in Gousie, 1998, p. 62).

How space is provided in a classroom is essential. Conflicts often arise when

there are too many people in the same area (Solley, 2005). Therefore we need to ensure

that students are able to circulate around the class in order to avoid clusters in certain

areas. In order to achieve this, there should be enough activities from which to choose,

and classroom sizes need to be proportional to the amount of students attending the class.

Quiet areas and noisy areas should not be placed together ensuring that one group is not

disturbing another (Solley, 2005). (See Appendix B1 and B2 for examples).

When a student clearly understands what the teacher expects from them during

class time, they are most likely to perform well in class. Expectations and limits need to

be clearly stated and posted around the classroom as a reminder. Students are guided to

be responsible members of the classroom that contribute to the safety and positive

classroom environment (Solley, 2005). (See Appendix C for an expectation poster).

Learning a language is very hard to do alone. Students need to be able to speak

and listen to others. Consequently, grouping enhances the learning of a foreign language.

Limits need to be made on the size of groups at a certain center or for a certain activity.

Students should also be given guidelines as to what type of behavior and learning should

be occurring when they are in groups. There are various ways that groups can be created.

When necessary, the teacher should assign groups according to the students learning

needs, interest and readiness. Sometimes groups can be randomly chosen. Tasks can be

2020 Vision 41

given to each group and/or can be chosen by the group. Grouping can create positive

learning when used correctly (Tomlinson, 2002).

Activities need to be carefully chosen to ensure positive learning. Students need

to be motivated and challenged by them. They should lead to real-life situations and be

meaningful to the student. Enough room for creativity should be allowed in each activity

to allow students to feel ownership over their work. Activities also need to take into

account their individual needs, interests and readiness. A variety of authentic activities

should be available for each skill being learned (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).

Teachers have many skills to teach in a foreign language classroom. Reading,

listening, speaking and writing are just a few. Grammar, vocabulary and culture are also

part of the curriculum. In order to ensure that students are practicing all of these skills, a

schedule needs to be developed for them according to their needs and interests. To avoid

students spending too much time on one activity, strategies such as time practice sheets

or block times, will encourage students to rotate from activity to activity giving everyone

an opportunity to practice each skill. Activities need to be long enough to provide the

student with enough exposure to the skill, but short enough to allow the student to

practice other skills within the classroom time (see Appendix D for examples of

activities). When using an activity center or the computer center, sign up sheets will

allow every student to have an opportunity to access them.

Technology in the classroom

A wide variety of materials will be needed in a foreign language classroom that

integrates technology. Materials such as printers, microphones and headphones need to

be stored, yet accessible to those who need them. Projectors and whiteboards can be

2020 Vision 42

cumbersome and therefore need to be located in order not to disturb the flow of the class.

Both of these technology tools can be mounted. Projectors work best mounted on the

ceiling so that it can project the image on the whiteboard mounted on a wall.

Future language classrooms will provide a computer center for certain activities. The

school will provide software programs that the students will not necessarily have on their

personal computers. There are many optional drill and tutorial programs that correspond

to the text's grammar and vocabulary instruction. Other examples of these programs that

allow the student to practice their foreign language skills are videoconferencing,

WebQuests, virtual learning environments, and virtual trips. Digital editing is another

tool that will be restricted to the classroom due to the amount of space it uses. In order to

give every student the opportunity to use the computer center within a week, a sign-up

sheet will be provided and a limited amount of time can be given to each student if

needed.

Videoconferencing and real life chats will be the main purpose of the computer

center. This tool helps student use real-life communication to work on their listening and

oral skills as well as practice their cultural linguistics skills. Due to the need for large

amounts of bandwidths and set times with the people we are chatting with, students will

most likely only have access to this in the classroom. Students will need to set up a time

with their virtual partner and sign-up for their times on the sign-up sheets. Due to time

constraints, students needing the computer center for videoconferencing will be given

priority (see Appendix E for an example of an activity using videoconferencing).

WebQuests are another fun activity that can be used for almost any subject. The

teacher can create a list of questions for students to answer. Then the teacher bookmarks

2020 Vision 43

a list of Web sites for students to use in their search for the answers. This is an effective

way to get the students acquainted with available websites and learn how to find the

information they need.

The computer center can promote writing, reading and creativity skills through

activities like the never-ending story. At the beginning of the week, the teacher types a

story starter on each of the computers in our center. As students rotate through the center,

they each add a paragraph to the story. On Friday, spend the last period of the day

reading the stories aloud. (see Appendix F for more examples using technology)

Summary

There are many things to keep in mind when thinking about the classroom

environment. As this classroom description shows, technology plays many positive roles

in futuristic foreign language classroom. The classroom will ensure that students learn to

interact and collaborate with one another. Teachers will ensure that the technology used

is appropriate for the student’s learning. Students will be responsible for their learning

and collaborating.

2020 Vision 44

Chapter Five

Introduction

The world has changed, so should schools

- Wesley

Obstacles

If the technology exists today, why can’t this be a closer vision of a foreign

language classroom? In his book, Cuban (2001) talks about how computers have been

oversold in schools but are being underused in the classroom. While technology is

advancing at an exponential rate, the integration of technology in classroom is only

advancing at a linear rate. Many resources that could enhance foreign language programs

already exist. Conversely, there are a few strong barriers that are creating a slow

integration of technology into the classroom.

Funding is a big obstacle in integrating technology into schools. Currently, not all

schools are equipped to sustain such an environment. Problems such as bandwidth,

compatibility and safety are still very prominent. While most universities today are

wireless and have the popular software available to students, public schools are still very

behind. In his article, Bishop (2000) comments on the gap that exists today between the

families who have access to technology as opposed to those who do not. His main

concern is that more and more schools are using the Internet, as a means to communicate

with the home, yet many low-income families do not have access to it. Low-income

students would be motivated to attend the school to have access to the Internet if our

schools were funded to provide Internet to all the students.

2020 Vision 45

There is also no funding for technology tools such as digital cameras, web cams,

scanners, projectors and web design software. As technology advances and becomes

more demanding for the success of our students, more funding will be provided making it

more affordable for states to support the integration of technology into their schools.

Most of the technology integration in education is currently taking place at the

university level; nonetheless, this can be altered for a K-12 setting. Course-requirement in

our schools still does not place much importance on the integration of technology. Even

though we can see how technology impacts student learning, future research is required

especially in traditional k-12 schools. While increasing resources found on the Internet

can help create a positive foreign language program, if it is not integrated correctly, it

could hinder it. Currently, one of the biggest challenges facing the integration of

technology is the appropriate use of the integration of technology in a classroom.

As technology moves forward, more and more resources are created to adapt to

different needs. Where many resources are becoming a business, there exist others that

can be accessed for free. Teachers should collaborate to share the free resources that can

be used to enhance their curriculum. However, because of the lack of publicity, these

resources are harder to come across. The amount of current resources available and the

rapid changes in technology also make it challenging to find time to learn about all of

them, evaluate them and decide the resources that best fit the classroom needs.

One of the biggest obstacles to integrating technology in the classroom today is

the number of teachers who do not feel comfortable using it. Teachers are just not ready

to integrate technology in their classrooms. Technology is advancing at a faster pace than

some can learn, causing a lot of frustration. Lord and Lomicka (2004) concur that there is

2020 Vision 46

growing pressure to use the advanced growing technology in our classrooms, but

education and training in this domain have been limited. Deciding what resources would

enhance the curriculum and student learning and learning how to implement it in the

classroom is very time consuming. In today’s world, teachers have not had the adequate

education and training to implement technology in the classroom. Some may have

touched some of the possibilities, but few have received training where they have been

able to explore the possibilities and apply it in their learning, Teachers not only need to

be prepared for how to use these tools, they also need to be prepared to react when

technology fails. While some teachers have taken full advantage of technology and are up

to date with what is new, others do not feel comfortable or do not have an interest to learn

become “tech savvy”. This huge discrepancy between the demand and availability of the

use of technology in foreign language classrooms needs to be addressed (Lord &

Lomicka, 2004). This transition will be easier with the years, as the digital natives replace

teachers who do not feel comfortable with technology or have limited technological

skills, and more funding is given towards training, workshops and exploring time.

Our current students, even though they are digital natives, still need to be taught

how to use technology effectively and responsibly. The use of technology limits the

amount of social interaction in a classroom. When learning a language, students need to

be able to interact with others in the target language. Technology should not be the only

way for students to practice their language skills. At the same time, the Internet has

opened a whole new world for positive interaction, but it has also created a whole new

world for inappropriate behavior such as bullying. Students need to be guided as how to

appropriately use the Internet in and out of school.

2020 Vision 47

Students need to understand the classroom expectations and learn to use

technology responsibly. Chatting during class time and trying to enter inappropriate sites

are behaviors that will not be tolerated by teachers. Students need to understand and

follow the school’s policy of the use of technology. Teachers need to teach the students to

be safe on the computer and the responsibilities that they need to take when using the

Internet. The classroom has to be managed in order to avoid the misusage of technology.

The 2020 vision of a foreign language classroom depicts a classroom that on the

outside looks similar to our classrooms today. It is the content of the curriculum, the

process that students take to learn the content, and the different ways they present what

they have learned and understand that differentiates these two classes. Technology as

well as differentiated instruction together allows this to be possible.

Differentiated Instruction is a new theory that requires more studies to show how

it has a positive impact on all the students of a diverse classroom. There is also a lack of

studies that show how technology can positively impact the learning of students. As

technology advances rapidly, studies need to focus on types of technology tools and

resources that enhance classrooms instead of focusing on specific tools. Lastly, studies

are needed to show how both differentiated instruction and technology can help improve

traditional foreign language classrooms.

2020 Vision 48Appendix A1 -Classroom Environment

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2020 Vision 49Appendix A2 -Classroom Environment

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2020 Vision 50Appendix B1 –Space & Zones

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2020 Vision 51Appendix B1 –Space & Zones

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2020 Vision 52

Appendix C –Classroom Expectations

Classroom ExpectationsBe Respectful: Be respectful of yourself, your environment, your fellow classmates, and your teacher. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Every student has the right to a safe and secure classroom; you do not have the right to impede or jeopardize that in any way.

Be Responsible:Act rationally; choose wisely. Recognize your own role in building a fun and productive community of learners. Understand there will be consequences, both good and bad, for your actions.

Be Safe: Think about where you are and whom you are with. We must guarantee against harm or injury to another. Think. Ask yourself is it worth it? Would I want this done to me? I will not tolerate, nor should you, any behavior that takes away from the safety of this classroom, nor will the school.

Be Cooperative: Time and again you will be asked to do something that you may not like or think is worthless. Be mature; work through it. You may find that “getting there” is half the fun. Our world demands that you work well with others. Think—choose wisely.

Be A Worker: Do your job! Challenge yourself to be productive. You are here; use your time wisely.  

Be Peaceful: The Oxford Dictionary defines peace as: “Freedom from disorder. 2a quiet; tranquility, b serenity. 3 a mental calm.” Simply put, be kind to each other—exercise self-control.

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/Files/rules.htmby Mark Decker

2020 Vision 53

Appendix D -Activity Centers

ListeningMaterials: List of links, headphones, scaffolding cards for students who need help, word wall to remind students of the new words for the unit

1. Listen to one of the following: Radio broadcast Music clip/song Podcast Commercial

Teacher will encourage students to vary their choices throughout the year.

2. Find the new vocabulary and phrases found in this activity. Look up the definitions. Have teacher review to make sure you have the correct definitions according to the context. Write the ones of interest in their personal dictionary.

3. Summarize the content in the activity and share with a peer.4. Reflect on how the culture is reflected in this activity. Compare it to their

culture.5. Create something similar or create another way of using and sharing this new

information with the class. Cards with starting phrases should be provided to help those students who need a little push: "Draw a picture to illustrate..." or "Write a letter to a friend explaining..."

ReadingMaterials: list of links, scaffolding cards for students who need help, word wall to remind students of the new words in the unit

1. Read one of the following: a. Newspaper articlesb. Theme related articlec. Magazined. Short books- poemse. Website brochures for holidays/hotels/leisure

centers/restaurants/shopping centers/cities and towns/cars/sportsf. Music lyrics

Teacher will encourage students to vary their choices throughout the year.

2. Find the new vocabulary and phrases found in this activity. Look up the definitions. Have teacher review to make sure you have the correct definitions according to the context. Write the ones of interest in their personal dictionary.

3. Summarize the content in the activity and share with a peer.

2020 Vision 54

4. Reflect on how the culture is reflected in this activity. Compare it to their culture.

5. Create something similar or create another way of using and sharing this new information with the class. Cards with starting phrases should be provided to help those students who need a little push: "Draw a picture to illustrate..." or "Write a letter to a friend explaining..."

WritingWikis and Blogs are threaded discussions among the students that can be used to post their opinions and responses relating to a chapter theme.

Wikis -Students will be asked to keep a wiki of a subject of interest related to the foreign language:

About a country with the target language About a famous person About sports from a country

Blogs - Students will be asked to keep a blog of a subject of interest related to the foreign language by answering questions like the following:

What things are appropriate/inappropriate to do in the country? What culture difference is of interest to you? How would a newspaper article be the same or different here? Why? Would you go and visit this country? Why or Why not?

E-Pals – Students will have e-pals with students from a different country who knows the target language. They will work with each other to teach each other their native language. These students must communicate at least twice every unit to use the language they have learned.

In addition, for every unit, the students will be asked to create a way to present what they have learned. Here are some examples: skits, dialogues, songs, poems, chats, and power points.

Teacher will encourage students to vary their choice throughout the year.

SpeakingMaterials: Links, Software programs, microphones, digital video cameras, scaffolding cards for students who need help, word wall to remind students of the new words for the unit

Videoconferencing – Students will have e-pals with students from a different country who knows the target language. They will work with each other to teach each other their native language. These students must communicate at least twice every unit to use the language they have learned.

2020 Vision 55

In addition, for every unit, the students will be asked to create a way to present what they have learned. Here are some examples: skits, dialogues, songs, poems, chats, and power points. These can then be shared through Podcasts, Teachertube or any other way that allows them to express themselves orally to an audience.

Students can help create illustrations for new terms that can be posted on a bulletin board. They can also help typing and illustrating sentences using spelling or vocabulary words, or drawing representations. The most important thing is to give the students an opportunity to share what they've accomplished, which ultimately reinforces the concept of the computer center as a place to learn.

2020 Vision 56

Appendix E - Technology Activity Example

The simplest form would have been videoconferences between classes, so both

classes could perfect their language. This could be done between two French classes. It

could, however, also be done with two different languages such as a French class and an

English class. They would participate in a real activity that demonstrates the reality of

communicating with someone of a different language and culture.

Technology would be at the point where we could use Skype and Video

Conference as often as needed. This would allow pairing groups from two different

languages. These students would have to work together to make a project that would be

presented to both of their classrooms. An example would be an interview where one

would pretend to be a famous person from his or her country being interviewed by a

famous news broadcaster from the other culture. Students could work with a Wiki or

Blog in order to make up the script and edit it along the way. They would then do the

actual interview in front of the class.

Currently, it was typical to have students do skits in front of their classmates of

certain situations such as being at a restaurant, meeting with friends and going shopping.

With video conferencing, podcasts, and utube, this could be taken a step further.

Students could be asked to act these out through video conferencing to students of the

target language, who will evaluate these students. This would encourage the students to

produce quality work. In order to relieve some tension, they could be paired with a

person from the evaluating class to see a couple of rehearsals and offer suggestions on

language as well as cultural changes. Mixed ability groupings would allow students to

work and collaborate together. This activity would help to insist on cultural differences.

2020 Vision 57

An examples is that American students would be asked to say hi with the “bise” where as

the French students would be asked to do so by a hug or hand shake.

2020 Vision 58

Appendix F -Technology Activities

PBwiki –Students collaborate to make a song. Then they could make a song with

GarageBand or Audacity. (assigning colors to children so that it makes it easier to see

who does what.)

GarageBand Videocast (MAC): Have them compose a song and then make a video, a

picture, or music related to the written part. Audacity can be used with PC.

Digital camera: Ask students to take five pictures that reflect five words. They must use

those 5 pictures and add a couple more to create a story to share in groups or with the

class.

Ipod: interviews. Ask student to talk about a theme without using the words being

studied.

Digital Video: Doing a charades video for students to use during their vocabulary

learning.

IMovie: creativity. Ask students to bring a cultural topic to discuss in the class. For

example talking about differences in social classes, problems with immigration or talking

about fashion statements.

2020 Vision 59

PPT: Digital Fairy Tales (can use ideas from other stories). Students find pictures,

animations and sounds to place on the slides. Then they have to present and narrate the

fairy tale. The Power Point would not contain any words.

Internet activities that required students to visit Spanish-speaking sites and perform

simulated real-life tasks, such as filling out an activity schedule for a camp, ordering

clothing, creating an itinerary.

2020 Vision 60

Appendix G - Bibliography

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Figure Caption

Figure 1. Moore’s law chart predicting the exponential growth of technology by doubling

every 18 months.

________________________________________________________________________

Note. From “Living on the Future Edge: Thinking About Tomorrow Today,” by L. Jukes,

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