ICT and MFL
Opportunities offered by electronic communication
Papers & Further reading |
Editorial reviews | Task for trainees
Understanding the many steps for effective collaborative language projects
DOOLY, M., Language Learning Journal, 36, 1, June 2008, pp. 65-78
Many teachers of modern languages in the UK will be seeking ways of motivating their pupils by effecting direct contact between them and their counterparts in the target language-speaking countries via the internet. The oft-touted format for this interaction is the collaborative language 'project', set up by teachers for their pupils. The article claims appropriately this is no simple and easy task, and that the teachers involved need a shared understanding of the underlying pedagogical theory before they may address the practical aspects of leading such a project to a successful conclusion.
The author is able to exemplify her main arguments by referring to a particular project, and thence propose essential guidelines, as a result of feeling there are "worrying gaps" between theory and practice evidenced by the case study.
The article starts by asserting that the pedagogy is clearly rooted in constructivist learning theory; "there is an underlying assumption ... individuals ... are seeking and constructing knowledge within a meaningful context". The direct contact effected via ICT should be no dry exchange of information, but a rich processing of the same, involving use of critical faculties if the learners are to derive real and enjoyable benefit; it is not enough that pupils should simply swap opinions, but argue for and against each others', for example.
This in turn means the teacher is no mere ICT technician using the medium to expose pupils to language, but an enabler of higher-level learning by assuming the role of facilitator. The need to be familiar with the ICT communication tools (they constantly change and evolve anyway) is thus not of paramount importance; the real need of the teacher is to be aware of how the learning and management theory can improve the 'telecollaborative' experience.
The author is able to quote research that supports the preceding lines of argument. Aspects of the project reported in the article unfortunately demonstrate that if teachers do not subscribe to new ways of learning, and focus on the language learning towards simplistic assessment ends, without consideration of the collaborative (social) aspects, the result can be a breakdown in communication most notably at teacher level.
In order to avoid this effect, catastrophic for pupil-level involvement naturally, the author proposes guidelines based on a business project management approach, which include consideration of initiation, setting-up, conduct, and importantly 'closure', of the project. As with other new learning paradigms, there is apt and primary focus on the process rather than the content as the main driving force - and this involves all manner of analogous 'business' activity via scheduling project planning, preparation and conduct time both at local and distance level. There is attention to the why and how as well as the what, and of note is the recommendation to provide an incline of difficulty in the project tasks, an increasing sophistication to the interaction between pupils.
This is at the same time an intensely theoretical and practical set of guidelines, giving other web-based sources of support to supplement the advice of the article. The implications for school-based staff are clear; without an enriched pedagogical understanding of constructivist theory and without access to a committed and well-prepared collegial team, online collaboration can go nowhere fast. Addressed according to the advice in this article, it can, on the other hand, be a rich learning experience for teachers and pupils alike.
Computer-Mediated Communication:
promoting learner autonomy and intercultural understanding at secondary
level (pdf document)
Fisher, L., Evans, M., Esch, E. (2004) Language Learning Journal,
30, pp 50-58
As modern foreign language teachers, we wish to provide learners with opportunities
for real communication with real people who speak the other language; this
kind of opportunity is what has perhaps most significantly changed all of
our lives for the better, and at the heart of our principles and values
lies a desire for similar linguistic and cultural moments of revelation
for our pupils. The financial and other logistical challenges to placing
them with any degree of frequency in the MFL environment are increasingly
significant, and the virtual means of achieving the same ends offered by
advances in ICT are to be welcomed.
This study of school-age learners’ engagement with an email-based CMC project
leads the authors to exciting and positive conclusions: motivation to communicate
with native-speakers was good, messages written by participants finding
a high level of response; learners found ways of communicating using both
their native and learned foreign language in combination, thus adopting
a creative and autonomously generated approach; evidence also emerged from
the content of messages to suggest strongly that e-group learning of this
nature might develop learners’ intercultural understanding.
Videoconferencing for language
learners (pdf document)
Butler, M., Fawkes, S. (1999) Language Learning Journal, 19, pp
46-49
The article analyses the benefits to MFL learning accorded by real communication
in French, German and Spanish between British pupils in a school on the
North-East coast with partner-school pupils from Lille, Hamburg and La Coruña,
enabled by videoconferencing technology between 1996 and 1999.
The authors convey several key messages in their argument to convince colleagues
ICT and e-pal links is a path worth treading. There is limited evidence
enhanced motivation was reflected in improved attainment; the technical
aspects of setting up the links were not deemed overly challenging or time-consuming
beyond initial set-up. There are plenty of practical hints and tips, such
as location of the equipment, and the need for some communication privacy.
The concluding remarks focus on motivation and "significantly positive
changes in attitude to the learning of a MFL" in pupils.
Video-conferencing and GCSE
oral practice (pdf document)
Wright, N., Whitehead, M. (1998) Language Learning Journal, 22,
pp 47-49
The article describes an experiment which brought together MFL student
teachers and GCSE pupils via a video-conferencing link which might be considered
an early exploration of the e-pal concept.
The authors argue that timetabling patterns in school and legislation affecting
ITT have not recognised the increased need, brought about by 1980s curricular
and asssment changes, for pupils or training teachers to engage in sufficient
levels of practice in the skill of speaking and familiarisation with the
GCSE oral examination format. Bringing the two parties together 'live' in
1998 aimed to answer both sets of needs. The experiment found pupils strongly
valued the one-to-one expert tutorial contact facilitated by the technology.
The article concludes that the technology offers an effective, motivating
and welcome alternative to more 'traditional' ways of addressing the problem,
but perhaps more importantly looks forward to the time when it may address
intercultural and language competence issues by providing direct links between
pupils, their peers and the target language environment.
