Tutorial Week 7: Sketching Out A Digital Language Learning Material

Digital Language Learning Materials.pptx

Week 7: "e"-fied Class

We completed this task in our assignment group where we discussed on each checkpoint.

·         Declan

·         Elucia

·         Glenn

·         Kat (Loh Chia Yee)

·         Stennia

Checkpoint 1: Search for digital language learning materials.

• Bitstrips
• http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/
• Fakebook
• http://www.classtools.net/FB/home-page
• Pronunciation Animation
• http://www.cambridge.org/elt/resources/skills/interactive/pron_animations/index.htm
• Glogster
• http://www.glogster.com/
• Languagelab
• http://www.languagelab.com/
• 19 pencils
• http://19pencils.com/
• English4u
• http://www.english-4u.de
• Edudemic
• http://www.edudemic.com/

Checkpoint 2: List down SLA theories and principles

Theories

• Behaviourist
• Innatist
• Interactionist
  

Principles

• Materials should help learners to develop confidence
• What is being taught should be perceived by learners as relevant and useful
• Materials should require and facilitate learner self-investment
• Learners must be ready to acquire the points being taught
• Materials should expose the learners to language in authentic use
• The learners’ attention should be drawn to linguistic features of the input.
• Materials should provide the learners with opportunities to use the target language to achieve communicative purposes.
• Materials should take into account that the positive effects of instruction are usually delayed
• Materials should take into account that learners differ in affective attitudes
• Materials should permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction.
• Materials should not rely too much on controlled practice
• Materials should provide opportunities for outcome and feedback
• Materials should help the learner to develop cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Materials should reflect the reality of language use.
• Materials should help learners to learn in ways similar to the circumstances in which they will have to use the language.
• Materials should help to create readiness to learn.

Checkpoint 3: Sketch out a rough outline of your DLLM.

The DLLM that we have in mind is one which involves comic strips where students will be able to learn from it. We came up with a simple activity as an example as seen below:

Our aim of the activity is to let the students enhance their knowledge of vocabulary by finding synonyms of the given word in which they need to create a sentence for each word.

Learning object        : Vocabulary

Learning material      : Comic created from Bitstrips (http://www.bitstrips.com/)

Usability:

• Control of the students: The activity is a simple activity which only requires students to focus on different vocabulary and creating simple sentences.
• Choice of the students: An image is given to the students where it is based on real life situation.
• It is collaborative learning process where students work together to find synonyms of the given word
• The activity is also applicable as they are able to learn new vocabulary in which aid them in having a variety of words to be used while completing a writing task.
• Students will also be able to know that some words may have the same meaning but used differently.

Checkpoint 4: Summarize explanation for each criteria

• Errors: Errors are divided into two groups which are serious and less serious. Serious is when the users’ outputs are threatened while less serious refers to the work of the users are disturb.

• Efficiency: It is to know how well the experienced users can operate an application after they have mastered it.
  

• Learnability: It depends on the duration of time for the beginners uses system before they learn the important skills necessary to do tasks.
  

• Memorability: Refers to an occasional users’ ability who has previously used the system to remember its operational principle.     

Explain each criterion for visual design

• Harmony
• It is the way to which the display in DLLM interacts together in a pleasing-manner. This can achieved through repetition and rhythm. It pulls the pieces of visual image together and the rhythm is the flow of depicted in a visual and helps direct eye movement. For example when we use prezi or power point, we need to use 3x3 grids to ensure there is harmony.
• Balance and symmetry
• It refers to the element of different sizes can be brought into balance by either moving them closer or further from the centre of the page. Symmetry is when one half of a visual display is a mirror image of the other half. There are different types of symmetry:
• Horizontal symmetry
• Approximate horizontal symmetry
• Radial symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Emphasis
• It is to create dominance and focus in their work. It emphasis on colour, value, shape or other design elements to achieve dominance. For example, the colour of the background must be dark and the written words on the slides must be in light colour. This is to ensure that there is a contrast on the slide. Also, the main topic must be either middle or on top with bigger font size to tell what is the main topic.
• Alignment
• It is important for the material to have alignment as it is for the organization and grouping. Should visually maximize differences between texts, label and pictures.
• Unity
• Unity is the relationship among visual elements that helps all the elements to work together. It gives a sense of closure or oneness to visual image. It can be achieved through use of similar shapes, common pattern or use of a common background.

Tutorial Week 6 ● Reflection

In week four and week five’s tutorial, each group gave a presentation on their respective checklist. It was interesting to see how many checklist we can use to evaluate a material. After the presentation, we were given an English textbook/course book by Miss JC. Our task was to use our respective checklist to evaluate and list out the problems we faced during the evaluation. “Easy job. Just follow the criteria/features given in Littlejohn’s checklist, tick the ones that the chapters have,” I thought. I was wrong.

Referring to the problems stated in the PowerPoint presentation, our group struggled quite a bit with how the tasks should be divided and with the meaning of some criteria. Despite the definition and examples given in the article, we still couldn’t fully understand the criteria. After some discussion with the group, we decided to evaluate based on our understanding of the criteria/features. It was a relieve knowing what we’ve discussed were correct after our presentation; and it was good that Miss JC further explained the meaning of different criteria/features.

I can’t say I enjoyed this task, but I know that I’ve learnt a lot through it. Materials evaluation isn’t as easy as it looks like, and it takes a large amount of effort in analysing each task. I’ve learnt that it is important to be open to other people’s opinion and feedback on things. Everyone is different in the way they think, and I realise it’s good to be able to listen to different interpretations and see things in other people’s perspective. With this, it is important that teachers also seek other teachers for different opinion on the tasks/activity in the textbook. The teachers will not only be able to share their own experiences with one another, they can also work together to produce better materials that are interesting and will be able to suit different learners.

Littlejohn’s checklist is a good checklist to be used as it is specific and it looks at every aspect of the material. However, I feel that it may be very difficult to use this checklist all the time. Analysing materials with this checklist requires patience as the analysis can be quite tedious. Teachers will not have sufficient amount of time to go through each tasks as they have other responsibilities and needs to cater to. Thus, I recommend that teachers try to allocate a time to at least analyse 5-8 tasks a day; other checklists can also be used too. J

*This reflection was written on the 5th of November. The date was changed because I thought it'd be better if it was posted after the respective task.

Tutorial Week 6: Evaluation and Problems Faced While Using Littlejohn's Checklist

Evaluation and Problems Faced While Using Littlejohn's Checklist

Tutorial Week 4 & 5 ● Reflection

This week’s tutorial task was interesting, I must say. I never knew there were checklists in evaluating materials till I joined this course, so it was something new for me. J We were required to give a presentation base on the checklist we were given, chose. We were given a choice on which author’s checklist we would like to present on; not knowing that it’d be one of the toughest checklists to understand, we chose the author with what we thought had the most interesting name, Andrew Littlejohn.

I struggled really hard the first time I read the article on Littlejohn’s checklist, I couldn’t understand what it was about and I found it hard to focus while reading. I realised just reading the article didn't help; so I decided to highlight important points and make annotations. After that, re-reading it for around four times really allowed me to understand the main points, and I realised it wasn't as tough as I thought it would be.

As I was trying to understand Littlejohn’s article, it was interesting to see how he introduces the framework and how there are different levels in analysing the materials. I felt that it was helpful that he arranged it in a way that there are different levels in analysing, first the explicit nature of the material, then he slowly moves in to a more specific/deeper level of analysis. I really like this checklist as it looks at every aspect of the material. However, seeing so many criteria/features in the checklist, I do think that it can be time consuming.

Through this tutorial task, I found out the importance of evaluating a material. Teachers will be able to see what the material lacks, they can also improve the materials to suit the classroom and to achieve learning objectives. However, I feel that the checklist can only do so much in how effective a material can be, the rest belongs to the effort a teacher puts in order to produce a good material. I would definitely try to use this checklist in the future in hopes of providing my future learners a better language learning material. J

*This reflection was written on the 5th of November. The date was changed because I thought it'd be better if it was posted after the respective task.

Tutorial Week 4 & 5: Presentation on the article "The analysis of language teaching materials: inside the Trojan Horse"

The Analysis of Language Teaching Materials by Glenn A. Hilarion

Tutorial Week 3 ● Reflection

This week’s tutorial task was much more difficult compared to the one before. We had to answer four questions given based on Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). At our first discussion on this tutorial task, we didn’t quite know how to answer the questions as we were all quite confused. We then divided tasks where we explained our findings to one another after we’ve completed it.

After tutorial class, we realised our answers weren’t even close to what Miss JC has answered and explained. We only manage to come out with few theories that are correct; even so, we did not really understand the meaning of the theories in CLT. It took us quite some time to re-read and understand what is CLT and how we should apply it.

I guess it never really occurred to me that CLT plays a big role in language teaching. Having known about CLT from last semester’s SLA course, I thought it was just a part of the sociocultural theory of SLA and there are only few things to follow. Well, now I see that there is more to CLT than I thought. Looking at the different components in the communicative competence, I am able to see how it helps learners to learn. It is encouraging to see how CLT allows learners to learn through negotiation of meaning between speaker and hearer or reader and writer. I’ve always thought CLT is only about speaking and listening; hence, it was interesting that CLT includes the communication between writer and speaker.

Reading the three articles provided, I began to really understand what CLT is all about. And reflecting back to the days when I was in high school, I am really glad that my teacher were one of the teachers that implements CLT in the classroom. I still remember my teacher would always conduct activities where we were required to give opinions and share our experiences.

Reading through the principles of CLT, it made me remember one of the lessons in my Form 5 English class.  I can’t remember which topic the lesson was on, but it was one of the lessons I’d never forget. Miss Wong talked about her experiences on how she was terrible at rearing animals. She elaborated on each animals she reared (a dog, a rabbit, a tortoise, and hamsters) in which the animals either ended up escaping or moving on to the next life. Not only were the stories humorous, Miss Wong included us while she was telling the story. She would asked us how one actually rears a rabbit, and asked our opinions on whether or not one should bathe hamsters, etc. Of course, she would want us to express ourselves in the target language – English. After asking, she would continue sharing her experiences. Explanation on certain words or phrases were also given to ensure that we all understand. It was the first (and I think the last) time I saw all my classmates so interested and eager to share their opinions and listen to Miss Wong.

Looking at the experience mentioned above, I could see that Miss Wong had applied CLT in her lesson. The language used in that situation was informal, but it was appropriate at that situation. There are also times where we were required to speak formally and use the proper linguistic items. Miss Wong always made it clear on when we needed to be formal or informal depending on the situation (strategic & discourse competence). Reflecting back, it is very encouraging to see that CLT was applied in my lessons. J

As a future language teacher, I would definitely try my best in applying CLT in my teaching. However, I feel that both accuracy and fluency have the same importance. Sticking to a little more ‘traditional’ way, I would want to try my best in also focusing on accuracy even though I know it isn’t easy. Also, I would try my best to make students feel at ease when I teach as I don’t want to make them feel pressured to speak in English; that would defeat the purpose of CLT. Having been a student before, and having friends who hates speaking in English, I know how it feels to be pressured to speak in class. Hence, I will try my best in finding ways to ensure my learners express themselves without being pressured where they can learn the language at the same time. J

*This reflection was written on the 5th of November. The date was changed because I thought it'd be better if it was posted after the respective task.