Thinking that learning language as a foreing langauge has lots of limits comparing to as a second language situation....
They don't have enough chance to practice target languages out of the classroom,and it's not easy to get authentic resouces...
However, I thought internet technology is the best solution to narrow the gaps.
Many of Korean language learners in CRL at U of A, where I teach Korean, are watching Korean soap operas and TV shows though internet. It helps them a lot to catch up with Korean cultures and langauge, and also motivates them to want to keep studying Korean and improve Korean skills.
It is not a new solution, and maybe it is even too typical answer. However, suddenly it came up in my mind thinking of the limits of learning languages as a foreign language..
2010년 4월 28일 수요일
2010년 3월 23일 화요일
Teaching language and culture through social network site
This is my Korean version of 'facebook' called 'cyworld'
http://www.cyworld.com/romikr
Some of the pictures and writings, which are private, are restricted to only some of my friends whom I permitted to access, and some of them are opened to everybody.
While traveling to other countries, I gathered some authentic English uses and variety of cultures of out of Korea.
I opened them to everybody to help my studnets and friends who are interested in Enlgish and new cultures.
Using blog and social network sites, teachers could teach things.
http://www.cyworld.com/romikr
Some of the pictures and writings, which are private, are restricted to only some of my friends whom I permitted to access, and some of them are opened to everybody.
While traveling to other countries, I gathered some authentic English uses and variety of cultures of out of Korea.
I opened them to everybody to help my studnets and friends who are interested in Enlgish and new cultures.
Using blog and social network sites, teachers could teach things.
2010년 3월 2일 화요일
why bother to play games in foreign languages?
why bother?
Imagining my students back in Korea playing games in foreing languages, I think they will just focused on the game itself. Most of them would feel bothered or interrupted by the foreign languages. I think most of them might just try to figure out the rules of the games and just get automatic in playing games. They would not focus on the languages.
I had many students asking me the 'game vocabularies' which they heard playing the games. The games had actually been practiced by them without noticing the meaning of the words.
What can I do to make the learning happen?
I need to think about it..
Not difficult or stressful but fun way to learn.
Maybe the proficiency and the level of their language skills matter.
For my students back in Korean middle and high school, they need easier level of fun games.
- Answers..
1. Motivation
: It can motivate students to learn languages to play the games; one kind of good method for motivating students.
2. Teachers Role
: Rather than letting them play the game alone, teachers can play the role teaching the languages in the game. It can be good teaching and learning methods and materials. Definitely more interesing than regular textbooks.
Imagining my students back in Korea playing games in foreing languages, I think they will just focused on the game itself. Most of them would feel bothered or interrupted by the foreign languages. I think most of them might just try to figure out the rules of the games and just get automatic in playing games. They would not focus on the languages.
I had many students asking me the 'game vocabularies' which they heard playing the games. The games had actually been practiced by them without noticing the meaning of the words.
What can I do to make the learning happen?
I need to think about it..
Not difficult or stressful but fun way to learn.
Maybe the proficiency and the level of their language skills matter.
For my students back in Korean middle and high school, they need easier level of fun games.
- Answers..
1. Motivation
: It can motivate students to learn languages to play the games; one kind of good method for motivating students.
2. Teachers Role
: Rather than letting them play the game alone, teachers can play the role teaching the languages in the game. It can be good teaching and learning methods and materials. Definitely more interesing than regular textbooks.
2010년 2월 23일 화요일
chat in their own language
I came up with the idea of learning languages through chatting or discussion site.
So far, I thought that the language used in chat should be one language-L2.
However, during the last class, I got an idea that you can use your own language (L1) when communicating to the people of other languages, or even you can choose between L1 and L2.
Only you need is the partners or groups who are interested and capable in counterpart languages such as English speakers who are interested in learning Korean and Korean native speakers who are interested in learning English.
They could exchange e-mails, they could post things on the blog or discussion session in their own L1. Reception happens in their L2 languages which can be a lot of authentic input and the production happens in L1 which causes less anxiety.
If you use particular web sites such as a blog or official site for the discussion or free talking, many people can join the conversation and exchange their languages. Even more than three languages can be used.
So far, I thought that the language used in chat should be one language-L2.
However, during the last class, I got an idea that you can use your own language (L1) when communicating to the people of other languages, or even you can choose between L1 and L2.
Only you need is the partners or groups who are interested and capable in counterpart languages such as English speakers who are interested in learning Korean and Korean native speakers who are interested in learning English.
They could exchange e-mails, they could post things on the blog or discussion session in their own L1. Reception happens in their L2 languages which can be a lot of authentic input and the production happens in L1 which causes less anxiety.
If you use particular web sites such as a blog or official site for the discussion or free talking, many people can join the conversation and exchange their languages. Even more than three languages can be used.
The more you know about the technology, the easier it becomes.
I like that I can get stimulated with several ideas of using technologies in my own teaching in the future.
videoconferencing
I have an experience of videoconferencing class about 10 years ago in my college days in Korea.
One of my professor wanted to try internet technology class using videoconferencing and set up the Grammar class through videoconferencing with the professor of University of Texas at Ausin - Dr. Horwitz. They said it was the very first trial in Korea, and even broadcasted on the TV News.
We took English Grammar class from Dr. Horwitz through video conferencing every week in real time for a semester.
The class format was quite simple as the other face to face classes except that I see professor's face through the screen.
However, the great thing was that I could take class from the famous professor in the field whom I never could imagine to meet and study together before. We exchanged questions and answers in Enlgish in authentic situation which I couln't have before in the other classes.
The professor Horwitz was also impressed by our enthusiasm and our level of knolwge on English Grammar, and we achieved more confidence by it.
Technology made it possible what could never happen without it.
Technology was not that difficult as we thought but made bigger effect and result than we expected.
One of my professor wanted to try internet technology class using videoconferencing and set up the Grammar class through videoconferencing with the professor of University of Texas at Ausin - Dr. Horwitz. They said it was the very first trial in Korea, and even broadcasted on the TV News.
We took English Grammar class from Dr. Horwitz through video conferencing every week in real time for a semester.
The class format was quite simple as the other face to face classes except that I see professor's face through the screen.
However, the great thing was that I could take class from the famous professor in the field whom I never could imagine to meet and study together before. We exchanged questions and answers in Enlgish in authentic situation which I couln't have before in the other classes.
The professor Horwitz was also impressed by our enthusiasm and our level of knolwge on English Grammar, and we achieved more confidence by it.
Technology made it possible what could never happen without it.
Technology was not that difficult as we thought but made bigger effect and result than we expected.
2010년 2월 9일 화요일
on-line class VS face to face class
Through the discussion in the class about on-line class versus face to face class, I thought back my experiences on both of them.
I personally thought that on-line learning made me lazy and I could not learn much through it comparing to the face to face learning, because I used to take several lessons at a day which I supposed to take everyday or I just clicked each pages quickly just to ensure that I took the classes on time for attendance score.
Today, I'm thinking of those experiences again... asking several questions to myself.
Then, couldn't I learn much through on-line classes?'
The answer is 'Yes, I did learn.'
Even though I put off studying on time, I could study things when I can, which was much more convenient and effective. Also, after quick clicking on the pages on time, I studied them back concretly when performing the tasks and tests. Especially when I learned 'teaching English through technology' in Korea, I could store the websites or the tools I learned through the class in my laptop easily and use them later.
'Was there anything I couldn't do on-line among which I could do in the face to face class?'
The answer is 'Not really'
I could ask questions to the instructor on-line through question board and I even could interact with other learners through discussion time.
The important thing is 'how well organized the on-line class is', not on-line class itself.
It is interesting that while taking this class, as I experience and learn about internet technologies more, I get positive about them more and more.
First, at the beginning of the discussion, I thought that I'd rather take face to face class to learn more than taking on-line class. However, at the end of the discussion, my mind has changed. Now, I think that I can learn well enough if the on-line class is well organized and even there are some advantages only on-line class can have such as time and place flexibility.
I personally thought that on-line learning made me lazy and I could not learn much through it comparing to the face to face learning, because I used to take several lessons at a day which I supposed to take everyday or I just clicked each pages quickly just to ensure that I took the classes on time for attendance score.
Today, I'm thinking of those experiences again... asking several questions to myself.
Then, couldn't I learn much through on-line classes?'
The answer is 'Yes, I did learn.'
Even though I put off studying on time, I could study things when I can, which was much more convenient and effective. Also, after quick clicking on the pages on time, I studied them back concretly when performing the tasks and tests. Especially when I learned 'teaching English through technology' in Korea, I could store the websites or the tools I learned through the class in my laptop easily and use them later.
'Was there anything I couldn't do on-line among which I could do in the face to face class?'
The answer is 'Not really'
I could ask questions to the instructor on-line through question board and I even could interact with other learners through discussion time.
The important thing is 'how well organized the on-line class is', not on-line class itself.
It is interesting that while taking this class, as I experience and learn about internet technologies more, I get positive about them more and more.
First, at the beginning of the discussion, I thought that I'd rather take face to face class to learn more than taking on-line class. However, at the end of the discussion, my mind has changed. Now, I think that I can learn well enough if the on-line class is well organized and even there are some advantages only on-line class can have such as time and place flexibility.
Using NBC in classroom
I could not think that NBC can be used for teaching language tool in the classroom before.
I thought it's too priviate and individual, and there is not so many things that teachers can do in the class for the instruction.
However, while practicing NBC in the last classroom myself, I found out that it could be great tool for language teaching and learning.
Teachers could let students talk on some topic and record them in the classroom. Teachers could check the conversation afterward and give feedback on them.
It can be a good tool for role play too. Many students feel shy when they do 'role play' in front of other students and a teacher, but if it's on the net, they will feel less anxiety.
It also can be used as an assessment tool. The things we need to consider when we assess the NBC are whether we assess them individually or by group, and whether evaluate their fluency or accuracy. It could be different depending on the purpose and characters of the assessment.
I thought it's too priviate and individual, and there is not so many things that teachers can do in the class for the instruction.
However, while practicing NBC in the last classroom myself, I found out that it could be great tool for language teaching and learning.
Teachers could let students talk on some topic and record them in the classroom. Teachers could check the conversation afterward and give feedback on them.
It can be a good tool for role play too. Many students feel shy when they do 'role play' in front of other students and a teacher, but if it's on the net, they will feel less anxiety.
It also can be used as an assessment tool. The things we need to consider when we assess the NBC are whether we assess them individually or by group, and whether evaluate their fluency or accuracy. It could be different depending on the purpose and characters of the assessment.
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