Technology and Language-learning
Last week, some of my RSC colleagues and I attended a three-day ‘Welsh for Adults’ course. This was the second we’d been to, and we very much enjoyed both – hopefully our Welsh has improved, too! The experience got me thinking about the ways in which technology could enhance the teaching and learning of languages.
Within a classroom setting, it would often be helpful to use audio and video – using a TV & video or CD/DVD player is no longer necessary, for all audio/video files can be stored within a PC/lap-top and transmitted via a projector and whiteboard. If the PC is connected to the internet, it would also be possible to find useful pictures and other resources, relevant web-sites (for example of places of interest, local cuisine), and in the case of Welsh, watch TV programmes (eg. S4/Clic – http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_index.shtml – with or without subtitles!). There are many useful online dictionaries (eg. www.geiriadur.net for Welsh) and other online reference works.
If the PC also has interactive whiteboard software, a wide range of interactive games and activities could be devised eg. matching words to pictures, filling gaps in a piece of text, drawing lines to connect pairs of words (note that whilst an actual interactive whiteboard is helpful, it isn’t essential for most activities – learners could interact with the board using a ‘remote’ mouse and keyboard). Voting systems, also controlled by PC, are another technology that promotes activity and engagement.
Outside of a classroom situation, learners could benefit from relevant web-sites, and could also listen to audio files, for example on mp3 players, and receive podcasts. They could also record their own conversations and e-mail to tutors – many mobile phones have built-in recorders. Access to a VLE (Virtual learning Environment) could provide other ‘any place, any time’ activities.
Has anyone got other language-learning suggestions?
Tags: audio, languages, podcast, video, VLE, voting system, whiteboard
May 19th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Annwyl Christine,
Diolch am y neges ddiddorol. Just to let you know that Croeso, the Open University’s Welsh for Beginners’ course, is making use of a VLE which includes computer-marked quizzes, podcasts and downloadable audio as well as forums for students and tutors. We also have an Audio Recording Tool which allows students to record mp3 for their spoken assignments (and for tutors to record their spoken response). Most students also choose to submit their written and spoken assignments electronically. As well as face-to-face tutorials we also use a real-time virtual classroom environment which allows students and tutors to speak to one other and to respond to visual stimuli etc. from wherever they happen to be.
Didn’t sound too much like a plug, did it?!
Hwyl,
Dewi