FLIPPIN Interactive

Imagine a classroom where students learn how to read in English by doing homework in the classroom, AFTER receiving lectures at home. In this atypical setting, students strengthen cognitive skills required to learn reading in L2 English by performing tasks that require them to learn and recognize main ideas, topic sentences, concluding sentences, and supporting details IN A GROUP. Additionally, they gain confidence in answering textbook questions in English while engaging in class discussions about possible answers. This combination of pre-teaching vocabulary and interactive learning has just been practiced in this institution with interesting results. Its called The Flipped Classroom, and it includes active/handson learning, student engagement preceded by online lecture, of sorts. (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, 2012) The major challenge of teaching beginner-level reading students in the Saudi Prep Year program is overcoming the mixed-ability classroom population: low-beginner to high-beginner in most classrooms. A limited English vocabulary does not make any student eager to discuss possible answers about a text she has just read. In fact, some of you reading instructors might agree that its typical for beginning second language students to approach reading whole texts as separate words, without pulling together comprehension within the context of the whole essay. EFL reading is a discipline that has to be taught. Thus, this Reading Explorer 1 Flipped Classroom experiment was designed to overcome these challenges. Pre-teaching vocabulary was key to this approach: thats the Flipped part of the scheme. You are viewing a video version of the animated viewer-controlled PowerPoint slideshows made available for at-home viewing through an online website. (communication003.wordpress.com) Students handled the controls which allowed them to use visual context clues to learn vocabulary and concepts for the upcoming reading texts. These animated slideshows made it easier to learn main idea, supporting details, and concluding sentences using visualization of these concepts. The interactive slideshows were designed to first, introduce the visuals, followed by English words: the same way that babies learn L1 (they see an object, then hear-and-learn the name for it). While viewing the

FLIPPIN Interactive: An Experiment in Flipped Classroom Technology for Reading Explorer 1

conducted by Shelia Ann Peace, Prep Year English Instructor in Saudi Arabia Presented: 2 January 2014

images on each slide, students can make visual and language connections in their brains, then view the correct labels by clicking controls toward the next slide: revealing the correct English name for each visual. This process can be repeated as often as the individual students choose: to retain the new vocabulary word. This shaves class time devoted to teaching vocabulary, bringing to the classroom a student ready to read, understand, and apply vocabulary words within the context of the Reading Explorer 1 text requirements. According to Dr. Raina Jarf, of King Saud University, KSUs instructors were also concerned about freshmen students [challenges] to make it through the speaking, reading, writing and vocabulary building and grammar courses that students are required to take in their freshman year as a prerequisite to their training in translation. (Al-Jarf, Reima: A Call for New Benchmarks at Saudi Language and Translations Schools.) In a speech at the Asian-EFL Journal International TESOL Conference in Busan, South Korea, Dr. Jarf called for New Benchmarks at Saudi language schools, because the Saudi government will pay tuition for anyone who graduates high school to join the Prep Year Programs here, regardless of their previous English background. Of King Sauds freshmen during Fall 2007, 37.5% repeated reading coursework, while another 19% . . . withdrew from the courses. In view of our similar challenges, [this college]s Flipped Classroom model was paired with classroom language applications that included Story Strips, and mixed paragraph labeling tasks to develop noticing and organizational skills. Whole essays were cut into separate paragraphs, which were read by student groups of FOUR classmates. These teams determined which paragraphs matched the headings, then -- kinesthetically -- organized them into a sensible draft. This was pre-textbook exercise work, designed to exercise new vocabulary muscles and increase their focus, interest and selfconfidence through collaborative efforts. The bonus: weaker students were paired with stronger students, leaving no child left behind in efforts to put together reading puzzle pieces. Remember, keeping the attention, even, of lower-level students in a challenging reading class is a major obstacle to Prep Year Students success in reading. Even though Dr. Jarf wants more rigid requirements for entry into English language programs in Saudi Arabia, we teachers are required to train all students to comprehend and notice, even, concepts which will help them to exhibit the ability to re-contextualize vocabulary into meaningful discourse as well as answer questions in textbook, Quizzes 1, 2 and 3 and both Major and Final Exams. Its a building-block process, when Flipped Classroom tactics are applied.

FLIPPIN Interactive: An Experiment in Flipped Classroom Technology for Reading Explorer 1

conducted by Shelia Ann Peace, Prep Year English Instructor in Saudi Arabia Presented: 2 January 2014

What about the students who do not do pre-class work to learn their vocabulary? In our classroom, a poll was taken at the start of each class. When a substantial number had not pre-learned vocabulary, we used class time to view PowerPoint slideshows and drill students in required new words. Then, we used the remaining time to do either Story Strips or mixed-paragraph labeling BEFORE tackling textbook work. This pre-textbook work gave students more confidence, as they noted in replies for a written survey on their Flipped Classroom experience. Of the 18 survey respondents, 16 believe that learning vocabulary BEFORE reading textbook stories helped them in Reading Explorer 1 coursework. While 13 of the 18 believe that putting together Story Strips as follow-up was also helpful, only 9 were keen on ordering mixed-paragraphs as a helpful application tool. The majority, 15/18, believe the Flipped Classroom approach helped their learning in Reading Explorer 1; whereas only 10 respondents actually reported studying the PowerPoints before class. Only 5 students said pre-learning vocabulary did not help them to learn, while the majority said that such positively affected their classroom learning experience. Students reported feeling that the greatest benefit of the Flipped Classroom approach was their ability to read and answer textbook questions; followed by discussing textbook questions and answers, intelligently. At the time of this survey, only 5 of the students reported they were not passing Prep Year English Reading/Writing coursework (4/18 had failed Quiz 2). All except 3 respondents found the FLIPPED Classroom task-work OK (6) to Good (9). 16/18 found learning vocabulary before interactive exercises helped them with Reading Explorer 1; while interactive applications such as Story Strips and mixed-paragraph labeling were considered of no use by 6, somewhat effective by 3 and good for learning by 9 respondents. Prep Year reading instruction can prepare our students to learn new literacies for the remainder of their educations: providing Reciprocal Teaching with online informational resources (as opposed to narrative texts) and strategy instruction . . . by which students navigate through multiple and different texts . . . (Wikipedia.org./wiki/New_literacies) As new technologies emerge, what may be important in reading instruction and literacy education is not to teach any single set of new literacies, but rather to teach students how to learn continuously new literacies that will appear during their lifetime. (ibid.) Researchers have discovered that using digital media complements the use of other written or audiovisual methods [in the classroom] and permits the development of multiple literacies in the classroom. (idem.)

FLIPPIN Interactive: An Experiment in Flipped Classroom Technology for Reading Explorer 1

conducted by Shelia Ann Peace, Prep Year English Instructor in Saudi Arabia Presented: 2 January 2014

In her call for New Benchmarks at Saudi Language and Translation Schools, Dr. Jarf noted that between 20-25% of freshman class enrollees were actually capable of reaching semester 10 and successfully completing the program . . . If we, as Saudi Prep Year Program teachers, try more creative ways to help our mixed ability students acquire language and conceptual skills necessary to learn reading in the EFL context, perhaps those figures will change. The [Saudi Prep Year] FLIPPED Classroom experiment required students to self-direct their learning to process new vocabulary words for application into classroom projects, activities and discussion with group members for more effective learning. (Curtis, Jae. The Flipped Classroom: How a Grade-School Mentality Can Improve eLearning. Admittedly, it works only if the participants are willing to do the individual work. (Ibid.) According to wiziq.com website, this classroom model provides rich, engaging material to consider at home, and you use class time to help them interact . . . students have a teacher nearby when they are doing work and most likely to need guidance. (http://www.wiziq.com/e-book/82-6-thingsteachers-do-to-flip-the-classroom#!) So, the teacher spends class time monitoring and guiding individual groups as they complete paragraph ordering tasks, then proceed to more answer questions in the textbook. I observed Section 219 students to be energized and engaged throughout the nearly-two hour Reading Explorer 1 classes. While flipping through Linked-In networks online literature last summer, I stumbled across the Flipped Classrom topic. This Fall, when presented a teaching schedule that included Reading Explorer 1 assignment which appeared to be a social studies component of Prep Year English, I thought Why not? Slideshows have been designed to complement the theme of each weeks lesson, attempting to incorporate Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligences theory that individual learners can be nature smart, word smart, number smart, and music smart (animations are timed rhythmically). The word smart, interpersonal smart, and intrapersonal smart learners are appealed to during the classroom interactive phases. When asked for her post-survey opinion, an A reading student said she believes this model is best at first-semester level. We agreed that students are early-on learning how to put the words together into sentences, then phrases that make sense, while learning how to think in English.

FLIPPIN Interactive: An Experiment in Flipped Classroom Technology for Reading Explorer 1

conducted by Shelia Ann Peace, Prep Year English Instructor in Saudi Arabia Presented: 2 January 2014

Students were successfully weaned from the Story Strips and Paragraph Ordering exercises by twothirds into the semester. So, now you have seen how our school, for Semester 341, has operated a Reading Explorer 1 classroom where students did learn how to read in English by learning lecture materials at home, then completing reading application tasks in the classroom. Completing the survey, independently, exhibited their ability to read, comprehend, apply critical thinking skills and answer questions in English. I hope the Flipped Classroom approach contributed to their success in Prep Year Program Reading and Writing. And, I hope this report has flipped you out.

FLIPPIN Interactive: An Experiment in Flipped Classroom Technology for Reading Explorer 1

conducted by Shelia Ann Peace, Prep Year English Instructor in Saudi Arabia Presented: 2 January 2014

References
Curtis, Jae. (2013) . The Flipped Classroom: How a Grade-School Mentality Can Improve eLearning. elearningmind.com/: Jarf, Reima (2008). : A Call for New Benchmarks at Saudi Language and Translations Schools. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/December_2008_EBook.pdf, 60-74. New Literacies . wikipedia.org./wiki/New_literacies Peace, Shelia (2013). Communication Skills. communication003.wordpress.com 6 Things Teachers Do to Flip the Classroom. (2013) WizIQ.com http://www.wiziq.com/ebook/82-6-things-teachers-d-to-flip-the-classroom#

FLIPPIN Interactive: An Experiment in Flipped Classroom Technology for Reading Explorer 1

conducted by Shelia Ann Peace, Prep Year English Instructor in Saudi Arabia Presented: 2 January 2014