ELT in a New Age: Connecting TeachingLearning Practices to Real World Conditions

Ganakumaran Subramaniam University of Nottingham Malaysian English Language Teaching Association

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

What literacies do we teach in the language classroom?

Reading Writing Listening Speaking ?????????

GRAMMAR

LANGUAGE IN USE

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

the lives of the young are saturated with

multimedia..DVDs,CD-ROMS, computer games, digital music, email , text messaging, digital photography this requires new thinking about different forms of literacy
Susan Hill

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Is this literacy?

want wot u want &urth2b like hvn. giv us food & 4giv r sins lyk we 4giv uvaz. don't test us! save us! bcos we kno ur boss, ur tuf & ur cool 4 eva! ok?
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

"dad@hvn, ur spshl. we

New age issues

The decreasing half-life of information offers little point to buying (hard copy) books and magazines that has production processes that delay information getting to you.
The www is todays library of information and knowledge and its more than just text Being multiliterate means knowing where the library IS in the first place, and then organizing access to it, then utilizing and interacting with it as a learning tool.
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Workshop 1 Key Premises

From an early age young children engage with the powerful messages of multimodal communication. Effective teaching and learning incorporates the multiliteracies of todays world. Four dimensions of multiliteracies support educators to provide comprehensive literacy experiences for all learners

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Learning and Teaching in a New Age

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Multiliteracies and Language Learning

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Principles of Multiple Literacies

Functional

Literacy Content Area Literacy Technological Literacy Innovative Literacy

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

What is (are?) multiliteracies?

From: http://www.pkp.ubc.ca/multiliteracies/index.php

The term multiliteracies was coined by the New London Group (1996) to highlight two related aspects of the increasing complexity of texts:
a. the proliferation of multimodal ways of making meaning where the written word is increasingly part and parcel of visual, audio, and spatial patterns; b. the increasing salience of cultural and linguistic diversity characterized by local diversity and global connectedness.
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

The Multiliteracies Map

The functional dimension involves technical Functional User competence and how-to Locating, code breaking:using letters knowledge how to make signs icons it work, recognise icons, Selecting and operating equipment letters, words and other Moving between media, oral, symbols. paper,cameras, videos,
computers

The meaning making dimension involves understanding how different text types and technologies operate in the world and how they are used for our own and others purposes.

The critical dimension involves understanding that there is no one universal truth in any story and that what is told and studied is selective.

The transformative dimension involves using what has been learned in new ways and new situations.
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Functional User
Locating, code breaking, using

Meaning Maker
Understanding multimodal

letters, signs, Icons Selecting and operating equipment Moving between media: oral, paper, videos, digital, etc

meanings Understanding purpose of text and text form /s Connecting to prior knowledge Connecting to knowledge across disciplines

Critical Analyser
Analysing discourses Analysing issues of

Transformer
Using skills and

knowledge in new

power & to analyse points

ways
Designing

position
Choosing best ways Engaging multiple perspectives and

and producing new texts innovative

Being creative and Creating and

of view

transforming knowledge and the ways in which it may be presented and understood.
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Types of Literacies Required Today

Language Literacy reading, writing, listening and speaking Information Literacy managing information and resources Problem Solving / Critical Thinking Literacy logic, reasoning, organisation, plan, etc Creative Literacy reconstruct, reorganise, create, etc.

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

21st-Century Literacies

Develop proficiency with the tools of technology Build relationships with others to pose and solve problems collaboratively and cross-culturally Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes Manage, analyze and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multi-media texts Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

(NCTE 2008)

For example: Internet Information Search

traditional print literacies (to understand information and ideas); visual literacies (to interpret images and animation); aural and musical literacies (to interpret the soundscape); mathematical literacies (comprehend data) cross-cultrural literacies (websites are not acultural)

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Face to Face, Online or Blended

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

What research says

synchronous course tools to support teaching modeling of foreign language; and/or asynchronous playback (Voki's)
(Bernard, 2009)

content supplements, recorded texts (Hall &

Campbell, 2007)

timely feedback from instructor, and/or from online grammar, vocabulary, reading/listening comprehension exercises (Hara & Kling, 1999;
Sagarra & Zapata, 2008)
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

What research says

authentic opportunities to review language (newspapers, ads, videos, tv), and use language with native speakers (videoconferencing, immersive environments)
(Simon, 2008)

structured tasks in comprehensive learning suites with varied features from chat to whiteboard to doc sharing (Hampel, 2006; Jones &
Youngs, 2006)

teacher and Web-based prompting to selfmonitor time on task, processes employed

(Chang, 2007)
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

General Conclusions
Students want programmes that replicate the best parts of face-to-face learning and teaching programmes that are complemented with elements of personal choice, learner centredness, wide range of resources and real experiential learning
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

A blending of concepts, strategies and strengths

the thoughtful integration of classroom face-toface learning experiences with online learning experiences The goal of blended learning is to provide the most efficient and effective instruction experience by combining delivery modalities. a solution that combines several different delivery methods, such as collaboration software, Webbased courses, EPSS, and learning management systems

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Currents trends in learning/teaching

More materials, and education are becoming available through online or blended models. The distinction between distance and conventional education is disappearing There is an increasing need for learning and teaching strategies that exploit the capabilities of technology
Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Examples of technology driven language learning

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Intrepica

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Intrepica

Key areas in the program Free learning Students are free to select any learning content

Guided Learning Automated diagnostics and prescribed learning schedules meet students unique literacy needs
Home Students can customise avatars, read messages and access their rewards room Shop Students can use virtual credit points to purchase clothing and accessories for their avatar Arena Students can compete against others in multi-player literacy games Arcade Students can use virtual credit to play arcade style games

The Resource covers key areas of English Literacy: prereading, phonics, spelling, reading fluency, sight words, comprehension and grammar

How teachers can use Intrepica

Assign Tasks to individual students or whole class, for homework and/or class work. Enables teachers to easily modify curriculum for Gifted and Talented lower literacy students. Reports: Intrepica tracks student and overall class performance and presents this data in report format for teachers and principals. Diagnostics: Teachers can access a multitude of literacy diagnostic tests, which can be administered individually to identify problem areas or detect potential learning difficulties. Student Mode: Used on the interactive whiteboard or data projector to further engage, teach and/or consolidate learning.

How teachers can use Intrepica

Message Students: Send notifications or congratulatory Spelling and Sight Word Lists: Teachers can search for words and their corresponding activities and or tutorials. Student Leaderboard: Access printable certificates and view tracked student / class performance on a weekly basis. Student Accounts: View or edit student details, passwords or pass rates. Interactive Whiteboard Capability: Use to engage and motivate the whole class. Controlling Student use of Program: Teachers can control student interaction with the program. Teachers can ensure students must complete tasks in set order and/or pass each exercise before gaining access to other areas of the program.

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Language Lab

How does it work? Using a computer and a headset, business people and students around the world study with qualified, native English-speaking teachers online in our stunning virtual English City. All classes are taught live and in real time around the clock, 7 days a week. What is the methodology? Students become fluent quickly by learning English in a wide range of authentic, everyday situations. The learning experience is as if you have travelled to real English-speaking city, with a hotel, airport, hospital, university and even an oil rig. Traditional language schools and online learning courses cannot offer the same level of immersion in English.

Benefits
Flexibility Perfectly suited to professionals with live classes 24 hours a day. Expert teaching Specialist, highly qualified teachers from the UK and USA. Rapid progress Learners can expect to improve an entire English level in only 30 hours. Cost-effectiveness Learners in multiple time zones can study together online in the same class. Unrivalled engagement Our average professional learner spends 11 hours a month studying with us. International communication Our virtual community has learners from 80+ countries around the world. Builds familiarity with multiple accents and intercultural understanding. Personalised adaptive learning Courses are tailored to each learners needs, with on-going assessments and study plans that change according to individual progress. Custom environments We can create anything on our virtual platform, including bespoke training programmes to specific requirements.

The courses
The core product teaches real communication in English, building fluency and confidence.

This flexible English course develops speaking, listening, reading and writing skills across an unrivalled variety of topics. All learning is contextual: students learn by doing in an immersive environment, for example discussing international affairs and interviewing other students at the virtual television studio in our virtual English City.

Features
Events
All courses include unlimited English City Events.These are social, informal events designed to connect our global community of English speakers with one another. Events are led by a teacher and include role-plays, quizzes, and expeditions around the virtual city.

Self-Study
The courses include complementary access to the Self-Study area of our website, unlocking over 10,000 test items and exercises.The content is written by teachers qualified to a minimum of RSA DELTA level. Exercises cover reading, writing, listening, speaking, grammar and vocabulary

Progress Assessments
All learners receive a written and verbal language assessment at the beginning of the course, mapping their level of English to the universally recognised Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Our unique class recommendation engine takes this feedback and creates a personalised study plan for each student that changes as their English level progresses.

Conclusion
There is no option not to engage with technology Selection of technology has to be informed an one

Ganakumaran Subramaniam MELTA/UNMC 2012

Subramaniam DIY to meet curriculum and Ganakumaran student MELTA/UNMC 2012 needs