The first week of my language learning challenge has sped past
rapidly (even more so when you consider that it was actually two weeks, thanks
to the Christians and Easter celebrations). Despite consuming Easter chocolate in
Everest proportions, I managed to invest considerable time (almost but not
quite 45 minutes on most days) in undertaking the tasks specified in my
proposal. Following advice
from the invisible Mike Levy, I conducted an evaluation of the technologies
that were being employed and these will be presented subsequently in this blog.
Technology #1 –
Coffee Break French
To use this program, I have downloaded the podcast to my iPhone but
am also able to access the weekly episodes on line. The basic program is free of charge
however the constant reminder that the “premium” material is available for
subscription members is somewhat annoying. As discussed in my proposal, I
listened to the same episode daily for one week. As my level of French was sufficient,
I was able to undertake this language learning challenge from the start of
Season 3. Mark, the
presenter, introduced us to an American student Katie, an Australian
businesswoman, Veronica and Alf, a retired teacher from England. All three characters are studying
French at a language school in Nice. As
outlined by Mike Levy, I was chose to access this program employing the most
optimal conditions available to me. I
would listen to the podcast on my daily walk to work – fortunately the journey
allowed me to complete the entire lesson and so afforded significant
convenience. It was also
undertaken in an environment of limited stress and/or anxiety, which enhanced
the experience and learning ability.
Nevertheless, Coffee Break French could not necessarily be said to
provide an interactive learning environment. Within the podcast for Lesson 1, there
is no opportunity for student response and the program acts primarily as a
tutor. It does however
offer what I would consider a task based learning approach in that the
presentation of language instruction relies on the participants providing real
world diaries of their experiences. In
addition, Mark (the presenter) provides an explanation of key language points
to assist listeners to understand the content. The free version of the lesson does
not provide a line-by-line analysis of the text, however, in some aspects, I
have found this more beneficial as it allows me to gain a general understanding
of what is being said without the need for complete word by word comprehension.
During the course of the week, I listened to the same lesson daily
as I felt that this would focus my attention and afford me a solidification of
the content. I am pleased
to say that this has indeed been the outcome and at the end of week one, I
think I could almost quote Alf, Veronica and Katie…perhaps that is a positive
outcome, however by day 7, it was becoming a little repetitive and I’m looking
eagerly to hearing more of their language learning journey in Nice. The program offers no rewards for
participation or acknowledgement of completion of the lesson. It does provide for autonomous use
however this may prove a negative point if the user is not significantly self
motivated. From a cultural
perspective, I felt that little was offered by the technology in this area. The dialogue was from authentic French
speakers and the listener was assured of accuracy. There was little to engage the
listener in broader aspects of French culture.
Technology #2 – Tex
Grammar
I have long been a fan of this website and it resonates strongly
with my preferred learning style – a visual learner. It is structured well and provides
detailed instruction on specific grammar for French leaners. The cartoon characters of Tex and
Tammy are appealing and add a touch of humour to what could be considered a
somewhat dry and boring aspect of language learning. The website is simple to follow,
provides interaction through Facebook and allows for assessment and feedback
via online tests. In
evaluating this technology, it could best be described as being a tutor rather
than merely a tool for use by students.
As part of my proposal, I planned to engage with Tex Grammar for 30
minutes each day. At the
end of week 1, I am delighted to report that I have been able to achieve this
result on six out of seven days. The
fact that I was unable to achieve seven consecutive days should not be viewed
as a shortcoming of the technology but simply a result of my overcrowded
schedule.
My approach was to simply begin at the first topic and then proceed
through the list of nouns, determiners, adverbs, adjectives and verbs. Each subject is presented in English
with clear explanations however I have found that the explanations generally
offer broader context than that often found in French grammar text books. During the initial lessons there
are few assessments and so effective feedback is not provided to the user at
this stage. From my
previous knowledge of this website, I understand that this early information is
incorporated into later tests.
The last word
After one week, it would be premature to offer a full assessment of
the above technologies. I
remain committed to continuing with the programs and my motivation to improve
has increased as a result of my regular engagement on a daily basis with
language learning. From an
anecdotal perspective, it is my belief that time on task will continue to
provide the most positive outcome. Indeed,
utilising language learning technologies offers increased variety, which in
turn, meets the diverse needs of contemporary language learners.
Following on from last week’s quote, here is another that supports
the acquisition of a second (or third, or fourth) language
“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every
door along the way.”
A tout à l'heure.
Coralee
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