A 21st century social learning and social media English course

Slide 1 : Introduction to teaching English Out There © Jason West Sept 2009 A social (learning and media) English course for the 21st century

Introduction : Introduction Question Concept What, Why, How Science bit Materials – real world/online Self-study/One-to-One/Group Web Tech bit Answers to that Question Things are changing fast

Slide 3 : Seminar ‘Future Direction in Language Teaching and Learning’ http://www.alistair-smith.co.uk/readings/leading_learning/leading_learning6.htm Role of technology Best approach 20 delegates Keri Facer, Head of Learning Research, NESTA Futurelab

Question… : Question… Summarise your best experiences as a language learner and think about the ideal form of technology that might support you as you learn? Write it down, fold it over, and put it to one side. Now forget about it.

Slide 5 : What is Out There? Highly effective short language course Covers all skills – reading , writing, speaking, listening Combines classroom teaching with cultural exploration activities

Why was it created? : Why was it created? To improve on what existed To facilitate focused real practice To socialise the learning experience To improve cultural awareness

How was it created? : How was it created? Lateral thinking Research Real feedback from students

Slide 8 : What method is it based on? Out There is based upon the Communicative Method, but it uses a redesigned lesson plan format that is used in every single session. This new format means that real practice of the target language happens minutes after the language has been taught. The course includes elements of psycholinguistic research and the application of practical memory enhancing techniques that lead to improved ‘memory mapping’. All of this helps you to remember the target language better and to feel much more confident.

Slide 9 : Links that create understanding and help recall. i.e. “This new language…” ·       ” is similar to…” ·       ” is related to…” ·        “is because….” Out There language focus i.e. new learning Existing language + Out There location for the session + the real experience of what actually happened. What is Constructivism and how does it relate to Out There? Original source: www.geoffpetty.com or in Mujis, D. & Reynolds, D. (2001) Sights, sounds, smells and emotions.

The Learning Pyramid: The recall rate of different teaching strategies. The National Training Laboratories (US) : The Learning Pyramid: The recall rate of different teaching strategies. The National Training Laboratories (US) Source: www.geoffpetty.com or in Mujis, D. & Reynolds, D. (2001)

Latest research into 'social learning‘ : Latest research into 'social learning‘ Dr. Patricia Kuhl (Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington) 'a new view of language acquisition‘ which was followed by 'Neural substrates of language acquisition‘ 2008 "Which causal mechanisms underlie the critical period for second language acquisition - why are adults, with their superior cognitive skills, unable to learn as well as young infants? Can techniques be developed to help adults learn a second language?”

Latest research into ‘implicit learning‘ : Latest research into ‘implicit learning‘ Proulx & Heine - 2009 'Exposure to Meaning Threats Improves Implicit Learning of an Artifical Grammar (Connections from Kafka)'  (click) “Priming motivational states has been found to improve performance on implicit-learning tasks.” “..the cognitive mechanisms responsible for implicitly-learning novel patterns of association are enhanced by the presence of a meaning threat.”

The course : The course Highly flexible TD, SS and new OO (1:1) Real world, online Allows teachers to teach Works in different ways at different levels: Beginner – increases confidence and helps ‘survival’ Advanced – very high level language + real ‘street’ vocabulary Six levels 60 hours per level 3 hours per session 50% in input, 25% activity, 25% result Tried and tested 8 years teaching, 2 of editing, 250,000 hours, 85,000 lessons

Stage 1- Input : Stage 1- Input Classroom, Virtual classroom, Self study Grammar Vocabulary Skills Controlled practice

Slide 15 : Convenient active practice location nearby or online using social networks Real focused practice of listening, speaking, reading and writing Use language just learnt in shops, galleries, markets, museums, train stations... and by talking to people face to face or online Every activity carefully planned and prepared, and every session something new and challenging Feedback and learning experience consolidation Stages 2 - Activity and 3 - Result

Slide 16 : Meet the family

Slide 17 : Teacher delivered (TD)

Slide 18 : Self-study (SS) One-to-one (OO)

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Slide 20 : Detailed Instructions

Slide 21 : Worksheets

What makes Out There so different from other courses? : What makes Out There so different from other courses? ‘Passive knowledge becomes active knowledge’ ‘Location Specific’ – hear modern language use from the fluent and native speakers Motivates and boosts confidence, lowering the student’s ‘output filter’ and creates a ‘buzz of success’ Cultural exploration Active + great fun

Slide 23 : Lathophobic aphasia - Stevick Krashen’s Output Filter – interferes with production A psychological process that preparation and socialisation help – i.e. EOT ‘Bonjour, deux baguettes, s’il vous plait’ or ‘Doh!’ "Monitor "overusers" are performers who feel they must "know the rule" for everything and do not entirely trust their feel for grammaticality in the second language. One case, "S", described by Stafford and Covitt (1978), remarked: "I feel bad... when I put words together and I don't know nothing about the grammar." In Stevicks terms (Stevick, 1976, p. 78), overusers may suffer from "lathophobic aphasia", an "unwillingness to speak for fear of making a mistake"."Stephen Krashen Yerkes-Dodson law (first observed by Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson, The Relation of Strength of Stimulus to Rapidity of Habit-Formation (1908) Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology,18, 459-482)

Slide 24 : Stats

Before and after videos (2006) : Before and after videos (2006) Over the summer we shot some video of clients during their placement interviews and before they followed their EOT course in London. We then videoed them again during a similar interview, just before they left to go home. We call them our ‘Before and After’ videos. Most students were on very short courses of between two to four weeks. Everyone who took part gave us written permission to use their clips and we hope to be able to put these and all of the others on the website soon. Thanks to everyone for playing along with us! See if you can identify any improvement in the English of Jakob, Eri and Florent? Click on the links below. Jakob, Czech Rep. 2 week course Before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5P0aDWTOWs After: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSF1pkfvIyA   Eri, Japan. 4 week course Before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syRPo3piBls After: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNrUYkrehQk   Florent, France. 2 week course Before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RNKBbG_IvM After: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sytvOODa1zI

Gordon’s big announcement Jan ‘08 : Gordon’s big announcement Jan ‘08 Teaching English to the world using VoIP Scalability? Type of teachers? Technology? Training? Budget? Other? (remember this) URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gxaN-hagTY

Space and learner experience management : Space and learner experience management ‘Closed’ or finite spaces (why?) Classroom + Virtual Learning Space ‘Open’ or infinite spaces (why not?) Real world + Cyber Space Direction of technology to recreate life-like spaces and experiences Experiences Interpersonal, emotional, meaningful memorable (hopefully in the case of planned learning) Focus on managing learner experiences not spaces

= Content : = Content Investment Technology Publishers Established educational systems Conventional thought Other =

That question… : That question…

Slide 30 : They ALL answered…a “virtual advisor, providing authentic interaction, as well as feedback, support and advice for learners. It would be a softly spoken, reliable and very attractive friend, providing support and advice whenever needed, and encouraging self-confidence and independence.” E.g…

An in-country personal robot… : An in-country personal robot… A Second Life avatar… Technology

Slide 32 : …a good English Out There teacher or… Real world A native speaking and very patient friend with lots of time to kill…

Slide 33 : Online sessions that are: Carefully structured and guided Based around real practice with fluent and native speakers ‘Happenings’, ‘events’ or ‘tasks’ linked to the taught language Designed to be brain friendly i.e. memorable and therefore lead to ‘acquisition’ i.e. learning

Technology : Technology Materials

EOT tools : EOT tools Pikifriends Skypito Yoursphere.com

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Slide 37 : Types of English BE - Business English EAL - English as an additional language. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. See the discussion in EAP - English for academic purposes EFL - English as a foreign language. English for use in a non-English-speaking region, by someone whose first language is not English. EIL - English as an international language (see main article at International English) ELF - English as a lingua franca ELL - English language learner. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. ELT - English language teaching. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. ESL - English as a second language. English for use in an English-speaking region, by someone whose first language is not English. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. ESOL - English for speakers of other languages. This term is used differently in different countries. ESP - English for special purposes, or English for specific purposes (e.g. technical English, scientific English, English for medical professionals, English for waiters). TEFL - Teaching English as a foreign language. This link is to a page about a subset of TEFL, namely travel-teaching. TESL - Teaching English as a second language. The use of this term is restricted to certain countries. TESOL - Teaching English to speakers of other languages, or Teaching English as a second or other language. TYLE - Teaching Young Learners English. Note that "Young Learners" can mean under 18, or much younger. Source: http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/English_as_second_language

Beth’s questions-Content connections to workforce concepts and language - Content connections to basic workforce related math -Overview of how it builds activities to engage students in critical thinking acts. - Comparison to Excellent English (McGraw Hill) and Future (Pearson) : Beth’s questions-Content connections to workforce concepts and language - Content connections to basic workforce related math -Overview of how it builds activities to engage students in critical thinking acts. - Comparison to Excellent English (McGraw Hill) and Future (Pearson) EOT is a course that: Will complement any more conventional course for the purpose of providing focused real practice of specific language (modular use) Will provide a considerable boost in overall confidence, fluency and long-term productive language retention if used intensively or stand alone Will turn passive language into active language. .i.e. help learners to manage and overcome any anxiety that has been affecting their productive ability (a bit like a spoken English 'clinic' or 'talking cure') Is very much a way of teaching and learning as well as being an effective general English program.

i.e. learners just want to be able to speak English : i.e. learners just want to be able to speak English

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Slide 41 : 09:22 Nabil - oh, you from London, right ? 09:23 Jason - I lived there for 20 years, I now live on the south coast of England.. 09:25 Nabil - oh, i really wanna go to London, i heard London is a great, peaceful, and clean city, :):) i hope someday i can go to college in there 09:25 Jason - yeah its busy and a lot of fun...I miss it in some ways, not in others :-):-) Can I ask you some questions, I need to know what you think? 09:26 Nabil - yes sure, what you want to ask ? 09:27 Jason - We have just started with putting our courses on Facebook and telling people that they can use them with Facebook. What do you think of what we have done? 09:29 Nabil - i think a course in Facebook is really help many people, because not everybody has a money to course in the course place... sorry i i make you confuse , because my english skill is not too high Conversation with Indonesian English learner on Facebook (03/12/09)

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Conversation with Egyptian learner on Facebook (03/12/09) : Conversation with Egyptian learner on Facebook (03/12/09) 09:30 Noha - hello 09:30 Jason - Hi there! How are you? Are you interested in improving your english? 09:31 Noha - yes sure and i wish to find native speaker to talk with 09:32 Jason - cool, how can I help? 09:32 Noha - i`m working in human rights field 09:32 Jason - Ok, that's v interesting and worthwhile... 09:32 Noha - and i`m dealing with forighn people 09:32 Jason - Yeah I bet...So you need good English? 09:33 Noha – yes, my problem in speaking, not reading or writing

Slide 44 : The big deal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6Ln50KkxSw Current problems http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgywwUG_dm0 Solution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BReuCF3sPWM

Slide 45 : + click here click here

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Slide 48 : We have the technology and it will only improve We need to examine how we use unlimited space to learn We need to create managed real processes involving comprehensible input and real, meaningful verbal interaction We need to combine 1, 2, and 3 inside teaching and learning materials to help millions of English learners to be more confident speaking We think we have achieved this with EOT and so did our first reviewer: http://edition.tefl.net/reviews/esl-websites/languages-out-there/ EOT turns online language exchange into a structured learning exchange at a globally affordable price Summary

Current cost : Current cost TD - $30 (60 hours), OO - $30 (60 hours) SS - $15 (60 hours), Online practice – FREE Online tools – FREE 25 cents per hour (SS) + 16 cents per hour web time (e.g. internet café in Vietnam) = 41 cents per hour for a focused and structured native speaker real practice English programme

The last word…from a student… : The last word…from a student… “I’ve never thought that I would enjoy this school this much. I think everyone must try something like that once in a lifetime, it is just not good for your English, it is also good for your entire life.” Arda Ozdemir, Turkey. www.languagesoutthere.com

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