Reisern’s Blog

My expectations of the course…

“The Web 2.0 in the TEFL Classroom” said one of the course titles in our university calendar of last semester. I couldn´t imagine what was meant by Web 2.0 and how it could work in the TEFL classroom? So, I was really curious about the content and the different aspects of that course. I did various computer courses during my school career before such as data and word processing. However, at that time weblogs, wikis and podcasts were still an unknown world that we entered only few years ago.

Now, after that course…

I have to admit that my learning process was enormous.

I learned to…

…create blogs.  Since I have never posted weblogs before, I first carefully approached this new tool embellishing it with private pictures and trying out new designs for my personal weblog. In my opinion this tool increases pupils´ motivation to a great extent because now they are able to create their “OWN AND INDIVIDUAL WEBLOG”. Weblogs are very individual and personalized such as “Facebook”, “Schülervz” and “Wer-kennt-Wen” that nowadays pupils are already used to. Therefore, they pay high attention to what they are posting on their blog, what they are writing and what they are commenting on their fellow students´ weblogs. This is where assessment takes place! While writing their blogs pupils change, rewrite or delete words, phrases and even paragraphs. They experience writing as a process instead of something firm and definite. Pupils start reflecting on their writing putting in great effort to create their personal blog.

In my opinion there are two possible obstacles a teacher could meet using weblogs. First, nowadays there are still some pupils who can´t afford a computer and internet access at home. Therefore, the teacher has to make sure beforehand that in school computers as well as internet access are available. In addition, teachers have to assure that pupils get enough time to work on their weblogs during class.

Secondly, very often teachers assume that every pupil possesses a sufficient amount of self-confidence and having no problems with posting their writings on their weblogs.

However, that´s not always the case! Weblogs could be a big challenge for timid and unconfident pupils. Moreover, pupils with dyslexia could really suffer if they don´t get enough support by the teacher. In this case, teachers have to be aware of that fact and try to support them offering their help and suggest pre-checking their writings before posting them.

I think weblogs are easy to handle with and are a great tool for “beginners”. I´ll surely use them in my future English and German classes .

….produce podcasts. I have never thought about creating and using podcasts as a teacher in class, e.g. in order to give some instructions. However, it was really impressive to see students´ reaction on Mr. Raith´s message after hurting is leg. Everyone was listening and laughing, got the message and followed the instructions. When we were planning our web 2.0 project on Australia Sarah got the idea of producing a podcast giving instructions and raising pupils´ motivation. That worked very well! I think teachers using podcasts to give instructions or information about the next task can motivate pupils to a great extent.

At the same time of that course I was teaching German as a foreign language for adults at the “Volkshochschule” in Heidelberg. That intensive course was a course for beginners and the students came from different countries and had different motivations to learn German. For one of my courses “DaF II” at the PH I had to create a blog  “Deutsch als Fremdsprache in der Erwachsenenbildung”  in Mahara. I used that opportunity to let them produce a podcast on their own presenting themselves and stating their motivation of learning German. They had great fun producing their own podcast. It was a great experience for them to listen to their pronunciation and way of talking in German. I would have never done it without that course!

…work with wikis. Although I haven´t worked a lot with wiki during that course I think wikis are a great tool concerning Cooperative Learning. Especially, within a writing process wikis can help pupils to work on their writings and to give feedback to their fellow students´ writings. Additionally, teachers are able to observe that writing process state some comments and give some help if needed. Working with wikis changes the teacher´s role. The teacher isn´t present all the time but is supporting and giving instructions in the background. The teacher becomes a guide and guides pupils through their writing and learning process.

My philosophy…

“You learn what you experience!”

I think we still have to change teachers´ and pupils´ role in the classroom in order to achieve pupils´ autonomy concering their way of learning. Web 2.0 and its tool can help us to achieve that goal! I´m sure !

Here you can find a film the children made on their own telling about their experience of the project “Interactive Chatting Teddies” working with emails, blogs, posts and the worldwideweb. Enjoy it !

 http://ia331313.us.archive.org/0/items/Primary3teddyproject_summary_06/Primary3teddyproject_summary_06.mov

http://www.talkingteds.blogspot.com/

The blogging project “Interactive Chatting Teddies” took place in Argyll schools, Scotland in order to encourage communication in primaries 1 to 3. Two teddies called Campbell and Spencer travelled in Argyll schools to visit pupils at primary schools. Those pupils were allowed to spend their free-time with Campbell and Spencer and went swimming, to the atheltics, soocer camp with them or even took them on their holidays to Lanzarote. Having spent some time with Campbell and Spencer the pupils write their blogs about what the teddies have experienced during their adventures.

How is language learning promoted?

In this project pupils aren´t learning a foreign language but improving their first language. The main aim is communication but also to improve pupils´writing skills and way of expression. Pupils write their own blogs and think about spelling and how they can express themselves best. I found a comment of a teacher on this project who stated its success and advantages:

http://www.sandaigprimary.co.uk/PIVOT/PIVOT/entry.php?id=614&w=my_weblog

 ”…Our children are over the moon with the attention they are receiving.. the difference between their spelling in class and that on their blog is amazing! They ask for words to make sure they get it right because they are now audience aware. It takes a very long time to have a primary 2 or 3 write a sentence or two but we are improving… “

Marlyn Moffat

What is your opinion about the project? How could the project be improved?

I think this project is a great idea to get pupils´attention and motivation in primary schools. I can image that pupils´motivation to write texts and stories about what they have experienced is extremely high. Moreover, I think that this project is suitable to improve pupils´first language. In a foreign language classroom in primaries pupils´knowledge of the second language would be to low in order to do such a project in the second language. What I really liked was the film that pupils made where they said what they learned during that project. Maybe I haven´t see all activities and blogs they did in that project but I miss the teacher´s activities. I think the teacher could have posted more questions, tasks and films in order to vitalize this project. But as I have stated before, I don´t know what they did in class and I don´t know whether that would be to much for pupils in primary schools. Maybe somebody of you who´s studying elementary school and has done an internship at a primary school can answer that question?

How can Web 2.0 tools support language learning?

I think, we as foreign language teachers, should create as many as possible opportunities for authentic language practice in our classrooms where a lot of interaction can take place.  Web 2.0 tools can help us to achieve this aim.

Students working with Web 2.0 get the opportunities to interact and to negotiate meaning. Moreover, they can interact in the target language with an authentic audience as in the case of eTandem where people communicate via e-mail with people of their target language. Thus they are involved in authentic tasks. Another important aspect is that students are encouraged to produce varied and creative language while writing their posts, comments or e-mails as their aim is to express their opinion and thoughts and thus showing again their identity. I think the identity aspect is also a very important one! When do students get the opportunity to express their opinion, thoughts or preferences in class?

Another important thing is the time aspect! Students have more time available to react, give feedback or respond compared to face-to-face interactions. This fact promotes an atmosphere without stress and anxiety.

Moreover, students´ autonomy is supported! Students can decide when and how they become active. Additionally, they have to organize their own activities in some way.

What do you think does the Web 2.0 offer that other media or social arrangements in the classroom cannot offer?

Using media in the foreign language classroom is a good way to motivate students and to raise their interest in a certain topic. Through new media teachers can gain access to their students as they are used to use it  in their spare time.  However, students become inactive in a certain way when listening to a listening text or watching a video during class.

In social arrangements students are working together in pairs or groups. At the best, students become active  and communicate to each other. However, teachers often criticise students´participation within a group work. Very often teachers regard group work as time-consuming and unproductive regarding students´results.

I think using Web 2.0 in the foreign language classroom is a good way to combine the advantages of new media with those of working in groups or pairs. Because then, students become active and motivated at the same time. Students can personalise their own blog uploading fotos, videos, etc. Thus they can show their own identity what increases their motivation. A very important aspect is the interdependence! Within social arrangements very often interdependence doesn´t take place. In Web 2.0, however, you depend on your fellow students´responses and comments. Otherwise, your blog and pages would be “dead” after a while and as students are interested in working with new media they wouldn´t let this happen.

I think working with Web 2.0 increases students´motivation, connects people and activates the foreign language classroom!

How have you learnt to communicate in  English as a foreign language?

I started to learn English in fifth grade at school. However, the focus was rather on grammar and writing than on speaking. Later, I did an apprenticeship as a bilingual secretary with Spanish and English.

Describe the process of your development.

In school I just learned the basics whereas during my apprenticeship I learned the English grammar and how to write and communicate in the business world.

Which experiences played a major role?

During my apprenticeship I had to learn a lot in my free time and on my own in order to keep up with the other students who had been to an English-speaking country before. This experience played a major role in my language learning because I learned how to learn  a foreign language autonomous. Moreover, I got to know my type of learner and my favourite learning strategies.

 
In how far has learning in school helped?

Actually, learning in school  didn´t contribute to my language learning a lot. I had “bad” English teachers who worked only with the schoolbooks. We didn´t work in groups or pairs which means that there wasn´t any space for communication in the foreign language.

How will these experiences  influence you as a teacher?

I want to give more space for communication in the English classroom and try to create as many authentic situations as possible, such as etandem with an English-speaking country. In addition, I will try to integrate various learning strategies in my lessons and show them to the students. I would like to have the students experienced their individual learning strategies and types of learners.