Successful teaching and learning with LEI Dr. Michael Rost

Presentation Outline Background: Design Features Learning Principles Keys to Success with LEI Best in Show Supplements Research Methods Q-A

LEI learning features: Access anywhere, anytime – Your students log on from any computer anytime, offering flexibility and convenience. Easy to use – The navigation is simple and intuitive. Contemporary video with engaging characters presents real language in context. Ongoing student assessment allows teachers and students to monitor student progress. Full-time conversation partner provides unlimited controlled conversation practice Automated feedback guides students skill development. Living Grammar dynamically illustrates how grammar works. Culture Notes help learners understand cultural differences and learn a new language within a broader social context. Native language support is offered through translation into Ss L1. Study plans: Customize the course syllabus to meet your curriculum pace and needs. Progress reports: View detailed reports displaying time on task as well as practice, quiz, and test scores. E-portfolios: Monitor and assess students progress on written assignments electronically.

Student Survey Feedback In a recent survey of 500 LEI students : 93% found the platform easy to use 95% found their study plans useful 91% found online writing with teacher feedback and grading helpful 85% believed they improved their grade 98% felt they benefited from using the online course

Learning Principle 1: Input Theory short episodes, story-based, comprehensible, multimedia, reviewable Learning Principle 1: Input Theory short episodes, story-based, comprehensible, multimedia, reviewable

Learning Principle 2: Sociocultural Theory Natural settings; wide coverage of social functions; culture notes; learning strategy instruction

Learning Principle 3: Depth of Processing Theory Anchored syllabus; re-wiring language points; thorough feedback and revision; expansion Learning Principle 3: Depth of Processing Theory Anchored syllabus; re-wiring language points; thorough feedback and revision; expansion

What does the research of online learning suggest? Classroom only > Distance (TD) only Hybrid-1 (Classroom + TD) > Classroom only Hybrid-2 (Classroom+ Textbook+ TD) is better. Hybrid-3 (TD+CR+TB+OLSup) is best.

Most Successful Cases of Using LEI + Classroom Communication Tasks + Teacher Coaching + Direct teaching of learning strategies (see list) + Additional Individual Speaking Practice (see list) + Group Collaboration Projects (see list) + Ongoing Fluency Writing Program (see list) + Supplementary Reading and Listening (see list)

Power of Five

Power of Five

Best in Class: Learning Strategies Motivation Strategies (Try learning interactively, List your goals, Form your own English group, Learn to take risks, Stay in the game) Self-Management Strategies (Take time to plan; Rehearse by yourself, Learn from your mistakes, Consider your learning style, Understand the learning process, Set up your own learning routines; Practice self-discipline) Memory Strategies (Use charts to organize your thoughts, make vocabulary cards, Think in English, Practice sounds with tongue twisters, Share the news in your own words, Focus on details) Input Strategies (Listen with a purpose, Read about current events in English, Understand more by making predictions, Read famous stories aloud, Focus on stressed words Communication Strategies (Increase your participation in group work, Interact with your classmates, Get ready to discuss ideas, Compare polite forms, Ask questions in real time)

Best in Class: Extra Listening Broadcasts from the BBC A range of audio and video broadcasts available for online streaming. YouTube Selection Selected YouTube videos, subtitled by members Free TV Watch your favorite TV shows. Anytime. For free. English Language Listening Lounge Massive number of interesting interviews, tasks, vocabulary and cultural notes Awesome Stories The story place of the web Tell yours, listen to others.

Best in Class: Extra Speaking ESL Gold includes situations, conversation topics, speaking tasks Chatterbox Challenge – variety of controlled conversations with chatterbots English Baby – Forums and chat rooms for conversation Voice Thread – Group conversations (asynchronous) around images, documents and video clips Google Voice Free phone voice messages, transcribed automatically (80%), feedback mechanism

Best in Class: Extra Reading and Listening Khan Academy Learn almost anything (mostly about science) Academic Earth Online courses from the world's top scholars. Brain Pop animated, curriculum-based content that engages students Wikiversity – Audio and Text-based courses, set learning free Literacy Net Graded and supported readings on a range of topics, with skill building exercises

Best in Class: Group Communication Write and record your own story Direct and post your own videos Assemble and narrate multimedia shows slideshows Share your own presentations Design original multimedia presentations

Best in Class: Extra Fluency Writing The Common Language Project Inform each other on crucial human issues of our time. Language Exchange Meet other international students and communicate via Skype Qualia Soup A YouTube channel discussing controversial topics and arguments Journal Writing Prompts 300 prompts for reflective journal writing Social Networks Connect with others, locally and internationally, promote yourself and your interests; pre-fab communities

Research Paradigms Input-Interaction Theory: Is amount and type of input & interaction enhanced with the new technology? Socio-cultural Theory: How does the new technology increase motivation? Increase/ connectedness to the TL culture? Processing Theory: How does the new technology promote progressively deeper levels of processing? Michael Rost 2011

3 Types of Research Questions Type 1: Descriptive Purpose: identify and describe some phenomenon (without immediate attempt to intervene in outcome) Examples: What are the characteristics of students who are most successful with LEI? What activities are most often used by students during self-access?

3 Types of Research Question Type 2: Differences Purpose: Identify differences between groups in relation to some phenomenon (with assumption of zero difference) Examples: Do Students who use the Pronunciation section for 2 hours a week develop better pronunciation skills than Students who use it for 1 hour a week? Do Students who use LEI + Classroom Activities develop better communication skills than Students who use LEI without Classroom Activities?

3 Types of Research Question Type 3: Relationships Purpose: Find out if two or more phenomena are related in some systematic manner (with assumption of zero relationship). Examples: If a Students Vocabulary ability (score) increases does the Students Reading ability (score) also increase? If a Student spends more time on LEI, does the Students proficiency level increase accordingly?

Research Method 1 (Descriptive) Learner perception studies ask learners about their experiences of various forms of (hybrid) learning (e.g. Pasfield, 2011; Lee, 2004).

Research Method 2 (Descriptive) Snapshot studies provide data sets that show how learner activity is apportioned to various aspects of SLA (e.g.Dooly, 2011; Wagner, 2009; Sing and Khine, 2006 ).

Research Method 3 (Differences) Cross-mode (live-online) task studies compare learning outcomes of classroom vs. distance learning vs. hybrid settings (e.g.Bloch, 2008, Armstrong et al, 2005).

Research Method 4 (Relationships) Differential impact explore effects on online coursework on accuracy and proficiency gains studies (e.g. Vinagre and Munoz, 2011).

Research Method 5 (Relationships) Detailed course reports by teachers of online courses track student progress and effects of topic and task types (Baralt et al, 2011; Healy et al, 2011).

Questions? Classroom management? Adding speaking? Best balance of activities? Teachers role? Conducting classroom research?

Thank you for your participation… Michael Rost latcomm.com/blog Please contact me with your research designs …and with your experiences teaching with LEI

Best in Class: Teacher Blogs English with Jennifer English Raven ELT from A to Z Thats Life TEFL Matters Critical mass elt

Some References Healy, D. et al. (2011) TESOL Technology Standards. TESOL. Horizon Project MSU Michigan State's Confucius Institute and MMOG for Chinese: ine_learning Thorne, S. L. (2009). 'Community', Semiotic Flows, and Mediated Contribution to Activity. Language Teaching, 42(1): Thorne, S. L. & Reinhardt, J. (2008). Bridging Activities, New Media Literacies and Advanced Foreign Language Proficiency. CALICO Journal, 25(3): Wesch, Michael (2011) The Machine is Us:

Best in class: Vocabulary Vocabahead – short videos to illustrate vocab for standardized tests Word a Day – receive a new word each day Visual Thesaurus – Visualize word webs Corpus Based Learning – Use large database of spoken English to learn collocations and contexts Listen to English Focuses on short pedagogic podcasts and vocabulary building

Best in Class: Learning Games The Experiential Learning Group Offers listening games oriented for adults. ESL Games World Flash-based games for lower levels Multiplayer Games (MMOG) Interact with other players around the world English Wizz A Jeopardy style board game on over 300 world topics Free Thinking Games A variety of critical thinking games