1. Using ICT tools in an EST remedial reading class
Rubena St. Louis
IATEFL, Cardiff,
2nd April, 2009

3. The programme, students & methodology
3-term EST reading programme
Material
Methodology
Evaluation
Freshmen
Engineering and/or science majors
EFL (at least 5 years secondary school)
Low vocabulary/grammar knowledge

4. Problem & Solution Help students: Poor vocabulary knowledge
find and make use of their inner strengths through self-evaluation and reflection
Allow for more participation in the learning process
Help students become more confident
Poor vocabulary knowledge
Poor reading skills
Low motivation

5. Charting our course Vocabulary Grammar Linguistic Affective
Confidence & Motivation
Time
Achievable objectives
Prior knowledge
Processing capacity
Student factors
Materials
Objectives
Putting it together
Tools
Getting feedback

6. Individual differences
Variety of exercise
types
Different levels of
difficulty
Individual differences
Different sources
of input
Motivation
Perceived control
over content
Confidence
Perceived control
over rate of learning
Charting our course

7. What can ICT offer that pen and paper materials can’t?
Internet as a source of authentic material and medium for improving reading skills and strategies
Availability of tools for fostering learning
Means of communication

8. Staggered over different courses
Structure &
organisation
Texts
Reading skills
Objectives
Reading strategies
Clearly identified
Achievable
Staggered over different courses
Constantly recycled
Integrated into activities
Charting our course

9. Blended course Modelling of strategies Tutorials
Discussion of advantages
Discovery activities in pairs/groups
Tutorials
Reading skills review
Texts
Working on skills/strategies
Different levels of difficult
Vocabulary practice
Surveys
Charting our course

10. Putting it together
Class page with all the information relevant to the course
Students’ virtual notebook
Students’ page for sharing work with classmates Discussion forum
Charting our course

11. Getting feedback Confidence when reading texts in English?
preparation to read texts in English?

13. Getting feedback
Improvement in reading comprehension in English

14. 2006
2007
2008
Regular %
A lot
Monoligual dictionary
43.8
18.8
32.1
41.1
38.5
19.2
Bilingual
dictionary
29.7
53.1
23.6 60
34.6
Interactive vocabulary exercises
27.7
69.2
21.4
73.2 32

15. in reading comprehension
Improvement
in reading comprehension
2006
2007
2008
Regular
A lot
Use of images
41.3 46
19.6
73.2
30.8
53.8
Guided questions
49.2 27
51.9
21.2 50
16.7
Tutorials
47.7
32.1
60.7 40 44
Feedback
41.5
44.6
49.1
23.1

16. References
Ausubel, D Educational Psychology – A Cognitive View. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Craik, F. y Lockhart, R Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of verbal learning and verbal behavior 11: pp
Dornyei, Z Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press.
Glass, S. & Selinker, L Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. Second Edition, London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Gonzalez, D. & St. Louis, R “Think Aloud Protocols and Metacognitive Reading Strategies”In EST Foreign Language Classes. MEXTESOL journal. Vol. 23, N° 211; 22.
Holec, H Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon.
Laufer, B “What percentage of text-lexis is essential for comprehension?” In C. Laurén & M.Nordmann (eds.) Special language: From humans to thinking machines. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters
Little, D Learner Autonomy 1: definitions, issues and problems. Dublin: Authentik.
Llinares, G., Estudio del “umbral lingüístico” necesario para la comprensión de textos en inglés. Actas del II Congreso Nacional de Profesores de Lenguas Extranjeras con Fines Específicos. Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas – Venezuela,

17. McLauglin. B. Rossman, R. & McLeod B
McLauglin. B. Rossman, R. & McLeod B Second language learning: An Information-Processing Perspective, Language Learning, 33 (2): pp
Nation, I.S.P., Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Nunan, D Second language learning and teaching. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
Nunan. D “Designing and adapting materials to encourage learner autonomy” In P. Benson & P. Voller, (eds.) Autonomy & independence in language learning. Addison Wesley- Longman. 192 – 203.
O’Malley, J. M. y Chamot, A. U Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Schmidt, R The Role of Consciousness in Second Language Learning. Applied Linguistics, 11 (2), pp
St. Louis, R. & Pereira, S “Student Involvement in a EST Reading Course for remedial students: A case study” In The Reading matrix: An International On-line Journal. Vol. 3.
St. Louis, R Helping students become autonomous learners. Can technology help? Teaching English with Technology. Vol. 6, Issue 3 Retrieved from
Tomlinson, B. (Ed) Materials Development in Language Teaching, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

18. Class page
Putting it together

20. Putting it together

21. Item model
The moon has no light of its own but reflects the sunlight. It has no water or oxygen. Rocks and craters are plentiful on its surface. Scientists doubt that people or animals live on the moon. We could see both sides of the moon if our Earth did not rotate. Many legends and exciting stories are told about our nearest neighbor in space.
We do not know what our moon looks like on the other side because _____.
A. it rotates
B. it has no light of its own
C. our Earth moves around it
D. our Earth spins on its axis
Programme

22. Authentic material More up to date
Student motivation might increase
Larger source of authentic input
Designing of more “real world” tasks
Student contribution to class
Exposure to different kinds of text/audience
ICT advantages

23. Interactive activities
Working with the text
Text analyser
Dictionaries
Interactive activities
Adding more input
Audio
Video
Images
ICT advantages

24. Tutorials
Graphic organisers
Keeping
in touch
ICT advantages

25. MATERIALS TOOLS ON/OFF line ON/OFF line User friendly User friendly
Student affective
Student engaging
Time effective
TOOLS
ON/OFF line
User friendly
Secure
Cost effective
Effective
Charting our course