Understanding and Using English Grammar: Interactive (Advanced)

Title: Understanding and Using English Grammar: Interactive (Advanced)
Authors: Betty Azar and Rachel Spack Koch
Proficiency level: Advanced
Age appropriate for: teens and adults
Activities: quizzes, tests, speaking and listening activities
Requires: Java and Internet Explorer

General observations: (see below for detailed evaluation criteria)

To get an overview of the structure and content of Using English Grammar: Interactive (Advanced Level), I examined in detail the third chapter: Perfect and Perfect-progressive tenses. This section deals with the present (and past) perfect, present (and past) perfect progressive tenses (see the outline for this section)

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A separate subsection is devoted to each of these, and each tense is personified by a talking cartoon character who introduces (with audio as well as screen text) the features of his or her particular tense in a conversational/dialog speaking style. The cartoon character also explains some of the differences that set it apart from the other tenses in that section (see examples below)





Immediately following the introduction of each new tense, there is a graph which visually illustrates the nature of that tense with a time-line, and sample sentences are included.

Following the introduction and graph for each tense, there follows a series of four- to five quiz-type exercises which require the learner to complete sentences with the correct tense, or find and correct the tense mistakes. The exercises each contain sentences of various tenses, so for each item, the learner must be able to judge which tense is appropriate (see examples below).

Each chapter ends with a series of speaking, listening and reading quizzes.

The listening exercise is in a conversational/interview format, and is accompanied by a multiple-choice/ true-false sentence cloze quiz. The learner must listen in order to choose the correct answers because there is no text (see below).

In the speaking exercise, learners listen to an audio prompt, and can then record their own response directly into the exercise by clicking on the microphone icon. After each item, they can listen to a “model” response (see example below).

The program keeps track of learners’ progress by putting their scores into a report (see below).

Deatiled evaluation of UUEGIA:

Technological features:

Understanding and Using English Grammar: Interactive Advanced (UUEGIA) is a CD-ROM which is navigated from within Internet Explorer. The interface is much like any website, and the user can navigate with the mouse, go back and forward, and shift into other sections. Most of the quizzes and activities are completed with mouse clicks.

UUEGIA has quite a lot of audio content for reference pages and listening exercises, and uses speaking quizzes allow users to record their responses into the program. There are no visual graphics other than still images with minimal animation. There is no voice recognition function. There is some basic level of interactivity present in some exercises, for example where users must use the mouse to find (and correct) hidden mistakes. Some examples are shown below.

Users’ scores on the various activities can be collected and shown in the report section.

Activities

The activities in UUEGIA mainly consist of sentence cloze and multiple choice quizzes, and each chapter includes a listening, a speaking, and a reading activity.

Pedagogical Approach

The pedagogical approach of UUEGIA is fairly conventional, and many of the quizzes are laid out much like typical worksheets. However, there is some basic degree of interactivity that challenges the user to identify mistakes, choose the correct answer, or even write in the correct answer. The software marks the written answers as correct or incorrect.

Although the activities seem designed primarily to be completed by learners individually, there may be ways for teachers to adapt the software for use in a more classroom-based approach. However, there seems to be no particular features that would be easily adaptable to a collaborative learning approach.

Design (Learner fit)

UUEGIA is designed for English learners at the advanced level, and is most appropriate for high school, university and adult ESL/EFL programs. The design of the software makes it most useful as a self-study tool.

In addition to the various activities, UUEGIA also features a considerable amount of grammatical reference pages with various aspects of grammar illustrated in charts and tables. This part of the software is quite well done, and presents difficult grammatical concepts in a clear and direct way. This feature, along with the overall individual-user design, makes UUEGIA particularly well-suited as a self-study resource for self-motivated learners.

Summary

I found UUEGIA to be a well-designed piece of software for use as a resource for self-study by motivated teen and adult English language learners at the advanced level. The software is not specifically designed for classroom use, although it could well be used as a supplemental activity in a formal advanced-level English course. If this software is available to my students, I would recommend they use it

Publisher’s link:
http://www.azargrammar.com/multimedia.html

glogster posting of the book.

This is the "Inspiration" image showing the planning of the video-cast project. It shows the vocabulary words that we focused on, from the various pages of the book.

Here's a video presentation about a children's book called In My Family. The book is also illustrated by the author, with her own paintings. It is not a storybook, but rather a collection of some of her childhood memories of family life while growing up in south Texas in the 50s and 60s.

Reading #12

Ockey, G. J. (2009).
Developments and Challenges in the Use of Computer-Based Testing for Assessing Second Language Ability
Modern Language Journal, 93(Focus Issue), 836-847.

Ockey argues that Computer based testing has failed to realize its anticipated potential. Describe and discuss on his reasons for his view, and tell why you either agree or disagree with him.

Cummins, P. W. & Davesne, C. L. (2009).
Using Electronic Portfolios for Second Language Assessment
Modern Language Journal, 93(Focus Issue), 848-867.

Cummins & Davesne offer an alternative to CBT with electronic portfolios. Comment on some of the ideas from this article that you'd be interested in trying out in your own classroom.

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Re. Ockey, Developments and Challenges in the Use of Computer-Based Testing

In this article, Ockey discusses the range of challenges and limitations associated with CBT, and gives two primary reasons for his conclusion that CBT testing has failed to live up to its anticipated potential. First, we have still not found a reliable way to develop computer-based tests that employ more authentic task types. Second, computers are still unable to reliably measure a test-takers actual feeling and meaning in constructed response items, especially regarding speaking and writing.

I agree with Ockey’s reservations, because I don’t have enough faith in computer programs to believe they can adequately assess constructed response types such as essays or speech. Computer programs can be developed to measure a wide range of features of speech and writing, but one thing that computers can certainly never measure is how well people are communicating and expressing themselves.

Although many types of CBT tests may often be nearly 100% reliable, their overal validity is highly debateable. Tests such as the PhonePass/Versant tests and Automated Essay-Scoring (AES) systems tests, in which computers measure speaking or writing ability, have statistically been shown to give scores that correlate to a high degree with scores given by real human raters.

However, Ockey has two main criticisms: first, that the inauthentic nature of the assessment items (such as asking test-takers to rearrange words to form sentences) may potentially have a negative washback effect, and second, that it is impossible for a computer analysis to determine how much sense the speaker or the writer is actually making.

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Re. Cummins & Davesne, Using Electronic Portfolios

A general observation regarding the use of portfolios (digital or otherwise)… as a means of assessment, I think there are many reasons why portfolios are probably the most holistic way of assessing a student’s progress. The best thing about this kind of assessment is that it puts more responsibility on the student-- not just to get a good score on 3 or 4 tests, but to engage in a certain amount of planning and organization, and to reflect on how each element contributes to the overall purpose of a particular course. It can help give the learner the motivation to engage in the kind of incremental preparation that reinforces a more meaningful learning experience. It is also a means of assessment that allows for a greater degree of individual choice and expression.

Of all of the methods of EP assessment examined in this article, I think the one that I would find most useful would be the Langauge Dossier, because it can contain such a variety of evidence of the learner’s progress-- video of speaking tasks, written essays, student-produced interviews, Powerpoint presentation, etc. Also because it would be easy for classmates to share and learn from each others work via a class blog.

Reading 11

Thursday, April 1, 2010
Reading Prompt #11
RICHARDSON Ch. 6. The Social Web: Learning Together
Warschauer, M., Knobel, M., & Stone, L. (2004).
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Share an idea of two about how you could use the ideas from Richardson with ESL students.

Re. Richardson, Chapter 6.

Regarding Twitter, Diigo and del.icio.us-- even after reading this chapter, I still don’t understand enough about how they work, so I must admit that I am unable to even imagine what concrete use they may serve in language classroom.

Somewhere in the middle of the chapter, as I was feeling more and more confused, I started wondering if this wasn’t going beyond the point of reason-- going a bit too far in terms of ‘piling on’ the digital technology. But then, I may just be too old and too slow. I suppose kids nowadays have a bigger appetite and aptitude for adapting to all the latest trends and applications, and I’m sure a skillful teacher will know how to selectively adopt some of these applications that actually contribute to effective learning.

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Warschauer, M., Knobel, M., & Stone, L. (2004).
Technology and equity in schooling: Deconstructing the Digital Divide. Educational Policy, 18(4), 562-588.

What is the "digital divide?' And why do Warschauer et al argue that this term may longer be applicable. What are the issues they found regarding differences in technology use with ELLs and other low socioeconomic students. What are some ways you could address this in your own schools or programs?

Warschauer argues that the term “digital divide” is less applicable today because the problem of unequal access to technology is far too complex a problem to be understood simply by counting how many students have access to computers or the internet. Simply comparing access to technology leads to misleading results.

In fact, as Warschaur points out, this question of access to technology is every bit as complex as any other of the many factors contributing to inequality in education. Regarding technology in schools, the central question is how technology is integrated into the curriculum. Other contributing factors include how well the systems are maintained.

One of the points that Warschauer makes repeatedly is that schools need to stop seeing mastery of various applications as an end in itself, and give more attention to helping students learn to use them for actual learning and research.

Reading #10

RICHARDSON Ch. 7. Fun with Flickr: Creating, Publishing, and Using Images Online
BLACKBOARD - Kern, R. (2006). Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching languages. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 183-210.

After reading Richardson, what ideas do you have for using images and programs such as Flickr in the language learning classroom?

Kern gives a broad overview of issues in CALL, with specific examples from three areas and implications for teaching and research. Select and share your own thoughts and opinions on one or more issues that Kern raises.

Re. Flickr
RICHARDSON Ch. 7. Fun with Flickr: Creating, Publishing, and Using Images Online

As Richardson points out, some of the best features of a site like Flickr are the different ways in which images (and videos) can be organized. They can be indexed with tags, put into sets and slideshows, or organized together with other users’ images into groups with specific themes.

One advantage of flickr is that it might be considerably faster and easier for younger students to learn how to use, compared with, for example, video-casting software.

I think one good (and pretty obvious) way to try to begin using flickr in a K-12 class (and I believe it is similar to some of the other activities we have deiscussed in class) might be to have students bring their cameras on a field trip (to the zoo, museum, etc.), and then in groups students can prepare and upload a slideshow of images, which they can then show in class and narrate for their classmates. Another project could be to have students make a step-by-step “how to” presentation using a set of images. For example, they could interview a beekeeper, and get enough images of the process to make a short presentation on beekeeping which they could show and narrate for the class. Or the instructor might have them interview their parents or grandparents, and prepare a similar “how to” on the steps in making a pie, barbequeing a goat, etc.--the key, of course, is choosing a direction or topic that students will think is interesting and also fun to share with classmates.

Re. Kern
Kern, R. (2006). Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching languages. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1)

I think it was this paragraph that I thought was most thought-provoking in this article:

“Does multimedia authoring improve learners’ language use in terms
of accuracy, fluency, and appropriateness in offline contexts? We don’t
know. But the value of such projects may be found elsewhere. Nelson, for
example, is not looking at language learning in the traditional sense of
acquisition of morphosyntax or vocabulary, or even academic writing.
Rather, he is looking at learners’ acquisition of a metacommunicative
ability to reflect broadly on signifying practices and specifically on
textualization, considering language as just one dimension of semiosis.” (p. 197)

There are many details that can be measured when attempting to evaluate the effectiveness of various types of CALL tools, media, methods or approaches. I think that among the more difficult variables to measure are the effects in terms of learners’ attitudes and motivation. I was thinking specifically about the long-distance tele-collaboration that Kern was describing. When looking at the effectiveness of tele-collaboration, then, I think that one must keep in mind that a lot of the potential benefits might be in raising learners’ level of cultural awareness, in sparking their interest and curiousity in the culture associated with the target language, and in helping remind learners that language-learning has concrete and real-life applications. So the difficulty for evaluation, I think, is that the biggest potentially-positive effects are the hardest to measure.