Lesson plan utilizing existing technologies and adaptive materials

Development and defense of a lesson plan utilizing existing technologies and adaptive materials

1. Target audience - This class is for Middle school students (in grade 2) and they are in intermediate level of English in EFL environment in Korea. This class is going to be the blended teaching between computer-based MALL (Multimedia Assisted Language Learning) and face-to-face in the classroom.

2. Topic - The topic of the class is “Proverbs (corresponding to Korean ones to see the similarities or differences between)”

3. Learning object – Through this class students will learn English proverbs as well as Korean ones comparing between as for matching and corresponding aspects. (similar meaning with similar expression or similar meaning with different way of expression)

Furthermore, learning English with many types of technologies below (4.Materials required), they will also be able to consider both social and cognitive phenomenon in terms of authentic English in virtual world and they can improve their English skills in more exciting, confident, pleasant and voluntary manner creating much more intensive outcome.

4. Materials required (technologies)

i. Podcasts (VOA: Voice of America-Learning English Podcasts)
ii. Twiddla.com
iii. Google scholoar.com
iv. Manythings.org.
v. Dictionary.com
vi. a4esl.org.
vii. Moodle.

5. Assessment – Groups are judged by their performances according to the degree of their participation in group using Twiddla and by the appropriate analysis of the proverbs they choose and quality of the oral presentations. The activity of http://a4esl.org/q/h/9704/ck-proverbs.html will be self-assessment and the handout for fill-in the gap test will be evaluated by marking the scores.

6. Homework

i. Group work; each group will make a chart to compare similar expressions of proverbs from VOA Special English including comments and Korean ones and post them on ‘Moodle’.
ii. Invididual work; http://www.manythings.org/fq/1/8997.html
iii. Group work; Have each group contribute to
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2009-03/2009-02-28-voa2.cfm by putting Korean proverbs along with their meaning on the comment section.


The resources (benefits form them)– computer, laptop, websites,,,

1. Podcasts; VOA special English
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2009-03/2009-02-28-voa2.cfm
This Voice of America-Learning English Podcasts is trusted sources, news & information since 1942, providing Regions, Topics, Video, Programs, and English learning all around the world. Students can learn American English and much more reading and listening.
It allows to link to various web-services such as Podcasts, RSS news feeds, Moble, and Webcast.

2. Twiddla.com http://www.twiddla.com/149106 ;
This provides a no-setup, web-based meeting place giving people mark up websites, graphics, and photos, or start brainstorming on a white board. It also allows them to browse the websites with their inviters to share, talk, and discuss. Not only is it a fun way to swap ideas about a website or image, it’s incredibly useful as well in terms of collaborating ideas and information for their studies.

3. Google scholar.com http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en&tab=ws;
This provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, people can search across many sources such as peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles. Google Scholar helps people identify the most relevant research across the world of scholarly research. Students can use this when they want to be sure of their writing (words collocation, phrases, and sentences) in grammatical matter.

4. Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/;
This is the largest and most trusted on-line free dictionary proving audio pronunciation, synonyms, word of the days, example sentences, word origin, word games, etc. Students can improve English vocabularies searching for various usages.

5. Manythings.com http://www.manythings.org/
This provides interesting things for ESL students as a fun site of self-assessment. Students enjoy various activities such as Word games, puzzles, quizzes, exercises, slang, proverbs, grammar, Podcasts, songs, tongue twisters and much more.

6. a4esl.org http://a4esl.org/q/h/9704/ck-proverbs.html
This provides activities for ESL Students like quizzes, tests, exercises and puzzles to help you learn English as a Second Language (ESL). It also provides Podcasts and YouTube links like VOA Special English, The 30 newest ESL Podcasts, and ESL videos. This project of The Internet TESL Journal (iteslj.org) has thousands of contributions by many teachers.

7. Moodle http://moodle.com/
This is a course management system designed to help educators who want to create quality online courses. It is used all over the world by universities, schools, companies and independent teachers. It is open source and completely free to use. This provides information, instructions, links to other related sites, assignments and assessment, as well as evaluation and feedback between educators and students.

Lesson Plan – Description of the activities in detail (50 minutes)

Previous preparation at home

1. Students are divided into five groups of six (assuming that there are 30 members in class)
2. Each group is recommended to make researches about “Korean Proverbs”; I suggest them to visit ‘Google’. Either in English version or in Korean with English transcripts is OK, but literal translation in English is required. Each group is to share the URL (Google site) on ‘Twiddla’ where they can see the web-site together synchronously to read, talk, discuss, and collect ten proverbs and then save into their files, as well as to take note of the deviation (=origins) of each proverb. Typing in URLs is suggested to see in class, in case. I have already explained them how to use ‘Google scholar’ when they make up their own words for the origins of Korean proverbs in previous class. They are also suggested to use ‘Dictionary.com’ http://dictionary.reference.com/ for unknown words to be sure the definition in case.

In the classroom

3. I have students use my computer in using Twiddla. All students can see the contents through a projector with one computer. I enter www.twiddla.com and make students see and share their researches together at the same time. (I have already invited each group into Twiddla as a meeting place.)
4. One representative from each group comes up front of the class to present their research using teacher’s computer while the remained students see the screen. Remained members from each group except the representative are to do their jobs with giving answers to the questions from other groups.
Benefits; I should have my students participate in using Twiddla considering more engagement time, so I am going to encourage each (presenting) group to use mark-up on the Twiddla white board. When the presenting group gives a question, the chosen member from other groups comes out to give answer using the mark-up on the white board.
5. After finishing presenting all from each group, they talk about the most frequently used things in our daily lives.
6. Each group enters the Words and Their Stories: More Expressions That Are Old and True site; http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2009-03/2009-02-28-voa2.cfm on www.twiddla.com. browse box.
7. At first, they listen to the story twice to catch the overall meaning without transcript. Taking notes of the things (key words, proverbs) are recommended. (One representative in each group can use Twiddla to write down.)
8. Students share the VOA web-site on Twiddla meeting place with transcript to check the missing words, unknown phases and expressions. Using dictionary.com, they can check and confirm the words or phrases.
9. Students including me can use color pencils on the transcription to mark up.
10. I let them find out the matching proverbs on VOA with Korean ones in the similar way of expression or the different way of expression with same or similar literal meaning. While reading and explaining the transcript, I will paint the words with color pencil to reveal them for the fill-in the gap activity later. I will distribute handout to students.
11. I let them read a few comments (1, 8, 26) on VOA to see if there are similar usages of proverbs with the things learned today or the ones from their research.
12. I have them a handout paper to do fill-in the gap activity listening to VOA recording again as well as that I give a few questions to check their comprehension. They will mark their scores on top of the paper. I will collect the handout quiz paper to check and evaluate with feedback later on ‘Moodle’.
13. Do an activity – http://a4esl.org/q/h/9704/ck-proverbs.html (brainstorming)

14. Homework

i. Group work; each group will make a chart to compare similar expressions of proverbs from VOA including comments and Korean ones and post them on ‘Moodle’.
ii. Group work; http://www.manythings.org/fq/1/8997.html (proverb game)
iii. Group work; Have each group contribute to
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/archive/2009-03/2009-02-28-voa2.cfm by putting Korean proverbs along with their meaning on the comment section.








Transcript

Proverbs: Some Listeners’ Favorite Sayings
Correction attached

Now, the VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Many proverbs give advice about the best way to live.

Recently, we presented a program about proverbs. We asked our listeners to send us their favorite proverbs. A short time later, we received suggestions from around the world. We heard from listeners in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

The top proverb among these listeners is this one: "Where there is a will, there is a way." This means that you can rise above your problems if you have a goal and work very hard.
Some listeners liked another proverb: "Strike while the iron is hot." This means it is best to take action quickly and at the right time. Another favorite proverb was, "God helps those who help themselves."

Xu Da-ju from China wrote that his country has thousands of proverbs. Several of them are also used in the United States. One example is "Birds of a feather flock together." This means that people who are alike often become friends or spend time together.

Another proverb is "Blood is thicker than water." This means family ties are stronger than other relationships. A similar proverb states "Charity begins at home." A person should help his family or close friends before helping others.

Alina from China sent us this proverb: "He who would climb a ladder must begin at the bottom." That is good advice when working around your home or looking for a job.
Antonio Jose from Brazil says his favorite proverb is "Tell me who walks with you, and I'll tell you who you are." Didier Vermeulen of France sent us this one: "It does not matter the speed you go. The most important thing is to never stop."

Wafaa from Egypt says her favorite proverb is, "Think twice, act wise." She also says she is making an effort to use this saying in her life.
Another favorite proverb among our listeners is "Practice makes perfect." This means you will become good at something if you keep doing it. Another popular proverb is: "If you want something done right, do it yourself."

Najeeb from Afghanistan sent us this proverb: "If you risk nothing, then you risk everything."
And, here is the favorite proverb of Marius Meledje in Ivory Coast: "Your defeat now is your victory in the future." He says it means you can learn from your mistakes. This will help you do better when facing similar situations in the future.





Korean Proverbs

1) Seven falls, eight rises; If at first you don’t succeed try, try again.

2) Cross even a stone bridge after you’ve tested it; It would be wise to ask and make sure before you take action.

3) Even monkeys may fall from trees; Even experts make mistakes
4) Even if you know the way, ask one more time; It would be wise to ask and make sure before you take action. Look before you leap.
5) If you want catch a tiger, you have to go to the tiger’s cave; If you want achieve a goal, you have to go to the source, work hard and overcome difficulties.
6) A 1000-li (old Korean length unit, about 0.4 km) journey starts with one step; All things have a beginning. Even great projects must start with something, be it small or large
7) A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step; Step by step one goes a long way.
8) Birds listen to day-words and rats listen to night-words; Be careful of when or where you say, because there are always people around that may overhear you.
9) After three years at a village schoolhouse, even a dog can recite a poem; Practice makes perfect.
10) After losing a cow, one repairs the barn; Only after a big disaster, you fix the problem. 11) Gather dust to build a mountain; From dust, one can build the Tai Sahn, a mystical mountain, the highest in the world - a proverb about saving.
12) It's darkest underneath the lamp-stand; We often do not know what is going on right in front of us. It is a kind of warning to keep an eye on your own business and to take care of the matters close to you first.

Handout – Proverbs

1. Fill in the gap





2. Try to think of a Western (or other countries) counterpart.

i. Korean; Cross even a stone bridge after you’ve tested it
Counterpart; ______________________________________________

ii. Korean; A 1000-li (old Korean length unit, about 0.4 km) journey starts with one step
Counterpart; ______________________________________________

iii. Korean; A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step;
Counterpart; ______________________________________________

iv. Korean; If you want catch a tiger, you have to go to the tiger’s cave;
Counterpart; ______________________________________________

3. Try rewriting as Korean proverbs.

i. Step by step one goes a long way.
___________________________________________________________
ii. If you want achieve a goal, you have to go to the source, work hard and overcome difficulties

____________________________________________________________
iii. It would be wise to ask and make sure before you take action.

_____________________________________________________________

Vocabulary for IT and Computing

Autonomous Learning, Motivation, and the Use of Technologies for Learning

“Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is a form of computer-based learning which carries two important features: bidirectional learning and individualized learning. It is not a method. CALL materials are tools for learning. The focus of CALL is learning, and not teaching. CALL materials are used in teaching to facilitate the language learning process. It is a student-centered accelerated learning material, which promotes self-paced accelerated learning.” – from Wikipedia

As a new technologically-driven tool in learning language, CALL, has been going to play an active part in educational environment, the role of the instructors also believed to be changed in terms of autonomous learning without the presence of them.

‘Learner autonomy’ and ‘self-directed’ learning have come to be focused in consistent with CALL method compared to the old-fashioned instructor-oriented classroom method, considering being free from the time limitation, place limitation, selecting materials with individuals learning pace and their abilities, etc.

Here, I have to think about Korean learning situation, especially, taking unique EFL environment into account, which means Korean learners have another obstacle as second language learners, not from mother tongue background.

Chapter 6 mentioned about autonomous and nonautonomous learners. And I also guess that autonomous learning is supposed to highly depend on individuals’ own intention, motivation, willingness, confidence and capability to proceed.

If the learners are very much motivated and goal-oriented for their future in studying, there will not be any problems; however, other case, if they aren’t capable of learning by themselves in terms of inability, unwillingness, no goal, laziness, etc, the sense of ‘autonomous’ and ‘self-directed’ would be just the pie in the sky regardless of its good purpose. It can be just ideal not driving effectiveness as of educational outcome.

Especially, to learners in EFL environment, the presence of the instructors in advancing CALL method either physically or on-line appears to be absolutely significant. I think instructors should supervise their students directing, encouraging, motivating and giving marks for them not to be lazy in completing their work. They should force their students to solve the problems and take control of their own learning confidently based on self-directive along with their intention and spontaneity.

As Wikipedia said above, CALL should be students-centered, but instructors also absolutely ought to be involved in their students’ on-line activities to help them to take responsibilities for their learning and to motivate them as for bearing fruit of better outcome in learning English. Here students’ responsibilities for their learning and instructors’ providing motivation to their students will be very important issue. Students’ responsibilities can be students-centered, students-accelerated, in other words, students’ duties in completing on-line exercises regardless of their instructors’ presence. Instructors’ providing motivation can be to encourage their students to get them recognize what the autonomous learning is and what their responsibilities are in doing so. Furthermore instructors should develop a way to give students a better sense of their social network along with the rhythms of interactions in dynamic relationships in virtual world, on-line world; finding new links and materials.

In short, I agree Class access type among a four-way distinction of CALL access types (p.72), ‘The instructor is present in a class that meets in the CALL lab or smart (electronically outfitted) classroom during a regularly scheduled class’, in adopting CALL in my class. That means I like guided, required, and supervised access putting focus on effectiveness, promoting a better understanding my students, appropriate evaluation, grading, observing, assisting, good outcome (result), etc.

I like the course management system, Moodle and Wikispace. Instructors, like Prof. Dan Craig, will be happy with either system in keeping track of their students. They can watch and observe how well their students are going to implement their on-line tasks. I also think Wikispace is very attractive as it shows all the history between the instructors and students in terms of consistent interconnection in language learning.

Web 2.0

Educational technology spreadsheet

Here is a link to our educational technology spreadsheet.