Current Issue #5 - Justin Fox
EDLA 615 - Language Arts and Technology
Livening Up Foreign Language
(title linked to article from Techlearning site)
By Harry Grover Tuttle
November 15, 2007
This article speaks of example Spanish and Chinese classrooms, and how they utilize technology to enhance their everyday educational experiences. Amongst the items highlighted by the author, are YouTube, videoconferencing, Flickr.com, translation sites, and online games. The author provides examples of how each are utilized in each of the example classrooms, and how each are integrated into the daily lessons. The author also points out how each enhances the students’ increase in knowledge of each particular language through interaction with native speakers from the country where the language originates.
I found the article fascinating, and well-linked to the current discussion board topic of literacy and language as a global issue. The technologies that the author states are quite useful, and really point out how they can link the classroom with the world beyond it. I feel that it illustrates how these global connection technologies are most useful when talking about the foreign languages. It allows students to gain a better mastery of the language in question by placing them in the actual country where it derives from. What better opportunity exists than acclimating students to the language by mimicking their childhood experiences in learning English here in the
On the negative side, there is a question about implementation. I always say that for such technologies to be pushed forth, there needs to be a conscious effort by the “powers that be” to invest in technology in schools. While it is proceeding, it is doing so at a snail 's pace, especially in the inner city. This needs to change before Tuttle’s masterful visions can be implemented.
2 comments:
I really like the idea of using these technologies to enhance a foregin language classroom. Sometimes students get frustrated because they don't understand why they have to learn a foreign language. It is years down the road when they travel to Spain, Itlay, or France that they wish they had paid more attention because then the learning is finally put into context. When I was in high school we had "email buddies" with a student in Italy. It allowed us to see how they wrote in Itaian and it allowed them to see how we wrote in English. Both sides learned a vast amount of knowledge about language and culture. It was great.
Justin, this is great to see the new web 2.0 tools used in foreign language and could be used in ELL too. I recently heard a presentation about using an audioblog that can be set up through cell phones for ELL. I can't remember the program off-hand but there are probably several. You call a number make the recording and it's saved to blog or wiki space. Then the student can access and respond. Pretty cool, esp. motivating for the student. This was in lieu of cassette tapes... talk about behind the times :)
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