SALRC Sponsored Workshops

Using Technology To Promote Learner-Centered South Asian Language Instruction

Schedule | Workshop Home

Schedule

MONDAY: Learner-Centered Instruction

Learner-created language learning materials:

Vietnamese language and culture websites: example1, example2

Readings:

Nunan, D. 1999. Second Language Teaching and Learning. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Chapter 1.

TUESDAY: Computer-Mediated Communication

Chatroom:

Foreign Language Weblog Examples:

Foreign Language Wikis:

Readings:

Payne, J.S. & Whitney, P.J. 2002. Developing L2 oral proficiency through synchronous CMC: Output, working memory, and interlanguage development. CALICO Journal, 20 (1), 7-32.

Furstenberg, G., Levet, S., English, K., & Maillet, K. 2001. Giving a virtual voice to the silent language of culture: the Cultural project. Language Learning and Technology, 5(1), 55-102.

WEDNESDAY: Data-Driven Learning

Examples of Data-Driven Learning Materials:

Tools for data-driven learning:

Readings:

Cobb, T. 1997. Is there any measurable learning from hands-on concordancing? System, 25(3), 301-315.

Gaskell, D., & Cobb, T. 2004. Can learners use concordance feedback for writing errors? System, 32(3), 301-319.

THURSDAY: What is Podcasting?

What is Podcasting?

  • iPod + broadcasting = podcasting
  • Leveraging habituated activity to foster mobile language immersion.
  • Real simple syndication (RSS) technology and applications together with portable mp3 players form an efficient and effective means of sharing, finding, and downloading audio resources.
  • Provide language learners with access to authentic audio materials in diverse genres.

Applications of Podcasting to L2 Instruction:

  • Oral comprehension exercises for use in class
  • Audio flashcards for improving pronunciation
  • Songs for downloading
  • Students can construct oral production portfolios
  • Student-produced radio plays

Before you get started, download the following applications (unless they are already installed):

  • Download and install iPodder (view full directory of podcasting software)
  • Download and install iTunes
  • Download and install Audacity (open-source audio recording and editing software)

Downloading a Podcast:

Click on the icon to view screen-capture movies.

  1. Launch iPodder and click on "podcast directory."
  2. Copy-and-paste the following url :
  3. Click on the "add feed" button in iPodder, paste http://feeds.feedburner.com/TamilPodcast into the url box, and click "save".
  4. The "Add a Feed" dialog box will appear. Click "save."
  5. The podcast feed "TamilPodcast.com" will be selected in the Subscriptions section and the podcast feed "Scott Payne: Mobile Language Immersion" will be selected.
  6. Click either the yellow or green podcast download buttons in the upper-left corner
  7. This action will download the podcast and automatically create a new playlist in iTunes with the title, "Scott Payne: Mobile Language Immersion" and import the mp3 file into iTunes.

Procedure for Creating a Podcast:

  1. Record audio with Audacity and export as mp3.
  2. Upload your podcast (mp3) to your web space.
  3. Use the podcast RSS feed generator to create the XML for an RSS 2.0 podcast.
  4. Copy-and-paste the XML from the text box into a text editor and save the file as yourfilename.xml. This is an example of the XML from Scott Payne: Mobile Language Immersion:

    <?xml version="1.0"?>
    <rss version="2.0">
    <channel>
    <title>Scott Payne: Mobile Language Immersion</title>
    <link>http://php.scripts.psu.edu/faculty/j/s/jsp17/index.php</link>
    <description>Nothing out of the ordinary</description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>J. Scott Payne, 2005</copyright>
    <lastBuildDate>Fri, 3 Jun 2005 04:01:24 GMT</lastBuildDate>
    <generator>tdscripts.com Podcast Generator</generator>
    <webMaster>jspayne@psu.edu</webMaster>
    <ttl>1</ttl>
    <item>
    <title>SALRC Podcasting Workshop</title>
    <description>Podcasting workshop for South Asian languages at the University of Wisconsin at Madison</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 3 Jun 2005 04:01:24 GMT</pubDate>
    <enclosure url="http://php.scripts.psu.edu/faculty/j/s/jsp17/podcasts/madison_podcast.mp3" length="569,363" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>

    If you want to add a podcast to your podcasting channel, simply upload the new mp3 file and duplicate the XML from the <item> to </item> tags, updating of course the information between each tag.

    <item>
    <title>Conversational Sanskrit</title>
    <description>This is the first podcast in a revolutionary new initiative to teach conversational sanskrit.</description>
    <pubDate>Fri, 3 Jun 2005 04:01:24 GMT</pubDate>
    <enclosure url="http://php.scripts.psu.edu/faculty/j/s/jsp17/podcasts/sanskrit.mp3" length="6,639,716" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    </channel>
    </rss>

  5. Upload the XML file you created with the code from the Podcast RSS feed generator to your web space.
  6. Launch iPodder
  7. Add the url pointing to the location of your XML file (http://your.institution.edu/your_directory/yourfilename.xml).
  8. Download your podcast and listen to it in iTunes.

Note: it is possible to produce very elaborate podcasts including multiple audio chat channels for including featured guests as well as music. Instructions for doing this on the Mac with Garageband have been posted here and here.

Readings:

Podcasts: New twist on net audio. Wired Magazine, October 8, 2004 Audience with the Podfather, Wired Magazine, May 14, 2005 Duke University case studies of the use of podcasting in Spanish and German courses.

FRIDAY: Student Video Projects

Web Resources:

Readings:

Dubreil, S. 2004. When students become directors: redefining the role of the learner in the foreign language classroom. In R. Terry, L. Lomicka and J. Cooke-Plagwitz (Eds.), Heinle Professional Series in Language Instruction: Teaching with Technology. 1 (pp. 129-137) Boston: Heinle.

Gardner, D. 1994. Student-produced video documentary: Hong Kong as a self-access resource. Hong Kong Papers in Linguistics and Language Learning, 17, 42-53.