Papers such as (Arnold, 2007) reminds me why I am going through this master thing. It draws attention to things us educators must not ignore when constructing a course.
In the beginning, Arnold refers to (Horwitz, 1982) to mention that speaking in particular is a challenge for language learners especially early in their learning experience. This makes think that in low level, the course can be done digitally for a while until the students gain more confidence. Putting the students through high level of language apprehension might cause a permanent negative reaction toward the language itself. Again a main cause for that is the shield of anonymously (Roed, 2003).
Arnold's paper compares three modes of learning at some point: face to face, asynchronous and synchronous digital learning. This makes me as a teacher look at all of those from a different angle and rethink my ways of utilizing them. Face to face learning is quite rewarding when very frequent and more students centered especially at first. It would help if students are grouped by their language fluency, so they are not intimidates by their peers' superiority to them. Synchronous methods allow for extra practice from the students' comfort zones which comes in handy. To avoid turning this to a frustrating experience, students must be aware of the possible assurance of time lags and possible schools could provide some IT suggestions to make it a more fluid journey.
Asynchronous methods stand in a different area since they aren't very interactive (Arnold, 2007). This isn't a reason to eliminate this choice at all. It is a motive to find ways to use it effectively such as with writing activities as Arnold suggests. I also think that this more will serve great needs if it was used to tackle receptive skills. After coming to this conclusion I started a blog for my students to practice their listening skills: www.gr8listeners.blogspot.com
I also create a blog for my writing students to do some extra free writing practice: www.we-love-2write.blogspot.com
This really inspired me to do some things differently and add more of what technology can offer to my practice.
References:
Arnold, Nike. "Reducing Foreign Language Communication Apprehension with Computer-mediated Communication: A Preliminary Study." System (2007): 469-86. Print.
Horwitz, Elaine K., Michael B. Horwitz, and Joann Cope. "Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety." The Modern Language Journal (1986): 125-32. Print.
Roed, Jannie. "Language Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Environment."Computer Assisted Language Learning (2003): 155-72. Print.
In the beginning, Arnold refers to (Horwitz, 1982) to mention that speaking in particular is a challenge for language learners especially early in their learning experience. This makes think that in low level, the course can be done digitally for a while until the students gain more confidence. Putting the students through high level of language apprehension might cause a permanent negative reaction toward the language itself. Again a main cause for that is the shield of anonymously (Roed, 2003).
Arnold's paper compares three modes of learning at some point: face to face, asynchronous and synchronous digital learning. This makes me as a teacher look at all of those from a different angle and rethink my ways of utilizing them. Face to face learning is quite rewarding when very frequent and more students centered especially at first. It would help if students are grouped by their language fluency, so they are not intimidates by their peers' superiority to them. Synchronous methods allow for extra practice from the students' comfort zones which comes in handy. To avoid turning this to a frustrating experience, students must be aware of the possible assurance of time lags and possible schools could provide some IT suggestions to make it a more fluid journey.
Asynchronous methods stand in a different area since they aren't very interactive (Arnold, 2007). This isn't a reason to eliminate this choice at all. It is a motive to find ways to use it effectively such as with writing activities as Arnold suggests. I also think that this more will serve great needs if it was used to tackle receptive skills. After coming to this conclusion I started a blog for my students to practice their listening skills: www.gr8listeners.blogspot.com
I also create a blog for my writing students to do some extra free writing practice: www.we-love-2write.blogspot.com
This really inspired me to do some things differently and add more of what technology can offer to my practice.
References:
Arnold, Nike. "Reducing Foreign Language Communication Apprehension with Computer-mediated Communication: A Preliminary Study." System (2007): 469-86. Print.
Horwitz, Elaine K., Michael B. Horwitz, and Joann Cope. "Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety." The Modern Language Journal (1986): 125-32. Print.
Roed, Jannie. "Language Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Environment."Computer Assisted Language Learning (2003): 155-72. Print.
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