Pop-culture & Technology in Language Learning

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With only 240 classroom hours, students must make up over half the required time-on-task outside of the classroom.

Category 4 (e.g. Chinese)

500 hours

Category 3 (e.g. Hebrew)

500 hours

Category 2 (e.g. German)

500 hours

Category 1 (e.g. Dutch)

500 hours

LEVEL Low Mid High Low Mid High Low Mid High

Novice Intermediate Advanced

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…through Multimedia and network technology we can offer students not only rich sources of

authentic learning materials, but also an attractive and a friendly interface, vivid pictures and pleasant sounds, which to a large extent overcomes the lack

of authentic language environment and arouses students’ interest in learning [a language].

- Zhang 2006:11.1

• Rich content and true-to-life language materials

• More intimate and natural

• Deeper understanding of perspectives and lifestyles

• Exposure to dialects

• Videos put things in context; audio forms associations from the sounds we hear.

• Become conscious of how native speakers use their language, including short phrases, asides, clarifications, questions, turn-taking indicators, and so on.

• Technology enables students to make use of small gaps in the day to practice language:

• Commuting, exercising, or in a queue: music, mobile flashcards, reading

• Cooking or cleaning: listening to music or the radio

• Folding laundry: watching a show.

• Content is more varied and plentiful than textbooks

• Students are motivated according to their interests and goals

• Students can make the language an integrated part of their lifestyle

Content-Based Instruction (CBI) is the integration of particular content with language teaching aims, where the target language is viewed as the vehicle by which subject matter content is learned rather

than as the object of study.

• Any topic (non-academic or ‘language’ focused)

• Context: natural language is never learned divorced of meaning.

• Emphasis on relevant, meaningful content rather than language itself results in more effective language acquisition.

• Language learning becomes more concrete rather than abstract.

• Enriches effect of teaching efforts by shifting dependency from teacher as a facilitator to the multimedia which creates context for exchange

• More adaptive to personal learning style

• Keeps both students and teachers sharp – teachers aren’t tempted to say “Just read Section 3 and answer questions 3, 5, and 9” and students aren’t tempted to ask “do we need to know this” because the real-life application is evident

We ought to start taking TV, computer games, internet, etc., seriously and use

them not only as teaching material but as an efficient way to motivate the students.

- Carmen Gregori Signes

• Identifying actions Use video as a way to help students connect actions with words.

• Stereotypes/Descriptions Have students describe characters in the target language.

• Storytelling With the sound muted, show students a clip from a show, the news, etc, and ask them to describe the situation or people.

• Colloquial expressions

• Active Viewing Write some key questions on the board before the presentation

• Dubbing Activity Students are asked to fill in the missing dialogue after watching a sound-off episode

• Freeze-framing Freeze framing means pausing the video mid-frame. Ask questions, teach about expressions and mood , ask students to predict what’s next.

• Sound-only activity Students predict or reconstruct what has happened visually depending only what they hear.

• Repetition & Role Playing Play a scene several times, then allow students to act it out as best as they remember.

• Reproduction activity After students view a clip, they are asked to reproduce what is being said, to describe what is happening, or to write what has happened.

• Learning idioms, compounds, fixed phrases

• Describe your favorite song Have students bring in the lyrics of a song in the target language and describe what the song is about.

• Narrative There is usually a story behind each clip of a music video. Play a clip and ask student to tell you about the story.

• What do you read? Ask students to report what type of magazines, newspapers, books they read and ask student open-ended questions.

• Colloquial expressions Tabloids are useful for exhibiting specialized, slang, or colloquial vocabulary and students can be asked to submit a clip or bring a magazine as well.

• Applied vocabulary Students select an article which relates to a personal interest and identify new challenge words.

• Live Broadcast Ask students to select a news article as homework and become intimate with the subject. Select students to perform a ‘live broadcast’ in which they recount the news event briefly in their own words.

• Profiles Students write a profile of their favorite actor, athlete, singer, etc, using adjectives learned in clas.

• Podcast exercise Assign students a podcast to listen to as homework and write an assignment.

Blogs are an excellent and versatile way to provide, create, and collect new and varied media. Real-time feedback is easy and students build a

meaningful language portfolio over time.

• Transcripts Students find a video or audio clip and transcribe

it best they can into writing. • Chunks & Scripts Students can use media to gather

knowledge of chunks & scripts which have multiple meanings. • Journal Students write a daily entry for their friends and

family to follow their experiences abroad • Writing practice Students practice writing letters, narratives,

description, comparisons, CVs, analyses as homework. • Lecture notes Following each lecture, assign one group to

transcribe lecture notes to shared blog

• Topics Students prepare a transcript, film, and post their video for review. Excellent way to practice pronunciation.

• Speaking For international students, the video blog can be an update to friends and family back home. They can also include written transcript in the target language and native language.

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