Twitter

for Language Learning

Conversational Learning 

Twitter for language learning

• Conversational writing

• Connect students beyond class

• Unique & practical communication

What is Twitter?

• Microblogging – blog posts the size of an SMS message

• Conversation tool

• Web and mobile access

• Frequent updates– What am I doing?– What am I thinking?

Why is Twitter interesting?

• Many students already use twitter

• Quick and simple to use

• Distinctive communication style

• Conversational writing

How can we use it for language learning?

I. Following conversations

II. Folllowing people

III. Twittering in a community

IV. Twitterature

V. Twitter conversations in class

I. Following conversations

• Students read public twitter conversations

– Reading different authors (twitterers)– Understanding flow of conversation

• Learn twitter-language

II. Following People

• Students subsribe to twitter accounts

– Follow media organizations– Follow certain individuals

• Receive regular updates on topic– Convert L1 habit to L2 context

III. Twittering in a community

• Whole class converses using Twitter

– Updates on thoughts and activities– Sharing ideas for class assignments

• Twitter as additional communication channel

IV. Twitterature

• Summarizing text – Write tweet for each chapter in book– Focus on main event or theme

• Writing Twitterature– Collaborative „book“ writing

V. Twitter conversations

• Parrallel conversations in class– Tweets appear on interactive

whiteboard in classroom– Students comment on class activities

• Public „note passing“ between students

Appropriate Pedagogies

• Task-based learning– Unique & practical communication

• Concise writing style• Rapid responses

• Dogme language teaching– Twitter is conversation!

• Conversation via Twitter• Twitter as stimulus for conversation

Find Out More…

Learn more about

Twitter

in language learning...

www.avatarlanguages.com/teaching/twitter.php

Who Are We?

An online language school, offering…

…one-to-one language classes

• English

• Spanish

• Other languages

www.avatarlanguages.com