ICT and MFL
Opportunities offered by electronic communication
Papers & Further reading |
Editorial reviews | Task for trainees
Computer-Mediated Communication:
promoting learner autonomy and intercultural understanding at secondary
level (pdf document)
Fisher, L., Evans, M., Esch, E. (2004) Language Learning Journal,
30, pp 50-58
As modern foreign language teachers, we wish to provide learners with opportunities for real communication with real people who speak the other language; this kind of opportunity is what has perhaps most significantly changed all of our lives for the better, and at the heart of our principles and values lies a desire for similar linguistic and cultural moments of revelation for our pupils. The financial and other logistical challenges to placing them with any degree of frequency in the MFL environment are increasingly significant, and the virtual means of achieving the same ends offered by advances in ICT are to be welcomed.
This study of school-age learners’ engagement with an email-based CMC project
leads the authors to exciting and positive conclusions: motivation to communicate
with native-speakers was good, messages written by participants finding
a high level of response; learners found ways of communicating using both
their native and learned foreign language in combination, thus adopting
a creative and autonomously generated approach; evidence also emerged from
the content of messages to suggest strongly that e-group learning of this
nature might develop learners’ intercultural understanding.
Videoconferencing for language
learners (pdf document)
Butler, M., Fawkes, S. (1999) Language Learning Journal, 19, pp
46-49
The article analyses the benefits to MFL learning accorded by real communication in French, German and Spanish between British pupils in a school on the North-East coast with partner-school pupils from Lille, Hamburg and La Coruña, enabled by videoconferencing technology between 1996 and 1999.
The authors convey several key messages in their argument to convince colleagues ICT and e-pal links is a path worth treading. There is limited evidence enhanced motivation was reflected in improved attainment; the technical aspects of setting up the links were not deemed overly challenging or time-consuming beyond initial set-up. There are plenty of practical hints and tips, such as location of the equipment, and the need for some communication privacy.
The concluding remarks focus on motivation and "significantly positive
changes in attitude to the learning of a MFL" in pupils.
Video-conferencing and GCSE
oral practice (pdf document)
Wright, N., Whitehead, M. (1998) Language Learning Journal, 22,
pp 47-49
The article describes an experiment which brought together MFL student teachers and GCSE pupils via a video-conferencing link which might be considered an early exploration of the e-pal concept.
The authors argue that timetabling patterns in school and legislation affecting ITT have not recognised the increased need, brought about by 1980s curricular and asssment changes, for pupils or training teachers to engage in sufficient levels of practice in the skill of speaking and familiarisation with the GCSE oral examination format. Bringing the two parties together 'live' in 1998 aimed to answer both sets of needs. The experiment found pupils strongly valued the one-to-one expert tutorial contact facilitated by the technology.
The article concludes that the technology offers an effective, motivating
and welcome alternative to more 'traditional' ways of addressing the problem,
but perhaps more importantly looks forward to the time when it may address
intercultural and language competence issues by providing direct links between
pupils, their peers and the target language environment.
