The 43rd National Conference of the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (LET): Strategies for the F

1. The 43rd National Conference of the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology (LET): Strategies for the Future of Foreign Language Education Kansai Gaidai Nakamiya Campus August 2, 2003

2. 1. Classroom-Language Lab Integration: Handling Diversity in Student Abilities and Interests Melvin Andrade Sophia Junior College Hisami Andrade Yokohama National University

3. 2. Student Diversity • Ability Differences One problem of mixed-ability classes is that higher and lower ability learners are expected to use the same materials and engage in the same tasks at the same pace, often working together in pairs and small groups. Furthermore: • Other Learner Differences Student diversity extends beyond ability level to include other differences such as interests, learning styles, and motivation. • Potential Problems Although communicative interaction of students of different ability levels is thought to promote language acquisition in some cases, it is known from experience that there may be negative consequences to mixing learners of widely different levels: anxiety, boredom, frustration, loss of motivation, and loss of self-esteem among others.

4. 3. Classroom-Language Lab Interface: Two Approaches There are two basic approaches to integrating the language lab and classroom, termed in this study “parallel” and “complementary.” Types of LL–Classroom Interface Parallel Complementary

5. 4. Parallel Scheme • Features and Advantages In a parallel scheme, lab activities are directly connected to what is taught in the classroom, either as a review for reinforcement and development or as preview and preparation for what will come. Audio, video and other materials used in a parallel scheme are most likely part of a textbook package. This approach aims at mastery of a limited range of content in a step-by-step fashion. • Potential Weak Points Potential weak points, however, are that the content and activities may lack variety, leading the learners to lose interest, and the pace may be either too fast or slow for some. • Application Thus, a parallel scheme may work best with motivated beginners and lower level learners who have had limited experience with the language and for whom the language is still novel. Moreover, it may be more suitable for classes organized by ability level so the pace and level of instruction can be adjusted accordingly.

6. 5. Complementary Scheme • Features and Advantages Lab activities in a complementary scheme are only loosely connected, or unconnected, to what goes on in the classroom. Materials and activities in the lab and classroom cover different areas, topics, and skills. A strong point of this scheme is that it allows considerable flexibility for creating a program that can appeal to learners of different ability levels and interests. Exposure to wider input gives these learners opportunities to reinforce previous learning and integrate the new with the old. • Potential Weak Points Potential weak points of a complementary scheme are that not enough time may be spent on some content and activities, and consequently, some learners may feel the pace is too fast or the treatment superficial. • Application A complementary scheme probably works best with intermediate and higher intermediate learners who already have a foundation in the language and can handle a wider range of material. For a required, mixed-ability class at the tertiary level a primarily complementary relationship between the lab and classroom is an effective way of handling student diversity.

7. Parallel Topics are tightly connected Syllabi follow the same pace LL is mainly preparation for and reinforcement of the classroom curriculum Narrow range of content Good for motivated beginners and lower-level learners Suitable for classes organized by same ability level Complementary Topics are loosely connected Syllabi follow different paces LL provides enrichment and expansion of the classroom curriculum Wide range of content Good for intermediate and above learners, and less eager learners Suitable for mixed-ability classes 6. Comparing Parallel and Complementary LL-Classroom Integration

8. 7. Case Study: Learner Characteristics • Subjects The course described in this study is a yearlong required course in English speaking and listening skills for second-year students at a tertiary level institution in Japan. • Groupings Standard enrollment is 250 students randomly divided into 5 sections of about 50-60 students each, but an enrollment of about 275-300 is not uncommon. • Proficiency At the beginning of the first semester, students take the listening component of a practice TOEIC test. Statistical data over the past five years consistently show a near-normal distribution for listening ability. Although the majority of scores are clustered around the mean (around 52 points out of 100 points maximum raw score, range of about 45-60 points, standard deviation of about 8-10 points), the gap between the top and bottom quartiles is always conspicuous.

10. 9. Course Format • Groupings: Classes meet twice a week for 90 minutes each, and each of these sessions is divided into two 45-minute periods. While one section of students (50-60) is in the language lab, another section is divided into two groups (25-30 in each) that meet in classrooms adjacent to the lab. After 45 minutes, the students in the lab and the classrooms exchange places. • Sequence: One day a week, lab activities precede classroom activities, and on the other day classroom activities precede lab activities, serving sometimes as preview and sometimes as review for certain shared activities. • Teachers: One native Japanese speaking language lab teacher and two native English speaking classroom teachers teach the course. The students have the same lab teacher for both semesters, but the classroom teachers for the first and second semesters exchange groups. 60 students in LL 30 students in classroom 30 students in classroom 45 min. 45 min.

11. 10. Distribution of Content Between LL and Classroom Course Content LL-only content Shared content Classroom-only content

12. 11. Language Lab Activities: Whole Group • Format: To accommodate different learning styles, this 45-minute period includes both teacher-fronted whole-group activities and independent self-paced practice. Whole group activities give particular attention to listening for main ideas, listening for details, drawing inferences, and other related listening skills. • Presentation: Lessons begin with short teacher-provided explanations and presentations • using visuals on overhead monitors to activate and build background knowledge, and to • introduce essential points of grammar and vocabulary. This introduction, which is usually given in English and amplified in Japanese if necessary, is followed by pre-listening,while-listening, and post-listening tasks, including frequent quizzes. • Materials: Listening and video passages cover various types of formal and informal discourse such as social conversations, telephoning, interviews, documentaries, and lectures. The materials consist of excerpts from a number of ELT textbooks as well as from TV and movies on a wide variety of topics at different levels of difficulty. • Levels: Easier and more difficult materials are distributed throughout the syllabus and are not strictly graded. Thus, every week students encounter materials that are both confidence building and challenging.

13. 12. Language Lab Activities: Independent During the independent self-paced practice phase of the lab session, students have several options depending on their needs and interests: 1. They can work on pattern drills to improve pronunciation, intonation, grammatical accuracy, and fluency. 2. They can listen again to that day's or a previous day's audio or video passage. 3. They can listen tosupplementary materials previously obtained from the teacher. Outside of class hours, the lab is available forindependent study as well. Students can come to the lab to (1) review previous lessons, (2) prepare make-up assignments for classes they have missed, or (3) practice with other materials for self-enrichment.

14. First day Controlled, guided, and freer tasksusing the textbook. Whole class, pair work, and small group activities: reading aloud with expression, question and answer exchanges, role-plays, problem- solving, discussions, and summarizing. Numerous topics, both concrete and abstract, are covered: art, career choices, children, crime, daily life, employment, environmental issues, health, human relations at work, marriage, romance, and retirement, etc. Vocabulary and short written exercises. Second day Designated students, about one-third of the group, deliver short prepared speeches based on topics introduced during the first day. Afterward,pattern drills that have been or will be used in the lab are practiced in whole group and pair work formats. Students then use these patterns in original sentences and role-plays, which often develop into free-form conversations between the teacher and students. 13. Classroom Activities

15. 14. Outcomes: Grades-Test Correlations • At the end of the term, students receive one grade for the course, based on the average of the classroom (50 points) and lab (50 points) scores. • The distribution of grades (A+, A, B, C, X) during a typical year is close to a normal curve, with the majority of learners receiving As and Bs. • The Pearson correlation (N = 230, p < .05) between the TOEIC raw scores (max. = 100) at the beginning of the course and thefinal grades (max. = 100) for a typical year is moderately low (around .52). It is a better predictor of the lab (listening) score (around .62), but not a good predictor of the classroom (speaking) score (around .23). • For the top quartile, the TOEIC-lab correlation is stronger (around .51) than for the bottom quartile (around .35). The correlation between the lab and classroom scores for all students is positive but low (around .35); however, it is stronger for the top quartile (around .42) than the bottom quartile (around .15). • One interpretation of this data is that high TOEIC scorers tend to have high grades, but low TOEIC scorers will not necessary have low grades.

16. 15. Feedback and Conclusion At the end of each semester, students provide feedback through anonymous question-naires covering topics such as pace, difficulty, activities, and materials. There is also a section for open-ended comments. The results over the years have been consistently positive, lending support to the approach advocated here. Some features of the lab-classroom interface contributing to its success are: 1. a variety of meaningful materials and tasks of different levels that are distributed between lab and classroom, 2. pattern drills shared between lab and classroom but handled differently, 3. exposure to different teaching styles through team teaching, and 4. at least one bilingual teacher or advisor to handle communication problems with limited English speaking students.