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Eurocall Conference Coleraine, 5-8 September 2007 ICT as a tool to support learner autonomy

Explore how ICT tools support learners in improving oral skills outside classroom hours, focusing on the INTUIT project at Leiden University. Learn about pilot programs, the European Language Portfolio, technical issues, evaluations, and future experiments.

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Eurocall Conference Coleraine, 5-8 September 2007 ICT as a tool to support learner autonomy

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  1. Eurocall Conference Coleraine, 5-8 September 2007 ICT as a tool to support learner autonomy more opportunities for oral skills training outside classroom hours Alessandra Corda, Annemiek Wegman Faculty of Arts Leiden University

  2. Contents of this presentation • General background • The INTUIT project • Pilots at Leiden University • The European Language Portfolio • Technical issues • Evaluation • Conclusions • Further experiments

  3. Generalbackground • English: language of instruction in almost all MA courses in the Netherlands • Great demand for academic English courses (both students and staff) • need for differentiation (foreign students) • focus on speaking and writing • Required level for MA: C1 • Average reading skills level at the end of secondary school: B2

  4. Average reading skills level Distribution of scores and cut-off scores vwo examination 2004 (upper secondary school, pre-university) in English

  5. Average listening skills level Distribution of scores and cut-off scores vwo examination 2005 (upper secondary school, pre-university) in English

  6. Dialang test results Leiden University Language Centre

  7. The INTUIT project (I) • 1-1-2006 – 01-04-2008 • 6 university language centres • Development of an ICT enriched learning environment to support English for academic purposes • No distance learning • 2006: 12 pilot projects, 2007-2008: large scale implementation

  8. The INTUIT project (II) • Pedagogical aims: implementation Common European Framework and autonomous language learning • Pilots: • Diagnostic testing (Dialang and Set 10) • Language practice (Ellips and Academic Word List) • Guidance (web based version of the European Language Portfolio, ELP: www.europeestaalportfolio.nl) • Blackboard courses

  9. English courses at the University Language Centre • Short-term courses (13 weeks, 3 hours per week) • Target group: both Dutch and foreign students • Dialang test as placement test, ELP • Focus on productive skills (speaking and writing) • Two pilots, March-June 2006 and September-December 2006

  10. Pilots’ description • Aims: • Make students more aware of their English speaking skills level • Provide them with knowledge and instruments to autonomously improve their English speaking skills • Structure: • Students assess their oral competence skills (ELP) • Students record and upload monologues • Teacher provides written feedback

  11. Self assessment through the ELP • Dutch online version of the European Language Portfolio (validated in 2007) • Demonstration (English version) • Student language portfolio • Teacher language portfolio

  12. How did students record the monologues? • Sanako digital recorder in the language lab • Odeo (freeware, web based), Audacity (downloadable) • Mp3 players with recording function

  13. Pilots with students and with staff: technical issues • Problems in uploading audio files in the ELP, the programme was less user friendly than expected • Different approach to technology; generation gap • Reluctancy

  14. Results of the students’ evaluation (I) • 14 respondents • Students are positive about the monologues and the feedback. • Greater awareness of their strong/weak points, better knowledge about how to improve their English • Students who did not use Dialang are negative about self-assessment through the ELP • Students who used Dialang are more positive about the self-assessment through the ELP

  15. Results of the students’ evaluation (II) • Students found the ELP not so user friendly • Students prefer online coaching in combination with regular lessons

  16. Conclusions • Most innovative aspect • speaking skills training is no longer restricted to classroom hours • Positive points • Speaking skills training is longer and more intensive • Students repeat until they are satisfied and send their best recording • No relevant increase of teacher’s work

  17. What next? • New pilot with Blackboard, Dialang, SET 10 (oral skills telephone test) and ELP • ELP only for self assessment, not for file exchanging and feedback (through Blackboard) • A look into the new course

  18. Questions? Alessandra Corda a.corda@let.leidenuniv.nl Annemiek Wegman a.wegman@let.leidenuniv.nl

  19. Text of presentation http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/pdf/icto/eurocall2007_oralskillstraining.ppt

  20. References • Noijons, J. & Kuijper, H. (2006), Mapping the Dutch Foreign Language State Examinations onto the Common European Framework of Reference, CITO report http://toetswijzer.kennisnet.nl/html/cef/cito2006cefr.pdf

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