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Multimodality in an online English course. Katherine Ackerley & Francesca Coccetta University of Padova. Objectives. Learning Links – Padova University’s online English course Integration of multimodal elements to aid usability to aid comprehension & learning
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Multimodality in an online English course Katherine Ackerley & Francesca Coccetta University of Padova
Objectives • Learning Links – Padova University’s online English course • Integration of multimodal elements • to aid usability • to aid comprehension & learning • Padova Multimedia English Corpus • Multimodal concordancer MCA • Raising student awareness of combined multimodal resources in meaning-making
Learning Links:an online English course • Created at University Language Centre by language researchers, teachers and experts in educational technology • Self-study for blended English courses at Language Centre and in Faculties • Common European Framework of Reference • Level A1 • Level A2 • Level B1 • Level B2
Audio presentation of language in context Visual presentation of new vocabulary Arrows guide student’s attention Interactive exercise to check comprehension
Padova Multimedia English Corpus • Corpus of video and audio recordings
Padova Multimedia English Corpus • Corpus of video and audio recordings
Analysis of corpus:text-based concordancer • Promotion of data-driven learning “concordances of particular phenomena can […] be used as data to engage the learner in hypothesis-testing as to particular rules of language use” (Aston, 1997: 55) • Shortcomings • Examples of spoken language removed from context • Need to promote a more communicative approach
Text-based concordancing Level A1 – Task based on texts in MEC Learning objectives: • Asking someone to spell something • Spelling out a word or expression Using Wordsmith Tools – Search for spel*
Exploiting the Padova MEC with MCA MCA (Multimodal Corpus Authoring System*) • online multimodal concordancer • enables users to find the sequences in a multimodal corpus that share at least one characteristic • enables users to watch/listen to the sequences retrieved *Baldry (2005) A Multimodal Approach to Text Studies in English. Campobasso: Palladino Editore.
Tagging system for the Padova MEC The texts have been tagged for: • language functions (Waystage 1990, Threshold 1990, Vantage) • levels of difficulty (A1-B2 Common European Framework of Reference) • levels of authenticity (scripted, semi-scripted, authentic, semi-authentic) • nationality of speakers (native, non-native and bilingual) • number of speakers involved • text type (monologue/dialogue) • file type (audio/video)
Sample searches within the Padova MEC • Retrieving a language function • Spelling out a word/expression
Retrieving a language function with MCA:spelling out a word/expression
Retrieving a language function with MCA:spelling out a word/expression
Retrieving a language function with MCA:spelling out a word/expression
Retrieving a language function with MCA:spelling out a word/expression
Retrieving a language function with MCA:spelling out a word/expression
Sample searches within the Padova MEC • Retrieving a language function • Spelling out a word/expression • Retrieving adjacency pairs • Seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ Identifying (a person’s age)
Retrieving adjacency pairs with MCA:seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ identifying (a person’s age)
Retrieving adjacency pairs with MCA:seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ identifying (a person’s age)
Retrieving adjacency pairs with MCA:seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ identifying (a person’s age)
Retrieving adjacency pairs with MCA:seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ identifying (a person’s age)
Retrieving adjacency pairs with MCA:seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ identifying (a person’s age)
Retrieving adjacency pairs with MCA:seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ identifying (a person’s age)
Sample searches within the Padova MEC • Retrieving a language function • Spelling out a word/expression • Retrieving adjacency pairs • Seeking identification (of a person’s age) ^ Identifying (a person’s age) How old are you? exercise created using MCA
Multimodality in language learning • Language Leaning is typically based on production and comprehension of verbal texts • Different semiotic systems ‘intertwine to make meaning’ (Baldry & Thibault, 2006: 17*) • Students need variety of modalities to understand a text • Semiotic resources may need adding to a text: • to provide missing contextual elements • to enhance existing text • to aid comprehension * Baldry, A. & Thibault, P. (2006) Multimodal Transcription and Text Analysis. London, Equinox.
Multimodality & language awareness • Show students how spoken/written language isn’t the only part of a text • Several resources interact to create meaning
Thibault (2000), The Multimodal Transcription of a Television Advertisement: Theory and Practice, p. 374
Multimodality & language awareness “Frameworks are thus being developed which, rather than viewing language as a single isolated semiotic resource, take into account the use of other meaning-making resources with which language is co-deployed.”* * Baldry (2005) A Multimodal Approach to Text Studies in English. Campobasso, Palladino Editore, p. 113.
Multimodality in an online English course Katherine Ackerley & Francesca Coccetta University of Padova katherine.ackerley@unipd.it francesca.coccetta@unipd.it