Impact of Input and Modeling in Negotiating - Student Evaluations and Observations

1. Negotiating meaning • K: But I manage to study. • F: I don’t understand manage. • A: She is able to study. • K: She makestime to study.

2. Q: Impact of input, modeling? vocabulary grammar: infinitive -model after error -doesn’t catch on

3. internships: • loses at end • field of concentration: • repeats • clarifies

4. Group consciousness input from all before new topic

5. Multiplethreads Ad censorship Ads catch attention What money use?

6. Student evaluations • Helpful? Beneficial?YES • resumes • interaction native peers • daily life and culture • practice language • different opinions perspectives

7. Student evaluations • Enjoyable?YES • new approach teaching learning (ESP) • opportunity direct, live contact peers • emotional qualifiers: • cool • fun • looked forward

8. Student evaluations • Achieve Goals? YES • learn about business culture directly from native speaking peers • improve communication skills by interacting with native speakers

9. Student evaluations • Advice for the next group of students? • take seriously, take advantage opportunity (overwhelmingly) • prepare for class • be open, friendly, ask lots questions • try to get to know the people • make sure you know when things are due

10. Student evaluations • Other issues (open ended) • want more chat, less discussion board • freedom to set own topics • Chat culture influence? Would they say the same about readings? general syllabus of course? • workload, overload (other courses) - time, • Specific questions • good group size 4-5 • chats not too disorganized to follow (+facilitator, +familiarity) • instructors should not faciltiate chat (USA) • typing /computer skills hinder some (ESP) • access to computers (ESP)

11. Student evaluations • What did you learn? • not skilled at answering this question • survey format vs. reflective essay • few state language (slang, expressions) • often regurgitate the themes • I learned to write a resume • I learned about similarities and differences in resumes • choose topic - answers improved (specific info) INVISIBLE LEARNING chat logs, discussion board logs -- errors visible -- lack of comprehension visible -- correct language: already know? learn exchange? -- comprehension: already know? strategies? context?

12. USA Instructor evaluation What did I learn/Why chat? • Worth the time? • Did students learn anything? • Student accountability? • Instructor feedback: amount, timely • Grading • Need for facilitators • Students say they’re not afraid because don’t know person and grammar not graded • No talking in class but blossomed

13. ESP Instructor observations • Great motivation • students stayed after classes until 4pm • had to alter educational mindset - to weekly assignments (!) • Truly enjoyed creating ad • Appreciated new, dynamic, interactive approach • Recognized, appreciated the instructor effort to provide this opportunity • Added bonus computer skills, computer lingo only ENG • Learned directly: I don’t think they will forget about discriminatory, illegal interview questions in USA, about US students financial situation on the one hand taking out loans and paying for their OWN education and on the other talking about their investments (unthinkable for Spanish students). • Plagiarism: increase attention, adherence to citing sources

14. Observations / Issues • Social chat vs academic discussion (influence chat genre) • participation without preparation • facilitator changes question, slow down • short, choppy sentences - superficialreluctance post in discussion board - reflective, in depth comments on evaluations: superficial discussions • Orientation: acceptable posting/contribution • acknowledge, refer to previous postings • add your opinion, perspective • expand with examples, related info • ask question • NOTE: impact of threaded vs linear - group dynamics • Integration chat - discussion board - chat sequence • problem: lack participation, repetition from chat, my opinion • clarify instructions, approach • may not improve until access improves

15. Observations / Issues (contd) • Noticing language • in the content articles (lack of evidence in postings, creating worksheet) • follow up language analysis (individual, in class) • Assignment vs Dialogue mentality (discussion board) • one-way hand in assignment and I’m done • it is the interaction, the dialogue that counts • submitting late; make-up assignment ??????????????? • Maintain group throughout exchange • eval: get to know partner students • contribute to increased participation • limits exposure - alter task input from whole class, discussion among few • ask for each other in subsequent chats

16. Future possibilities? • Speaking, pronunciation skills: Voice chatting • More authentic, simulation tasks: Video Conferencing • Collaborative project with an international team • Discourse analysis: speech acts