The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Dr. Esther Klein-Wohl

Dr. Ingrid Barth

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Dr. Esther Klein-Wohl

Dr. Ingrid Barth

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

From Fishes to Fishing-rodsFrom Fishes to Fishing-rods

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

“Unlocking” Open Content“Unlocking” Open Content

How can internet-based tools help students cope with

academic texts in English?

How can internet-based tools help students cope with

academic texts in English?

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Problem StatementProblem Statement

Inadequate English =

Major barrier to

maximal utilization of

open content in English.

Inadequate English =

Major barrier to

maximal utilization of

open content in English.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Filling in the blanks ….Filling in the blanks ….Filling in the blanks ….Filling in the blanks ….

Instead of celebrating the victory of the ____ _____, I regard some of the ____ _____ between men and women as gross ____ now rendered politically correct. It is almost impossible to explore where we may be heading 50 years from now without looking back an equal number of years at the charged history of the nature / ____ ____. The ____ is so emotional because any stand one takes comes with serious political ____.(75 words)

Instead of celebrating the victory of the ____ _____, I regard some of the ____ _____ between men and women as gross ____ now rendered politically correct. It is almost impossible to explore where we may be heading 50 years from now without looking back an equal number of years at the charged history of the nature / ____ ____. The ____ is so emotional because any stand one takes comes with serious political ____.(75 words)

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Why don’t online dictionaries solve the problem?

Why don’t online dictionaries solve the problem?

interrupt the reading process. dictionary lookups “disappear”.

interrupt the reading process. dictionary lookups “disappear”.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Roads to Academic ReadingRoads to Academic Reading

OU Project Developers: English Department Shoham

(Center for Information Technology in Distance Education)

OU Project Developers: English Department Shoham

(Center for Information Technology in Distance Education)

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The 2,570 SolutionThe 2,570 SolutionComputerized text analyses show that academic texts are made up of 2000 most common words in spoken English (70 – 80% of text). 570 high-frequency general academic words (10 – 15% of text). 10 – 15% “mix” – subject- specific terms, names, etc.

Computerized text analyses show that academic texts are made up of 2000 most common words in spoken English (70 – 80% of text). 570 high-frequency general academic words (10 – 15% of text). 10 – 15% “mix” – subject- specific terms, names, etc.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Filling in the blanks ….Filling in the blanks ….Filling in the blanks ….Filling in the blanks ….

Instead of celebrating the victory of the biological approach, I regard some of the contemporary dichotomies between men and women as gross simplifications now rendered politically correct. It is almost impossible to explore where we may be heading 50 years from now without looking back an equal number of years at the charged history of the nature / nurture controversy. The debate is so emotional because any stand one takes comes with serious political implications.

Instead of celebrating the victory of the biological approach, I regard some of the contemporary dichotomies between men and women as gross simplifications now rendered politically correct. It is almost impossible to explore where we may be heading 50 years from now without looking back an equal number of years at the charged history of the nature / nurture controversy. The debate is so emotional because any stand one takes comes with serious political implications.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Advantages of Text-Profiling Advantages of Text-Profiling

1. Students focus first on words with high cost-benefit ratio - words that constantly appear in academic texts.

2. These words are hyperlinked to flashcards and exercises for pre- reading prep or post-reading practice.

1. Students focus first on words with high cost-benefit ratio - words that constantly appear in academic texts.

2. These words are hyperlinked to flashcards and exercises for pre- reading prep or post-reading practice.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Instead of translating open content… Instead of translating open content…

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Future Directions: Subject-specific Academic Vocabulary

:Future Directions Subject-specific Academic

Vocabulary

1. “Banks” of subject-specific glosses, prepared and shared by faculty.

1. “Banks” of subject-specific glosses, prepared and shared by faculty.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Future DirectionsFuture Directions2. Open access to a repository of subject-specific English-Hebrew vocab lists (from OU textbooks).

3. Adding vocab lists to Text-Profiler’s data-base.

2. Open access to a repository of subject-specific English-Hebrew vocab lists (from OU textbooks).

3. Adding vocab lists to Text-Profiler’s data-base.

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

ا   תודה   شكًر) ا   תודה   شكًر)

We would like to thank Meital

for contributing towards the development of our Text Profiler

We would like to thank Meital

for contributing towards the development of our Text Profiler

The Open UniversityThe Open Universityaa

Thank you for listeningThank you for listening

ingridb@openu.ac.ilingridb@openu.ac.il