EFL and Homework IATEFL 2011

HOMEWORK… The Final Fron4er?

IATEFL 2011 16 April 2011

Paul Maglione

EFL and Out-‐of-‐the-‐Classroom Learning

EdTech Applied to EFL

Ohura

The past 10 years or so have seen an explosion of interest in the use of technology in the EFL classroom: from IWB’s to Blogs, TwiEer, Podcast, Moodle, and Mobile. EdTech in the EFL classroom, in short, is sexy.

EdTech Applied to EFL

EdTech Applied to EFL Homework

Ohura

Klingon Sexy Not sexy

When it comes to topic of homework in EFL, however, the enthusiasm fades. No one seems interested. It’s just not sexy.

Yet surely there is a disconnect here. We know that learners spend 98% of their Rme outside of the classroom. We also know that learners are integraRng technology into virtually every aspect of their lives, from communicaRon to entertainment, to, yes, educaRon.

In the past 40 years we’ve seen huge, tectonic shiTs in the way we think about EFL: from Grammar TranslaRon all the way to the current thinking about how to best implement the CommunicaRve and Lexical approaches that we’ve adopted more recently.

In terms of classroom approaches, too, we’ve evolved from textbook-‐driven, teacher-‐centric teaching to task-‐based learning, pairs and group work, learning games, physical movement, music, roleplay, and other great techniques.

As soon as learners step outside the classroom, however, they’re mostly on their own. At best, they might get assigned pages in a workbook or a vague suggesRon that they “read an arRcle in English.”

Trying to find useful pedagogical theory, academic work, or case studies on the subject of EFL Homework turns up very liEle informaRon.

Specifici4es of Homework •  Tasks assigned to learners for

compleRon during non-‐classroom hours

•  Invades the personal, “home”

domain of the learner

•  The academic task subject to more external influences than any other

•  CORRELATED WITH ACADEMIC

ACHIEVEMENT

•  Learner Autonomy

•  Individualized Learning

•  Mo4va4on

Specifici4es of Homework in ESL/EFL?

The few academic papers on the subject of Homework specifically applied to EFL conclude that it is very useful in reinforcing the following crucial learning skills:

The Challenge

Homework 2.0

So we really should be figuring out how to bring Homework into the fold of useful EFL approaches we now consider as beneficial for language learning.

The Obstacles

Let’s start by invesRgaRng the obstacles….WHY homework doesn’t play the role it should in EFL.

First: technology, or the lack of it unRl now. Very difficult to foster autonomy, exploraRon and moRvaRon with linear and mostly uninspiring materials like textbooks and workbooks.

No, no, it’s an opportunity for explora4on and self-‐learning!

I’m telling you, the only purpose can be to consolidate what is learned in class.

Secondly, there has long been a schism between those who see homework as a “consolidaRng” tacRc for classroom lessons; and those who see homework as “something else,” i.e. complementary to the classroom experience but with its own unique role in the language learning process.

Third, homework is tricky for teachers because it’s unpopular with learners.

By its very nature, assigned homework is at a huge disadvantage compared to what is is compeRng with in the home: relax Rme, television, and, especially for teens and young adults: internet, music and mobile texRng. ,

Fourth, unRl now the creaRon,

monitoring and marking of

homework has implied

significantly adding to the teacher’s

workload.

The Obstacles

Technology not ripe yet

Unpopularity Workload

Debate re: Role of

Homework

So how does web 2.0 technology allow us to surmount these hurdles?

Web 2.0 plaeorms allow homework to be presented in a much more dynamic, interacRve, mulRmedia, non-‐linear format.

ConsolidaRon Rules!

Autonomy Rocks!

The issue of the appropriate role of homework, however, remains.

What is the correct role of EFL

homework? Sports InstrucRon analogy: a tennis instructor takes you through the mechanical movements you

need to master the backhand stroke.

How to best consolidate that instrucRon? Not by repeaRng the instrucRon steps by yourself.. but by playing tennis for fun and starRng to use your

backhand more regularly, even if imperfectly at first.

How can technology transform the “Unpopularity” obstacle? Not by

retaining the look & feel of classroom instrucRon.

Movies

Games

Music

News

Friends

Rather, web 2.0

enables us to make

homework look and feel a lot more like things that learners already enjoy

doing at home.

Learning Challenge Chore

English Intermediate B2

Even compliance monitoring and feedback by the teacher can be transformed by adopRng a points / scores / badges approach rather than grades or marks.

Even beEer, web 2.0 homework allows homework to spill over into the classroom, rather than just the other way around.

EFL Homework 2.0 Resources:

Make your own 3D movies with text-‐to-‐voice

Xtranormal

For example: have learners create a scripted dialogue, like a re-‐creaRon of something funny that happened to them.


Show & tell using videos, photos and

avatars

Voicethread

For example: ask learners to visually document a day in their lives, from morning to evening, and comment on the photos.


Use online sRckies to make a

collaboraRve brainstorming wall

Lino It

For example: use Lino It to generate ideas for a class ouRng.


Poster-‐making tool

Glogster

For example: have small groups of learners create a poster on an assigned theme, like preserving wildlife habitat.


Simple cartoon-‐making resource

Zimmer Twins

For example: use Zimmer Twins to have learners create their own funcRonal language situaRons, like ordering food in a restaurant.


Create commented “photo strips” from

Flickr content

Bubblr

For example: have small groups of learners capRon idenRcal photo strips, and then compare& discuss the strips to illustrate the concept of creaRvity.


Post a photo and provide audio comment

Fotobabble

For example: have learners upload their favorite digital snap, and provide commentary as to why it is their preferred photo.


Entertainment-‐focused exposure & community EFL site for teens and young adults

English A^ack!

For example: have learners play the Video Booster of the Day and come to class prepared to guess what happened next.

English AEack! -‐ English 2.0

Interac4ve video-‐based exercises

Global social network of learners of English

Thema4c visual

dic4onaries

Learning & drill games

Video Boosters

Photo Vocabs

Prac4ce Games Global Community

The only EFL out-‐of-‐classroom learning plaeorm

designed specifically for teenagers and young adults.

Pedagogical principles are explained at

blog.english-‐aEack.com

In conclusion:

Homework is a currently neglected but poten4ally transforma4onal tool in ESL/EFL

If ac4ve learning is central to language acquisiRon, then selng effecRve and moRvaRng homework

should be a key skill for ESL / EFL teachers

I

In conclusion:

Homework reinforces precisely those learning skills that are difficult to develop in class:

•  Learner Autonomy •  Individualized Learning •  Mo4va4on

II

In conclusion:

Online technology allows us to blast EFL homework directly from the 19th to the 21st Century.

It can now be made appealing for learners as well as pragma4c for teachers

III

In conclusion:

EFL Homework can be a “third (communica4ve) place” alongside the classroom and the home.

Encourage learners to make links between the classroom

and communica4ve opportuni4es outside of it.

IV

#efl #esl #elt #edtech #iatefl #tesol #eltchat

For more ideas and informa4on: TeachertrainingVideos.com

Nik’s Quick Shout

Concluding thought: with technology, Nothing Is Impossible

Captain Kirk and Bones demonstrate the iPad 9 they have brought back from Rme travel into the 2020s to teach Klingon teenagers proper Starship Command English.

Homework: the final fron4er?

Web: www.english-‐aâck.com Blog: h^p://blog.english-‐aâck.com Slideshare: h^p://www.slideshare.net/EnglishAâck

E-‐mail: paul.maglione@english-‐aâck.com LinkedIn: Paul Maglione Twiêr: @paulmaglione

IATEFL Brighton, 2011

EFL and Homework IATEFL 2011

Education

Transcript of EFL and Homework IATEFL 2011