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1.0 Presentation Title:

Teaching narrative writing for large EFL university classes in Japan:

A report on a 5 year field study on using videos, a Group Mailing List and Groupware on the Internet

Info of the presenter/ panelist:YASUDA, Masami,

Kwansei Gakuin Univ., myasuda@kwansei.ac.jp

http://myasuda-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/myindex.html

June ４ , 2005Ｒｉｔｓｕｍｅｉｋａｎ　Ｕｎｉｖ．

Ｋｕｓａｔｓｕ　ｃａｍｐｕｓ

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1.1.1 Abstract:

Teaching EFL writing is very hard, as the class size is often very large and grading requires a lot of time and energy on the part of instructors.

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1.1.2 Abstract:

Before entering university, students have little experience in writing a paragraph in the target language of English.

Almost every student has been trained how to translate Japanese into English.

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1.1.3 Abstract:

In typical writing classes, active class participation is not encouraged or is not feasible,

as an instructor is quite busily grading only some and pre-assigned group work.

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1.1.4 Abstract:

In short, the students do not necessarily appreciate the actual process of correction by an instructor, nor important focus on form grammar lectures.

Learning becomes unfortunately a passive one, resulting in learning

grammar or about the target language.

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1.2.1 Abstract: 2

The paper reports on a five year field study that resulted in much success, on teaching writing for large EFL university classes in Japan.

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1.2.2 Abstract: 2

To overcome many physical and psychological difficulties such as the above mentioned,

several technological approaches have been implemented in actual classroom setting.

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1.2.3 Abstract: 2

Namely, we made the use of videos, a Group Mailing List and Groupware on the Internet.These gadgets are not necessarily

new tricks.

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1.3.1 Abstract: 2

First of all, the focus of writing has been targeted to

'narrative' writing, rather than 'expository' paragraph writing, nor translation.

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1.3.2 Abstract: 2

That is, instead of teaching

how to translate Japanese into English by sentences,

the class focused on the teaching of how to narrate the story

based on the video.

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1.3.3 Abstract: 2

A choice of a video can be made from among

many commercially available authentic videos, but the class adapteda couple of EFL videos, considering

the level of the class and the time allotment.

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1.4.1 Abstract: 2

Weekly assignments were given to 5 to 6 pre-selected groups

consisting of three to five students.

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1.4.2 Abstract: 2

Each class covers about 5 minute segment of video

story, after when these 5 to 6 pre-selected groups of

students are to write narrative summary story

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1.4.3 Abstract: 2

in 10 to 15 sentences, as their group homework,

which shall be submitted to the instructor

via a Group Mailing List.

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1.4.4 Abstract: 2

The instructor will then reply with some corrections and feedback

via the same Mailing List, so that other students in the same class will receive

both the submitted and corrected mails.

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1.4.5 Abstract: 2

Groups of students whose work has been approved,

will in turn proceed to share the corrected version with their members,

and will be ready to recite the story as a group in class without reading the scripts.

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1.4.6 Abstract: 2

All the E-mail work will be stored in the Groupware on the Internet,

where students can browse the submitted and corrected pieces of

not only their group but others,

as well as other documents and announcements.

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1.4.7 Abstract: 2

Finishing successively these cycles of

weekly E-mail correction and oral presentation

of the narration for each lesson,

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1.4.8 Abstract: 2

every student will then write, get graded, re-write and recite the narrative story

for the whole video story and record on cassette tapes

watching a digested video story of about 8 and half minute long.

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1.5.1 Abstract 3

The paper will report on the syllabus, lesson plans,

with examples of students' actual weekly E-mail work,

and audio narration

of final project work.

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1.5.2 Abstract 4

It will also introduce classroom setup and software, as well as IT tools, most of which are free services.

Since the syllabus design to be presented is still developmental, suggestions and discussion from the floor will be much appreciated.

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2.0 Introduction - L2 writingDichotomies/Dilemmas

Fluency and accuracy Contrastive rhetoric debate Process vs. Product debate Assessment Feedback and error correction

cf. Casanave, Christine Pearson. (2004) Controversies in second language writing. Ann Arbor, Michigan:Univ. of Michigan

June 3-5, 2005

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2.1.1 Kinds of questions to pose

How can we focus on meaning

• rather than

forms? Learning English

vs. Learning about English The place of

grammar learning and Correction.

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2.1.2 Kinds of questions to pose

How can we put communicative aspects

• in classroom - with or without the use of E-mails?

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2.1.3 Kinds of further questions to pose

How can we have interactive drills,

so that students can actively participate in class?

How can we create “autonomous learning” environment with Group work?

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3.0 “Teaching narrative writing in large EFL classes”

I would like, now, to present my own experience of “Teaching narrative writing,”

for oral and written communications in "regular" and large

EFL classes on a Japanese university level.

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3.1 The class needs and purposes

At the Law Dept, at Kwansei Gakuin Univ., we offer two classes each for the two year required English courses.

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3.2 two kinds of classes for each year

Roughly speaking, one is for reading, and the other for communication. The credit hours of English total to 8 hours out of 16 hours in foreign language requirements.

Since 1987, we adopted a semester course for English, and since 1998 for all foreign language classes.

The classes where I adopted “Video Narrative Writing via E-mail" are not specialized classes such as "information English" or "advanced" classes, but the general 'regular' EFL classes.

And these classes are named as "English Otsu" in Japanese, which places an emphasis on oral and written communication.

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3.3 Video Textbooks It took me almost two years with

trials and errors to come up with feasible lesson plans, which can be used for not 'special' or advanced', but 'regular' general English classes on a university level.

I have adopted a well-received Video textbook entitled: (Oxford University Press)

•Mysery Tour and

• Jericho Conspiracy

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4.0 Examples of actual lesson plans - 90 min. Cycle - 3 classes to cover two chapteres Day 1 –

Introduction Preview TF Questions - 5 min. Preview with digested video - 5 min. Preview with full version video - 10 min. Comprehension checkups (TF) - 5 min. Show and stop with

• Explanation (Vocabulary, Grammar, Culture)• Questions and Answer drills - 60 min.

Day 2 ( a week after) Preview with digested video - 5 min. E-mail grading – via ML - over the weekend Group presentation for approved work 30 min.

Day 3 ( 2 weeks after) - same as Day 1 Group presentation for approved work 30 min. Quizzes on each chapter: Who said what? Take home

Final Project – last two weeks – grading, recitation, record

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4.1 Homework - sample work separate Error Correction, feedback

E-mails – Group work Rewrites until approval Deadline: Each Friday evening 20:00

Final Project – 8 ½ min. digested video Use of stationary file - word processing Group (All chapters execept the last one) Individual work (last chapter)

Course grading Group and Individual work Online quizzes Final exam - Only 30%

Winning the students’ trust that their work is being graded with feedback

by the second or third round E-Mail archieves

Yahoo Group site: http://groups.yahoo.co.jp/mygroups• http://groups.yahoo.co.jp/group/Eng1z_KGLaw/files/Emails.f/

Index page: http://myasuda-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/public_html/eng1z.f/Emails.f/Emails_all.html

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5.0 Students’ work: Video narration E-mail work Video - Separate

video ouput (OHC) Audio Recording

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6.0 IT tools which are mostly free services.

Internet Browser: Internet Explorer - both on Windows

and Macintosh E-mails

Outlook Web Access, Outlook Express/Netscape Communicator on Windows or Eudora Pro on Macintosh

Instructor: Eudora Pro on Macintosh Mailing List: no campus support

Since 2002 - started using Yahoo Group You can compile E-mail aliases from student master files

Email listing page- Video - Narration work /public_html/eng1z.f/Emails.f/ - PWD needed

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7.0 Servers

Internet Server - off campus - freeweb provider with FTP - free server space

Personal files: Students and InstructorsVirtual Server - mail file and other documents – can be accessed to from home, too.

https://webmail.kwansei.ac.jp/Instructors’ notes, homework files

Only on campus - intranet

http://myasuda-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/myindex.html

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7.1 Outlook Web Access: Mails: Web mail (IMAP),

Personal Files: Z

drives BBS: Public

Folders

https://webmail.kwansei.ac.jp/

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7.2 BBS - Bulletin Board

On-campus BBS Not quite helpful Not so useful.

So, instead of school BBS, Free BBS service (aaacafe)

and Yahoo Group

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7.3 Public Folders (BBS)

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7.4 Off-campus BBS - aaacafe and others

URL: http://myasuda-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/public_html/bbs_f/bbs100104.html

URL: aaacafe.ne.jp - free

http://www2.aaacafe.ne.jp/free/myasuda/main.bbs

http://www2.aaacafe.ne.jp/free/myasuda/eng1z.bbs

http://www2.aaacafe.ne.jp/free/myasuda/eng2z.bbs

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7.5 On-line quizzes authoring and delivery - QUIA and others

QUIA - (login name: myasuda_kg) http://www.quia.com/ QUIA - stores students' logs and

grades, but not item answers Class portal page URL:

• http://www.quia.com/pages/masamimystery.html• http://www.quia.com/pages/masamijericho.html

Instructor mode: http://www.quia.com/servlets/quia.web.QuiaWebManager?tagModuleType=10400

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7.6 Mailing List - pseudo groupware

Yahoo eGroup http://groups.yahoo.co.jp/mygroups

Other BBS - Groupware, etc. (Requires PIN) http://cgi.f11.aaacafe.ne.jp/~myasuda/tr

eebbs/tree.php?mode=root 画像メモ (Requires PIN)

http://cgi.f3.aaacafe.ne.jp/~myasuda/gazoubbs/gazou.php

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8. Questionnaire – Online form Online questionnaire (Requires PIN) – hit return if error

https://webinfo.kwansei.ac.jp/active/login

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8.1 Questionnaire – Result 7/2004 - 2004 Spring Freshmen Classes Excel file: ( n=12) Server:

http://myasuda2.hp.infoseek.co.jp/public_html/JALT2005.f/QuestionnaireIZ07310both.xls

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9.0 Projects in progress

Wiki pages BBS links:

• http://myasuda-web.hp.infoseek.co.jp/public_html/bbs_f/bbs100104.html

Syllabus pages:• http://www.wikihouse.com/myasuda/index.php?Adv-Comp

Wiki and HTML page: • World clocks:

http://www1.atwiki.jp/myasuda/pages/16.html

HyperLink wiki page: (Requires PIN)

• http://f3.aaa.livedoor.jp/~myasuda/tiddlywiki02/

Wiki page: (Requires PIN)• http://f3.aaa.livedoor.jp/~myasuda/pukiwiki14/pukiwiki.php

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9.1 Projects in progress

Wiki and ML combined: http://qwik.jp/myasuda/FrontPage.html Mailing list experiment result:

http://qwik.jp/myasuda/8.html HTML of Wiki ML experiment:

http://www1.atwiki.jp/myasuda/pages/22.html

WELL Project Presentation2004 and others

Portfolio: WELL projects: http://myasuda2.hp.infoseek.co.jp/p

ublic_html/032205.f/

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9.2. Other Projects in progress:automatic scrolling, dictionary lookup

Use of JavaScript Tagged dictionary

lookup Automatic authoring Automatic scrolling

• Bilingual or timed reading

Pages to search by strings of texts

Tohoho CGI engine

text2speech Robot reading texts eBook authoring

Seasonal games