Supporting can do learning objectives with digital tools (tim goodier)
- 1. Supporting the use of ‘can do’ statements as learning objectives with digital tools Tim Goodier Eurocentres
- 2. Agenda - Structuring language learning (warm up chat) - The rolling curriculum - Organising learning objectives - Challenges for implementation in an ELT context - Exploration of digital support tools - Interacting with „can do‟ objectives - Reporting and possible implications
- 3. EAQUALS Course Participants Charter: “2.4. Curriculum and course planning: the course of study is structured, is divided into levels of proficiency, as appropriate” Some typical ways of structuring language learning: Follow a (published) course sequentially at a specified level of proficiency Refer to a core list of learning objectives / outcomes for each level of proficiency Negotiate planned course content with the learners Organise course content around components of a target proficiency test To what extent are these used in your context? To what extent are they compatible with each other? Organise course content around topics e.g. for specific purposes
- 4. • English language • 5 - 6000 students per annum • 5 schools • Age 16 upwards (average early 20s) • Beginner up to C2 • Diverse nationality mix • General, academic, business / e.s.p. • Rolling enrolment, 2-52 weeks UK
- 5. The rolling curriculum Course book / resources Needs analysis Learning outcomes Communicative
- 6. Triangulating aims & needs Can do statements Needs Needs Juan’s objectives Eloise’s objectives Juan Eloise Class objectives Grammar & vocabulary needed
- 7. Beyond the 4 skills paradigm Spoken / written production Language resources Receptive skills Listening text types Reading text types Spoken interaction e.g. Understand a line of argument and main conclusions
- 8. Spoken / written production Language resources Receptive skills Listening text types Reading text types Spoken interaction e.g. Short podcasts, audio news items Beyond the 4 skills paradigm
- 9. Spoken / written production Language resources Receptive skills Listening text types Reading text types Spoken interaction e.g. Newspaper & magazine articles on everyday topics, factual descriptions Beyond the 4 skills paradigm
- 10. Spoken / written production Language resources Receptive skills Listening text types Reading text types Spoken interaction e.g. Give and ask for opinions, agree and disagree Beyond the 4 skills paradigm
- 11. Spoken / written production Language resources Receptive skills Listening text types Reading text types Spoken interaction e.g. Describe events or experiences, express feelings and reactions Beyond the 4 skills paradigm
- 12. Spoken / written production Language resources Receptive skills Listening text types Reading text types Spoken interaction e.g. Areas and exponents of grammar and lexis Beyond the 4 skills paradigm
- 13. Key challenges • For each CEFR level band, a meaningful list is a long list (often longer than learner attention spans) • Adapting the course book to meet needs and core curriculum objectives / outcomes - learner expectations - teacher expectations - academic management expectations • Learner focus on proficiency assessment scores
- 14. Raising awareness of ‘can do’ learning outcomes Teacher-mediated prioritisation of aims Regular „touch points‟ for leaners and teachers Learner self evaluation against aims
- 20. User feedback Student preferences Staff opinion of student preferences
- 21. User feedback Student feedback Staff feedback Teachers in focus groups didn‟t want to be the „gatekeepers‟ for study recommendations relating to learning aims „Students feel better, and feed back better on their perceived progress when it is task- based.‟ Students in focus groups felt that it was a benefit to be able to check their progress whenever they wanted. „I think the tutorials are interesting but I'm not sure about using the computer for that. Maybe we can just speak with the teacher, not checking online what I think I have to improve‟
- 22. Towards „big‟(ish) data 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 A1 TOTAL RESPONSES A2 TOTAL RESPONSES B1 TOTAL RESPONSES B2 TOTAL RESPONSES C1 TOTAL RESPONSES Need more practice I feel confident
- 23. my.Eurocentres self evaluation and tutorials: User Feedback “Along with my observation feedback, this has helped identify my need to…” “…reminds me of some of the things I might or should be doing… potentially very useful for inexperienced teachers.” “I can see how it might be easy to get into bad habits quite quickly.” “Could you arrange a teacher development session on phonology?” “I‟d actually quite like to do this again when I have been at the school a little longer…perhaps in conjunction with observations or an appraisal.”
- 27. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% I feel confident Need more practice A1
- 28. A2 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% I feel confident Need more practice
- 29. B1 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% I feel confident Need more practice
- 30. B2 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% I feel confident Need more practice
- 31. C1 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% I feel confident Need more practice
- 32. A1 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Receptive skills Listening Text Types Reading text types Spoken Interaction Spoken Production and Writing Grammar Vocabulary areas Need more practice I feel confident
- 33. A2 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 Receptive Listening Text Types Reading text types Spoken Interaction Spoken Production and Writing Grammar Vocabulary areas Need more practice I feel confident
- 34. B1 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 Receptive skills Listening Text Types Reading text types Spoken Interaction Spoken Production and Writing Grammar Vocabulary areas Need more practice I feel confident
- 35. B2 0 500 1000 1500 2000 Receptive skills Listening Text Types Reading text types Spoken Interaction Spoken Production and Writing Grammar Vocabulary areas Need more practice I feel confident
- 36. C1 0 200 400 600 800 1000 Receptive skills Listening Text Types Reading text types Spoken Interaction Spoken Production and Writing Grammar Vocabulary areas Need more practice I feel confident
- 37. A1 I need more practice I feel confident at this level • Questions with 'what', 'how', 'who' etc. • Present simple • The verb 'to be' • Past Simple • 'There is', 'there are' • Recognise names, words and simple phrases • Talk about events in the past (e.g. your weekend) • Present continuous • Simple descriptions of people • The verb 'to be' • Present simple • Yes/no questions and answers • Short descriptions • Understand information about people • Understand simple messages • Dialogues containing simple greetings, questions and answers • '-ing' forms (e.g. I love swimming, I don't like waiting for buses) • Understand information about numbers, times, dates and places
- 38. • Communicate in everyday situations (e.g. in a restaurant, shopping, ticket office) • Questions (What, How, Who ....) • People talking about family, people, homes, work, hobbies, etc. • Talk about work, interests and free time • Describe places, people and things • Present Perfect for experience (Have you ever .....) • Describe habits and routines, studies and work • Describe events in the past • Present continuous for present time and future arrangements A2 I need more practice I feel confident at this level • Talk about work, interests and free time • Simple, everyday conversations • People talking about family, people, homes, work, hobbies, etc. • Talk about things you like and dislike • Communicate in everyday situations (e.g. in a restaurant, shopping, ticket office) • Questions (What, How, Who ....) • Past Simple • Understand the main points and the most important information • Present simple; adverbs of frequency (always, sometimes)
- 39. B1 I need more practice I feel confident at this level • Newspaper & magazine articles on everyday topics, factual descriptions • Film clips, video (e.g. interviews, reports, cookery programmes, documentaries, mainstream entertainment shows, etc.) • Describe events or experiences, express feelings and reactions • Everyday conversations and discussions • Present Perfect + still, yet, already, just • Past Simple & Present Perfect • Start and close conversations, maintain simple conversations • Phrasal verbs (e.g. look something up, write something down) • Past Perfect • Write a formal email, letter, document (e.g. job application, CV) • Past Simple: regular and irregular verbs • Everyday conversations and discussions • Understand the important details • Clear, simple stories and narratives • Informal emails, blogs, personal descriptions • Start and close conversations, maintain simple conversations • Give and ask for opinions, agree and disagree • Past Simple & Present Perfect • Newspaper & magazine articles on everyday topics, factual descriptions • Past Continuous / Past Simple
- 40. B2 I need more practice I feel confident at this level • Phrasal verbs (e.g. I splashed out on a new dress, it really put me off my food ) • Take an active part in a discussion, using a range of language to do so. • Magazine and newspaper articles, factual texts, reports • Past tenses review and extension: Past Simple and Continuous, Past Perfect Simple and Continuous • Conversation, talk shows, interviews • Conditionals review, 3rd conditional, mixed conditionals, 'wish'/ 'if only' & regrets • Write a formal letter (e.g. a letter of application, a letter of complaint). • Understand specific details • Film clips • Colloquial idioms and expressions • Understand main ideas and essential meaning • Find the relevant part(s) of the text • Conversation, talk shows, interviews • Express attitudes, personal feelings and emotions . • Magazine and newspaper articles, factual texts, reports • Personal descriptions • Film clips • Express agreement, disagreement and reactions including interest, sympathy, surprise, etc. • Understand specific details • Past tenses review and extension: Past Simple and Continuous, Past Perfect Simple and Continuous
- 41. C1 I need more practice I feel confident at this level • Idiomatic expressions, similes, metaphors (e.g. on the tip of my tongue) • Give / write clear, detailed, well-developed narratives and descriptions of personal experiences • Use persuasive and dissuasive language to influence others • Develop an argument systematically, highlight important points, and support your reasoning with examples. • Linkers (e.g. nevertheless, owing to, due to) • Give clear, well-structured descriptions of complex and abstract subjects • Complex texts, reports, articles • Colloquial expressions • Extended conversations and discussions • Debates • Distinguish the main point from supporting arguments, sub-themes, examples • Understand implicit ideas, relationships and opinions • Complex texts, reports, articles • Relate what you say to what other people have said • Understand the attitude, mood, intentions • Extended conversations and discussions • Define and clarify an opinion, shades of opinion or an idea. • Support, oppose or object to a position / an idea, concede a point • Summarise an article, a talk, a discussion or information from different sources • Recognise variations of style for effect, register shifts
- 42. Open questions 1. To what extent can / should such summary data from learner self evaluation influence course design? 2. How can teachers be further supported to act upon such ‘granular’ data in planning lessons and selecting resources? 3. How can the process of self evaluation against ‘can do’ aims be made more accessible for lower level students? 4. How can the process of self evaluation against ‘can do’ aims be made more inherently motivating?