Using Corpora in the Classroom

This week we discussed using corpora in the classroom, and we got to test some out in the lab on Monday. I'm a fan.

I remember when I took my first linguistics class as a lowly freshman at NAU and was introduced to this idea of corpus linguistics. At the time I thought it was a nice idea, but I didn't realize how useful corpora could be until I began using them for classes--both as a student and as a teacher.

Reading Reppen (2010) and Flowerdew (2009) only reinforced how useful corpora could be, yet Flowerdew also elaborated on some potential downsides often associated with corpora. For instance, she describes how they are seen as promoting mostly bottom-up processing, how they encourage inductive learning; that there are many corpora to choose from, and that results appear out of context, so it is up to the learner to contextualize them. However, Flowerdew discusses each of these points, saying that corpora can be used in top-down processing models and that students can build their own corpora to best aid their learning. I would also add that putting corpora results into context is a major learning step for students, as they develop critical thinking skills in the process, and they practice a skill that will be useful in true communication. In addition, inductive learning is a helpful skill for all students, despite whether their preferred learning styles mesh up with this pattern or not. Life isn't always deductive.

In class, the group I was in tested out the BYU online corpora, of which the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) is the most well-known. I have used this corpus in the past for researching and for gathering authentic examples for practicum classes. I like COCA, though I do find it annoying to use. However, the sheer number of examples within this corpus make it a highly useful resource. I also like BYU because they have the Corpus of Historical American English (COHA). As an amateur historical linguist, this corpus is just fun to look at.

Despite potential drawbacks of corpora, I think they can be useful in the classroom. They provide authentic materials, and they allow students to do some exploratory learning, which can be a change of pace and therefore fun for learners. Sure, teachers need to scaffold very carefully when using them, but I believe it can be worth the time.

Five Weeks Down.

At this point in the semester, we have tested out several different tools. We've blogged like crazy. We've also just completed the first test/quiz (semantics). So, basically there's a lot to talk about.  However, what I found most interesting this week were the tools we tried out on Monday, as I can see using them in my own teaching.

I really like the idea of Grockit Answers because I use YouTube quite a bit in ENG 105, especially when I'm teaching the rhetorical analysis.  In future semesters, I feel like I may incorporate some of these videos into the class, using them as homework assignments where students can then respond to the video as a whole on their blogs (which seems to be working well in other ENG 105 classes, such as Katie M's). It seems like students would be responsive to this type of activity.  The only thing I wish Grockit Answers could do was upload TED talks as well as YouTube videos.

I also found Socrative to be useful. Although many students have smartphones, I would use this website in the computer lab because then I'd know that everyone had access to it. The space race activity would be most applicable to my class, as there is nothing like a little competition to get people going at 9:10am... Perhaps I will test that idea out later in the semester.

Unfortunately, at this time I cannot implement these technologies into my ESL practicum class without access to computers.  However, in the future, I can see myself using these tools in an ESL/EFL setting.

The Nightmare Before Grockit

This past Monday we looked at Grockit Answers and Socrative in class, and we were asked to create an activity using one of them.  I chose to use Grockit to create questions that show up during a video of the song "This is Halloween" from the film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).  Here's a link to that activity: http://goo.gl/oJMps


Source: fanpop.com

I chose this song because last semester, my co-teachers and I used it as a listening activity on Halloween for our practicum class. At that time, we provided the students with the lyrics (with some words missing) and we watched the video twice, but that alone did not provide for much of an activity.

Because I did not have access to advanced English language learners (ELLs) and a computer lab, I was not able to test the activity this time, but I imagine combining Grockit with a handout that provides the lyrics.  Though I feel advanced learners do not necessarily need (or should be given) a transcript for listening activities, the first time using this song illustrated that the way the characters sing can be tricky for ELLs, even advanced ones.

In regards to the Grockit Answers part of the activity, the following questions appear during the video:

1. What do you think the images on the trees represent?

2. Name three creatures you have seen so far.

3. What do you think will happen after this?

Since Grockit allows everyone to see one another's answers, I chose to make the questions more open-ended so that students would hopefully be at least a little original in their answers. Moreover, I wanted to see what students would say to Question 3.  I think after this activity, it would be easy to transition into a discussion about Halloween and other cultural matters in the United States. In this way, technology serves as a catalyst of sorts for a larger, culturally relevant discussion.

My Philosophy of Teaching with Technology

I've already written about how I think we take technology for granted in this day and age, though I feel it is an integral part of my beliefs about technology in the classroom.  Though it depends on the culture in which one is teaching, it seems that many of our students rely quite a bit on technology, and the face-paced, fun, creative mentality that comes with it can carry over into the classroom in some respects. However, the opposite effect is that when students who are used to technology no longer have it, they can become bored with learning.

Of course, not every teaching situation has opportunities for using much (if any) technology. Indeed, right now the classroom I use for my practicum assignment has no technology for use unless my co-teacher and I bring it in. Teaching in such situations has made me realize especially how much I like using technology in the classroom

In that respect, technology provides wonderful opportunities for both teacher and student. Sure, we know that finding materials is easier for teachers when they can look things up on the internet, but for students, the possibilities are exponentially more exciting. Software and other applications aside, students are exposed to so much input on the internet that they can practice any language skill using this medium. Moreover, the web lends itself nicely to sociocultural and interactionist theory, as these students can communicate with other English speakers and learners, especially with the growth in Web 2.0. In this way, students do not necessarily need to travel if they want to communicate in English.

But like anything that seems too great, there are downfalls to this growth in technology. Though there is all this great input, there is no scaffolding for students. There is also something to be said for actual travel, as it's really only then that a person can truly experience a new culture, which, in my opinion, is an essential part of learning a language. Finally, if technology comes to dictate teaching, is there room for a teacher within a classroom, or is the teacher just now the puppet of technology and the mindset that comes along with it?

Therefore, I believe technology to be a powerful tool, but it should be implemented with limitations in the classroom. Teachers and students can use it to supplement learning and students can use it for fun outside of the classroom, but the teacher should keep in mind that he/she, as well as the students, cannot let it replace true human interaction.

Drawing with Google!

I am continually impressed by the package that comes along with a free Google account. One part of that package is Google Drawings, which can then be shared with Google Docs--and later blogged about on Blogger!

Here is my group's advice to new NAU grad students who want a social life...




Our drawing might not be the most visually impressive thing in the world, but it is clear that Google is not a tool to ignore.

Teachers Using Digital Storytelling

We were asked to create a digital story from a teacher's perspective (i.e., one a teacher could use in the L2 classroom).  Perhaps I'm lacking creativity this week or perhaps for other reasons, but I really struggled with coming up with an idea for this assignment.

Here's a link to the final result: voicethread.com/share/4078766/

Yes, it's a vocabulary list based on daily routines. It has pictures of things people do to get ready and things they do during the day, and the text boxes include the matching infinitive verb forms. In my mind, a learner can look at this example and make a digital story in response. In this way, the digital story I made was merely an example for an activity the students can do, such as making a vocabulary study guide for words that they find difficult to remember. That is, if a student has problems with certain words, he/she can use Voice Thread to match up pictures (after Googling them) with the words. The student can later use it to study.

In reality, I think I struggled with a teacher's digital story because I feel like most of what can be done on the teacher's end with this technique is something that should be done in class and can be done in far simpler ways. Sure, the teacher can use a digital story to talk about his/her daily routines, but then that would be just be an example for what the students would probably use the technology for in a later assignment (such as making their own digital stories).

Again, I may just be lacking in creativity at the moment, but in my mind, the advantages of digital storytelling seem far greater when it is the students telling stories rather than the teacher.

Web Resources for Language Teaching

It has been a theme of this blog thus far that with technology comes opportunities. This week in class, we discussed how the web affects this idea. For instance, even without buying any apps or paying for software like Rosetta Stone, the web offers students so many free opportunities for learning--that is, if they have access to it.

We talked about digital storytelling in depth, and we played around with Hot Potatoes. While these can be great, just googling activities can lend itself to promising results. It just takes some creativity, but even if you are not the most creative type, chances are someone else has plenty of teaching resources available.

I also thought the comparison between Web 1.0 (the static web) and Web 2.0 (the interactive side) was interesting. I had heard the terms before but had never really tried to understand what that could mean for the language classroom. It seems that though Web 1.0 is great for reading, listening, and informational purposes, it is only with Web 2.0 that we can emphasize the communicative aspect of language learning that is so prominent in our theories these days.

That being said, the obvious drawbacks with technology--even with just using the web--is that there is no guarantee that every classroom nor every student will have access to the internet, let alone a computer. As such, it is important to keep in mind that technology can only go so far.

And that brings us to another matter altogether. When is technology taking over the classroom? Having taught ENG 105 for a semester, I am used to technology, even if there are teachers who use it far more than I do. That is why when I began co-teaching an ESL class this semester in a classroom sans technology, I ran into roadblocks with my lesson planning. For someone who grew up in the so-called "Informational Age," am I too used to relying on technology when my creativity fails? Probably.

What about you? Do you feel like you rely too much on technology? What's important in finding the right balance?