--- Forwarded Message from "David Pankratz" <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 11:09:28 -0500 >From: "David Pankratz" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #7633.5 High School Labs (!) Dr, Charters, Deanne, I'd like to commend you both for providing such clear and informative reasons for wanting to use the more traditional lab. It's clear that these labs are working for you and many others. I've come to the conclusion that no one way is best for everybody. I think enthusiasm plays a pivotal role in teaching and learning. Enthusiastic and committed teachers transmit that to their students, regardless of the technology. If the technology works for you, the technology works! I have never had a traditional console lab here at my school, and don't plan to implement one, but I appreciate better understanding how you use them. David Pankratz Loyola University Chicago >>> [log in to unmask] 9/28/2004 3:17:45 PM >>> --- Forwarded Message from Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]> --- >From: Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]> >Sender: [log in to unmask] >Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 09:22:36 -0600 >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #7633.4 High School Labs (!) >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> >References: <[log in to unmask]> >Disposition-Notification-To: Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]> >Return-Receipt-To: Deanne Cobb <[log in to unmask]> >Priority: HIGH Dr. Charters, I wanted to add my support for the arguments that you have made here. We have very similar qualitative results here from our use of language lab pairing/telephone. In fact, one of our instructors has had so much positive feedback from students and so much evidence of improvement in speaking skills that she not only does pairing activities in the one hour of designated lab time per week, but also books the lab for one hour of her class time per week specifically so that she can do pairing activities. In addition, since we are at a University which is experiencing classroom shortages and increased class sizes, there is an additional reason why a lab environment is more conducive to pairing: classroom assignment is not always optimal. Sometimes it is impossible for an instructor to move around the room to listen to or talk to students because of cramped conditions. It is also worth noting that it depends upon what one sees for the use of a lab. I know that at many institutions, the lab is a drop-in study centre and students visit primarily to work on their own. At our own institution, the lab hour is a scheduled lab hour with a TA and is expected to be an interactive hour with a set assignment and materials. We minimize the number of drill exercises, and encourage much more learner-centred activities which include pairing, and compositions. To this end, we believe that we are optimizing students' learning. At the same time, there is a mixture of three to four classes in the lab at the same time with one TA. Each class is working on a separate assignment. With pairing through a turn-key lab, students can work on their own class' assignment with the assistance of the TA seamlessly with one another, and the TA can effectively work with each class group from a single location. That's my two (and a half) cents. Deanne Cobb University of Regina On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 13:22:28 EDT LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > --- Forwarded Message from Duncan Charters <[log in to unmask]> --- > > >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> > >Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 22:25:30 -0500 > >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum > <[log in to unmask]> > >From: Duncan Charters <[log in to unmask]> > >Subject: Re: #7633.2 High School Labs (!) > > >I'm curious why you want the computers to > >facilitate this rather demanding technical task over simply having > >students speak face-to-face? Are you pairing students up over a > >distance, such as between different schools? If not, what do the > >computers add to this activity that is not present in simply pairing > >students up face-to-face? > > > >-John > >___________________________________________ > >John de Szendeffy > > I regularly pair students up in the classroom for conversation practice, > but noticed that they are much more excited about it when we do this in the > lab. So I asked colleagues who got the same reaction, observed what was > happening, and surveyed the students. There certainly seems to be enough > reason to try to incorporate this feature in any new lab arrangement, for > at least the following "top 10" reasons (a few may not apply in every lab > situation): > > 1. It's different, a change in the typical class pace and routine. > 2. A lot of face-to-face communication is non-verbal. When practicing > language in a lab situation, you can focus on the verbal task without other > distractions. > 3. Students tend to stay on task more rather than lapsing into English or > kidding with their friends when the teacher is not right next to them. > 4. The teacher can monitor them any time without their knowing, and > intervene and correct without other students being aware or being disturbed > by that. The teacher can spend more time with those in need without others > noticing. > 5. Students seem much less intimidated knowing that other people are not > watching them, or eavesdropping and hearing their mistakes, so they tend to > speak more freely. Students (especially middle-high school) can be very > conscious of how they look and sound to their peers in a group. > 6. It's fun not knowing who your new partner is, so practice of greeting > questions happens naturally where it wouldn't make sense in face-to-face > class work. It keeps interest and anticipation high. > 7. The constant "buzz" of everyone talking in a class situation makes it > harder for students to focus on what their partner is saying and understand > it, especially when they are struggling to express themselves and respond > to questions and statements. There is little such distraction with > headsets, even less where there is some isolation between positions. > 8. By switching pairs, all students can talk to all other students in the > class without constantly moving themselves or their chairs around. They > stay in touch with everyone in the class and can get information quickly > from each one if doing a survey or checking on others' reactions. > 9. One of the most challenging tasks in a foreign country is communicating > on the phone when one has had practice only with face-to-face > communication. Students who have practiced this a lot in the lab find that > situation more natural and familiar. > 10. With the newer full-feature labs that have "telephone dialing" > capability, the teacher can allow students to take control of their own > communication when appropriate, so practice can become less > teacher-directed when students have shown they have learned the material. > Free (or freer) conversation can follow guided practice seamlessly with one > quick announcement to all of the change. > > > > > Dr. Duncan Charters > Professor, Language Department > Principia College, Elsah, IL 62028-9799 > Telephone: (618) 374-5252 Fax: (618) 374-5465 > E-mail: <[log in to unmask]> Deanne Cobb Language Lab Manager Language Resource Centre University of Regina