Distance learning of foreign languages

White, Cynthia

doi:10.1017/s0261444806003727

Cited by 114 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…Additionally, the various socio-cultural (external) and psychological (internal) aspects which influence the transition from FTF to BL, remain under-examined (White, 2006). Furthermore, there remains a lack of information on the perceptions of teachers and the roles they play in BL environments; without an understanding of these, the creation of effective BL courses is difficult (Grgurovic, 2010).…”

Section: "The Emergence Of a Host Of New Ways Of Organizing Language mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The literature has yet to confirm real improvements, not merely in language learning, but also in terms of language pedagogy. As White (2006) notes, there is still a tendency among teachers to allow technological tools to direct or shape their instructional choices, rather than technology serving pedagogical aims.…”

Section: Observe "It Is Not Only the Quest Of What Ict To Blend In Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of these, the most pertinent for my own context would be to further research the latter, as comparisons of the learning outcomes of traditional and BLL courses, the various socio-cultural and psychological aspects which mediate the transition from FTF to online learning, seem to remain as yet unexamined (White, 2006). In this literature review, I have frequently recognized the need for training, coupled with the fostering of teacher satisfaction, comfort and understanding of how BL can complement their current methods and practices.…”

Section: Observe "It Is Not Only the Quest Of What Ict To Blend In Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Successful Incorporation of Blended Learning Into the Language Curriculum

Simpson

2016

Adv Educ

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A phenomenon attracting increasing attention in language curricula is the infusion of technology into traditional, face-to-face (FTF) language instruction. Nevertheless, computer-assisted language learning (CALL) still lacks a body of qualitative research on the notion of blended learning (BL). Particularly, what is lacking is information regarding teachers' perceptions of blended learning, or the roles they are expected to play in such mixed environments; without an understanding of these issues, the creation of new and effective BL curricula is extremely difficult (Grgurovic,2010). That said, much research has been conducted comparing learning outcomes in traditional and blended foreign language classes, although the various socio-cultural (external) and psychological (internal) aspects governing the successful transition of both teachers and learners from FTF to online learning remain unexamined (White,2006). This literature review consequently focuses on the infusion of technology into the language curriculum, specifically in relation to BL, with three purposes in mind: to a) exemplify teacher perspectives on BL; b) their effective transition from FTF to technologicallyenhanced instruction; and c) examine those factors which are identified as the reasons for teachers having effectively implemented the technological components into a blended curriculum.Keywords: Blended learning; hybrid courses; educational technology. Introduction.As societies change in response to challenges in the social, political and economic arenas, so do their education systems (Kelly, 2009 (Smith & O'Day, 1990, in Means, 2008 This embracing of technology within language teaching has fostered numerous teaching and learning practices. As far as tertiary education, in which I teach, is concerned, great strides have been made in investigating the possibilities of BL. The main reasons for this are the need to: be flexible in delivering education; address the challenges of geographic distance, and; deliver higher education on a global scale (Bach, Haynes and Smith, 2006). Consequently, BL, the model that integrates online with traditional FTF learning, has become a favored strategy of many English preparatory university programs in attempting to meet the requirements of language learners, institutions, and local and national educational authorities.Despite the wealth of research illustrating the multifarious difficulties of implementing technology-mediated innovation, systematic analysis of the roles, perceptions and practices of language teachers in BL models is lacking. As Shelley et al. (2006, p. 2) note:

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Section: "The Emergence Of a Host Of New Ways Of Organizing Language mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Observe "It Is Not Only the Quest Of What Ict To Blend In Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Observe "It Is Not Only the Quest Of What Ict To Blend In Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Successful Incorporation of Blended Learning Into the Language Curriculum

Simpson

2016

Adv Educ

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“…Students with language learning and reading disabilities are likely to be delayed, relative to their peers, in vocabulary development, including morphological knowledge and awareness (Fowler & Liberman, 1995;Windsor, 2000). Furthermore, students who are English language learners (ELLs) face particular challenges learning English vocabulary and benefit from instruction in word-learning strategies including morphological analysis (White, 2006). Leaving morphological analysis to be discovered by students on their own means that those who are in some way challenged by language learning are likely to be left behind their peers in the development of vocabulary, word reading, and reading comprehension.…”

Section: Review Of the Related Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Instruction in Deriving Word Meaning on Incidental Vocabulary Learning in EFL Context

Shahrzad¹,

Derakhshan²

2011

WJEL

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A solid body of research findings substantiates that most vocabulary, in first, second or foreign language, is acquired incidentally which is defined as learning vocabulary as a by-product of any activity not explicitly geared to vocabulary learning. Therefore, the present study mainly focused on the impact of instruction and intervention in deriving word meaning on incidental vocabulary learning in EFL context; secondly, it aimed to find out whether the contextualized words that appear with more clues learned better and consequently kept longer; finally, it sought to explore whether instruction could lead to increase in incidental vocabulary learning in the text. To these ends, 50 freshmen Iranian college students from Teacher Training University of Azerbaijan participated in this study. These students enrolled for the reading class in two separate semesters. The results of the TOEFL and Vocabulary Level Test (VLT) revealed that the participants enjoyed approximately the same level of proficiency. There were two post-tests which were taken at certain time intervals. The results of this study showed that the instruction in deriving word meaning had positive effect on students' incidental vocabulary learning. Also it was concluded that students should meet the words in contextualized forms more frequently in order to keep and retain them in the long run.

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“…Language teachers and SLA researchers have, since the 1960s, attempted to investigate and incorporate technology in language education, leading to the emergence of specialist fields such as computer-assisted-language-learning (CALL) and (more recently) mobile-assisted-language-learning (MALL). With the maturation of these academic fields, the emphasis has shifted to investigating the learning process and the ways in which technology can enhance or support this, rather than on the technologies themselves in line with the development in other subject domains (White, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Information Language Learning with Mobile Technology - Does it Work?

Reinders¹,

Cho²

2012

JSLTR

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There are many theories that attempt to explain second language acquisition processes and factors determining success or failure. Despite a lack of general agreement between proponents of these theories, research has convincingly shown that the amount of exposure to target language input is one important predictor of ultimate achievement levels. "Time on task" is as important in language learning as it is in many other domains (cf. Reber, 1993) and it is therefore important to identify ways in which this can be increased. An obvious possibility is to encourage learners to engage with (and in) the language outside the classroom. Informal learning, in the sense of learning outside of formal education, has been shown to be a major aspect of adult learning (Cross, 2007) and, given appropriate preparation and support, learners can greatly increase opportunities for learning if they can do so independently. Mobile technologies have obvious potential in this regard. However, is it possible to improve language skills in this way? In this article we report on an exploratory study into the use of cellphones for extensive listening practice. We used input enhancement to draw learners" attention to not only the meaning of the materials but also the formal (grammatical) aspects of the input. We found that the use of mobile technology presented a number of challenges and in this study did not result in learners acquiring the target structures. We conclude with a number of recommendations for the use and future study of mobile technologies for (language) learning.

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Distance learning of foreign languages

Cited by 114 publications

References 86 publications

The Successful Incorporation of Blended Learning Into the Language Curriculum

The Successful Incorporation of Blended Learning Into the Language Curriculum

The Effect of Instruction in Deriving Word Meaning on Incidental Vocabulary Learning in EFL Context

Enhancing Information Language Learning with Mobile Technology - Does it Work?

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