From my experience as an English as a second language (ESL) teacher, interaction often involves dynamic group work and hands on activities in which students are using realia or other manipulatives in a meaningful or authentic way. For example, when students use monopoly money in a grocery store role-play, the classroom becomes a simulation of real-life events. Interactive technology, on the other hand, involves some kind of interface between the user and media. Video games, for instance, offer a chance for the player to influence the outcome of an animated story. Moreover, many applications we have used in class provide an interaction between media as well as our classmates. This effect of interactive tools, in conjunction with mobile devices, can greatly enhance the simulated nature of typical interaction found in an ESL setting.
As Prensky (2001) noted, our students are "digital natives," meaning that they were raised in the technology-driven society we find ourselves in today. They are familiar with the social aspects of the Internet and can become proficient at using apps due to their innate sense of curiosity and familiarity with the digital world. Therefore, integrating pedagogy with interactive tools and mobile devices will create more engaging lessons in which students have the opportunity to become their own teachers. Empowering students in their own learning has also been a goal of current ESL methodology. Allowing students the chance to demonstrate their skills with technology is very similar to allowing an ESL student the opportunity to speak about his or her own cultural experiences. As we design lessons with interactive tools, it is necessary that we give students the opportunity to demonstrate their 21st century skills as well as the freedom to experiment with the technology they are familiar with in order to share their own experiences.
ESL Methods & Interactive Tools and Mobile Devices
As with collaborative authoring, interactive tools allow for interaction within ESL activities. However, the difference lies in the fact that students involved in creative authoring are working towards a final product while students using mobile devices interactively are engaged in "the moment." For example, quizzes being conducted with mobile devices while answers are polled and presented on an interactive whiteboard present a new kind of "hands-on" activity. Applications accessed on mobile devices replace scripts and illustrations meant for drafting, editing, and publication; moreover, the outcomes of the activity are instantly transmitted rather than part of a processes towards a final, group-designed publication.
(This video shows how a 5th grade class can use Kahoots for a social studies review.)
Consequently, interactive activities with mobile devices provide a method for teachers to informally assess student progress while they are engaged in a fun, group activity. Moreover, as students are assessing each other with quiz applications, they are demonstrating metacognitive strategies. Students who design quizzes and other games for their classmates are using comprehension skills when they choose the content. Moreover, they are also predicting the content that will best amuse, or engage, their classmates. On the other hand, the students responding to these games are demonstrating metacognitive skills as they recognize important content. Depending on the interactive application, they could be comparing and contrasting, predicting outcomes, or differentiating possible responses. ESL teachers are trained to teach these strategies explicitly; however, one might argue that this technology allows them to acquire these skills as they use them with interactive tools and mobile devices. That being stated, at some point, ESL teachers should attempt to demonstrate that these skills can transfer to other subjects and contexts where technology is not being used. I feel that mobile devices are invaluable as students are constantly using them for personal enjoyment, and yet can also use them for enjoyment in learning. However, teachers should be able to guide their students to see where they can apply the skills gleaned from technology in other areas.
That being stated, interactive tools and mobile devices can aid ESL teachers following the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model (Echevarría, Vogt, & Short, 2013), in the successful implementation of a number of components including "interaction," "review & assessment," and "lesson delivery." The last component mentioned, "lesson delivery," involves the pacing of class time and student engagement. In a SIOP lesson, students should optimally be engaged and on-task 90% of the time. This can be accomplished when students are pacing their own lesson with the help of interactive tools while the entire class is working together with mobile devices.
(Watch this video on the "lesson delivery" component of the SIOP Model. How can interactive tools and mobile devices enhance a SIOP Lesson?)
Interactive Tools & Mobile Devices in an ESL Setting
Kahoot: This application allows teachers the ability to assess students collectively as they are answering multiple choice questions using mobile devices. Quizzes made in Kahoot are fun and ensure student engagement as every class member must submit a response before an answer is shown to the whole class. This also maintains the pace of a lesson. Students have a choice of logging onto the quiz with their own name or remaining anonymous. This feature is important for English language learners (ELLs) as confident students will feel a sense of pride when they see their names at the top of the list. On the other hand, less confident students can avoid shame if they choose a pseudonym. Students can also make quizzes for their classmates to try, thus, demonstrating their own comprehension of the content material.
Nearpod: Technology like PowerPoint presentations is often used as a supplement to teacher-centered lectures. Nearpod places these presentations in the hands of the students as they are accessing them on mobile devices. Consequently, teacher-centered lectures can be transformed into round-table discussion, thus increasing engagement through interaction. Moreover, this application allows individual students to manipulate the material being presented in order to exchange ideas. ELLs can benefit from this type of interactive discussion as it allows for more student-talk time and more comprehensible input from their peers.
Padlet: I previously mentioned Padlet as a tool for research and organization; however, it also provides an interaction among students using mobile devices. For example, a teacher could use this application to present a topic and then ask students to populate the bulletin board with links, images, videos, and other multimedia in a way that the whole class is offering their own background information. In an ESL setting, ELLs can learn from each other as they are sharing their individual knowledge of the world. In this way, schema can be greatly expanded and a larger activity can be front-loaded.
Supplemental Links
Marc Prensky - For more information about writer and educator Marc Prensky, visit his Web site.
Echevarría, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2013). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model. A. M. Ramos (Ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon 9(5). 1-6.
Overview
From my experience as an English as a second language (ESL) teacher, interaction often involves dynamic group work and hands on activities in which students are using realia or other manipulatives in a meaningful or authentic way. For example, when students use monopoly money in a grocery store role-play, the classroom becomes a simulation of real-life events. Interactive technology, on the other hand, involves some kind of interface between the user and media. Video games, for instance, offer a chance for the player to influence the outcome of an animated story. Moreover, many applications we have used in class provide an interaction between media as well as our classmates. This effect of interactive tools, in conjunction with mobile devices, can greatly enhance the simulated nature of typical interaction found in an ESL setting.
As Prensky (2001) noted, our students are "digital natives," meaning that they were raised in the technology-driven society we find ourselves in today. They are familiar with the social aspects of the Internet and can become proficient at using apps due to their innate sense of curiosity and familiarity with the digital world. Therefore, integrating pedagogy with interactive tools and mobile devices will create more engaging lessons in which students have the opportunity to become their own teachers. Empowering students in their own learning has also been a goal of current ESL methodology. Allowing students the chance to demonstrate their skills with technology is very similar to allowing an ESL student the opportunity to speak about his or her own cultural experiences. As we design lessons with interactive tools, it is necessary that we give students the opportunity to demonstrate their 21st century skills as well as the freedom to experiment with the technology they are familiar with in order to share their own experiences.
ESL Methods & Interactive Tools and Mobile Devices
As with collaborative authoring, interactive tools allow for interaction within ESL activities. However, the difference lies in the fact that students involved in creative authoring are working towards a final product while students using mobile devices interactively are engaged in "the moment." For example, quizzes being conducted with mobile devices while answers are polled and presented on an interactive whiteboard present a new kind of "hands-on" activity. Applications accessed on mobile devices replace scripts and illustrations meant for drafting, editing, and publication; moreover, the outcomes of the activity are instantly transmitted rather than part of a processes towards a final, group-designed publication.
(This video shows how a 5th grade class can use Kahoots for a social studies review.)
Consequently, interactive activities with mobile devices provide a method for teachers to informally assess student progress while they are engaged in a fun, group activity. Moreover, as students are assessing each other with quiz applications, they are demonstrating metacognitive strategies. Students who design quizzes and other games for their classmates are using comprehension skills when they choose the content. Moreover, they are also predicting the content that will best amuse, or engage, their classmates. On the other hand, the students responding to these games are demonstrating metacognitive skills as they recognize important content. Depending on the interactive application, they could be comparing and contrasting, predicting outcomes, or differentiating possible responses. ESL teachers are trained to teach these strategies explicitly; however, one might argue that this technology allows them to acquire these skills as they use them with interactive tools and mobile devices. That being stated, at some point, ESL teachers should attempt to demonstrate that these skills can transfer to other subjects and contexts where technology is not being used. I feel that mobile devices are invaluable as students are constantly using them for personal enjoyment, and yet can also use them for enjoyment in learning. However, teachers should be able to guide their students to see where they can apply the skills gleaned from technology in other areas.
That being stated, interactive tools and mobile devices can aid ESL teachers following the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model (Echevarría, Vogt, & Short, 2013), in the successful implementation of a number of components including "interaction," "review & assessment," and "lesson delivery." The last component mentioned, "lesson delivery," involves the pacing of class time and student engagement. In a SIOP lesson, students should optimally be engaged and on-task 90% of the time. This can be accomplished when students are pacing their own lesson with the help of interactive tools while the entire class is working together with mobile devices.
(Watch this video on the "lesson delivery" component of the SIOP Model. How can interactive tools and mobile devices enhance a SIOP Lesson?)
Interactive Tools & Mobile Devices in an ESL Setting
Kahoot: This application allows teachers the ability to assess students collectively as they are answering multiple choice questions using mobile devices. Quizzes made in Kahoot are fun and ensure student engagement as every class member must submit a response before an answer is shown to the whole class. This also maintains the pace of a lesson. Students have a choice of logging onto the quiz with their own name or remaining anonymous. This feature is important for English language learners (ELLs) as confident students will feel a sense of pride when they see their names at the top of the list. On the other hand, less confident students can avoid shame if they choose a pseudonym. Students can also make quizzes for their classmates to try, thus, demonstrating their own comprehension of the content material.
Nearpod: Technology like PowerPoint presentations is often used as a supplement to teacher-centered lectures. Nearpod places these presentations in the hands of the students as they are accessing them on mobile devices. Consequently, teacher-centered lectures can be transformed into round-table discussion, thus increasing engagement through interaction. Moreover, this application allows individual students to manipulate the material being presented in order to exchange ideas. ELLs can benefit from this type of interactive discussion as it allows for more student-talk time and more comprehensible input from their peers.
Padlet: I previously mentioned Padlet as a tool for research and organization; however, it also provides an interaction among students using mobile devices. For example, a teacher could use this application to present a topic and then ask students to populate the bulletin board with links, images, videos, and other multimedia in a way that the whole class is offering their own background information. In an ESL setting, ELLs can learn from each other as they are sharing their individual knowledge of the world. In this way, schema can be greatly expanded and a larger activity can be front-loaded.
Supplemental Links
Marc Prensky - For more information about writer and educator Marc Prensky, visit his Web site.
To Empower Students, Let's Bring Interactive Learning Tools into the Classroom - This article by Troy Williams gives suggestions for using technology to engage students.
References
Echevarría, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2013). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model. A. M. Ramos (Ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon 9(5). 1-6.