2018 STARTALK Spring Conference

DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY-

BASED INTERPERSONAL TASKS

Putting Standards Front and Center:Technology as the Core of Standards-Based Arabic Instruction

Iman Hashem, Brandon Zaslow

SESSION OUTCOMES

• I can analyze various technology-based interpersonal tasks and rate their efficacy.

• I can identify various technologies that facilitate real-world interpersonal communication.

• I can suggest a technology-based interpersonal task and discuss the steps needed to carry it out.

Facilitating a Learner-Centered Classroom

the teacher acts as a partner with students in the learning process, providing input and modeling output, guiding and enabling communication, facilitating collaborative practice, and giving feedback to develop independent performance.

The teacher engages learners in cognitively challenging real-world tasks.

The teacher provides multiple opportunities for learners to collaborate in pair and small group activities interpreting and expressing ideas about topics of interest to them. There is frequent student-to-student interaction.

The teacher makes instructional decisions based on learner’s performance and allows for ongoing feedback from a variety of sources to improve learner’s performance.

STARTALK Connections: Principles

• Facilitating a Learner-Centered Classroom

– Engaging learners in meaningful and purposeful communication.

– Preparing students to use the language in real-world activities

– Engaging students in problem solving

– Focusing on 21st Century Skills

WHY THIS SESSION?

What is Interpersonal Communication?

• What technology

programs/applications

facilitate interpersonal

communication?

What is Interpersonal Communication?

Learners interact and negotiate meaning inspoken, signed, or written conversations and share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.

Interpersonal Communication

Is often based on information acquired in the interpretive mode.

May occur face-to-face or in a virtual environment.

Is unrehearsed, unrefined, unscripted (not a memorized dialogue, conversation or skit.)

Requires participants to initiate, maintain, and sustain a conversation through a series of turns that require active negotiation of meaning.

Is two way communication that may involve listening, speaking, reading or writing often through texting, or signing for users of sign language.

Requires participants to observe and monitor one another to see how their intentions and meanings are being communicated, thereby permitting adjustments and clarifications.

Source: Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century

STARTALK 2017 8

Sample Interpersonal Tasks

Making online purchases: food, clothing, furniture, etc.

Planning a trip, a party with others: who does what, gets what, with whom, how, and

where

Discussing plans with others

Interacting with friends using social media

Interviewing others

Discussing the content of a film

Solving collaborative problems

Read and Evaluate

• You received a grant to go during the summer and spend time at an Arab country. Talk to your e-pal/cousin are planning to visit an Arab country (heritage) about places you can visit and activities you can do.

Choosing the Appropriate Technology

Think - Discuss - Share

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION IS NOT

ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE .

Watch and Reflect

Compare and contrast the level of

complexity of the language, of the tasks

and their level of independence:

WhatsApp: Morning Greeting .

Students greet each other, ask how they are doing,about the weather using WhatsApp

Keeping the End in Mind

Students skype with Arabs in the Arabic speaking world or with Arab Americans. They greet them in culturally appropriate ways, being polite by asking how they are. They introduce themselves, then ask and answer questions regarding favorite foods, films, cars, TV shows, hobbies, etc.

Watch and Reflect

Identify the challenges students face when using language with

native speakers who are not aware of what students know and are

able to do with the language.

Interpersonal Activities Rubric

Rate the activities/tasks from 1-5Require students to exchange information

Require culturally-appropriate language use

Are spontaneous

Are not memorized or scripted.

Simulate real-world communication

LESSONS LEARNED

• Identify technologies/programs that facilitate interpersonal communication.

• Create meaningful tasks that are suitable for student age and level of proficiency.

• Identify the language, content and the cultural practices necessary to achieve this task.

• Provide students with input, practice, and strategies in order to successfully complete the interpersonal tasks.

CHALLENGES

• Getting excited about using the technology and compromising use of the target language.

• Designing meaningful , age and stage-appropriate interpersonal tasks.

• Moving from input to output. (Getting students ready for the interpersonal tasks)

• When connecting with native speakers, encouraging native speakers use target language (not English) that is comprehensible to learners.

BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPANTS

Using Padlet to write comments

https://padlet.com/ihashem/startalkspringconference2018

What technology-based interpersonal task you would use with your students?

What language, content and cultural knowledge or practices are needed to successfully accomplish the task.

What are the steps necessary to ensure student success with the interpersonal task?

www.ocwlp.org

http://www.ocwlp.org/startalk-infrastructure

Iman Hashem

ihashem@oxy.edu

Brandon Zaslowbzaslow@oxy.edu