What can we learn from ESL learners at the Harvard Bridge Program?

About US

My two other colleagues and I work on the ESL mobile team for the Fall semester 2016. Our goal is to enhance ESL learning using mobile devices.

The Harvard Bridge Program

One of the perks of working on the ESL team is that I get to sit in many ESL classes at the Harvard Bridge Program which is a great asset for someone like me aspiring to become an ESL teacher. The HBP is an adult education and training program open all Harvard University staff and faculty as well as the employees of most Harvard contractors working on campus. The class I sat in was a level 2.5 class intermediate in speaking, writing and literacy. The majority of the class are Spanish speakers and had very few years of formal schooling.

For new teachers of ESL, you might be wondering why aren’t ESL learners using tech to aid their learning? If you do wish to increase tech usage in the classroom, you might want to consider the following to form a more suited plan for the students. 

According to the survey my colleague and I conducted on students at HBP, the majority of them actually have access to smartphones. Student engagement level and motivation are very high in class. What then is preventing them from using their phones to learn English?

Based on interview with the experienced ESL instructor who has been teaching for over 10+ years, it became clear that students’ visual and literacy level is very low. While we use comas, periods or exclamation mark with ease, these students have a hard time understanding these common punctuations. Complex interfaces that contain diagrams and bullets might be difficult for these students to comprehend.

While we try to develop quizlet sets for students, the instructor was quick to point out that we should choose vocab that fits into their socioeconomic context and their knowledge inventory. Many apps we see in ITunes now are they using words that suit the students’ needs in daily conversations or could they be too advanced that may become a chore for them to memorize?

From a more logistical standpoint, these students might face problems setting up email and accounts for a particular app. To solve this problem, we organized workshops and provided the students detailed instructions of where to find and install the app.

When conducting surveys of the students, survey questionnaires are also intentionally designed in simple English fashion to avoid misconceptions.

In conclusion, ESL learners are a crowd of highly motivated and committed individuals trying to improve their living quality by learning as an adult. As educators it is important to be aware of those common challenges and design tech intervention that takes into account of their education profile.

 

 

The Use of Online Games in English Learning for ESL Teachers and Students

Learning by playing can be fun, especially for beginners who may get frustrated easily. For ESL teachers, there are websites where they can create their own games and use them in classroom teaching. In this way, ESL teachers can have games that are tailored to their own needs, which would enhance student motivation, hence are likely to improve students’ academic performance. For ESL students, there are also websites offering games that can be easily navigated. In this way, students can practice what they have learnt in class by themselves at home and possibly expand their vocabulary in a relaxing manner.

Below are three website we would like to recommend to both ESL teachers and students:

Quizlet (www.quizlet.com)

Quizlet is an online learning tool that lets registered users create sets of terms customized for their own needs. It is intended to help students with language memorization and can be studied under several study modes, like flashcards and matching games. With Quizlet, both ESL teachers and students can create their own on the go study guides. It can be used directly through its website or as an app through mobile devices.

So far, we have created content for level 1 students, which includes parts of body, transportation, personal items and appliances. Feel free to search “HGSET561” on Quizlet for the sets that we’ve created or visit https://quizlet.com/hgset561.

Kahoot! (www.getkahoot.com)

Kahoots are hands-on learning games that will make any classroom experience exciting! Each game includes a series of multiple choice questions which could include videos, images or diagrams. Kahoots! amplify engagement through competition, points, and social interactions with peers.

Teachers can sign up a Kahoot account and create their own Kahoot games. During class time, teachers can log in their account and generate a game pin for the specific game to be used in the class. Students can then go to https://kahoot.it/#/ on their mobile devices and enter the game pin. Below is what Kahoot looks like on the projector screen and on students’ mobile devices respectively.

Games to Learn English (https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/)

Games to Learn English is a hobby site developed by Owen Dwyer, who works for a university in Anhui province in Central China. The aim of this site is provide a place for students to practice English in an engaging and fun way. A lot of other similar site are more geared towards providing teachers with resources to give to their students, but the intention this site is to be a resource that language learners can use independently.

The games are aimed at a relatively low level of English with pretty much all the content being around elementary level. A lot of the vocabulary content would probably even be more like introductory or pre-elementary level.

About the Author:

Xiaoke Kang is an Ed.M. candidate in the Human Development and Psychology program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is interested in exploring ways technology, especially Podcasts, mobile apps and online games, can be used to enhance ESL students’ learning experience. Her passion is helping EdTech companies headquartered in the US expand in the Chinese market through the design of customized products and the implementation of flexible localization strategies.

Mobile Apps for Adult ESL Learners to Practice Pronunciation and Speaking

Mobile Apps for Adult ESL Learners to Practice Pronunciation and Speaking 

Language is all about communication. However, many non-native English speakers fail to communicate and confuse listeners with incorrect pronunciation, intonation, or stressed syllables. To make one’s utterances comprehensible to others, it is particularly important for ESL students to learn correct articulation and intonation methods of modern English.

If you want to be able to speak clear and understandable English, check out these Apps we recommend for practicing pronunciation and speaking. These are mobile apps with short clips and games, all of which you can watch during your spare time or commute time.

Phonetics & Pronunciation

(Android App)  #1- English Pronunciation by KEPHAM

English Pronunciation is an excellent app that teaches pronunciation symbols and sounds. Below are some of the benefits of using English Pronunciation.

• It teaches pronunciation symbols and sounds in a very structured and well-designed way. (Short vowels, Long vowels, Double vowel sounds, Voiced consonants, Voiceless consonants and Other consonants)
• You can hear the correct pronunciation with examples in a short tutorial video and repeat after a native speaker.
• Provides mouth diagrams and written descriptions, explaining the right ways to pronounce a word
• There are practice lessons where you can check if you are able to tell the differences between distinct sounds. You can check your understanding of pronunciation and listening skills at the same time!

I tried to find an equivalent of English Pronunciation among iPhone apps. There are apps that offer similar learning experience for users.

(iPhone/iPad App) #2- The American English Pronunciation Tutor by Language Arts Press

The American English Pronunciation Tutor consists of lessons that teach vowels, consonants, word stress, and sentence stress. The lessons compare sounds that can be confusing for non-native speakers, such as front vowels (feet vs kid, game vs bed vs hat), central vowels (truck vs hot), and back vowels (shoe vs book, boat vs dog). After watching a tutorial video, users can check whether they can hear the sounds of American English accurately or not by completing the listening quiz. The app also offers speech recognition exercises, where users will say a word and make the necessary changes to improve their articulation and clarity until they attain the correct sound.

(iPhone/Android App) #3- Pronunciation Power by ECLI

Pro Power also provides phonemic chart where users can hear the 52 sounds of the English Language. It also shows the front and side view of a mouth with short descriptions on how to move your lips, jaw, and tongue to make certain sounds.

(iPhone/iPad App) #4- English File Pronunciation by Oxford

English File Pronunciation has practice games where users will hear a word and have to tap the sound they hear in that word. Once you learn all the sounds from Pro Power, you can download English File Pronunciation and check if you can understand each sound correctly.

Criteria for Choosing Pronunciation Apps

• Do they teach basics of pronunciation?

I found apps that teach IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), helping English language learners enunciate each sound correctly.

• Do they provide both audio and visual learning materials?

To learn pronunciation, learners not only need to hear the correct sound, but also need visual information so that they can better understand how to move their mouth and tongue to make a correct sound.

• Do they offer exercises or practice games in which you can check your learning progress?

It is always good to check what you’ve learned in the end! Apps selected here offer review sessions where you can evaluate your understanding.

Speaking in General

(Android App)  #1- Talking English with Partner by MagikHub

Talking English with Partner is an app that allows you to speak with a video character. Sample conversations recorded by native speakers are provided. First, users choose their preferred roles in a conversation and begin reading a script. Your conversation will then be recorded, after which you can compare your speaking with that of native speakers. This app is an excellent tool for improving your speaking skills, as you can reflect how your speaking sounds to others and try to emulate native speakers’ speech patterns.

• It offers 40+ conversations with 13+ topics
• Conversations are short so it takes only a few minutes a day.
• You can learn expressions frequently used in daily conversations and it’s all free!

(iPhone/iPad App) #2- English Pronunciation – Otterwave By Ottercall INC

Otterwave is a speech recognition technology which allows non-native speakers to compare their own tone and pronunciation with that of native speakers. However, it does not provide sentence translation for other languages. Therefore, Otterwave is recommended for intermediate or high proficiency users who already grasp the meanings of the sentences provided.

• First, users listen to a sample sentence recorded by a native speaker.
• Once you record your speech after the listening portion, you can compare your recording with that of a native speaker.
• Speaker recognition technology will analyze the pronunciation and timing of your speech.

These are some of applications we found to be useful, but there are many others out there. Hope you stay tuned and enjoy your journey of mobile English learning!

Criteria for Choosing Speaking Apps

• Do they make users actually “speak”?

To improve your speaking skills, you need to “speak” as much as possible and feel comfortable making sounds. Therefore, I chose apps that encourage users to speak out.

• Do they have recording functions?

One way to improve your speaking skill is to listen to your own speech and understand how you sound to others. Apps selected here offer recording functions so that learners can evaluate their own pronunciation and intonation.

Leveraging context: Creating a “language bubble”

Download a version of this article in Spanish or Portuguese.

If you are a foreign language teacher, you have probably already figured out by now that there is not just one path to fluency. Instead, each student must create his/her own path with a combination of different language learning techniques and in doing so, the student must acknowledge his/her learning goals, how he/she learns best, and what it is that he/she already knows.

There are many techniques you can use to help your students succeed in achieving fluency. One of these techniques is creating your own “language bubble.” This strategy consists of substituting your native language in day-to-day activities for your target language as much as you possibly can. There is only so much time you can devote to formal learning before your brain gets tired, and also, one of the most common barriers to learning a foreign language tends to be a lack of time to devote to instructional activities. Thus, the reason why this technique is particularly effective is that you are basically “tricking” yourself into having more contact time with your target language without taking any extra time out of your already-busy day.

There are many ways to go about creating a language bubble, the most common of which are:

1. Change your phone, computer, Facebook and email settings to your target language. You will be surprised at how many new words you will learn, and most of the vocabulary you acquire is transferrable to a wide array of settings. On your mobile phone, set Siri (iPhone) or Google Now (on Android phones) to your target language: since they understand, process and speak natural language, these assistants are a great way to practice your speaking skills (especially if you are at a beginner/pre-intermediate level) in a non-threatening context.

2. Listen to music in your target language. This one’s easy if your target language is English. But for any other languages, whether it’s on Spotify, Apple Music, or good old iTunes, you can easily find great collections of music in almost every language. Whatever music genre you already spend time listening to, you can find an equivalent performer in your target language. Listening to local music is also a great way to become acquainted with the culture, as an essential part of language learning is understanding the cultural context in which the language occurs.

3. Read the news, watch TV and listen to radio in your target language. If you read the news every morning, read it in your target language. If you watch a show before you go to bed, watch a show in your target language. Sometimes you may not find a show that you like in that language and if you are anything like me, you probably hate dubbed versions of shows and films. A way around this is to at least watch whatever you want with subtitles in your target language, and intentionally reading them.

4. Read books or comics in your target language. If you like reading, books are great once you have reached at least an intermediate level. Otherwise, comic books are great if you are learning at a less advanced level, as the images provide a great graphical support and context for the text.

5. Any other ideas you can come up with. Think of all the activities that you do every day, and try to see which ones you can do in your target language, and how. Always keep in mind that the key to this technique is not adding any extra activities to your schedule, but replacing activities that you already do in your native language with the same activity in your target language as much as you can.

If you find any other original ways of creating a language bubble, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below.

There’s an App for That

There’s an App for That- 3 Free Apps for Adult ESL Learners

Adults are constantly on the go. They need flexible learning opportunities so they can practice learning English wherever and whenever. Check out these Apps we recommend for learning English (or many other languages) on the go.

#1- Speak English (Android App)

Speak English is an excellent app that offers a variety of learning opportunities for adults learning English. Below are some of the benefits of using Speak English.

• It has various levels—beginner and advanced.
• Offers users a chance to learn language skills for job interviews and a work environment.
• Focuses on vocabulary for adult learners (job skills, traveling, interviewing, customer service, etc.)
• Allows users the opportunity to listen, speak, and compare their responses to the exemplar.
• It’s free and easy-to-use!

#2- Speak and Translate (iPhone/iPad App)

Speak and Translate is an easy-to-use app that anyone can use on an iPhone or iPad. With this app, users can talk directly into their phone and receive an accurate translation. The translation is written down and read to them by an automated voice. Below are some reasons why this app is an excellent tool for adults trying to learn another language.

• Provides quick translations for when you need to communicate something immediately.
• Offers translations in a variety of languages.
• Removes many communication barriers.
• Easy-to-use and completely free!

#3- Bussu (Works online and on most phones)

Bussu is a complete language acquisition program. It assesses learners and provides various activities to help users grow in the areas they struggle with most. Below are some ways Bussu can help English Language Learners.

• Develops every aspect of language acquisition (includes a wide array of vocabulary etc.).
• Users can practice reading, writing, and speaking English all in one app.
• Users can assess their progress by completing quizzes and activities.
• It is completely free and can be used on a variety of devices.

The beauty of apps is that each user can select the tool that best fits their level and needs as a learner. These are just three applications we found to be useful, but there are many others out there.

This post was written by Bobbi.

Smartphones in America

Earlier this month, the Pew Research Center wrote an article that briefly explained six facts about Americans and smartphones.  Nearly two-thirds of adults in America own a smartphone (about 64%), and of this percentage, “younger adults, minorities, and lower-income depend on their smartphone for Internet access.”  You can read the full article here: www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/01/6-facts-about-americans-and-their-smartphones/

With these and other striking statistics, it becomes more evident that mobile devices like smartphones have the capacity to potentially shift language learning in America.  Even though costs may drive some adults to cancel their cell phone plans, there are still many others who don’t, because it is almost their life support.  We could tap into this resource and truly help those learning ESL, without possibly spending more money than they already do for their data plans.  Of course, there are many caveats to this statement, but the sentiment remains:

Let’s harness the power of mobile devices to change the landscape of language learning.

This post was written by Ji-Sun.

Learning with Quizlet

A component of our research involves creating flashcard sets for instructors to use in conjunction with their lessons and determining the efficacy of Quizlet as a study aid for adult ESL students. Quizlet is an online learning tool that allows users to generate flashcard sets. Using Quizlet as a memorization aid is especially valuable because, as educators are aware, students learn and memorize in different ways. To accommodate various learning processes, Quizlet offers a variety of study modes from which students can choose the ones that most appeal to them.

And, of course, the practicality of the Quizlet mobile app is that it allows users to access many flashcard sets without the burden of carrying them around at all times. This lets students utilize all of those spare moments in the day, like a lunch break or waiting at a bus stop, as study time to brush up on some terms.

Arguably one of the greatest features is that other users may access the prepared flashcard sets and that students can also make their own sets. In addition, flashcard “terms” are not limited to words. Users can upload images or even audio clips, which are especially useful for language acquisition, particularly for students who might not have native English speaker family member at home who can quiz them.

We are in the process of creating more sets and hope to utilize all of these features, but in the meantime, please explore what we have created so far. Search our username (hgset561) at quizlet.com.

This post was written by Nareen.

Top 5 Reasons to Tryout Duolingo

As someone who has struggled to learn Spanish for nearly ten plus years, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my skills. Duolingo is an easy-to-use tool that makes learning a different language fun. Here are the top five reasons why Duolingo is an excellent tool for language acquisition.

#1- Individualized

Duolingo individualizes each learning experience based on the user. Once each user signs up for an account, they take a diagnostic test in the language they want to learn. This pre-assessment helps guide the activities and instruction based on each learner’s needs. With the busy schedule of adult learners, it is essential to make the most of their time by focusing on the content they need the most help with.

#2- Mobile Access

There’s an app for that! Duolingo has an excellent app, which makes it easy for users to learn on the go. Any free minute in the day can now be used to practice learning English (or the language of your choice).

#3- Making Learning Fun

Duolingo does a wonderful job gamifying the learning experience. Participants gain points for completing different activities in order to “level up” and progress through various stages. In addition, users can challenge their friends and make Duolingo a collaborative learning experience.

 #4- Variety of Activities

On Duolingo, participants can: study vocabulary flashcards, participate in online discussions, practice pronunciation, challenge their friends, analyze current news articles, and so much more. The variety of activities gives agency to the learner, which is extremely important for adult learners who value self-direction in their learning process.

#5- It’s Free!

Never underestimate the value of a free resource. When there are so many other things to pay for, it is nice to have a quality tool that is completely free. No one-week trial and then automatic deduction from your credit card—absolutely free.

This post was written by Bobbi

A Brief Literature Review: ESL and Mobile Devices

In this age of mobile technology and apps, you can do almost anything on your phone – even learn a new language. This is called mobile learning. Mobile learning is a learning method in which users utilize mobile devices for their learning (Rezaei & Mai, 2013). Numerous studies and papers have been published that explain the power of mobile learning, specifically for English as a second language. Below are just a few that we have read to give us a better understanding of the technology-in-ESL conversation.

Published in 1999, Christopher Hopey explained and predicted the causes for a technology boom, the reality of adult learners’ situations, and implementation strategies for using technologies in adult education.  His article, Technology and Adult Education: Rising Expectations, while written almost 16 years ago, still resonates with the current state of adult learners in the United States.  Many adults, especially those who are not proficient in the English language, will not enroll in a traditional adult education program (1999).  And while there seems to be an ever-increasing improvements in technologies, many adult learners still need outside support and resources in order to learn as much as possible through these advanced tools.

Fast forward 12 years, and we read Nancy Ball’s article, Technology in Adult ESOL Classes (2011).  An English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher at the time, Ball explains the benefits of using technology in the ESOL classroom.  For example, technology creates access to more and diverse listening exercises for ESL and ESOL students.  Technology can provide instant feedback, which furthers learning and can become self-paced. Ball continues to suggest some strategies to implement technology in the adult ESOL classroom:

1. Plan.
2. Train with the technology.
3. Have technical support.
4. Have leadership on board.
5. Gain resources. Technology is expensive, as Ball reminds us. But with smart phones becoming more accessible, imagine how many adult learners are attending ESOL classes with them.

Lastly, in the 2013 article, Enhancing ESL Vocabulary Development Through the Use of Mobile Technology, authors Deanna Nisbet and Dayna Austin describe how mobile devices such as smart phones can be an effective tool for adult ESL learners.  Nisbet and Austin present the more current situation of adult ESL learners.  Research has found that the average native English high school graduate knows about 40,000 to 50,000 words.  In traditional ESOL classes, learning vocabulary is limited and difficult for a multitude of reasons. Therefore, by incorporating mobile devices for vocabulary instruction allows ESOL teachers to spend class time teaching grammar or other skills.  Mobile devices allows ESOL students to study vocabulary whenever they want, wherever they want.

Much more research about the effectiveness of technology in the classroom is available online.  I highly encourage those interested in ESL and mobile learning to at least skim through these articles (my apologies if you cannot access them).  With mobile technologies continuing to decrease in price, and with the potential benefits for incorporating mobile devices for ESL vocabulary learning, we may see a shift in ESL learning within the coming years.

This post was written by Ji-Sun.

The English Language Hurdle

According to the United States Census 2009-2013, at least 12.9% of people, ages 5 years and older, speak a language other than English at home.  With this number expected to grow, many issues of education also continue to escalate: How do American educators best serve their English learners in the classroom? How do American educators best serve their adult English learners, when many of them must work long hours each week to pay for rent and groceries and have little time to study English?

English as a second language (ESL) presents itself as a major hurdle.  Even with ESL classes available, many adults are unable to attend consistently, give their full, 100% attention to the class, and/or have the resources or connections to help them succeed. While many may not have access to ESL classes due to a variety of reasons (cost, time, distance, location, etc), many do have access to mobile devices, such as smart phones.

We believe that mobile learning can help change the landscape of English language learning here in the United States. Through our efforts, we hope to start and continue the conversation of mobile learning with ESOL teachers, students, and researchers, helping many to overcome this hurdle.

This post was written by Ji-Sun.