A Case Study of Communication Enhancing Technology Involving

A Case Study of Communication Enhancing Technology Involving Language Faculty and CLS Pilar Asensio Ame Cividanes March 25, 2011 Department of Spanish and Portuguese Yale University

Yale Summer Session Immersion Course

Two Pilot-Projects conducted in the 8 -week Immersion course Facebook: The creation, design, implementation, and results of a Facebook component in an 8 -week, study abroad immersion class. OPI Testing in an immersion program: Creation of project, questions used in the OPI test, and impact and results.

Characteristics of the Summer Intensive Language Program Teaching an immersion course of any type with the characteristics of this Yale program abroad (18 students, one month of intensive language study on the home campus before one month abroad, homestays) requires creating a strong group bond in which the social dynamic of the course can be crucial to the students having a positive or negative experience abroad.

Integration of Facebook in the Syllabus Homework: Readings and written homework assignments are to be prepared before class, as indicated in the syllabus. Keep in mind that careful review of the vocabulary and at least two readings of each text are necessary in order to fully comprehend the assigned material. Late homework will not be accepted. Workbook assignments will be checked on Friday, and will receive a grade. Film guides will also be required, and will be reviewed and graded by your instructor. An additional aspect to the Homework grade is the participation on the Facebook Wall. You are required to post at least 10 posts in SPANISH on the page in June and 10 posts on the page in July.

Positive Aspects of Facebook Integration Facebook better than email Worked extremely well abroad Study for final exam, one student asked the relationship of one character to another One warned of credit card fraud while making reservations for a hostel Was able to be used to see how well students were emotionally, psychologically coping with a new cultural environment (student had a difficultural adaptation, then found a gym, got a haircut, and began taking ‘small steps’ towards cultural adaptation) Birthday, wish each other well Insights on host family Gives the professor a glimpse at what the student is doing The students supported one another

Negative Aspects of Facebook Integration Student Privacy (although students did not “friend” others outside of the group, the students still could see each others personal pages) New Haven didn’t work as well (perhaps not ready linguistically, comments were simple and ‘forced’) Fishbowl effect, no contact with others, just the group. Number of posts in New Haven too many (perhaps 5 posts in New Haven) Can say the same things at the beginning of class Not a linguistic tool, not paragraph interactions, but the students did respect accents; we were able to see usage of subjunctive and other more complex structures Role of professor as ‘Big Brother’

Intermediate Student: The Adolescent Teaching Literary Texts at the Intermediate Level: A Structured Input Approach. (2001) by Stacy Katz “…the intermediate level can be viewed as an awkward, in-between stage. At the intermediate level, one finds an identity crisis like that which happens in adolescence: the students are not yet mature nor are they children. In addition, they progress through this stage of development at different rates. ”

Self-Ethnography Alvesson (1999) "self-ethnography is a study and a text in which the researcherauthor describes the cultural scene in which he / she is an active participant, more or less on equal terms with those of other participants. ” The importance of self-ethnographic narrative is crucial in making the student author and subject of his own inquiry process and experiences.

Foreign Language Teaching Ability to interpret and enact appropriate social behaviors. Requires the active involvement of the learner in the production of the TL. (Canale and Swain 1980; Celce-Murcia et al. 1995; Hymes 1972)

Communicative competence Linguistic competence Sociolinguistic competence Pragmatic competence Strategic competence

Principle 1 Use Tasks as an Organizational Principle

Principle 2 Promote Learning by Doing

Principle 3 Input Needs to Be Rich Authentic materials to reflect reallife situations and demands Maximize the use of the TL Comprehensible and elaborated input

Principle 4 Promote Cooperative and Collaborative Learning

Principle 5 Focus on Form

Principle 6 Recognize and Respect Affective Factors of Learning

OPI Testing 1. 2. 3. Narrative Opinion Problem solving 30 seconds to mentally prepare an answer 2 complete minutes to record

Monday, May 31, 2010 Describe un día típico aquí en Yale. En un programa de inmersión, ¿crees que es mejor vivir con una familia del lugar o en una residencia estudiantil? 3. Tu madre te regaló algo que no te gusta. Regresa a la tienda y explica el problema al vendedor y trata de que te devuelvan el dinero. 1. 2.

Monday, June 21, 2010 Describe el curso de español intensivo que estás tomando este verano. 2. ¿Crees que es importante aprender un segundo idioma? 3. Llegas a la casa de tu mejor amigo y no está. La abuela de tu amigo, que está en casa, te saluda y te dice que lo esperes porque llegará en unos minutos. Conversa con su abuela mientras esperas a tu amigo. 1.

Monday, July 19, 2010 Describe lo más detalladamente posible tu vida familiar aquí en Bilbao. 2. Después de tu estancia en Bilbao, ¿crees que ha merecido la pena la experiencia? 3. Estás en la playa de San Sebastián y pierdes el autobús de regreso a Bilbao. Cuando llegas a tu casa, explícale a tu familia qué pasó, qué hiciste y cómo regresaste a Bilbao. 1.

Contact Information Pilar Asensio pilar. asensio@yale. edu Ame Cividanes ame. cividanes@yale. edu