In the privacy of your own room

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In the privacy of your own room

• Augmenting international students learning via
  WebCT
• Jody Harlowe-Linsell
• Robin Bell
• The English Language Unit

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Outline

• Problem situation facing the teacher
• Factors draw on students strengths
• Strategy map students strengths onto
  WebCT-based tasks
• Pilot use of WebCT in two ELU modules

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Problem sea of blank faces

• Why? Disparate audience
• Varied linguistic abilities
• Learning style differences
• Lack of shared cultural historical background
• Differing expectations of learning teaching

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Factors

• Use the strengths that international students
  bring to their studies
• driven to succeed
• ability to study alone
• comfortable with IT/communications technology
• diverse backgrounds/experiences
• good reading skills (in certain contexts)

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Strategy

• Use features of WebCT to draw on strengths to
  enhance their learning
• familiar technology
• interactive communication
• reading/writing based
• 24/7 availability
• control over learning

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Pilot use of WebCT in two ELU modules

• Academic writing module
• Paired discussion on sample essay
• Listening comprehension module
• Uploaded MP3 (sound) files of lectures and
  natural English, with activities

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Confirmation of task
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Agreeing to collaborate on task
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• Backing up point with evidence
• Utilising citation

Critically evaluating
Eliciting opinion
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Achieving consensus
Making a friend
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Communication skills learning techniques
augmented through paired discussion

• entering a discussion
• asking for clarification
• politely agreeing/challenging
• eliciting opinion
• offering support
• evaluating and critiquing written work
• gaining confidence
• recognising value of non teacher-led learning
• reinforcing discussion etiquette transfer to
  writing (organisational markers)

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Listening Practice Components

• Uploaded audio (MP3) files
• Vocabulary lists, pre-listening reading/questions
• Comprehension questions (content)
• Dictation (word recognition)
• Note taking

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In the lecture hall and out

• Lecture
• Differences Between Academic Cultures, Olwyn
  Alexander, Heriot-Watt University
• Natural English
• Radio 4 programme Its on the Tip of My Tongue
  

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Communication skills learning techniques
augmented through listening activities

• understanding what is being said
• natural speech (speed, accent, slang)
• cultural input (e.g. humour, implication)
• discursive style (digressions, anecdotes)
• extracting key information
• identifying main ideas
• recognising/use of anecdotes
• note taking techniques practice

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Use of WebCT to prepare students to perform
better in seminar discussions and get more out of
lectures

• Discussion tool
• demonstrates value of active, non teacher-based
  learning
• mimics seminar setup
• utilises language of discussion needed for
  seminar
• builds confidence to participate in seminars and
  tutorials
• Recorded listening
• (additional) exposure to natural spoken English
• opportunity re-listen (to improve skill extract
  more)
• importance of pre-knowledge of relevant
  vocabulary
• guided practise in extracting key information
  taking notes