Running Head: Learning Activity - TESOL

Learning Activity TESOL Laurel Gilmore EDU 520 Digitally-Mediated Teaching and Learning Dr. Michele Herrera April 26, 2014

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Learning Activity - TESOL In 2000, 18 percent of the total population aged five and over, or 47.0 million people, reported they spoke a language other than English at home (Axman & Greyling, 2003). Since 1945, there has been a significant increase in the number of immigrants from Latin American countries and Asia. This number continues to grow, as does the demand for classes in English as a second language (ESL)/English as a foreign language (EFL). Most immigrants are required to pass a proficiency test before becoming citizens. The ability to communicate effectively is of paramount importance. English language learners (ELLs) are sometimes not literate in their native language and have difficulty acquiring literacy skills in English. These adults may not have a grasp of basic grammar, punctuation, spelling, or sentence structure, thus making it extremely difficult to process English language skills. Understanding how adult literacy achievement affects the status and success of non-native English speakers is important to educators. There have been significant advances in adult teaching theory and the use of technology. Several tools are available for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The SMART Board (2009) and audio/video will be used to create a vocabulary lesson plan for adult learners. The students will be participants in an evening class for beginning English students. The expected outcome is for the majority of English Language Learners (ELLs) to show progress in speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension tests. In the long term, the students will take and pass the CASAS-CAHSEE Exam (2014), a state test of English language proficiency which is designed to show proficiency in:

Writing conventions Writing strategies Word analysis

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Reading comprehension Literacy response and analysis

The final tests are available in different formats, Web-Based, Computer-Based, and Test Booklets. The class will take sample Computer-Based tests in order to prepare for the StateAdministered testing. The students will also develop the framework for improved conversational skills with an emphasis on day to day activities. The learning activity will include 12 weeks of class time, individual study, and a field trip to a restaurant. Theoretical Framework K. P. Cross (1981) developed the Characteristics of Adults as Learners (CAL) model in K.P. Cross Adult Learning (1981) theory which integrates both andragogy (Knowles, 1980) and experiential learning (Rogers, 1969 & 1994). She incorporated the ideas of readiness and selfconcept. The CAL framework also provided a means for thinking about the ever-changing adult in terms of developmental stages. As the learners become more competent and confident, they should experience higher rewards for increased skills workers generally receive higher compensation for better performance (Jones, 1988). Malcolm Knowles (1980) outlined the principles and practice of andragogy in three parts. These include the role technology plays in education and defines the andragogical principles of adult education; assessment of program planning, organization, and learner objectives; and finally, learning environment and how the environment directly influences learners experience, retention, and its impact on adult education. Carl Rogers believed adult learners need their learning to be practical and applicable to their lives. Each adult brings individual experience to their learning and each learner may be in a different stage of life. He saw himself as a facilitator to individuals psychological growth. He famously said, The good life is a process, not a state

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of being. It is a direction not a destination. (Rogers, 1961). Cross has melded these theories to help guide adult educators. In this learning activity, the students will demonstrate knowledge acquired during the class by planning a restaurant visit where they will converse with each other in English. As part of the class to prepare for choosing which restaurant, students will peruse menus in hand and online, from each of three pre-determined options. The class will practice the words for the items shown on the menu, using kinesthetic learning style, and then will democratically decide on the restaurant. The possibilities to apply technology to CAL are endless. For example, to teach English to non-native speakers, videos and interactive modules of greetings, shopping, dining out, etc. have great value. According to Axman and Greyling (2003), Instructional design is an emergent discipline within the field of education and has been influenced by the changing needs and roles of students and lecturers. Technology Digital literacies, the technical skills and social practices needed to effectively interact with digital technologies, are key 21st century skills, and are increasingly important in educational curricula (Hockly and Dudeney, 2013). Understanding technology has been compared to learning another language, especially for older generation adults. The ability to understand and use information from multiple formats will allow the learners to communicate and learn more efficiently. However, because this is a lower-level literacy group, the technologies must be simple. The SMART Board is like a large whiteboard, visible to all the students. It has three unique features which allow for ease of use: 1. Touch recognition using a pen to write, finger to navigate, and palm to erase.

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2. Pen tray similar to a chalkboard but electronic. There are icons easily recognizable to the learners and it is accessible to all users. 3. SMART Board software similar to a tablet and available with different types of software. It has a simple interface. Min and Siegel (2011) write in their study of the use of the SMART Board with children, The combination of effective teaching and SMART Board technology can maintain high levels of student engagement throughout a multi-component lesson (p.38). Students reported that the class was more fun and they were more engaged in the lessons. Understanding was higher and the lessons are more interactive. In addition to the SMART Board, the classroom will be equipped with audio/visual equipment and the students will have the opportunities to watch YouTube videos of food preparation, restaurant scenes from movies, and listen to music. Li and Brand (2009) report that song lyrics not only teach vocabulary, grammar, rhythmic speech, phrases, and meanings, but a song, as a sort of ambassador of a culture, offers ESL students lessons in grasping the nature and style of a particular culture (p.74). After all, music and laughter are often considered the universal languages. Learning Activity Proposal Adults need to be engaged and motivated to learn. Learners want to perform a task, solve a problem, and live a more satisfying life. The learning must have relevance to real-life tasks, and should be organized around life/work situations rather than subject matter. A strong motivation for learning a new language is the teaching of background culture. Food is the most basic cultural product and can be used to show differences, and similarities, between the represented learners. Students in this class will be adults from different cultures, speaking different languages,

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and have immigrated to the United States. English is not their native language. Most will have children in school who are already speaking English and becoming familiar with technology such as iPhones, notebooks, desktop and laptop computers. The adults are primarily enrolled to improve quality of life for themselves, their families, and communities (Schaetzel & Young, 2008). Websters Dictionary defines motivation as the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something: the act or process of motivating someone; the condition of being eager to act or work; the condition of being motivated; a force or influence that causes someone to do something. The students are likely motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic reasons. The intrinsic reasons include self-pride, the opportunity to learn, and to succeed. Extrinsic motivation is caused by the opportunity for reward or to avoid punishment. Wlodkowski (1999, p. 9) points out the engagement in learning is the visible outcome of motivation. Our emotions are a part of and significantly influence our motivation. In turn, our emotions are socialized through culture. He also says there are cultural and social differences that impact motivation. He further suggests four ways that teachers and students can enhance the experience: 1. Establishing inclusion: Creating a learning atmosphere in which students and teachers feel respected and connected to one another 2. Developing attitude: Creating a favorable disposition toward the learning experience through personal relevance and choice 3. Enhancing meaning: Creating challenging, thoughtful learning experiences that include students perspectives and values 4. Engendering competence: Creating an understanding that students are effective in learning something they value. And, Iacovidis (2011, p. 24) says By finding out more about the everyday activities different players engage in, we are starting to build a picture of how motivation, engagement and informal

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learning come together in practice. This refers back to Banduras research on self-efficacy as cited by Walker and Greene (2009). By finding out more about the everyday activities different players engage in, we are starting to build a picture of how motivation, engagement and informal learning come together in practice. This will be especially important to the teaching of adults who must understand how their learning is important to their daily lives. The lesson will use both formal and informal learning in a hybrid learning environment. The formal aspects will include classroom lecture, practice, and assessment. Students will have the opportunity to shape and plan their final project, which will consist of a visit to a restaurant. To actively engage a diverse group of learners in the higher education classroom requires that the instructor have a good understanding of the overall nature and purpose of the group, as well as the ability to interact well within the learner's unique world. (Jackson, et al. 2009. p. 75). The lesson plan will include an ice-breaker to allow the students to introduce themselves. Icebreakers are an effective way to improve student interaction and encourage a feeling of safety. With adult learners, icebreakers can be used in any setting. An example of an icebreaker for students learning English as a second language is Fabulous Flags in which each person draws a flag with symbols to indicate what is important to him or her. It is anticipated students will discover many things in common and begin to form connections with each other. Using both the SMART Board and lecture, the instructor will illustrate different kinds of foods. Many of these will be uniquely American, such as cheeseburgers, bar-b-q ribs, meatloaf, and key lime pie. The foods will be spoken aloud and spelled out. The students will repeat the words and have the opportunity to share ideas about foods from their countries and discuss which of those have been assimilated into American culture. Throughout the classroom will be

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photos and representations of different foods. For example, there may be a bowl of plastic fruit and childrens toy food. There will be removable identifying labels for each item. Students will see and speak the names of each food item. Later, as they progress, the labels will be moved and students will be asked to match them. The SMART Board will allow students to interact and play games, such as Cookie Crunch, Vowel Sort (SMART Exchange), or the instructor will create a new matching game to incorporate the food items. This can also be used for other vocabulary words. Learners will be assigned a particular food and asked to research online its history and use. Students without computers at home will have access to them in the Learning Lab at school. Assistance will be provided in setting up accounts which will also prepare them for future testing and applications to work/life scenarios. They will later share the food research information in class and begin planning the final project a restaurant visit which will occur during Week 10 or 11. The purpose of this lesson is to teach authentic language use and experience. Throughout the learning activity, the students will be developing the essential skills needed for the final lesson plan. CASAS recognizes the following areas of competencies: phonology, vocabulary, grammar, general and informational discourse, and strategic and critical thinking. The learners will show their ability to meet the core competencies when they can use learned vocabulary to discuss menu options, make reservations, order, converse, and settle the bill at an actual restaurant. They will also have an assessment test at the end of the course using the CASAS format. Students preparing for citizenship tests or employment opportunities will appreciate the experience. Assessment and Evaluation The key component to assessment-based instruction is the continual gathering of

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information, then using that information to make informed decisions about the methods of instruction. Assessment is both formal (quantitative testing) and informal (qualitative testing and perception). Instructors need to be able to determine the relationship between learner outcomes and the various factors that influence those outcomes. Assessment is vital from the very beginning when the adult takes the first step and says, I want to learn English. Many tests are available online, at the learning center, or school. They are designed to place the learners at the appropriate instruction level. Many English language learners are also not literate in their native language. Adult basic education tests will be used to determine the appropriate instruction level. Later, students will be tested to measure their progress and to qualify them for enrollment in higher-level academic programs. The assessments are used to verify how effective the programs are and are often used to determine continued funding. Adult learners in this class will be given benchmark testing prior to placement in class. CASAS (2014) offers several types of assessment tests. This class will take the Form 80 Appraisal which is a listening and reading appraisal. The test consists of:

Listening 26 test items 30 minutes Reading 25 test items 25 minute Six-Question Oral Screening Two-Question Writing Screening

During the first classroom experience, students will participate in an icebreaker which will provide an informal assessment for the instructor. There will also be weekly assessments consisting of verbal and written tests. According to Mueller (2014), there are four steps in creating an authentic assessment: 1. Identify the Standards 2. Select an Authentic Task

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3. Identify the Criteria for the Task 4. Create the Rubric In this case the Standards are to be able to identify and discuss food. The Authentic Tasks will include each student researching a particular food and discussing it in class, and playing a matching game. Formative assessments occur during instruction to determine whether it is successful so that instructors can adjust instruction/training as necessary. Some ways of doing this will include written and oral exercises and the presentation of the food report. The Criteria is to apply the vocabulary to sample CASAS exams. The Rubric will consist of five criteria and four levels of performance. There are many prepared Rubrics available which provide points for such measurable items as asking and answering questions, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and participation. The grading criteria are successfully, usually, sometimes, and rarely. Evaluation needs to be authentic. It should be more than just giving the correct answers on a test. It should reflect what the student has learned and how it relates to real life. Evaluation is an ongoing process designed to measure the success or worth of the program. The program could be a class, school, workplace training or government. Once the information or data is obtained, it will be analyzed. The results of this analysis will indicate trends. Evaluating the trends can show what works. Using the data will identify the program strengths and weaknesses. Evaluators can then make suggestions to improve the program. In the case of adult education, trend analysis and evaluation has led to an increase in programs for English language learners. And, those programs have improved because of constant formative evaluation. Kirkpatricks Learning Evaluation Model (1959) provides four levels of evaluation: 1. 2. 3. 4. Reaction of student Learning Behavior Results

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The class will choose a friendly restaurant which offers multiple choices on the menu and the opportunity to sit and converse for at least an hour. Three choices will be offered to the class such as Red Robin, Chili's, or Appleby's. These all offer "American" food and are available to accommodate groups. Part of the class preparation work will include a restaurant literacy component such as identification of utensils, seating, ordering, and payment. The class will prepare for choosing a restaurant by perusing menus in hand and online. The class will practice the words for the items shown on the menu, using kinesthetic learning style, and then will democratically decide on the restaurant. The final formative assessment, described as practice by Garrison and Ehringhaus (n.d.) can best be measured by the restaurant visit which. If the learners are comfortable and able to order their meals and converse in English, the classes will be successful. Their learning will have increased and the behavior will reflect increased confidence. As a result, the learners will more easily integrate into their chosen society. They will have demonstrated their desire to learn English. During the last week of the class, students will review what they have learned and prepare for the CASAS-CAHSEE (2014). One final summative assessment will be given and consist of a practice CASAS exam. The students will also complete a peer-review assessment of the restaurant experience and, finally an assessment of the instructor and learning experience. The results of the CASAS exam are measurable and it is expected there will be at least a five point increase in scores. Conclusion English language learners desire practicality in their instruction. Lessons developed using every day activities are most effective (Mathews-Aydinli, 2008). Results are measurable and will demonstrate the success of the learning activity.

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References Axman, M. & Greyling, F.C. (2003). Instructional design: The next generation. Paper submitted to Centre for Teaching, Learning and Assessment Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). CASAS-CAHSEE (2014). CASAS Basic Skills Content Standards. Retrieved from https://www.casas.org/home Garrison, C., & Ehringhaus, M. (n.d.). Formative and summative assessments in the classroom. In Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). Retrieved from http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/Assessment/AsDet/TabId/180/ArtMID/780/ArticleI D/286/Formative-and-Summative-Assessments-in-the-Classroom.aspx Hockly, N. & Dudeney, G. (2013, May 26). [video file]. Digital literaciesthe essential guide. Retrieved from https://lancelot.adobeconnect.com/_a875817169/p4iqs05lyi3/?launcher=false&fcsConten t=true&pbMode=normal Iacovides, I. (2011). Digital games: Exploring the relationship between motivation, engagement and informal learning. The Psychology of Education Review, 35(1), 21-24. Icebreakers, Ice Breakers, Ice Breaker Games (n.d.). Fabulous flags. Retrieved from http://www.icebreakers.ws/small-group/fabulous-flags.html Instructional Design. (n.d.) Adult learning (K.P. Cross). Retrieved from http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/experiental-learning.html Jackson, A., Gaudet, L., McDaniel, L., & Brammer, D. (2009). Curriculum integration: The use of technology to support learning. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 6(7), 7178. Jones, R. T. (1988). Looking ahead: Trends in the workforce and job training. Management

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Review, 77(5), 46. Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1959). Learning Evaluation Model. Retrieved from http://www.businessballs.com/kirkpatricklearningevaluationmodel.htm Knowles, M. S.(1980) The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Cambridge Li, X., & Brand, M. (2009). Effectiveness of music on vocabulary acquisition, language usage, and meaning for mainland Chinese ESL learners. Contributions To Music Education, 36(1), 73-84. Min, K., & Siegel, C. (2011). Itegration of SMART Board technology and effective teaching. Journal On School Educational Technology, 7(1), 38. Meuller, J. (2014) Authentic tasks. Retrieved from http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tasks.htm Mathews-Aydinli, J., (2008 May). Overlooked and understudied? A survey of current trends in research on adult English language learners. Adult Education Quarterly, 58(3), 198-213. Retrieved, doi:10.1177/0741713608314089 Rogers, C.R. (1961) On becoming a person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Schaetzel, K. & Young, S. (2008). Education for adult English language learners in the United States: trends, research, and promising practices. Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/caelanetwork/pd_resources/AdultESLInstruction.html SMART Boards - Why are they so easy to use? [video file]. (2009, April 13). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlk SMART Exchange (n.d.) Games retrieved from

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http://exchange.smarttech.com/search.html?q=&subject=English+as+a+Second+Languag e&grade=All+grades&region=en_US Walker, C. & Greene, B. (2009). The Relationship between student motivational beliefs and cognitive engagement in high school. Journal of Educational Research 102 (6), 463-472 Websters Dictionary (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/ Wlodkowski, R. J. (1999). Motivation and diversity: A framework for teaching . New Directions for Teaching & Learning (78), 7.