Elise Claire Schell - Teaching With Technology
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Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese
Teaching Philosophy
As a non-native Spanish speaker, (¡ una pura gringa!), I didn’t start studying Spanish until high school. Even though that was only ten years ago, the omnipresent technologies that we use today were mere fledglings then. When I started college, Google didn’t even exist yet! I’m fairly certain that most of my students at Penn State are more technologically advanced than I am. Through my experiences in the Spanish Basic Language Program at Penn State, I have had the opportunity to teach with technology and also to learn why technology is a valuable resource in foreign language teaching. Because my students are quite familiar with technology, I use technology as a means of connecting with them. More importantly, especially for foreign language teaching, I see technology as a means to enhance communication. Using technology in the classroom affords us so many tools with which to work to achieve our ultimate goal of communication.
One of the essential ways that I have implemented technology in the classroom is through the use of Powerpoint presentations. Second language acquisition theory and research has determined that for input to be useful to a second language learner, it must be comprehensible (Lee & Van Patten). By using Powerpoint to present grammar and vocabulary in the classroom, I can use images and sounds to supplement the words on the screen. This allows the learners to make an immediate connection between a new word and its meaning. Without a visual aid like a graphic to facilitate comprehension, a second language learner may become lost, resulting in a breakdown in communication and possible frustration on the student’s part. The use of graphics is a clear and simple way to ensure that a learner can follow along easily. I’ve definitely experienced the strange disconnect that hangs in the air when the students don’t understand what I’ve just said to them (even though I think that I’ve made myself perfectly clear!), and no one wants to be the one to ask for clarification. Having access to the technology to avoid such awkward moments can make all the difference in the classroom experience for both the teacher and the student! The presentation of material in a Powerpoint appeals to a learner’s sense of sight as well as hearing. Therefore it doesn’t matter whether one is a visual learner or an aural learner, since both of these senses are stimulated (and appealing to both senses simultaneously may even have a synergistic effect!).
Because language is so closely tied to culture, it is essential that second language learners have the opportunity to experience the culture of the language that they are studying. Unfortunately, there are limited opportunities to expose students to Hispanic culture in the middle of Pennsylvania! Once again, technology is a precious resource that enables the students to immediately have access to You Tube and other sites that offer videos of Hispanic culture, like El Día de San Fermín in Pamplona or a traditional flamenco show in Sevilla.
Another important aspect of how I use technology is an online component (known as ANGEL) where students complete several small assignments over the span of a week. This allows students to work at their own pace. By complementing these online activities with in-class listening, speaking and writing activities, we have given students the opportunity to be comfortable in the classroom environment because they’ve done some of the learning on their own, and then are putting what they’ve already learned on ANGEL into practice with their classmates and with me.
Much has been made of technology based programs (like Rosetta Stone) for learning another language. While I understand the popularity of such programs, especially for people whose schedules don’t permit traditional classroom learning, I truly believe that there is no better resource for learning a second language than a real live speaking person! Human language is unique in that we can create and adapt and invent in our language and still be understood. As humans, it is our responsibility and privilege to make the most of technology to facilitate language learning and acquisition.
¡Haz clic en las fotos para ver un video de una corrida de toros o del flamenco!
The Pennsylvania State University. Copyright 2008.
Last updated on:
April 30, 2008 10:53 AM
Email: ecs138@psu.edu