Integrating Learning Styles with CALL

This week’s reading “Classroom Practice: Enhancing and Extending Learning Styles Through Computers” by Karen Yeok-Hwa Ngeow looks at integrating language learning styles and strategy training into the CALL classroom. The purpose is to help students become more “mindful” in how they learn and to also share and learn about various strategies with their peers (Ngeow, 1999, pg. 303). The article proposes three “complementary” principles on integrating style and strategy training and technology: 1) “Learners who are more conscious of their learning styles make better use of learning opportunities”, 2) “Learners learn better when they are provided with learning opportunities that enhance and extend their learning preferences” and 3) “Learners work better with new learning styles when they are given guided opportunities to practice them. (Ngeow, 1999, pp. 302-303).” These principles are straightforward and make sense regarding any type of learning or instruction. I think the main ideas are to increase a students’ metacognitive awareness and to individualize instruction as much as possible to improve language learning success.

Among various student activities using computers, Ngeow also mentions the benefits of using computers to organizing student work and for teacher information management (Ngeow, 1999, pg. 303). Some ways of increasing a student’s awareness of how they learn is through creating learner profiles through learning style questionnaires or indicators found on the internet and by using various computer based information organizers (Ngeow, 1999, pg. 304). These activities provide an opportunity for other group activities or projects. Similar to learning styles/preferences is Gardner’s Mulitple Intelligence (MI) Theory; Ngeow provides an example of a CALL activity aimed at bringing more awareness to one’s MI (Ngeow, 1999, pp. 306-307). She also provides example activities for integrating awareness and sharing of learning styles with thematic activities such as theme-based projects and cooperative activities such as role-plays (Ngeow, 1999, pp 310 – 311).

I think considering one’s learning style/preference is important in order to individualize instruction and enhance metacognition. However, I feel the key is to ensure that you include a wide range of activities for your students so that you meet their varying needs. I don’t think it is safe to assume that a student only has only one learning style and that it is static. Instead, I think we should try to capture a variety of styles and preferences by varying instruction and activities. Furthermore, I feel it is important to expose students to all the different styles. One beneficial part of Ngeow’s article is the chart she presents which compares the type of learner, their likes and the computer programs from which they would benefit (Ngeow, 1999, pg. 308). Furthermore, I like how she addresses the need for students to share and learn from others when using various learning styles and strategies and how they can be grouped together in order to contribute their strengths (Ngeow, 1999, pg. 302 & 312).

Ngeow, K. (1999). “Classroom Practice: Enhancing and Extending Learning Styles
Through Computers.” In J. Egbert & E. Hanson-Smith (Eds.), CALL
Environments: Research, Practice and Critical Issues (pp.302-314). Alexandria,
VA: TESOL

Professional Development Sites

This week in our CALL class we focused on professional development resources on the Internet. Initially, I was thinking online classes, certifications and general information. However, what I discovered were vibrant online communities, not static sources of information. These professional development resources are more active in nature versus the passive style of professional development I am used to.

This week I explored three main professional development resources online, 1) TappedIn, an online "international community of education professionals", 2) FLTeach, listserv for foreign language teachers and 3) An ELT Notebook, blog for EFL teachers. I have put links to all three below. Each are unique and have their own advantages and disadvantages. TappedIn is a very welcoming environment (even a receptionist greets you) and you can set up your own office and explore many different "rooms" on campus which have chats, links and many other resources on a variety of education topics. One I explored today was on Peace Education (under "Global Project Based Learning"). Rooms have different "Featured Passageways" that have links to related areas of interest. You could spend hours in this online community but it does take some to get acquainted with all that they have to offer. One reason I like this type of site is that I can go there when I want (they have calendars of events too) and see what interaction has happened and is happening. I have control of the information I interact with.

I experienced the opposite of this type of control with the FLTeach listserv I signed up with. More emails than I could handle were entering my inbox while I innocently slept in bed at night. The listserv did provide some interesting information and interaction, however. There was a poem on how to remember Ser and Estar in Spanish. It was good but had one mistake which another subscriber caught and shared with the rest of us. I really didn't feel ready (or comfortable) to respond to any of the postings this week.

The other professional resource I looked at was "The ELT Notebook". I really like this blog. It has a simple design, yet clear and professional. The posting don't just contain opinions but articles on various topics with exercises and ideas you can implement in the classroom. It looks like this blog started in 2006 and was created by an EFL teacher/teacher trainer with over 30 years of experience. This blog includes articles (postings) on over 20 topics, recommended websites and blogs, free worksheets and flashcards and links to online training for teachers.

So of these three types of resources I experienced this week I think I am most comfortable using and interacting with the blogs but I can see exploring TappedIn further. I need to change the settings for the listserv because all of the posting were overwhelming. This week was just a glimpse of what is offered to educators on the Internet. I'm glad that I got a chance to experience a few of them.

Links:
http://tappedin.org/tappedin/
http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/
http://eltnotebook.blogspot.com/index.html