Plenary: Dr. Neil Anderson - "Developing Fluency in L2 Reading" - Summary

Handout (.pdf)

Progressive grammar error reduction in academic writing
(paper)

Summary

Bill Walker

Taking advantage of the National Virtual Language
Lab
(demonstration)

Summary

Jeff Magoto

Is grammar knowledge being applied? Evidence in journals
(poster)

Summary

Russell Fauss

Ready-made Corpus Activities to Teach EAP
(demonstration)

Summary

Handout

Luciana Diniz and Erika Lachenmeier

Using authentic texts in grammar instruction
(demonstration)

Summary

Bonny Tibbitts, Trish Pashby and Alicia Going

Academic vocabulary learning in context
(publisher's session)

Summary

Jenefer Johnson

Affinity mapping: a dynamic organizational process
(demonstration/
workshop)

Summary

Patty Dumdeang and Kate Hanna

1:00-2:30

Using PowerPoint, iMovie, and iDVD to teach grammar
(workshop)

Summary

Stephen M. Kraemer

Learning a third culture: sharing your travels with your students
(workshop)

Summary

Michael W. Bess and Dee Anne Bess

HELP! I have a multi-level class and I don't know what to do!!!
(workshop)

Summary

Power Point

Wiki

Diane Daudt and Indira Bakshi

Giving voice: articulating strengths through personal narrative
(workshop)

Summary

Rashmi Koushik

Crunching the numbers: Practical ideas for assessment in higher education
(workshop)

Summary

Handout

Laura Shier, Darby Smith, Gwen H. Tuason, and Margaret Young

Using formulaic poetry in the EL classroom
(workshop)

Summary

Sharon Marks

Summary

Power Point

Haukur Astvaldsson and Irina Blekhmanz

1:00-1:50

In my students’ shoes - Insights from taking Spanish 101
(paper)

Summary

Mary Wan

Out-of-school academic English practices by Korean immigrant students
(paper)

Summary

Power Point

Catherine Kim

“How did you get that impression?” A critical analysis of drawings in a Danish language textbook
(paper)

Summary

Carla Mortensen

Technology as theme and tool
(demonstration)

Summary

Lora Yasen and
Marianne Stipe

Understanding international students’ expectations of college academics
(paper)

Summary

Amanda Franzoni, Annie Greenhoe, Kathy Harris, and John Hellerman

Seamless integration of language, content, and critical thinking
(publisher's
demonstration)

Summary

Jennifer Schmidt

3:00-3:50

Web Activities Swap Meet for ESOL
(discussion/
demonstration)

Summary

Handout

Luciana Diniz and Elizabeth Cole

Saving the planet, one ELL student at a time
(demonstration)

Summary

Michael W. Bess

Activities to support the multiple intelligences of learners
(demonstration)

Summary

Sue Moser

Coming to terms with rubrics: a cross-curricular approach
(demonstration)

Summary

Handout

Jane Averill, Ann
Larson and Lis
Wilson

Beyond Technical Skills: Interconnecting Computer Use, Inquiry and Oral Communication (paper)

Summary

Faiza Derbel

Developing Fluency in L2 Reading
Anderson, Neil J.

SUMMARY:
Reading fluency is receiving increase visibility in classrooms around the world, yet many programs fail to understand how to fully integrate this essential reading skill into a reading curriculum. Likewise program face challenges in knowing how explicitly develop this important skill. Teachers and Program Administrators struggle with knowing how to balance both silent and oral reading fluency instruction. Most fluency assessments focus on oral fluency. Anderson maintains that if you want to develop strong, fluent oral readers you must first develop strong, fluent silent readers.

Anderson defines reading fluency as reading at an appropriate rate with adequate comprehension. This plenary will focus on how this definition can be implemented in classrooms. He will review the pedagogical rationale for building reading fluency and suggest activities that teachers, especially those working with second language readers, can use for explicit classroom instruction on how to build and improve reading fluency.

This plenary will introduce two pedagogical activities that focus on the development of reading rate: shadow reading and rate buildup reading, as well as two activities that focus on the development of reading comprehension: developing thick and thin questions and fix-up strategies. Participates will leave the session able to use these activities in their classes for improving reading fluency.

Bio: Neil J. Anderson is a Humanities Professor of Linguistics and English Language at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. He also serves as the Coordinator of the English Language Center. He teaches courses in the TESOL Master’s program as well as language classes to second language learners. His research interests include second language reading, language learner strategies, and English Language Teaching leadership development. Professor Anderson has taught and presented papers and workshops in over 25 countries. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of over 40 books, book chapters, and professional articles, among them Milestones (2009, Heinle), Exploring Second Language Reading: Issues and Strategies (1999, Heinle), ELT Advantage: Reading (2006, Heinle), ACTIVE Skills for Reading (2007/2008 Heinle), and Practical English Language Teaching: Reading (2008, McGraw-Hill). Professor Anderson served as President of the international association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. from 2001-2002. During 2002-2003 he was a Fulbright Scholar conducting research and teaching in Costa Rica. He also served on the Board of Trustees for The International Research Foundation for English Language Education from 2004-2008. (back)

Progressive Grammar Error Reduction in Academic Writing
Walker, Bill

SUMMARY:
Students are often overwhelmed when they try to focus on too many things in their formal academic writing at one time. Intermediate and advanced academic-track students must deal with overall organization of ideas, then develop rich content, while simultaneously manipulating grammar and vocabulary.

One way to reduce the complexity of the writing task involves using a two-draft technique, rather than the usual three drafts. After students have done some pre-writing activities to generate ideas for their essays, they write the first draft in class. You collect these essays and correct them by first reading the entire essay and indicating how the content and organization can be improved. Then, you correct most of the incorrect vocabulary. When the student writes the second (final) draft, she copies your corrected wording exactly as you have indicated. The purpose of clearing up the vocabulary in the first draft is to get the ideas in the paper to show up more clearly.

Also on the first draft, you mark the grammar. The method proposed here presumes that you explicitly teach grammar points week by week. When you mark this first draft of the essay, you highlight the grammar points that you know the students have studied thus far. You correct all other grammar errors. This means that students can now concentrate on just a few things. They can beef up the content, doctor the organization if necessary, and then correct just the few grammar mistakes that you have indicated. When they turn in their second (final) draft, you should clearly see how they improved the content and organization because there are fewer vocabulary and grammar mistakes.

Using this two-draft method, you can easily have students write one short essay per week. Week by week, students start to master just one or two grammar points, both in their grammar lessons and in their writing classes. Therefore, on subsequent essays, you correct fewer grammar errors because students have begun to master them. Essay by essay, there are clear signs that students have more control over previously-studied grammar. In fact, weeks after a particular grammar point has been studied, you usually only have to underline it and the student will know what is wrong and how to correct it. (back)

Using Writing to Assess Secondary Students’ Level of English Proficiency
Astvaldsson, Haukur and Blekhman, Irina

Through a state initiative, many school districts in Oregon are making a transition from predominantly content-based and communicative English language instruction to various types of form-focused instruction. Secondary English Language Development (ELD) classes that focus on language forms need to accurately address students’ unique instructional needs determined by their levels of English proficiency in order to maintain students’ interest and motivation to learn English. Assessment of proficiency for level placement purposes has become increasingly important in K-12 ESOL/Bilingual programs. While there is a number of assessment instruments available to educators, many of them are somewhat detached from the instruction of language forms and functions that are outlined in Oregon English Language Proficiency Standards. There is a need in many districts for an assessment that targets these Standards as well as provides accurate information for placement and progress-monitoring purposes.

The assessment presented in this workshop was developed by two secondary ELD teachers to meet program needs described above. This is a criterion-based writing assessment designed to help students demonstrate mastery of specific language forms while being engaged in performing an authentic communicative task. The prompts are designed to elicit responses that contain targeted vocabulary and grammatical structures for each of the four levels that precede full proficiency (Beginning, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, and Early Advanced). Scoring rubrics include components that focus on meaning, vocabulary, grammar, and the overall flow of language.

In this workshop presenters explain the rationale for the design of this tool, demonstrate the process of rating sample student responses, and conduct a rater training session using anchor papers for each level of proficiency. The presenters will also share information about the preliminary studies of this tool’s validity and reliability. (back)

Taking Advantage of the National Virtual Language Lab
Magoto, Jeff

SUMMARY:
This presentation will introduce ANVILL (A National Virtual Language Lab), which is software designed to provide language students at all levels with state-of-the-art web-based speech technology, and language teachers with a way of managing and presenting multimedia tasks which facilitate meaningful foreign language practice.

ANVILL aims to leverage the power of the web (connecting communities of speakers locally and at a distance) to provide language practice opportunities for US and overseas students. Modern social networks provide some of the inspiration; modern theories of language acquisition provide the theoretical basis. While the design and implementation of the program is just getting started, we have made substantial headway. In the past year more than 60 pre-service and in-service foreign language and EFL/ESL teachers have received training on it and begun to establish course web sites using ANVILL.

In this first version of ANVILL their course sites focus on: a voiceboard (asynchronous communication), a real time audio-video group chat environment (synchronous communication), and a media-based assessment tool (SQM). These tools are wrapped in a web-based content management system built with Drupal (open source software).

During this presentation we will report on our progress toward the ultimate goal of giving these speech tools a unified environment, much like the language lab console of old, where teachers can assign and collect speech-based work, students can track their progress with learning portfolios and other tools for reflection and commentary, and the look and feel of the lessons makes sense to teachers, even those working with young learners.

An even bigger goal is to make all of this interesting and fun to use. We hope that by providing teachers with a "premium" level of support and mentoring that their efforts to master these tools and make them part of their regular teaching will be successful. We feel like we're off to a good start.

ANVILL is funded by two centers at the University of Oregon: the Center for Applied Second Languages' (CASLS) and the Yamada Language Center (YLC). Our core tools are speech-based applications developed by duber dot com and/or in-house at the Yamada Language Center. Outreach services are provided by CASLS' professional development program, the Western Initiative for Language Leadership (WILL). (back)

Is Grammar Knowledge Being Applied? Evidence in Journals
Fauss, Russell

SUMMARY:
There is ongoing debate as to whether or how well students are able to apply grammatical knowledge learned in standard EIP-style grammar classes to other contexts. In addition, research has been done to determine what types of grammar learning /activities tend to lead to the most application in environments outside the grammar class.

In this poster session, the presenter examines grammatical pattern usage among students in reading/writing classes from two proficiency levels in their free and topic-based journal writing. The reading/writing classes emphasized reading and writing process skills rather than grammar. The presenter examines the grammatical patterns used and not used, as well as how correctly they are used, and relates these to patterns learned and practiced in the students’ grammar classes. He then looks at the patterns studied and activities done in the grammar classes, and looks for evidence that students are applying the patterns in their journal writing without being prompted.

The findings from this study should benefit both grammar teachers and administrators deciding the place of and effective approaches to grammar teaching in their programs. (back)

Ready-made Corpus Activities to Teach EAP
Diniz, Luciana and Lachenmeier, Erika

SUMMARY:
Corpus Linguistics tools have shown to be beneficial in assisting teachers and students to learn a second/foreign language. This presentation will focus on a variety of ways teachers can incorporate these tools into the teaching of English for Academic Purposes (EAP).

First, the presenters will provide a brief explanation of what corpus linguistics is and an overview of the tools (e.g., concordance lines, collocations, fixed phrases, frequency, etc.). Then, they will demonstrate how these user-friendly tools can be used to teach EAP.

Handouts containing ready-to-go activities and useful links will be distributed. (back)

Using Authentic Texts in Grammar Instruction
Going, Alicia; Pashby, Trish and Tibbitts, Bonny

Creating a meaningful way to teach grammar in which students connect grammar structures and meanings and apply this knowledge to their own language use has been a continuing challenge. (Larsen-Freeman, 2000; 2003; Schmitt, 2000). We present an interesting way to meet this challenge. This demonstration is intended to help ESL/EFL instructors develop effective grammar exercises for comprehending an authentic text using a communicative approach. The focus of the demonstration will be on how to help ESL/EFL students at various levels recognize and use grammatical structures to comprehend a text, and then use these structures in their own writing. The presenters will share exercises designed to help students recognize the grammar structures in a reading text, explore the meanings represented by these structures, and increase awareness of whether or not the structures are present in their own writing. Types of exercises will include those focusing on sentence structure, pronouns, verb tenses, and countable/uncountable nouns. (back)

Academic Vocabulary Learning in Context
Johnson, Jenefer

SUMMARY:
Academic vocabulary is critical to college-bound English learners, but it poses considerable challenges. The students’ challenge is that learners have limited exposure to academic words, because they are rare in non-academic settings (Nation, 2001; Coxhead, 2000). A frequent assumption is that word learning takes care of itself, but research shows this to be untrue, especially with academic vocabulary. The teachers’ challenge is to provide direct support so students can become active word learners, increase academic reading skills, and improve rates of academic success.

This session focuses on the needs of students to have multiple exposures to new words in varied contexts in order to be successful. Academic vocabulary within academic readings poses considerable challenges and needs structured practice. Two levels of activities from the new series Inside Reading 1-4 will be demonstrated. Word-level activities provide students with multiple exposures to words in authentic academic contexts before students use the words in sentences. Sentence-level activities provide work in controlled practice exercises, using those same words in a greater context. Thus, students learn not only which words are academic and what it means to know a word but also learn how to interpret these words within their academic readings.

Materials will be provided. (back)

Affinity mapping: a dynamic organizational process
Dumdeang, Patty and Hanna, Kate

Affinity mapping is a systematic group process that sorts large amounts of data into interrelation groupings to solve problems, plan, and train. The technique is used to break down complex ideas to uncover the assumptions and associations with each. Information is organized into groups based on natural relationships. Affinity mapping incorporates the opinions of the entire group and fosters team spirit. Firstly, a topic is addressed and a silent brainstorming session is ignited which requires individuals to write concrete ideas surrounding the topic. Then, the group comes together to sort the data into categories focusing on the ideas that are relevant, verifiable and important. Extraneous information is eliminated. The group creates topic headings for each grouping of the categorized ideas. Finally, an organizational chart is created by connecting related groups with lines.

Affinity mapping is an enhanced brainstorming tool where individual silent reflection and group brainstorming merge to generate ideas and clarify information. In the ESL classroom, affinity mapping can be used for curriculum planning for a variety of classes. What do you want students to be able to do out “there”, in the community? The ideas generated could be placed into categories related to the many roles ESL students play in their lives. Similarly, students can affinity map the reasons why they want to study English. The technique can be used as a diagnostic for an instructor to prioritize content that relates to the students needs. (back)

Using PowerPoint, iMovie, and iDVD to Teach Grammar
Kraemer, Stephen M.

SUMMARY:
With the increasing importance of technology and its growing use in the ESL classroom, it is important for teachers have a least a basic understanding how PowerPoint, iMovie, and iDVD can be used to teach grammar. The grammar examples chosen for this presentation will be lessons teaching clauses and run-on sentences, including how to identify clauses, formulate correct sentences, and use correct punctuation.

Since a number of ESL teachers may not have a great deal of experience using PowerPoint, iMovie, or iDVD technology, an introduction to some of the methods used to create the PowerPoint, iMovie, and iDVD used in the presentation will be given. As a result of the presentation, teachers should have a better understanding of how PowerPoint, iMovie, and iDVD can be used to create ESL grammar lessons, and how they can be fun motivational tools for both teachers and students. (back)

Learning a Third Culture: Sharing Your Travels with Your Students
Bess, Michael W. and Bess, Dee Anne

SUMMARY:
There are three main sources of culture content available to EFL teachers: Students can learn about their own cultures (in English) - the "first" culture; teachers can teach about their cultures - the "second" culture; or material can be drawn from a "third" culture that is neither the students' nor the teacher's own. EFL teachers often live and work in "exotic" locations. We may also have more opportunities than most folks to travel to unusual destinations on holiday. With a little forethought, travels can be transformed into teaching opportunities. Students can explore a "third" culture, learning content while practicing integrated skills. The presenters demonstrate what to collect and how to use it in building an in-depth culture study unit. Following a trip to Nigeria, the presenters wanted to share their experiences with their EFL classes in Japan. Rather than just another "What I did during my Summer Vacation" presentation, however, they decided to transform it into an opportunity for their students to learn in English about another culture. The presenters share the materials packet they developed and guide participants through samples of the main activities, which include story-telling, listening to and discussing Nigerian music, playing a traditional Nigerian board game, learning phrases from Hausa (one of the major West African languages), reading and discussing recipes for traditional West African dishes, and listening to a travel itinerary and putting in order the photographs that accompany each part of the journey. Students are assigned their own "third culture" project, researching and presenting on a country, region, or ethnic group of interest to them. The variety of activities requires a range of productive and receptive language skills, plus keeps students' interest and involvement high throughout the project. By sharing their projects, students build community, practice presentation skills, and learn about even more cultures. (back)

HELP! I Have a Multi-Level Class and I Don’t Know What to Do!
Daudt, Diane and Bakshi, Indira

Join fellow teachers of multi-level ESL classes in a meeting of the minds. Presenters will discuss some successful best practices and challenges experienced over the past year team teaching a Level 0 to 7 multi-level ESL class. Use of volunteers, implementation of reading groups, and multi-level group projects successes will be presented. Also, a brief follow up will be given on last year’s research project “The Effects of Social Groups and Attendance in a Multi-level ESL Class.” Teacher centered discussions, focusing on participants, will be interspersed and will form a vital part of this workshop. Bring your successes and challenges and interesting experiences teaching multi-levels to share. (back)

Giving Voice: Articulating Strengths through Personal Narrative
Koushik, Rashmi

SUMMARY:
Each man, woman, and young person wants to grow in his or her own way. Growing requires change, and is feared because it involves the unknown. What is known is that people rarely apply as much as 20 percent of their potential, so there is much room for growth. When people come to know more of their resources and potential they become less afraid of stepping into their future.

In this presentation, participants will experience a model for articulating strengths called the Dependable Strengths Articulating Process, which was developed after World War II by Bernard Haldane. I used this model and adapted it for ESL students in my "ESL for Welders" class at Renton Technical College.

Participants will first be invited to join in several story-telling exercises that relate good experiences from their own lives. Then, they will work in pairs and small groups for portions of the presentation in order to elicit and gain insight into underlying strengths that are present in many of these stories.

Finally, I will show some of my students’ writing that demonstrates how this process boosted their confidence and helped them to articulate their life experiences during academic and job interviews. Participants will complete the workshop by brainstorming ways this process can apply to their own teaching and academic contexts. (back)

Crunching the Numbers: Practical Ideas for Assessment in Higher Education
Shier, Laura; Smith, Darby; Tuason, Gwen Heller; and Young, Margaret

SUMMARY:
Sponsored by the Higher Education SIG, this workshop will offer practical ideas on grading and assessing student performance in higher education settings. We will explore a variety of assessment tools and focus on how to design assessments that successfully target skills and evaluate performance. The workshop will also address the “nuts and bolts” of grading with tips on how to develop better consistency in grading. Both new and veteran instructors will be able to take home handy ideas that can be implemented immediately into a variety of graded ESL courses. (back)

Using Formulaic Poetry in the EL Classroom
Marks, Sharon

SUMMARY:
Formulaic poetry can be used in myriad ways in the EL classroom. It is adaptable to all skill levels, from beginning to advanced, and to most age levels from higher elementary to adult learners. It can be used in academic, ABS, or workplaces settings. Though the presenter has done so only marginally, it could be adapted to computer-based learning. It can be used to develop vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing skills. It can support themes. It can be a critical thinking tool and by its very nature it promotes creativity. Finally, creating his or her own poetry in English provides both delight and a sense of accomplishment to the student.

This workshop will explore some of the possible uses of two types of formulaic poems: Persona and Cinquain. The presenter will share some of the ways she has adapted these poems for use in her Adult EL classes (both academic and ABS). She will share student work and the books of poetry various classes created. Finally, in the hands-on portion of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity first to create their own poems and then to create LPs for using the poetry in their classes. (back)

In My Students’ Shoes - Insights from Taking Spanish 101
Wan, Mary

SUMMARY:
As a long time ESL teacher, I tended to focus on the outcome of my teaching. I always looked for new ways to teach in order to help my students attain language proficiency. At times, I was frustrated by students repeating the same mistakes or failing to grasp the lessons I taught. However, all these changed when I enrolled in Spanish 101 last year.

My recent experience in learning Spanish has helped me to take a fresh look at both my students and my teaching methods in new lights.

Taking Spanish has changed me in the following ways:

1) Attitude – as I lived through the experience of a beginner in learning a new language, I became more sympathetic and understanding towards my ESL students. I found myself to be more patient and tolerant.

2) Curriculum – as I went through the Spanish course, the strengths of the Spanish curriculum gave me insights in planning the ESL courses I teach to better meet the language needs of my ESL students.

3) Pedagogy – as I participated in activities in the Spanish class, I experienced firsthand teaching methods and classroom activities that facilitated and reinforced language learning. I was able to apply them in my ESL classes to benefit my ESL students. (back)

Out-of-School Academic English Practices by Korean Immigrant Students
Kim, Catherine

Developing academic English language proficiency is critical to ESL students’ success in education. While it is known that it takes new immigrant students over four years to achieve a grade level English proficiency in CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency), many students whose primary home language is not English still feel that they are not on a par with their native English-speaking peers even after years of schooling in English-speaking classrooms. Given the limited amount of instructional time provided for immigrant students’ language needs in a school setting, it is significant to identify patterns of effective academic English practices beyond the classroom.

This study reports the major findings of an in-depth focus group interview on recent immigrant students from Korea and their parents in an attempt to identify patterns of effective out-of-school academic English practices. At the time of interview, the students were either receiving ESL services from their schools or recently exited from the ESL programs at their schools. The interview questions centered on the ways in which these students were engaged in language practices in terms of (1) amount and frequency of out-of-school English practices, (2) medium of practices (both on-line and off-line), (3) types of engagement in language practices, (4) degree to which out-of-school English practice is supported from teachers and schools, (5) extent to which parents are involved in encouraging their children to practice English at home.

Findings shed light on the importance of out-of-school English practice and show how out-of-school practice can be made effective to fill a gap in school work. They also show how parents and teachers can work together to enhance the effectiveness of academic English language development by immigrant students. (back)

“How Did You Get That Impression?” A Critical Analysis of Drawings in a Danish Language Textbook
Mortensen, Carla

Language learning materials are usually accompanied by a variety of non-verbal images – photographs, drawings, and so forth. Assuredly the authors of the materials choose these images thoughtfully with the end of enhancing the learner’s experience and providing additional insight into the target culture and language. But what if those non-verbal images actually carry embedded cultural assumptions that serve to alienate and exclude, rather than to embrace and include, learners from other cultures?

Denmark has long been seen as a generous and welcoming culture to immigrants and refugees. Yet that small Scandinavian country was also the origin of a cross-cultural conflict that had deadly reverberations around the world. This paper seeks to explore how the drawings in a Danish textbook may have unwittingly contributed to a sense of xenophobia and alienation on the part of some language learners and therefore contribute to this phenomenon. (back)

Technology as Theme and Tool
Yasen, Lora and Stipe, Marianne

Cell phones, text messages, social networking websites, MP3 players, blogs and podcasts: these are common interests of university students today. Students spend hours talking about these pastimes and participating in these ventures online or with digital devices in hand. Teachers can incorporate these digital topics and skills into the ESL curriculum to enhance language instruction and engage student interest. In this presentation speakers will share a unit that highlights technology both as the topic and the tool for student projects.

For combined classes in listening/speaking and reading/writing, intermediate-advanced ESL students in an intensive university language program studied a three week unit on technology and process language. Students participated in a variety of assignments that involved listening, reading, writing and speaking about technology processes.

For the capstone project, students produced work centered on the theme of “how to use” a type of technology of their choice. Students chose topics such as using software programs or using digital devices. For example: one student explained how to use “Skype” to communicate with friends in another country via the internet. Another student discussed how to use a cell phone to send text messages. Students then used technology as a tool and published their directions on a simple website in a desktop publishing program. The site included a hyperlink to a slideshow that featured their recorded voices explaining the process. Using free internet software, students created surveys about technology, disseminated, collected and analyzed the results online and added the conclusions to their websites. Throughout the project, students learned and practiced transitional expressions, correct verb forms, and language for giving directions orally and in writing. Sample online student capstone projects will be viewed.

Attendees at this session will learn how to create a quick and simple web page, how to add recorded speech to a slideshow and how to use the internet survey website. Speakers will provide detailed handouts for project assignments and discuss applications for language development in a technology-enhanced environment. (back)

Understanding International Students’ Expectations of College Academics
Franzoni, Amanda, Greenhoe, Annie, Harris, Kathy and Hellerman, John

In this research project, international students studying English in the Intensive English
Language Program (IELP) in the Department of Applied Linguistics interviewed faculty and students in the various colleges and departments at Portland State University (PSU) in which the majority of students will be enrolled upon successful completion of the IELP. They have asked questions about course expectations from both faculty and student perspectives. Students’ perceptions of academic expectations at PSU were measured with a pre-test and post-test to see if the process changed student perceptions.

Students used the information from these interviews in presentations, class discussions,
and essays on the ‘Internationalization of Education.’ In turn, the investigators will be using this information to better align our IELP English language courses with the academic demands that international students will experience when they are in their respective programs. Faculty outside the IELP had the opportunity to learn about the expectations and needs of this group of PSU students through their interactions in the interview process and will be able to read more in the short report to be posted on the IELP website.(back)

Seamless Integration of Language, Content, and Critical Thinking
Schmidt, Jennifer

SUMMARY:
Those designing ESOL programs and courses face significant challenges. Language acquisition research consistently demonstrates that students need to develop a wide range of skills and knowledge. They must work on each language skill individually and develop them all in tandem. Developing Critical Thinking Skills means much more than simply telling students to share reactions to a text. New technologies emerge regularly and need to be evaluated for their pedagogic potential. All of this, and you only have 10-16 weeks per proficiency level.

The presenter describes an approach to language teaching that addresses all of these problems at the program and unit level. As exemplified in the new edition of the NorthStar series, all areas of language are best taught when they flow seamlessly through a lesson. The presenter shows how multiple language skills can be developed simultaneously while preparing students to meet academic or personal goals.

Finally, the presenter demonstrates a new online component, MyNorthStarLab, which utilizes the best that new technologies have to offer language learning. This innovative online software saves time and improves results. (back)

Web Activities Swap Meet for ESOL
Diniz, Luciana and Cole, Elizabeth

In this collaborative presentation, participants will have the opportunity to share their favorite learning and teaching websites. Presenters will introduce several websites and demonstrate sample activities using them. Then, each audience member will have a designated amount of time to present their own favorite website and explain how he or she uses it.

The presenters will create a Wiki containing all the websites shared during the presentation. The web address for the Wiki will be distributed to the participants in a handout. Participants will be encouraged to add to the Wiki later on. (back)

Saving the Planet, One English Language Learner at a Time
Bess, Michael W.

Although our students may hail from countries that did sign the Kyoto Protocol, they still seem to be woefully unaware of their own contributions to environmental destruction on an individual level. How can English teachers raise awareness, change practice, and teach content and integrated English skills in the same course? With a “green class!” Beginning at the global level and gradually narrowing to a personal focus, a green class helps students to explore current environmental issues and what they can do at each level to effect real change. The course ends with a special focus on leading a green life- breaking lifestyle and personal habits that pollute, and adopting green habits in daily life. The green class is adaptable to both ESL and EFL settings, to any age group of learners, and to varying course lengths. The presenter guides participants through a summary of an actual course, focusing on issues and action steps at the international, national, local, and personal levels. Participants also brainstorm and share ideas at each level. The presenter provides extensive visuals and handouts. (back)

Activities to Support the Multiple Intelligences of Learners
Moser, Sue

SUMMARY:
The theory of multiple intelligences introduced by Howard Gardner has gained popularity in the field of English language instruction. Gardner presented a challenge to the traditional notion of intelligence as measured by standard IQ tests by stating that there are eight distinct types of intelligence in humans (linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, and naturalist). This theory has implications for how best to support English language learners of differing backgrounds, levels, and strengths. Using materials that tap into these different types of intelligence may promote learning by helping students to utilize and develop their varied intelligences. This workshop provides a brief background to the theory, ideas for simple activities to support the multiple intelligences of English language learners at all levels, and resources for further information.
(back)

Coming to Terms with Rubrics: A Cross-Curricular Approach
Averill, Jane; Larson, Ann and Wilson, Lis

Going through an accreditation process can be a good opportunity to look carefully at how curricular objectives align with assessment on a program-wide basis. While reviewing speaking classes for accreditation, instructors at one Intensive English Program (IEP) found that while teachers had developed a fairly reliable judgment of how well students performed on speaking tasks, there was very little documentation of the assessment. There was a need for a uniform system that would be transparent to both students and teachers. This presentation looks at the process used to create standardized rubrics that allow for articulated assessment of speaking tasks within and between levels.

The presenters will first explain the rationale for the design of the rubrics and how they created them to align with speaking tasks in five levels of the IEP. After an overview of the implementation and revision phase, the presenters will relate the benefits that have emerged since the rubrics have been in place. (back)

After this background information, the presenters will model the actual use of the rubrics by scoring two videotaped excerpts of student speaking tasks, one at the beginning and one at the advanced level. Handouts will provide design considerations, models, and resources to help teachers develop their own speaking rubrics.

Beyond Technical Skills: Interconnecting Computer Use, Inquiry, and Oral Communication.
Derbel, Faiza

In this paper the author describes an attempt to engage students majoring in English in a multimedia internet-based project that they subsequently present orally in front of an audience of peers in a large lecture hall. The project required students to work in teams of three or four, to prepare a Powerpoint presentation evolving around a fine-tuned topic of interest to them. The teacher provided performance guidelines and tips for “effective” multimedia presentation design. The class was held in a wired computer lab, but students worked over the week in other spaces including a self-access computer room.

The author of this paper will begin by articulating the philosophical foundations underlying the design of this teaching/learning activity from an SLA perspective, a CALL perspective, a multimedia communication perspective, and an instructional technology perspective. She will especially emphasize the rationale for the need to interconnect the various levels of this learning experience for her learners within their particular socio-cultural context. The data obtained from students through a semi-structured interview protocol was used to pinpoint ideas about task completion processes, inter and intra-relationships that may have evolved, task/role distribution within the group members, and self-reporting on personal and group strategies. The author contrasts the results of the students’ self-reporting data and the expected “scenarios” described in the literature outlined in the first part of the paper and discusses their implications for future CALL practice using emerging technologies. (back)