Use Free Tech Tools to Boldly Go Where No Language Class Has Gone Before

Use Free Tech Tools to Boldly Go Where No Language Class Has Gone Before

by: Angela Berger, World Language Teacher

A couple of weeks ago I presented at the Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association conference in Erie, PA. If you have never attended a conference for your content area, I highly recommend doing so!  I found it to be a wonderful experience. I met other language teachers who are just as passionate about sharing a love of language with their students as I am. I was able to exchange ideas, learn new things and I came back to my school feeling invigorated ready to try out some new tips and tools on my own students. My presentation on Free Tech Tools covers how to integrate technology from the most basic level of substitution to the point where the assignment would simply not be possible without technology. Examples are given in relation to the SAMR Model of Technology Integration, which was developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedora.

My first exposure to both technology and foreign languages and cultures came at a very young age when I was watching Star Trek with my dad. He would always watch it so I was stuck watching it. Eventually, I came to enjoy it. The earthlings in Star Trek were eager to visit new worlds and learn about new cultures. They did so with an appreciation and celebration of the differences. These people helped to build bridges between cultures.  Without technology, these people never would have been able to interact with other cultures or see new lands. I will discuss how technology can help us teach language and culture, and introduce our students to new worlds…in other words to boldly go where your classroom has not gone before.

The SAMR Model is made up of the following levels: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition. Click HERE to access the tutorials on how to use the tools mentioned in this blog.

Level 1: Substitution

The lowest level of technology integration is Substitution. This is where technology acts as a direct substitute. There is no functional improvement. You are doing the same thing you would be doing in the classroom except you are using technology as a substitute. An example of this would be to use Vocaroo to have your students record themselves speaking.   There are several benefits of doing it this way. It saves class time. Your students can listen to their recording and self-correct prior to submission.   If you have a Google website, you can have the students submit their work in a Google Form. This will send all of their recordings to one easy to access location on your Google Drive.

Level 2: Augmentation

The next level of technology integration is Augmentation. At this level there is some functional improvement due to technology. An example of this would be to use Quizlet to create audio flashcards. The functional improvement is that students are able to not only hear see the words, but they can hear the words being pronounced correctly in the target language. You can also add pictures to the flashcards.

Level 3: Modification

In this level of the SAMR Model, technology allows for significant task redesign.  For example, you can use EdPuzzle to create guided, interactive tutorials that provide immediate feedback.  EdPuzzle will allow you to turn any video, either self-created or from Youtube, into an interactive tutorial. The benefits are that the students can move at their own pace.  They can rewatch a particular segment as needed, without having to rewatch the entire video.  Students can interact with visual, audio and written content.

Additionally, Edpuzzle allows you to turn any video into a quiz. You can insert questions, including oral questions in any part of the video. You can prohibit skipping. Students will be unable to fast forward or view a different tab while the video is playing. You can add notes and audio to the video. Feedback is automatically given to the student. This can include oral feedback.  If you create a class in EdPuzzle, you will be able to see each student’s answers and how many times each segment was watched by that student. You can use this tool to assess reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

Level 4: Redefinition

At last, we have come to the final level of the SAMR Model, which in my opinion, is the best level!  In the final level of the SAMR model, you will create assignments that would be inconceivable without technology. I like to call this level “to boldly go where your classroom has not gone before.”  The tutorials below will show you how to create virtual Culture Quests using Screencastify, Google Maps and Google Images. Edmodo can be used to create a collaborative discussion board with students all over the world.

Remember, you can click HERE to access the tutorials on how to use the tools mentioned in this blog. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask! I can be reached at angela.berger@padistance.org