Artie's LTS Portfolio - Digitally-Mediated Language Learning

I have always been an advocate for professional development for language educators, especially in terms of digital tools that are available. Digitally-Mediated Language Learning or DMLL is a necessity in today’s class and the world we live in. Our learners communicate outside of the classroom while creating connections with people from all over the world; they watch videos on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube — all of that in both their L1 and L2. As a teacher, my goal is to prepare students to be responsible digital citizens and also good communicators in the digital discourse. Being aware of the tools available and being able to use them in and outside of class is an important skill not only for students but for instructors as well.

My DMLL journey started in 2016. Since then I have used tools such as Google Classroom, Flip (formerly known as Flipgrid), YouGlish, Lyricstraining, YouTube, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Forms, Canva, and apps for creating online scavenger hunts (e.g., Goosechase). I am a firm believer that as a language educator, I should teach not only integrated skills but also digital ones so my students feel comfortable knowing how to use the digital tools that are helpful for learning, work, and life in general. Students who have the necessary skills are better prepared for study programs and jobs that require the use of technology. However, I am also aware that technology use and access to technology are only sometimes equitable in some communities (Breiseth, 2021). For example, in my context of working with immigrant populations, especially displaced persons, an electronic device could be more of a luxury than an everyday gadget. In this case, I make sure that digital tools are only used in class so students can still learn how to navigate them. Conducting class sessions on Zoom is another technological constraint that community ESL programs face. Not every student has a device and reliable internet connection. Some students are forced to drop the class due to a lack of technology access. My goal as an educator and curriculum designer is to make sure to conduct appropriate needs analyses and always ask — not assume what my students have access to.

DMLL Certificates.pdf

In LT 548 Curriculum & Materials Development and LT 549 Measuring Language Ability classes, I had the opportunity to learn about 20 DMLL tools and aspects such as learning management systems (LMS), game-based learning, and ongoing assessment. One that particularly stood out for me was digital place-based learning (Sykes, 2022) which is an approach that uses technology to help students learn about local communities. As I have extensive experience in the tourism industry in addition to language teaching, I have always advocated for exploring the area we live in while learning something about the people, communities, cultures, and possibly languages. I also believe that learning happens anywhere and everywhere. We can use the classroom, the building we are in, or the surrounding areas as a space to learn. In my career in both the tourism industry and language teaching field, I have used online scavenger hunts both outdoors and indoors. The students would be engaged in tasks such as riddles and photo contests. Such activities help students stay connected to the space they are in, and learn more about the context while also building digital skills and making meaningful connections with peers and community members. As I mainly focus on community ESL programs I also think that exploring the surrounding areas and learning more about the cultures and communities is beneficial for a more smooth integration into a new country. Moving to another country, most of the time while leaving everything behind, starting life anew, and building new relationships is a challenge that many immigrants face. I also think that digital place-based learning goes hand in hand with service learning which is another important aspect of a community ESL program.

Another important concept that was part of the DMLL modules was digital discourse. In LT 538 Design for Language Learning Pragmatics class, Nessie Kurganova, Anna Wood, and I developed a curation project on Russian-American English Requests. We created the lesson plan to teach how to write an email requesting a letter of recommendation in English and Russian and included important elements to promote thinking, awareness, and reflection. Students will get a chance to look at emails sent by “native” speakers of Russian and English and analyze their content. Students will take into consideration severity, rank of imposition (Brown & Levinson, 1987), and distance in Russian or English. These lesson plans can be used as standalone lessons for teaching Russian or English or combined if students are learning both languages. We believe that learning happens when we think and observe, analyze, compare and contrast, and share.

LPs Pragmatics.pdf

References

Breiseth, L. (2021). How to expand ELLs’ access to technology for distance Learning | NEA. https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/how-expand-ells-access-technology-distance-learning

Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage (Vol. 4). Cambridge University Press.

Sykes, J. M. (2022). Digital Place-based Learning. In The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Technology (pp. 297-310). Routledge.

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