Eden2008 Carloni

LEARNING STYLES AND COMMUNITY SHAPING: NEWCOMERS AND I TALIAN AS A S ECOND L ANGUAGE ( ISL ) IN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS Giovanna Carloni University of Urbino, Italy

ICT and I talian as a S econd L anguage ( ISL )
to implement online ISL courses tailored to migrant workers’ work-related language needs
planning of the theoretical framework underlying the implementation of online ISL courses:
catering to migrant workers’ learning styles

OBJECTIVE :
E-learning (including audio/video social software) can cater to a wide range of learning styles
S econd L anguage A cquisition ( SLA )

Learning styles: the way learners perceive, process, represent, and acquire incoming input
Accommodating learners’ learning styles : promote SLA in online learning environments
Individualized learning : input and tasks catering for learners’ preferred learning styles
E-learning needs to be student-centered : actively participate in & take control over the learning process

“ very strong associations between ethnicity and learning style preferences” (Park) “sociocultural influence on classroom interactional styles” (Park)
Newcomers’ learning style preferences are likely to be affected by the culture they grew up and were educated in ( C1 ):
South Americans : a major preference for group learning (co-construction of knowledge)
Chinese, Thais and Bengalis : a major preference for individual learning

Online tasks need to match learners’ preferred learning styles SLA
Style flexing needs to be activated
Style flexing: the ability to apply strategies pertaining to those cognitive styles which do not appear in a learner’s profile (Leaver 2005)

Certain cultures do not expect learners to have an active role in their learning process
Learning Italian in online student-centered environments
Newcomers’ style flexing in terms of active and autonomous learning
Autonomous learning: asset for migrant workers

Learning styles
(a) sensory preferences
(b) cognitive styles

Sensory preferences
visual learners visual channel
auditory learners auditory channel
kinaesthetic and mechanical learners motor ch
(Leaver et al. 2005)
the channel through which input is perceived

How can e-learning
accommodate
sensory preferences ?

Visual learners further subdivided into imagists and verbalists
B-A-L-L written materials such as handouts, forums, chats, tapescripts of lectures and podcasts, and presentations delivered through conference software images such as pictures, drawings, diagrams, outlines, videoconferencing, vodcasts, and presentations delivered through audio/video software applications

Auditory learners further subdivided into aural and oral learners
listening to: (a) instructors delivering lectures via podcasts, videoconferencing, and vodcasts (b) written texts converted to audio/MP3 files with text-to-speech software (c) peers giving presentations with audio/video software applications interacting verbally with peers and instructors such as on Skype or listening to themselves speaking (podcasts)

Kinaesthetic and mechanical learners
Hands-on tasks , such as lab experiments, WebQuests, Jigsaws, Wikis, and project-based activities

Multimodality of input
online language learning environments accommodate learners’ sensory preferences
multimodality of input (multi-media texts in the form of written, audio, and video texts)
asset of online learning

Cognitive styles
The way learners process, manage and acquire new information
A key role in promoting intake and thus Interlanguage development

E&L Construct
Synoptic learning
Holistic process
Subconscious control
Ectenic learning Atomistic process Conscious control (B. Leaver, M. Ehrman, B. Shekhtman 2005)

OBJECTIVE :
How t asks provided in hyper-context learning environments can accommodate most cognitive styles
fostering effective second language acquisition

What kinds of online tasks
can accommodate
different cognitive styles ?

Cognitive styles
Analogue learners
Digital learners
Concrete learners
Abstract learners
Wikis, blogs, problem solving, WebQuests, Jigsaws highly structured activities, forums asynchronous tasks : project-based activities, wikis, WebQuests, Jigsaws, presentations delivered through audio/visual applications asynchronous problem solving, WebQuests, Jigsaws as well as blogging and forums Metaphors, meaningful, netlike connections (deep processing) Linear, factual processing (surface approach) Multisensory learning experiences Theories and concepts

Field independent learners
Field dependent learners
problem solving, WebQuests, blogs as long as carried out individually easily detect language patterns, self-organize materials, set goals, work individually, fomulate and test hypotheses social negotiation and collaboration as well as instructor’s and peers’ feedback online cooperative activities requiring discussion, negotiation, reflection, and peer review as long as provided with step-by-step instructions social software; cooperative tasks , role plays and classroom socialization tasks through videoconferencing

Field sensitive learners
Field insensitive learners
targeted and incidental input ( peer conversations on Skype, reading peers’ blogs , many-to-many communication) highly structured activities, forums Input-rich learning environments, contextualized learning Bottom up approach, sequentially organized and highly chunked materials as well as highly structured learning paths

Global learners
Particular learners
Impulsive learners
Reflective learners
synchronous tasks (role plays, WebQuests, and Jigsaws carried out in chats or on Skype) asynchronous problem solving activities, WebQuests, Jigsaws as well as forums and blogs Easily get the overall meaning of input Easily detect details React very quickly to incoming input, fluency-oriented Self-paced study step-by-step scaffolding to focus on details and thus activate deep processing step-by-step scaffolding to focus on the big picture

Inductive learners
Deductive learners
Levellers
Sharpeners
problem solving activities, project-based work, WebQuests, Jigsaws highly structured scaffolding to carry out collaborative tasks i n hyper-context, information-rich learning environments step-by-step scaffolding to notice differences step-by-step scaffolding to detect similarities Working out language rules/theories in general on their own by hypothesis-testing Language rules before using them, bottom up approach Easily detect similarities Easily detect differences

Random learners
Sequential learners
Synthetic learners
Analytic learners
WebQuests, Jigsaws, problem solving, wikis, presentations structured activities ; guidelines to arrange/ sequence/ tackle learning materials; forums project-based and problem solving activities, wikis, WebQuests, presentations blogs ( reflection and peer review ) Organizing learning materials on their own and thus working autonomously Highly chunked, sequentially organized materials Using newly acquired information to create something new Bottom up approach, how language works dividing language items into their smallest units

Web 2.0 tools ( including audio/video social software) cognitive styles
effective tasks and guidelines ( cooperative and project-based activities , problem solving , reflection and peer review)
SLA in hyper-context learning environments
a collaborative interactionist framework (Gass 1997)

Cooperative learning :
social skills, individual accountability, and positive interdependence (Richards and Rodgers 2001)
oral communication skills, self-esteem and self-efficacy
Cooperative learning (implemented through Web 2.0 ) can promote:
positive interaction and interdependence between members of different C1s
the development of C2 socio-pragmatic skills

TASKS
in online hyper-context learning environments
by means of Web 2.0 tools
within a collaborative interactionist framework
suit most learning styles
(sensory preferences & cognitive styles)
foster effective SLA

Newcomers sensitized to:
how learning styles can affect SLA
how learning styles can be affected by learners’ C1s
how learning Italian in online student-centred environments may entail:
a partial reshaping of learning styles
style flexing

Conclusion
a sociocultural and interactionist framework
ISL task-oriented learning implemented through 2.0 technologies can promote:

individualized (experiential) learning catering to newcomers’ learning styles (promoting SLA)
intercultural and crosscultural awareness
multicultural networked societies (collaboratively and interactively constructed knowledge)
pivotal ICT job-related skills
key C2 socio-pragmatic skills (pivotal to promote newcomers’ active role in multicultural Italian society)

Th nk you [email_address]

B. Leaver, M. Ehrman, B. Shekhtman (2005). Achieving Success in Second Language Acquisition . Cambridge: CUP Disassembling wholes into pieces Analytic Assembling pieces into wholes Synthetic Preferring materials to be pre-organized Sequential Preferring to self-organize materials Random Noticing differences Sharpening Noticing similarities Levelling Learning rules, then understanding examples Deductive Understanding rules from examining examples Inductive Reflection following thought Reflective Simultaneous thought and reaction Impulsive Oriented toward details Particular Oriented toward the big picture Global Lack of osmosis in learning Field insensitive Learning through osmosis Field sensitive Contextualized learning Field dependent Decontextualized learning Field independent Learning through ideas and books Abstract Hands-on learning Concrete Literal and factual learning Digital Learning through metaphor Analogue Ectenic learning Atomistic process Conscious control Synoptic learning Holistic process Intuition, subconscious control

Presentations (videoconferencing)
Jigsaw activities
analogue, random, FI, inductive, synthetic learners analogue, random, inductive, FI, synthetic learners To sum up Async : reflective, abstract, analytic learners Sync: FD, impulsive learners expert groups : pivotal for particular/sequential/linear/FD learners

Group problem solving
Wikis
analogue, inductive, FI, abstract, random, concrete learners Abstract ( concepts ), analogue ( meaningful/netlike connections ), synthetic ( create something new ), concrete ( hands-on tasks ), random learners ( self-organizing authentic materials ) FD learners (social negotiation) FD learners (social negotiation) learners can be assigned or can choose specific sub-tasks on the grounds of their preferred learning styles so that every learner can contribute in the most effective way to the final solution/solutions ( self-efficacy )

WebQuests
Blogs
random, analogue, FI, synthetic, analytic, concrete, abstract learners reflective, abstract, FI, FD, random, analogue learners (inquiry-based; analysis-synthesis-evaluation)

Eden2008 Carloni

by Edenlisbon on Jun 13, 2008

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