Book Review of Language Learning With Digital Video

Language Learning & Technology, 2016

The Internet, coupled with recent advancements in digital media applications and the affordability of video production equipment, has dramatically influenced foreign language education . Central to whether these technological advancements are properly realized for second language (L2) learning is the educator. As technology becomes more ubiquitous, especially within the realm of higher education, instructors are finding the need to integrate new teaching approaches for engaging students . Not every foreign language teacher has had opportunities to develop a strong methodological groundwork for utilization of Internet-age tools and resources appropriate to their particular teaching contexts. One such technological niche ripe for further classroom implementation is that of digital content. The new volume by Ben Goldstein and Paul Driver fills this gap by providing effective guidelines for teaching languages with the help of digital videos. Language Learning with Digital Video details how to incorporate digital videos into lesson plans, as well as imparts practical advice on a wide variety of issues concerning digital video creation and resourcing for language pedagogy. Their work is primarily targeted for L2 educators who possess access to digital video production and consumption technologies. Even so, instructors with dated or limited video resources may still find the activities and strategies helpful for complementing foreign language coursework.

Video-based methodologies are well-established in second language teaching. Perhaps most common is the use of video as an alternative to more traditional cassette tape and CD listening comprehension activities. Video allows learners to see the context of the discourse and the speaker's body language as well as other visual aids to comprehension. It is thus hard to question Stempleski's (1987) assertion that video aids learners' comprehension of English. Another use of video is to record student projects, such as role plays, documentaries and TV commercials . As video technology becomes more accessible and editing on computers simpler, such projects are becoming increasingly attractive for the language classroom. Video also offers several other possibilities for language learning. One interesting use of video is to document and assess students' productive performance of a second language. Video naturally lends itself to the assessment of presentations and public speaking, but it can also be applied to pairwork and group discussion tasks. Furthermore, to help students develop their speaking skills, teachers can make 'model videos' which visually demonstrate what students are expected to do in an oral task. Finally, digital video technology allows teachers to manipulate authentic video, which can be edited, subtitled and simplified to make it more suitable for language learners. With relatively inexpensive equipment, and easily acquired skills, teachers and learners can employ a wide range of effective and motivating video methodologies. This paper will outline the practical aspects of choosing hardware, the basics of using video editing software and a range of methodological applications for the language classroom.

This paper looks at the potential of using DVD - digital versatile disc - for language learning. Seven hypotheses are presented on how oral proficiency may be developed within multimedia classroom environments. These hypotheses are culled from several areas of SLA research. They focus on how language acquisition may be accomplished within a FL teaching situation, i.e., in the home country of the language learner with little or no face-to-face access to native speakers of the target language. It is argued that multimedia applications, particularly digital video, provide language teachers and learners with effective means to make language acquisition in the classroom viable in a way that has not been possible before the advent of powerful multimedia computers. Consequently, foreign language classrooms need to be equipped with multimedia computers and projectors so that digital video may be used for presentation and practice as well as the acquisition of listening and speaking proficiency. Through digital video - and through other features of digital media such as easy communication around the world - teaching and learning conditions in FL classrooms may become similar to conditions that apply when living in the target culture. It is important that teachers have access to these new media so that they can integrate them in classroom activities. In this paper, I will focus primarily on the acquisition of listening and speaking proficiency because these skills often play only a minor role in FL classrooms despite the fact that they often figure prominently in curricular guidelines and statements of objectives. However, many of the remarks I will make may be equally applicable to teaching reading and writing (cf. Plass, 1999 for reading and Tschirner, 1999 for writing). In conclusion, it will be argued that FL learning is as much a social process as it is a psychological one. Learners need to be part of a community of speakers and they have to be able to plunge into and participate in the world of native speakers. The digital classroom meets these requirements in a learner friendly way and it marks an important step towards making language acquisition possible in the classroom.

Inclusion of technology in the process of second language acquisition has always been a priority for both teachers and theoreticians. This paper reviews the current trends in using video-based language instruction in K-12 educational settings. Although it has been demonstrated for many years that the use of video as an instructional medium provides unique learning qualities, it has not been entirely embraced by high school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. Furthermore, recent advancements of digital video (low cost equipment and editing software) and Web-based video sharing services provide remarkable possibilities for supporting a variety of learning activities in ESL classrooms. Yet, classroom practice in using video technology has not gone too far beyond simple viewing and listening to video content for eliciting discussion among ESL students. This paper particularly highlights the role of video in the process of improving student pronunciation and presentation skills. The authors described a week-long classroom video-based project conducted at a Midwestern High School. The best examples of classroom practices and student activities were discussed. The most prominent observations of this project were that the video-based ESL activities contributed to the overall learning motivation and the enhancement of pronunciation skills. Finally, the authors discuss some potential issues and instructional implications of utilizing video technology in K-12 settings.

ARTICLE, 2018

English learning is a complex and difficult procedure and can be a daunting task. The innovation of technology and communication has played an important role in enhancing and facilitating the efficiency of English language learning. Video is an example of audiovisual aids that has raised educators' attention around the world. Many instructive institutions have turned to use video because of being fun and interactive element and providing classes to improve their learners' English proficiency skills. This study aims to elicit Iraqi students' attitudes on using video to develop English learning. In addition, it aims to discover the impact of using video on learning English skills. A qualitative case study was used. Data was gathered during interviews. The results of this research indicate that the students were in favor of video's potential for developing English language proficiency. Video is a fun element to use, and most significant of all, the students feel that it is a new substitute way to learn English and needs to be taking more interest in the education system.

CALICO Journal, 2013

This article describes several theoretical bases for using context-dependent authentic video in foreign language instruction. The advantages of using digital video clips organized by communicative functions and linguistic features would enable learners to view raw linguistic data within the context-rich script of the video material. Software templates designed to manipulate discrete portions of digital video offer considerable promise as the most efficient way to display these video clips to learners.

2017

This paper concentrates on roles of digital video in English as a Second Language from 2000-2012.First, ‘Where video has been commonly used’ is discussed thematically and then ‘Why video has been used’ is examined in pedagogic detail. This leads to a discussion of digital video in flexible education and the issue of learner anxiety in the neglected macro skill of speaking. The paper concludes with an emphasis on transferability of skills and a need for a broader, matured role for video in pedagogy.

Journal of e-learning and knowledge society, 2009

This paper intends to present a case study on the use of new technologies for language teaching, which presents different cognitive aspects and positive effects for language learning. These effects could be ignored if not observed in detail, whereas when observed they could strongly infuence the attainment of didactic aims.

In the late 80s material designers and language methodologists advocated for the integration of video into language teaching (see, for example, [1] and ) and subsequently many articles, resource books for teachers, and video series were published for this purpose. Yet, looking back, we can see that in classroom practices video has never had a prominent role in language learning and, if used, it was often regarded as a tool to design "filling-in" activities which failed to exploit video watching or video making as a stimulus to generate genuine communication in the classroom.