Syllabus of the Session 📌

1. Abstract

Many students lack the confidence to speak English fluently and accurately. Technology can facilitate the process by providing practice. This session provides  tools to practice and improve spoken English with fluency and accuracy. Participants will be introduced to various web and mobile technologies to help learners improve their speaking skills.

2. Target Audience

Teachers of English as a foreign and second language who are interested in learning how to improve students' listening, pronunciation, speaking, and vocabulary skills.
 
 

3. Session Objectives

By the end of this session, participants wil have:

1. become familiar with various web and mobile technologies that facilitate spoken English.
2. practiced various technologies to enhance speaking skills and listening skills. 
3. reviewed and reflected on the various tools. 
4. read and discussed articles.

4. Syllabus

Participants, who complete the pre-session and the weekly tasks, will be awarded a digital badge for each week and will qualify for the official EVO24 Certificate of Participation at the end of the 5-week session.

Each section (pre and weeks 1-5 week) needs to be completed before the next section. 

The grading system is based on completion of the tasks within the discussion forums or in other activities. A grade of 100 is awarded to participants who complete each of the required tasks. There are no in between grades. A "To Do" list is available on the right side of the task.   The tasks are connected to the digital badge of the week and the final certificate. Completion of the tasks will ensure that the participants receive the final certificate.

4.1. Pre-session Orientation

By the end of the pre-session orientation week, participants will have:

• watched a video to learn about the platform. 
• read the session syllabus in a book format to download or print out.
• filled in the needs assessment survey.
• completed their profile and added their country. 
• choosen a screen recorder from a list.  
• used the screen recorder to create a video tutorial of the layout of the session.

4.2. Week 1: January 15 - 21 (Introduction)

Week 1: January 15 - 21 (Introduction)

Participants will get acquainted with each other and review some of the tools.  

By the end of week 1, participants will have:

• got acquainted with each other and the moderators.

• choosen 1 of the following free apps to introduce themselves:

  • audio and video recorders

  • image and avatar video recorders

  • image and avatar video recorders

  • audio recorders.

• provided feedback on the tools using a collaborative Padlet wall.

• got free accounts for the following tools: 

1. Audio and Video Recorders on a Curation Wall

• Padlet (Audio and Video Recorder)

2. Image and Avatar Video Recorders

• Voki Avatar Text to Speech Creator

• D-ID AI Text to Speech or Audio Image Video Maker

• Veed AI Text to Speech Image Video Maker

3. Audio Recorders 

• SpeakPipe Recorder 

• Speakify Recorder 

4.3. Week 2: January 22 - 28 (Vocabulary Practice)

Week 2: January 22 - 28 (Vocabulary Practice)

Participants will learn about various tools to facilitate vocabulary, listening and speaking practice. 

By the end of week  2, participants will have: 

• learned about and tried out various language apps for listening and speaking practice.
• discussed and reflected on the tools and how they apply to learning outcomes. 

Various Language Tools to Improve Language Speaking Skills:

1. Awabe
2. Beeling
3. LearnEnglish Audio and Video
4. Busuu
5. Duolingo
6. English Speaking Practice (To download a British Council app, please visit the iOS or the Android app store).                           
7. Hello English 

8. Speechcoach

• Reflections using Voki avatar.
• Vocabulary work on our Quizlet class.  

4.4. Week 3: January 29 - February 4 (Listening and Speaking)

Week 3: January 29 - February 4 (Listening and Speaking)

Participants will focus on speaking and listening skills.

By the end of week 3, participants will have: 

• learned about and tried out various language apps for listening and speaking practice. 
• read, discussed, and recorded their views on the value of developing a reflective practice for learning.
• reflected on the tools.
• discussed how the tools apply to learning outcomes.

Language Tools to Improve Language Speaking Skills:

1.  HelloTalk
2.  Learn English Daily
3.  Learn to Speak English
4.  Lingbe
5.  Lingo blabla
6.  Memrise
7.  Speak English Conversation
8.  TalkEnglish

• Poodll video and audio recorder to reflect on Moodle

4.5. Week 4: February 5 - 11 (Storytelling)

Week 4: February 5 - 11 (Storytelling)

Participants will focus on storytelling tools. 

By the end of week 4, participants will have:

• created a story with characters and shared their work using Toontastic on their iPads or iPhone or Tablets or Android phones. 
• done an activity called Read Aloud.
• read a poem by Billy Collins called Introduction to Poetry and listened to a rap of the poem by Jason R. Levine.
• reflected using a curation wall/board of their choice from the following list:

Curation Walls/Boards

• Toontastic 
• Storyboard That Teacher Accounts 

4.6. Week 5: February 12 - 18 (Showcase and Reflect)

Week 5: February 12 - 18 (Showcase and Reflect)

Participants will showcase and reflect on their work throughout the 4 weeks. 

By the end of week 5, participants will have:

• attended the weekly Zoom meeting or watched the recording of the meeting. 
• summarized their posts using PDFgear Chat AI. 
• showcased and reflected on the activities they created using AI in weeks 1-4 using audio and video screen recording tools.
• published the videos on Youtube, Vimeo, and other platforms.
• uploaded their work on their individual Padlet wall or any other curation wall.
• created a book using Book Creator to showcase their work.  
• filled in the EVO 2024 feedback form. 

Choose a screen recorder to record and showcase your work:

Screen Recorders

Choose a curation wall/board from the list below for your reflection:

Curation Walls/Boards

5. Media

• Interactive space - Moodle comment (chat) box and discussion forums
• Content space - Moodle course
• Live meeting space - ZOOM, Gobrunch and Jitsi directly from the Moodle 

6. Readings

Zhang, M. (2020). Virtual situated learning of spoken English based on computer simulation technology. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (Online), 15(4), 206. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3a6b/79f11b2ad17e900437b6a958518f867f027f.pdf

Nguyen, T. N. Q., & Vo, N. T. T. (2021). The need of applying English learning apps to help Van Lang University students improve their spoken English performance. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(2), 72-86. Retrieved from https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/33/22

Mohamed, O. I. (2021). The Effectiveness of Internet and Mobile Applications in English Language Learning for Health Sciences' Students in a University in the United Arab Emirates. Arab World English Journal, 12(1), 181-197. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1297554.pdf

7. Other Technology ools

• Padlet
• Wakelet 
• Quizlet
• Toontastic
• Voki