Skip to main content

Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture Building
375 Wilson Road, Suite 101
East Lansing, MI 48824

Phone: 517-432-2286
Fax: 517-432-0473
clear@msu.edu

Center for Language Education And Research (CLEAR) at Michigan State University - Summer Workshops

Summer 2012 Workshops

July 2012
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11


Jul 9th, 2012 (Mon) -- Jul 11th, 2012 (Wed)
  Rich Internet Applications for Language Learning: Introductory Techniques (Section 1)
Workshop leaders: Dr. Dennie Hoopingarner & Mr. Vineet Bansal
Workshop times: TBD

Agenda: Download here

This workshop is for language teachers who want to learn how to use CLEAR's free tools for creating interactive web-based multimedia language materials. The only computer skills that these tools require are point and click, copy and paste, and drag and drop. You get to concentrate on teaching, and don't have to worry about programming, uploading, downloading, or installing The tools can be used with any language, any textbook, and any level. Learn how to make web pages where your students can record audio files that are automatically uploaded to your virtual dropbox. Make a "mashup" that combines your text, pictures, video, and interactive language exercises into one web page. Create virtual conversations for your students where they listen to questions, and the program captures their responses automatically. All of these functions are available to you from within a web browser, with no special hardware or software needed. Come and experience the next generation of web-based language teaching! This workshop is limited to 20 people.
Jul 12th, 2012 (Thu) -- Jul 14th, 2012 (Sat)
  Teaching Language in a Blended Environment: Tools and Best Practices (Section 1)
Workshop leader: Dr. Dennie Hoopingarner
Workshop times: TBD

Agenda: Download here

When applied appropriately, technology can enhance language teaching and improve learning outcomes. Blended learning – a mix of online and conventional instruction – has been shown to be more effective than learning in a single environment. A combination of teacher-fronted instruction with online learning can enhance the learning experience in many ways. This workshop focuses on integrating best practices in language instruction with successful models of applying technology to online language learning. Specifically, the workshop will address the following key points: The relevance of best practices in language teaching to technology-enhanced instruction; general trends and current issues in technology; important considerations for blending a language class, such as planning activities, dividing in-class and online work, assessment and feedback; restructuring existing courses for a blended model; and applying Rich Internet Applications and other technologies to language teaching scenarios. Informed by research, based on best practices, this workshop will focus on hands-on technology skills that teachers need in order to convert their classes to a blended format. The workshop will be held in a computer lab, and participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops, textbooks, and other resources that they may want to use as they develop their course materials.

This workshop is intended to be an extension of the workshop Rich Internet Applications for Language Learning: Introductory Techniques. Participants are expected to have a sound working knowledge of the RIAs in order to benefit from this workshop.
Jul 16th, 2012 (Mon) -- Jul 18th, 2012 (Wed)
  Integrating Communicative Speaking Activities into Your Other Lessons
Workshop leader: Dr. Charlene Polio
Workshop times: TBD

Agenda: Available Spring 2012

Teachers and students are often concerned that students do not get enough talking time in class. Furthermore, many researchers have argued for the importance of language production in the development of overall language proficiency. This workshop will begin with a framework for developing and evaluating communicative speaking activities. This will then be followed by examples of how to incorporate speaking activities into the teaching of reading and writing. In addition, the participants will observe and develop activities that target specific grammar and vocabulary so that instructors can better supplement their textbooks with communicative speaking tasks. An emphasis will be placed on how to structure activities to get student to talk and to use more advanced language and how to make sure students receive feedback. In the workshop, participants will learn to first evaluate activities by trying them in demonstration lesson. They will then develop similar activities for their specific teaching contexts.