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Language Perfect s uccess in the classroom from a teacher’s perspective. Lisa Cumberland Pakuranga College. About Me. HOD Japanese at Pakuranga College Teach at a large school – about 2200 students
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Language Perfect success in the classroom from a teacher’s perspective Lisa Cumberland Pakuranga College
About Me • HOD Japanese at Pakuranga College • Teach at a large school – about 2200 students • My interest is finding technology based tools that help to aid student learning outside the classroom
Languages set up at Pakuranga College • Languages available from Years 9-13 • Students have 3 languages to choose from: Japanese, Maori, German • Y9 students have to study one language for half a year (every day for one hour) • From years 10-13 languages are optional and run for a whole year
How we started using Language Perfect • In 2009we trialled the programme with two senior Japanese classes to see how it worked • After our trial period was finished the students made the decision on whether to continue using Language Perfect
Development over the years 2010 - Optional for senior students to purchase 2011 – opened it up to year 10 students also & trialled in Maori 2012 – compulsory for students in years 10-13 2013 – compulsory for all year levels in Japanese and Maori & optional for German
Language Perfect World Championships Using the Language Perfect programme, to date our biggest successes have been in the LPWC • Top school in NZ 2010 – 2013 • Top school in the world for Japanese (4 years) • 2nd school in NZ for Maori (2013) • 2nd student in Maori (2013) • Top student in the world (2013)
How our school runs the LPWC • Students are expected to learn words in the language they are studying before doing other languages • Each class has a maximum of 2 periods in the computer room a week over the fortnight of the competition • Students are kept up-to-date with progress through class teachers • The whole staff is also kept up-to-date so that they can encourage students • Possibility of prizes for students who reach a achievement levels • Presentation of top awards in school assembly
Language Perfect World Championships • Again, we built up numbers throughout the years • Every year gets harder • 2013 has been our most successful for student engagement across the languages • The first year the Maori students have competed and achieved really well (2nd student in Maori & 2nd school in NZ for Maori)
Using language perfect with my students – the early years • Originally Language Perfect was a homework tool. We would have only one or two lessons in a term in the computer rooms. Use was very much student driven • In the early years, students mainly used LP when the LPWC were on or when they had exams approaching
How I use language perfect with my students – now • Still very homework based • At the start of the school year I have classes in the computer room once every couple of weeks to get them started • Set goals for students to reach • Senior students set their own goals
How I use language perfect with my students – challenges • Computer access • Unmotivated students particularly at junior level • Unmotivated students at senior level – overuse of programme
Using LP with studentsMichelle Lodge (Botany Downs Secondary College) • Sets goals for students to reach in a set time • Mostly considered homework • Emails students in the middle of the set goal to let them know their progress • The student with the most points at the end of the period of time becomes the King/Queen of the class and they get to decide the punishment for any student that does not reach the goals, eg: push ups, a funny skit in class, etc..
Using LP with studentsMotivating Students • Competition within classes • Competition between classes • Monthly goals – any students that do not reach the goal must stay at lunchtimes using LP until they reach the goal • Food / Rewards
Language Perfect tools that I like • Being able to view students that are online at any one time • Viewing student progress through both graphs and individual scores • Customising content to suit my students’ needs
How I feel about using Language Perfect as a teacher • I am a lot stricter now in enforcing the students use the programme throughout the year and not just when they have exams coming up. • It’s great to have all the vocabulary lists in one place without me having to load them online. In particular our NCEA assessment lists. • I love hearing students say after using LP how much easier classwork has become because they actually know the vocabulary. And it’s a great confidence booster for the lower level students.
Key Competencies The 5 key variables to integrate into the NZ Curriculum Participating and Contributing Thinking Relating to Others Understanding symbols and text Managing Self
Autonomous learning Students identify own goals through tests given in class They know their own weaknesses & strengths From this they can go on to Language Perfect and choose to use one of the activities to enhance/support their learning in that particular area …taking ownership of their own learning …allows the teacher to watch from a distance without students feeling the pressure of knowing we’re watching
Student opinion‘What do you think about Language Perfect as a learning tool?’ It enables the user to learn while challenging themselves to gain more points It’s a good learning tool. I’m on the computer often so it’s easy to access It’s a platform for helping language students to revise/learn new vocab in a fun way. It’s better than learning for a book It allows students learning to be more customised eg: certain categories More attractive than a text book
It makes you remember vocab through repetition & the point system gets competition going Student opinion It has 4 methods of learning It gives you the list of vocab required for your year level & you can access it from anywhere because of technology ‘What are the good points of the programme?’ It has NCEA lists so it’s a useful indicator of the minimum vocab required to learn. Higher level lists allow students to extend vocab past what is required The way it’s set out, J-E & E-J makes remembering the words effective. Points systems are good for motivation Helps develop our vocab & helps as a learning tool for us to remember & learn important vocab for exams It’s customised so what you learn can be updated regularly
Student opinion‘What motivates you to use Language Perfect?’ Getting a reasonably high ranking in the class competition When I realise I need to learn my vocabulary (esp. after tests) Words come up randomly so you need to learn the words. You can’t just guess. Allows us to discover new vocab that we can incorporate into our knowledge base, writing & conversations, etc.. If I feel like I’m falling behind in class I go on it. The points system & the cheering when you reach particular points Finding new vocabulary & grammar that I didn’t know about It’s a new way to learn, easy to access & an efficient way of learning that improves vocab fast
Student opinion “It helps with my learning because it is an excellent revision tool. I do not think it can ever substitute all the teaching done in class, but I believe that vocabulary wise, I would not have remembered some Japanese words without repeatedly having practised them.” - Y12 student
Ultimately…. For me: • Language Perfect use is guided by students. • There have been positive outcomes in student learning – confidence/achievement • It’s straight forward to use • It’s accessible for students and relevant for the ‘technology generation’ • However, like anything students still have to have some self-motivation to use it • It a useful tool in taking a step to fill the ‘how do students learn all that vocab?’ gap
