USEFUL TOOLS IN DEVELOPING/IMPROVING ORAL SKILLS (LISTENING AND SPEAKING) WITH THE HELP OF ICT

1. INTRODUCTION

To develop oral skills through the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology), a wide variety of tools available through the Internet and new emerging Web 2.0 technologies and applications can be found to be used in different types of learning environments, such as distance learning1, e-Learning2, blended learning3, mobile learning4, online learning environment5, etc. (Patrick, 2009). But not all of them are appropriate for every situation; so it the instructional designers´ responsibility to investigate which tools offer the best solution for the different tasks in synchronous and asynchronous interactions and collaboration (Beldarrain, 2006).

As West (2009) suggests, the combination of several online tools can be much more powerful to match the strengths and features of each with the requirements of the activity at hand. So the use of one of them does not mean that you have to abandon other useful tools. According to this idea, we think that every tool that has been developed fulfills with the requirements for which it has been designed. There are different applications, but all of them are somehow useful and the election depends on the type of activity that you want to design.

Following these ideas, we will analyse Web tools that are useful to develop and improve oral skills, better than specific applications, because all of them are useful.

2. USEFUL TOOLS IN DEVELOPING/IMPROVING ORAL SKILLS (LISTENING AND SPEAKING) WITH THE HELP OF ICT

VIDEOS

We begin with digital videos. The use of audio with video makes it more appealing and motivating to learners, specially to train in L2 listening comprehension skill. Digital videos do not provide benefits per se, but the activities of pre, while and post-listening that are designed with them. Videos are a powerful tool because they provide not only context, but also authenticity, motivation, interest and confidence, the sociolinguistic and pragmatic level of language, nonverbal features, such as gestures and body language, active involvement and participation, and real vocabulary acquisition. (Blasco, 2009).

NOTES

1 distance learning is a mode of study that allows the learner to study most of a course without having to attend at his institution. Learning is dissociated from time and /or distance.

2 e-Learning can take place on campus or in other context, and enhances the learning through the use of appropriate ICT.

3 blended learning is a combination of e-learning with traditional face-to-face teaching and learning practices and interactions.

4 mobile learning refers to e-learning through the use of mobile devices such as Smartphones or tablets. Mobile learning activities offer immediate context and surroundings.

5 online learning environment relates to learning that takes place online and requires an internet connection.

We can use from audio and video lessons to television and radio broadcasts, including news and documentaries, and music videos that are available through different sources:

1. Ready-to-Go

Archive.org: http://archive. orgBlip.TV: http://blip.tv/Google videos: http://video.google.comOurmedia: http://www.ourmedia.orgTeacherTube: http://www.teachertube.com/

Vimeo: http://vimeo. com

Yahoo videos: http://video.yahoo.comYouTube: http://www.youtube.comThe BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/CNN News: http://edition.cnn.com/video/Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab: http://www.esl-lab.com/videoclips.htm

Ello: http://www.elllo.org/video/index.htm

Some of them are specifically scripted for English learners, while others consist of authentic materials which have been specially selected and can be used for educational purposes designing different types of activities.And some of them are also accompanied by language practice activities that learners can do while they listen and watch.

But we can improve both listening and speaking skills of students through the use of videos. They are excellent materials for post-discussion speaking activities. Students can work together to answer questions and discuss listening strategies. And they can also use the video camera and create their own videos, recording and then watching to see how they can improve their performance. They can record role plays or presentations or even include subtitles which also have the potential for language learning, such as achieving a better comprehension of the oral input, or encouraging students to think about meaning and form (Talaván, 2010).

2. Create-Your-Own Screencasts – Slidecasts – Videos

Animoto: http://www.animoto.com/Google pres: http://docs.google.com (under the new select “presentation”)Mixbook: http://www.mixbook.com/Screentoaster (video capture – embeddable videos): http://www.screento aster.com/Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/

Slide.com: http://www.slide.com/

Stupeflix:http://www.stupeflix.com/

VoiceThread: http://www.voicethread.com

Windows movie maker: http://windows.microsoft.com/es-es/windows-live/movie-maker#t1=overview

VideoPad Video Editor: http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/es/Aegisub 3.0.2: http://www.aegisub.org/Camtasia Studio: http://download.cnet.com/Camtasia-Studio/3000-13633_4-10665 109.htmlSubtitle workshop: http://www.urusoft.net/download.php?lang=2&id=swLvL: http://levis.cti.gr/index.php?option=com_docman

DivXland Media Subtitler: http://www.divxland.org/es/media-subtitler/

Educanon: http://www.educanon.com/

PODCASTS

They are also an invaluable tool to develop oral skills. Podcasts, also known as vlog, Vodcasts or Podchips if they use video, or audioblogs if only audio is used, are audio recordings on any topic that interests you, and that can also include music. You can download them to your computer or portable listening device such as an MP3 player (Barber, 2007) and listen to or watch them whenever you want to. And learners also have the option of producing their own podcast using different platforms and tools:

Ready-to-GoBBC Podcasts: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcastsESL Listening: Podcasts: http://iteslj.org/links/ESL/Listening/Podcasts/Learn Songs: http://www.manythings.org/songs/English Fee: http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podcasts/7538

ELT Podcast: http://www.eltpodcast.com/

Elementary Podcasts: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/elementary-podcasts

Professional Podcasts: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/professionals-podcasts

Business English: http://www.businessenglishpod.com/category/esl-podcast/

Splendid Speaking Podcasts: http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podcasts/21609

(Peterson, 2010)

Podcasting blogs

Odeo: http://odeo.com

Podbean: http://www.podbean.com

Podomatic: http://www.podomatic.com

Posterous: http://www.posterous.com/

RecordingAudacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ (recorder -editor- MP3 converter)Callburner: http://www.callburner.com/Powergramo: http://www.powergramo.com/

Voice tools

Archive.org: http://archive. org

AudioPal:http://www.audiopal.com/

Aviary:http://aviary.com/

Chirbit: http://www.chirbit.com/

EVOCA: http://www.evoca.com

Gabmail: http://www.freegabmail.com

HandyBits: http://www.handybits.com (to be downloaded)

MyBloop: http://www.mybloop.com/

Snapvine: http://www.snapvine.com

Utterli: http://www.utterli.com/

Vaestro: http://www.vaestro.com

Viewpoint: http://clear.msu.edu/viewpoint/index.php

Vocaroo: http://vocaroo.com/

VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com/

Voxopop: http://www.voxopop.com/

Podcasts can be used for a number of different things, such as talk shows, music shows, interviews, storytelling, tutorials, directions, commentaries, sportscasts, etc. And ESL podcast sites have been developed for different purposes: vocabulary and grammar topics, idioms and slang, business English, world news and current events, limericks and jokes, songs, and poetry. And they are specially useful for practising pronunciation, stress, rhythm and intonation, and accuracy; but also to study basic structures like phrasal verbs, past forms, modals, listening comprehension quizzes, and more (Peterson, 2010).

You can subscribe to them with RSS, or Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, which contents are published as a feed when new information is updated. In addition, students can listen to them as many times as they need to in order to understand the gist (Dofs, 2013).

We can also find Text-to-Speech tools, as a different way of listening and improving pronunciation, although these programmes are sometimes faulty in recognising punctuation marks and they usually sound like a machine.

Text-to-Speech iSpeech: http://www.ispeech.org/free.text.to.speech.tts.softwareReadtheWords: http://www.readthewords.com/Text to Speech: http://text-to-speech.imtranslator.net/

VozMe: http://vozme.com

VoIP tools

But it is not until the fourth generation of online learning (1990-2000), also called Flexible Learning model, when VoIP (voice over IP) is introduced as a way of managing the delivery of information over the Internet. And it is now when we can talk about synchronous communication in the teaching and learning of languages (Jordano, 2011). Using this protocol, we can talk about oral interaction in real-time, although limited by the quality of Service and the ITSP (Internet telephony service provider).

Open source technologies can increase real-time collaboration between learners, and among instructors, staff, and students, especially in courses that are fully asynchronous (Beldarrin, 2006). Synchronous interaction such as social networking, discussion groups, live meetings or chats, live presentation tools, videoconferencing, voice conferences, voice blogs or journals, online tutor (synchronous real-time conversation), etc., offer the opportunity for full real-time collaboration and interaction, and also for participating in the exchange of knowledge and reflection (Beldarrain, 2006).

With all these tools, applications and platforms, students may find out information by communicating with people elsewhere, using ICT as part of a creative process. New course delivery platforms are designed including the use of online tools such as blogs, wikis, podcast, etc., and new applications are born to foster social interaction.

VoIP tools Gizmo5: http://gizmo5.com/ Skype: http://www.skype.comOovoo: http://www.oovoo.com/ (free for 2-way video )

Yahoo Messenger: http://messenger.yahoo.com

Applications

Imeem: https://myspace.com/imeem (social networking)

Writeboard: http://writeboard.softonic.com/aplicaciones-web (office online)

InstaColl: http://www.instacoll.com/ (a data-centric real-time collaboration solution that converts static office documents into dynamic, interactive platforms. InstaColl adds web meeting capabilities to traditional desktop software solutions.)

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) or vClassroomsAlado: http://www.alado.net/webheadsElluminate: http://www.elluminate.com/Learning Times: http://www.learningtimes.org

Scribblar: http://scribblar.com/

Tapped In: http://tappedin.org/tappedin

Vyew: http://vyew. com/site/

Webhuddle: https://www.webhuddle.com/

WiZiQ: http://www.wiziq.com

Blackboard /WebCT (web course tool):

http://uki.blackboard.com/sites/international/

globalmaster /Platforms/

Educator: http://www.educator.com/

Edmodo: https://www.edmodo.com/

VIRTUAL WORLDS

We cannot finish this analysis without talking about the ultimate advance in online tools that is known as virtual reality or virtual worlds, such as Second Life (http://secondlife.com/?lang=en-US) or Lively (from Google Labs). Second live is a 3D world where everyone you see is a real person and every place you visit is built by people just like you. These worlds offer infinite possibilities to improve and develop oral skills. Students can create and customize their own digital 3D persona, also known as avatar and interact with other students. There is always something to do, assemble buildings, design new fashion lines or launch clubs and businesses. Learning possibilities are endless to talk and meet people all over the world. Learners can chat, join or create groups, attend and organize events, talk it up on the forums, etc. All these possibilities bring communication to a whole new level. Not only teachers, but also students will have to learn this new learning tool and others that will probably be developed in a near future, as technologies are constantly and rapidly evolving.

3. CONCLUSION.

Educators are just beginning to realize the power of Web 2.0 tools and emerging social software applications for the development of oral skills. Since the time devoted to developing oral skills in class is clearly insufficient, and acquisition would only occur through wide exposure to practice and repetition, we should consider the development of consistent online toolsof autonomous learning, (Blasco, 2009). With the appropriate use of technology, learning can be made more active, motivating, and learner-centred, especially with such internet-based resources as audio-video, podcasts, video clip tools or virtual worlds developed with MOOs (Multi-oriented Objects) (Jordano, 2011).

Technologies evolve rapidly and the Net generation will likely continue to be at the forefront of technological change. Thus educators should continue to find new ways to exploit the students´ skills and direct the learning experience of their learners (Barnes, 2007).

Retrieved from: https://palomacli.wordpress.com/useful-tools-in-developingimproving-oral-skills-listening-and-speaking-with-the-help-of-ict/

#Listening #TechnologicalTools #TeachingListening