Developing Sakura - an interactive website for Japanese language learners

• Takako Tomoda
• Takako.Tomoda@arts.monash.edu.au
• Monash University, Australia

Abstract

A series of over 160 Web-based interactive exercises were developed during 1999 to 2002 for use by beginning level students of Japanese language at Monash University. Designed to supplement and extend the in-class components of the course as well as provide new forms of out-of-class learning, these exercises have been made available for remote access by students and others via a website called Sakura. These online exercises fall into twelve general types, the design and implementation of which is discussed in this article. Comparisons are made between each type of online exercise and their more conventional paper-based analogues that can be found in exercise and drill books. The advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. Due to the ability of online exercises to provide immediate feedback, the electronic exercises demonstrate a general advantage over the paper-based. This is most evident when sound or random presentation is also incorporated, since these online exercises can provide forms of practice not practicable by other means.

Note to readers

This article contains numerous hyperlinks to exercises on the website “Sakura”. In order for the exercises to work effectively you need to have a compatible combination of browser, OS, and plug-ins. Please refer to the introduction page <http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/subjects/japanese/sakura/introduction.html> for details of the system requirements before attempting to use the site.

Introduction

Students of beginning level Japanese at Monash University currently use a series of online materials as a component of their on-campus course. These materials aim to complement and extend the learning provided by the conventional means of lectures, tutorials and textbooks. The Web-based component is directly integrated into the course lesson by lesson. For each lesson in the main textbook, Interactive Japanese, the website, “Sakura”, provides a series of exercises. In one sense, the website fulfils the role of a traditional exercise book intended for individual use, but the online environment also provides opportunities for exercises to be presented in novel formats. This article aims to outline the various types of exercises developed for the Web; compare them to their traditional paper-based analogues; and discuss the advantages, limitations and the challenges involved in the on-line implementation of each type.

Rationale for the development of an online course component

Developing an online component for a university course is an undertaking that requires considerable time, motivation, skill and money. At the institutional level, providing web based delivery for all or part of a subject was viewed as an innovation worthy of support. From my own point of view, there were clear pedagogical and practical imperatives for embracing this technology. The advent of the World Wide Web presented a new text-based domain of language that language teachers could not ignore. Just as communicative style activities had brought more interaction into the classroom, I thought the interactivity of the Web had the potential to add an additional dimension to text. Besides this, I was convinced that educators in the field of languages should explore as many language domains as possible and incorporate these into their teaching to make the learning experience as real as possible. In the past I had incorporated film, TV, advertising, pop-songs, magazines and other aspects of popular culture into my teaching, so the Web seemed a natural and necessary addition, particularly since it was such a popular medium amongst young people. In terms of course delivery, I was particularly conscious that learning a foreign language in an L2 environment required considerable commitment on the part of the learner. While face-to-face teaching that included pair-work and other activities was an effective method of providing students with graded yet realistic language interaction, classroom time was limited and students required additional exposure to the language in order to extend their vocabulary, expose them to the language in an increased range of contexts, and counter their tendency to forget material practiced in class. The traditional methods of encouraging this out-of-class learning are setting homework, providing activities such as language clubs, and encouraging utilization of available foreign language materials such as language tapes, radio and TV programs, films, etc. In the case of beginning level students of Japanese, however, the utility of some of these avenues for out-of-class learning is limited due to the comprehension level of the students. The NHK TV news programs, Japanese radio programs, and Japanese newspapers available in Australia are generally too difficult for students, as are most authentic Japanese web-sites. I had looked for CALL materials on the web and had found some sites relevant to beginning level students but as Ikeda (2003) has noted the amount of such material available on the Web was limited. What were needed were graded materials of direct relevance to the course that students could access in their own time.
In addition to the educational needs of students, there was a need to mitigate the effects of ongoing budget cuts on the quality of education offered. In recent years, student numbers have been increasing while staff numbers have been drastically cut, face-to-face teaching hours have been reduced, and the overall support for languages has declined. These problems are not peculiar to Monash University but are to be found throughout the Australian university sector (see Pauwels 2002). While they stem from remote policy decisions the effects are directly felt by staff who struggle to maintain standards as workloads climb and resources shrink, and by students who have to cope with large classes and limited access to the remaining staff. Within this environment, any method that can provide a means for students to practice the language they have been exposed to in class without requiring staff involvement is a definite plus.

The development process

The project team consisted of two designers, myself and Brian May, plus one programmer. Three different programmers worked on the project over the years 1999-2002 but the bulk of the programming was done by Peter Stagg. For each exercise the developmental process was as follows: 1. The designers worked on the concept and produced a model exercise. 2. This was discussed with the programmer to determine whether it was feasible. 3. Any required modifications to the model were made and then the designers produced the necessary materials. 4. A prototype program was developed for the exercise. 5. This was tested and evaluated in terms of its effectiveness as a meaningful linguistic activity. 6. When the model proved successful, new variants were generally developed. In other cases, the model might be retained as a one-off item or abandoned. Both the developers and programmer worked closely together but there was little overlap in tasks. As Ikeda (2003) has observed, this division of roles allows the designer of the language materials to concentrate on the educational content while the programmer can focus on the implementation. By mid-1999 the first exercises were available for use by students. Development continued through 2000 and 2001 and in January 2002 there were 162 exercises on-line. Each of these incorporated numerous items so they provided over 2,000 separate interactions for use by students. Development remains ongoing.

Overview of the course and website

Beginning level Japanese at Monash comprises the first two of a series of twelve units in Japanese language offered internally. It has long been a large course. In first semester 2004, enrolments exceeded 320 students with the unit being managed and taught by one permanent staff member, myself, a number of post-graduate students and several part-time casual staff. Each unit is thirteen teaching weeks of four contact hours per student per week. Two additional computer laboratory classes per student are held in first semester to familiarise students with the use of the online materials including how to set up their home computers, access audio and input Japanese script. The textbooks used are Interactive Japanese 1 and Interactive Japanese 2 which come with audio CDs, as well as the workbook From Hiragana to Katakana for learning katakana script (Tomoda & May 1996, 1999, 2003). The style of face-to-face teaching that I use is based on communicative methodology with a large proportion of class time involving pair-work, role play and other information gap activities. The website Sakura comprises a number of sections but this article only deals with the Renshuu れんしゅう (exercises) section which comprises a series of purpose-built exercises that employ Java Script to enable real time interactivity via the Web.
Although Sakura aimed to accommodate a range of platforms, it is optimised for Internet Explorer on a PC. To use the site effectively, computers need to be able to display double-byte characters and an input method editor (IME) for Japanese is required. Implementing interactivity using Japanese script presented a considerable challenge during the developmental phase. Students also encountered difficulties using Japanese script on their home computers unless they first installed the required fonts and IME, browser and plug-ins. To avoid the de-motivating effects of technical difficulties such as these on novice users, the site was constructed using parallel versions of most exercises, with one version using roman script only and the other version using Japanese kana script (indicated by a “k”). This meant that students could access the site and begin using the exercises in the first week of their course, prior to learning Japanese script and how to input it on their computer. Sakura is currently available for open access at: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/subjects/japanese/sakura/

Types of on-line exercises presented in Sakura

Key imperatives in the development of Sakura were that the online exercises be easy to use, fast to download, self-marking with immediate feedback, suitable for individual use at home, not require input from an instructor, and be directly relevant to the course material. It was also important that there be a sufficiently large number of exercises available for it to be worth students' while taking the trouble to access them. Consequently, we aimed to produce a large number of short exercises that were familiar in form to exercises students had encountered on paper and in the textbooks, whilst taking advantage of the interactivity that the online environment offers. Graphics were kept to a minimum in order to reduce download time and only used when they clearly added to the content of the exercise. The exercises were numbered according to the lessons they related to in the textbooks in order to enable students to readily access the exercises that were relevant to their current learning. The correct answers were intentionally not provided on the site so that students would be able to identify the areas in which they had difficulty and not gain a false sense of their level of familiarity with the course material. In the laboratory sessions students were encouraged to use their class notes and textbooks to assist them when they encountered difficulties with the online exercises.
Based on the kind of response required, the exercises fall into the following main formats:

1. Multiple-choice using click-on buttons
2. Multiple-choice using pull-down menus
3. Short-answer exercises requiring typing into text-fields
4. Cloze-type exercises requiring typing into text-fields
5. Exercises that combine aspects of the above categories

Each kind of exercise has advantages and disadvantages from the viewpoints of developers, teachers and students. When determining which to select, the developers and programmer attempted to weigh up the time and expertise required to develop and successfully implement the exercise on the web against the success of the exercise as a useful and interesting language learning experience. The exercises can also be grouped according to the kind of practice they aim to provide. These include:

6. Keyboard skills development
7. Script and word recognition
8. Vocabulary building exercises
9. Sentence pattern drills
10. Listening comprehension
11. Dialogue completion
12. Reading comprehension and translation

These kinds of exercises employ a range of multiple-choice and text-input formats. Some only employ text, while others integrate sound and graphics or combine a number of kinds of practice such as listening and reading, listening and dialogue completion.
The following sections discuss the kinds of exercises developed for Sakura with links to the actual exercises being provided. To use the exercises effectively, it is preferable to use Internet Explorer and ensure your computer will display Japanese characters or Unicode. Further details on system requirements are provided in the introduction to the website Sakura.

1. Multiple-choice using click-on buttons

The format of this type of exercise is the same as that for a paper based multiple-choice quiz. The differences are that the student clicks with the mouse on an option and feedback is provided automatically. In the simplest version, this feedback is immediate in the form of a green pop-up window in which is written ただしい tadashii (correct) or a red window with ただしくない tadashikunai (incorrect). To soften the effect of this feedback, the messages in these boxes alternate to よくできました yokudekimashita (well done!) and もういちど mooichido (once more) respectively. To the novice user the meaning of the red and green boxes requires no explanation, but the actual Japanese phrases need to be explained in class.
The basic model for this kind of exercise is as follows (text is shown as XX; buttons are shown as dots):

• Model 1: Click-on multiple-choice
• Q: XXXXX XXX?
• • option 1
  • option 2
  • option 3
• (feedback)

Exercises of this type (for example Ex 4.4.) are relatively easy to develop and implement on the Web. The advantages are the same as for paper based multiple-choice in that this format can be adapted to many types of situations and the answer can be controlled. On the Web, it has the added advantage of being familiar to first-time users and so requires little explanation. When the use of Japanese text presents a technical problem this kind of exercise is the best option, since it is possible to use the Japanese script as a graphic rather than as text.
Since immediate feedback can be provided on the Web, it can be argued that this kind of exercise is better delivered online than on paper. Moreover, whereas a worksheet is generally used only once, an electronic multiple-choice exercise resets itself and can be used by the student again at a later date. Even so, the advantages over a booklet version that includes the answers in the back are few. As a Web exercise it suffers from being unoriginal and doing a lot of this kind of exercise tends to become boring. Adding graphics can mitigate this effect somewhat but unless the graphic forms part of the exercise, it adds little to the educational value while consuming computing capacity.
Multiple-choice with a button click is, however, the best choice for exercises that require rapid responses. Since a mouse click is all that is required, the element of speed can incorporated to make the exercise more challenging. This kind of exercise is discussed at length below (for an example see Ex 3.1.).

2. Multiple choice using pull-down menus

Although pull-down menus are in essence another version of paper based multiple-choice questions, the online version does have some advantages when constructing exercises of the fill-in-the-blank type. The pull-down menu forms the blank, from which the user selects one of a limited range of options. Once students make their selection they click on a ‘Submit’ button to receive feedback (correct/incorrect) (see Ex 8.2).
The basic model for this kind of exercise is as follows (pull-down menu shown as [ ] ):

• Model 2: Pull-down multiple-choice
• Q: XXXXX XXX?
• A: XXXXX [option 1; option 2; option 3] XXX.
• Submit
• (feedback)

Since the range of possible options can be limited to four or five, this format lends itself to the practice of structural points and we have often used it for this purpose (see Ex 2.1). It is also effective in longer model conversations where more complex comprehension is the focus. In such cases, feedback can be provided at the end of the passage and combined with blanking out the incorrect selections (see Ex 16.3). Since the format is straight forward and no text input is required, this kind of exercise is particularly suited to novice users, but when using Japanese script a Japanese character set is required. Although we have usually used simple feedback, it is possible to construct a more complex set of feedback options with this and other types of multiple choice exercises. For example, in Ex 4.2 feedback is provided in a text-field that includes hints relating to the incorrect options.
A disadvantage of exercises of the above two kinds is they tend to be mechanical, since the correct responses can be obtained by trial and error. Consequently students have less motivation to repeat an exercise once they have completed it. Furthermore, the presence of pull-down menus in the middle of sentences looks unnatural especially in longer passages that include a number of them. Nevertheless, this format is easily adapted to many situations. It is generally superior to the first type of multiple-choice since it showcases some of the advantages of the online format over the paper-based format while remaining suitable for novice users.

3. Short-answer exercises requiring typing into text-fields

In many cases we have opted for the use of text-fields over multiple-choice formats. Although point-and-click exercises have an implementation advantage, they involve an overtly closed set of responses whereas the use of a text-field allows for a less controlled response. When confronted with a blank text-field, students cannot simply adopt a trial-and-error strategy and are forced to work out the answer. This educational advantage of the text-field does, however, need to be weighed against the additional complexities that this format brings. These include text input capability on the part of the user and the program, the technical aspects of marking the input, and a means for the user to access the correct responses.
When alphabet is used, the main issues with inputting text relate to how to treat spaces and capitals. To address these, the options are to instruct users to avoid capitals and spaces or program the exercise to accept all options. Our initial strategy was to give instructions but users often ignored these so we had to add typical options to minimize frustration. For example, when the required input is ‘konnichi wa’ (Good day) the program needs to accept: ‘konnichi wa’; ‘konnichiwa’; ‘Konnichi wa’; ‘Konnichiwa’.
When Japanese script is being used for input, there are a number of additional problems. On the instructional side, students require Japanese word-processing skills, so a set of exercises that aimed to teach students the methods of entering Japanese script using a standard romanised keyboard needed to be developed (see below for a discussion of these exercises). However, it takes a few weeks before students can become familiar with Japanese script in class and since the word processing exercises depend on the ability to read at least hiragana, students cannot realistically be expected to input Japanese script within the first month. To encourage text input prior to familiarity with Japanese script, exercises were constructed with romanised versions that can be used by novice users. These are linked to Japanese script versions that can be used once students have acquired the necessary skills and confidence.
On the implementation side, the Japanese versions of text-input exercises needed to be programmed to accept a greater range of textual variants than for the romanised versions. We use the modified Hepburn system of romanisation as the standard when teaching beginning level students, but for typing we also teach a range of two-key input options e.g. ‘tu’ for ‘tsu’, so a text-field requiring the Japanese for ‘two’ is programmed to accept: ‘futatsu’, ‘hutatsu’, ‘futatu’, or ‘hutatu’. With later exercises that employ both kana and kanji additional options are required. If an insufficient range of acceptable answers is used, users will receive feedback indicating that they are wrong when they enter a less usual variant input even though their response is actually correct.
The basic model for this kind of exercise is as follows (text-field shown as { } ):

• Model 3: Fill in blank
• Q: XXXXX XXX?
• A: {blank field}.
• Submit (accept: futatsu, hutatsu, futatu, or hutatu)
• (feedback)

One way we have employed the short-answer format is in a series of listening comprehension exercises. For example, students see a graphic of a clock and hear a person ask them ‘nanji desuka’ (What time is it?). Then they have to write the time shown on the clock into a text-field using words, submit their answer, and then progress to the next question. When they have finished a set they receive an accumulated score (see Ex 7.1). The concept of this exercise is simple, and the sound is actually superfluous since the exercise can be completed without it, but it induces a more realistic effect and this, coupled with the score, compels the user to continue.

4. Cloze-type exercises requiring typing in text-fields

As with the pull-down menu type of exercise, text input lends itself to the cloze exercise. We have used this format for simple sentence completion (see Ex 6.2) as well as for short (see Ex 15.2) and longer dialogues (see Ex 6.3).
The basic model for this kind of exercise is a variant of Model 3:

• Model 4: Text input
• Description of situation (in English)
• A: XXXXX XXX?
• B: XXXXX {blank field 1} XXX.
• A: XXX {blank field 2} XXX?
• B: XXXXX {blank field 3} XXX.
• Submit (accept options for fields 1, 2 & 3)
• (feedback plus blank out incorrect fields)

An advantage of this format is it cannot easily be solved by trial and error and so requires more thought and a clear understanding of the Japanese. However, longer dialogues that include a number of text-fields can prove difficult for students since the options are open and not constrained as in pull-down menus. More care is also required in designing such text-field cloze exercises to ensure that there is no ambiguity. Consequently, we have tended to use the text-input type of cloze for shorter dialogues and the pull-down type for longer dialogues (see Ex 16.3).

5. Exercises that combine aspects of the above categories

One aim of the project was to experiment with exercise designs for Web implementation. While straight-forward formats such as those discussed above tend to dominate the site, a number of more innovative formats have also been developed. One approach taken was to have students respond to a graphic. In Ex 1.5 this simply involves matching a face to a name using a pull-down. Another approach was to use a map of Japan with cities marked on it as flashing dots, coupled with a dialogue about travel containing blanks as pull-downs, with the map providing the information needed to complete the dialogue (see Ex 6.4).
Exercise 17.2. is a read, listen and select exercise that employs a variation of multiple-choice (i.e. true/false). It involves first reading the entries in a Japanese schedule book, then listening to recorded statements about the schedule which may be true or false, and finally clicking on the corresponding T/F button.

• Model 5: Schedule Book (audio shown as “..”)
• Step 1. Read and comprehend entries in schedule book (graphic)
• Step 2. Press audio icon & hear “recorded statement 1”
• Step 3. Decide whether recorded statement 1 is accurate according the schedule book.
• Step 4: Press the button for True or False
• (feedback is automatic progression to next item, i.e. “recorded statement 2” )

Whereas exercises like 1.5 and 6.5 above are basically versions of a kind of exercise found in language textbooks which have been adapted to an electronic format, 17.2 is further removed from any paper based analogue and, as such, is a better example of what can be done in the on-line environment. On the downside, however, the more complex the structure of the exercise the longer it takes to implement on the Web and the more likely that problems with functionality will occur. For every such exercise that worked, a number of other designs had to be abandoned.

6. Keyboard skills development

In order to introduce students to the rudiments of word processing using Japanese script we developed a series of eleven exercises that cover all the main features of inputting hiragana, katakana and kanji. These exercises have a dual role in that they also provide students with practice entering Japanese into text fields, a skill they require to complete other exercises presented in Sakura. Once students have mastered the basics of text input they can learn other operations such as changing from hiragana to katakana and from hiragana to kanji. Each online keyboard exercise begins with a short explanation of one aspect of inputting Japanese text, followed by a practice session that involves entering text into a text-field, pressing the submit button, and receiving accuracy feedback.
In the earlier exercises students learn to input using hiragana (exercises 1 - 4). Beginning level students learn a romanised form of Japanese (called roomaji) to provide them with a means of writing Japanese while they learn the Japanese scripts. However, there are some differences between the romanised Japanese used in textbooks and the method of entering Japanese script using a standard romanised keyboard. Therefore explicit instruction in text input is essential. To take one example, long vowels are problematic since a word that students are used to spelling as ‘kyooshi’ (instructor) will produce inaccurate hiragana if entered in this manner i.e. きょおし. Instead, it has to be entered as ‘kyoushi’ in order to produce the correct hiragana rendition i.e. きょうし (see Exercise 1). Also, a particle that students have been used to writing as ‘wa’ has to be typed in as ‘ha’. In addition, there are a range of shortened alternative ways of inputting individual hiragana or katakana (for example, ‘tsu’ = ‘tu’, ‘shi’ = ‘si’, and ‘chi’ = ‘ti’) (see Exercise 2). Consequently, the Japanese version of ‘Good Day’ that students learned in lesson 1 as ‘konnichi wa’ could be entered as ‘konnnitiha’. Although these differences are not overly complex, without explicit instruction it is difficult for students to adapt to the online environment the roomaji they learn in class and read in the textbook. In the later exercises students learn to input romanised text to produce katakana (Exercise 5 to Ex 7), then kanji (Exercise 9.1 to Ex 9.2) and finally short sentences that combine all three scripts (Exercise 9.3). By the end of the series the user has covered all the basics of Japanese text input.
The aim is not to have beginning level students complete all the exercises in one sitting. Rather, the appropriate exercises are used as familiarity with Japanese text grows. Generally, students first use these exercises in a supervised computer lab session. I have found that each year students are excited when they see Japanese script appear on the screen and even more excited when shown how to send e-mail in Japanese. My own observation is this stimulates interest in Japanese script and encourages students to move away from roomaji and use the Japanese script only.

7. Script and word recognition

Learning the Japanese scripts of hiragana, katakana and kanji are major hurdles for learners. Students need to be able to recognize and identify the Japanese characters instantaneously before they can read with confidence. A conventional means of practicing script recognition is the use of flash cards. This approach is effective but it has a tendency to produce boredom. In an attempt to overcome this, I designed an exercise model that utilizes the rapid repetition that flash cards offer with the addition of time and accuracy feedback.
These exercises, referred to as ‘Quick Hit’, comprise a pool of items from which the computer draws random sets of ten items. These are presented one at a time. The learner responds to each item by clicking on one of three options presented on buttons. The button-click brings up the next item and so on until all ten items have been displayed. After the final item, the score out of ten is displayed together with the time taken to complete the set. The numbers corresponding to any incorrect items are also displayed enabling students to scroll backwards through the exercise and check their mistakes. Students can then repeat the exercise with another set of ten items.
Having found that a prototype of the first Quick Hit exercise (later to become Ex 1.1) was well received by students, we developed further exercises using this model. These involved reading individual hiragana (Ex 5.1), recognising vocabulary items written in hiragana (Ex 6.1), recognising individual katakana (Ex 15.1 and Ex 16.1), and a number of vocabulary exercises that employ katakana and kanji (for example Ex 18.1 and Ex 21.1).

• Model 6: Quick Hit
• Step 1: press ‘start exercise button’. This starts the timer.
• Step 2: Item 1 appears
• Step 3: Select options 1, 2, or 3 (on buttons)
• Step 4: Item 2 appears
• Step 5: Repeat steps 1-3 (and so on until Item 10) (selecting the final option stops the timer)
• Step 6: Feedback: score; time taken (seconds); items incorrect.
• Step 7 (optional): scroll back to check which items were answered incorrectly, then review textbook or notes
• Step 8: repeat the exercise (this generates a new set of items)

Although Quick Hit exercises are conceptually simple, being simply flashcards combined with multiple-choice, the addition of randomly generated sets with time and accuracy feedback creates a format that encourages ongoing use. On the technical side, this format required the development of a series of prototype programs, each of which was trialed before the current format was arrived at. Students have informed us that these exercises produce the feeling of a computer game and that makes repeating them more enjoyable.

8. Vocabulary building exercises

Vocabulary building is a major challenge for beginning level students so we developed a series of exercises that aim to revise the main new vocabulary items for each lesson. In their earliest form these exercises comprised simply a list of words written in hiragana accompanied by a text-field into which the corresponding roomaji is typed, followed by a ‘Submit’ button for each item (see Ex 1.2). A parallel exercise comprised the same vocabulary list but required typing the meaning in English into the text-field (see Ex 1.3). In later exercises, these aspects were combined so there are two text-fields per vocabulary item (see Ex 2.4). As kanji were introduced the vocabulary items were presented in two formats, one using hiragana only and one employing the usual kanji. Once students have learned the kanji, the hiragana field is dropped (see for example Ex 16.6). From lesson 18 onwards the romanised input is replaced by hiragana (see Ex 18.6).

• Model 7: Vocabulary Building
• Presented as a list with four columns as follows: 1. Japanese word (in kana); 2. Same Japanese word (in kanji + kana); 3. Romanised version; 4. English meaning. (Kana script represented as K; Kanji script represented as Kj)

Conceptually simple and relatively easy to design and implement, since they all follow the same format, these exercises are actually a series of short answer questions set up as a single table. One advantage is they provide a simple way for students to revise new vocabulary items covered in class in a form that requires knowledge of both pronunciation and meaning.
When compared with Quick Hit vocabulary exercises the Vocabulary Building exercises seem rather pedestrian. Nevertheless, they do illustrate some of the advantages of the online format. Although modeled on the paper-based vocabulary quiz, these exercises differ in that they lend themselves more to individual use. Whereas few students would use a vocabulary quiz in their own time for their own study, they are more inclined to use an on-line self-marking exercise. To reinforce the importance of these exercises, they are designed to complement the Quick Hit vocabulary exercises. Vocabulary items are first presented lesson by lesson in the lists before being incorporated into a Quick Hit set. A downside of these vocabulary exercises is that they involve no meaningful interaction and are simply a list of words without any semantic grouping. This means that they can become tedious and need to be kept short. The main difficulty in constructing this kind of exercise lies in the need to accept numerous options in both the romanised text-field and even more in the English meaning field.

9. Sentence pattern drills

The pattern drill has long been a major component of exercise books for language learning and remains a useful exercise type. In the simplest form, these exercises present sentences that are based on material covered in the same lesson in the textbook and require a blank to be completed by entering a particle or word. This can be implemented online using pull-downs (see for example Ex 8.2) or typing into text-fields. In Ex 24.2k a verb-form transformation is practiced by contrasting what a person thinks they want with what they would say when making a request. The thought provides one form of the verb and acts as the hint for the text-field in the request.
Since the focus of the course is upon conversational Japanese, where possible the pattern drills are structured as short dialogues (see Ex 11.1 and Ex 22.1k). This provides greater contextualisation and reduces the mechanical feeling of this kind of drill.

10. Listening comprehension

Incorporating sound files offers the opportunity to create exercises that combine skills and make good use of Web interactivity. Such exercises are, however, fairly complex and time consuming to construct so they remain in the minority.
Lesson 7 includes a number of audio exercises. In one exercise, sound is combined with multiple-choice after the fashion of a listening comprehension workbook plus tape. Students see a digital clock face displaying a time and hear a sound-file of a time that may or may not correspond to the clock. The response is to click on buttons for correct or incorrect. The items are presented as in the basic Quick Hit model (see Ex 7.3).

• Model 8: Audio multiple-choice
• Step 1: Graphic plus “audio”
• Step 2: Look at graphic, press audio icon to listen, then match
• Step 3: Click button: T or F
• (Feedback: exercise progresses, see Quick Hit model above)

In lesson 20 a conventional listening comprehension format is adopted. Students listen to short dialogues about the positions of things and respond by using pull-downs to compete a statement in English (see Ex 20.2). While this exercise does not display the kind of interactivity evident in Exercises 11.2k and 17.1k (see below), it is a straight forward format that could be adapted to numerous situations.
A more complex format employs an interactive calendar that includes graphics and a series of sound-files in the form of short dialogues that mention a month and a day of the month. Students listen to the recording, select the correct month from a pull-down menu next to the calendar, click on the day on the calendar, and exercise progresses to the next item (see Ex 17.1k). Relative time expressions are also practiced in a similar fashion (see Ex 11.2k). These exercises are actually forms of listening for gist but they use very short passages. The aim is to make rather boring activities such as learning the days of the month more palatable as well as to contextualize them. To complete the exercise the learner only has to pick out the day, but since the day is embedded in a longer audio passage the exercise does not seem like a mechanical drill.

• Model 9: Calendar (with audio)
• Step 1: press ‘start exercise button' to start timer.
• Step 2: press audio icon to hear “XXXXXmonthXXXdateXXX”
• Step 3: select month from pull-down
• Step 4: press day of month on calendar
• Step 5: selected date appears on button
• Step 6: if correct, press button to submit
• (Feedback: automatic progression to next item, see Quick Hit model above)

In the above instances the online format displays distinct advantages over the conventional in that it is easier for the user to set up, gives immediate feedback, offers a large number of interactions since the exercises are in random blocks, provides time and accuracy feedback, and can be used at the learner's convenience. The downside is that combining sound and graphics consumes computing space so the size of the sound-files and the graphics needs to be minimized. Otherwise loading time becomes excessive and the purpose can be defeated as student frustration sets in.

11. Dialogue completion

Both short and longer dialogues comprise the most common type of exercise used in Sakura. As mentioned above, most of these are presented as short dialogues requiring pull-downs or text-input and are variations on the traditional cloze exercise. Others, however, use more novel formats. In Ex 2.3 learners see a graphic of a bus door and a series of faces. They have to find a person who is getting off a bus by typing questions and responses into a text field. The conversation is structured in four stages so a number of unsuccessful attempts are required before the correct person is found. The aim is to practice phrases learned in the lesson, so the stages are used to encourage repetition. This exercise is actually a series of Model 4 type exercises (see above).
In Exercise 19.2 there is a conversation with cloze items that is structured in stages as in Exercise 2.3 plus the addition of audio. The model for this format is as follows:

• Model 10: Staged Dialogue (with audio)
• Step 1. The situation is set using an English description and a graphic.
• Step 2. A short dialogue using text with blanks is presented. This is part 1.
• Step 3. Press audio icon to hear the dialogue. This can be done any number of times.
• Step 4. Type the missing words into the text-fields. Then press the submit button.
• Step 5. Feedback appears as pop-ups and blanking out any incorrect cloze items.
• Step 6. If the input is correct an additional short part of the dialogue is displayed (i.e. part 2).
• Step 7. Again, there is cloze plus another audio icon that provides the dialogue.
• Step 8. Steps 3-5 are repeated.
• Step 9. When part 2 is correct, part 3 of the dialogue appears, steps 3-5 are repeated until all the blanks in the cloze are correct.
• Step 10. Finally the learner completes a sentence that describes the outcome of the dialogue by selecting from a number of pull-downs. This is intended as an overall comprehension check.

This kind of exercise is actually a single listening comprehension passage that has been divided into sections to keep the audio files small and keep the number of text fields that require auto-marking at one time to a minimum. The staging also provides a greater sense of progression through the task than would be the case if the whole dialogue were presented in one sequence.
Another variation on the dialogue format is seen in Exercises 7.4 and 7.5. These combine a conversation with an audio component but the text is only provided for the learner's role. The role of the partner is replaced with a photo of the person and the text is replaced by sound. However, an additional element is introduced since students have to answer a question to check that they have understood what has been said before they complete the final line of the cloze. This kind of exercise is modeled on classroom pair-work involving information-gap. Firstly the situation is set up, then the roles are played, the information obtained is recorded on a worksheet, and finally comprehension is determined by checking the accuracy of the information recorded. Each of these aspects is implemented in the computer version. The general structure of this online format is as follows:

• Model 11: Role-play dialogue (with audio)
• Step 1. The situation is described in English and instructions provided.
• Step 2. The user plays the role of Person A and speaks via text. The partner is represented as a graphic and responds as audio.
• Step 3. Complete the cloze components in a question from Person A using a text-field or pull-down.
• Step 4. Press the Submit button to enter the selection.
• Step 5. Computer responds as audio. If the input was correct, the user hears the answer to the question. If incorrect the user hears questioning audio feedback (see below), the text-field blanks out, and the user must try again.
• Step 6. User is required to use the information that was heard to answer a question by typing into a text-field or selecting from a pull-down. This acts as a comprehension check.
• Step 7. Press the Submit button to enter the text/selection.
• Step 8. Computer provides accuracy feedback. This is generally the end of the interaction but it can be used as a command to progress the dialogue when the conversation is presented in stages.

Of the conversation formats, the above involves the most human-computer interaction since the computer takes the role of the role-play partner with text, graphics and sound all being necessary to the interaction.

12. Reading comprehension and translation

We considered developing an exercise in the form of an extended passage for reading followed by comprehension questions, but did not progress down this path since we wished to avoid having students read longish passages on screen that require scrolling. For beginning level learners there tends to be considerable overlap between reading comprehension and translation activities, so these were combined in a simple multiple-choice format (i.e. Model 1). Students read a sentence in Japanese and select which of a number of English translations is the best. We have found this format to be a good option because whole sentences do not lend themselves well to the use of pull-down menus or text input (see Ex 16.2). In earlier lessons these exercises are presented in parallel roomaji and kana versions but in later lessons, the roomaji version is replaced by a mixed Japanese script version (see Ex 19.3kj).

Student responses and observations

In my frequent contact with students I have found that most students use the website but some have poor computer skills or are resistant to the online format. Conducting supervised computer lab sessions helps overcome these attitudes since students generally find the sessions entertaining. Students are frequently forced to share a computer during the sessions due to the lack of resources but this can be turned into an advantage by encouraging students to work on the exercises together. For example, one could look up the textbook to answer difficult items, they can take turns on Quick Hit exercises, send each other e-mails and so on. In this manner, the computer lab session can become another form of pair-work in which students learn the skills required to use Sakura independently. For some students, particularly those from overseas, the communicative style of teaching used in class is unfamiliar. This, coupled with shyness and lack of contact with other students, can make some students resistant to participation in spoken pair-work activities. For such students, supervised lab-sessions and individual use of the online exercises can provide a form of interaction in Japanese that is less confronting thereby making them more willing to take an active role in class. I have also found that the online exercises provide a valuable resource for students who begin the course late and need to catch up or revise work. Such students are not uncommon and those who have made good use of the textbooks and Sakura are usually able to catch up a number of weeks of missed work and complete the course together with the main group.
A number of evaluations of the website were carried out during the developmental phase and over the subsequent years but space does not permit a full discussion of these in this article. Some results have been reported in Felix (2001), others in Tomoda (2001). These results were encouraging but since that time the number of exercises has increased and both access and interactivity have improved. Further analyses are planned.

Conclusion

As contact hours in language subjects are reduced, the value of the remaining in-class sessions increases, so it becomes more and more important to use this time effectively. From my experience, class time is best used for explaining difficult points, correcting pronunciation, and conducting activities that require students to speak and solve problems using the language. Nevertheless, students need additional practice in order to consolidate and extend what they have learned in class and facilitate memorisation. As Yamamoto (2004) has noted, the adoption of a Communicative approach does not necessarily mean the abandonment of drills. Repetition is an essential component of language learning that should not be dispensed with. Accuracy is also an important issue in language learning and it is one that is difficult to deal with on an individual basis while teaching a large class.
CALL offers an effective means of replacing the drill book by taking the language drill to a new level. When implemented on the Web the old exercise book that required filling in blanks and then looking up the answers is transformed. At the minimum, it can become an electronic version that provides immediate feedback but the CALL version can also add graphics, sound and offer new forms of exercises. I do not see CALL as replacing face-to-face teaching. It is evident that most students like human interaction and it is very difficult to design an effective substitute for one-on-one speaking practice. Nevertheless, CALL would seem to have considerable potential as a means of providing paperless supplementary materials and opportunities for out-of-class learning.
In the L2 environment students require motivation to enable them to persist with their learning. Motivating students is a challenge that all teachers face and there are many possible ways to respond. Using the Web in the manner described above is one response that has proven popular with the majority of our students. Compared with 1998, the online environment has lost some of its novelty but students still seem to find their first use of Japanese script on the web a stimulating experience. By adding this extra dimension to the course we can make language learning more interesting and effective in a way that is overtly relevant to the modern world.

Supporting Language Learning from a Computer Game

• Somsong Suparp
• somsongsup@yahoo.com
• Rajamongala Institute of Technology North Bangkok Campus
• Richard Watson Todd
• irictodd@kmutt.ac.th
• King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok
• Pornapit Darasawang
• pornapit.dar@kmutt.ac.th
• King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok

Abstract

Computer games are a very popular form of entertainment for students, and some games provide extensive exposure to English. Using one of these, Football Championship Manager 4, support material providing help with difficult vocabulary was designed. Users could choose between three types of support: Thai definition, English definition, and examples of use or pictures. From stimulated recall interviews with Thai students who had played the game and used the support, it was found that the Thai language support material was most frequently used, but that the choice between the types of support depended on students' purposes in playing the game.

Exposure to authentic language input has come to prominence as a key issue in successful language learning. For example, it has been argued that exposure to authentic use of the target language is a necessary but not sufficient condition for learning (Tomlinson, 1998). Similarly, it has been claimed that authentic language is intrinsically motivating for students (Richards, 2001). If such claims are true, as teachers we should be searching for opportunities to expose students to authentic use of English. Some ways in which this can be done are through extensive reading (Day and Bamford, 1998), through films (Voller and Widdows, 1993), and through computers (Mirescu, 1997). In this article, we intend to focus on the last of these, and more specifically on computer games.
The use of computers in language learning is an area which has grown exponentially over the last twenty years or so. One aspect of computer use which has, however, been largely overlooked is computer games (in a recent survey of CALL, Beatty, 2003 included no citations for research into the use of computer games in ELT). While the Internet and computer-mediated communication have received a lot of attention in English language teaching from the perspectives of both pedagogy and research, computer games have been the focus of surprisingly little attention, especially given their popularity as a form of entertainment. This lack of attention is doubly surprising when it is considered that for many people whose L1 is not English, their main exposure to English may be through computer games.
Among the many different kinds of computer games, the type providing the greatest exposure to English is probably simulations. These games involve users in role-playing and making decisions. From an informal survey of 150 students at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), one particularly popular simulation game involving extensive exposure to English was identified: Football Championship Manager 4 (CM4). In this game, the user pretends to be the manager of a football team, who needs to buy and sell players, select a team, select tactics and so on. In doing this, the user is exposed to large quantities of English, some of which may be unknown to most non-English speakers. In order for users to play the game effectively and, at the same time, to have opportunities to learn English, support for the advanced vocabulary items in the game may help.
There are a variety of ways in which this support or scaffolding can be provided (see Beed et al., 1991; Eggen and Kauchak, 1999). In this study, four types of scaffold were used: Thai definition, English definition, examples of use, and pictures (see below for details). Having prepared such support, we were interested in how the users used it, and thus in this article we aim to investigate the types of support that the users choose and their reasons for choosing it.

The support program

From the informal survey of 150 students at KMUTT, it was found that the main problems students had with English when playing computer games involved unknown vocabulary, unknown abbreviations and unclear instructions due to the difficulty of the vocabulary in the instructions. The vocabulary and abbreviations in CM4 were analysed, and 23 words (e.g. aggression, reflexes, stamina) and 12 abbreviations (e.g. AM: attacking midfielder, INE: ineligible) likely to cause problems to non-English speaking users were identified. For each of these, three types of support were provided: Thai definition, English definition, and either examples of use or picture.
The following shows how defensive is presented in the support program. Firstly, a definition using more frequent English words and thus simpler English was given as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 English definition of defensive

Then, the English definition was translated into Thai as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Thai definition of defensive

For concrete words where a picture can illustrate the meaning of the word, a picture was also given. For defensive, however, it is difficult to see how a picture could explain the word. For words for which a picture is inappropriate, then, examples of use of the word in a footballing context were found using the Internet as a corpus, and these for defensive are shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 Examples of use of defensive

For those words where pictures may be appropriate, a picture was used rather than examples of use. An example is given in Figure 4.

Figure 4 Picture of aggression

The support materials were designed using IS Adobe Image Styler in the form of webpages, a format which it was believed users would find familiar and thus have few problems using. The support program can be viewed at http://arts.kmutt.ac.th/thai/webcm4/index.html. To use the support program, users need to open the support program in a browser and then start CM4. They can switch between the two windows using the Alt+Tab command. When the users encounter an unknown word in CM4, they can open the support program, find the word, and then choose between the three types of support provided for each word. They can look at more than one type of support if they want. In this way, it is hoped that the support program can help users play the game more effectively while simultaneously learning English.

Data collection

In order to investigate the types of support that the users choose and the reasons behind their choices, six students were recorded using the support program and then interviewed. These six subjects were all first-year students from the Faculty of Engineering at KMUTT who were interested in playing CM4.
The subjects were asked to play CM4 for one hour and to use the support program as help whenever they wanted it. They were recorded using the SnagIt screen video capture program. They were then interviewed concerning their use of the support program using the video capture as input for stimulated recall. The types of support chosen were identified from the video capture records, and the reasons for their choices were elicited from the interviews.

Types of support chosen

To compare the extent to which each of the types of support was chosen, the probability for each type of support to be chosen was calculated by dividing the number of times one type of support was chosen by the number of occasions on which it was available. Thus, if every subject chose to use one type of support at every available opportunity, the probability would be 1; if, on the other hand, a type of support was never chosen despite there being several opportunities to do so, the probability would be 0. The probability values for each type of support are given in Table 1.

Type of support	Probability of being chosen
Thai definition	0.90
English definition	0.59
Examples of use	0.70
Picture	0.73

Table 1 Probabilities of each type of support being chosen

Table 1 shows that Thai definitions were the most popular type of support, with English definitions being less used. However, since all the probabilities are greater than 0.33, we can see that most subjects used more than one type of support for each word they looked up in the support material. In fact, on average for each word subjects chose to use 2.23 types of support.

Reasons for choosing the types of support

The data from the semi-structured interviews showed that the support material was used by the subjects to play the game for several reasons: saving time and convenience, understanding meaning, motivation, independent learning, and learning English. Extracts from the semi-structured interviews are presented in Table 2.

Reasons underlying use of support material	Sample extracts from the interviews
Saving time and convenience (mentioned by 5 subjects)	" … it saves time and is convenient…moreover, the dictionary may take time while playing the game…saves time for looking up the meanings because there are various methods to find the meaning such as talking dictionaries… Also, it can help to save time for looking up the meaning of words." (Subject A) "It's more convenient than a dictionary… It's easy to look up the meaning of word and abbreviations because it's fast and convenient…the language support is convenient and fast without wasting time using a dictionary." (Subject C)
Understanding meaning (mentioned by 6 subjects)	"I choose language support in the Thai version because I understand the meaning of words easily…The pictures help me to understand and know the meaning of words immediately… I like the picture because I can understand the meaning of words immediately." (Subject C) "… the English language support makes me know the meaning of a word… Opening the support material is helpful because I can understand the meaning of a word…If I understand a lot of words, I can play the game well." (Subject D)
Motivation (mentioned by 4 subjects)	"The language support is fun and I was interested in studying English again." (Subject A) "Language support is more attractive to a player than a dictionary… Moreover, playing the game not only gives me enjoyment but also teaches me English." (Subject C)
Promotion of independent learning (mentioned by 3 subjects)	"I can have learning by myself and an opportunity to learn English with no limit." (Subject D) " I am able to have learning by myself." (Subject F)
Learning English (mentioned by 6 subjects)	"… playing the game is fun. We have knowledge and it helps us develop language skill…the English language support helps me learn English while playing the game." (Subject A) " … the English language support makes me learn more English… I like to learn some words." (Subject E)

Table 2 Reasons underlying use of support material

Discussion

The reasons underlying the use of the support material given in Table 2 suggest that subjects had two main purposes in using the material. Firstly, using the material for the reasons of saving time and convenience and understanding meaning imply that the subjects' priority is playing the game quickly and successfully. When the subjects used the material for this purpose, the Thai language support was their primary choice. Although the rationale for designing the support material was not to facilitate effective game-playing, it is hoped that such use of the material leads to incidental learning of vocabulary items.
The second main purpose the subjects had in using the support material was to learn English. This purpose is related to the reasons of motivation, promotion of independent learning and learning English. Where learning English was given priority by the subjects, different types of support were used, including the English language support. Using the support material in this way can be considered explicit learning, in contrast to the incidental learning associated with the first main purpose.
It should be noted, however, that for most vocabulary items subjects chose to use more than one type of support and so may have been fulfilling both main purposes at the same time.
The support material investigated in this study was designed simply to explain the meaning of unknown vocabulary items to students using the game. This approach exemplifies a transmission mode of teaching (see Kohonen, 2001), which may not be the most effective approach to facilitating learning. It was therefore decided to supplement the support material with interactive exercises checking users' understanding of the unknown words from CM4 presented in the support material. These exercises were designed using Authorware and can be downloaded from ftp://arts.kmutt.ac.th/setup.exe.
Since the support material and the interactive exercises were designed and made available, more than one thousand people have downloaded these programs to use. Such large-scale use suggests that there is a clear demand for English language support for playing computer games. The worldwide popularity of computer games incorporating English should be seen as an opportunity for encouraging both incidental learning of English by users wishing to play games effectively and explicit learning by users wishing to simultaneously improve their English. We hope that the support material investigated in this study can provide a model whereby such learning can be encouraged.

• ISSN 1442-438X
• CALL-EJ Online
• Vol. 8, No. 2, January 2007

Integrating Intercultural Email Communication and the TV News in the Foreign Language Classroom

• Mariolina Pais Marden
• mpm@uow.edu.au
• University of Wollongong, Australia
  

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe the benefits associated with the integration of email communication between native speakers (NS) and non-native speakers (NNS) and the Italian daily broadcast telegiornale in the context of foreign language learning. For one semester sixteen second year students of Italian at an Australian University participated in one-to-one email interactions with Italian NS and discussed a range of topics presented in the news. As part of the project learners also contributed to weekly oral discussions in class on relevant cultural issues emerging from both the telegiornale and the email interactions with the NS. Over the course of the semester students negotiated the content of both email and oral discussions with little intervention from the instructor aside from the requirements that the topics discussed were relevant to the Italian current situation and that communication took place entirely in the target language. This study profiles an integrated approach which provides a personal and cultural connection with contemporary Italian language and culture, encourages discussion and reflection on relevant issues, and increases students’ interest in the target language culture.

Introduction

Several studies into the pedagogical uses of electronic communication between native speakers (NS) and non-native speakers (NNS) of a foreign language have discussed the benefits associated with the integration of email activities into the teaching and learning of a language subject (Beavois & Eledge, 1996; Gray & Stockwell, 1998; Fedderholt, 2001; Roed, 2003). Some of these benefits include increases in motivation, reduction of anxiety, increased participation and development of learner autonomy, opportunities for authentic communication with a real audience and enhanced cultural awareness (Stockwell 2003, p. 38).
A number of studies have described carefully designed email exchange projects in which learners participated in discussion tasks with a very specific focus (Kern, 1996; Chen, 1998; Muller-Hartmann, 2000) and which were fully integrated into the ongoing structure of assessment and students’ classroom interaction (Warschauer, 2001). Other studies have indicated that the type of activities and tasks carried out by learners during the email interactions not only influence the nature of communication but also learners’ attitudes and motivation in relation to the exercise (Kern, 1998; Mueller-Hartmann, 2000; O’Dowd, 2001; Warschauer, 2001). These studies also suggest that goal-oriented tasks and activities that allow for interaction and collaboration are generally more valuable for motivating students and encouraging their participation and involvement in the learning process.
In the particular context of this project the use of intercultural email communication was combined with discussions on issues presented in the Italian telegiornale and integrated into the teaching and learning of a second year Italian language and culture subject. For one semester students participated in one-to-one email interactions with Italian NS and discussed a range of topics presented in the Italian news. As part of the project, students also actively participated in and contributed to oral discussions in class on relevant issues emerging from both the telegiornale and the email interactions with the NS.
Research into the integration of the Italian telegiornale within a teaching and learning context has investigated its cultural significance and pedagogical value. Several studies have recommended integrating it into the structure of the language classroom to improve students’ linguistic skills and broaden their knowledge of modern Italian culture and society (Diadori, 2000; Absalom, 2002), encourage discussion and reflection on relevant issues (Losi, 2001) and increase students’ motivation and interest in the target language culture (Balboni, 2000).
Both email communication and the Italian telegiornale provided students with the opportunity not only to be exposed to and extend their knowledge of contemporary Italian language and culture, but also to connect and engage with it on two different levels: through authentic communication with a real audience and through observation, reflection and discussion on culturally significant issues.
From a practical point of view, the choice of email communication proved to be appropriate as it is technically very simple to use and allows for flexibility in the choice of time and space. It also allows learners to review earlier messages and discussion threads and to reflect on their linguistic and cultural content after completing the exercise. In a similar way, the integration of the Italian telegiornale to encourage oral production and stimulate discussion seemed ideal, as it is an authentic and always up-to-date resource (Absalom, 2002) that is easily accessible on a daily basis, either through TV or the Internet and requires minimal technical support.

Method

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to provide students of an intermediate Italian language and culture subject with the opportunity to interact with suitable NS correspondents and discuss issues relevant to the current Italian situation. A second aim was to create a personal connection with the target language culture and increase students' cultural awareness.

Setting

The project consisted of two components, the telegiornale discussions and the email interactions. Each component involved the following phases:
Telegiornale discussions:
1. Watching the Wednesday morning edition of the Italian news. 2. Preparation for the class discussion. Each student prepared a presentation based on one item selected from the news. Each student prepared a list of relevant vocabulary to be distributed to the class for students’ reference as well as a list of relevant questions and issues to be posed to the class for discussion. 3. Participation in the class discussion on Thursday. Two students selected by the instructor led the discussion based on the chosen topic. All students in the class participated in the discussion.
Email interactions: 1. Initiate the email interactions. Each student was assigned to a NS correspondent and sent her/him a first introductory message in Italian. 2. After receiving a reply, each participating student proceeded with the virtual dialogue with the Italian correspondent. 3. Every week each student wrote a message to the designated partner and discussed one or more topics presented in the news or emerged from the class discussions. The email interactions involved both composing messages and responding to the messages received from the Italian partner.

Participants

Sixteen second-year students of Italian at an Australian university participated in the project. The students, twelve female and four male, had all completed at least three semesters of formal Italian language study, either at university level or at secondary school level, and had therefore developed a good level of competence in the target language. Eight of the sixteen Australian participants were students between 18 and 22 years of age, eight were mature age students between 25 and 40.
Research into sustainability of email exchanges between NS and NNS suggests that establishing a positive personal relationship with the correspondents is vital in order to maintain a viable electronic partnership (Muller-Hartmann, 2000; Belz, 2002, Stockwell & Levy, 2003). Research also indicates that when communication is engaging for both participants, the likelihood that interaction continues for a longer period of time increases considerably (Stockwell, 2003).
In this project, providing the Australian students with suitable correspondents was a crucial issue, not only to increase the chances of sustained interactions and continuity throughout the exercise, but also to keep both correspondents motivated and engaged throughout the project. When the possibility of participating in the project was initially discussed in class, 80% of the mature age students expressed the desire to communicate with NS belonging to a similar age group, with compatible interests and attitudes, rather than with young high school or university students. A broader selection of NS participants was therefore involved in the exchange. Individual correspondents were chosen by the instructor on the basis of their personal characteristics (including age group, gender, profession and interests) as well as their willingness to actively participate in the exchange.
All NS participants agreed to participate in the project on a voluntary basis and were highly motivated and willing to commit themselves to interacting with their Australian partners. Eight of the NS participants were high school students aged between 17 and 19 and eight were adults between 25 and 40 years of age.

Role of the Instructor

Aitsiselmi (1999) points out that the role of the instructor as a facilitator, advisor or mentor is crucial to ensure that learners engaged in an email exchange project are encouraged to pursue their learning in the appropriate direction. Absalom (2002) claims that such a role is vital for a teaching program which integrates the telegiornale as the instructor needs to teach explicitly and provide clear guidelines to the students involved in the various tasks.
At the beginning of the project students were provided with a set of instructions and suggestions for composing and interpreting messages as well as various examples on what was considered to be successful participation. They were also given specific guidelines on how to watch the news and what to focus on while preparing their presentation. The instructor then guided students in the process of making meaning of the issues presented in the news and also in the development of their virtual relationship with their correspondents. Support and feedback was provided during the process of writing and communicating with the NS and during the process of analysing messages and reflect on particular aspects of the other culture. Students and instructor had the opportunity to discuss and reflect together on the particularities and challenges of the interactions.
Communication with the teacher has proven to be valuable as students felt comfortable discussing difficulties and concerns related to the email interactions as they arose, rather than having to deal with them on their own. The instructor made sure students were not intimidated by the fact they were communicating with NS, by engaging with them on a regular basis and regularly seeking feedback on the progresses of the exercise.
The role of the instructor was not to impose the topics to be discussed or to be prescriptive but rather to guide students and facilitate their experience. As mentioned earlier, students negotiated the content of the interactions with their correspondents and independently selected relevant issues for the class discussions. They had the freedom to actively construct the environment for their learning (see Laurillard, 2002) by focusing the discussion on topics that were not limited to a specific list of pre-determined items but significantly covered their interests, experiences and opinions.

Assessment

Angelo and Cross (1993) and McCarthy (1999) agree that learning tasks need to be assessed in order to be taken seriously and that it is vital that students see a clear relationship between their performance in a particular task and formal assessment. In order to motivate students’ participation and encourage interest in the exercise (see Ramsden, 1994, p. 185), a percentage of the final mark for this subject was dedicated to both the email interactions and the class discussions.
The email interactions were worth 15% of the overall mark for the subject and the class discussions were worth another 15% to make up a total of 30%. Both the exchanges and the telegiornale discussions were evaluated with reference to a set of four criteria which was explained to the students at the start of the project: communication, linguistic accuracy, content and cultural awareness. Each of the four criteria was weighted at 25% of the 15% of the overall mark for each task.
The communicative criteria referred to the ability to lead a discussion and to understand and respond appropriately to questions and observations posed in class. In the case of email interactions it related to the communicative aspects of the messages such as clear questioning and answering, comprehension of the preceding discourse and coherent development of ideas and dialogue. The linguistic criteria related specifically to linguistics accuracy (grammatical correctness and fluency) and to coherent use of linguistic expressions. Content related to the depth and quality of both oral presentations and email discussions. In the case of email interactions, messages that were more complex and sustained were marked more favourably than those that limited the discussion to more superficial topics. Cultural awareness related to the ability to comprehend cultural references and to discuss and reflect on events and culturally significant content as well as the ability to compare aspects of Italian and Australian culture

Data collection

In order to learn about students’ attitudes in relation to the integration of the Italian telegiornale and the email discussions with the NS, NNS participants were asked to complete two questionnaires. The first questionnaire was distributed at the start of the semester to find out about students’ prior experience of viewing the Italian news and communicating with NS in an online environment. The second one was handed out at the end of the semester to gather some feedback on students’ perceptions on the value of the exercise and on their experience of discussing the issues presented in the news both in class and online.
A second method of data collection included saving all online interactions between NS and NNS as well as audio recording all class discussions. The email exchanges were systematically forwarded to the instructor and saved in chronological order. The class discussions were recorded and later revisited and analysed by the researcher using qualitative techniques.

Results and Discussion

Data from the questionnaires, the online exchanges and the class discussions were employed to report and justify the findings.
In the questionnaire administered at the beginning of the semester students reported that they did not feel confident about presenting on the telegiornale because they had difficulties understanding and interpreting the content of the news. They also commented that they felt anxious about discussing Italian current affaires with correspondents who were obviously more informed then them and more familiar with the topics considered. A number of students were concerned about making too many mistakes in the correspondence and some worried about not being understood by the NS.
An analysis of students’responses to the questionnaire completed at the end of the semester revealed a shift in their attitude towards the tasks of both watching the telegiornale and interacting with the NS. When asked to describe the experience of watching the telegiornale and to comment on some of the issues encountered, students observed that the routine of regularly watching and analysing the news helped them becoming more familiar with what was reported and also assisted them in the task of summarising the content of the news for presentation in class and for the online discussions. A number of students noted that, despite the difficulty of grasping some of the topics presented, particularly in relation to Italian politics, they felt that, as the weeks progressed, they were able to understand more of the cultural context of the telegiornale and became more interested in following Italian current events.
When asked to comment on the value of the online discussions with the NS, students pointed out that the task of discussing the news with the Italian correspondents contributed to improve their linguistic skills and offered them the unique opportunity of being exposed to authentic language. They noted that, by the end of the semester, they felt more confident in their use of Italian as they could express themselves more effectively on many issues. Some students praised the opportunity to listen to different point of views and opinions, reflect on differences and similarities between the Australian and Italian culture as well as exchange ideas and engage in interesting discussions. The results of the end of semester questionnaire revealed that overall the exercise had a positive effect on students’ motivation for learning about Italian culture and society and for improving their language skills.
Analysis of the online interactions between native and non native speakers and observation of the class discussions revealed that the tasks of interpreting, analysing and synthesising relevant issues presented in the telegiornale as well as discussing them with the Italian correspondents contributed to improve the quality, depth and strength of students’ arguments and debates. It is particularly interesting to note that, as the semester progressed, the content and quality of both class discussions and email messages improved dramatically, with contributions covering a wider range of topics and becoming more structured and relevant.
In terms of linguistic development, it is interesting to point out that in a number of cases the NNS clearly followed examples of language usage modelled by their NS correspondents and tried to incorporate words and expressions learned from their email partners into both their online and oral contributions. Analysis of the messages exchanged also revealed a range of cases where the NS provided assistance to the NNS in acquiring new lexical terms and expressions. In a small number of cases, and only when explicitly asked, the NS corrected some the mistakes made by the NNS.

Conclusion

The integration of intercultural email communication and the Italian TV news into the teaching and learning of this Italian language and culture subject had a number of benefits for the students involved. It not only provided learners with the opportunity to be exposed to and broaden their knowledge of contemporary Italian language and culture but also allowed them to connect and engage with the target language culture on a personal basis, through authentic communication with native speakers.
Through observation and analysis of the Italian news and through regular interaction both in class and with their correspondents, learners were able to listen to different points of view and opinions on relevant matters, reflect on differences and similarities between Italian and Australian social and cultural themes, and critically compare their own views and those of others. They also had the chance to express their opinions and perspective on a range of issues, engage in interesting discussions with classmates, NS and instructor and receive individual responses and feedback from their correspondents.
From a linguistic point of view, the combination of different activities associated with the use of both media allowed students to develop their receptive abilities of aural/visual comprehension, as well as their productive oral and written abilities. Through regular practice in presenting and discussing main points and arguments in both written and oral form students developed their presentation and organisational skills and became more effective and confident speakers and writers.
The integration of both media encouraged students to participate at two different levels. While the telegiornale served as an authentic resource to represent contemporary Italian culture and society and as a departure point for oral and email discussions, email communication served as preparation for face-to-face discussions and offered students a real audience that assisted them in the task of making meaning of the news, reflecting on them and expressing their point of view.
In conclusion, this project has created an environment in which learners were able to express themselves in oral and written form in the target language as well as discuss and reflect on a number of relevant issues. The project also had a positive effect on students’ motivation and interest towards the subject. It encouraged them to expand their knowledge of Italian culture and society and develop an ongoing interest in current affaires. A final important benefit of this exercise was that it gave students the chance to construct their own learning experience and develop a sense of autonomy and independence (see Laurillard 2002, pp. 67-69). The skills that were developed could be applied in the wider world as well as the university context.

Author

Having trouble reading Romeo and Juliet? Can't understand 

Shakespearean English seems to many arcane and hard to understand. At the core, however, it is still English. Not only that, but it sounds remarkably intelligent. It thus makes sense that you learn how to speak it. Luckily, this is surprisingly easy.

edit Steps

1.
1
Read a Shakespearean play in the original if you can. Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet are good candidates. This will give you an idea of how the language is used and also increase your vocabulary with older forms and uses of words.
2.
2
Replace questions of the form "Can I?" with phrases such as "I do beseech you" or "I prithee". This archaic form sounds particularly Elizabethan, and has the benefit of being more polite.
3.
3
Work on greetings. In modern times, we are satisfied with "Hello" or "How are you". To make this sound more Shakespearean, a simple form may be "Good greetings, my lord/lady" or, if you truly wish to know how the other is doing, try "How now, [Name]?". Feel free to add clauses along the form of "and may you be well". You can respond with "Likewise to you", remembering to refer to "my lord" or "my lady" A more polite and flowery response could be "All of God's greetings upon you".
4.
4
Work on your farewells. Farewells can be much improved from modern "Bye!". A very simple, no-thinking-required approach might be "Fare thee well", but this can be improved further by considering how your conversation ended. Did you say goodbye to someone for a long time? "Fare thee well in your travels, and may by fate we meet again." Similarly modify your goodbyes to fit the situation.
5.
5
Add in more-or-less superfluous adverbs such as "humbly" - they make your speech more flowery, which is the main effect.
6.
6
Shorten "it" to just "'t". For example, "it was" becomes "'twas", "do it" becomes "do't"
7.
7
Master forms of "thou" - use "thy" for possessive ("thine" before vowels or the letter H), and "thee" for an object.
8.
8
Clearly mark off opinions with "methinks" and "forsooth".
9.
9
Refine your cursing. Replace "F*ck" with "Fie, fie on't" and "damned" with "accursed". Other adjectives can be replaced with "traitorous", "lecherous", or "thieving". You can also refer to those of humble origin or anyone acting servant-like as "knavish"
10.
10
Freely use the following words: "Anon", "As you will", "By your leave", "Carouse", "Chide", "Cutpurse", "E"en", "E"er", "Fie", "Grammercy", "Maid or Maiden", "Marry!", "Mayhap", "Morrow", "N"er", "Nonpariel", "Oft", "In Faith", "Perchance", "Poppet", "Pray pardon me", "Pray tell", "Privy", "Stay", "S"wounds!", "Tosspot", "Verily", "Wench", "Wherefore", "Yonder"
11.
11
Fix your verbs: Add "-st" to singular second-person verbs and "-th"/"-eth" to singular third-person verbs. For example, "How dost thee" and "How doth he"
12.
12
Use "shall". It can be used to express obligation, and also in the first person. Remember that when used with "thee" or "thou", "will" becomes "wilt" and "shall" "shalt"
13.
13
If you need to break up with someone, take a few hints from Hamlet (Act 3, scene 1, 114–121).

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edit Tips

* You can improve further by speaking in iambic pentameter, but this is extremely hard to do off the cuff without practice.
* Rhyme is unnecessary and often makes it hard to speak properly. Furthermore, it is often silly and nullifies the effect of sounding smart. Only rhyme if you are sure it is tasteful.

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edit Warnings

* Speaking like Shakespeare will require frequent references to God. You don't have to believe in the Christian God, or in any, to use such figures of speech. However, if this offends you in any way, feel free to leave such references out.

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