Behavioral Learning Objectives
Instructional Issue: Students have problems with memorizing new Spanish vocabulary and pronouncing new Spanish words.
Technology-Based: Multimedia software is going to be used for helping students remember new vocabulary and practice pronunciation.
Major Outcome: Voki and Digital Dialect flashcards will help students remember new words by means of constant repeating those and practical exercises based on listening and repeating will help students memorize how new words should be pronounced (Moore 1996).
ABCD Objective 1: after using multimedia software, Voki and Digital Dialect flashcards, students will be able to memorize new vocabulary (15 words) and match those new Spanish words with cards on the screen with 100% accuracy.
- A = audience; the students
- B = behavior; students will be able to remember all new words which comprise vocabulary from one unit.
- C = condition; after having used the multimedia software students will be able to name 15 words of the new vocabulary which appear on the screen.
- D = degree; 100% accuracy
ABCD Objective 2: having used multimedia software, teachers will be able to increase participation of students up to 100% and reinforce lessons which involve the use of the computer technologies at least twice a week.
- A = audience; the students
- B = behavior; students will have more desire to attend classes as the use of computer technologies increases their interest in learning
- C = condition; visiting computer classes students will get a first hand experience from using computer technologies in learning (Korsvold 1997).
- D = degree; 100% attendance of lessons, reinforcement of the lessons which involve innovative technologies twice a week.
ABCD Objective 3: students will be able to pronounce new Spanish words correctly with 100% accuracy by means of using practice exercises on the basis of multimedia software.
- A = audience; the students
- B = behavior; students will read and pronounce new Spanish words correctly.
- C = condition; after using the practice exercise directed students are able to pronounce new Spanish words correctly
- D = degree; 100% accuracy
Assessment of the ABCD Objective 1
Writing Selected Response Assessment Items
The main idea of this assessment is to check how well students have remembered 15 new words from a new vocabulary after having used Voki and Digital Dialect flashcards. The assessment procedure should be conducted with the use of the following steps.
- A teacher prepares a short a text (about 200 words) which contains new words. The teacher reads it to the audience for the first time with pointing at the pictures which define the new words. Students just listen without making notes.
- When a text is read, a teacher asks general questions about the context of the text trying to use new words for students to hear them.
- A teacher reads the text for the second time without pictures. Students are allowed to make notes to make sure that they remember everything.
- Students are offered three types of tasks, Multiple Choice, Matching and True/False ([Anonymous] n.d.). The tasks should be organized in such a way that students are to use all 15 new words they have already learnt.
Multiple Choice Task. Students are offered a statement and a list of answers which are to be of the similar length, plausible, and without “all options” response.
Matching Task. This assessment tool should consist of two columns. The first column should be a list of the new words, and the second column should be the list of the definitions of those words. The task for students should consist in matching a word with its definition.
True/False Task. The task should be based on the content of the text, however, the stress should be made on the new words and the use of the vocabulary by students ([Anonymous] n.d.).
Assessment of the ABCD Objectives 2 and 3
Students are to use the computer for completing this task. Students should be notified that the task should be completed any time they want during a week after the new vocabulary was learnt. Students are offered a list of new words in Spanish.
Using a microphone, students are to pronounce a word and give a system an opportunity to record it. Each student has only one attempt to complete one vocabulary unit. Thus, at the end of the week a teacher will have a list of students who have completed the task and the results of their pronunciation skills.
Moreover, here is a list of more assessment tools which may be used to check how well students have learnt to pronounce new Spanish words:
- Vocabulary quizzing (one student says a word in Spanish and another one should respond in English, students should switch roles after one has pronounced all 15 words correctly.
- Picture identification (a teacher shows pictures and students are to pronounce the words drawn at the picture correctly.
- Pronunciation and spelling (one student says a word and another student should spell it without looking at the word, a student is interrogated until he/she is tested for all the words). Students should not have the vocabulary list before their eyes while being tested (Buttner 2007).
References
[Anonymous] n.d. Selected response. Classroom Assessment. Web.
Buttner A. 2007. Activities, games, and assessment strategies for the foreign language classroom. Larchmont (NY): Eye on Education. 189 p.
Korsvold A. 1997. New technologies in language learning and teaching. London: Council of Teaching. 156 p.
Moore Z. 1996. Foreign language teacher education: Multiple perspectives. New York (NY): Multiple Press of America. 337 p.