SM
Upcoming
Past Events
Thursday, April 18th,2024
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Online
Language(s) of Delivery: English
Click here to register:
For more information, please contact:haluk.tuncay [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Discussion%20Group%20Event, body: Hello%20Haluk%2C%0A%0A)
Raising Genre Awareness in Second Language Learners: A Transferrable Skill
Want to introduce more authentic materials to your language classroom but not sure where to start? In this event, the speaker, Oguzhan Tekin, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, at the University of Toronto, will discuss using real-world texts to raise genre awareness among university students, helping them craft better texts while maintaining their authorial agency. After introducing the concept of genre awareness and its implications for (second) language classrooms from the perspective of writing studies and composition, he will provide a hands-on activity for the participants to easily implement in their classrooms. Implications for teachers and learners of languages other than English will also be discussed.
Presenter:
Dr. Oguzhan Tekin is an assistant professor in the teaching stream at the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Due to his passion for sociolinguistics, his foray into research was through topics such as critical language awareness, language-based discrimination, (reverse) linguistic stereotyping, social identity and language. This informs his approach toward issues around second language writing and identity as well as attitudes toward writing. Inspired by his own experiences as an international student in the North American context, he is currently exploring prejudicial attitudes toward international students and their academic and social integration and socialization into host communities. His research has been published in various journals (e.g., System, Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, and Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Canadian Modern Language Review) and he has presented his work at several professional conferences (e.g., American Association for Applied Linguistics, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching, TESOL International Association).
Thursday, October 26th,2023
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Online
Language(s) of Delivery: English
Click here to register:
For more information, please contact:haluk.tuncay [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Discussion%20Group%20Event, body: Hello%20Haluk%2C%0A%0A)
Teaching linguistics through language construction: A project-based approach
This presentation details how introductory linguistics courses can increase student engagement and learning through a project-based approach, whereby the students first study the subfields of linguistics with a view to complete the main project of the course, namely to construct a novel language. I provide information from a semester-long course with specific project-based activities teachers could utilize in their classes. I also thoroughly examine the constructed language projects based on 33 student submissions in an introductory linguistics course in the US. The analysis indicates a high level of engagement and creativity by the students in creating a distinct orthography, phonetic, morphological, and syntactic rules and semantic properties for their constructed languages. The results from a 20-item questionnaire and student exit interviews indicate that the project-based approach adopted in the completion of their constructed languages proved effective in (a) improving student motivation and engagement; (b) helping students apply the knowledge of the material to carry out linguistic analysis; (c) enhancing students’ language learning skills; (d) encouraging them to study additional foreign languages; and finally (e) promoting linguistic diversity. Hence, as an innovative and effective method still in its infancy, project-based learning should be more widely implemented in linguistics instruction.
Presenter:
Dr. Yılmaz Koylu has a Ph.D. in Linguistics and Second Language Studies from Indiana University, Bloomington in the United States. His research interests lie in the domains of first and second language acquisition, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, Turkish linguistics, Cantonese Linguistics, Hong Kong English, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and second language writing. He has 16 years of teaching experience in various universities in Turkey, the US, and in Hong Kong. As a language educator and researcher, Yılmaz Koylu’s overarching principle in teaching is empowering students to be lifelong learners. With the overarching principle in mind, a key parameter in Yılmaz Koylu’s teaching is adapting and evolving based on new teaching and learning contexts. This is particularly relevant today given the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically in large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4. Such LLMs have unearthed the wide ranging and fascinating capabilities of AI, which will transform teaching and learning. Thus, as a language educator and researcher, Yılmaz Koylu is committed to making the best use of AI to empower the next generations through teaching and research.
Tuesday, October 20th,2022
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: AMLF - Lab 3
Language(s) of Delivery: English
Click here to register:
For more information, please contact:haluk.tuncay [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Discussion%20Group%20Event, body: Hello%20Haluk%2C%0A%0A)
Engaging Students in the Assessment of Participation: A Pilot Project in Language Courses
When it comes to participation, instructors often wonder whether students understand what is expected of them and how in-class students’ performance can be assessed judiciously. In this presentation, Dr. Alejandra Barriales-Bouche and Dr. Sun-Young Kim will describe a pilot project on participation in German and Spanish language classes from Winter 2022 that was guided by the following questions: How can we assess in-class participation fairly? Based on the idea that students’ involvement in shaping their learning experience deepens their motivation, how can we engage students in assessing their own participation?
The presenters will show the following in their presentation:
1) how they communicated their expectations on participation to students through descriptors rather than rubrics,
2) which steps they took to engage students by incorporating self-assessment assignments in their courses,
3) what the students’ perspective and feedback was according to a survey run at the end of the project.
The presentation will conclude with reflections on the lessons learned and a discussion with participants.
Presenters:
Dr. Alejandra Barriales-Bouche received her Ph.D. in Hispanic Literatures and Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2003. Before joining the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at SM in 2012, she was Associate Professor at Suffolk University (Boston). She also taught at Mount Holyoke College and Concordia University. In the field of language teaching methodology, her interests include the use of technology in language courses and the integration of culture and literature in language classes.
Dr. Sun-Young Kim earned her Ph.D. in German Studies at the University of Michigan. Before joining the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at SM in 2012, she taught German at the University of Toronto, York, University of Michigan and Kalamazoo College. Her interests in the field of language pedagogy include teaching literature in language courses and integrating technology in language classes.
Tuesday, February 15th,2022
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Location: AMLF - Lab 3
Language(s) of Delivery: French & English
Click here to register:
For more information, please contact:haluk.tuncay [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Discussion%20Group%20Event, body: Hello%20Haluk%2C%0A%0A)
Providing written corrective feedback in real time: the case for collaborative writing
In this event, the speakers, Gabriel Michaud, Assistant Professor at UDEM, and Kevin Papin, Assistant Professor at UQAM, will present the results of their study, which aimed to explore the possibility of providing synchronous written corrective feedback while students were engaged in collaborative writing tasks.
They will highlight types of feedback that were preferred by teachers and students, student’s reactions to the feedback and discussions that ensued, and the perceptions of both teachers and students regarding the benefits and limitations of this new practice. Implications for the language classroom will also be discussed.
Presenters:
Gabriel Michaud is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the Université de Montréal. His research interests include task-based language teaching, second language grammar and vocabulary development, and written corrective feedback.
Kevin Papin is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). His research focuses on the pedagogical use of different technologies (e.g., virtual reality, speech technologies) for L2 learning, in relation to willingness to communicate, vocabulary and pronunciation.
Friday, February 19th,2021
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Online, via Zoom
For more information, please contact:haluk.tuncay [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Discussion%20Group%20Event, body: Hello%20Haluk%2C%0A%0A)
Interactive Session:
Why Online Language Teaching (OLT) is special and what the research tells us?
For this session, attendees will be asked to watch two pre-recorded presentations by Murphy-Judy & Russell and then engage with the presenters during a 45 minute live session of review and discussions, in which they will explore online language teaching (OLT) through their questions and comments.
Through research on several critical factors in online language learning, the presenters will offer some best practices in online language teaching design and implementation. The session will also focus on discussing what the attendees would like to explore in more depth about the video presentations they watched before coming to the session and the challenges they face in their teaching contexts.
Access to recordings will be provided upon registration.
Presenters:
Kathryn Murphy-Judy, Associate Professor of French, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Coordinator of Languages, Direcor of L.S.E.E.
Victoria Russell, Professor of Spanish and Foreign Language Education at Valdosta State University (VSU), Coordinator of Online Programs for the Department of Modern and Classical Languages.
Tuesday, January 26th,2021
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Online Discussion Group, via Zoom
For more information, please contact: haluk.tuncay [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Discussion%20Group%20Event, body: Hello%20Haluk%2C%0A%0A)
Discussion Group: Engaging L2 Learners Online
AMLF, SM
This discussion group will be focused onthe potential tools, available research on educational technology and best practices on increasing the studentengagement in online language learning settings.
Scope:
Exchanging ideas, existing knowledge and past experienceson tools that promote online learner engagement.
Defining online language learner engagement and discussing about potential educational technology to support instructors.
Outline:
- 3 Layers of Interaction - Diagnosis
- Breakout Rooms Discussion: In which layer do L2 learners have the lowest engagementin your course? Why? Are there any specific challenges on your course pertaining to any layer?
- Existing researchon online learner engagement
- Recommended online tools for engaging language instruction
- Breakout Rooms Discussion: How can these technology improve your courses? Have you used similar apps? Do you see potential in them?
- Best practices and use cases
- Q&A Session
Materials
Supplemental Reading:
Akcaoglu, M, Lee, E. (2016). Increasing Social Presence in Online Learning through Small Group Discussions. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 17(3). DOI: 10.19173/irrodl.v17i3.2293
Barile, N. (2019) A Guide to Giving Clear Instructions to Students. Retreived from:
Boettcher, J. V., Conrad, R. M. (2016). The Online Teaching Survival Guide. USA: Jossey-Bass Press.
Guarnieri, G. (2015). Beating the odds: teaching Italian online in the community college environment. Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society, 11(3), 163-182.
Haris, M., Yunus, M. M., & Badusah, J. H. (2017). The effectiveness of using Padlet in ESL classroom.International Journal of Advanced Research,5(2), 783-788.
Jonassen, D., Davidson, M., Collins, M., Campbell, J., & Haag, B. B. (1995). Constructivism and computer‐mediated communication in distance education.American Journal of Distance Education,9(2), 7–26.
Jones, B. (2009). Motivating students to engage in learning: The MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education,21,272-285.
Lee, L. (2014). Digital news stories: Building language learners' content knowledge and speaking skills.Foreign Language Annals,47(2), 338-356.
Moore, M.G.(1989). Three Types of Interaction. American Journal of Distance Education,3,1-7. 10.1080/08923648909526659.
Reeves, D. B. (2006) Learning Leader: How to Focus School Improvement for Better Results. Virginia, USA: ASCD Publications.
Sun, J. C.-Y., & Hsieh, P.-H. (2018). Application of a Gamified Interactive Response System to Enhance the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation, Student Engagement, and Attention of English Learners. Educational Technology & Society, 21 (3), 104–116.
Tian, J.2020.Investigating students’ use of a social annotation tool in an englishfor science and technology course. 4th International Symposium on Emerging Technologies for Education, SETE 2019held in conjunction with the 18th International Conference on Web-based Learning, ICWL 2019 4th 2019 09 23 -2019 09 25. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics),11984 Lncs, 299–309.
Thomas, L., Herbert, J., & Teras, M. (2014). A sense of belonging to enhance participation, success and retention in online programs. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 5(2).
Thursday, March 12th, 2020
4:30-6:00PM
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: jennica.grimshaw [at] mcgill.ca
Teaching with Tasks: A Principled Approach
Gabriel Michaud, Faculty Lecturer, SM
Tasks have been used increasingly in second language classrooms to promote acquisition. They aim at reproducing real-life situations where learners have to rely on their own resources to achieve a communicative goal. Most task-based methodologists (Ellis et al., 2019; Long, 2015; Willis & Willis, 2007) see a need for form-focused instruction within a task, but they disagree on the way it should be done. In this talk, Prof. Michaud will be presenting several task-based methodologies and principled options to integrate form-focused instruction within a task.
BIOGRAPHY
Gabriel Michaud is a Faculty Lecturer at SM since 2015. He holds a Ph. D. in Second Language Instruction from l’Université de Montréal. His research interests include Task-Based Language Teaching, form-focused instruction, explicit and implicit learning and second language reading and vocabulary.
Thursday, February 13th, 2020
4:30-6:00PM
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: jennica.grimshaw [at] mcgill.ca
Increasing access to L2 grammar practice exercises with technology
Stephen Bodnar, Postdoctoral Fellow, SM
This workshop addresses a familiar challenge in L2 instruction, providing learners with tailored practice opportunities, and introduces a new Content-based Language Learning Instant Exercise (COLLIE) tool that instructors can use to quickly generate computerized L2 French grammar practice exercises from arbitrary documents on the web. During the workshop we present the tool's noticing, awareness and output exercises and provide hands-on opportunities for participants to generate and try out their own exercises. In doing so we hope to obtain early-stage feedback on the design and usefulness of the exercises, and stimulate discussion on how such a tool can be integrated into classroom-based language instruction.
BIOGRAPHY
Stephen Bodnar is a postdoctoral fellow at SM's Department of Integrated Studies in Education, where he is leading a new research project aimed at developing and evaluating artificial intelligence tools that facilitate creating second language learning practice materials. He has a PhD in Linguistics from Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, and has previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow with the Advanced Technologies for Learning in Authentic Settings (ATLAS) research lab at SM. He also currently works as a language technology specialist with LearningBranch Inc. His research interests include Computer-Assisted Language Learning, second language motivation, and applications of human language technologies to computer-based learning.
Wednesday, November 20th, 2019
4:30-6:00PM
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Suggestions on using grammar checkers in the L2 classroom
Paul John, Associate Professor, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Dr. Paul John of l'Université du Québec àTrois-Rivières will presentonhow to use grammar checkers to provide automatic feedback on L2 writing errors. Results of a research project (John & Woll, 2019) that assesses the extent to which three grammar checking tools (Grammarly, Virtual Writing Tutor and MS Word): i) actually flag all errors; ii) provide accurate replacement forms; and iii) avoid ‘false alarms’ (forms mistakenly flagged as errors) will be presented, followed by hands-on activities that can be easily adapted for use in the language classroom.
BIOGRAPHY
Paul John is an associate professor in the Department of Modern Languages at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, with a PhD in Linguistics from Université du Québec à Montréal. His areas of specialty include the acquisition of L2 phonology, pronunciation teaching, and computer-assisted language learning (principally grammar checkers and text-to-speech technology). As a member of the CogNAC research group, he uses neuro-imaging to investigate perception of L2 phonemes.
Thursday, October 24th, 2019
4:30-6:00PM
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Student response systems: Overview and affordances
Kevin Papin, Faculty Lecturer, SM
Student response systems (SRS) are increasingly used in the field of L2 teaching. The variety of platforms, however, makes it difficult for teachers to choose the one that best suits their needs and those of there students. Therefore, this workshop offers an overview of the features and affordances of some the most popular SRS, such as Kahoot!, Socrative, andPollEverywhere. Participants will engage in a hands-on activity which will sparkdiscussion on the strengths and limitations of such tools while inviting participants to share good practices.
The presentation will be delivered in French, but questions are welcome in English.
BIOGRAPHY
Kevin Papin received his Master’s degree in Linguistics and Second Language Teaching in 2011. He has taught French as a second language in four different universities in Quebec and Ontario. He joined the French Language Centre of SM in 2016, where he teaches courses at different levels and designs course material using information and communication technology (ICT). His research interests includethe impact of ICT on willingness to communicate (his PhD research) and raising awareness of sexual diversity in an educational context.
Thursday, May 2nd, 2019
1:45-3:15PM
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Peer interaction and peer feedback in the second language classroom: How can we get them to work?!"
Masatoshi Sato, Associate Professor, Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile
Are you frustrated with pair and group activities? Do your students rely on their first language? Do they work together well? Or, do they simply get bored and disengaged? In this talk, I will discuss research of peer interaction and peer corrective feedback, especially from a pedagogical point of view. I will zero in on (a) interaction patterns that are more effective than others, (b) learner psychology required for peer interaction to be effective, and (c) the nature of peer corrective feedback in comparison to teacher feedback. I will then introduce some pedagogical approaches designed to increase the effectiveness of peer interaction and feedback; namely, task approach, training approach, and psychological approach. Throughout the talk, I will use hands-on activities that instructors can bring back to their classroom.
BIOGRAPHY
Masatoshi Sato (PhD: SM) is Associate Professor in the Department of English at Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile. He has taught English and Japanese in Japan, US, Chile, and Canada. He currently teaches pre-service and in-service English teachers in Chile. His research agenda is to conduct theoretical and practical research in order to provide practitioners with evidence-based pedagogy. In particular, he has conducted research focusing on peer interaction, corrective feedback, learner psychology, teacher psychology, and research-pedagogy link. In addition to his publications in international journals, he recently co-edited books: Peer Interaction and Second Language Learning (2016: John Benjamins); The Routledge Handbook of Instructed Second Language Acquisition (2017: Routledge); and Evidence-Based Second Language Pedagogy (2019: Routledge). He is the recipient of the 2014 ACTFL/MLJ Paul Pimsleur Award. Email: masatoshi.sato [at] unab.cl / Twitter: @masatoshi_sato
Thursday, April 11th, 2019
4:30-6pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
How does it feel to use that word? Linking cognition and emotion for social transformation
Angelica Galante, Assistant Professor, Concordia University
Vocabulary is one of the most important areas in language learning. Past second language acquisition research has shown that several teaching strategies can be successful for vocabulary learning such as extensive reading, inferencing, and attention to form (Nation, 2013). While these strategies are effective, they primarily focus on cognitive learning processes and little attention has been given to the connection between language and emotion. Recently, calls have been made for pedagogies that embrace affective dimensions of language learning, including meaning-making of vocabulary embedded in sociocultural dimensions (Galante, 2019; Hare, 2011; Swain, 2013). In this talk, I will present practical classroom tasks that promote meaning-making during vocabulary learning: translanguaging, digital stories, plurilingual identity, and dramatic action-oriented tasks. I will then present results from research I have conducted with adolescent and adult learners to show how language teaching through a sociocultural lens can take vocabulary learning to the next level: by linking cognition and emotion vocabulary becomes socially relevant, memorable, and transformative. A discussion about the implementation of these tasks in language classrooms will follow this talk.
BIOGRAPHY
Angelica Galante is originally from São Paulo, Brazil, where she taught EFL and worked as a teacher educator for many years. She has a PhD in Language and Literacies Education from OISE/University of Toronto and has worked with diverse language learners: immigrants, refugees, international students and local residents. Prior to joining Concordia as an Assistant Professor in 2018, Angelica worked at Niagara College, George Brown College, Brock University, York University and University of Toronto. Her research interests include plurilingual instruction, vocabulary learning, and the link between cognition and emotion.
Tuesday, March 12th, 2019
4:30-6pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
What about the language I teach, then?Pratiques interlangagières en classe de langue seconde avec des adultes plurilingues
Caroline Dault, Faculty Lecturer
Translanguaging, approches plurielles, pratiques plurilingues, comparaisons interlangagières… les approches pédagogiques incluant des références aux langues connues des apprenants pourraient comporter des avantages sur le plan de la valorisation de l’identité linguistique des apprenants (Cummins, 2001) et de leurs capacités de réflexion métalangagière (Horst, White & Bell, 2010). Elles seraient particulièrement bénéfiques notamment pour des étudiants internationaux en contexte universitaire (Galante, 2019). Or, nombreux sont les questionnements quand vient le temps d’utiliser de telles approches en salle de classe : quelles activités interlangagières choisir, dans quel contexte, pour quel public, avec quel objectif?
Cet atelier aura pour but de vous amener à explorer les possibilités d’exploitation interlangagière dans vos contextes d’enseignements respectifs. Il vous permettra 1) de découvrir une approche basée sur les comparaisons langagières et de discuter des réactions à cette approche à la lumière de données recueillies dans une classe de francisation (Dault & Collins, 2017); 2) de partager vos pratiques interlangagières actuelles; 3) d’envisager des activités interlangagières qui pourraient être mises en place dans votre contexte d’enseignement et de réfléchir aux difficultés qui pourraient survenir, ainsi qu’aux moyens de les contourner.
BIOGRAPHY
Caroline Dault est Faculty lecturer au Centre d’enseignement du français de l’université SM et enseigne le français langue seconde à des apprenants adultes depuis 2007. Elle a obtenu sa maitrise en linguistique appliquée à l’Université Concordia en 2017. Ses recherches s’intéressent au potentiel des approches interlangagières permettant de faire appel à l’ensemble du répertoire langagier des apprenants pour améliorer l’expérience d’apprentissage d’une langue.
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Thursday, November 8th, 2018
4:30-6pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Incorporating Student-Produced Videos in Foreign Language Teaching: A Pilot Application of YouSeeU
Alejandra Barriales-Bouche and Sun-Young Kim, Faculty Lecturers
Videos have gained an increasingly dominant presence in everyday life, especially because of the widespread accessibility to technology. How can we use student-produced videos efficiently in foreign language education? What instructional tools are available to incorporate videos in the classroom easily? This workshop highlights the useof the applicationYouSeeUthatallows students to create and share their own videos with their classmates and instructor(s) throughmyCourses(SM’sLearning Management System).Based on aone-year pilot application ofYouSeeUin SM German and Spanish elementary-to-advanced language courses, this workshop will 1) explore the pedagogical benefits of using simple student-produced videos in the foreign language classroom, 2) presenta sample of activities that demonstrate different uses ofthe applicationin language teaching, 3) address evaluation methods, and 4) discuss student feedback on the use of this program.In the second half of this workshop, participants will get a hands-on introduction toYouSeeU.Computers and demo accounts will be available during the workshop. No advanced registration required.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. AlejandraBarriales-Bouchereceived herPh.D. in Hispanic Literatures and Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2003. ShewasAssociateProfessor of Spanishat Suffolk University (Boston, USA). She also taught at Mount Holyoke College and Concordia University. She has been a Faculty Lecturer in Spanish in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at SM since 2012.In the field of language teaching methodology, her interests include the use of technology in language courses and the integration of culture and literature in language classes.
Dr. Sun-Young Kim earned her Ph.D. in German Studies at the University of Michigan.Before joining the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at SM in 2012,she taughtGermanat the University of Toronto,York,University of MichiganandKalamazoo College.Her interests in the field of language pedagogy include teaching literature in language courses and integrating technology in language classes.
Thursday, April5th, 2018
4:30-6pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
The potential of Thinglink virtual reality tool for second language learning
Kevin Papin, Faculty Lecturer
Information and communication technologies (ICT) have been the focus of extensive research in the field of second language (L2) acquisition (Chapelle, 2007). However, in the recent years, the emergence of virtual reality (VR) as a technology accessible to the general public has provided researchers with a new field of study and experimentation. VR can be defined as an immersive digital environment similar to the real world, giving the user the feeling of being there (Schroeder, 2008). We usually distinguish between two types of VR (Schwienhorst, 1998): hard VR (using head-mounted displays) and desktop VR (relying on 360 photos or videos displayed on a computer, tablet or phone screen). Recently, online platforms like RoundMe or Thinglink have started to offer user-friendly VR creation tools.
This workshop explores the potential of Thinglink (more specifically Thinglink 360) for the creation of engaging tasks for Montreal-based classrooms. Participants will also take part in a hands-on activity and will be encouraged to reflect on the potential use of Thinglink for their classroom activities.
BIOGRAPHY
Kevin Papin received his Master’s degree in Linguistics and Second Language Teaching in 2011. He has taught French as a second language in several universities in Quebec and Ontario. He joined the French Language Centre of SM in 2016. His research interests includethe impact of ICT on willingness to communicate and raising awareness of sexual diversity in an educational context.
Thursday, November 16th, 2017
4:30-5:30pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-10(Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Using media in second language advanced course
Dr. Pouneh Shabani-Jadidi, Senior Lecturer
The aim of this paper is threefold: 1) to discuss the acquisition particularities of the advanced level students, 2) to study the use of content-based - in this case media material - in teaching advanced level students, and 3) to investigate the impact of teaching such material on the students’ writing ability and overall proficiency.The content-based material that has been studied in this paper is media, in general and newspapers, in particular.I will begin by discussing various relevant topics, includingthe analysis of advanced level students’ language acquisition as far as language processing is concerned.In addition, I will discuss how the use of media, and in particular newspapers, as the main material in an advanced course will impact students’ writing skill and overall proficiency level.
BIOGRAPHY
Pouneh Shabani-Jadidi is Senior Lecturer in Persian Language and Linguistics and Head of Persian Language Program at the Institute of Islamic Studies, SM. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Ottawa (2012) and a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Tehran Azad University (2004). She has taught Persian language and linguistics as well as Persian literature and translation at SM, the University of Oxford, the University of Chicago, and Tehran Azad University since 1997.
Friday, October27th, 2017
12:30-2:30pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-37 (Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Task-based language teaching: the added-value of Learning Branch
Kevin PapinandAlida Soucé, Faculty Lecturers
Since the 90s, task-based language teaching (e.g. Ellis, 2003) has become the central paradigm in second language acquisition. Revolving around the notion of communicative task (Nunan, 1991), this approach aims at fostering L2 communication by placing the learner in authentic communicative situations relevant to real-life needs. Research findings feature a wide range of means to reach that goal. Those include the use of ICT, which help to create authentic simulations in which each learner can progress at his/her own pace.
Learning Branch is an online platform that has the potential to enhance language learning, due to its ability to easily adapt to task-based approach. This workshop will explore the technical functionalities of this new tool and suggest practical applications to teach second languages in SM university’s context. We will also engage in a group discussion on the creation of meaningful activities within the task-based framework.
BIOGRAPHIES
K. Papin
Kevin Papin received his Master’s degree in Linguistics and Second Language Teaching in 2011. He has taught French as a second language in several universities in Quebec and Ontario. He joined the French Language Centre of SM in 2016. His research interests includethe impact of ICT on willingness to communicate and raising awareness of sexual diversity in an educational context.
Read more about Kevin.
A. Soucé
Since 2013, Alida Soucé coordinates and teaches the “Near Beginners” and “Elementary” levels at the French Language Centre at SM. She received a Master’s degree in Second and Foreign Languages Pedagogy” from University of Strasbourg, France. Her major focused on “Multimedia pedagogical creation for languages” and ICT. She coded “Carte d’affaires”, a pedagogical and intercultural website for Simon Fraser University students seeking a job in France or in Quebec. Her main research interests are second and foreign languages acquisition, the creative uses of ICT and the exploration of task-based and intercultural approaches in languages teaching.
Thursday, March 16th, 2017
4-5:30pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-37 (Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Making Your Class Click: Exploring the Use of Student Response Systems in Foreign Language Teaching
Dr. Alejandra Barriales Bouche
Student response systems (SRS, previously known as clickers) are increasingly common in higher-education institutions. Despite their growing popularity, the use of SRS in language classes is still scarce. This workshop will explore the pedagogical benefits of using SRS in the foreign language classroom. It will present a sample of activities that show how SRS can be used for a variety of purposes in language teaching and it will discuss student feedback on the use of Polling @ SM in Spanish courses. Participants in this workshop will get a hands-on introduction to web-based polling systems, such as TurningPoint Cloud. SM participants interested in designing their own polls can register their TurningPoint account in advance.* Computers will be available during the workshop.
* To register your TurningPoint account, go to and follow the instructions on “Step 1” under “How to request/access” (heading “Instructors”).
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Alejandra Barriales-Bouche received her Ph.D. in Hispanic Literatures and Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2003. She was Associate Professor of Spanish at Suffolk University (Boston, USA). She also taught at Mount Holyoke College and Concordia University. She has been a Faculty Lecturer in Spanish in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at SM since 2012.
Read more about Alejandra.
Wednesday, February 8th, 2017
4-6pm
Room MS-74 of the McLennan Library Building
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Strategies to Support Learning Language in Context
Dr. Carolyn Samuel
Have you ever wondered how to address vocabulary questions from students that have no simple explanation, such as when a certain preposition should be used? Have students ever expressed to you the frustration they feel when a dictionary or a thesaurus can’t help them with appropriate vocabulary use? These, and related questions, will be addressed in a two-hour workshop designed to raise participants’ awareness of how to support students of different proficiency levels with learning language in context.
You will be introduced to vocabulary building strategies by experiencing an abbreviated language “class” taught by the workshop facilitator. Then, you will work in pairs or small groups to design and discuss possible applications of the strategies for use with your students. Emphasis will be on teaching and learning collocations, and using a concordancer—a software tool that can support students in becoming independent and “critical thinking” language learners. Ideally, one person in each pair or small group will have a laptop or tablet with internet connection, but participants who are not online will still be able to actively engage with the workshop material. By the end of the workshop, you will be able to:
- Describe the concept of “collocation” for your students.
- Use a concordancer to search corpora (bodies of language) for collocation examples.
- Interpret quantitative and qualitative search results.
The workshop will be held in Room MS-74 of the McLennan Library Building. From the Service Point entrance at 3415 McTavish, pass the reception desk and continue down the long hallway. Where the hallway comes to a “T”, turn right. MS-74 is the first room on the right.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Carolyn Samuel is an award-winning instructor who has taught ESL and EFL for over 20 years at universities abroad and in Canada, including SM, where she is now an Educational Developer with Teaching and Learning Services. Carolyn’s teaching interests are in pronunciation, corpus linguistics, and pedagogically sound uses of technology to support student learning; her research addresses university instructors’ perceptions of their ability to teach in their second or other language. about Carolyn.
Thursday, November 10th, 2016
4pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-37 (Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Task-Based Language Teaching: What Research Says About How It Can be Implemented in the Classroom
Gabriel Michaud
Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) has been attracting a lot of attention in recent years, both from a research and a practical point of view. Briefly put, the goal of TBLT is learning through communicative tasks that are relevant to second language learners. This workshop aims to present the theoretical foundations of this approach while giving practical ways of implementing TBLT in the classroom.
BIOGRAPHY
Gabriel Michaud is a Faculty Lecturer at the French Language Centre where he teaches Advanced and Intermediate level courses. Prior to that, he taught French at l’Université de Montréal. His research interests include task-based language teaching, integrated focus on form, curriculum design and cross-cultural communication. He is currently working on a PhD on the integration of focus on form in a task-based language classroom.
Thursday, October 27th, 2016
2:30pm to 4pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-37 (Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Processes and Products of Technology- Enhanced Project-Based Language Learning (TEPBLL)
Dr. Liudmila Klimanova
This talk will discuss the potential for Technology-Enhanced Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) and Project-Based Telecollaboration (PBT) to transform foreign language education. PBLL's intersections with content-based instruction, task-based language learning, and performance assessment make it an ideal conduit to ground foreign language teaching on real life tasks and measurable learning outcomes.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Liudmila Klimanova, a faculty lecturer in Russian Studies at the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Her research program focusses on identity enactment in virtual social environments, project-based and task-based language teaching, and second language development through the use of social technology. Among her other areas of expertise are proficiency- oriented foreign language teaching and testing. Dr. Klimanova is co-director of LinguaExchange, a telecollaborative partnership program for learners of Russian based at Loyola University Chicago.
Tuesday, March 29th, 2016
4h30pm to 6pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-37 (Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
Les outils du Web 2.0 en classe de langues : pourquoi et commentlesintégrer ?
Web 2.0 Tools in the Language Classroom: Why and How to Use Them?
Sarah Anthony et Prisca Fenoglio
La présentation se fera en français.We welcome questions and discussions in English.
Ni obligation ni évidence, encore assez peu incorporé dans la formation formelle mais sujet bien présent dans la littérature scientifique actuelle, l’utilisation des outils du Web 2.0 en classe de langues soulève des interrogations légitimes, telles que pourquoi et comment les intégrer ? On est ainsi en droit de se demander ce qu’ils apportent à l’enseignement et à l’apprentissage des langues. Inspirées par la notion qu’ « educational innovations that shape classroom practice [are linked] to heightened forms of engagement and, in turn, to student persistence » (Tinto, « Research and Practice », p. 5), nous nous intéressons à évaluer l’impact de l’intégration des outils du Web 2.0 sur la motivation des enseignants et des apprenants et sur les apprentissages de ceux-ci.
Nous détaillerons lors de notre atelier plusieurs manières d’intégrer des outils du Web 2.0, et nous inviterons les participant(e)s à en utiliser certains. Ces propositions d’intégration ont pour objectifs, par exemple, de favoriser la créativité, la collaboration, le partage et l’ouverture à l’autre. Nous parlerons aussi des situations inattendues auxquelles peuvent être confrontés les enseignants dans leur utilisation de ces outils et donnerons quelques conseils pratiques.
BIOGRAPHIES
Depuis août 2013, Sarah Anthony enseigne au CEF à l’Université SM. Ses domaines de recherche sont variés; elle s’intéresse notamment à la littérature française contemporaine et à la pédagogie du français langue seconde. Ses travaux les plus récents en pédagogie portent sur la créativité comme outil de motivation, sur l'apprentissage expérientiel et sur l'utilisation stratégique de nouvelles technologies en classe de FLS.
Professeure de FLS et conceptrice de ressources pédagogiques en ligne,Prisca Fenoglio travaille depuis 2001 à SM et depuis 2008 au Centre d’enseignement du français.Par sa formation et sa pratique, elle s’intéresse en particulier à l’usage des TICE pour l’enseignement du FLS. Elle explore actuellement la place des émotions et de la créativité dans l’apprentissage médiatisé par les technologies et le potentiel du Web 2.0 comme outil de collaboration et de motivation.
Friday, March 11th, 2016
1:30pm to 3pm
McLennan Library Building, rm MS-37 (Basement)
3459 McTavish St.
For more information, please contact: natallia.liakina [at] mcgill.ca
The media and the message: what does the educational technology mean to us, the language teaching community?
Bill Wang
Half a century ago, when Marshall McLuhan formulated such concepts as “the medium is the message” and “media is the extension of human body,” he inspired many to think more critically and philosophically about the nature of media or technology in relation to human society and the impact of the then relatively new, electronic media such as radio and television on our living experience. Today, as computer-based and Internet supported educational technology continues to advance at an unprecedented speed, it is time for us, the language teachers, to think about the technological impact on our teaching and learning. In this talk I’d like to ask and discuss these questions: how have we been affected by educational technology in our teaching so far? Are the technological impacts or potentials merely manifested in the enhancements of specific pedagogical effectiveness? Will applications of the educational technology gradually or even inevitably change our conceptions of and approaches to language teaching and learning? If so, how? It is impossible, of course, to answer all these questions fully, given the limited time and insufficient knowledge we have so far in understanding the media – the new educational technology. However, it is important to think about these questions so that we can be better prepared asteachers in the era of technological revolution. We shall not be left behind.
BIOGRAPHY
Bill Wang joined SM to teach Chinese courses in 1997. As a Chinese professor he also taught at the University of Calgary for two years and the University of British Columbia for two years. He did his graduate studies in communication and media studies at the University of Calgary and pursued his doctoral studies at the University of British Columbia. His current research interests include e-learning Chinese, motivations for learning Chinese, and understanding Chinese culture through its lexicon and popular songs.