Abstract:

Language teachers realise that their students need the chance to practise speaking but in-class practice can be limited and only the more confident and naturally out-going students tend to benefit. However repetition of spoken language is important since it contributes to automaticity which in turn aids a learner’s fluency (Gatbonton & Segalowitz, 2005). So the question remains, how can teachers ensure that learners get the opportunity to speak and repeat without getting bored or boring others?

Studies were undertaken with upper-intermediate learners of English for academic purposes who struggle with fluency. They were asked to prepare a short talk on an academic topic with the help of PowerPoint slides. The tool they used was an online self-presentation tool called ‘MyBrainshark’ which allows multiple attempts before a final version is saved. Part of the assessment was on the level of fluency they had achieved. This talk will report on the benefits of using such tools for oral assessment and the gains in fluency by the students in the study. It will also review the students’ preferences when using these tools.

References:
[1] Gatbonton, E. & Segalowitz, N. (2005). Rethinking Communicative Language Teaching: A Focus on Access to Fluency. The Canadian Modern Language Review 61 (3) 325-353

Keywords:

Language learning, fluency, MyBrainshark, Learning technologies, EAP, EFL.