Courrier électronique et didactique des langues

Roger Ganderton is a teacher of French at Corinda State Primary School in Brisbane, Australiaand is currently studying
for a Master of Arts degree in Computers, Technology and Language Learning at the University of Queensland.

Telematics and Language Learning and Teaching

1.Introduction
2.Description and Evaluation

2.1 Starting the Email Project
2.2 Choice of Themes/Topics
2.3 Integration of Technology into the Learning Program
2.4 Technical Aspects and Teacher Training

3.Conclusion

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1.Introduction

The use of electronic mail (email) for international correspondence by second language learners is of considerable interest to both teachers and researchers alike. While such uses of email date back to the early 1980's (Beasley 1988: 32), the recent spread of the Internet is making email facilities accessible to an increasing number of students at all levels of schooling. However, it is apparent that, to draw the potential benefits that this new technology can bring to language learning, it is not sufficient to simply establish the link with a "keypal" overseas and tell students to write. How the email correspondence should be supported and integrated into the overall learning program remain crucial issues (Tella 1992).

One such example of an international email exchange project and the question of its integration is documented in the package, "Télématique et Didactique des Langues" (Telematics and Language Learning and Teaching) . In the project, hereafter referred to as the telematics project, the participants were learners of French as a foreign language (FFL) in senior high schools in Denmark, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Greece.

Given that integration of email projects and computer technology in general is such a broad area, the work addresses several major topics, and numerous minor ones. In this review, I shall focus on four main areas:

i) starting the email project
ii) choice of themes/topics
iii) integration of technology into the learning program
iv) technical aspects and teacher training

which will be discussed as separate sub-sections of the overall description and evaluation of the work. The written manual provided in the documentation will be referred to as Kornum et al 1995. Instead of showing page numbers, the manual indicates sections only (eg. 1.4, 6.1 etc.) and this convention will also be used in this review when referring to the work.

2.Description and Evaluation

The telematics project was started by the Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Français (International Federation of Teachers of French) and is also one of many undertakings funded by the LINGUA Project of the European Community, which aims to promote language learning and cultural enrichment activities among member EC countries (Davies 1993: 22). All documentation - a manual, a VHS video and four DOS-compatible software disks - is in French, although some bilingual software contains Danish and Greek instructions and translations as well.

Starting in 1992, the telematics project had a particularly wide-ranging brief to "develop methods, strategies and materials aimed at the implementation of new information and communication technologies in the teaching of foreign languages"(Kornum et al 1995: 1.1). From this broad objective, it is not surprising that the project and its documentation cover a large number of topics and sub-topics related to computer use in the language classroom. These topics and sub-topics include: word processing and the writing process; the use of data bases; correction of work; incorporation of tutorial software; the roles of reading and speaking; multimedia; concordances; use of computers for written exams; technical considerations and even discussion on teacher training.

Each of the abovementioned topics is worthy of a book in itself and I must admit that, on first reading, it was difficult to grasp the overall nature of the project and how it was implemented, given that so many topics were being addressed. As well, it appears that parts of the manual are compilations of work written by different teachers from different schools participating in the project. This may have affected the overall readability of the work.

It is therefore vital that the reader understand the pivotal role of the computer for communication (the "télématique" ) as the engine driving the integration of these other topics, which are concerned with the teaching and learning of languages as a whole (the "didactique"). Awareness of this point makes the work more cohesive to read and view as a whole and gives greater insight into particular aspects discussed. Therefore, when, for example, looking at the different software programs on the disks provided, one can see that, although they contain software with varied purposes - sample authentic text databases, a French writing assistant for a word processor, keyboard utilities for Greek and accented Roman characters, a grammar tutor and samples of student work - they are united by the fact that they each play a role in the researching of content, the practice of language features and the composition of messages or presentations for use in the email exchange.

The video tape provided is a compilation of presentations from each of the participating schools in Denmark, Greece, Belgium and Northern Ireland. These show student work and presentations by teachers and students on how the exchange was run and how computing facilities were used in the classroom. The section by the Danish high school was particularly illuminating, as it showed the classroom setup and how students worked in groups on particular tasks - a perhaps mundane aspect but so crucial to the practising teacher.

In fact, the documentation as a whole contains a lot of practical information. There are checklists, sample exercises (paper and disk-based), proformas, student work samples (on paper, disk and video) and simple recounting of experiences that would be very informative for teachers considering embarking on the adventure of an email exchange. In particular, some sample class activities and student work in the manual are worthy of close consideration, as they provide detailed information of how they were used in the classroom and also point to aspects of the implementation of the project which weren't made clear from the general commentary in the chapters.

For example, a major use of email in the telematics project was not just for exchange of correspondence but for computer conferencing, on a topic arranged and researched in advance. Sample teaching units and work samples in section 4.5 of the manual showed how the topics for these conferences were discussed and researched in class, and how the discussion and activities progressed throughout the conferences, which often lasted several days.

2.1 Starting the Email Project

Many a teacher who has implemented or tried to implement an email exchange could relate to the difficulties described in the manual, from getting wrong passwords or having phone lines go down to, on a wider scale, having to communicate, as in this case, between several different computer networks. In this telematics project, some of the schools were accessing Missimix, the French-based email system with access to Minitel, others were using the British Campus 2000, and yet others were on the Internet. That there was ever any other computer network than the Internet may seem a quirk of ancient history to newcomers in the area - even if we are talking about only the last four years - but this does highlight the need for the language teacher to be aware of relevant technical considerations in planning.

As well as the technical considerations, pedagogical concerns are of vital importance in planning other factors such as who to correspond with, the frequency of exchanges and the learning objectives for such exchanges. Literature in computer assisted language learning points to a number of language contexts and approaches under which international email exchanges can be conducted. There are several examples documented of second language learners writing to native speakers and alternating languages from their target second language (L2) to their partner's L2 or of individual "tandem" learning (St. John & Cash 1995: 47) where the unequal proficiency of participants means they take it in turns to be language "experts" in their respective native languages. Another approach is for each correspondent to write in their native language, which means that the emphasis in the exchange is on reading the L2. This can have benefits, especially for beginning L2 learners, who would possibly find writing in the L2 too difficult and time consuming (Orr 1996).

Each of these approaches however is within the context of L2 learners corresponding with native speakers, which is what many language teachers would consider as the primary use of email in providing genuinely communicative activities for our students. The fact that all the participating students in this telematics project are non-native speakers of French and using the language as a lingua franca is a novel way of ensuring equity among participants, as the correspondence is no longer learner-native speaker, but learner-fellow learner. All students are more or less at similar proficiency levels in French and a real communicative context has been created to use the target language and express themselves more fully in it, since French is the only language the correspondents have in common.

Just how we establish this communicative context, or what Savignon calls "learner participation in communicative events" (1991: 273), is worth much consideration in planning an email exchange. After all, the ability of telematics to provide authentic communication possibilities with speakers of the target language has been highlighted (Austin & Mendlick 1993: 22). However, while the technology will facilitate this, we must not forget the critical role of the student. For example, in an email exchange run at my school with a partner school in France, some students have questioned why we should write in French - our correspondents' native language. Why can't they write to us in English - i.e. our native language?

In the circumstances, this is not an unreasonable question. However, in the situation of using the target language as a lingua franca to communicate with fellow learners of the language who have a different native language, as documented here, this concern is nullified. This approach would therefore have considerable potential, not just among relatively advanced learners as is the case here, but even more so among less advanced second language learners, whose proficiency in the target language is even further from that of a native speaker. The question for the learner of whether they should use their own or their correspondent's native language is rendered irrelevant and the target language is the only one feasible.

There is of course the concern that, in communicating with non-native speakers, participants may be getting input that is less than native-like. However, in the telematics project it appears this concern has been addressed by teacher editing of messages - for language only, not for content (Kornum et al 1995: 4.4) - and by the simple fact that the participants are all aware of their own and their fellow participants' status as non-native speakers of the target language.

2.2 Choice of Themes/Topics

A major theme in the telematics project is that the technical feat of rapidly transmitting electronic mail messages is not sufficient in itself to guarantee meaningful and worthwhile exchange (see also Beazley 1988: 33). The authors warn of the dangers of making the content of the email exchanges banal or superficial (1995: 4). For this reason, correspondence in the telematics project was organised around a sequence of themes that allow for detailed discussion, debate and comparison. From basic exchange of personal information and presentation of participants' schools and local areas, the exchange progressed to discussion and conferencing on national stereotypes and current events, proverbs, myths and legends, sports, French and local literature, European elections, social issues and immigration (Kornum et al. 1995: 3). This thematic approach is an interesting example of what can be done to stimulate meaningful language use and enhance students' general knowledge and intercultural awareness.

The organisation that went into devising these themes and planning their sequencing is a crucial aspect in an email exchange, and one that has been highlighted in this work. Through the Internet, it is now possible to join mailing lists and access web sites that can arrange partner schools for correspondence with relative ease. On reading some of the mailings on these lists, however, it is quite interesting to note the number of schools that, perhaps out of naivete or overenthusiasm, request an immediate start for an exchange. In the telematics project, the lead-in time invested to discuss themes, important dates and working methodology, while necessary within the framework of a more formal project such as this, has considerable merit for all such undertakings if they are to succeed beyond any short period of time.

In the telematics project, the choice of themes is also considered in the light of the aims of the project. The major objective for the students - that they be able to "negotiate, discuss and present themes in a foreign language" (Kornum et al 1995: 4.0) - is a broad one, but the range of themes covered progress from, for the theme "self introduction", simple surveys and descriptive writing, to discussion of complex social and cultural issues (eg. stereotypes, sports, immigration) and even some creative writing.

2.3 Integration of Technology into the Learning Program

The themes chosen in the telematics project functioned as the springboard for the integration of several different uses for computer technology beyond just electronic mail. For example, a major component of students' research on particular subjects about which they were to correspond with their email partners involved accessing databases, either from online sources or CD based authentic materials, from which students could prepare their own documents for sending to their email partners (Kornum et al 1995: 5). Database use in fact merits its own chapter (Ch. 5) in the manual and disk-based examples of these databases are included. On Disk 1 (of 4 provided) are found sample documents in the Miniview program, a hierarchical menu driven database, with authentic texts on such themes as news, health or immigration, to name a few. As well, in the manual there are sample activities given to students to use Miniview to access information required for their own written work. These are of particular practical relevance as a model for designing tasks for students accessing authentic texts, especially now that such texts are so widely available on the World Wide Web.

Many other important aspects of integration are discussed as sub-sections of Chapter 4 on methodology. In particular, the discussion on the process-oriented approach to second language writing (Kornum et al 1995: 4.1) and how it was situated within the telematic orientation and the incorporation of an authentic audience and purpose for student writing was of particular interest. The ideas for activities of reflection and mediation in the writing process are drawn on from first-language writing approaches, although this is not unreasonable, considering that, when writing in a L2, writers often use strategies they have learnt from L1 writing (Krapels 1990: 45). This aspect was also able to be incorporated into, in the case of the Danish students, written assessment tasks (Kornum et al 1995: 4.2). In Denmark, writing assessment tasks are able to be taken on computer and it was reported that students used the processes they had learnt in drafting correspondence for the email exchange partners to prepare written essays in exam conditions.

There is also some discussion on creative writing, both in class and as part of the email correspondence. Included here is a very good example of use of Windows Clipart as a stimulus for students to write a short story with accompanying pictures (Kornum et al 1995: 4.1).

The sense of audience, so important in process writing approaches (Urzua in Krapels 1990: 43), was reported to be enhanced in the telematics project through the learners' knowledge that their written compositions would be read by many different people in many different countries (Kornum et al 1995: 4.1) and points to a powerful positive effect of the use of such technology for enhancing language development. Also interesting to note is the importance not only of content and medium but also of linguistic form in the students' written work. The question, or questions, of correction of students' work - how much, when, what - is considered in terms of what the students' themselves demand for their work. In this regard, it is reported that the students themselves developed a keenness to have their work presented in accurate language, especially when they see their correspondents' messages written in elaborate and well-formed French (Kornum et al 1995: 4.4).

Examples of how this linguistic form is worked on by students is shown on two software programs provided - Eva van Mol (on Disk 3) and Médiateur (on Disk 2). Both were especially written for the project and these along with commercially available disk-based and CD-ROM software played an important role in the students' everyday tuition (Kornum et al 1995: 4.4).

Eva van Mol is a tutorial program which gives simple multiple choice and completion exercises for verb tenses and moods in French. Other commercially available packages, such as "Un Menu Français", were also used to reinforce specific linguistic aspects with students. While use of such software may be more common in language classes, their incorporation into this project, scaffolded under the telematic exchange and the need for the learner to acquire certain linguistic skills in order to compose or comprehend a particular message within that exchange, adds a powerful dimension. The "integration of form-focused exercises with meaning-focused experience" (Savignon 1991: 269) is achieved to a high degree.

Alongside this, Médiateur is used as a writing assistant program for FFL. It is basically a word-processor with added grammar notes and a bilingual-dictionary (in this case Danish-French), designed for use by non native speakers of French. The use of programs such as these for drafting email correspondence provides a very useful resource and enhances the later stages in the writing process, namely revising and editing.

While much of the discussion on language development is necessarily on reading and writing, there is also a section devoted to oral language use and how the students' written tasks and debates with their email correspondents generated involvement in class discussion, particularly in computer conferences (Kornum et al 1995: 4.5). How spoken interaction was developed both at and away from the computer was dealt with briefly in the manual, but is certainly worthy of deeper consideration. Levy and Hinckfuss' (1990) categorisation of language acts in CALL work - copying, repeating, managing and conferring - may be a useful framework for examining this interaction, despite the difference of focus between CALL programs and actual message composition. Nevertheless, in the latter it appears that learners are still conferring and seeking responses, but these responses are to real human beings on the other end of the connection, not just a computer program. In addition, the classroom arrangement of many teachers working in the telematics project, where students could work in groups at computers or on independent preparation, was reported as freeing the teacher to do focused teaching and discussion with small groups of students at a time, thus enhancing their involvement in spoken tasks and making the link between this oral work and their writing (Kornum et al 1995: 4).

Finally, another powerful influence in the telematic project was given in one example of a Danish and a Greek school who actually followed up their email exchange with reciprocal visits, thus enhancing the links and contributing further to the goal of intercultural awareness in the students (Kornum et al 1995: 6). Of course, the prospect of an upcoming visit by their email partners stimulated students' interest in corresponding and gave them ample subject matter to discuss. This highlights the recurrent theme in the work of integration of the technology into the overall curriculum and learning experience of the students.

2.4 Technical Aspects and Teacher Training

Discussion in the manual on the technical aspects of the project emphasises that, for an email exchange, the computer equipment required need not necessarily be too advanced. Nevertheless, a valid point is raised that the technical aspects and the pedagogical aspects cannot always be separated and that there is a need for ongoing dialogue between teachers and technicians (Kornum et al 1995: 7).

This of course points to the problem - endemic in the language teaching field - of teacher expertise in the use of the technology. Given the broad scope of the telematics project, it is not surprising that this aspect has not been left out (Kornum et al 1995: 7). The need for ongoing professional development of teachers in the technical and pedagogical aspects of emerging technologies and wider systemic involvement is demonstrated in the Lingua project, which had coordinators in each participating country in addition to the teachers in the schools. While the need to "teach the teachers" about computer technology is not new, this theme needs constant reinforcing, especially given the increased demands on teachers to integrate this technology into their teaching approaches (Department of Education 1995: 7-8).

3.Conclusion

The documentation of the telematics project presented here is wide-ranging and the manual in particular examines a variety of issues relevant to the overall concept of incorporating telematics and computer technology into the language teaching program. This, coupled with the practical materials, such as software programs, sample exercises, checklists and video presentation of students' work in the school context provides an excellent insight into the role that computer and communication technology can play in the language classroom, both at the theoretical and the practical level.

The number of topics presented in the documentation does present some difficulties for the reader in focusing on the relative importance of the different topics to the telematics project. It also leaves room for further investigation and discussion on some of these topics. Nevertheless, there is sufficient depth and insight in discussion of the major aspects of the project and a good broad overview of the range of topics worthy of note to make the work very interesting and viewing.

In fact, what the documentation of the telematics project does provide is a useful recipe book for teachers considering introducing email exchanges and computer technology in general to their language courses. While several of the ingredients in the project, and as discussed there are many, may be quite familiar to some practitioners in the CALL field, the strength of this work is in showing how these may be put together within the framework of a language learning program. In this work, the participants of the project "Télématique et Didactique des Langues" have made valuable contribution in the vital area of integration of computer and communication technologies into the learning process, and as such, have succeeded admirably in their stated aim.

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Savignon, S.J. 1991, 'Communicative language teaching: state of the art', TESOL Quarterly , vol. 25, no. 2, 261-277.

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