Elderly Chinese and ‘New Technology’ Based Activities
Based on a paper presented at the AMEP Conference 2001
Changing Patterns: Language and Settlement in the AMEP

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Introduction
During 2001 I completed a classroom based research project at NSW AMES Burwood involving elderly Chinese and ‘New Technology-Based' Activities. For the purposes of this paper I defined 'elderly' to be aged over 60 and ‘‘new technologies” (3) to include technologies in which the computer plays a central role

Hypothesis
That by integrating relevant, current, purpose designed ‘new technology’ based activities into a unit of work, students learn to move from labeling only e.g. names of fruit, to producing simple sentences, in this case, personal pronoun + verb + noun – (She bought apples.), and are able to demonstrate an understanding of the recount genre.

Rationale
The reasons for choosing this group of students were:

1. Students demonstrated, after attending AMES classes for one term, very slow SLA continuing to only use labels – nouns.

2. Students demonstrated poor retention.  Those words learnt were poorly remembered.

3. Other variables - this group comprised a large number of students sharing the same age, L1, country of birth and years of education and so I believed these variables were less likely to affect the research.

4. Students had used the computer facilities during their previous term but had only used commercially produced ESL programs.
My move away from packaged CALL activities had two goals:

1. It was an attempt to extend the ‘AMEP philosophy of the learner-centered curriculum..’ where teachers ‘…develop courses related to learner needs and..’ are ‘..creative about classroom practice.’ (18) into the types of computer based activities that we provide students with.
2. By using Low Threshold Applications (LTA) * to develop computer based activities less computer confident classroom teachers may be more likely to begin to attempt to develop computer based materials for their classes. * “A Low Threshold Application is a teaching/learning application of information technology that the potential user perceives as NOT challenging, not intimidating, not requiring a lot of additional cost, work, or new thinking.” Steve Gilbert, The TLT Group (19)

Why classroom based CALL research into S L A?
I considered this was valid CALL research falling within the definitions included in the EUROCALL Research Joint Policy Statement. 1999 (13), and it was hoped that any resulting observations would contribute to the growing body of research as we all ‘grapple with the day to day concerns of implementing integration of CALL materials into the classroom.’ (8)
 
Gathering data
The methods used were: Classroom observations, tests, bilingual interviews and teacher reflection.

1. Classroom observations
To check if students could demonstrate an understanding of the recount genre the bilingual teacher, Eileen Zhang and I observed the groups during the various activities as well as discussing the Recount structure with them bilingually.

2. Tests
To assess if students had learnt to move from labeling only to producing simple sentences’ as well as ongoing classroom observations we tested a group of students a week after completing the unit of work and then a term later.
They were provided with the original PowerPoint presentation but without sound or text, that is, slides of the excursion only. They controlled the pace with the mouse. They were asked by the bilingual teacher to describe what they saw on the screen

3. Bilingual interviews
The bilingual teacher also interviewed students one by one after completing the unit and one term later. They were asked to talk about their language learning – had they learnt anything, if so what. What activities did they see as helping them learn and they were invited to add their own comments. I was present during these discussions and the students all had a lot to contribute.

4. Teachers’ reflection
During the teaching of the unit and following it the bilingual teacher and I discussed the study and made any adjustments to activities or expectations.

Findings
The tests of the students after the unit of work showed an increase in their correct use of the sentence structure – he, she, they, I + bought (fruit name). The tests after a term showed good retention of the structure and the word order.

Class observations and bilingual interviews showed an understanding of the recount genre. Students reported that they now understood the concept of the staging of the recount.

Students’ observations
The bilingual teacher interviewed each participant and asked for their comments on the computer activities. Here is a selection of student comments s translated by the bilingual teacher. They had a lot to say about the value of the purpose-designed activities compared to commercial programs. Many of the comments included the word ‘concept’.

‘Should do more activities like this.’  ‘… can now understand the abstract concept of sentence structure.’  ‘Can now link the name with the concept.’ I can’t remember all the words but I can now understand the concept of the sentence structure.’ ‘can now understand the abstract concept of sentence structure.’ Computer activities were good and useful’.

The Students
As mentioned in the rational, this was the second term for this group. There were 23 enrolled in CSWE 1 attending 8 hours a week with a bilingual teacher. They were all from mainland china. There were 14 females and 9 males and they all spoke Mandarin.
They had been assessed at their interviews as potentially slow learners, Band A. The average educational level was 12 years.
As you will see from the table showing the age range below, there was a large number in the 60 – 70 age range. For our testing we chose female students from this age bracket.

Age range:
40 – 50 1
50 – 60 3
60 – 70 15
70 - 80 4

The procedure
1. Identify Barriers to SLA of the group of students in the study.
2. Research identified barriers and the use of bilingual assistance with SLA.
3. Assess resources for producing computer-based activities
4. Plan the unit of work
5. Prepare computer-based activities
6. Work through the unit of work – Target text was a recount.
7. Gather the data
8. Repeat the process with the target text being a procedure.

1. Identified Barriers to SLA

Before we started Eileen and I discussed the barriers that may exist to these students progressing with their English and identified the following:

-Age
-Anxiety about using computers.
-We found this was not an issue with this class as they had completed a term using the computers and were very keen to continue.
-Real or perceived irrelevance of computer activities
-Lack of integration of computer activities with classroom

2. Research identified barriers and the use of bilingual assistance with SLA.

The older adult learner I found a large number of research articles on both the elderly and SLA, and using computers with the elderly. The ones I found most useful have been referenced in the attached Bibliography.

There are many studies that demonstrate that learning ability does not decline with age. However short-term memory and mental processing speed may diminish. Activities can be developed that build on students’ long-term memory and life experiences to counteract this.

Similarities have been identified between multimedia and current models of long-term memory and semantic webs. Older learners can be assisted to tap into this, enhancing meaning as the context becomes tangible and tailored to the individuals prior knowledge, and improving their ability to construct further associations.

Most physical problems e.g. diminishing eyesight and hearing loss can be adjusted for. Mouse and keyboard skills can be less demanding than the coordination required learning a new written script.

The Stereotype of the older adult as a poor language learner
Discussing the issue of stereotyping older adults as poor learners, with the bilingual teacher we found to some degree we both were influenced by this stereotype and our discussions, observations and the research papers contradicting it caused us to reassess the capabilities of these students.

Real or perceived irrelevance of computer activities
Research has found that positive learner and teacher attitudes and high motivation are essential for SLA to occur. This can be best achieved with activities that are non-threatening, fun and comprehensible. In the case of older learners it is even more important to avoid technically difficult activities where the computer skills to be achieved confuse the educational purpose and goals of the activity.

Older adults are more receptive to using new technologies if they perceive them as useful and the tasks that they are asked to perform as being valuable and beneficial. The research suggests tying together concepts, concrete examples and the learners experience base, using a highly stimulating approach that appeals to several senses.

Many researchers have emphasized that SLA can be facilitated by providing many opportunities for learners to interact with authentic relevant materials. Due to the immediacy provided by the digital camera and simple programs used to develop a range of activities we were able to provide the students with many authentic, current and relevant activities.

Lack of integration of computer activities with classroom
Research findings suggest that the most successful pedagogical models using technology in SLA are ones that make technology an integral component in the course.

Brian McCarthy in his paper on Integration quotes a number of sources that repeatedly emphasize the importance of ‘proper and thoughtful integration’. That the integration strategy adopted when introducing new technologies is more important than the quality of the resources. (9)

3. Assess resources for producing computer-based activities
I assessed both commercially produced CALL programs that could be adapted to a more learner-centered approach and general programs e.g. MS Office. I listed other technologies that may be incorporated e.g. digital camera, sound files and scanner. I experimented with online authoring programs e.g. Hot potatoes. I produced some prototype activities and demonstrated them to the bilingual teacher.

4. Plan the unit of work
Eileen and I planned the content of the unit to develop awareness off the recount genre based around an excursion to a fruit shop and the making of a fruit salad. We discussed the sequence of activities, and the types of and appropriate integration of the computer activities.

5. Prepare computer-based activities
I prepared the initial computer-based materials. This was an ongoing process with adaptations being able to be made quickly and easily, in response to our classroom observations, due to the Low Threshold Applications and technologies used.

6. Work through the unit of work – Target text was a recount.
We worked through the unit of work with the class.

7. Gather the data
The methods used were: Classroom observations, tests, bilingual interviews and teacher reflection.

8. Repeat the process with the target text being a procedure.
We repeated the above sequence targeting a procedural text based on making the fruit salad.

Technologies used:
We used a range of hardware and software to produce current, relevant activities for both browser based activities used across an intranet and activities used in the classroom.
Hardware: Digital camera, networked PCs, multimedia projector
Software: PowerPoint, FrontPage, Hot Potatoes, Word, Interactive Picture Dictionary, Windows sound recorder.
The Internet We also used the Internet in a very carefully planned and controlled activity

Computer Based Activities

1 Browser based activities
The browser-based activities included a collection of activities produced with PowerPoint, FrontPage, Hot Potatoes and Word to practice and reinforce class work.

These were:  
 * a crossword to revise fruit names
 * flash cards
 * matching and sequencing the recount
 * the recount as a cloze
 * the power point show included: listening, repeating, reading then completing
 * a worksheet

2 The internet
Shopping sites: Woolworth, Greengrocer and Coles.
The students went to shopping sites on the internet to collect information to complete worksheets.

3 Typing a recount
The students typed the class recount using their own picture to illustrate. They included one sentence about their fruit.

The Role of the Bilingual Teacher
The Bilingual teacher was invaluable as a means of discussing the relevance of the new technology activities and enabling a smooth integration these activities in the course. The bilingual teacher was able to provide instant translations and explanations reducing confusion and frustration. Caroline Grace, in her paper presented at Calico Journal, appears to confirm that students learn vocabulary better and retain it longer if they have access to translations when working with multimedia. It would have been impossible to explore the students’ thoughts on the unit of work and their SLA without a bilingual teacher.

Dependence on bilingual teacher
It is a common belief that bilingual classes do not progress as rapidly as other classes in part due to their dependency on the bilingual teacher – this is a simplistic view of the barriers to their progress, however we were interested to note a decrease in this dependency both in the test class and in similar classes in our other NSW AMES bilingual classes. Computer teachers reported that while at the beginning of the course the bilingual teacher was translating everything the computer teacher said, that progressively throughout the course the students were responding to and interacting with the computer teacher and translations were only occurring for new tasks.

Continuing classroom research
I am currently working with a number of AMEP level 1 classes that have elderly learners. With them I have been assisting in the development of the text types - ‘Description’ and ‘Procedural Texts’. In response to teacher and student requests I am expanding the use of sound files including ones created by the students. I am also giving particular attention to the most affective sequence of computer activities.

Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank Eileen Zhang, bilingual class teacher, for her time, patience and continual cheerfulness. I’d like to also thank the wonderfully enthusiastic students in her class.

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