The use of ICT for teaching and learning languages

August 2006 QCA/06/2879

The use of ICT for teaching and learning languages

Contents
Background and objectives................................................................................................. 3 Main findings....................................................................................................................... 4 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 7 The case study sites ........................................................................................................... 9 Case studies ..................................................................................................................... 11 Hemsworth Arts and Community College......................................................................... 11 Parkside School................................................................................................................ 15 The Ashcombe Language College ................................................................................... 18 The Heathfield Technology College.................................................................................. 22 St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School ............................................................ 26

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The use of ICT for teaching and learning languages

Background and objectives

The purpose of this project was to identify and explore successful and innovative practice in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for teaching and learning modern foreign languages (MFL) in schools. Five schools were selected for the project, each of which formed the basis for a short case study. The focus of the case studies is the impact on the learner. Visits to each school included information gathering, speaking with key MFL staff, classroom observation and interviews with pupils about their experience of using ICT when learning MFL.

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Main findings
Schools use ICT to teach MFL for many reasons. The use of a multimedia PC suite can develop independent learning skills and enables self-assessment to take place. Pupils can work individually to develop all four language skills, which is difficult, if not impossible, in any other context. New technologies support the use of ICT for whole-class teaching. This is a more flexible arrangement than a PC suite and therefore simpler and less expensive for a school to introduce.

Personalised learning
In the context of a multimedia suite, ICT facilitates personalised learning because pupils can work at their own pace and at their own level. This frees the teacher to circulate and help pupils appropriately. What works particularly well are software programs that give pupils an individual username and password, so that each time they log in they start at the point where they left off. Such programs, which only allow the user to move to the next level when they have achieved a certain level of accuracy, allow for in-built assessment, which the teacher does not need to monitor. The content of such a program is at its most effective when it covers a variety of different language skills, particularly if more than one skill can be used in exercises, and when it helps to develop pupils understanding of the structure of language, for example verb endings, in the earliest stages of language learning.

Using new media

Where ICT is used in a whole-class context, such as with an interactive whiteboard (IW) or voting devices, a wide variety of new media is available to be used in language teaching. For example, the animation possibilities of presentational software allow parts of text to be displayed at intervals and prediction activities, such as using blank speech bubbles before text, can be incorporated. The software that supports each IW allows for drag-and-drop activities to be created easily. For example, an activity that develops thinking skills could be to give pupils a list of different verbs, ask them to categorise the verbs and demonstrate their categories on the IW. The use of the moving image is also very effective. Pupils appreciate the opportunity to see, as well as hear, a speaker as an aid to comprehension.

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Cultural context
It is possible to provide a window into the culture of countries where the target language is spoken by using the internet, displaying photos on a screen and using moving images with trailers and excerpts from films in the target language. The visual element of learning a language is very powerful; clear, easily identifiable pictures can be displayed on the board, in a way that pupils find accessible.

Productive skills
In order to practise speaking and writing skills, pupils should have the opportunity to be creative, for example, to make a short film, storyboard or sound recording. Pupils can listen to themselves to improve pronunciation, either by using sound recording software on a PC or recording onto an Ipod. They can also create visually effective storyboards and presentations that include their recorded voices, to make end products that are appealing. Creating videos for which they write and edit the script is a similarly appealing activity. Moreover, there are opportunities for creativity that are not possible by traditional means. Pupils who would otherwise lack interest in languages become engaged, and in turn see their language learning improve when they use ICT. Because pupils are motivated to create language, they are more aware of the need to use glossaries and dictionaries and consult their notes. They make attempts at creating new and meaningful language that relates to their own interests. While the language is not always accurate, these attempts are an important stage in language learning. Pupils also appreciate the opportunity to create sound files for revision and practice. They can download these onto MP3 players or burn them onto CDs to continue learning at home. In this way the divide between home and school can become seamless.

Enhancing the learning of grammar

Using ICT in a whole-class context, such as with an IW, can enhance the learning of the structures of language. The use of colour is particularly effective when using an IW. Texts can be highlighted in different colours to emphasise different parts of speech and individual words can be deconstructed and taken out of text to show the patterns of language. Teachers can demonstrate changes of word order effectively, for example, when teaching the formation of sentences using weil in German, the teacher can physically move the verb to the end of the sentence and asking pupils to do so. Vocabulary and grammar can be colour-coded to highlight gender or verbs.

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Assessment for learning

By using voting devices in a lesson, the teacher is able very quickly and effectively to pinpoint the areas that the class understands and those that need further work and explanation. This allows assessment for learning to take place in a way that saves time, helps pupils where they need it most and engages every pupil. There can be no disengaged pupil in a class where voting is taking place. Because of their interest in voting and their desire to answer questions correctly, pupils become engaged in learning the language.

Catering for different learning styles

Those whose preferred learning style is visual can be catered for particularly by the use of clear images and the possibility of colour-coding words. The kinaesthetic style of learning is supported by physical activities, such as going to the IW and engaging with it, perhaps by dragging-and-dropping or highlighting. Those whose preferred learning style is auditory can be catered for with the use of sound, in songs and short utterances that can be matched with text or pictures.

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Conclusion
Principles of good practice identified in this project are as follows:
There is access to the right hardware and technical support. The teacher has a clear vision as to why ICT is being used in each context and is able to say how it adds value when compared with more traditional methods. All pupils have equal access to ICT, for example by rotational use of a PC suite. Access to ICT does not depend on an individual teachers interest in ICT. Teachers include different types of activities within an ICT-based lesson, allowing pupils to swap places to assess each others work, which can help to develop thinking skills. (It is important to remember that many of the aspects of a good lesson are the same whether or not ICT is used, but that the ways of organising pupils and activities may be different.) Appropriate training, time to try software and continued professional updating are available. In-school departmental training with the opportunity for hands-on practice can be very effective. At least two data projectors (ideally more) or IWs are installed in the MFL department. Teachers share resources and provide peer support, so that wholedepartment professional development is achieved.

The use of ICT to enhance the teaching and learning of languages, as exemplified in the case studies, can be replicated in other schools. While some of the case-study schools had access to particular hardware and software, much of it is not uncommon in many MFL departments. The prerequisites to replicate the use of ICT as described are as follows:
Teachers of MFL need to know about the most effective software for teaching and how to find or purchase it. Some of the software mentioned in the case studies is free to use while other software can be purchased with e-learning credits. Teachers should seek advice about which software and hardware is recommended by fellow practitioners and, ideally, observe examples of their effective use. Schools need to know how to transform an ordinary PC suite into a multimedia suit with (relatively cheap) headsets and microphones. Good training is essential and needs to be provided. There are many possible providers, such as local authorities, local city learning centres, Comenius Centres or the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, which leads practitioner schemes and

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toolkits. Most teachers agree that face-to-face training, with the opportunity for hands-on practice rather than virtual learning, is necessary. Teachers need to be aware of the vast banks of pre-prepared resources available on the internet as well as case studies of good practice, in order to reduce time spent on creating their own resources. Pupils should be encouraged to access and download revision presentations or sound files from the internet at home, either onto computers or audio players, to enable a more seamless transition between home and school-based learning. Subject leadership is vital. Good management practices include strategic direction for the use of ICT.

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The case study sites

The main rationale for selecting the schools was that they exemplified innovative practice. Each case study focuses on a different aspect of using ICT, either in relation to hardware or software or what the MFL teacher actually does with it. The schools have different socio-economic catchment areas and a geographical spread. Hemsworth Arts and Community College in Wakefield, West Yorkshire was selected because the whole MFL department had gone in the space of one year from having no experience with IWs at all to using the boards to develop a whole range of skills. The department had been part of a Key Stage 3 National Strategy project to look at how IWs can improve the learning of MFL. The teachers were very clear about the objective to use the board to improve language learning, not just for motivation. Moreover, the teachers had evaluated their own practice and that of their peers, and were able to articulate very clearly the perceived benefits of using ICT in the context of language learning. Parkside School was selected because each of the teachers in the MFL department had had their own set of voting devices for the previous two years as part of a Nesta Futurelab Testbed project. The teachers therefore had had the opportunity to use voting devices in a wide variety of contexts for language learning and had evaluated their use as part of the project. While some MFL departments may have access to one shared set of devices, it is very unusual for every member of a department to have their own set. The Ashcombe School in Surrey is a Specialist Language College that has spearheaded the effective use of a suite of PCs for pupils to practise language in a variety of ways, with a particular focus on listening and speaking skills. What sets this school apart is the very clear vision and strategy that senior management has for the effective use of multimedia suites in the school, something that can be replicated in other schools. Heathfield Technology College in the West Midlands, in conjunction with the local city learning centre, which has lent equipment, has used Ipods and digital video as tools to improve the learning of MFL. The innovative aspects here are the use of this technology specifically to enhance the skill of speaking and the way in which teachers use self- and peer-assessment to improve pupils pronunciation. St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School in Washington, Sunderland, is another example of the use of a multimedia suite. In this case the MFL department focuses

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particularly on the productive skills of speaking and writing, which is an unusual use of such a suite. The department also tries to use as much freely available software as possible. For these two reasons the case study is innovative and the practice described in it can easily be copied in other schools.

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Case studies Hemsworth Arts and Community College

The school
The school is a mixed, non-selective, 1118 school with an arts specialism, in a deprived ex-mining community close to Wakefield in West Yorkshire. There are 1,744 pupils on roll; 97 per cent are white British and the rest are different ethnic minorities. In 2005, 53 per cent of the pupils gained five or more grades A*C at GCSE. Twenty-three per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals and 40 per cent are on the special educational needs (SEN) register.

Languages in the school

The department has seven specialist language teachers. In year 7 all pupils study French for two lessons per week in mixed-ability classes. In year 8, pupils are taught in sets and have three lessons per week. In year 9, pupils have three lessons per week, with the top set having two lessons of French and one of Spanish. In 2004-5, 49 per cent of pupils continued to learn a language at key stage 4. Pupils who have studied Spanish in year 9 can choose to study either French or Spanish in timetabled lessons. The MFL department offers some twilight classes (after school) for students who wish to study another language at GCSE. A vocational course in either French or Spanish (at the discretion of the teacher) is offered to those students who teachers feel would find the GCSE course too challenging. Key stage 4 students have three 50-minute language lessons per week. In 2005, 30 per cent of students studying a language achieved grades A*C at GCSE.

Contextual information
The department has five teaching rooms, all of which have internet access and are equipped with IWs, projectors and speakers. Teachers each have their own laptop and IW pens. Two members of staff have no fixed classroom base, but there is a mobile projector, so the hardware is therefore accessible for every lesson. Both the software that accompanies the IW and MFL-specific authoring software are used. The authoring software is one into which the teacher inputs a number of phrases or words and the software generates a number of activities and games to practise the vocabulary. All pupils learned how to complete tasks using the IW very quickly in MFL lessons. There is an assistant in the school to help with technical problems.

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In terms of training, the department took part in an IW project during 2005, when each member of the department received four days of training by an MFL ICT consultant. This involved direct training, with hands-on practice using the software in the department and the moving image. Staff also had the opportunity to observe demonstration lessons, be observed teaching with the IW and be given feedback. Teachers use the IW at least once a week. Although it can be used for all or part of a lesson, they avoid overuse. The IW is used, for example: to present lesson objectives and plenaries to introduce and present vocabulary and structures to categorise and group words (for example, through drag-and-drop techniques) to consolidate new concepts to model writing tasks as a stimulus for speaking to use video clips and internet sites in the target language as an alternative to a traditional listening exercise for games to practise and recall vocabulary to display the written word alongside a picture in order to focus pupils attention on accurate pronunciation and sound/spelling patterns to highlight different parts of speech using different colours to highlight assessment criteria prior to pupils commencing independent work to provide a checklist for pupils on completion of a task

Lesson-specific information
A year 8 mixed-ability French class was observed. The lesson started with an activity focusing on thinking skills. Pupils could see a number of verbs with pronouns and were asked to classify them into three groups, choosing their own classifications. Pupils classified them in a number of different ways, such as by the type of verb (-er, -ir etc) or by the type of pronoun (je, tu, il / elle etc). Pupils were on task and took part in the activity with enthusiasm. A pupil came to the board and dragged the phrases into his categories. This was used as a stimulus for discussion, with the teacher modelling other types of classification by dragging and dropping the phrases into other categories.

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The class then revised the construction of the pass compos with avoir by explaining how to form it and coming to the board to show how it was done (this had been taught in the previous lesson). The teacher then used an IW presentation to introduce the formation of the pass compos with tre. The presentation software allowed for hesitation and brought in different parts of the verb one at a time, which were colour-coded appropriately. A practice activity with a multiple-choice activity then followed, still using presentation software, where pupils had to give the correct use of the pass compos with tre. Pupils concentrated very well during the presentation and were keen to take part in the quiz. Pupils were then given five sentences to translate into English. The teacher had the correct translations hidden, and revealed them at the end.

Evaluation
The IWs were installed in the spring term of 2005, and although it is too early to see if there has been an improvement in actual results, teachers note a great improvement in the pace of lessons. Pupils are more focused on the language and the IW allows them to cater for a variety of learning styles. Teachers also report that their own lesson planning has improved. The planning of activities through creating flipcharts in advance focuses their thinking more clearly and enables them to plan better for progression. They report that classroom management has improved as no time is wasted. All the resources needed for a lesson are available on the board and can be linked together, so no time is lost trying to find different resources. They like the fact that current news items in the target language can be quickly cut and pasted from the internet, put onto the board and used as a reading stimulus. They find the clarity of text and pictures very helpful as well as the opportunity to flick backwards and forwards from one page to another, for example to compare different tenses on two pages. This would not be possible using traditional methods. Teachers are very positive about the use of IWs in the MFL classroom but do report a number of caveats. It can take a long time to find suitable images to use in presentations; ideally the department should build up a bank of images. There is a steep learning curve at first, and lessons can take a lot longer to plan using the new technology. However, they feel it is worth the extra effort because resources can be easily shared with colleagues and reused in future years.

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As part of the project in 2005, the staff evaluated their use of the IWs in the first few months by logging what worked and what did not, and having regular visits and observations from trainers.

In the classroom
During the lesson, pupils were very focused and attentive. Teachers say that this is very different from teaching the same structure in the traditional way, where it is very difficult to maintain pupils attention. Pupils report that they prefer their teachers to use the IWs to teach them because they think that the lesson flows a lot better. They find the text easier to read and the pictures very clear. They say that playing games using the board helps them to remember the vocabulary better and that Its like learning but you dont really know youre learning. They also like the fact that words are colour-coded according to gender and say that this makes them easier to remember. They like to be able to come to the board and use the pen to highlight verbs in different tenses. Pupils also say that they feel they write less during a lesson using the IW but that they learn more because the presentation techniques help the information to go in.

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Parkside School
The school
The school is an mixed, non-selective 1116 school in a rural, economically deprived, exmining community in County Durham. There are 870 pupils on roll, nearly all of who are white British. In 2005, 40 per cent of pupils gained five or more grades A*C at GCSE. Eighteen per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals and 19 per cent are on the SEN register.

Languages in the school

The department has three specialist language teachers. In year 7 all pupils study French, Spanish and German, in mixed-ability classes, for one term per language as a taster. In year 8 and year 9 pupils choose to study either French or German. They are taught in sets and have three lessons per week. At key stage 4, 19 per cent of pupils currently continue to learn a language. In 2005, 63 per cent of those taking a language achieved grades A*C in a language at GCSE.

Contextual information
Interactive whiteboards (IW) and voting systems have been used for the last two-and-ahalf years to teach MFL, as part of a government-funded Testbed project. The department has three teaching rooms, all of which have internet access and are equipped with IWs, projectors and speakers. There is a set of 32 voting pods in each classroom. Teachers each have their own laptop and IW pens. Presentation software is used as well as the software that goes with the IW. There are also CD-Roms that complement the coursebook used by pupils. The department received one training session for using the IW and its accompanying software that was not MFL-specific. Otherwise, staff have spent a lot of time familiarising themselves with the hardware and software after school and at home. They also attend in-service training courses and share the information with the rest of the department. Technical support is available when needed. All pupils have timetabled ICT lessons and are confident in using the voting pods.

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Teachers use the IW in almost all lessons. They are most often used with the software that complements the coursebooks. Voting pods are used quite regularly.

Lesson-specific information
Year 11 and year 9 French lessons were observed. In the year 11 lesson, pupils were completing a past GCSE listening paper. The teacher had entered the questions into quizmaking software. Pupil names were already entered in a list that the teacher brought up on screen. When pupils sat down they each had a voting pod on their table. Next to their name on the screen was a three-letter code, which they had to input, and which enabled the teacher to know who was answering what. The teacher played the tape and turned each page on the screen as appropriate. Pupils answered multiple-choice questions such as What does she like to eat? with a choice of different types of foods. The teacher would tell them when to vote and give them a set time in which to do this (around 15 seconds). Pupils voted and the teacher could see when they had all voted. After each question the teacher looked at the pie chart to see how many pupils had got the correct answer. At first all the pupils answered correctly. As the questions got harder, some pupils got incorrect answers. The teacher could see how many pupils had answered incorrectly and which incorrect answer they had chosen. This promoted some classroom discussion about what the correct answer was and why. The technology allowed the teacher to focus mainly on the questions that pupils were answering incorrectly, without the need to spend time on questions that all pupils were getting right. It thus enabled the teacher to make more effective use of lesson time. The year 9 lesson started with a multiple-choice activity to test the pupils recognition of various tenses, such as the present, perfect, imperfect and simple future. In the previous lesson pupils had had difficulty in differentiating between tenses. Pupils were shown a phrase such as il va demander with choices such as (a) perfect or (b) future and asked to vote. When some pupils answered incorrectly, this promoted a discussion as to why they had got it wrong. The teacher was able to focus the lesson on areas the pupils needed to work on. The technology thus enabled assessment for learning to take place in the classroom. The teacher was also able to bring up the results of the same test from the previous week and compare the pupils results and response times. This showed them that they had improved and were progressing in their learning.

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Evaluation
When using the voting system, teachers note that pupils are more focused on the language and are very attentive during questioning because they know that they have to give an answer. There is no hiding from the technology. They report that classroom management has consequently improved. Teachers find the technology quite easy to set up and use, and after two or three sessions they feel very confident with it. Pupils say that they prefer using the pods as they find it interesting to know whether they got the right or wrong answer. They say that it makes you do your work and they like to see how they have done. Boys in particular like to see their response times and compare them with others. Pupils also say that they prefer answering by using the voting pod rather than writing down their answers. As part of the research project, the staff are visited regularly and observed by the researchers.

In the classroom
During the lesson, pupils were observed to be very focused on the questions, because there was no way to hide. Knowing that they have to vote and therefore need to answer, they listen carefully. Pupils could be heard anticipating correct answers, for example spelling out a word using the French alphabet, and asking questions to help them get the right answer, such as whats the word for doctor? They were evidently thinking about the question and talking about how to answer it correctly. At one point when two pupils had both got an incorrect answer the teacher was able to pick up on this and give them a key phrase, il y, a to help them get the right answer next time. In the year 9 class, during the activity to recognise different tenses, pupils were heard to be making comments to each other such as, How is that imperfect? Its got an -ait at the end of it. The interactions between pupil and teacher also became more meaningful. For example a pupil asked the teacher, How do you work it out that its the perfect tense?

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The Ashcombe Language College

The school
The school is a mixed, non-selective 1118 school with a language specialism in the town of Dorking, Surrey. The catchment area is a mixture of urban and rural, with an aboveaverage socio-economic profile but small pockets of deprivation. There are 1,575 pupils on roll, nearly all of who are white British. In 2005, 82 per cent of pupils gained five or more grades A*C at GCSE. Eleven per cent of pupils are on the SEN register.

Languages in the school

From year 7 to year 9 every pupil learns French and German, for three 70-minute lessons per language per week. In year 8, Spanish is available as an option. At key stage 4, all pupils study one language, except for around 8 per cent of pupils who have SEN. Sixty per cent of pupils also opt to study a second foreign language at key stage 4. Half the cohort takes a short course GCSE exam at the end of year 10 in their second language and a full course GCSE exam at the end of year 11 in their first language. Those who take the short course can also opt to take the full course exam at the end of year 11. In 2005, 73 per cent of pupils entered for the full course GCSE in French or German gained grades A*C.

Contextual information
All classrooms have a data projector and every teacher has a laptop. There are two suites of multimedia personal computers (PCs), each with 34 computers, for exclusive use by the MFL department. These are timetabled to ensure equality of access and pupils use them for a minimum of one lesson per fortnight and in many cases one lesson per week. The department uses a very wide range of different types of software, including software on CD-Roms and an authoring package, which staff have used to build up resources of pictures, sound and text to complement the textbook pupils use. Staff are encouraged to go on external courses and attend relevant conferences. New staff are given one additional non-contact period per week and every first ICT lesson with a new class is taken by experienced member of staff. There is mutual, ongoing support within the department. When the department starts using a new piece of software a member of staff writes a guide for it to help others. Staff are given time and encouraged

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to try out new software. In department meetings, time is given to discussing good practice in using the PC suites. The proportion of the school budget spent on replacing hardware and training is two per cent and there is always at least one technician available for the two suites. Pupils have no problems accessing the ICT and quickly become familiar with the hardware and new software.

Lesson-specific information
The year 7 German lesson observed was a mixed-ability class. The pupils worked at the computers with headsets on for the whole 70-minute lesson. Pupils spent 20 minutes each on different pieces of software. The first piece of software was an independent learning package. The pupils use this software for 20 minutes each time they go into the PC suite, during the whole school year. Pupils have an individual login and each time they log in they start at the point at which they finished the previous time. In order to move up to the next activity they must achieve a minimum score of 75 per cent. If they get less than this they get feedback and have to complete the activity again. The content does not necessarily tie in with what they are learning in lessons, although this is the aim wherever possible. This software is focused on the structure of language and helps them practise listening, reading and writing skills. For example, pupils listen to a sentence and have to type it out or do a drag-and-drop activity where they have to put words into the correct order. When using this software the teacher has a deliberate policy of not helping the pupils because the software provides immediate feedback and pupils must attain a minimum score to move on. The department is looking at the effectiveness of this approach as a model of teaching that promotes entirely independent learning, and so does not want to influence pupils scores. The second piece of software used also included video clips and games with listening and matching activities. The third activity involved using a CD-Rom, which included a whole class game. Pupils had to do a task in a set amount of time and their result was displayed on the screen using a data projector. The whole class did this together, competed against each other and could see each others scores. The year 9 French lesson observed was a low-ability group of 17 pupils, all on the SEN register, covering the topic of booking a room in a hotel. The teacher had prepared activities using the authoring software that complemented the textbook as well as free voice-recording software. The first task was to reorder a dialogue at a hotel. The class

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worked through the task together, looking at the large screen and making their contributions as a part of a team game. The teacher then introduced the next activity and used it to introduce vocabulary such as avec douche with pictures and pre-recorded utterances. The pupils completed this activity individually, listening to utterances and matching them up with pictures and text.

Evaluation
The school has regular visitors and has had two formal evaluations and two OFSTED inspections since achieving Specialist Language College status and acquiring their ICT resources. The school acknowledges that it is very difficult to assess the effect of ICT on learning; they deliberately do not have control groups because of their adherence to curriculum entitlement. However, the effect has been described as palpable. One piece of independent learning software that is currently being trialled has been shown to improve pupils knowledge and use of grammar. Teachers report that in traditional lessons pupils are now manipulating verbs more effectively since they have been using this software. ICT has been shown to enhance the various stages of language learning. For example, at the presentation stage, the frequency and repetition of utterances can be controlled by the pupils. A CD-Rom or video clip presents role-plays and the context is given through a choice of pictures or target language or English text. Pupils can demonstrate comprehension individually through different activities, for example by clicking on the picture of the word heard, doing a timed listening comprehension test or filling in a gapped text of a video transcript. In the practice phase, pupils can reproduce language by recording themselves, playing back, comparing their recording with the original and then rectifying. The teacher can hear pupils practise, for example by listening to recorded sections while the rest of the class continue to practise independently. Pupils can then move on to the productive stage when they are ready and the teacher can individualise productive language by having a conversation with the pupil. Other pupils in the class can still be at other stages of listening and speaking practice and need minimum supervision. The rationale for using ICT in a multimedia room is the opportunity for independent learning within a teacher-structured framework. The pupils also have quick and effective feedback at each stage of the learning process. Differentiation is also catered for as pupils can work at their own pace and level. (Some software programs do not allow pupils to move to the next level until they have achieved a minimum score.) Pupils also have access to intensive listening practice and can replay utterances as many times as they

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need to. They have quick access to reference and support, such as dictionaries, word and phrase reference. This gives the teacher the opportunity to do group or individual work while pupils are fully engaged.

In the classroom
During the year 7 German lesson, pupils were observed to be very focused and working well individually. Some pupils were frustrated that when they put their hand up to ask for help, the teacher said that she could not help them, but the majority used their textbook glossary or exercise book or quietly asked a friend if they needed help. (The product that the pupils were using was on trial, and the teachers had decided to apply these conditions to the trial. This was not, however, typical of practice in the ICT suite.) Most pupils said that they enjoyed the ability to learn independently, especially to be able to replay utterances and work at their own pace without constant direction from the teacher. Pupils reported that they liked watching video clips, as seeing the people helped improve their comprehension of the language. In the year 9 French lesson the pupils were less motivated and the teacher had to work harder to ensure that the pupils were on task and doing the correct work. The class could not spend as much time working entirely independently and were brought back together for whole class work about every 15 minutes to give feedback on what they had been learning. This was an effective technique for this group. Once fully engaged, pupils worked well and were focused on the language, particularly when playing languagelearning games.

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The Heathfield Technology College

The school
The school is a mixed, non-selective 1118 school with a technology specialism, in a deprived area close to Birmingham. There are pupils on roll, 80 per cent of whom are white British. The rest comprise a mixture of different ethnic minorities. In 2005, 49 per cent of pupils gained five or more grades A*C at GCSE. Twenty-five per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals and 12 per cent are on the SEN register. Nine per cent of pupils have English as an additional language (EAL).

Languages in the school

In year 7 the majority of pupils study both French and German. A small minority of the least-able pupils are withdrawn. At the end of year 7, pupils have a Spanish taster course and opt for one of the three languages to continue into years 8 and 9. Languages are optional at key stage 4 and currently 20 per cent of pupils opt for a language. In 2005, 74 per cent of pupils learning a language gained a GCSE grade A*C.

Contextual information
The department uses ICT to support language learning through two IWs, a small number of PCs in classrooms and two digital video cameras (with access to one more), five Ipods with microphone attachments, a tripod and a laptop with software for editing digital video. The latter came as a loan from the local City Learning Centre (CLC). The CLC trained teachers and some pupils have had the opportunity to spend two sessions at the CLC in order to make a digital video. These pupils then trained their classmates. A foreign language assistant, another teacher and a sixth form student provide support and supervision. Technical support is available in school to help set up equipment but not during filming. Two pupils are also able to give technical support.

Lesson-specific information
A year 9 class of pupils was observed. At the end of year 8 or in year 9 pupils take part in a digital video project that lasts several consecutive lessons. They either produce a chat show or restaurant scene, or are given a free choice, which may include a news report or

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an interview about a film. When pupils are working on this project they do it to the exclusion of other language work. The first of the one-hour lessons introduces the project and ensures that pupils know some of the key language and vocabulary. They are shown a clip from a previous group that made films in Spanish and asked to assess it in terms of language content, pronunciation, clarity and film techniques. This form of peer assessment helps when they come to film their own work. For four lessons the pupils work in groups, writing their scripts and practising pronunciation using Ipods. Pupils are encouraged to think about their audience and consider the reality of the situation, be it a news report, chat show or sports show, and think about their tone of voice and body language. There are then two lessons when filming takes place and two lessons for editing. There is a plenary at the end of each lesson to reflect on what has been achieved. The rationale for using ICT is the improvement in the level of the pupils spoken language. Pupils focus more on their accent and pronunciation and make frequent use of the target language. Pupils develop confidence in communicating. Compared with traditional methods of learning a language, using ICT offers an opportunity for practice and recording by the pupils, who can use Ipods as a form of selfassessment. By filming the action in short clips, pupils do not have to learn long, entire sections of dialogue, but can focus on the part being recorded and consequently, on their accent and pronunciation. Pupils can also express individuality and creativity in their choice of script. The pupils move from speaking in a monotone to using intonation, inflection and feeling in their voices. The teacher can look at pupils more individually when they are on the screen than when they are in a whole class. The editing process gives pupils ownership of their work as well as a finished product that can be used in other lessons that use an IW as a listening resource.

Evaluation
The project started in the summer term of 2005, and although it is too early to see if there has been an improvement in actual results, teachers note a great improvement in pupils speaking competence. Pupils who started Spanish in year 8 are now, 18 months later, achieving a level 5 or 6 in speaking. Previously they would have achieved around level 4.

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The use of ICT for teaching and learning languages

Pupils are also a lot more confident after doing the project in speaking the language in lessons and pairwork activities. It does not take long for the teacher to plan the actual content of a lesson. The first lesson is the most important one. What is essential is proper planning of the whole project. The teacher also needs to ensure that all the hardware has been charged up before each lesson. Ideally a teacher would have about 10 minutes before each lesson to set the equipment up. The most challenging aspect of the project is managing it. The teacher needs to give strict guidelines about the timing of each activity, give targets and monitor the activity. Teachers report that the project is easier to manage if all pupils are doing the same type of film, for example a chat show. Teachers are very positive about the digital video project. Although a lot of time is devoted to it, they believe that pupils do not lose out at all in terms of covering the curriculum. Because the development of speaking skills is traditionally one of the hardest aspects of learning a foreign language, the benefits of this project can be seen subsequently by the teacher in future lessons covering other topics. Moreover, teachers report that pupils gain in confidence and communication skills in other subjects such as personal, social and health education.

In the classroom
When practising recording their voice on Ipods and playing the recording back, pupils intonation was generally good. They recorded a sentence, passed the Ipod to a classmate who then recorded, and so on. Then they listened to themselves and each other, commenting on what was good, or more commonly, on the parts that they pronounced incorrectly. Pupils could be heard saying I said that wrong and they reported that they like listening to themselves and hearing where they went wrong. They commented: Its good because when you play it back you can listen to it and see where you go wrong. Pupils took filming very seriously and said that they enjoyed watching themselves, seeing where they had made mistakes and having the opportunity to re-record something. They all reported that they liked watching themselves now, even if at first it was embarrassing. They said that they learned more vocabulary and language structures by having to write the script and learn new items of vocabulary. They believed that recording themselves helped their revision. Some pupils were observed filming questions and answers for a speaking test the following day, and said that it helped them to remember the language because they were focusing on it.

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The use of ICT for teaching and learning languages

During the editing session, pupils worked well as a group, although the pupil who had control of the mouse generally did most of the editing and the others did little more than watch. The teacher circulated through all the groups and helped with pronunciation at the request of the pupils, as well as advising on good techniques with regard to filming.

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St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School

The school
The school is a mixed, Catholic 1118 school in Washington, Gateshead, with a humanities specialism. The catchment area is socially and economically mixed. There are 1,700 pupils on roll, nearly all of whom of whom are white British. In 2005, 68 per cent of pupils gained five or more grades A*C at GCSE. Ten per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals and nine per cent are on the SEN register.

Languages in the school

All pupils learn French in year 7 for two one-hour lessons per week. This is their third year of French, as all pupils come from feeder schools where they start French in year 5. In year 8, pupils start German or Spanish (with equal numbers learning each language) for one hour per week and continue with French for two hours a week. This continues in year 9. At key stage 4, 60 per cent of pupils opt to continue a language of their choice. In 2005, 61 per cent of those learning a language achieved a grade A*C at GCSE.

Contextual information
The MFL department uses a dedicated PC suite of 30 computers, known as the Digital Language Suite, to support language learning. The suite was set up around six months previously. The suite has headphones and microphones for each PC. Pupils can access sound-recording software, storyboarding software, the internet and interactive exercises, which are gradually being integrated into the schemes of work. There are also four classrooms with data projectors and each teacher has their own laptop. The MFL department uses a range of software, such as free voice-recording software, a range of CD-Roms and subscriptions to language learning websites. The department is given timetabled access to the suite on a rotational basis, so that each class has access to it every eighth week and sometimes every fourth week. Teachers have ongoing departmental training. Because the school is linked to a City Learning Centre on site, teachers have had some training through the centre. A whole-school ICT technician troubleshoots if he has time, but there is no specific technical support available, and this can be a problem. In order for pupils to be confident about using the ICT they have software-specific training in MFL lessons as well as generic training in ICT lessons.

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Lesson-specific information
Year 7 and year 11 French lessons were observed. The year 7 lesson was with a mixedability class and when the pupils entered the classroom, they found a starter activity on the screen. Pupils had to log in and use a word-processing program to rewrite three sentences that had been mixed up. This meant that while pupils were waiting for the computer to start up they were focusing on a task. The teacher then introduced the lesson, which was to create a storyboard (using software) about two people meeting each other. This was a consolidation activity to practise all the language the pupils had previously learnt. At first the activity was very teacher-directed. For example, the class was told which module to open and when to add a character and insert a speech bubble. They were given set times to do this, such as one-and-a-half minutes. They were then directed to create a new storyboard. As the lesson progressed and the pupils became more used to using the software the lesson became less directed. In sharing the objectives at the beginning of the lesson, the teacher made clear how many pages of the storyboard pupils must, should and could create by the end of the lesson, thus allowing for differentiation by outcome. Pupils were given a clear structure for the types of phrases that should be included such as description of family but were allowed the freedom to choose exactly what content they wanted to use. Pupils saved what they created, in order to be able to complete their work in the next lesson. Pupils could also create sound files to match the written word in speech bubbles. In the year 11 lesson, pupils used a sound-editing program to listen to questions from the GCSE speaking test, which had been pre-recorded by their teacher, and record their answers. Pupils could edit and re-record their utterances as many times as they wished. They then exported the project as a wav or mp3 file. Many pupils had brought their own mp3 players to school so they could download the project and take it home to practise. Others, who did not have a player, had the sound files burned onto a CD that they could play at home on a computer or CD player.

Evaluation
The department is evaluating the language produced by the pupils while using ICT in terms of quality and quantity, for example, by asking the question Are they producing prettier or better work?. MFL staff are also analysing the role of ICT in assessment for learning, for example the capacity to redraft and re-record work in order to improve it. Initial observations show that pupils benefit from the opportunity to work independently

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The use of ICT for teaching and learning languages

and redraft work and from the ability to be able to save it, for example onto an mp3 player to listen to and practise at home. This is the first year that the MFL department has had the ICT facilities for language practice. They are monitoring the results particularly in relation to listening and speaking skills and will be looking at test scores in the summer. Initial observations show improved accent and pronunciation by pupils and that pupils have more confidence in speaking because they have had the opportunity to practise individually and anonymously using the computer.

In the classroom
During the year 7 storyboarding lesson pupils worked well and stayed on task. They referred to their exercise books and glossaries of their own accord because they wanted to be able to express what they wanted to say. They also asked the teacher and each other questions about spelling and accents because they were keen to write accurate French. Pupils reported that they liked using the software because they found it interesting and fun and youve got more freedom to do what you want. They appreciated the opportunity for creativity and this motivated them to create sometimes humorous scenarios and find the language to express themselves. Pupils evidently enjoyed the opportunity to assess each others work, saying that it gave them ideas and they liked to see what someone else had done. In the year 11 lesson pupils used voice-recording software confidently and quietly to work through the questions, listening to themselves and sometimes re-recording the utterances. Pupils said, I find it helps me to revise by recording myself and listening back to it on my mp3 player at home. Another said, Once you get the hang of the technology you can use it easily. Ive downloaded it onto my computer at home and recorded my own sound files and It helps to get my pronunciation right. Pupils were particularly enthusiastic about being able to take the finished sound file home for practice.

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