Creating Enhanced Audio Materials to Help the 21st Century Language Learner Marta Vessoni-Lence Julio Rodriguez Iowa State University

Presentation Plan Creation of audio texts simulating real life situations Enhancing the texts to improve learning

Importance of Authentic Texts in Language Learning Authentic materials…. reflect real life listening, they are relevant to the learners life and they allow for exposure to different varieties of language (Vandergrift, 2007, p. 200)

Importance of Authentic Texts in Language Learning With the focus on language, communication, and culture in the national standards for foreign language learning (Standards, 1999), foreign language teachers are continually searching for better ways of accessing authentic materials and providing experiences that will improve their students knowledge and skills in these target areas (LeLoup & Ponterio, 2000, p. 1).

Authentic Texts An authentic text is a stretch of real language, produced by a real speaker or writer for a real audience and designed to convey a real message of some sort (Gilmore, 2007, p. 98).

How to Create Authentic Audio Texts 1)Creation of scenarios or situations (Di Pietro, 1987) 2)Situations role-played by pair of native speakers 2)Recording using

Creating the scenario or situation (Di Pietro, 1987) Real life situations Element of surprise/tension Familiar topic to student

Real Life situations to simulate authentic interactions Example: Eating at a restaurant Buying clothing Celebrations Family reunion

Element of surprise or tension Information known by only one of the speakers to create a more realistic and interesting environment

Familiar Topics to account for students background knowledge Example: Eating at a restaurant Buying clothing Celebrations In the classroom

Example of created scenario or situation Speaker 1(male from Colombia): You are a waiter from Colombia working in the U.S in the famous Mexican restaurant El taco Picante. A very elegant and beautiful woman walks into the restaurant and sits to be waited by you. You feel enchanted by her beauty and want to know more about her. Use all your charm to impress her (e.g., use your culinary knowledge and recommend a dish, etc).

Example of created scenario or situation Speaker 2 (female): You are a young businesswoman from Colombia investing money in ethnic restaurants throughout the U.S. You have recently bought El Taco Picante restaurant and you have decided to check its customer service and food quality by pretending to be a regular client. Speaker 1 is a waiter in the restaurant and he has no idea who you are. Careful! At one point in your conversation you need to disclose your true identity, but first, find out about the service your new restaurant provides to its customers.

Cultural Note A piropo is a playful, engaging or poetic compliment to a woman. It is an expression of admiration for womens beauty Example: If beauty were a sin, you would never be forgiven I am now sure there is a heaven because I have seen an angel.

How to create Authentic Texts 2)The scenario or situation is role-played by pair of native speakers 3) Recorded using (free software for recording and editing sounds)

Characteristics of created text Real -Spontaneous conversation Culturally enriched vocabulary Culturally enriched situations (e.g., gender roles, different interactions of family members, flirting, etc) Real native speakers accent

Recording Editing sounds. * Change speed of conversation *Add music Enhance authentic texts

The recorded spontaneous conversation is transcribed and carefully analyzed Add Redundancy How to enhance the created texts to improve learning Add Transparency Add Signaling

Redundancy Redundancy, as explained by Long (2007), can be accomplished through devices such as repetition and paraphrasing of information. Enhancing the created text

1. Baseline version. Speaker 2: No importa. Estoy pensándolo muy bien acerca de dejarlo a usted como empleado. (It doesnt matter. I am seriously reconsidering if I should keep you as an employee.) 2. Enhanced version (added redundancy) Speaker 2: No importa. Estoy pensándolo muy bien acerca de dejarlo a usted como empleado. Realmente estoy pensando en que usted no debe trabajar más en el restaurante. (It doesnt matter. I am seriously reconsidering if I should keep you as an employee. I am truly thinking that you shouldnt work here anymore.) Example of Redundancy

Transparency Regularity, also referred to as transparency, could be attained through such devices as retention of optimal constituents and making the subject explicit. In Spanish: not dropping subject pronouns in the sentence Enhancing the created text

1. Baseline version Bueno…¿pero por qué jugos naturales? Le propongo algo más fuerte, como para la noche. ¿Qué le parece un trago ? (Well, but why drinking a natural juice? I suggest something stronger, suitable for the night. What about a drink?) 2. Enhanced version (added transparency) Bueno… ¿pero por qué jugos naturales? Le propongo una bebida más fuerte, como para la noche. ¿Qué le parece un trago? (Well, but why drinking a natural juice? I suggest a stronger beverage, something suitable for the night. What about a drink?) Example of Transparency

Signaling Lastly, explicit signaling of the thematic structure, also referred to as signaling, can be achieved through signaling major propositions within the conversation or important transition points in the text (Long, 2007). Enhancing the created text

Example of Signaling 1. Baseline version. Speaker 2: Yo soy la dueña de este restaurante y precisamente vine aquí hoy porque quería darme cuenta, saber, cómo los empleados están tratando a los clientes. (I am the new owner of this restaurant and I came here today to find out how our employees were relating to our customers.) 2. Signaling-enhanced version. Speaker 2: Yo soy la dueña de este restaurante y precisamente la razón por la cual vine aquí hoy es porque quería darme cuenta, saber, cómo los empleados están tratando a los clients. (I am the owner of this restaurant and the precise reason I came here today is to find out how our employees were relating to our customers.)

Enhancing the created text Record Scenario Transcribe and analyze Add extra language containing redundancy / transp arency & signaling Record the same native speakers reading added language (Audacity) Manually insert these recordings enhancements into baseline audio using Audacity

Example of authentic audio text created for Intermediate Level language Learners at college Level

My study - Redundancy is the most effective due to that it increases listeners inference of information from the text Which of the three elaborative devices is the most effective in aiding intermediate-level language learners comprehension of authentic aural texts?

Interpretation of Results What accounts for the positive impact of redundancy on learners inference of information from the aural text? Redundancy provides an extra opportunity for a second look at critical information, facilitating inferential comprehension (Yano, Long & Ross, 1994). Redundancy encourages use of top-down strategies by allowing listeners to concentrate on understanding the meaning and not focusing only on details. Redundancy allows learners to get access to background information … facilitating comprehension through strategies such as inferring information to compensate for unknown words (Liu, 2003)

Suggested guidelines for developing authentic aural texts Creation of redundancy-enhanced texts ( good choice in assisting with inference of information). Consider learners proficiency level. Include elaborative devices that make cultural references explicit. Attention to speed of conversation. Consider using Audacity, free open-source for audio recording and editing (easily available, free, easy to use)

Implications of this study Suggested guidelines for selecting aural texts for instruction Raise learners awareness of cultural differences. Take into account language learners preferences of authentic texts: redundancy-enhanced authentic texts provide an opportunity to comprehend texts simulating real-life situations and language and are more comprehensible to intermediate-level learners than non-elaborated texts.

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