1 The Electronic Network for Language and Culture Exchange (ENLACE): Development and Implementation Gary A. Cziko Raymond D. Meredith University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2 Turn on iPod recorder

3 Overview Autonomous Technology-Assisted Language Learning (ATALL) Promise and Challenges of Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) for eTandem Learning Development and Functioning of ENLACE Plans for Continued Development & Research

4 Autonomous Technology-Assisted Language Learning (ATALL) Input Interaction Practice/Exercises/Drills Diagnosis & Assessment see faculty.ed.uiuc.edu/g-cziko/atallfaculty.ed.uiuc.edu/g-cziko/atall

5 Input Necessary (and maybe sufficient?) for language acquisition (written and/or audio) Internet provides unprecedented access to input in many languages –Internet audio and video (e.g., DW-TV) –Low-power radio rebroadcasting of FL radio –AvantGo for FL on PDA –Francais facile; 2xAV see Cziko (submitted) input paper

6 Interaction Provides comprehensible & modified input via negotiation of meaning Helps learners notice linguistic form (e.g., via recasts) Lets learners appreciate “gap” between communicative intentions & current L2 proficiency Internet makes possible “free” asynchronous and synchronous CMC using text, audio and video with other students and native speakers of many languages See Cziko (2004, in press) August CALICO Journal for ATALL eTandem possibilities (not limited to computers & Internet)

7 Practice/Exercises/Drills May be necessary for acquisition of “difficult” features of L2 –e.g., articles and verb inflections for Chinese learners of ESL Structured Input (VanPatten et al.) –A mi mama la besa mucho mi papa –(choose picture: who is kissing whom?)

8 Diagnosis & Assessment Allows learners to –Find their L2 strengths and weaknesses –Monitor their progress Dialang online tests in 14 European languages ( –Free –Only one form per language (can’t be used for monitoring progress Ordinate’s tests of spoken English and Spanish ( –Computer-scored measures of vocabulary, pronunciation, sentence mastery, fluency –Based on: sentence reading, elicited imitation, prompted vocabulary, sentence formation, –Correlates about.95 with ACTFL, & DLI human-delivered & scored Oral Proficiency Interview –Free English demo test available (max score = 80) Gary native: Sentence Mastery 80, Vo cab 80, Fluency 80, Pronunciation 80, Overall 80 Gary “Phoney French” Sentence Mastery 79, Vocab 80, Fluency 48, Pronunciation 40, Overall 64 Gary in Brooklyn: Sentence Mastery 71 (missed one), Vocab 80, Fluency 62, Pronunciation 61, Overall 70

9 Challenges in Using CMC for Synchronous eTandem Learning Cross-platform compatibility Any combination of text, audio & video Minimum software requirements Users must be able to –Find suitable partners –Schedule synchronous meetings across different time zones –Establish communication with partner –Obtain guidance, support, resource materials

10 Development & Functioning of ENLACE

11 The System Hardware & Software Four systems: –Apache web server ( –MySQL database ( –ColdFusion scripting ( –Flash Communication Server (

12 Functionality User Registration Partner Searching Meeting Scheduling Synchronous Communication

13 Functionality: Registration

14 Functionality: Registration

15 Functionality: Registration

16 Functionality: Registration

17 Functionality: Partner Searching

18 Functionality: Partner Searching

19 Functionality: Meeting Scheduling

20 Functionality: Meeting Scheduling

21 Functionality: Meeting Scheduling

22 Functionality: Synchronous Comm.

23 Functionality: Synchronous Comm.

24 Functionality: Synchronous Comm.

25 Functionality: Synchronous Comm.

26 Functionality: Synchronous Comm.

27 Future Development & Research

28 Future Development & Research Multilingual support Enhanced communicative environments –Whiteboard –Push & pull URLs –Shared applications Recording capabilities for learning & research –Text chat, audio, video(?) Language resources –Principles of Tandem language learning –Dictionaries, topics, projects –Guidelines for corrective feedback Will require additional funding

29 Implementation Plans Basic ENLACE should be ready for testing with students beginning of Fall 2004 semester Seeking college language teachers interested in making ENLACE available to their students (preferably having a Tandem partner class) Take count of –Of EFL teachers present, what is native language of students? –Of FL teachers of English-speaking students, what language do you teach? Contact Gary: Ray: