Windows of opportunity Annette Nolan Swedish National Defence College Technology - a means to facilitating continuity and providing flexible opportunities for self-directed learning

Context rapid proliferation of high levels of English language competence in professional communities

Placement Level Cadets Score range on OPT percentages CEFR Level (approx %) 95+ N/A expert user - 2% (4 cadets) C2 – Mastery - 20% C1 – Advanced - 55% B2 – B % B1 – B % A1 – A % (1 cadet)

Directing the learner Help the learner minimise selection difficulties when faced with the ubiquity of materials and delivery options available Help the learner minimise selection difficulties when faced with the ubiquity of materials and delivery options available Help the learner develop metalinguistic competence/analytical and reflective skills Help the learner develop metalinguistic competence/analytical and reflective skills Appropriately direct responsive guidance to facilitate new learning Appropriately direct responsive guidance to facilitate new learning Direct tasks towards salient (un- or- insufficiently- analysed) aspects of the language system Direct tasks towards salient (un- or- insufficiently- analysed) aspects of the language system

Teacher autonomy is a prerequisite to effective dialogic learning The zone of proximal development “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” –Vygotsky Mind in Society 1978 Cambridge Mass

JEOPARDY Abbreviations General vocabulary Translate Military vocabulary

APC LUP ETA LD OC OOM UAV BG LOC CO MBT TF FOB BC TAOR NCO FAC MFC QRF VCPABBREVIATIONS Back

Traditional digital Interaction promotes independent learning Receive and give feedback on writing tasks. Receive and give feedback on writing tasks. Publish answers to routine practice tasks for self- correction. Publish answers to routine practice tasks for self- correction. Advance distribution of tasks prior to class meetings so that preparatory exercises and activities can be done prior to class time. Advance distribution of tasks prior to class meetings so that preparatory exercises and activities can be done prior to class time. Advance distribution of materials/exercises for students to process before a lesson, allows more flexible planning and response from students and eliminates classroom management issues e.g. slower readers/lower level members can prepare tasks at their own pace. Advance distribution of materials/exercises for students to process before a lesson, allows more flexible planning and response from students and eliminates classroom management issues e.g. slower readers/lower level members can prepare tasks at their own pace.

Further examples Individually directing students to grammar and vocabulary exercises and media that relate specifically to their needs/interests. Individually directing students to grammar and vocabulary exercises and media that relate specifically to their needs/interests. Allow students to communicate about class and language related issues between lessons through online conferencing. Allow students to communicate about class and language related issues between lessons through online conferencing. Deal with individual issues with individual learners without the rest of the group looking on. Deal with individual issues with individual learners without the rest of the group looking on. Set up banks of favourite activities/learning links that you can give your students access to, at the touch of a button. Set up banks of favourite activities/learning links that you can give your students access to, at the touch of a button.

Example of an interactive task

Formalizing individual learning as a goal in course objectives The main aim ………..Moreover, to raise students’ awareness of key aspects of discourse, vocabulary and grammar structure to enable them to identify personal learning goals both in terms of accuracy and fluency thus facilitating autonomous strategies for domain-specific language learning. The main aim ………..Moreover, to raise students’ awareness of key aspects of discourse, vocabulary and grammar structure to enable them to identify personal learning goals both in terms of accuracy and fluency thus facilitating autonomous strategies for domain-specific language learning. The key objective is to facilitate the cadets understanding and the extension of their range and control over vocabulary and grammar structures while at the same time focusing on key topic areas that are of professional interest to them. The key objective is to facilitate the cadets understanding and the extension of their range and control over vocabulary and grammar structures while at the same time focusing on key topic areas that are of professional interest to them. The outcome of such an approach should be that each cadet develops effective strategies that facilitate further independent learning and knowledge of key language for professional purposes. The outcome of such an approach should be that each cadet develops effective strategies that facilitate further independent learning and knowledge of key language for professional purposes.