Applying new technologies appropriately to modern foreign languages

Investigator: Mr David Ritchie Wilson

Institution: Department of Equal Opportunities and Department of Modern Languages, Harton School, Lisle Road, South Shields

Email: DavidRitchieWilson@compuserve.com
URL: http://www.specialeducationalneeds.com/

Project Description

Aims

The aim of the project is to investigate the appropriate application of information and communications technologies to inclusive modern foreign language (MFL) curricula in lower secondary education.

Objectives

The objectives are to

identify accessible, authentic and appropriate electronic resources;
integrate them into classroom practice;
evaluate their applicability to Key Stage 3 MFL curricula and to students with special educational needs.

Publications and Outcomes

Reports of work in progress

Wilson D. R. (1998) 'SENCALL: applying new technologies appropriately', Centre for Information and Language Teaching and Research Languages and Special Educational Needs Bulletin 10, 2-5, 10.

Wilson D. R (1999a) 'In the classroom', Deutsch Lehren und Lernen 19, 6-8.

Thomas, A. (1999b) 'A nugget in a gold mine', Times Educational Supplement, TES Friday Magazine, 5 March 1999, 12.

Wilson, D. R. (2001a) Building bridges to inclusive foreign language education through appropriately applied technologies. Paper presented at FLEAT IV, Kobe, Japan.

Wilson, D. R. (2001b) ‘Building bridges to inclusive foreign language education through appropriately applied technologies,’ in White, J. (ed.), FLEAT IV: Proceedings of the Fourth Conference on Foreign Language Education and Technology, Kobe: Japan Association for Language Education and Technology, pp. 84-90.

Wilson, D. R. (2001c) ‘Applying new technologies appropriately to foreign handwriting recognition difficulties’, in Atkinson, T. (ed.), Reflections on ICT, London: Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, pp. 41-52.

Final report

Conference presentation and/or journal article

Other outcomes

Applying new technologies appropriately to modern foreign languages website created to accompany Special educational needs and World Wide Web workshop in Modern Foreign Languages for Initial Teacher Training students at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in February 1999. Content since updated and expanded and mirrored on the Northern Grid for Learning website.

Foreign character entry: survey of entry methods conducted and French, German and Spanish character entry help-sheets desktop-published.

Year 7 French and Year 8 German courses have been compiled and desktop-published for use with SEN pupils. A unit of the latter appeared in the German teachers' journal Deutsch Lehren und Lernen.

Dates of Research: September 1997-

Source of Finance: Self and IALL.

CILT Current Research into language teaching and learning in the UK reference: 99142.