+

Online Portfolios in a French Course

Jessica S. MillerUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

+French for Professional Communication

Course objectives

read and analyze authentic French professional material

produce professionally-written documents according to current cultural practices

watch, listen, and interpret current French news reports

articulate clear opinions in spontaneous small-group conversations and interviews

assume responsibility to prepare and deliver in-class presentations

demonstrate fluency of language and knowledge of cultural practices specific to the French professional environment

300-level course for major, minor, and certificate programs

+Portfolios in French 340

“This semester-long project is a tool to showcase your best work and will enhance your professional profile on the job market. Each student’s portfolio will contain the following components: an audio introductory letter explaining your interest for French studies, a résumé done according to French practices, a cover letter to a French business of your choice related to your academic field and the recording of your job interview with its transcript. The job interview will take place in small groups during the time allotted for the final exam.”

+How can a portfolio help learners reach the course objectives?

+ read and analyze authentic French professional material

learners review models of authentic online portfolios

produce professionally-written documents according to current cultural practices

they post their material online for a virtual audience

watch, listen, and interpret current French news reports

they showcase their written language skills

articulate clear opinions in spontaneous small-group conversations and interviews

they share their opinions and oral language samples

assume responsibility to prepare and deliver in-class presentations

they prepare to be put in the public eye

demonstrate fluency of language and knowledge of cultural practices specific to the French professional environment

they combine language and culture

+A portfolio is…

Authentic

Contextualized

Professional

Useful out of the classroom

Able to combine four skills:writing, reading, speaking, listening

+The 5 Cs in Second Languages (L2)

+Theoretical Frameworks in L2 Speaking

Communication Strategy (Canale & Swain 1980)

The Input Hypothesis (Krashen 1985)

The Output Hypothesis (Swain 1985)

The Interaction Hypothesis (Long 1985)

Collaborative Dialogue (Swain 2005)

Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky 1978)

+Weebly

Limited but sufficient free version

Students can upgrade if they wish

Can be password-protected for privacy

Easy to use

http://www.weebly.com

+Teaching Strategies

In-class sessions to work on portfolio components

Time for peers and instructor to review drafts

Time for rewrites

Components due throughout the semester

Consultant present to teach Weebly

Record consultant and post video on D2L

+Students’ Reactions

Evaluations were positive

90% of students said the material and pace of the course were right; 10% said it was too easy

Main criticism was about confusion on portfolio due dates and content

No mention of problems with technology

+Recommendations

Keep it simple

List due dates for each component in syllabus

Include reminders in homework assignments

Be clear about purpose and expectations

Show models and rubric

Consult students with a mid-term evaluation

+Thank you!

Syllabus, rubrics, and other material available upon request at millerjs@uwec.edu

For more information about current teaching and research projects visit http://people.uwec.edu/millerjs

+References Calkins, L. M. (1994). The art of teaching writing. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.

Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1–47.

Chamot, A. (2005). Language learning strategy instruction: Current issues and research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 25, 112-130.

Ferris, D. R. (1995). Student reactions to teacher response in multiple-draft composition classrooms. TESOL Quarterly, 29(1), 33-53.

Hubert, M. & Bonzo, J. (2010). Does Second Language Writing Research Influence U.S. University Foreign Language Instruction? System 38(4), 517-528.

Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis. London: Longman.

Long, M. (1985). Input and second language acquisition theory. In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp. 377-393). Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

Reichelt, M. (2001). A critical review of foreign language writing research on pedagogical approaches. The Modern Language Journal, 85(iv), 578-598.

Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp. 235-253). Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

Swain, M. (2005). The output hypothesis: Theory and research. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), The handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 471-483). Mahwah, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum.

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Interaction between Learning and Development (pp. 79-91). In Mind in Society. (Trans. M. Cole). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.