Audio Diaries

for improved spoken proficiency

Anthony SchmidtUniversity of

Tennessee, Knoxvillewww.anthonyteacher.

com@anthonyteacher

Audio Diaries Outline• Problem

• Background Research

• Audio Diaries• Examples• Adaptations• Summary

Fluency and Accuracy

Fluency is easier to acquire

than accuracy

Fluency is likely learned

incidentally through regular

speaking activities

We might be

focusing too much

on fluency

Li, S. (2010). The Effectiveness of Corrective Feedback in SLA: A Meta Analysis. ‐ Language Learning, 60(2), 309-365.

Lyster, R. (2013). Roles for Corrective Feedback in Second Language Instruction. The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics.

Lyster, R., & Ranta, L. (1997). Corrective feedback and learner uptake. Studies in second language acquisition, 19(01), 37-66.

Lyster, R., & Saito, K. (2010). Oral feedback in classroom SLA. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 32(02), 265-302.

Lyster, R., Saito, K., & Sato, M. (2013). Oral corrective feedback in second language classrooms. Language Teaching, 46(01), 1-40.

Sheen, Y. (2010). Differential effects of oral and written corrective feedback in the ESL classroom. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 32(02), 203-234.

Yang, Y., & Lyster, R. (2010). Effects of form-focused practice and feedback on Chinese EFL learners’acquisition of regular and irregular past tense forms. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 32(02), 235-263.

Effective Feedback Strategies

“I go to the movies last week.”

PROMPTS

Repetition – “You go to the movies?”

Clarification – “Pardon?”

Elicitation – “Go to the movies? Last week you…”

Metalinguistic – “Use the past tense”

REFORMULATIONS

Explicit – “You should say ‘went to the movies.’”

Recasts – “You went to the movies?”

Effective Feedback Strategies

• Immediate (face to face)

• Peer feedback

• Computer feedback

• Delayed feedback

(Quinn, 2014)

Feedback and Uptake

Gu, S. & Reynolds, E.D. (2013). Imagining extensive speaking for Korean EFL. Modern English Education 14(4). 81-108.

• Korean university students• Extensive Speaking group: 1-3

minute daily recorded monologues every school day for 6 weeks• No linguistic feedback

given• Control: no monologues• Recordings were analyzed for

proficiency based on OPI rubric

• Results: Extensive speaking group’s OPI scores had significant increases compared to control

Audio Diaries1.Record

2.Feedback

3.Re-record

Extensive speaking, meaningful speaking, low affective filter

Individual feedback, delayed corrective feedback, noticing, metacognitive awareness

Targeted practice, “forced” uptake

Audio Diaries• Positive student reactions

• Student awareness of personal language weaknesses

• Teacher awareness of common persistent problems

• Student improvement

Mini Experiment

• Transcribed and analyzed

initial and final recordings

• Grammar, lexis,

pronunciation,

complexity

• Slight improvement in all

areas

Audio Diaries

1. Set topic on (Monday)• (Related to unit)• (Use vocabulary)• File name:

“Audio Diary 1.1”

2. Feedback (Tue-Thur)• Grammar• Lexis• Pronunciation• Other

.com

Access student playlists

Access student recordings

Listen to track and give feedback

3. Re-recording (Fri)• Read feedback• Practice• Rerecord and

upload• Name:

“Audio Diary 1.2”

Audio Diaries Adaptation1.Weekly, semi-weekly, daily2.Any length of time3.Free topic, unit topic,

discussion extension4.Grammar, lexis,

pronunciation goals5.Natural speech, reading

aloud, presentations6.Self-assessment

Audio Diaries Assessment1.Completion

2.Effort

3.Proficiency

4.Improvement

Audio Diaries Summary• Accuracy vs.

Fluency• Corrective

Feedback• Individual

Feedback• Extensive

Speaking• Record, feedback,

rerecord

Audio Diaries