The Language Teacher
October 2003
Exchanging Recorded Messages
Eleanor A. Kane
Hiroshima Bunkyo Women's University
QUICK GUIDE
Key Words: Student-generated materials, listening, speaking, homework
Learner English Level: All
Learner Maturity Level: High school and above
Preparation Time: None
Activity Time: Students determine time on task, and response time is approximately 10 minutes per student.
Materials: Tape and MD player, index cards (one per student). Students need tapes or MDs, and access to recorders.
Since 1995, I have been exchanging tapes, and increasingly MDs, with students. Before you call the piracy hotline, let me explain. Students record messages in English for me as homework, submit the message, and I reply on the same media. It has proved a motivating experience for students and a rewarding one for me in that I got to know students much better. I was able to talk privately with all students, not just the outgoing ones who regularly turn up at my office. While recording messages is not as immediate an activity as speaking face-to-face, it is stress free for students and allows them time to process the language (often by listening many times), plan an answer, and then say it successfully.
Preparation
At the beginning of the semester, give each student an index card. Tell students that the holes of the index card should be on the left. Request that each student write down his or her name, student number, email address, a short self-introduction, and any other information you require. Ask students to attach a puri-kura sticker or photograph to the top right-hand corner of the card, and to leave the back of the card blank. Use the back of the index card to take a memo while listening to the messages.
Ask students to submit work on MD if possible, rather than tape. It is much easier for teacher and student alike to locate and to time messages. Warn students, however, of the dangers of erasing all their work. This is the reason that the teacher must keep a note of grades for each message.
Grading
Students were asked to submit five messages per semester, which would count towards 50% of their grades--10 points per tape. For the first message, students spoke for a minimum of 3 minutes and asked at least three questions. In subsequent messages, they were required to reply to all five questions that I littered through my response. The messages were graded according to whether these objectives had been fulfilled, and more subjectively as to how well students spoke. Students submitting recordings under 3 minutes in length were required to resubmit the message. Five points were awarded for being able to answer the five questions I had asked. Then the messages were subjectively graded from 1-5. The grading criteria included words per minute, intelligible pronunciation, and grammatical correctness.
Assigning topics
The topics to be spoken about on the tapes or MDs were assigned to tie in with our topic-based course and included marriage, sports, food, and best friends. The first message, however, was a self-introduction.
Replying to students
As I listened to messages, checking their length, I took notes on the back of each student's index card. (Hint: Write small!) I noted the students' three questions, and took a memo. I used the memo to formulate my own reply and to ensure I responded to students' questions. I also jotted down my own five questions in order to check that the student answered them on the next message.
Student feedback
This class was the subject of an anonymous survey last semester because of our ongoing faculty development. In the survey, 21 of 22 students rated this homework "Good" or "Very good."
A later survey showed specifically why students felt so positive about this homework. Mayumi wrote, "at that time it was hard homework but it was useful for me. . . I learned many words and phrases with my dictionary myself." Chiemi said, "I was happy to hear your comment and make contact with you. It was a little hard to make long sentences. But I enjoyed it very much." Akane said, "We don't have a lot of chances to speak English in our usual life. It was very difficult for me to speak English but I enjoyed speaking about myself and you gave me comments." Several students told me they had never done this kind of assignment before and, although they found it difficult at first, my comments encouraged them to speak more each time. Most students said it took a long time to make each message but they looked forward to hearing my replies.
To sum up, recording messages has proved a highly motivating assignment for students and teacher alike. Students reported spending considerable time on this homework because few materials are as relevant to students as their own MD where the teacher talks specifically to them.
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