patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) (05/06/89)
EXCERPTS FROM LINC NOTES, APRIL 1989 Published by LINC Resources Inc. 4820 Indianola Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43214 614-885-5599 From The National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education Forum Between 1981 and 1986, the percentage of American schools with computers intended for instruction grew from approximately 18% to almost 96% (U.S. Office of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress, 1987). With so many computers in the schools, it is not surprising that educators are increasingly interested in identifying the appropriate uses of technology in education. Several emerging technologies have potential applications for the education of limited English proficient (LEP) students. This article will discuss the instructional uses of two of these: videocassette recorders (VCRs) and interactive videodisc system. The use of videocassette recorders is becoming increasingly common in the education of LEP students. Since many teachers and administrators are familiar with the technical aspects of VCRs, their use has been readily accepted. In some school systems, such as the District of Columbia Public Schools, students are allowed to borrow English as a second language (ESL) tapes to view at home. Teachers found that over half of their ESL students had VCRs at home. Administrators hope that lending ESL tapes to students will reinforce their school work and also give their family members additional exposure to English (Mylona, personal communication, 1988). Another emerging technology which has great potential for the education of LEP students is interactive videodisc systems, or interactive video. Videodisc systems store video pictures, still pictures, and sound on discs that users can control with a videodisc player or, in some sophisticated systems, with microcomputers (Brandon, 1988). These systems can combine the interactive capabilities of computers and the motion-picture capabilities of videos. For LEP students, interactive video is particularly appropriate because it can create a multi-sensory, multidimensional language center that is specially tailored to their needs. With interactive video, ESL students can extrapolate information from contextual clues and non-verbal cues in addition to reading. For example, students may watch a story dramatizing life during the Civil War era, and then at a certain time during the video, use the computer to practice writing skills based on content introduced in the video. Interactive video is an excellent instructional delivery system for LEP students because it enhances cooperatie learning; offers the drama of live-action video; provides immediate feedback; elicits overt behaviors and makes reading an active and interactive process; combines text, graphics, animation, audio, still frame slides and moving video segments in any combination; and can be used for individualized remediation (Katsareas, 1988). School districts may decide to produce their own interactive video, since there are few videodiscs available for use with ESL students. However, they should be cautioned that interactive videodisc development involves more sophisticated knowledge of instructional design because production occurs on two levels: the making of a successful video and the programming of a computer to interface with the video (Hamilton & Katsareas, 1988). For more information on using emerging technologies with LEP students, contact The National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education, 8737 Colesville Rd., Suite 900, Silver Springs, MD 20910; (800)647-0123. -- Patt Haring rutgers!cmcl2!ccnysci!patth patth@ccnysci.BITNET