VIDEO PODCAST «TED TALKS» AS A MODERN TOOL IN TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT

This paper will help to consider the goals of effective use of video podcast as TED Talks in English classes and its advantages, the use of video podcast in English lessons, on the basis of which the basic principles of teaching, strategies and specific tips that facilitate the learning process are offered. The facts will be presented on which videos can be considered as valuable pedagogical tools that facilitate the course of learning, and theories and practice related to the use of video podcast in English classes.Then I explain the two primary reasons why I like using TED Talks in my classes and  I reveal some possible problems EFL teachers need to be aware prior to introducing any of the talks to their students. Finally, I show how I have been using TED Talks in my listening and speaking classes.

Keywords: teaching foreign language, podcast, innovation, technology, e-literacy.

The importance of innovative technologies in teaching foreign languages has significantly transformed over the past decade. Previously, its use in teaching and learning foreign languages was content with text and elementary exercises like filling in the gaps and multiple choice and matching exercises. The latest advantages of technology and pedagogy enable us to a greater extent combine computer technologies in teaching and learning languages. Multimedia resources and Social networking access simplify the process of learning into a rich world for language practice and contribute to the independence of learners. Students have every chance to explore easily the use of language in context, which motivates them to skills like speaking and increases their interest, improves their e-literacy skills.

Nowadays, video materials are considered not only a component of our life, but also presented as an effective way of teaching English. Regularly changing technologies reveal to teachers the latest abilities of using multimedia materials and video materials in traditional educational processes, thus transforming the learning process into the most exciting and interesting.

Oliver and Herrington gave a concept of authentic learning in education, useful as a model for curriculum design rather than a learning theory (Herrington, 2015). Learning through authentic materials allows students to discuss, explore and construct concepts and relationships in contexts involving real-world issues, problems and projects relevant to the students (Herrington & Oliver, 2000).

Moreover, Morley and Gauriento (2001) also confirmed that when the case comes to language teaching it is beneficial to the learning process the use of authentic materials in the classroom. Specially, students are more likely to upturn their motivation when teachers use real-world issues, problems, and applications.  There are three kinds of authentic materials: listening, video, and print materials according to Al Azri and Al-Rashid (2014).

What makes TED useful?

One of the most inspiring things about TED Talks is that there are so many of them. At the time of this writing, instant control of the TED website has demonstrated that there are "2,200+ conversations to pique your curiosity." Based on the feedback they received from my students, they found that listening to people talking about a different topics every week was both exciting and rewarding. One of the similar speeches, which most of them liked, is called  “Special Olympics”. Speaker Matthew Williams is a young, mentally disabled individual who won metal in sports. The students found his speech inspiring, and many of them showed an eagerness to learn more about Special Olympics by listening to him. British chef and TV personality Jamie Oliver gave another speech, who, in his «Teach Every Child about Food» speech, addressed the issue of obesity among Americans also was received positively. The last story was about two teenagers, who talk about the problems that trash and plastic bags are creating on their beautiful island. Learners very well this speech because it was comparatively easier to follow, both in content and in the vocabulary the teenagers used, than some of the other talks. They also admired the hard work these teenagers put forth to help their city.

TED Talks as Authentic Tools

As a teacher of English as a foreign language in a small Kazakh village, I try to introduce my students to as much authentic material as possible. One of the reasons TED Talks can be considered "authentic" is that presenters are not just reading a script written by someone else, as is often the case with many languages ​​of teaching material. Instead, TED speakers always share their personal stories, hobbies, ideas, and desires with the audience. In addition, people whose first language is not English sometimes host TED Talks, and this is what EFL students may encounter in real life situations. Therefore, anyone listening to a TED talk can hear people speaking English with different accents like German, French, or Korean, and they do not always have perfect pronunciation when they speak. This is useful for English learners because it can help them understand that they do not need to be afraid or embarrassed to make mistakes when they speak English. Every TED Talk has a transcript of every talk. Since the duration of each speech is from 5 to 18 minutes. (Although some people go outside this period), it is the teacher's responsibility to decide whether a particular presentation will be short or long for the class. The much-needed meaning that TED Talks offers on the website is a list of speeches in different categories based on “Topics” and “Duration” (0-6, 6-12, 12-18, 18+), “Languages”, “Events”, and you can even find a group of specific “Speakers”. The following information explains how I apply TED Talks to my speaking and listening lessons.

1. Every Tuesday I give my students the title of the talk and the speaker, as well as an active link to the talk. Students begin by reading the entire transcription and finding out the definitions and meanings of various texts or phrases that they do not understand. Then they listen to the speech, analyzing the transcript. During the first listening, it is especially important for students to pay attention to the speaker's pronunciation, as numerous TED Talks speakers use lexicographic words that may not be familiar to my students. For the second listening, students are encouraged to try listening to the speaker without reading the transcript. They are encouraged to pay attention to how the speaker applies intonation and how they focus on specific words. As a result, students are required to record the speech they listened to and send me an assignment for an audio clip.

2. After, the students have the chance to listen to and record one of the talks at home, the speech has shown to everyone in the classroom using a projector. During this time, students will be selected who will read the sentences from the speech. If mistakes are made in pronunciation, we will tell everyone how to correctly pronounce the word / phrases. The whole class is then invited to read the same sentence. Also during this period, students are chosen to orally give their definition to specific words in a speech, and they are explained how they need to apply intonation and verbal accent in a conversation. This exercise is usually completed after that, as the whole class reads from two to four paragraphs.

3. After speaking practice in the classroom, I try to include students in the discussion of important topics. For example, previously listed in this article, in the Special Olympics talk, students were asked to respond to a variety of questions such as “Do you think a medal won by someone competing in the Special Olympics is as impressive as someone who had won a medal in ‘The Olympics’ for non-disable people? Explain to your partner why you feel the way you do.” In “Teach Every Child About Food,” students worked in pairs to discuss topics like “What kind of  foods do you need to keep you healthy?” Then, after talking with each other, I asked them to share their own ideas or findings.

Overall, what I love about including TED Talks in my English classes is that I understand that I am challenging students to do important and exciting works, which are essential to their growth as English learners.

References:

1. Al Azri, R. H., & Al-Rashdi, M. H. (2014). The effect of using authentic materials in teaching. International Journal of Scientific &Technology Research, 3(10), 249-254
2. Parker, J., & Herrington, J. (2015). Setting the climate in an authentic online community of learning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) 2015, Freemantle, Western Australia.
3. Renandya, W. A., & Farrell, T. S. (2011). ‘Teacher, the tape is too fast!’ Extensive listening in ELT. ELT Journal, 65(1), 52-59. http://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccq015
4. Richards, J. C. (2003). Current trends in teaching listening and speaking. The Language Teacher, 27(7), 3-6.
5. T. Colin Campbell Ideas Worth Spreading (Official TED Site)
6. https://www.ted.com/talks
7. https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/history-of-ted