Instructional Design (TOEFL Listening)

1. Using Popplet to Create a Concept Map of Astronomy Scenario Vocabulary (in the Extracurricular Tutorial)

Objectives:

• To help students better understand multimodality and expand their “representational repertoire” in a multimodal learning environment (Cope & Kalantzis, 2009, p. 180)

• To develop an awareness of interdisciplinary knowledge.

• To foster a community of learners in the process of knowledge co-construction.

Click to see → A Possible Schema of Astronomy

 Popplet Concept Mapping and Multiliteracies Pedagogy

This approach helps learners better understand multimodality and expands their “representational repertoire” (Cope & Kalantzis, 2009, p. 180).

Through Popplet, students can easily integrate one scenario with another and have a quick understanding of interdisciplinary integration.

Although Popplet is really easily accessible, overt instruction is needed when learners don't a comprehensive understanding of background knowledge and have  have problems with other digital tools when they engage in multimodal learning environment.

2. Shadow Reading (after-class activity)

Objectives:

• To cultivate awareness of linguistic differences and improve the students’ vocabulary and pronunciation.

• To help learners become acquainted with phonetic combinations, loss of plosion, and the accents of speakers from different regions.

• Students having lower levels of English proficiency are recommended to adjust the audio recording of TOEFL, listening a bit slowly at first. When they are able to repeat immediately and exactly what is said in the recording and stay at the same speed, they can adjust the speed to a normal level.