GRAMMAR TEACHING HISTORY
• Textbook 1: Simple grammar
explanation and exercises, reading
supplemented
• Textbook 2: Good reading and grammar,
exercises too difficult
• Textbook 3: Good reading, grammar
booklet, exercises supplemented
• Currently: Units of work
GRAMMAR TEACHING HISTORY: ERI
• Prepared Power Point to illustrate
grammar points
• Flashcards
THE BEGINNING
The Khan Academy
GRAMMAR VIDEO HISTORY
• 2011 Grammar videos for revision in
Year 12. Power Point recorded via Jing,
shared via Screencast
• Teamed up with Eri. Videos through
CamStudio
• Website: Easy Japanese Grammar
www.japanesegrammar.com.au
MAKING VIDEOS
• Start with example sentences covering the
four main types of sentences (verbs, two
kind of adjectives and nouns).
• Duplicate slides and using colour and
some animations with text boxes to
highlight the structure of the target pattern.
MAKING VIDEOS
• Work through examples starting from
the base sentences.
• Finish with a summary chart and some
notes
• Record a narration to match the
presentation
MAKING VIDEOS
• Record the presentation to match the
audio.
• Put them together and publish as an
mp4 file.
VIDEOS
•
•
•
•
Focus on grammar
Comprehensive
Note taking time in class is saved
Theory and authentic usage
TRIALS
3 trials were done in 2012
Year 12 Japanese (Eri)
Year 9 Japanese (Julie)
Year 11 Japanese (Julie)
TRIALS
2012 Trial with Year 12
• In class, just power points to help
explain the grammar
• Students use the videos for revision at
home
TRIALS
2012 Trial with Year 9
Students were given two videos on
making the past tense of verbs and
adjectives after a very brief
introduction in class
TRIALS
2012 Trial with Year 11
For one unit all grammar study was done
via video
No introduction in class
Video was set as homework
TRIALS
2012 Trial with Year 11
The following lesson we looked at the
explanation table together and students
asked any questions they had.
We did information gap activities to
practice the pattern and they did written
exercises in class.
TRIALS
2012 Trial with Year 11
Students completed an online survey
after the Trial Unit.
YEAR 12 TRIAL: ERI
ADVANTAGES
•
•
•
Because there are visuals to support the
explanation, it’s easy for middle and lower
students to understand.
If there's a point the students don’t understand,
they can watch the videos anywhere at any
time.
Very effective for Year 12 examination
preparation and essay feedback.
YEAR 12 TRIAL: ERI
DISADVANTAGES
•
•
I planned lessons on the assumption
that students would have watched the
videos before coming to class, but not
all students did that
Some students found it hard to keep
concentration during long videos.
FEEDBACK FROM YEAR 12 STUDENTS
• Useful for revision
• They wanted something to print out
YEAR 9 TRIAL
• Year 9 experiment was a failure.
• Some students (especially middle and
lower students) found it very hard to
follow the videos.
• Even if they could understand the
videos, some students couldn’t
translate the information into exercises.
YEAR 11 TRIAL
• Year 11 experiment was a qualified
success
• No change to test results
• More opportunities to use
language in class for higher order
thinking tasks
YEAR 11 TRIAL ADVANTAGES
• More time in class for interactive
consolidation activities
• Students can rewind and repeat
the videos as they need
• One very weak student self
corrected
YEAR 11 TRIAL ADVANTAGES
• Videos are not platform dependent
• Colourful presentations
• Students can take notes in their
own time.
YEAR 11 TRIAL DISADVANTAGES
• Hard to tell if students have
actually watched the video
• For Year 11 some videos had too
much detail
• Lack of personal interaction in the
introduction phase
YEAR 11 TRIAL DISADVANTAGES
• Takes lots of time to make the
videos
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK
FEEDBACK
Like
Not sure
Dislike
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK: ADVANTAGES
• It is helpful to look back on, when revising for a test or
exam
• You can take your time to go through the slideshow,
take notes, and go over sections that you didn't
understand.
• I like doing the exercises in class.
• If the grammar was learnt last year or relatively easy,
this system doesn't waste our time.
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK: ADVANTAGES
• You can go over previous notes at home which is
convenient and take your time to understand the
notes.
• You can ask the teacher questions about the
homework or anything you are unsure about after
watching the video during class.
• Encourages more independent study
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK: DISADVATANGES
• I think that it is easier to learn the sentence patterns
in class with the teacher personally explaining things,
so if you have any questions or need to go over
anything again, the teacher is there to help you. I
struggle to learn through videos rather than in class.
• For some grammar patterns there is an extra section
at the end which isn't compulsory to learn which can
be a bit confusing.
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK: DISADVATANGES
• If you miss the video because you are too busy or you
forget then during class you don't really know what is
going on
• If it's new grammar, it takes longer to teach myself
rather than learn it in class. I'd rather learn it and
practice it straight away - all in one go instead of
practicing it up to days later.
• It can be often hard to operate, hard to learn from and
harder to remember sentence structures from.
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK: DISADVATANGES
• I prefer being taught by a real person rather than a
screen. It is also easier to write notes and ask
questions when learning it. I also like interactive
learning where you can interact with each other
• Sometimes takes longer to learn by ourselves Can't
ask questions
YEAR 11 FEEDBACK: OTHER COMMENTS
• The site was confusing to navigate at the start of the
year but now it is very easy to use!
• I really do not mind which system we do. Both learning
at home or at school work well. :)
• I'd rather get used to the system than go back to
learning grammar in class. Kanji and Grammar are
things that can be taught without too many aids and
I'd rather be applying the kanji and grammar I've
learnt to actual tasks in class.
2013 MODIFICATIONS
• Videos for follow up and revision rather
than presentation.
• Longer videos split into shorter versions,
with 5 minutes as the maximum time.
• Show the Power Point at the end of the
lesson as an introduction.
2013 MODIFICATIONS
• Students watch the video for a full
explanation at home, take notes and do
practice exercises.
• Share a printer friendly version of the
main slides.
2013 MODIFICATIONS
• Videos are shared via a blog so that
students can post questions as they
arise
• In class we do interactive and
imaginative activities after correcting
exercises.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
• The 2013 use of videos at Year 11 and
12 has been very well received.
• We’ve trialed on line testing at Year 12.
Trial is still in progress so we have no
formal feedback yet. Informally, they like
the instant report on their progress.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
• Students have repeated tests to get the
grade they want.
• Videos for script with juniors
• Online testing for script and vocab with
Year 7 and 8 with online badges as
rewards