Innovation proposal: Blended learning in the foreign language classroom

The advent of Covid brought about the need to re-think how teachers deliver content to their students. This worldwide pandemic opened up a lot of possibilities and spurred a revolution in the classroom. School districts and teachers scrambled to create online platforms to teach students stuck at home during the quarantine. The blended learning environment became the go-to-method used to deliver content  during this time and it has since stayed. Public schools have more readily incorporated the lessons learned during Covid and adopted the use of technology as a routine part of content delivery. In fact, public schools are more apt to provide higher level courses to students now than before Covid.

The same is not true for all Private Schools who for the most part reverted back to the traditional classroom method of teaching. The school where I currently teach only uses  technology sometimes and only in the format of station rotation in the elementary section; where students cycle through different areas of the classroom, complete tasks in a prescribed amount of time, and then move to the next station. From what I have observed other elementary/middle  schools in the Diocese of Galveston are working in much the same manner. Technology is not being utilized in the middle schools to the best advantage. The Diocese of Galveston didn’t fully embrace the use of technology in the classroom after Covid; rather they reverted back to the traditional classroom teaching methods.

Change is difficult when you ask an entire group of people to shift their thinking and alter the way they have been doing things for years. The shift in thinking is easier in the Public Schools where the administration embraces the change and implements new methods acquired out of need. The administrators recognized that they gained something new and effective and didn’t let go. For example,  change is happening very slowly at the school where I teach.  Technology is certainly present but underused and undervalued as a teaching resource. That is not to say that the Public School system is completely onboard with the use of technology in the classroom but some schools see the future of teaching going in this direction and have embraced it. School Administrators have to agree that technology is the language that most students speak today. To be effective teachers, we have to learn to not only speak their language but also teach using methods / techniques the students will find interesting and engaging. 

It would be presumptuous to believe that in just a few months, any one person can change an entire districts' view on the use of technology as a routine method of content delivery in the elementary/middle schools. I’m proposing to meet with the Principal of my school to  outline the changes needed to be made in the classroom to achieve an Enriched Classroom setting beginning with my own classroom. It only takes one person to begin the process of modernizing how we teach in the classroom to  inspire other teachers to follow suit.

I am proposing that the school add a digital component to the Spanish language program as part of the curriculum.  In Horn’s Blended Learning book, he notes that, “In some schools, online foreign language courses were the first a [sic]   viable substitute for attending a traditional face-to-face class.” He goes on to note that “ Rosetta Stone has spent millions in research and development, and it has a very clever way of interacting with its users,” said Larry Rosenstock, CEO of High Tech High. He believes students can learn more in a year with Rosetta Stone than with even  the best face-to-face teachers (Horn pg. 32-33).” Keeping this in mind, I would like to consider adding the online component as  a  pilot program to see how students respond to the online component. In addition, I would  like to enroll ESL students in the program and chart progress for both groups this semester. If the data shows marked improvement, and student attitude toward the program is positive, I would like to incorporate the online component into the Spanish language program next fall and into the future. If the data is unfavorable, I’d like to continue researching what online components I can add to enhance the learning experience for my foreign language students. 

I currently teach Spanish from 1st grade to 8th grade.  My elementary students already have a blended learning environment in that I present lessons in person with student oral participation and then we continue the lesson online through educational games linked to the lesson of the day. The middle school students did not have an online component to their lessons other than using Google Classroom.  I have recently proposed and implemented the use of DuoLingo as part of my class routine.  Although the students will still receive a teacher guided lesson and work on assignments through Google Classroom and complete special projects in the classroom, they will now also have the opportunity to work at their own pace, on their own level, and at a convenient time for them to advance their foreign language skills.  “In addition, with students mastering knowledge online, schools should have a far greater capacity to help students focus on  developing the skills required to become master creators and innovators-critical skills in the world they inhabit after school (Horn pg 66).” An application like DuoLingo will provide students the opportunity to master skills at their own level while competing with the progress of their classmates and earning hearts and XPs. Gamification is a big plus for students' motivation. The best part of adding this program to the curriculum is that DuoLingo is free to the user, and it has a Google Classroom interface. There is no restriction on content, it is engaging and caters to all language levels while incorporating practice problems aimed at developing listening, speaking, writing and reading skills. This online component will benefit all students in that students will be able to access the lessons after school hours, at their convenience and at their own pace. With the Google Classroom link, teachers can view student progress. 

I would be asking for the opportunity to add the Duolingo App to all Chromebooks in the school so that students have access to lessons not only in Spanish class but also when they have study hall. I’m asking that the school allow me to use this semester as a pilot program to learn what works and what doesn’t using Duolingo in conjunction with the required coursework.

Works Cited:

Staker, H. (2011). The Rise of K-12 Blended Learning: Profiles of Emerging Models. Innosight Institute. 2929 Campus Drive Suite 410, San Mateo, CA 94403. Tel: 650-887-0788; e- mail: info@innosightinstitute.org; Web site: http://www.innosightinstitute.org.