A suggested time-line: By the end of our 2nd
week of class you should have . . . | . . . 3rd
week | . . . 5th week
| . . . 7th week | . . . 8th
week | . . . Last Day of Class
By the end of our 2nd
week of class you should have:
Learned how to operate the video and audio machines (and any
other equipment e.g., tripod) you may need to use.
By the end of our 3rd week of
class:
Contacted 6-12 ESL speakers. Three different levels
of proficiency (beginning, intermediate, and advanced). By the end
of the project, you need to have worked successfully with two students
from each of three proficiency levels (6 is a minimum target number of
students). See ACTFL proficiency guidelines for definitions of proficiency
levels. Asked ESL students for permission to include them in your
project. Eventually, you will need to secure their permissions in
writing. By now you will have arranged place(s), day(s), and times,
to meet with and both video/audio record (an audio "sound grabber" is desirable)
the ESL participants for diagnostic purposes. Provided the ESL participants
with written copies of any appropriate materials (e.g., any written diagnostic
passages).
By the end of our 5th week of
class:
Completed the project's video (and simultaneously audio) taping
phase using one or more diagnostic speech samples (I suggest the R. Dauer
formats). Used both a formal reading and an informal dialogue (see
R. Dauer items 3a-3d from our fourth day of class. (Re-video tape
(and audio tape) if necessary).
Also gathered free (more spontaneous) speech samples from
the same learners. By now, you should have secured all ESL participants'
written permissions. Completed gathering the samples you need for
the project.
By the end of our 7th week of class:
Finished transcribing selected (any appropriate) excerpts
from the spontaneous speech samples. All necessary transcriptions
should be completed by now. Begun your diagnostic analysis and documentation
of the learners' oral production abilities. Examine both segmental
(1st) and suprasegmental (2nd) features as well as their more general oral
communicability. Document and illustrate your findings from your
recorded and transcribed samples.
By the end of our 8th week of
class:
Completed your diagnostic analysis efforts. Started
to write up your final report. Optional: Design a series of
lesson plans that target the identified pronunciation issues.
By our last day of class:
Submitted the final materials (e.g., including video and audio
materials, the results of your diagnostic efforts, prose discussions, and
any other components of your final reports). Everything should be
presented in formats that are easy to follow and understand. Your
target audience (users of the materials you produce) will be other ESL
teachers and/or future course participants in TSLP 832 who will use the
materials for group discussions and norming sessions centered on diagnosing
ESL speech intelligibility issues. Part of your role is to make it
easy and straightforward for any interested current or prospective ESL
teacher to work with the materials you produce.