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A promising instructional approach that has generated a
great deal of interest in recent years is flipped learning. In this
approach, students access course content on their own outside of class
and then interact in class with their instructor and peers as they
engage in activities directly related to what they have viewed. There
are many ways to implement flipped learning, but all include this basic
principle: Direct instruction takes place out of class while practice
and application take place in class (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). The
student population English language educators serve, for whom the
language of instruction itself is a major challenge, may stand to
benefit the most from this type of instruction. This article examines
how flipped learning can be implemented with English learners (ELs) and
the reasons it holds promise for their classroom success. Students
quoted in this article are from college level classes; many K–12
teachers are also implementing flipped learning in ESOL and bilingual
education programs.
The Flipped Learning Cycle for ELs
To implement effective flipped learning for ELs, instructors
follow a learning cycle: (1) instructional videos; (2) in-class
collaboration; and (3) observation-feedback-assessment. Each element
needs to be undertaken with supports provided for ELs.
Figure 1. Flipped Learning Cycle
Instructional videos. Flipped classroom
adopters state that the approach is not about the videos, but about the
best use of class time. However, for ELs, it is equally about the videos
and the in-class portion because the videos provide comprehensible
input that students might otherwise not be able to access. Comprehension
is enhanced when the videos are created in such a way as to make the
material accessible to them by including three components:
- Webcam – The students can see the teacher using nonverbal
elements, such as facial expressions and gestures.
- Guiding Questions – These questions help the students follow
the lesson as they highlight the points the teacher is addressing.
- Content Presentation – This is the central focus of the
video, showing a slide presentation, screen sharing, embedded videos, or
other visual representations of the material. This section can include
captions, call-outs, key vocabulary, and other language supports in
English and/or the native language (Marshall & DeCapua, 2013).
Referring to her teacher’s at-home videos, student Nattasiri
states, “I like this flip classroom so far. I can spend my time study as
much as I want and flip classroom makes my study livelier. Reading text
book alone can be bored some time. As English learner, I have some
difficulties catching something in class. Flip classroom helps me a
lot.”
In-class collaboration. Because the lesson
presentation has already taken place, students arrive ready to share and
work collaboratively. ELs can participate actively because they have
had the opportunity to master the material on their own terms outside of
class. The classroom activities include exercises that would normally
be assigned as homework. Such home assignments can be difficult for ELs,
who may feel isolated and unable to complete them independently. In
flipped learning, on the other hand, exercises are completed with peers
and the instructor present, so that immediate feedback is possible and
encouraged.
The instructor also develops projects that deepen learning and
asks students to demonstrate their ability to apply and analyze the
material. These are the types of activities instructors often do not
have sufficient time to conduct. One example is a collaborative class
chart, showing the contributions of each student and the patterns that
emerge. In the video, the instructor presents a sample of cognates, and,
in class, students list their names, native languages, and examples of
cognates. Most important in designing such collaborative activities is
the bridge the instructor creates between the videos and the classroom.
As one student, Serena, noted, “in-class interaction gives us an
opportunity to flesh out ideas and concepts we hear in the lecture and
clarify misunderstandings.”
Observation/feedback/assessment. With lesson
presentation taking place outside of class, time in class consists of
the instructor observing students to ensure on-task attention and equal
participation of all learners; assessing how well each student is doing
based on contributions and questions; dealing with confusion or
misconceptions about material in the videos, and encouraging higher
level thinking. Some educators voice the concern that instructors aren’t
really teaching anymore. However, flipped learning is the best use of
one’s teaching ability because the instructor is constantly guiding
students’ thinking by asking questions, making comments, and giving
feedback, while assessing what is needed for subsequent instruction and
planning for differentiation. As one student, Nan, pointed out,
“although the instructor is not at the head of the classroom most of the
time, she's what I'd call ‘leading from behind’—a role I wish more
teachers would undertake. If they knew that leading from behind didn't
mean a loss of their control or importance, I think more teachers would
be willing to try the flipped classroom.”
Three Reasons to Flip Your Classroom for ELs
In analyzing any approach, it is useful to consider how it
meshes with what we know about second language acquisition so as to see
how its implementation might promote learning. In the case of the
flipped learning approach, there are three potential benefits to ELs.
The flipped classroom (1) increases comprehension of the material; (2)
increases interaction with instructor and peers; and (3) increases
critical thinking as a natural part of the learning process.
Comprehension. ELs often miss a great deal
of what is going on in the classroom, especially as teachers explain
material to them. Flipping a class enables students to learn at their
own pace as they view lessons on demand via video, thereby increasing
their comprehension. Moreover, in the videos, instructors provide
scaffolding for the new content and language using think alouds to show
students how to construct meaning for unfamiliar vocabulary, how to use
graphic organizers, or how to make connections to prior knowledge
(Marshall & DeCapua, 2013; Wade, 1990). In class, instructors
observe interactions and provide meaningful feedback as they informally
assess comprehension.
Interaction. In the flipped classroom,
students spend nearly all of their class time interacting with others.
Because ELs benefit from multiple opportunities to use their new
language for meaningful communication (Gass & Mackey, 2006),
this increased interaction fosters second language acquisition. Teacher
talk is lessened and teacher-fronted instructional delivery is virtually
nonexistent. Class consists instead of student-centered, collaborative
work during which the instructor can reach each student individually.
This results in both clarification of content and the development of
language proficiency, as in the cognate activity described
earlier.
Critical thinking. Flipped learning gives
ELs the opportunity to participate at their cognitive level, so that
they are more likely to reach their academic potential. In terms of
Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956; revised Anderson & Krathwohl,
2001), this approach can be seen as an upside-down implementation of the
levels of thinking. The lower levels of Bloom—the understanding and the
remembering—move to outside of the class, with each student taking the
time needed to master the concepts. Then, the class can focus on the
upper levels of the taxonomy—applying, analyzing, and creating. Thus,
ELs no longer have to focus their attention in class on comprehending
but can engage the material at a higher level.
Moving Forward With Flipped Learning
The flipped classroom can be implemented in a variety of ways
to support ELs. In a self-contained ESL or bilingual classroom, videos
and differentiated classroom activities can be created in the native
language or sheltered English. Language teachers can encourage
mainstream teachers to flip their classes and can team up with them to
collaborate on videos designed to enhance comprehension. More advanced
learners can create videos for their fellow students in a peer
instruction model. Keeping to the basic principle of moving content
delivery out of the classroom and moving exploration and application of
that content into the classroom, instructors can develop their own style
for flipping their instruction. Flipped learning has considerable
potential for our field and provides yet another tool for us to use in
enhancing instruction for the benefit of our students. So, flip it!
To learn more about the flipped classroom and how to implement
it in your program, the following links may be useful:
References
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of
Bloom's Taxonomy of educational objectives. New York:
Longman.
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your
classroom: Reach every student in every class every day.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Bloom, B. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives,
Handbook I: The cognitive domain. New York: David
McKay.
Gass, S. M., & Mackey, A. (2006). Input, interaction
and output: An overview. AILA review, 19(1), 3–17.
Marshall, H. W., & DeCapua, A. (2013). Making
the transition to classroom success: Culturally responsive teaching for
struggling language learners. Ann Arbor, MI: University of
Michigan Press.
Wade, S. (1990). Using think alouds to assess comprehension. Reading Teacher, 43,
442–451.
Helaine W. Marshall is director of Language
Education Programs at Long Island University - Hudson and coauthor of Making the Transition: Culturally Responsive Teaching for
Struggling Second Language Learners (2013). |
