A PROPOSED E-LANGUAGE INITIATIVE
TO PROVIDE WEB-BASED SECOND LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

Overview

This initiative proposes a joint international partnership to develop and apply modern web-based language instruction technology to teach English and Chinese as second languages in a first phase, followed by Spanish and other languages. New web-based technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to make high quality language instruction widely accessible at low cost to millions of children who do not now have access to such instruction. This paper describes current thinking about key project purposes, implementation features, and roles and responsibilities of different participating economies. These ideas are set out to advance joint discussions on project planning and to reach a mutually beneficial project design.

Goals

To work cooperatively on the joint development, implementation and study of e-language instruction to promote bi-literacy among students in participating economies by:

• Improving access to second language instruction in English, Chinese and Spanish languages among students who lack qualified teachers and programs.
• Strengthening the quality of instruction by enabling all students to experience pedagogically sound second-language instruction.
• Improving the quality of teachers of second-language instruction by providing them access to high-quality online training programs in pedagogy and content.
• Developing an analytic and evaluation agenda to improve the knowledge base on effective teaching of a second language using technology.
• Promoting mutual understanding among students and educators in participating countries through greater understanding of respective languages and culture.

Phased Implementation of the Project

The project shall be conducted in two phases. Phase one shall be a minimum of a three-year project to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in participating economies. In the United States, the target population would be the significant numbers of students enrolled in its schools whose first language is not English. These students need access to specialized and high-quality instruction to learn the English language and achieve President’s Bush’s goal of “No Child Left Behind,” which is full participation and success in the American school system. In Chinese speaking countries, the project would focus on teaching English to participating students as a foreign language. At the same time, the Chinese government will be developing Chinese content to be used on the internet platform developed for the English as a second language system.

Phase two of the project will extend the project to promote bi-literacy among English-speaking students by using web–based language instruction to teach Chinese and Spanish as foreign languages to students who speak English. The transition to phase two will depend upon the successful demonstration of the English language prototype for web-based language instruction in phase one and its adaptation to the Chinese language. Project details and responsibilities among economies for phase two would be worked out in mutually agreeable terms upon joint determination to move forward into phase two.

Instructional Focus and Features

An initial set of intended program features that would be incorporated into the phase-one design of the English-as-a-Second Language modules are specified below. The proposed design elements reflect reviews of the research and current state of the art in technological language development. They will be subject to rigorous discussion and review by the international expert panel proposed below. The intended program features include exposure to:

• Authentic communication and practice that uses computer simulations to expose students to language use in real-world environments (e.g., schools, libraries, parks, stores).
• Pedagogically appropriate instruction based on the best knowledge from research and practice, including incorporating scientifically-based reading research to provide a strong core of phonics-based English-language instruction.
• Pattern-driven speech recognition software in which students read rich text material with the computer correcting mistakes.
• Animated language-learning materials that motivate and teach students, such as a computerized speech tutor to produce accurate facial movements synchronized to audible speech.
• Adaptive assessments that integrate the assessment process to provide real-time feedback to individualize instruction and promote continuous progress in language learning.
• On-line language support systems including chat rooms, key pals, and multilingual dictionaries and references to support learning.

The initial target age group for the project will be students in the middle-school grades who may lack qualified instructors.

Roles and Responsibilities

The U.S. will assume major responsibility for English-language aspects of the project that are the focus of phase-one of the project, as well as the development of the internet platform. In addition, the Chinese government will develop program content to be delivered on that platform.

Approximate division of responsibilities and costs among participating economies follow, but these suggested responsibilities are subject to review and modification based on the recommendations of the expert panel.

1. Expert panel. The expert panel would be charged with advising on all aspects of the content, software development, web transmission, and research. The panel would consist of approximately 24 experts composed of equal representation from English and Chinese speaking economies. Each economy would be responsible for financing their representation.
2. Content development. The U.S. would support the costs of the development of English-language program content. Non-English speaking partners would advise on the appropriateness of the content for their languages and be responsible for their languages’ content.
3. Software development. The U.S. would support the design and preparation of the English language instructional program including the computer interface, assessment and management systems. China would supplement the core software design by advising on the applicability of the software design for their economy.
4. Web-based application and transmission. U.S. experts would work closely on Internet design with those of other economies. Programs would offer options to adjust program requirements to bandwidth (telephone and broad-band) of transmissions. The U.S. would pay for central transmission and non-English speaking economies would be responsible for transmission within their borders, including mirror sites.
5. Evaluation. The U.S. would be responsible for evaluations of phase one accessibility, quality and effectiveness within the U.S. China would be responsible for similar types of program evaluations within their own economy.
6. E-language portal. The U.S. would establish an e-language portal to connect researchers and practitioners who are involved in e-language activities. China and other non-English speaking economies would be responsible for providing content and otherwise supporting portal activities.
7. Research. The expert panel would guide research projects. Costs would be shared commensurate with international participation, although costs could be in-kind such as thorough voluntary school participation and student assessment.

Only rough cost estimates are possible until the expert panel meets and project details are agreed upon. We would expect the United States’ initial expenses to be roughly $3 million over three years and costs to non-English speaking economies the U.S. equivalent of approximately several hundred thousand dollars, although this could include in-kind support.

Next Steps/Timelines

• Agree on an expert panel to discuss, evaluate and revise initial project outlines by Mid May.
• Hold expert panel meeting in China early September 2002.

Based on decisions made after the meeting of the expert panel:

• Hold an e-language symposium timed with the project announcement in the United States and launch an e-language web portal to gather and communicate the best e-language information from research and practice.
• Launch a first year e-language instructional module over the web consisting of a minimum of 35 one-hour lessons within 18 months of initiation of the contract (subject to expert panel recommendations).
• Launch second- and third-year instructional modules at one-year intervals.
• Evaluate project annually and hold an annual symposium of e-language experts.
• Decide on extending the English-language phase-one portion to develop and teach other languages.