Tuesday, June 30, 2009

E-lamp Exhibit





It’s Saturday and I am here in the office. Just like last week, we are here for the expo. According to the E-Lamp officers in Korea, the purpose of that exhibit is to showcase our service. They are giving out free trial class to those people who attended the seminar.

That is where our part comes in. Five teachers (that includes me!) from AM and PM shift are asked to conduct classes for those Koreans who are interested to try out the program. Each teacher is tasked to use one specific book. We should label the room that we are going to create with the name of the book that we are going to use. Koreans can use any book they would like to use for their trial class. This is the tricky part, not all students who will enter the room have the same level in terms of English proficiency. Therefore, the book that we are going to utilize will not always conform to the level of the student. Teachers should be flexible and adroit enough to think of apposite book that will match the student’s capability.
I am always included in the group of teachers who handle demo classes everytime our company launches an exhibit. Being a part of it is such an exciting experience because I get to chat with Koreans and in the same time, I can help my company to increase the number of their enrollees.












E-class sample posted in E-lamp website

This video can be found in E-lamp website.



Same thing happened. I was not aware that they were recording this class during that time. I saw this video while browsing our website. I was surprised to recall that this video was recorded when I had a fever. I was wearing my white jacket because I felt really bad during that time. However, since I am a teacher, (Teachers are born actors and actresses!) I have to pretend that I'm feeling well, energetic and perky! As a teacher, I am responsible of setting the mood in my class so..as the saying goes..."The show must go on!"

The purpose of this video is to promote E-classes offered by E-lamp Education.

E-Class

This video was shown in WBC 2009 Korea

I just took this from the internet. Apparently, I have no idea that they were recording my class during that time. Their aim is to promote E-classes in Korea.

Targert Learners: Young Learners

This is how we handle E-classes in E-lamp Education.

Additional Information about OPIC

An exerpt from: ACTFL.inc.

ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer Test (OPIc)
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions


What is the OPIc?

The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc) is a testing method that measures how well you speak in a language by comparing your performance with the criteria described in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – Speaking (Revised 2001).

The OPIc is delivered via secure internet connection and is currently available in English and Spanish.

How can I best prepare to take the OPIc?

It is helpful to read the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines in order to be familiar with the functions, discourse length and accuracy features of the level that you need to achieve.

Speak as much as you can, practicing the functions that you will need to demonstrate during the test, i.e., recounting experiences, giving full descriptions, stating and supporting opinions, etc.

How is the OPIc structured?

The test-taker is given 12- 15 prompts at various levels of difficulty. The OPIc contains varying time limits for each prompt. The more advanced prompts will provide more time to respond.

What is the rating scale of the OPIc?

The OPIc issues ratings based on the ACTFL Proficiency Rating Scale. Although the ACTFL Rating Scale ranges from Novice Low to Superior, the OPIc range is only from Novice Low to Advanced Low. The test does not range to the maximum ratings on the ACTFL Scale due in part to an effort to minimize the length of the exam.

In order to realize the top levels of the ACTFL Speaking Proficiency Ratings Scale one must still revert back to the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).

How long is the OPIc?

The OPIc itself is not a timed exam, but the response time for each question is timed, with the allowed amount of time varying depending on the difficulty level of the prompt.

The test averages about 20 – 30min.


What is contained in each prompt?


Each prompt presents the test-taker with the overall speaking task for that prompt.

Each prompt is specifically structured to elicit the speaking tasks for each level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – Speaking (Revised 2001).

Am I required to answer all questions?

A candidate should be able to respond to every question on the OPIc. It is always better to give the best response one can give than to skip a prompt altogether.

What are the best strategies for success on the OPIc?

When taking the OPIc, listen to the prompts carefully and address all the specific tasks in each prompt. This is a proficiency test, so we are not measuring the accuracy of your responses, but rather how you communicate them.

If you need to demonstrate an Intermediate High or Advanced Low speaking proficiency, make sure to fully answer all prompts in as much detail as possible.


What if I am asked a question that I do not know much about?

If you are asked a question that you are unfamiliar with, simply talk about how you are unfamiliar with the question and perhaps why you are unfamiliar with it. Again, this is a proficiency test so we are only measuring your abilities to communicate in the target language.

What if I do not fully remember every question contained in a prompt?

Address the question to the best of your ability. There are often several questions in each prompt to encourage you to provide as much detail as possible in your responses. If you do not remember all of the questions, simply speak with as much detail as possible.


ADVANCED LOW


Speakers at the Advanced-Low level are able to handle a variety of communicative tasks, although somewhat haltingly at times. They participate actively in most informal and a limited number of formal conversations on activities related to school, home, and leisure activities and, to a lesser degree, those related to events of work, current, public, and personal interest or individual relevance. Advanced-Low speakers demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in all major time frames (past, present and future) in paragraph length discourse, but control of aspect may be lacking at times. They can handle appropriately the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar, though at times their discourse may be minimal for the level and strained. Communicative strategies such as rephrasing and circumlocution may be employed in such instances. In their narrations and descriptions, they combine and link sentences into connected discourse of paragraph length. When pressed for a fuller account, they tend to grope and rely on minimal discourse. Their utterances are typically not longer than a single paragraph. Structure of the dominant language is still evident in the use of false cognates, literal translations, or the oral paragraph structure of the speaker's own language rather than that of the target language.
While the language of Advanced-Low speakers may be marked by substantial, albeit irregular flow, it is typically somewhat strained and tentative, with noticeable self-correction and a certain grammatical roughness. The vocabulary of Advanced-Low speakers is primarily generic in nature. Advanced-Low speakers contribute to the conversation with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion, and it can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, even though this may be achieved through repetition and restatement. When attempting to perform functions or handle topics associated with the Superior level, the linguistic quality and quantity of their speech will deteriorate significantly.

INTERMEDIATE HIGH

Intermediate-High speakers are able to converse with ease and confidence when dealing with most routine tasks and social situations of the Intermediate level. They are able to handle successfully many uncomplicated tasks and social situations requiring an exchange of basic information related to work, school, recreation, particular interests and areas of competence, though hesitation and errors may be evident. Intermediate-High speakers handle the tasks pertaining to the Advanced level, but they are unable to sustain performance at that level over a variety of topics. With some consistency, speakers at the Intermediate High level narrate and describe in major time frames
using connected discourse of paragraph length. However, their performance of these Advanced-level tasks will exhibit one or more features of breakdown, such as the failure to maintain the narration or description semantically or syntactically in the appropriate major time frame, the disintegration of connected discourse, the misuse of cohesive devises, a reduction in breadth and appropriateness of vocabulary, the failure to successfully circumlocute, or a significant amount of hesitation. Intermediate-High speakers can generally be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, although the dominant language is still evident (e.g. use of code-switching, false cognates, literal translations, etc.), and gaps in communication may occur.

INTERMEDIATE MID


Speakers at the Intermediate-Mid level are able to handle successfully a variety of uncomplicated communicative asks in straightforward social situations. Conversation is generally limited to those predictable and concrete exchanges necessary for survival in the target culture; these include personal information covering self, family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences, as well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping, travel and lodging. Intermediate-Mid speakers tend to function reactively, for example, by responding to direct questions or requests for information. However, they are capable of asking a variety of questions when necessary to obtain simple information to satisfy basic needs, such as directions, prices and services. When called on to perform functions or handle topics at the Advanced level, they provide some information but have difficulty linking ideas, manipulating time and aspect, and using communicative strategies, such as circumlocution.
Intermediate-Mid speakers are able to express personal meaning by creating with the language, in part by combining and recombining known elements and conversational input to make utterances of sentence length and some strings of sentences. Their speech may contain pauses, reformulations and self-corrections as they search for adequate vocabulary and appropriate language forms to express themselves. Because of inaccuracies in their vocabulary and/or pronunciation and/or grammar and/or syntax, misunderstandings can occur, but Intermediate-Mid speakers are generally understood by sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to dealing with non-natives.


INTERMEDIATE LOW

Speakers at the Intermediate-Low level are able to handle successfully a limited number of uncomplicated communicative tasks by creating with the language in straightforward social situations. Conversation is restricted to some of the concrete exchanges and predictable topics necessary for survival in the target language culture. These topics relate to basic personal information covering, for example, self and family, some daily activities and personal preferences, as well as to some immediate needs, such as ordering food and making simple purchases. At the Intermediate-Low level, speakers are primarily reactive and struggle to answer direct questions or requests for information, but they are also able to ask a few appropriate questions. Intermediate-Low speakers express personal meaning by combining and recombining into short statements what they know and what they hear from their interlocutors. Their utterances are often filled with hesitancy and inaccuracies as they search for appropriate linguistic forms and vocabulary while attempting to give form to the message. Their speech is characterized by
frequent pauses, ineffective reformulations and self-corrections. Their pronunciation, vocabulary and syntax are strongly influenced by their first language but, in spite of frequent misunderstandings that require repetition or rephrasing, Intermediate-Low speakers can generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-natives.

NOVICE HIGH

Speakers at the Novice-High level are able to handle a variety of tasks pertaining to the Intermediate level, but are unable to sustain performance at that level. They are able to manage successfully a number of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations. Conversation is restricted to a few of the predictable topics necessary for survival in the target language culture, such as basic personal information, basic objects and a limited number of activities, preferences and immediate needs. Novice-High speakers respond to simple, direct questions or requests for information; they are able to ask only a very few formulaic questions when asked to do so. Novice-High speakers are able to express personal meaning by relying heavily on learned phrases or recombinations of these and what they hear from their interlocutor. Their utterances, which consist mostly of short and sometimes incomplete sentences in the present, may be hesitant or inaccurate. On the other hand, since these utterances are frequently only expansions of learned material and stock phrases, they may sometimes appear surprisingly fluent and accurate. These speakers' first language may strongly influence their pronunciation, as well as their vocabulary and syntax when they attempt to personalize their utterances. Frequent misunderstandings may arise but, with repetition or rephrasing, Novice-High speakers can generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors used to non-natives. When called on to handle simply a variety of topics and perform functions pertaining to the Intermediate level, a Novice-High speaker can sometimes respond in intelligible sentences, but will not be able to sustain sentence level discourse.

NOVICE MID

Speakers at the Novice-Mid level communicate minimally and with difficulty by using a number of isolated words and
memorized phrases limited by the particular context in which the language has been learned. When responding to direct questions, they may utter only two or three words at a time or an occasional stock answer. They pause frequently as they search for simple vocabulary or attempt to recycle their own and their interlocutor's words. Because of hesitations, lack of vocabulary, inaccuracy, or failure to respond appropriately, Novice-Mid speakers may be understood with great difficulty even by sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to dealing with non-natives. When called on to handle topics by performing functions associated with the Intermediate level, they frequently resort to repetition, words from their native language, or silence.

NOVICE LOW

Speakers at the Novice-Low level have no real functional ability and, because of their pronunciation, they may be
unintelligible. Given adequate time and familiar cues, they may be able to exchange greetings, give their identity, and name a number of familiar objects from their immediate environment. They are unable to perform functions or handle topics pertaining to the Intermediate level, and cannot therefore participate in a true conversational exchange.

OPIC demo class

This video can be found in E-lamp Education website.


Here is the OPIC demo that we made to introduce a new textbook in E-Lamp Education.


Objectives


The objectives of the OPIc Live Interview (or Live Interview) is for the learner to

- To familiarize oneself to answering interview questions

- To rehearse English interviews or oral English tests

- To improve in answering the given 20 questions


Target Learners: Professionals/ Business English Learners