Italia 2000 Video Software on CD
Notes for Teachers providing Exercises
Gavin Burnage
Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages
University of Cambridge
Sidgwick Avenue
CAMBRIDGE
CB3 9DA
email: gb218@cus.cam.ac.uk
phone: +44 (0)1223 335045
fax: +44 (0)1223 335062
Rome, June 1997
The software which is on the first Italia 2000 CD (CD-1) is video-based software: it seeks to bring the use of video right into the heart of computer- based language learning exercises. However, the only reason this software is on CD is because CD is still the most practical way to provide digital video for computer use. The World Wide Web has not yet reached a stage where downloading video is possible at the speed which the software requires, and floppy disks are far too small to carry all the video information necessary.
Other types of software have been developed as part of the project. Aberystwyth produced a lot of 'standalone' software, which will work on any PC, and consists of text-based exercises. Continuing Education in Oxford have started developing software for use over the Web, and it contains text-based and audio-based exercises; they will be working in conjunction with Aberystwyth on this in the future. Both these types of software could be distributed on CD, but unlike video, it is not the only way, or even the best way, to distribute it: floppy disks (for text exercises) and the Web (for audio exercises) are fine.
Most of the exercises on the first CD rom were video-based, but some were not: most of the vocabulary exercises, and three grammar exercises, contained no explicit, integrated use of the video clip they were linked to. So in the second CD (CD-2), all the exercises will be fully video-based. Text-based exercises and grammar exercises are more suited to implementation by the other Technology Group partners, or even in written form.
General Guidelines
CD-2 will follow closely the style of the first, with some changes in the
light of experience. Before writing exercises for CD-2, it's a good idea to
become familiar with the first CD, distributed in Rome.
For each subject area, two short clips from the half-hour television
programme should be identified. They should be 2 to 5 minutes in length.
These two short clips form the basis of two units on CD-2. Please indicate
the exact location in the programme of the two clips you will be working
with.
For each of your two units, you should prepare 5 exercises. There are 8
exercise types to choose from, and they are all described in full below. In
each case there is a general description of the exercise, and a reference to an
example of the exercise on CD-1: look at this example (and others) before
attempting the exercise for yourself. Then there are precise instructions on
what you need to provide for Questions, Answers, and Backup. When you
submit your exercises, please use these three headings to set out exactly
what you want your exercise to look like.
Exercise Types
There are 8 exercises types for your to work with, and you should write 5
for each unit. In some cases, the Dialogo exercises have already been
prepared on video.
There are two types of vocabulary exercise: 1) Vocabolario and 2) I
contrari.
There are five types of comprehension exercise. The first two, 3)
Comprensione and 4) Dettagli, test comprehension at the level of
individual words and phrases. The next two, 5) La Risposta Giusta and
6) Vero / Falso, test comprehension more generally at phrase, sentence
and paragraph level. The last, 7) Ricomponi, involves re-assembling a
jumbled segment from the clip.
There is one speaking exercise, 8) Dialogo, which attempts to get the
student to use the material taught in the other exercises (and teaching
materials).
In all cases, the video clip provides crucial information which is to be built
into each exercise.
Vocabulary Exercises
1) Vocabolario
For example:
CD-1 Section 6b (Giovani al parlamento europeo) exercise 2 (I
contrari)
A column of words appears on the left of the screen. To the right of each
word is a space for the student to type in the word (or phrase) which occurs
in the clip. To the left is a small video play button, which allows the
student to look at the part of the clip which contains the word or phrase.
Optionally, a star alongside the words on the left indicates that an
additional dictionary-like definition is available to help students
understand particular words.
Questions
A list of synonyms or (for I contrari) antonyms which correspond to words
or short phrases used in the clip; these are the textual prompts shown on
the left of the screen
Answers
A list of up to ten words which occur in the clip: these are the answers
students type in.
Backup
A transcript of the clip, with 10 segments highlighted, each containing one
of the vocabulary items: these are the individual segments of the clip
which students can see when they press the video play buttons. You can
use a marker pen to highlight the exact phrase you want linked to the
video button. Remember to number them 1 to 10, corresponding to the
questions and answers above.
State whether or not you want subtitles to be available with the video clip
for this exercise.
Optionally, you can supply a short definition - maximum 30 words - for
any of the textual prompt items, as you think appropriate. Students view
this definition by clicking on a small yellow star to the left of the word.
Comprehension Exercises
3) Comprenzione (transcription)
For example: Section 4a, "L'informatica: un lavoro nuovo", exercise 3
"Comprensione"
This exercise tests simple comprehension skills - picking out words or
phrases and using them to fill gaps in a transcription.
A paragraph of text - a transcription from the clip - appears on screen, with
key words or phrases blanked out. Users have to type in the missing
words, using the video play buttons alongside each word to help them
hear the words.
Teachers need to do the following:
Questions
Identify from the clip one continuous paragraph for transcription, 70-90
words maximum. Provide a transcription of this paragraph, showing 10-20
items to be blanked out, either individual words or longer phrases. Each
word in a longer phrase counts as one of the 10-20 items. The students
have to fill in the blanks you choose.
Answers
A list of the 10-20 words blanked out.
Backup
A second transcription of the paragraph (or the same transcription with
extra annotations), this time showing the parts of video to be shown in
connection with each blanked-out word or phrase. Highlight the exact
words you want the student to hear, and remember to number these video
parts in a way which links them explicitly to the word/phrase gaps.
State whether you want subtitles to be available to the student in this
exercise.
4) Dettagli
For example: Section 6b "Giovani al parlamento europeo", exercise 3
This exercise asks the student to pick out key details from the clip -- dates,
names, places, anything -- and type the answers in the spaces provided.
They can use video help buttons to help them get the right answers.
5 or 6 sentences are presented on screen, with certain words or phrases
blanked out. Students have to type answers into the blank based on their
understanding of the clip: the words and details they are expected to type
should be contained in the clip.
Questions
Provide 4-6 sentences, with key details (words or phrases) highlighted for
blanking out on screen: these blanks are the answers the students are
expected to type. The number of blanks should be in the range 10-20. Each
word in a phrase counts as one of these 10-20 items. The total number of
words in the 4-6 sentences, including blanks, should be no more than 90.
Answers
A list of the 10-20 items blanked out.
Backup
A transcript of the clip which shows the part of the clip to be played by
means of the video buttons: highlight the exact phrases you want the
students to see when they press the video play buttons, and state explicitly
which of your 4-6 sentences each highlighted phrase applies to.
Indicate whether Italian subtitles to the video clips are to be available.
5) La Risposta Giusta
For example: Section 6a "Inaugurazione della stagione alla Scala", exercise 4
This exercise test comprehension more generally, by asking students to
select an appropriate ending - one out of three provided - to a sentence,
with direct access to an appropriate part of the clip through the video play
buttons to assist their choice.
4-6 sentences are shown on screen. Each sentence starts with a few words,
then gives way to three options. After considering which of the three
options is right one, using the video play buttons whenever necessary, the
students click on what they believe to be the correct completion of the
sentence.
Questions
4-6 sentences, each one starting with a few words, with three possible
endings. The total number of words in the 4-6 sentences and the endings
should be no more than 90.
Answers
A list giving the number of the correct answer (1,2, or 3) for each sentence .
Backup
Provide a transcript of the clip which shows the phrases to be used to help
students get the answer by means of the video play buttons: highlight the
exact phrase you want the student to see when they press the video play
button, and state explicitly which of your 4-6 sentences it applies to.
- Indicate whether video subtitles are to be available to students for the
exercise.
6) Vero/Falso
For example: section 3a "Sulla spiaggia" , exercise 2
This is another general comprehension exercise, similar to, but slightly
less demanding than, La Risposta Giusta. Students are presented with a
number of statements based on the clip, and they have to say whether each
statement is true or false. The statements are presented on the left of the
screen, and each one is prefixed with a video play button which plays an
extract from the clip to help them determine the right answer.
Questions
5-8 statements based round the clip, up to a total of 90 words maximum
for all the questions combined,
Answers
A list indicating whether each statement is true or false
Backup
A transcript of the clip which shows exactly what words in the clip are to
be played for each statement (by means of the video play buttons).
Indicate whether video subtitles are to be allowed in the use of this
exercise.
7) Ricomponi
For example: section 3a "Da grande farò l'attore", exercise 3
This is a demanding comprehension exercise in which students are asked
to re-assemble the jumbled parts of an extract from the clip. A series of
numbered video play buttons are provided at the top of the screen, each of
which plays one of the jumbled segments. Students play each of these
jumbled phrases before trying to re-assemble the segments in the right
order, by dragging the numbers into the frame provided in the centre of
the screen. They can check to see how much they have got right as they
proceed with the exercise, and on completion, they can see the whole
extract in full, with a transcription provided.
Questions
Select a short passage from the clip, of 40-70 words in length. It can be
continuous narrative, or questions and answers. On a transcription of the
passage you select, divide it up into 4 - 7 sections: these are the phrases
which will be jumbled on screen.
Optionally, you can also prescribe the order in which the jumbled phrases
are presented to the student on screen.
Answers
The answers are by definition the short passage you originally select; no
further answers are necessary.
Backup
The numbered video plays buttons are defined by the segments you mark
on the transcription; no further information is necessary. You can also
indicate whether or not you want subtitles to be available to the students.
Dialogue Exercise
8) Dialogo
For example: section 5b "Il cavalino rampante", exercise 5
This exercise allows students to attempt to use for themselves the
language presented in the video and the learning materials. They play the
part of interviewee in a mock television interview, and are given prompts
to help them think what to say. They can compare the answer they record
with a native speaker's answer.
Questions
The questions take the form of a short interview, using words, phrases and
structures from the unit under study. The questions and answers should
be short and concise, and should be between 4 and 8 in number. The
interview you script is recorded by actors, and digitised for use on the CD.
Each question appears in the form of a numbered video play button,
towards the top of the screen.
Answers
Again, the answers are part of the script of the mock interview. They are
example answers -- the student is free to practise other things -- but should
be 'model' answers because no other means of evaluation are available for
this exercise.
Backup
A prompt appears each time a question is played: teachers have to define
this prompt, which is used to direct students in their response. These
prompts should take the form of one of these phrases:
"Usa questa espressione nella risposta: . . ."
(or "Usa questi verbi / questa parola nella risposta . . . " , etc )
"Rispondi completando questa frase nella risposta . . . "
(or "Rispondi com il nome di un attore italiano" etc)
Such a prompt should be provided for each questions and answer in the
interview.
You can also state whether or not subtitles should be provided with the
clip.
2) I contrari