Flipgrid in Turkish Language Classes - Article Example

Flipgrid in Turkish Language ClassesThis presentation aims to demonstrate the importance of Web 2.0 services like Flipgrid in enhancing the language learning process. This relates to the implementation of Flipgrid in Turkish B1 classes consisting of 10 students with largely intermediate level learners. Flipgrid leverages the Web 2.0 technology to create a social learning environment. Language teachers create ‘grids’. These grids contain text or video questions which are then responded to by students through video recordings (Flipgrid 2014 a).

In addition, every student regardless of their number can view the grids and can share their responses. As such, Flipgrid creates a social and interactive learning environment for foreign languages and it allows teachers to assessstudent performance.The B1 class for Turkish language is composed mainly of adult learners who are at the intermediate level of their language proficiency. Each week involves five hours of instruction. Flipgrid is useful as it involves an interactive environment with question grids to enhance learning (Flipgrid 2014 b).

The frequency of questions varies; Weekly questions are asked at the end of each week after 5 hours of weekly Turkish language instruction. End of Unit questions are different from weekly questions as they are more summative in nature (Flipgrid 2014 b). Learners can practice their conversational Turkish skills on Flipgrid through face-to-face videos that strengthen speaking skills. In a class of 10 students of Turkish B1, students were often asked varied questions about their learning experience and were asked together collaborative as couples or in two groups of 5 students each.

The interviews conducted on 20th December 2014 contained open and closed ended questions allowing the students to have liberty in their responses. The responses were subsequently written and analyzed.Flipgrid allows students to share their responses as well thereby creating an interactive collaborative space that encourages learning. As such, it creates a social learning environment and social presence has been shown to improve student performance and learning as well as instructor satisfaction (Swan and Richardson 2003, 68).

It is extremely useful for Turkish language learning as it can better train the tongue for pronouncing foreign languages (Waid 2014). This way the teachers are able to achieve their learning objectives. A teacher can hold discussions by providing a prompt grid to which students respond via video. Each student then provides their feedback on other students’ responses. Further, teachers can track progress of the students and hence, Flipgrid proves to be an excellent way to assess student performance.

BibliographyFlipgrid (2014 a). Using Flipgrid in Your Classroom: Fostering Meaningful Discussions. [online] Available at: http://support.emcp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Flipgrid_Integration.pdf [Accessed 25 Dec. 2014].Flipgrid (2014 b). Flipgrid.. [online] Available at: http://flipgrid.com/info/ [Accessed 25 Dec. 2014].Richardson, J. and Swan, K. (2003). Examining Social Presence In Online Courses In Relation To Students' Perceived Learning And Satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), pp.68-88.Waid, A. (2014). An Initial Flipgrid User Experience.

[online] The FLTmag. Available at: http://fltmag.com/flipgrid-experience/ [Accessed 25 Dec. 2014].