using ict in greek language teaching and learning 2007

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Institute of Education, University of London

Using ICT in Greek Language Teaching and Learning

Stamatia Kremmyda

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MA

In ICT in Education

This dissertation may be available to the general public for borrowing,photocopying or consultation without the prior consent of the author.

September 2007


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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my supervisor, Paul Dowling, for his help and

advice.

I would like to thank my parents, Nicolaos and Christina, for their

support, and especially my brother Dimitrios, without whose help I

could not have started this research.

I would like to thank my valued friends, Mr and Mrs Mettis, and my

friend Steven, whom I met during this year of research and made me

feel like a member of their family, for their love and help.

I would also like to thank my colleagues for their trust and help duringthis research, and all those students who participated.

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1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................5

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................8

2.1 INDIVIDUALCHARACTERISTICS/DIFFERENCESTHATINFLUENCEFIRSTANDSECONDLANGUAGELEARNING ..................82.2 TV/FILMSINLANGUAGETEACHINGANDLEARNING....................................................................................... 112.3 COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING.................................................................................................................142.4 THE WEBINLANGUAGELEARNINGANDTEACHING: CHALLENGESANDRISKS......................................................152.5 INTERACTION INTERACTIVITY...................................................................................................................182.6 THE ROLEOFTHE TEACHER......................................................................................................................20

3. METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................................................22

3.1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................22

3.2 SETTING..................................................................................................................................................233.3. INTERVENTION.........................................................................................................................................243.4. EVALUATION...........................................................................................................................................263.5 ETHICS................................................................................................................................................... 27

4. DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................... .29

4.1 ELABORATIONOFTHESTORIES....................................................................................................................294.1.1 Complexities of the story .................................................................................................... ........ .29

4.1.2 Simplicity of the stories ................................................................................................................324.1.3 Information gaps .........................................................................................................................32

4.1.4 Similarities in the plot .................................................................................................................33

4.1.5 Elaboration of the names and the characters ..............................................................................334.2 ANALYSISOFTHESENTENCES.....................................................................................................................35

4.2.1 First Group Native English Speaking Teenagers (NEST) ................................................... .....354.2.2 Second Group Native Greek Speaking Teenagers (NGST) and Native English Speaking

Teenagers (NEST) .................................................................................................................................384.2.3 Third Group Adults English Native Speakers (AENS) ............................................... ......... .....49

4.2.4 Number of simple and complex sentences constructed ................................................................52

FIGURE 1 NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND COMPLEX SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED BY THETHREE GROUPS ..........................................................................................................................53

FIGURE 2 NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND COMPLEX SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED BY GREEK

NATIVES ....................................................................................................................................... .54

FIGURE 3 NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND COMPLEX SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED BY

ENGLISH NATIVES .....................................................................................................................54

4.3 ERRORANALYSIS......................................................................................................................................554.3.1 Grammatical Errors ...................................................................................................................554.3.1.6 Article Omission .................................................................................................................. .....59

4.3.2 Transfer effects ....................................................................................................................... .....594.3.3 Syntax mistakes .......................................................................................................................... ..59

FIGURE 4. NUMBER OF ERRORS ....................................................................................... ...60

5. INTERVIEWS ............................................................................................................................61

6. DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS .........................................................................................62

REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................66

APPENDIX 1 RESEARCH CONSENT .......................................................................... ........ ...74

APPENDIX 2 INSTRUCTIONS ...................................................................................................76

APPENDIX 3 VOTING THE FILMS ..........................................................................................82

FIGURE 1 NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND COMPLEX SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED BY THETHREE GROUPS..........................................ERROR: REFERENCE SOURCE NOT FOUND

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FIGURE 2 NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND COMPLEX SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED BY GREEK

NATIVES........................................................ERROR: REFERENCE SOURCE NOT FOUND

FIGURE 3 NUMBER OF SIMPLE AND COMPLEX SENTENCES CONSTRUCTED BY

ENGLISH NATIVES.....................................ERROR: REFERENCE SOURCE NOT FOUND

FIGURE 4. NUMBER OF ERRORS..........ERROR: REFERENCE SOURCE NOT FOUND

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1. Introduction

This research aims to examine the implementation of ICT in Greek language teaching

and learning and to provide an example for other professionals of how they couldmotivate learners to participate actively in Greek language learning activities or

attract the students interest in learning Greek as a second/foreign language. The

participants were English natives, both adolescents and adults who are learning the

Greek language and native Greek students coming from Greek schools in Greece. In

most of the Greek communities schools in London, the Greek language is being

taught in traditional ways, even though, more recently, teaching methods have

changed in schools in Greece such as an increasing use of information technology.

For instance, using films in the online learning environment could be a motivating

strategy for Greek and English natives to participate actively in language learning

activity because it is a medium which most learners are very familiar with..

In the first chapter of this study I offer a discussion of those factors which

influence the process of learning either of a first or of a second language. Individual

characteristics, such as the learners personality, psychology (feelings of anxiety, high

or low self- esteem) and previous experiences, the perceived prestige of the target

language, the attitudes of the learner towards the target language and the extraversion

or introversion of the learners, as well as their social environment, can enhance or

reduce their motivation to participate actively in language learning. Researchers have

shown that technology can be used effectively in language teaching and learning; it

can accommodate these individual differences and ensure a learner-friendly

environment.

TV and films have been used broadly in the past, especially in foreign language

teaching, to give students the chance to experience a language in its authentic form,

learn about the culture of the learned language and acquire communicative skills.

Through the provision of the real world, the whole learning process becomes

meaningful, motivates learners to engage in the learning activity and keeps their

interest alive. Additionally, the context of the films is associated with the learners

world, and the images and the characters can support the production of meanings.

Moreover, TV and films are a pedagogical and educational challenge for learners and

the teacher, as a variety of activities can be organized around them in the classroom.

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Technological developments led to the production of CALL (Computer Assisted

Language Learning) programs. The first CALL applications were merely

computerized systems, possibly lacking pedagogy. Later on, CALL applications

comprised intelligent systems encouraging cooperation among students for the

accomplishment of the tasks, thus creating connections between the past and new

knowledge of the learner. In general, they provided an ideal learning environment by

interacting with the learner and creating a sense of social presence. The learner

became independent, selecting the knowledge or the activity and the time to focus on

it.

The expansion of the internet has also introduced new ways of teaching and

learning by combining a variety of media. Chat-rooms, websites, video conferencing

and e- mails and, in general, synchronous and non- synchronous means of

communication are some of the most commonly tools used nowadays. These tools

make the learning process easier and more amusing motivating learners to get

involved in the learning process actively. They also enhance students independence,

while demanding less memorizing, and encourage the development of problem-

solving skills. According to research (Stevenson et al 1994), the use of e mails can

cultivate the narrative skills of the students. As it combines oral and written speech

forms, the learner has as much time as he/she wants to read and write a message. In

addition, his/her writing is addressed to a real audience.

What characterizes computer-assisted learning is interactivity. As, in order

for discussion to take place, the mutual participation of the involved persons is

necessary, cooperation of the persons is essential for interaction to play a significant

role in the learning process. In this process, the role of the instructor becomes

essential in designing of the learning environment, the selection of the technological

tools and the application of the appropriate pedagogy.

In the second chapter of this study, I explain the reasons and the methodology I

employ in this research. The students, the native speakers of Greek, as well as

speakers of English who are learning Greek, were divided into three groups. The first

one included only native English speakers, the second native English and Greek

speakers and the third one adult English native English speakers. They were offered

to watch a two-minute film which was divided into three parts without sound, and

afterwards asked to write what they imagined the story was about and what the actors

were saying.

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In the third chapter of this study, I examine the plot of the stories which they

wrote, from the aspect of the simplicity and complexity. Subsequently, I analyze the

complexity and simplicity of the structure of the sentences in order to examine

whether ICT could support the production of the target language. Then, I use an error

analysis in order to evaluate the language skills of the students and proceed further to

investigations of how to help them further. As the analysis indicated, watching films

and writing in the online environment can be used as an effective educational tool

which encourages interaction among learners and stimulates their imagination. Some

students wrote similar stories with others, others wrote simple stories describing

what had been shown on the screen, others employed their imagination and came up

with a new plot, while others imagine what was happening behind the screen. This

activity effectively liberated the thought and the language of the students, as most of

them used complex sentences and a variety of grammatical elements. However, error

analysis indicates spelling mistakes, which are due to the phonetic variety of the

Greek language as well as its inadequate compatibility with the letters on keyboard

used.

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2. Literature Review

2.1 Individual characteristics/differences that influence first andsecond language learning

Recently, many researchers have investigated the relationship between individual

characteristics and educational development. As Ellis (1994) explained, the very same

learning environment influences in different ways the individuals who are involved in it.

Firstly, social and cultural reasons, such as the high or low prestige of the learned

language, past experiences of the individuals with the learned language and the reasons

for which individuals learn a language are considered significant factors which affect theattitudes of learners toward the target language. Secondly, certain psychological reasons

can influence these attitudes. For instance, anxiety reduces language learning while

positive motivation can support it. Lastly, cognitive reasons, such as the greater ability of

some individuals to assimilate the learned language than that of others, differentiate

language learning levels among the individuals in the same learning environment.

Apart from Ellis, other researchers have indicated some of the social and

cultural factors that influence the language learning process. Multicultural societies

which give the chance for individuals to interact with other cultures, as well as the culture

of the target language, influence the preferences of the learner towards the target

language, which in turn facilitate or inhibit language learning (Sawhney 1998). In

Sawhneys study (1998) we learn of individuals in India who learned German in order to

be able to find a job in the future, to socialize, to acquire new friends, or because the

German language would be useful in their work. Evidently, the frequency with which one

must use the learned language and the reasons for which because of which one is learning

it are strong factors in motivation (Lightbown et al. 2006).

Furthermore, researchers have established anxiety as a factor that strongly

decreases language learning motivations. Language anxiety can derive from the learners

difficulty in expressing oneself in the learned language, the desire of the learner to be

liked by others or, as well as from ones fear that may fail in the learning activity

(Lightbown et al. 2006). In their research, Onwuegbuzie et al. (1999) also found that

factors such as low or high self-confidence, the competitive atmosphere, the difficulty or

ease of the tasks and the learners goals and experiences with other cultures can enhance

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or decrease anxiety. Research by Sawhney (1998) confirmed the above assumptions,

indicating that difficulties in language learning can be contributed to the learners low

self -esteem about their language skills.

Little (1996) also maintained that psychological factors such as motivation can

influence language learning. Taking Littles findings one step further, Lightbown (2006)

supported the view that motivation in language learning is determined by individuals

needs, as well as by their positive or negative thoughts and feelings towards the target

language. More specifically, he referred to a theory which attempts to explain

motivations in language learning. According to this theory, motivation can be either

intrinsic or extrinsic. The so-called intrinsic motivation derives from the natural tendency

of the person to learn and acquire new knowledge or from an effort to accomplish ones

expectations. The second kind of motivation in language learning, the extrinsic

motivation, derives from the learners social environment. In this case, the learner is

forced to be involved in an activity because one feels obliged to be so, otherwise one

might be punished, or also in order to gain praise. Teachers such as myself, working in a

Greek language teaching environment must expect to have students who bring a variety

of motivations to their presence and participation and as a result it will be necessary for

me to consider this factor when deciding upon when and how to use information

technology as a resource.

Other individual characteristics which may affect language learning positively

or negatively are the extraversion and introversion of the individuals (Eysenck 1970).

Introversion leads the learner to the social isolation as one is trapped in himself/herself,

while extraversion makes individuals sociable and comfortable in approaching others.

Extravert individuals reduce anxiety by responding actively to social situations, for

example in a new social environment by trying to talk with strangers (Hjelle & Ziegler

1992). Extraversion is considered to be an effective individual characteristic for language

learning, as it helps the person to socialize and thus to develop communication skills

(Rubin 1975).

The importance of the social environment in the enhancement of the learners

motivation for language learning was confirmed also by Patrick (2002), who established

that social interaction among adolescents is a strong motivational factor. Adolescents

choices and behaviour affect the preferences of other learners in their group towards the

learned language, as they need to be accepted by the other members of the group.

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In view of these considerations, constructing a virtual environment is suggested

as one of the most effective avenues, as it can constitute a more social and comfortable

environment than that of a real classroom and thus can promote the learning process

(Roed 2003). One of the reasons is that it reduces anxiety and in combination with the

impersonality and the anonymity of online communication, it hence helps even shy

students, who do not communicate in the classroom, to feel more comfortable and

express themselves. Moreover, an online environment could improve the communication

skills of the learners (Kiesleret al. 1984). Therefore, such an environment should be used

as an effective mediating tool for language teaching and learning, as it encourages

language production (Roed 2003).

On the other hand, a review of research about the adult education and its support

by technology indicates a disagreement about the effect of technology to overcome

individual differences and lead learners to the acquisition of knowledge. In Dhillons

research (2004), results indicated that adults prefer the face to face instruction offered in

a real classroom, to the impersonal instruction offered in distance education. However,

Hodson et al. (2001) found that the Internet can support the teaching material since it

engages the learners interest in participation. Wang et al. (2003) established also that the

online environment fosters negotiation among adults when it is combined with the

assignment of collaborative tasks. However, levels of autonomy, increased or no

responsibilities of the adult learners, computer skills, learning goals (to enhance or

acquire new skills or to learn as a part of spending the free time) influence the motivation

of adults to participate in learning activities (Lowe et al. 2005). Due to these reasons, the

design of learning environments demands careful examination of pedagogy and the needs

of adult students, who engage in the learning community having different experiences

and needs than younger learners, experiences which influence their intellectual

development. Meaningful learning for adults is the acquisition of those skills and

knowledge which are associated with their lives (Holton & Swanson 2005).

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2.2 TV/Films in language teaching and learning

By applying theories about the essential role of social interaction and motivation inlanguage learning, many educators have tried to incorporate technology in their

educational practices. TV and films have been widely used in second/ foreign language

teaching, since they correspond to the skills of a broader audience (Stern 1983). At the

same time they provide an authentic environment for the target language; this is valuable

because social and cultural differences between people require different uses of language

and thus language learning requires learning the culture of the target language. O Keefe

(2000: 56-57) gives an example referring to social rules: the different expression of

politeness in two different societies, in France and England. The French teach their

children when they should use the second person singular or plural, tu or us. In

England, when you go to cafeteria it is more polite to ask for a coffee by saying : Could

I have a cup of coffee, please? than by saying, I want a cup of coffee. Therefore, it is

important for learners to appreciate knowledge of the culture as a complementary part of

language learning. This knowledge will help learners to recognize and learn the different

use of language in different environments.

Moreover, TV and films comprise significant educational tools as they can be

used for the acquisition of both formal and informal language use (Stern 1983). Language

learning through visual material takes place in three phases. In the first stage, learners

acquire communicative skills. In the second, they develop their ability to talk about

general topics and topics of common interest, and finally, in the third stage, students learn

to use more formal language. The method of using sound and image in language teaching

and learning aims to promote the acquisition of communication skills and to teach the

language in the context in which it is used.

Julha-Laide (1994) differentiates the use of films, instead of TV programs in

teaching foreign language students, and highlights the educational value of using films in

language teaching, claiming that TV conveys a great amount of new information in too

little time to the learners, without helping them to construct new knowledge, and as a

consequence a foreign - language learner at the elementary level manages only to learn

some isolated words. Nonetheless, video facilitates students control of learning as they

can review the program according to their needs.

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In addition, psychological reasons support the use of films as educational tools

for the language learning (Fisher 1984). First of all, the context keeps the students

interest alive. Secondly, it offers a contextual background for language development; the

representation of the information in sound and images helps the students to comprehend

the meaning. In Peecks research (1974), when seeking to convey some information

about one specific story, he mediated it with cartoons. The experiment showed that the

combination of text with pictures can support the understanding of meaning.

Nevertheless, TV and films cannot lead to language development if the learner lacks any

basic linguistic background. Hence, it is necessary to learn the basics of the language

first, so that afterwards TV and films can support the language use (Fisher, 1984). This

essay operates on the assumption that students bring different levels of understanding as

well as different ways of understanding to their learning, so it would be wrong to assess

someone negatively simply on the basis that, for example, their grasp of formal Greek

was poor. They may be highly motivated and thus bring a quality to their learning and

participation that students who possessed better formal Greek did not have. The

educational significance of audiovisual material can be confirmed also from the fact that

it can encourage the mimicry of the language (Stern 1983).

The implications of films from teaching point of view, is that it highlights the

limitations of working around an idea of a single correct view or interpretation. As

Cooper (1997) pointed out, viewers try to understand the films by referring to their own

prior knowledge relating to books which they have encountered in the school or beyond

the school environment, or to their life experiences. That view was supported by

Buckingham (2003:37) who maintained that our experiences of film are always relative

to what we bring to our viewing. This will include the extent to which the viewer shares

common understandings of conventions within filmmaking such as the use of the zoom

to indicate a sudden foreshortening of space or a dramatic change in events. The zoom

means something to those who share the same convention as the film-maker, but

something else to those viewers who do not. That becomes especially important as

learners turn to their prior experiences to interpret the meanings, that connection of the

films with their life helps them to acquire learning independence (autonomy) (Graham

1997).

A variety of tasks can be organized in the classroom to support language

learning using films (Lonergan 1984). One method is for the teacher to turn off the

sound, or to provoke dialogue about some scenes. Another way for the teacher to use

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video films in the classroom is to darken the screen and create a discussion on what may

happen next. The above activities, listening, but not seeing what is happening on the

screen or the opposite, can stimulate discussion among teachers and students. Another

way that films can be used for educational purposes is the video split (Lonergan

1984:76). In this situation, the teacher selects a scene from a film and divides the

classroom in two groups. The first group only hears the sound, and the second group

watches the film without sound. Then, the students, organized in pairs, pick one person

from each group and try though discussion to clarify the plot of the film. Another way of

language teaching is for the teacher to replace the language used in the film, adapting the

language of the films to the students language level.

Recent web-based forms have changed how things like film are received. A

viewer will tend to access film alongside other information and other online activities.

So, in a sense, they are integrating their experience with film with other forms of

communication activities. This type of use of film (moving image forms) is part of the

social, recreational and cultural life of millions of young people so by incorporating

aspects of this modern culture into language learning we can stimulate interest amongst

learners. The daily experience of people, who spend major parts of their lives on-line,

interacting with others and with various forms such as games, videos, music, chat, email,

etc. is essentially a communicative experience through which participants have to

navigate, overcome temporary problems and arrive at solutions, which enable their

participation to continue. Simon (1979) has claimed, that such problem-solving processes

are creative when the product of the thinking process is distinguished by originality or

when the thinking-process entails adaptation of the new knowledge to something

previously known, or dismissal of previous knowledge; or the thinking-process derives

from high motivation and is preserved in a constant or occasional rhythm, or in high

intense rhythm, or when, the learner has to identify the problem although this was firstly

formless and not easily distinct. Although Simon is writing in the late 1970s his

description is strangely accurate in terms of what active learners who are operating within

modern web-based forms experience. Such multi-modal environments can be used focus

the learner and stimulate language use in a variety of forms.

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2.3 Computer Assisted Learning

Contemporary learning environments are characterized- and if not, they should be - by

multimodality. According to Kress (2005:172) the term is referred to the different forms

through which educational media communicate knowledge or information. The new

learning environments are multiservice, multimedia, interactive, autonomous, adaptive

and collaborative (Pahl 2002:2). A multiservice environment allows a variety of

activities in which the students are engaged by the program. The term multimedia

refers to the different media by which knowledge is conveyed. Knowledge is represented

in different forms, including text, sound and images, and thus the learning environment

provides students the opportunity to receive information in different ways. This repetition

of knowledge supports the memory and facilitates learning. Interaction or

interactivity refers to the technical intelligence of the system which challenges students

to work with it and learn through it. The term autonomous refers to the technical

intelligence of the system, which can create the illusion of a social presence. That

happens, for instance, when a computer interacts with the users, responding to their

actions, in correct answers proceeding further by helping the learner to extend his/her

knowledge, or giving explanations of why answers are wrong and more opportunities for

practicing. Finally, a collaborative system is the one which encourages cooperative

activities towards one goal, the acquisition of the knowledge, among students under the

guidance of the teacher. Through this cooperation, learning takes place.

Computer applications in language learning (CALL) went through three

chronological stages, using the structural, cognitive and sociocognitive constructions

(Kern & Warschauer 2000). The structural CALL applications developed in the 1960s

and 1970s and were mainly technical programs engaging the learner in language lessons

and activities. These kinds of programs lacked technical intelligence and did not help thelearners to develop their mental skills or expand their knowledge. Furthermore, the

CALL programs of that period (1960-1980) lacked a pedagogical and theoretical

framework, as they did not motivate learners to participate or encourage cooperation with

others. In the 1980s, the cognitive CALL applications combined other media and

promoted the discovery of knowledge. This stage of CALL applications reflects the logic

of the Logo Language of Papert, where learners apply their previous knowledge and see

immediately the results of their actions. In the third and most recent stage of CALL

applications, the sociocognitive approach is included in a technical, theoretical and

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pedagogical frame and, as intelligent systems they correspond to the students interest

and encourage interaction among learners.

In these CALL applications, learners follow the instructions and engage actively in

an attractive learning environment and direct their own learning by selecting the desired

knowledge as well as the time which they feel that they need to devote to the activity

(Kern & Warschauer, 2000). CALL applications precede further simple CMC activities,

where the learners can interact by chatting or exchanging information. In such CALL

applications, language teaching and learning becomes more attractive and interesting as it

incorporates sounds and images and access to a variety of media and resources. However,

their effectiveness depends on the capability of the teacher to support the individual

differences, different interests, skills and weaknesses of the students, representing the

content in an attractive and motivating way. At the same time, learners become

responsible for their learning, the achievement of the learning activities and the

assessment of their skills.

2.4 The Web in language learning and teaching: challenges andrisks

Without doubt, the expansion of the Web offers many challenges for the designers of

language learning activities and for language learners. These activities can be simple

CMC activities where students communicate, or more sophisticated activities in which

the multimodality accommodates individual characteristics, interests, needs and learning

styles. In such an environment, the learning process takes place through interaction and

the negotiation of meaning among the students (Dalgarno, 2001). Goldman (1986, 1992)

refers to specific criteria that indicate the educational validity of Web use. Among these

are access to rich sources of information and multimedia, the opportunity for the learner

to find the sources quickly, and the sufficiency of the sources. Overcoming restrictions

of space and time, the Web creates the opportunity for collaborative learning, as learners

can communicate with asynchronous means (not in real time) and synchronous means (in

real time) of communication and exchange information while at the same time they have

access to a variety of resources. In the case of language learning, the Web can expand

learning by taking students beyond the school environment, giving them the chance to

communicate with other learners or with speakers of the target language. The Web also is

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valuable in further education for those who live in distant areas or have no free time to

attend formal classes (Schofield, 2006).

Real - time applications or synchronous means of communication supply learners

with those skills which a real classroom can provide (Finkelstein, 2006). Learners can

cultivate social skills which will be useful for their professional life, the skills of effective

communication, to discuss and share knowledge, the ability to collaborate with others and

respect for different opinions. In addition, the learner acquires listening, speaking and

writing skills, as well as the readiness to think and respond. Synchronous means of

communication, providing a real time social activity, also enhance spontaneous

communication and create a human atmosphere, making the learning enjoyable. They

also give the opportunity to meet and collaborate at a time which is suitable for the

learners, and, finally, learners acquire computer skills as well.

One of the most common applications in language teaching is blogging. Blood

(2000) attributes the rise of blogging to the sense of community which developed when

blogs were used as diaries in which people can reveal freely their opinions, feelings and

thoughts. Blogging is an asynchronous means of communication, and so can facilitate

writing by the less proficient language learners as they have the needed time to construct

their message. They also have the chance to collaborate; having one common goal like

the accomplishment of a task, they share information and exchange opinions (Hyland,

2003).

Thus, the internet is becoming especially valuable in language teaching and

learning by providing an authentic environment. Students have the opportunity to

communicate with other learners of the target language. That communication, a dynamic

process which involves people from different cultural backgrounds, with different values

and beliefs, is not mainly concerned to convey the conventional rules of the language

(grammar and syntax rules) but to render meanings (Lane & Vera, 1992). As Shu-Hu

(2001) claimed, confusion in communication between people often derives from lack of

cultural knowledge. Their responses will reflect their different cultures and will bring into

contact with the culture of the target language. This will facilitate the assimilation of

grammar and syntax rules.

In addition to offering authenticity, the use of the internet helps learners to acquire

independence (autonomy). Many explanations have been given in terms of the value of

autonomy in learning. Autonomy is identified with the ability of learners to engage in the

learning activity and set goals, to choose appropriate cognitive and metacognitive

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preferences of the learners. In her study, she wanted to investigate how the internet could

be used in order to support the students writing in a French classroom. Divided into

small groups and having roles, students participated in an online discussion forum. Each

week, students were asked to write something on an already known subject and share it

with other students. At the same time, learners could access to resources in which they

could find help. This environment was constructed in such a way that it supported the

development of learning strategies. The findings of this research showed that technology

and, in particular, the offered opportunities for social interaction and collaboration,

created a positive motivation for the students to participate in the online language

learning activities. Although students found difficulty to carry out the collaborative

activities, the fact that they were writing systematically and their access to additional

exercises and resources, gave them a sense of autonomy. Therefore, some students

claimed that although they did not pay much attention to their feedback, they improved

their writing. The research also showed that the students evaluation of the teaching

methods could be used for improving them.

2.5 Interaction Interactivity

In all the above applications, the key concept is interaction with the learner. Researchers

have indicated that applications of the Web, such as CMC or e - mails, can provide an

authentic environment, enhancing interaction and leading to learning. As mentioned

before, students have opportunities to participate in discussions and explore different

points of view of a problem. Nevertheless, the significance of interaction does not only

concern the fact that students learn to express their opinions or examine different

opinions. In addition to the acquisition of the above social skills, the interaction can

motivate them to construct their own meaning. Such activity was characterized by Hirumi

(2002) as meaningful interaction since it does not involve only the communication of

personal opinions but goes beyond that, by motivating students to create their own

product.

Other researchers have also tried to explain the meaning of interaction by

differentiating it from interactivity. Kirsh (1997) defines interaction as an action which

demands mutual cooperation. He clarifies the importance of interaction, providing some

examples, like a discussion or a sport which demand the cooperation of the participants.

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By contrast, interactivity is used to refer to the learning process, and is associated with

interaction among learners and with the mediated tools and the results of this interaction

(Sims, 2003). Sims associates interactivity with the interaction, the psychology and all

the technology which is implemented in computer-mediated environments, with

collaborative activities among students and the instruction of the teacher. Richards (2006)

takes further the explanation of interactivity, and suggests that interactivity helps learners

to discover deeper knowledge and can lead to the emergence of new meanings.

Fang-Wu Tung and Yi-Shin Deng (2006) also related interactivity to the

discussion process, as both require the active participation of individuals. They pointed

out that interaction in the learning environment and the motivation of learners facilitates

the learning process. In their research study, they confirmed that when computers respond

to the learners actions, they give them an illusion of social interaction which, in turn,

enhances their motivations and interaction with the knowledge. In their study, they

distributed a learning task concerning a mathematical problem. It included two sets of

questions. The first set interacted with the user and responded to the users actions, while

the second set was a passive interactive program where the computer did not react to the

users actions. This research showed that the part of the program which made children

see the computer not only as a device for the accomplishment of a learning activity but as

having a human dimension as well, it could enhance their motivation and involvement in

the educational process.

The study of interaction in distance learning has prompted much debate,

especially in language learning aiming at enhancing the communication skills of learners.

One of the issues which the teachers have to face in real classrooms is the difference in

learning styles and, more specifically, that some learners prefer student-centred teaching

methods and not collaborative learning (White, 2003). In addition, there are discussions

in regard to the way in which interaction can be maintained and how it can contribute

effectively to learning. Salmon (2003) discussing the quality and the encouragement of

interaction considered the following factors to be important: the technical skills of the

students in using CMC; students awareness of the other members of the community;

collaborative activities in the accomplishment of a task, and the further opportunities

which the learning community offers to them.

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2.6 The Role of the Teacher

As many researchers have found, insufficient opportunities for studentinteraction, technical problems and communication anxiety can deter the learners from

getting involved in the learning community or restrict interaction among learners

(Guzdial et al., 2000; Harasim et al., 1998). Other factors concern the insufficient

computer skills of the learners, which may delay or discourage the involvement of

students in the learning process. Therefore, asynchronous means of communication

require a specific pedagogy which will foster a positive atmosphere (Michaels, 2001).

Design decisions can play an important role in encouraging of the students to

communicate and interact with other members of the learning community. The social

presence which can encourage interaction and communication among students can be

constructed if the learner gets to know the other learners of the learning community and

feels as a member of the learning community (White, 2003). In distance education,

synchronous and asynchronous means of communication are often combined and

students have the chance to interact in different ways, for example with video

conferencing and e- mails.

The variety of contemporary means of education and their difficulties which have

emerged make the role of the instructor complicated (Collins et al., 1996). The good

instructor acts as designer of the learning environment, by selecting the appropriate

technological tools according to the needs of the students. The instructor should motivate

the students to act in an authentic environment and acquire authentic skills. Secondly, the

instructor tries to create a friendly environment in the online community,

promoting human relationships, affirming and recognizing students input; providing

opportunities for students to develop a sense of group cohesiveness, maintaining the

group as a unit, and in other ways helping members to work together in a mutual cause

(Collins and Berge 1996: 7).

As a result, online communities may provide vehicles for social negotiation and

cooperation cultivating in turn the learners social skills.

Finally, the managerial role of the instructor concerns the organization of the

content, the evaluation of the students work and redesigning the lesson according the

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students needs. The last role was emphasized by Finkelstein (2006) too who maintained

that the online instructor should take into consideration the different learning styles and

preferences of the learners. Students will choose to participate in the ways which are

closer to their preferences; some students will prefer to use asynchronous means of

communication ( e- mails), while others will prefer to use real time applications.

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3. Methodology

3.1. Introduction

This is an Action Research. Examining the implementation of ICT in the process of

Greek language teaching and learning, this research question would help me to improve

my practices in teaching the Greek language while it would also provide an example for

other professionals an example of how they could improve their strategies by

implementing ICT in teaching Greek. Can ICT support language learning while at the

same time promote the students participation, and if so, in which ways?

Action Research concerns practical issues and occurs in the workplace of the

researcher (McNiff, 1996). Such research goes through the following stages: planning a

change, acting and observing the consequences of the change, reflecting on these

consequences and then re-planning, and so forth (Kemmis et al., 1998:21). Since it aims

at the improvement of the researchers practices, there is a doubt about whether it can

lead to new ideas. Because of the role of the researcher as both practitioner and

researcher, issues may emerge which influence the processes and the impartial analysis of

the results. Trying to investigate the problems of the school, and investigating the

weaknesses of the current teaching methods through discussion with students and

teachers may undermine ones relationships with colleagues or even ones status as a

teacher, as one reveals potential weaknesses in ones practices (Ravitch et al., 2007).

Nevertheless, this cooperation among the involved parts can lead to valuable

investigations and generate knowledge when it is based on the common collaboration and

cooperation of the involved participants, both researcher and students, sharing of

different opinions, with impartiality (Kemmis et al., 1998). Then, examining theconsequences of ones decisions, planning and applying new decisions helps the

researcher to extend and improve his/her knowledge and, thus, to improve his/her

educational practices.

Action research in the online environment is built on the conceptualization of

experiencing learning (Goodyear, 1999). Learners using their prior knowledge are

engaged in the learning activity and construct new knowledge through discussion with

others. Collaboration and the socialization of meanings have become important elements

of the learning experience. Then they are called on to employ that new knowledge.

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Similarly, the online environment should follow the pedagogical framework which

Experiencing Learning follows: small groups are engaged in creative activities which

require cooperation and communication. This pedagogy takes or it should take- into

consideration individual differences in skills, knowledge, age, gender and preferences.

Action research in the online environment should aim to improve the learning

environment in which the research is taking place, enhance the quality and pedagogy of

the learning environment and through these improve the teachers strategies.

3.2 Setting

This study took place in a Greek school in London where I was working; the participants

were native English speakers who attended Greek lessons in a Greek school in London

and Greek native speakers coming from schools in Greece. Teaching Modern Greek

language in the community schools of London, raises a complicated issue as it does not

have to do either with a second language (L2) or with the acquisition of foreign language

(Lambropoulos et al., 2004). Students already have linguistic knowledge which includes

one of a variety of dialects derived from the different generations of immigrants, so

Modern Greek cannot be considered as a foreign language. A second reason which

complicates Greek language teaching in community schools in London is that students

use the English language on a daily basis, in their schools, with their friends and in most

cases at home, as their dominant language. The Greek language in London is the

language of a minority and it is losing some of its prestige. Thirdly, the linguistic

background of the learners in the classroom varies. Another complicating factor is the

Cypriot form of Greek that a teacher encounters which many students feel is their

language but it differs considerably from standard Modern Greek (Pavlou and

Papapavlou, 2004)

The sampling method which I used was the non- probability method as the goal of

my research was explorative: to examine the ICT implementation in Greek language

teaching, making the Greek language learning activities more interesting and fun. The

selected participants were Greek and English native speakers, some from Greek schools

in London and Greece, aged 17-21, and adult English native speakers who are taking

Greek lessons in a Greek school in London. The English speakers who participated in this

research meet each other once a week in the Greek school, while the Greek native

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speakers have attended different schools in Greece. However, technical problems in

accessing the website or downloading the films discouraged students from engaging in

the learning activities. Of the 20 students who applied to participate in the research,

eventually only 10 did so.

3.3. Intervention

In the beginning of this research, the detailed instructions in English and Greek

about how to use the website, log in, download the films, change the language into

Greek, write and post their answers, were sent by e- mail. Students could also read the

instructions in both languages on the first page of the website.

The learning activity used films without sound and divided in three parts. The

film extracts, taken from Dozen, Doctor Who and Arthur, lasted two or three

minutes. This activity was designed to engage students in certain types of critical reaction

and response. I asked students to re-construct the narrative from what they had seen.

Their reception of the source was considerably restricted because of the loss of sound,

thus making them immediately and obviously aware of the form of the stimulus resource

that was being used. Had the sound been included, their objective awareness of the form

would not have been the same. Simply by confronting them with this altered reality there

was a basis created for intensive talk and discussion. I then asked them to produce a

written narrative based upon the three brief extracts that they have viewed. By doing this

my aim was to move from watching to writing.

This activity is designed to stimulate students into producing a variety of

language-based responses by using film (the moving image) as a resource. The

implications of this from a teaching point of view, is that it highlights the limitations of

working around an idea of a single correct view or interpretation. As Cooper (1997)

pointed out, viewers try to understand the films by referring to their experiences.

Lightbown (2006) also has highlighted that motivation plays a significant role in

language learning. I must note here that Greek language teaching in this school usually

took place using traditional teaching methods, and through this research I wanted to see if

it was possible to take a different approach and therefore raise motivational levels.

Incorporating film was one way of creating a different focus around which most of the

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students could identify especially as it contrasted with what was usually done in the

school.

This learning activity taking place in the online environment would liberate the

students from the limitations which the real classroom and the formal elements of the

language (syntax and grammar) impose and can help the students develop those forms of

the language which could allow them to communicate their thoughts effectively.

In many traditional language classes the activity would end with the student

handing in the writing and the teacher marking it. Here, the students post what they

have written on the web-site an, without my direction navigated to a voting area and

sleeted the one they thought was the best. There was also a facility to register and show

that they had voted. They could also read the others responses. The interactive learning

environment permits for the activity to continue in more creative and interactive ways.

Students could log in using a password and user name and in the first page they

could read instructions on the activity in English and Greek about the activity. In another

forum users could see the three groups divided up in three parts: 1st Film, 2nd Film, and 3rd

Film and could find their user names in the equivalent group to which they belonged.

Selecting their film of the group in which they belonged, they had access to another

website where they could watch the whole film divided up into three scenes or every part

of it separately, and post their answer.

The following diagram indicates the mediated tool and the groups involved in the

research.

Categories Management of

GroupsMultimedia

Activities

Films

Group A: Native English

Groups B: Mixed

Group C: Adult learners

Video

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3.4. Evaluation

This research is based on participant observation of the students involvement in a

language learning activity in the online environment. Many researchers have referred to

the advantages and disadvantages of participant observation. Firstly, the researcher may

be influenced by his/her intimacy with the participants. Secondly, the participants know

that they are observed, and this may influence their responses (Gay & Airasan, 1996).

Nonetheless, we cannot ignore that by acting as a participant, the researcher can examine

closely his/her research object.

To enhance validity, the researcher could use different resources, such as more

than one observer or interviewers in order to verify the interpretation of the data (Gay

&Airasan, 1997). As a second method of selecting data, to improve the validity of my

findings and to seek further explanations, I used interviews; these in conjunction with the

selected data could help me to identify new topics, as well as help me explore, explain or

clarify my original data (Brawn & Dowling, 1998). The interviews, face-to- face for the

English natives and by telephone for the Greek natives, were conducted individually.

Open questions were used, and students were asked to describe their experience in the

online environment, the reasons why some students were stimulated by being involved in

that environment, while others were hesitant and the potential difficulties or mistakes

which prevented them from getting involved. In other words, to investigate further

questions concerning what makes the online environment motivating and exciting for

students while at the same time supports language learning.

In the analysis of the research, I examined the similar or different stories which

the learners created for the films and the roles which they gave the actors. In the second

part of the analysis, I made a linguistic analysis examining the complexity and simplicity

of their sentences. According to Holton et al. (1997), simple sentences are constituted by

an independent clause while complex sentences include more than one clause subordinate

with other clauses. I also give the number of the simple and complex sentences written by

each group and by the English and Greek. In the third part of the analysis, I made an error

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analysis, distinguishing two categories of errors: grammar and syntax trying to assess the

language skills of the students. Here, it is necessary to outline some general

characteristics of the Greek language. Unlike English, the Greek language is a highly

inflectional language (Holton et al., 1997:45). In particular, Greek uses numerous steps

to denote changes in tense, cases, moods and gender. As Holton has summarised

Articles and some (but not all) numerals are inflected for gender, according to certainrules and, like adjectives, have degrees of comparison. Nouns which maybe masculine,feminine or neuter gender, are inflected for number and case. Verbs have complex formswhich are differentiated by person, number, tense, aspect, voice and (to an extent) mood.Finally, there are various ways of forming new words by means of prefixation,suffixation and compounding.

Holton, 1997:45

3.5 Ethics

Undoubtedly, the most significant issue in research ethics is to ensure the participants

consent in terms of their involvement as collecting information on participants or

observing them without their knowledge or without appropriate permission is not ethical

(Gay et al., 2000:99). Informed consent should be attained to the purpose of the study,

the research activities in which the participants will participate, and the risks in which the

individuals may be involved. This gives freedom to the participants to decide about their

involvement in the research. The researcher must also confirm and respect the

participants right to withdraw from the research whenever they wished to.

Thus, in order to ensure the consent of my participants, I gave them a form to

fill in. In this form, an explanation was provided regarding the reasons for my research

and the pedagogical activities in which they were to be engaged, as well as it confirmed

the confidentiality of their participation. In addition, this form explained their right to

abandon the research whenever they wished to.

The need for protection of students privacy is increased when research is

carried out online (Bryman 2004). The risks of losing their privacy in the online

environment include, for instance, that users may acquire access to others e - mails,

psychological harm, etc. Many strategies are used for the protection of the privacy: like

using pseudonyms or codes instead of the real names of the participants (Brown et al.,

1998). In my research, in order to access the weblog, user name and password were

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required. In addition, every student could change his/her user name. In addition, I could

intervene directly and exclude from the online community any user who did not conform

to these rules.

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4. Data Analysis

Learners, divided into three groups were asked to view a film without sound, a

different film for each group, and write what they imagined was happening and what the

actors were saying. Students eventually contributed to the weblog. What is clear from this

description is the high level of involvement and motivation from this student, something

which helps to focus attention and thus enhance learning. One key idea arising from the

use of the concept of multi-modality is that a person, who engages with a form of

meaning such as a film is able to make sense of the meanings in her/his own way, not

necessarily similar to the way another person receives and understands. So we can

distinguish totally different stories written by the students (complexity of the stories),

stories where the learners spackle, imagined what was going on behind the screen

(information gaps), simple stories in which the learners just described what was

represented on the screen (simplicity of the stories) and similarities of the stories. We

also read different names and sometimes roles to the actors of the film.

By examining the complexity and simplicity of the structure of their sentences, we

observe the use of mostly complex sentences, which means that offering stimuli to their

imagination activated their language production.Finally, the error analysis helped me to assess the language skills of the learners and

proceed to further investigations of how I could support their learning.

4.1 Elaboration of the stories

4.1.1 Complexities of the story

4.1.1.1 First film: NEST (Native English Speaking Teenagers)

In regard to the first film, one student (NEST 1) imagines that the man feels very tired as

he had gone jogging very early in the morning. When he comes home he asks his wife to

rest for a while. The man and his wife are discussing what they have done that day. The

man is complainingabout his tiredness after jogging, and asks the woman what she is

doing. The woman answers that she is correcting her students assignments. The children

have prepared a fun game for him; they have been hidden under the quilt in order to scare

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him. The man, while he is going to bed, realized that the children are trying to have fun

with him, and is having fun with them trying to scare them first.

Regarding the same film, another student (NEST 2) imagines that the man, after a

long tiring day has finally come home and wants to rest. His wife, when she hears the

door, understands that it is him, and shouts that she is upstairs, in the bedroom. The man

goes upstairs and finds her writing her new book (she is an author). Her husband feels

very tired and is ready to lie down. His children have found a way to play with him and

are hidden under the quilt; while he is ready to lie on the bed they rush on him.

4.1.1.2 Second film: NEST & NGST (Native English-Speaking Teenagers & Native

Greek-Speaking Teenagers)

In terms of the second film, one of the students (NGST 1) imagines that in a village

outside Dublin, Floredia is expecting her daughter to marry a rich man. The time has

passed and the bride has still not come. Her mother is worried about her as when she calls

her, the daughter does not pick up the phone. She asks the father of the bridegroom if he

knows something about her daughters delay. Floredia is very worried because if she does

not come it will be a shame for their visitors, as they have travelled so far for this

luxurious marriage. The father of the bridegroom has no idea, and states that the worst

thing is that he has missed two horse races by coming to see his sons marriage. But he

starts to be worried too, as he realizes that the father of the bride is dead and he does not

know the man who will bring the bride to the church. The mother of the bride, Floredia,

answers that her daughter is with an eccentric dentist with whom she studies in London,

and she had met him accidentally in the Queens bar.

Again, regarding the same film, another student (NGST 2) imagines that the mother

of the groom is angry because the bride has not come yet to the wedding party. Someone

seems to have misguided the bride in another place, and creates obstacles on her way to

the wedding in order to prevent her getting married. Finally, the bride manages to get to

the wedding party and sees all the people dancing. Among them, she notices her future

husband dancing with another woman. The mother of the groom approaches the bride

telling her that she thought that the bride had escaped from the marriage, and then the

bride cries.

Another student (NGST 3) imagines that the mother of the bride is at a wedding

party and her daughter, the bride, is late. The mother calls her daughter, but she says that

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she cannot speak to her. Then, she curses the father of the bridegroom because her

daughter is with him and she knows that he is irresponsible. The couple is in a very

dangerous place in New York, until they meet a huge box. The bridegroom puts his life in

danger in order to save them; he enters the box and sees an enormous machine with

magic power. The bridegroom is trying to activate it in order to leave that place and go

quickly to the wedding party. The bride is still outside and looks at the box with

curiosity; she is thinking that it is simply a box, and when she enters she realizes that it is

a laboratory. The bridegroom struggles to leave that place, and finally gets to the wedding

party safely. When they arrive at the wedding party, they see people dancing. Suddenly

people stop and look at the bride. They approach her and ask for explanations about their

long delay. She explains that something terrible has happened and then she starts to cry.

Then everyone forgives her.

Another student (NEST 3), in regards to the same film, imagines that there is a

woman who is talking on the phone, and then she meets a friend and asks him for a help.

After she finishes her call, he says that he cannot help her. Then she is talking with

another man. In the second part of the story, the woman looks very sad as she does not

know where she is. Her friend enters in her room and gives her bad news. In the third

part, everybody is happy and dancing. When the bride comes inside, they stop dancing.

Everyone shouts at her and then she bursts into tears.

4.1.1.3 Third film: AENS (Adults English Native Speakers)

As far as the third film, one student (AENS 1) imagines that the child wants to buy a

present for his friend but he does not know what. So, he is wondering what he could buy

speaking loudly to the dog and the dog answers that it has no idea, as he is a dog! Then

he decides that the appropriate place for buying a present for his friend is an antique

shop. The child sends his mother, who chooses a small antique as a present for his friend.

She shows it to the shopkeeper and asks the price of this antique.

Another student (AENS 2) goes directly to the second part of the film and writes

that the woman has brought a valuable jewel for the shopkeeper to see. He admires it and

asks her where she found it. The woman explains that it was her husbands cross. Her

child is waiting for her in an office, and spends his time looking at a book.

Regarding the third film, another student (AENS 2) imagines that the child of the

first scene is a farmer who is working on the field, and proceeds to the second stage of

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the film by imagining that a woman goes to the post office and gives a packet to the

postman.

4.1.2 Simplicity of the stories

One of the participants (NGST 4) describes simply what he is watching in the three

scenes of the second film. He begins his narrative with a woman who is speaking on the

phone. He continues with the second scene, referring to the bridegroom and the bride as

being outside a strange box and looking around the place. The bridegroom finally enters

the box while the bride is standing outside and just noticing the box, and after a while she

enters it and feels fear. In the third scene, the same student continues to describe what he

is watching; there is a party and everyone is dancing. When they see the couple, theyapproach them and ask repeated questions. That makes the bride nervous and she cries.

Then they hug them.

4.1.3 Information gaps

The fact that the three sections of the films had information gaps stimulated the students

to imagine and write what was going on behind the screen.

4.1.3.1 First filmIn this film, the students imagine events which took place before the first part. One of the

students (NEST 1) imagines that the man has returned from an early morning jogging,

while the film starts with a man who enters his home and hangs up his jacket. Concerning

the same part of this film, another student (NEST 2) imagines that the man has had a very

tiring day and he finally returns at home.

4.1.3.2 Second film

In the second film, the students use their imagination regarding events which took place

before the first and second part. Concerning the first part of the second film, one of the

students (NGST 1) imagines that the visitors came from very distant places in private

airplanes in order to experience the luxurious wedding while the film begins with a

woman who is talking on the phone. The same student also imagines that the best friend

of the bride gave her the wedding dress as a present. Also, in the dialogue also between

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the mother of the bride and the father of the bridegroom we learn about a meeting which

took place in a bar where the bride met accidentally her old friend, the eccentric dentist.

The second part of the same film begins with the couple who are entering the box.

One of the students (NGST 3) imagines that the couple are in a very dangerous place in

New York and are trying to escape from it until they meet a magic box while this scene

begins with a couple running towards the box. Concerning the same part of this film,

another student (NGST 2) imagines that the woman struggles to find her way by herself

until she sees a magic room.

4.1.3.3. Third film

For the second part of the film, AENS 2 imagines that the husband of that woman

who appears in the scene has given to her the cross.

4.1.4 Similarities in the plot

For the first film, most of the students give the same ending; people are asking for

explanations from the bride about why she is late. Then the bride cries, and everyone

forgives her (NEST 3, NGST 3 and NGST 4). Other students (NGST 1 & NGST 3)

also write that the mother of the bride is worried about her daughter, and she telephones

her daughter.

4.1.5 Elaboration of the names and the characters

4.1.5.1 First film

Concerning first film, both of the students (NEST 1 & GENS 2) imagine that the man is

the father of the children and the woman is their mother. However, they give these

characters different roles. One of the students (GENS 1) imagines that the woman is an

author while the other student (GENS 2) imagines that she is a teacher and is correcting

her students assignments. The same students give different names to the persons: Tom

and Andrea (GENS 1), Alan and Helen (NEST 2).

4.1.5.2 Second film

Students, who worked with the second film, give different but fantastic names to the

places and actors who are involved in the same film. One of these students (NGST1)

names the mother of the bride Floredia Bakersown. The bridegroom is named Carol O

Conor. The place in which the marriage will take place is the church of the Saint Patricio

in Fifth Avenue, a very beautiful place outside Dublin. The bride is named Anastasia, and

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her close friend of the bride is named Susan Anderson. The father- in- law of the bride is

named Paul O Conor. The place in which the mother of the bride is used to spend her

time with her friend is the Ritz Hotel Roof Garden. The visitors who have come for the

wedding are from the Rpublique de Cte dIvoire. The bride is with an eccentric dentist

whom she had met in a college in London, named Christofer De L Arengo, and she met

him recently in the Queens Bar, an event which is not shown in the screen.

Another student (NGST 2) imagines that the woman who is talking on the phone is

her mother of the groom and that man who appears to be with the bride in the second and

third part of the film, is not her future husband but someone who is trying to prevent her

from getting married. The bridegroom is another man who is dancing with another

woman at the party.

Another student (NGST 3) imagines that the woman with who begins the story is

the mother of the bride. The bride is named Maria Antoinette. A dark man in the film is

her slave, named Mpampakita. The man with whom she seems to quarrel is the mother of

the bridegroom. The place in which the couple is wandering is New York.

Another student (NEST 3), concerning the same film, names the woman who is

talking on the phone Gina Smith, and the persons with whom she is chatting are Eddie

Murphy and Tony Richards. The brides name is Jennifer Lopez. When the bride comes

to the party, these persons ask for explanations but when they see the bride crying they

hug her.

Another student (NEST 4) imagines that the woman who is talking on the phone is

not the mother of the bridegroom or the mother of the bride, as the other students do, but

an unfamiliar person, an old woman named Mpella. That woman meets a dark person

who is a visitor, too. And the other man, whom the old woman Mpella meets, is her

husband. The bride is called Mary, and the bridegroom Manos. Among the people who

are hugging the bride when she is crying are two men, Christ and Basel.

4.1.5.3 Third Film

In the group of adults only one student (AENS 2) gives names to the actors. She names

the woman who is entering the shop Maria, and the shopkeeper Stayros. However, one of

the students (AENS 1) imagines that the dog belongs to a child and that the woman who

is going to the antique shop is the mother of the child.

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4.2 Analysis of the sentences

After the analysis of the narratives of the stories, in this section the complexity of the

sentences used by the three groups will be analyzed. The aim of such an analysis is to

identify if the activity using film has enhanced or developed the students use of Greek. I

am interested to see whether the use of the online environment has strengthened their

motivation which, in turn, has led to greater fluency with Greek. The complexity of the

syntax elements and in some cases the grammar elements of the simple sentences were

considered. Both Greek and English natives in the first and the second group used

mainly complex sentences. Only in the third group of adults I found more simple

sentences. Moreover, their simple sentences consist of more elements than the subject,

verb and object; they consist of many adverbs, adjectives, and other grammatical

elements. The above suggest that ICT can be used effectively in language production. In

the following examples, I give sentences which are of both higher and lesser complexity

than those sentences consisting of clauses linked by the conjunction and/. I also give

examples of simple sentences which include a lot of complements.

As I stated in the methodology chapter, simple sentences are differentiated from

complex sentences as the first are constituted by one independent clause while complex

sentences include more than one clause, with one or more subordinate clauses dependent

on the main or other subordinate clauses (Holton et al. 1997). Applying this distinction, I

proceeded to the analysis of the structure of the sentences. Examples of simple and

complex sentences follow, and then the diagram shows the total number of simple and

complex sentences used by the groups and by the English and Greek natives separately.

4.2.1 First Group Native English Speaking Teenagers (NEST)

The film watched by the first group consisted of three parts. However, when the

participants were requested to write the story, they did so by summarising it into two

parts. Hence, the analysis that follows is divided into two parts, in line with the way

participants structured their stories. Most of the students imagine the story using complex

sentences constituted of two clauses linked by the conjunction and/(kai) or by

comma (,) while in their dialogues we observe the use of simple sentences including,

however, many grammatical elements.

4.2.1.1 First Part of the Film

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In this part of the film learners narrate the story using complex sentences consisting

mainly of two or more main clauses which are linked by the conjunction and/

(kai) by a comma (,).

NEST 1 writes:

(1) O / .The father enters the house/ and looks tired.

(2) M / .He might/ have gone for his morning jogging.

(3) ,/ .

He enters the room taking off his sweater, / he looks sweaty and tired.

(4) , / / .He is sitting on the chair,/ he is screaming from the pain/ and the tiredness andtalks to his wife.

(5) , / / .The children go out, / jump on their father / and all quarrel on thebed.

Sentence 1 consists of two main clauses linked by the conjunction and/ kai and

the sentences 3 and 4 consist of main clauses linked by a comma (,). Sentence 5 consists

of three main clauses linked by a comma (,) and by the conjunction and/ (kai). In

sentence 2 we observe the use of a clause of purpose (/in order to) that is of a higher

complexity than the clauses linked by the conjunctions and/kai or by comma (,).

It is worth noting that NEST 1 focuses upon the male character who is present

in the three scenes using complex sentences consisting of more than one clause linked by

the conjunctions and/kai as well as a variety of adverbs and participles which

characterize the feelings and the disposition of the man (example 1,2,3,4). In sentence 2

he also imagines an event which is not presented on the screen: the man had left for his

early morning jogging.

This student is engaging in ideas concerned with sequence, movement, change

and transition. As we can observe, his writing of this student is accurate or otherwise

was produced in an online environment with the writer composing and immediately

posting his text to the site for others to read. However, his presence in the learning group

indicates that he feels the needs to improve his command of the Greek language. As he is

so familiar and naturalised within such an online setting he almost seems to forget his

limitations as a writer of Greek.

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NEST 2 gives his own perspective:

(6) / The father comes back home / and goes up (stairs)

(7) / .His wife is sitting there/ and writing a book.

(8) / .The father is in his room / and the children are under the bed.

(9) ,/ .When he is sitting on the bed, / children are jumping on him.

Here as with the previous student, the sentences 6, 7 and 8 are complex sentences

consisting of more than one clause linked by the conjunction and/ (kai). Sentence 9

is of higher complexity than the clauses linked by the conjunction and/, as it is

introduced by the temporal conjunction /when.

NEST 2 is briefer than the previous student, describing just the events which

are shown on the screen. However he is using complex sentences and differentiating his

story by imagining a different role for the woman - as an author and writer of a book.

4.2.1.2 Second part of the film

For the second part of the film, participants render the previous story by creating dialogue

among the actors. In contrast with the first part of the film where students create complex

sentences, for the second part of the film the students of this group produce a dialogue

among the actors using mainly simple sentences and only one complex sentence (11)

which consists of two clauses linked by a comma (,). However, the use of a variety of

constituents1

can be observed (temporal, place, etc), prepositions and exclamations.

NEST 1

(10) , .At last, I am back home.[Simple sentence consisting of one main clause which includestwo adverbs]

(11) .

I correct the assignment of my student

1 Holder defines this as

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Except for the variety of the grammar elements these sentences, simple in structure

but complex in narration, include a variety of information which indicate the active

participation of the students. For instance, sentence 10 implies that the man has arrived

home after a long and tiring day. Sentence 10 indicated that the woman who appears in

the three scenes of the film is a teacher and corrects an assignment of her student.

One interesting feature of this response which was produced within the online

environment is the way that its content indicates a continuing awareness of myself as a

teacher transformed within the character shown in the film extract. She is correcting the

assignment of the students. He seems to be operating at a sort of half-way point between

the online environment and the traditional classroom setting and it is the narrative

sequence which reveals this to us.

NEST 2

(12) .Ah, my legs hurt me![Simple Sentence consisting of one main clause including exclamation and

genitive possessive]

(13) .I am a book.[Simple Sentence consisting of one main clause and adjective)

NEST 2, the same as the previous student is here using narrative and dialogue in his

writing. As with the second student, he uses simple sentences which include a variety of

grammar elements as well as information about the characters. For instance, in the above

examples, these sentences include exclamations, adjectives and genitive possessive, as

well as information for the characters. For instance, in sentence 13 we learn that the

woman is an author. The informality of the medium is seen here to facilitate the

production of written speech which has a colloquial quality. T

using ict in greek language teaching and learning 2007

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