Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

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What is GLOSS and How Language Teachers and
Language Learners can benefit from On-line
Interactive Lessons. Maria Ortenberg, Professor,
GLOSS Academic Specialist, DLI
Defense Language Institute Foreign Language
Center
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GLOSS http//gloss.dliflc.edu/

• Global Language Online Support System - an online
  language maintenance and enhancement tool
• A collection of interactive reading and listening
  lessons presently around 5,400 lessons in 36
  languages at levels 1 to 4
• Online lessons based on authentic material
  selected by level in accordance with the ILR
  standards and Text Typology
• Main objective to maintain and enhance
  learners proficiency by teaching language
  through context

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Presentation outline

• GLOSS lesson structure and usability example
  demo
• Methodology text selection, objectives, lesson
  plan example demo
• Low level lessons vs. high level lessons
  example demo
• Listening vs. reading example demo
• Many uses of GLOSS
• Orientation to the GLOSS site
• Links to examples in multiple languages

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Main Characteristics of GLOSS lessons

• Interactivity
• Flexibility
• Level appropriate tasks
• Wide range of topics
• Wide range of contemporary text/audio types
• Each lesson represents a separate unit not tied
  to a program
• Each lesson can be adjusted to various learner
  profiles Sample

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GLOSS lessons

• Each GLOSS lesson is based on an authentic
  text/audio/video carefully selected for the level
• Each GLOSS lesson has a functional objective or a
  real-life task
• Each lesson teaches language features specific to
  the text and level

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GLOSS Lessons

• Each GLOSS lesson is a sequence of task-based
  activities
• a pre-reading/listening activity
• 3/4 enabling tasks
• a wrap-up activity

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Principles behind text selection

• Text levels
• Text appropriateness for the learner level
• Interest factor, text types, topical domains
• Cultural factor
• Sampling all competencies

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Principles behind Text Selection (cont.)

• ILR vs. ACTFL Guidelines
• Novice L0
• Novice high L 0 / formulaic
• Intermediate 1/ created
• Intermediate high 1
• Advanced 2 / planned
• Advanced plus 2
• Superior 3 /3 / extended
• Distinguished 4/5
• http//www.govtilr.org/Skills/ILRscale2.htm

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Principles behind Text Selection (cont.)

• J.Childs classification of text types - reflect
  communicative intent and are labeled in ascending
  order of textual complexity
• ENUMERATIVE / FORMULAIC / 0
• ORIENTATION MODE / L1
• INSTRUCTIVE MODE / L2
• EVALUATIVE MODE / L3
• PROJECTIVE MODE /4-5

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Text Modes (Authors Intent and Communicative
purpose)

• Enumerative / Formulaic Mode (0)
• to alert, to draw attention
• Orientation Mode (ILR 1)
• Orient / give main idea by communication through
  simple short sentences and basic vocabulary.
• Instructive Mode (ILR 2)
• Conveying information, instruct / provide factual
  information by providing supporting facts to
  convey facts and information about situations and
  events, no (minimum) commentary about something
  that exists or is developing or should take place
  in the real world (no analytical or intuitive
  judgments)
• Evaluative Mode (ILR 3)
• Expression of ideas. Making evaluative
  statements, present and support opinions,
  hypothesis and abstract topics using both
  abstract and factual content. Analyze, apologize,
  explain.
• Projective Mode (ILR 4)
• Project one's unique view, highly individualized
  and unique perspectives, connecting ideas, and
  concepts with virtuosity and sophistication,
  taking them to larger and different paradigm a
  level of activity at which shared information and
  assumptions are at a minimum and personal input
  is paramount. Such texts are a product of a
  consciousness notable for its quality of unique
  conceptualizing, or power of individuation.

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Functional and Linguistic Objectives

• Functional Objectives
• LFs- Language Specific Features that constitute 4
  basic competencies
• Structural
• Lexical
• Discourse
• Socio-cultural Sample

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High level vs. low level GLOSS lessons

• High level vs. low level lessons - Authentic vs.
  simulated and adapted materials
• Genuine texts
• Text type authentic
• Includes all the elements of a real life format
  similar to what can be encountered in modern day
  press, correspondence, conversation
• Is culturally appropriate based on contemporary
  cultural realia
• Includes vocabulary items and grammar structures
  and social conventions typical of the authentic
  text of a given type and topic

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Scaffolding

• Top-down approach vs. Bottom-up approach
• Top-down from the general to details
• Bottom-up - from a word to a phrase, to a
  statement, to an exchange, and to a longer
  stretch of dialog or story through a series of
  preparatory activities.
• Example from GLOSS (Spanish/reading)
• Example from GLOSS (Russian/ video)

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Listening vs. Reading

• What is distinctive about listening?
• How should we approach a listening text?
• What do we need to focus on to present students
  with better learning opportunities?

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Listening Text issues

• Delivery/Audio processing Features
• Listening-Specific Textual Features
• Core Textual Features

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Listening Process
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Delivery/Audio processing Features

• Para-linguistic
• Acoustics
• Background noise
• Situational Factors
• Linguistic
• Speed
• Accent
• Intonation

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Listening-Specific Textual Features a) Lexical

• Lack of clear word boundaries
• Pronunciation (as different from spelling)
• Dialects
• Colloquialisms

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Listening-Specific Textual Features b)
Structural

• Less complex syntax
• No visual support for grammar endings/
  prepositions
• Common deletions and transformations

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Listening-Specific Textual Featuresc) Discourse

• Discourse Markers/ Breakers
• Fillers
• Predictable Transactions
• Intonation/Tone
• Connectors and introductory phrases specific to
  oral speech

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Core Textual Features

• Features common to both reading and listening
  texts across all competencies

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Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

• Ability to decode auditory stream
• Voice recognition
• Listening for idea units
• Automatic Access to a wider range of vocabulary
• Spontaneous Knowledge of Schemata
• Effective compensatory strategies
• Example of a video lesson (Russian)
• Example of a Listening Lesson (Chinese)

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Helping the learners to become better readers /
listeners

• Through GLOSS lesson design
• Activities which help the learner activate
  topical and background information prior to
  reading the text / audio
• Activities which get the learner through the
  challenges of the text /audio
• Activities which reinforce the learning that has
  taken place

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Helping the learners to become better readers /
listeners

• Tasks and Activities
• logically connected sequences of activities
• tasks of different types with gradually
  increasing degrees of complexity
• focus on important features of the text

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Helping the learners to become better readers
and listeners

• Types of feedback
• Strategies
• Hints before the learner answers the question
• Hints that follow the action of answering
• Audio hints
• Terminal feedback
• Teacher button grammar and culture notes

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Helping students explore the context

• Lessons devoted to cultural topics and issues
• Activities that provide cultural context
• Area study notes preceding the reading or
  listening
• Task-embedded cultural content
• Explanations of allusions to historical events,
  figures etc.
• Images of places - pictures/maps/videos
• Pictures and notes about contemporary figures
• Terms/acronyms
• Traditions/National attributes

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GLOSS Orientation

• GLOSS is a major time and effort saver for
  teachers and independent learners alike, because
  it provides
• Authentic texts and audios in major topical
  domains
• Materials selected by level
• Tasks appropriate for the level of the source
  document
• Rich linguistic and cultural feedback
• Reference sources

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Is Access to GLOSS Restricted?

• NO
• GLOSS is free-of-charge
• No password is needed

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How Can I Find GLOSS Lessons?

• GLOSS step-by-step
• Go to http//gloss.dliflc.edu/
• Select the language any or all other categories
  (level, skill, competency etc.) and click on
  Search

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GLOSS Step-by-Step (continued)

• When you see all the titles in your selected
  category click on the one you want
• The LO will open and you will see an overview
  page of the selected learning object
• Read the Focus, the Content and the Navigation
  Instructions click on Begin Lesson

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Examples of GLOSS lessons

• Samples high level GLOSS reading lessons
• Russian Arabic Chinese
• Hindi Spanish Turkish Portuguese Persian
• Samples of high level GLOSS listening lessons
• Russian Arabic Chinese Hindi Spanish Turkish
  Portuguese Persian

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Examples of low level GLOSS lessons

• Sp_cul020 L1 A family Recipe
• Sp_geo202L1- Weather
• Cm_soc436- L1- At the post office
• Cm_tec407 L1 buying a car
• Pd_geo306 L1 tourism
• Pf_cul325 L1 personalities
• Pf_soc322_L1 driving instructions
• Pf_soc324-L1 recipe
• PY_soc314 L1 - bienale (numerals)

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Examples from GLOSS

• Pjb_cul426 L1- wedding
• Hnd_soc324 Movie reviews
• Hnd_cul416 - Neighbors
• Ars_ecn432 L2 Lebanese economy
• Ars_soc477 L2 training for new generation
• Ars_cul442 L1 - wedding
• Ars_sci435 1 - at the doctors
• Ars_sci436 1 - emergency
• Ars_soc461 1 At the gas station
• Ars_soc462 L1 Introductions
• Ars_soc463 L1 Family news
• Pd_sci326 L1 daily menu

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• This speech/presentation is authorized by the
  Defense Language Institute Foreign Language
  Center and the Department of Defense. Contents
  of this presentation are not necessarily the
  official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.
  Government, Department of Defense, Department of
  the Army, or the Defense Language Institute
  Foreign Language Center