LANGUAGE LEARNING IN THE DIGITAL ERA

ICEF Berlin|2018

Presented by Jonathan Kolber

Who we are

Biggest English language school in Canada

Global leader, industry innovator and

trendsetter

Pioneer in pathways, language training and

Canada education brand

Introducing “zero tech” in the classroom

Students are connected to technology 24/7

SCREENAGERS

Teenagers who are addicted to their screens

Did you know?

Millennials would rather share their toothbrush

than their phone

The whole world is literally online

PHUBBINGIgnoring the actual people around you

— snubbing them —

in order to look at your phone

Word of the day

Please put away your screens

Too much screen time

Being constantly online can wear us down

Cuts into long-term happiness and lowers

overall satisfaction with life

Takes away time spent with people in person

Decreases ability to connect with others

Distracts us from what is happening right in

front of us

The research

The effects of always being on

Sleep disruption

Poor academic performance

Anxiety

Depression

Obesity

Social isolation

Suicide

The research

Global trends

France has banned smart phones in schools

European laws to minimize Wi-Fi exposure

to children

Elon Musk has created a new kind of school

that focuses on kids working together in

teams and exploring non-traditional topics

Cafes in the USA are creating Wi-Fi free

zones to encourage face-to-face

conversation

Ban on phones adds up to one extra week of

classes over a pupil’s school year

The research

Source: Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics

Digital giants like Apple and Facebook areadmitting to dangers of

tech addiction

Loneliness and social isolation are becoming more common

around the world

Britain has appointed its first Minister for Loneliness, to tackle the “sad reality of

modern life.”

Social media is considered an

addiction

How does that affectlearning?

Students are tied to their phones all day long

Effect of student classroom cell

phone usage on teachers

Majority of teachers reported being

distracted by students’ cell phones

Students find their devices more stimulating

than what is happening in class

Decline in overall grades, lower recall

Decrease in student satisfaction with

instruction

Students in proximity to other students on

phones were more likely to perform poorer in

the classroom, even when they were not

personally using technology

The research

SOURCE: Survey of university students and faculty in USA, Western Kentucky University

Screens in the class distract students from

learning & connecting

Students become isolated, don’t

make friends or practice English

Disconnected students have

decreased language skills & lower test

scores

How can you teach students who are constantly

DISTRACTED?

The big question

A major problem or controversial issue

that is obviously present but avoided as

a subject for discussion because it is

more comfortable to do so.

Something everybody knows but isn’t

talking about.

Idiom

“The elephant in the room”

ELEPHANT IN THE “CLASSROOM”

Technology is distracting students from learning.

That same elephant is preventing students from gaining essential communication skills

that they need in order to succeed in the world.

Real life connection

& communication

Teachers engaging

&facilitating learning

Students sharingstories

& secrets

New friends laughing

& bonding

Started with teenagers

16-18 years old

Soft launch was March 26

Official launch was April 23

October 1 – zero tech schoolwide

Focus on in-person communication,

immersion & English language practice

Students develop personal connections, life-long friendships, confidence & social

skills

Engaged students are happier, have

better test scores & speak better English

Be present

Get involved

+ Make friends

= Learn English

Zero Tech

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TEACH A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

IN THE DIGITAL ERA?

The Communicative

Approach

Language is living, fluid and constantly

evolving

Make use of real-life situations that

necessitate communication

Teachers act as facilitators, talking less and

listening more as referees and monitors

Language as interaction, based on

interpersonal activity and relationships

Students do most of the speaking and the

class is active

Students gain confidence and are

responsible for their own learning

Cambridge Method

Do you think students

learn more English online or by having a conversation

in person?

What makes us human?

The future of work – AI and robots

Whatever the profession, soft skills are more important than ever

Robots don’t have soft skills, like social and emotional intelligence and cross-cultural competency

Communication skills, interpersonal skills and social skills will significantly increase job opportunities

Companies are looking for people who have the ability to connect

SKILLS FOR 2019

BODY LANGUAGE

Communication 101

LISTENING

Communication 101

SPEAKING

Communication 101

BEING PRESENT

Communication 101

WHAT ARE STUDENTS, TEACHERS & AGENTS SAYING?

Benefits for students

Students build confidence and develop stronger interpersonal skills

They socialize, laugh, learn, listen and speak English without distractions

Are present and build real human connections, make friends for life

Communicating and bonding with classmates and teachers leads to better English fluency and academic results

This is what experiencing Canada and learning English is all about!

ZERO TECH

Benefits for teachers

Full attention of students – no

distractions

Higher test scores

Increased fluency

Higher student satisfaction rates

Greater student engagement and

participation

Personal connection with students and

their learning journey

ZERO TECH

ZERO TECH

Students come to Canada to study English,

not sit on their phones

They can watch videos or go online anytime

when they are alone

The classroom experience is the only place

where students can truly immerse

themselves in English learning

Feedback from students, teachers and

parents has been very positive

AGENT FEEDBACK“Congratulations! You understand how human relations work and why they are essential not only learning English but in general for life.”

– Carlos Villasenor, Student World, Mexico

Rules of engagement

Students and teachers turn off phones

and screens in the classroom

Students can still use phones and

laptops between classes and after school

Lots of time to stay in touch with family

and friends back home

Teachers limit or completely remove

technology in the classroom, including

videos, internet, projectors and

photocopies

ZERO TECH

LET’S CREATE A CULTURE SHIFT

You can’t hug a text message

Laughing out loud with

friends is way more fun than

typing LOL

“I love you” sounds so

much better in person

What do you think?

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it

for a few minutes…

including you.

Anne Lamott

Thank you!

www.ilac.com