Synchronous discussions in foreign language classrooms are necessary to provide students with opportunities to interact with their classmates and exchange opinions in the language they are learning. Students can also observe nonverbal cues, such as gestures and facial expressions, to help them better understand those who are speaking to them. However, synchronous discussions may result in some students speaking more than others. Students with better speaking skills may feel more comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions, while those who are less confident may hesitate to speak. Furthermore, extroverts might speak more than introverts. This dynamic may impede the development of an inclusive classroom environment. Using the Advanced Japanese course as a model, this session attempts to prove that incorporating asynchronous discussions into classrooms can provide all students equal opportunities to participate in discussions and express their thoughts and opinions, thereby creating an inclusive classroom environment. The session also discusses the importance of peer interactions in the form of comments during asynchronous discussions and evaluates different online tools for both oral and written discussions such as Canvas Discussions, VoiceThread, Flipgrid, and Padlet. It will be demonstrated that the aforementioned elements are essential for facilitating lively and inclusive asynchronous discussions.

Authors:
Kumiko Tsuji, Northeastern University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Kumiko Tsuji is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at Northeastern University in United States

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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