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 Ratings
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| Reviewed: |
Feb 26, 2005 by World Languages Editorial Board |
| Overview: |
The Ashcombe Video Resources present a series of short audio/video clips that
teach common vocabulary, basic sentence structures and provide listening
practice. The site provides modules comprised of a video/audio presentation by a
native speaker of Spanish, a written script of the presentation, and a short
dictation quiz in which students fill in the blank with missing words as spoken
in the presentation. The topics of the learning modules include Self, Family
and Friends, Leisure/Entertainment, Local Environment, Education, Health and
Healthy Living, and Work, Career and Plans. Modules under construction but not
yet available include Home and Home Life, Travel and Transport, Holidays and
Tourism, Food and Drink, Shopping and Services, and Issues.
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| Learning Goals: |
The major learning goals are to expose students to the speech of native
Spanish speakers, to improve listening comprehension, be able to
correlate spoken and written Spanish, and acquire key vocabulary terms
associated with common topics.
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| Target Student Population: |
This site is best suited for high school and college students in introductory
and intermediate levels,
who may need additional practice and review.
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| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
Previous knowledge of basic Spanish and vocabulary is required.
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| Type of Material: |
Tutorial/resource; Video
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| Recommended Uses: |
This material may be used for additional listening comprehension to practice and
review everyday topics in Spanish. It is most useful as an additional resource
to classroom lessons. Students could complete the activities on their own or an
instructor in a classroom equipped with a computer, Internet access, and an LCD
projector could use these in class for group practice or as a listening
comprehension quiz.
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| Technical Requirements: |
The materials can be accessed using Windows Media Player and work best with IE
6+ or Netscape 6.2+.
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| Strengths: |
The chosen topics present interesting topics likely related to books used for
Spanish classes at secondary and college levels, e.g., food, shopping, health.
The user has access to a written script of the presentation, and the ability to
play and pause the video as many times as needed.
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| Concerns: |
There is primarily only one speaker, lacking a variety of gender, age, and
accent. The speaker speaks primarily in the first person although the second
person, tú and third persons are present. The one-way conversation lacks a more
natural text where two speakers interact in a dialogue. e.g., an interview. An
authentic cultural context is not evident since the topics of daily living,
e.g., school life, revolve around life in the UK, and not in an authentic
Hispanic setting.
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
Rating:    |
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| Strengths: |
The topics included are general and simple, and provide a good review of basic
vocabulary and sentence structures and give aural and reading practice. This is
an excellent source for exposing students to native speakers, and becoming used
to hearing the target language spoken naturally through the use of authentic
texts. One reviewer writes:
"One of my first semester students said that she had to listen and watch the
video"about 50 times to get the words down", but that "it is good to hear a
native speak Spanish." Another first semester student said she enjoyed it
because "it's written in Spanish and English, so you know what he is saying and
how most words are said in Spanish." The beauty of this site is that a student
can listen and watch as many times as needed and has the script for help if
necessary."
The fill-in quiz and "hint" provision is helpful in giving instant feedback and
reinforcing the lesson. The presentations can be used as a point of departure
for reviewing the module topics. They also give students the opportunity to
learn to match speaking and writing as well as additional listening
comprehension practice that they can do at their own pace. The availability of
the written script adds another avenue for learning,
and is very helpful for
students that need to get accustomed to hearing Spanish spoken more rapidly than
they want to hear it, or needing to see the text of what they have heard if
they have auditory-processing problems. The tutorial element of being able to
listen and watch as many times as needed, helps students develop listening
comprehension at their own pace.
The provision of English transcriptions for each Spanish audio and written text
accommodates those programs that rely on traditional grammar-translation
approaches.
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| Concerns: |
As mentioned above, since an authentic cultural context is not evident, the site
does not lend itself for teaching either the Big C or Little C of culture.
The listening comprehension exercises are limited to fill in the blank.
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
| Rating: |
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| Strengths: |
The site is very user-friendly, easy to navigate. All links work well, the clips
play with ease, texts are clear. the site loaded quickly, well-organized, and
is easy to follow. The site provides for a variety of windows to see the accent
hints for writing, the transcripts, and quizzes.
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| Concerns: |
Beginning students will need to become acquainted with using the diacritical
marks in writing, e.g., accents. Initially, until students become efficient in
using the correct keystrokes, they may struggle to keep up with the audio when
completing the written tasks, e.g., fill-in blanks.
The site does not seem compatible when using a Macintosh Power G4 computer.
When the module window opens, the video plays, but neither the quiz nor the
menu choices appear.
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| Other Issues and Comments: |
The use of video with a "talking head" may not necessariy justify a need for
employing a video clip, when an audio clip can accomplish the same goal. User
may have difficulty discerning speakers if the technical requirements
needed for audio are not updated. Also,
pages work best with IE 6+ or Netscape
6.2+.
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