TECHNOLOGY

Unlocking the
potential of SAMR
Flora Floris and Willy Renandya present some ideas on using the SAMR model
for transforming speaking and writing tasks.

erhaps the most common reason for Nancy Rhodes are all of the opinion that

P learning a language is to be able to

communicate with others in that
language – or, in other words, to speak
and write in the target language. Yet
these two skills often present the biggest hurdles
for L2 learners. Magdalena Aleksandrzak points
out that ‘achieving proficiency in foreign language
technological resources may help teachers provide
a positive environment that will decrease anxiety
levels and be perceived as less threatening to the
learners. Choosing the right digital tools and the
appropriate teaching strategies can have a
profound effect on shaping the students’ language
skills in myriad ways and can make classroom
speaking in classroom conditions is not an easy tasks fun and inspiring.
task’; and, according to Marion Tillema, writing is
also ‘one of the most complex skills to be mastered’.
Learning to speak and write in English, therefore,
may cause feelings of fear and frustration, and The SAMR model describes the path
bring about a decrease in motivation. by which technology can be
One of the many possible ways to address this
problem could be by incorporating digital tools systematically embedded in
into the language classroom. Melanie Dunn teachers’ instructional practices
reports that David Crookall and Rebecca Oxford,
Andrew Ravenscroft, and Ingrid Pufahl and

The activities presented in this article are

Redefinition based on the principle of the SAMR
Transformation

(Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and

Tech allows for the creation of new
Redefinition) model, as proposed by Ruben
tasks, previously inconceivable
Puentedura. The SAMR model itself is often used
to help teachers infuse technology into their
Modification teaching, as the model describes the path by
which technology can be systematically embedded
Tech allows for significant in teachers’ instructional practices.
task redesign
We are going to focus primarily on the
Transformation stage, covering the Modification and
Redefinition levels. We assume that the target
Augmentation students are already familiar with some of the tools
Enhancement

Tech acts as a direct tool substitute, that are frequently used in the Enhancement stage,
with functional improvement such as spelling and grammar checkers, online
dictionaries and thesauri, or Microsoft Office; and
also that the target students are ready for tasks
Substitution which require more sophisticated use of technology.
Tech acts as a direct tool substitute, It is important to note that the Modification
with no functional change level is where task components are redesigned
with significant changes, and are used more
effectively to produce a richer outcome that will
Dr Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model for technology integration transform the students’ learning. The Redefinition

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TECHNOLOGY
level is where technology allows the teacher to
replace old tasks with new tasks that were
previously not possible. Redefinition might
represent the most adventurous and exciting way
for students to demonstrate their learning
through the use of technology.
Suggested activities
Here are four examples of speaking and writing
tasks designed for the Transformation stage. These
activities are intended for different types of learners,
to showcase how technological innovations can be
integrated in any English language classroom.
Example 1
Original task: The teacher asks beginner-level
business English students to present a topic which
is related to their working experience.
Modification: Each student has to choose two
reading texts describing two of the following three
topics: 1) a piece of office equipment, 2) a daily
professional activity, 3) a job description. All the
texts come from their coursebook or are provided
by the teacher. The students are asked to practise
reading the texts aloud several times, record
themselves reading them, listen to their recordings,
and share the recordings with their teacher and
classmates. In doing these activities, the students
are asked to use free text-to-speech tools such as
NaturalReader or Text2Speech, audio recorder
and Google Drive.
Redefinition: This time, each student is asked to
write a 50- to 100-word text to describe two of the
following: 1) a piece of office equipment which is
essential to the daily operations of their office,
56 Issue 120 • January 2019
2) their office’s annual or routine plan or activity,
3) a memorable office assignment. The completed
task is then shared using Google Docs so that other
students can provide feedback and comments. In
addition to the writing task, the students are also
asked to prepare a picture or illustration that will
support their descriptive text. When they are ready
with their descriptive text and picture, they are
asked to practise reading the text aloud, using free
text-to-speech tools. Next, they are asked to use
the Clarisketch application to create a short video
in which they will upload their picture and record
their reading. The link to the video will then be
shared for public view via a class website.
Example 2
Original task: The teacher asks a class of
university students to write a 1,000- to 3,000-
word essay on one of the following topics: 1)
Computer and mobile technology will (or will
not) replace teachers, 2) Computer and mobile
technology hinders (or adds to) creativity and
imagination.
Modification: The students are asked to create a
brief report that includes video interviews with
some classroom teachers on one of the
aforementioned topics. The students work in groups
and use Google Docs to compose their report
collaboratively in real time. Then each group uses
Google Classroom to post their work, receive peer
feedback and improve their report.
Redefinition: Each group is asked to choose another
group’s report and to create an animated video
using PowToon or Animaker, based on the selected
report. The video aims to support the opinions of
the report writers. Each group that creates the
supporting video should consult with the students
who wrote the report, showing their script to these
students and to the teacher. The reviews or
discussions are conducted online through Google
Docs. The videos are then uploaded on the class
YouTube channel for viewer comments.
Example 3
Original task: The students are asked to present an
overview of a museum in their city/town and to
explain how the director keeps the museum running
smoothly. The students may supplement their oral
presentation with compiled cut-and-pasted magazine
or newspaper clippings.
Modification: The students work in groups and
choose a museum to observe. They take photos
and make video recordings at the location. They
also need to interview the museum director to find
out how the museum is run, including information
on the museum’s programmes, achievements,
strategic plans, etc. The students then use the
information they have gathered to make a class
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 TECHNOLOGY

presentation. They are asked to combine text,

audio and video in their presentations and share
the files via Google Drive. The ‘Comment’ features
are used to give peer feedback.
Redefinition: Working in groups, the students use
Skype in the Classroom to meet live with two
museum directors from two different areas, in
order to find out how they manage the museums.
Each group then creates a digital documentary
video, focusing on how these two museums try
to keep going and what museums in their own
country or area could learn from them. The
presentation is uploaded onto YouTube and
allows viewers to comment.
Example 4
Original task: The teacher asks the students to
write a 1,000- to 2,000-word review of a movie.
They can choose their movie from a list provided
by the teacher.
Modification: The students work in groups to
watch their chosen movie and prepare a 1,000- to
2,000-word review of it. The review is created by
using e-book tools such as Book Creator. The
Aleksandrzak, M ‘Problems and challenges in teaching
students are also asked to supplement their written and learning speaking at advanced level’
text with movie clips and images that will support Glottodidactica 37 2011
their opinions. When the students click the Dunn, M G ‘The effect of Voice Thread® integration on
‘Publish’ key, they will get a unique link (URL) to high school students’ anxiety and oral proficiency in
their e-book, which will enable people with the the foreign language classroom’ Doctoral dissertation
Liberty University (http://goo.gl/r3iFYY) 2012
shared link to access it. The students are then
required to share the link with their classmates and Puentedura, R ‘SAMR and TPCK: An introduction’
(www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/2013/03/28/
teacher, in order to get feedback. Book Creator SAMRandTPCK_AnIntroduction.pdf) 2013
enables online revision, so everybody can see any Tillema, M ‘Writing in first and second language:
changes that are made immediately. empirical studies on text quality and writing processes’
Redefinition: When the students have finished LOT Dissertation Series 2012
their revisions, they are asked to export and
upload their e-book as a YouTube video. They are Flora Debora Floris is a
also asked to embed their YouTube video in a lecturer at Petra Christian
Google Form and create a short quiz or a feedback University, Indonesia, where she
form relating to it. The link can be shared via a teaches general and business
English and language teaching
classroom website or Google Classroom. This is a methodology courses. Some of
way to confirm that the uploaded video has been her published papers are
viewed, and to find out whether the audience is available for download at
satisfied or not with the review. http://petra.academia.edu/
FloraDebora.

t t t
Willy Ardian Renandya is an
experienced language teacher
We hope that the above examples can help spark educator, currently teaching at
some ideas. Our suggested activities can easily be the National Institute of
Education, Nanyang
adapted for use with other text genres and might be
Technological University,
incorporated into just about any lesson plan. Singapore. He maintains an
Hopefully, these activities will serve as a reminder active language teacher
that technological innovations, used in meaningful professional development forum
and creative ways, can really be integrated in any called Teacher Voices: www.
facebook.com/groups/
English language classroom, enabling us to teachervoices/.
transform the way that our students perceive and
debora@petra.ac.id
experience the learning process. ■

www.etprofessional.com Issue 120 • January 2019 57

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