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5 min read

This week, we dive into the science of reading. And yes, this goes well beyond just language learning and applies to all subject areas and grades. For Tech Talk, we’re looking at how AI can help add subtitles to your live lessons. For Brainy Bits, we answer the debate of screens vs. books. You can expect to learn how:

• Students who dislike reading can benefit from subtitles

• An eclipse party 40 years in the making just happened

• The paper vs. screen debate is finally answered

Tech Talk

AI and otters - there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write

Question for you before we begin. Subtitles while watching Netflix - yes or no? Well, if you’re like half of all Americans, it’s a yes and it’s all about comprehension. It’s one thing to be able to hear or read a word, but it is a whole different world when both happen at the same time in a familiar context (such as the visual stimulus of watching your favorite show). Our tech tool this week uses AI to give our ELLs a chance to do just that - but for live lessons instead of the new season of Bridgerton. 

Enter Otter.ai. This innovative transcription tool allows users to transcribe spoken audio into text, but in scary real time. To achieve these near instant results, Otter.ai leverages AI to fill in any gaps, but the accuracy of this tool is insane. Now, we know what you’re thinking - where was this when you were in university - but we're here to make an argument that this tool may belong in your classroom instead, especially if you have ELLs.

Remember why so many adults watch their shows with subtitles on? That same level of comprehension may be missing with your English language learning students. Otter.ai can help you differentiate every lesson for them, all without any extra effort.

Not only can it instantly create text versions of all your verbal lessons, but it can also be used in group discussions. Imagine an ELL doing a literature circle with English speaking students. All discussion can be immediately transcribed so they have another way to comprehend what is being shared. It can even differentiate who is talking based on the voice. Students can also edit and format the transcription. This is useful not just for ELLs, but also for special education students. Many IEPs exist that call for speech-only submissions. A tool like this could allow for that student to submit a written version while still respecting their exceptionality. This saves you time, allows the student to not worry about feeling different, and all it took was a (potentially) free app.

 Okay, okay, you see a point but is it really worth your time? We got you. Here are 4 realistic ways to use Otter.ai in your lessons tomorrow.

• Transcribe: use Otter.ai to transcribe any verbal parts of your lesson, allowing ELLs to review and/or translate it at their own pace. 📝

• Language Practice: have ELLs transcribe their own spoken words in English, and have other ELLs edit it. This enforces self-regulation and editing abilities.🗣️

• Access: any video content used in class that may not have closed captions now can so all students have some text to follow along with.📺

• Note-taking: for our older ELLs in secondary school, where note-taking can be an important skill to foster, Otter.ai can provide a different avenue to this goal.📝

In case you were wondering, no, we’re not sponsored by Otter.ai nor do they know we exist. Which means we can openly say this - it’s a great tool, but there are some free alternatives out there if the price scares you away. There is a free version, and that nets you 300 minutes of transcription time per month - not bad if you have only one or two ELLs. Paid versions start at $10/month (USD) and bumps up the time limit to 1200 minutes, but also allows for teams (i.e. classrooms) to be created, meaning multiple students could use the same account. Depending on how many ELLs your school/department has, it could get very costly. 

Either way, we think it’s worth a shot. Comprehension is such a large part of language learning, and Otter.ai may be the missing tool your ELLs need to achieve it.

Surplus Scoop

Here’s our weekly roundup of interesting education stories from around the world. Click each link to learn more:

• Students score 100% on their midterms, but only because they don’t have a teacher. 

• Kids on their phones all day? 12-hour school days are here to help (no, seriously!).

• These students were promised an eclipse party back in 1978 - their teacher kept his word 4 decades later.

Brainy Bits

Screens vs. books - we finally (sort of) have an answer

Words are words, right? Well, according to this week’s study, not quite. When we read off our phones, we produce a very different level of brain activity than when we read from a book or sheet of paper. For this study, we’re going to stretch back to 2021 - but trust us, it’ll be worth the results. 

Furenes et al. (2021) are the authors of this week’s meta-analysis paper. Being a meta-analysis study, they reviewed 39 separate studies (whoa) on the topic before delivering their conclusion. Through these studies, they compared young learners’ comprehension of a story when the story was read via a physical book or via an ebook (i.e. off a screen). They also threw in the presence of a related dictionary and, most importantly, adding a teacher to the mix.

 So, to recap, we’ve got 4 categories of reading: 

1. Students reading a physical book by themselves 

2. Students reading an e-book by themselves 

3. Students reading both with the presence of a dictionary 

4. Students reading from either, BUT a teacher is there to help. 

Which category do you think scored the highest level of comprehension? Well, although there is a clear ‘winner’, it’s not as straightforward as you might think. When comparing paper vs. screens only, reading comprehension scores are clearly in favor of the physical book. But, when a teacher is thrown into the mix, the scores of both mediums rise dramatically. Okay, okay, but we’ve got two more results to throw in: 

• The surprise: enhanced ebooks (i.e. those that had interactive elements) when combined with a teacher to follow up yielded the best levels of comprehension by far. 

• The not-surprise: the presence of a dictionary did not impact comprehension, but it did improve vocabulary retention.

Let’s boil this down further. The researchers, using these studies, argue that this is not because of the medium itself - text vs. screen is not the real issue. Instead, these enhanced ebooks had the great result they did because of the guiding questions they provided. In other words, it’s not the medium of text that matters, it’s their level of interaction with it that makes the biggest difference. Fun fact, it’s not just an English-language stat either - the researchers found that this applies to multiple languages as well. 

Think of this like a children’s television show. The reason Dora the Explorer was so popular was that it was an ‘enhanced’ show. Viewers would not just follow along with a story but were given opportunities to interact with the material. Now imagine the results if those same children watching Dora also had a Spanish-speaking adult with them to correct and guide them along their adventure. 

Bringing this back to your classroom, don’t be afraid of the ebooks, but don’t be quick to burn all the paper either. The medium is not what should be your biggest concern. If you know your students struggle with distractions from other apps, then use the screen-versions less. If there is a shortage of the book you need or funding is not available, then make use of digital counterparts. What you should be focusing on instead is the context you build around it. Ask questions often, prod your students with guiding scenarios, and allow time to decompress and chat about what they’re reading with their peers (and with you!). In the game of comprehension, it’s not the medium that matters, it’s the context around it. 🍎

Tell your friends about us!

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References

This week’s issue adapts information from the following sources:

Tech Talk:

Otter.ai. (2024). Introducing Meeting GenAI. Retrieved from https://otter.ai/

Brainy Bits:

Furenes, M.I., Kucirkova, N., & Bus, A.G. (2021). A comparison of children’s reading on paper versus screen: a meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 91(4), 483-517. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654321998074