Pelican Active Learning System is a language learning method developed by the language school Pelican. It is based on the experience with the on-line system of education and development of audio-visual material during international projects. The method fosters and promotes activity, creativity and independence of students. It speeds up Language Acquisition, i.e. the process of learning and using lexical and grammatical forms intuitively thanks to Language Immersion and Communicative Language Teaching. Computer Assisted Language Learning, i.e. audio-visual technology and multimedia, is used for Language Immersion and students’ exposure to a target language in a correct and authentic form.
Pelican Active Learning System was formed during the international research projects Don’t Give Up, Web2Learn, aPLaNet, VIDEOforALL a Pools3 targeted at the development of methodology in language education in 2009. The risks which are related to language education were identified and suitable solutions in the field of adult education were found within the projects. The Pelican Active Learning System methodology has been actively used in the company education since 2013.
Adult students do not have any direct financial motivation, courses are usually taught on the premises of a workplace and the employees often leave the courses because of work, the attendance is often compulsory and it is not a personal choice of the students, the language level of the employees is usually too varied.
To avoid irregular attendance of the employees the lector of the language course emphasises the importance of language competence to maintain a job with relation to professional growth. During the lessons, the lector keeps attendance sheet and an overview of what the employees have learned. The attendance is monitored in monitoring sheets; the lector keeps track of the date of the lesson, names of the students, names of the missing students and what the students have learned.
Before the start of the language course a specialist of the language school will determine the plan of sanctions, for example, if a student has 50% of absence or fails the final exam, he will pay for 50% of the course.
Unsatisfactory reasons for making an effort to study language, courses are usually before or after working hours, which extends a working day, increases tiredness and limits the employees’ time for their family.
The language school specialist tests all employees before the start of the language courses in the form of an interview, which will determine the language level of the employees. The employees are then divided into groups and an objective of the course is determined for every course group. The employees are introduced to the rules for passing the final exam specified by the employer.
The lector together with the employer determines achievable objectives, which can be fulfilled during the courses. The lector tests the employees every 6 months during the language courses and analyses the written evaluation of every employee. Questionnaires are used to increase quality of the courses, they are then analysed and sent to the employer with a proposal on how to proceed with regards to the feedback. Suitable time is chosen to increase and maintain the motivation of the employees.
Insufficient explanation of homework, inability to concentrate on the explanation, time-consuming combination of courses and work, inability to understand taught subjects leading to inability to finish homework.
The language school lector will introduce the employees to the methods, which will help them give a structure and time-table for home preparation and studying. It is important the employees are not overwhelmed with information and sources. The lector gives homework in accordance with the used textbook and offers a limited number of secondary sources so the students’ preparation for the courses would be as effective as possible. The secondary sources help with practice of the taught subject and offer a different manner of explanation.
The lector starts a group on Facebook and Skype; the employees have the option of consultation with the lector. The lector applies the methods of the European project VIDEOforALL, which uses the benefits of video in language education. The lector gives homework with video tutorials regularly, which explain the approaches towards finishing the homework. These video tutorials are also used during so called project homework, a small group of students work on a project, which will help them develop their communication skills in a given language.
Time-consuming combination of the courses and work, inability to understand taught subject, insufficient knowledge of the methods of self-study.
Based on the initial diagnostics of the employees the lector introduces them to the methods of self-study and home preparation. Video and audio material is used to improve conversational skills and phraseology. The lector starts online groups, where he regularly puts videos and information on how to self-study. The lector provides help on how to self-study with regards to the proven methods of the European international projects DGU – Don’t Give Up, a project focusing on self-study methodology in adult education, and Pools3 – Producing Open Online Learning Systems, a project aimed at implementation of language self-study with the help of a computer and digital technology.
The students are tested regularly, their progress is then analysed and the taught subjects are modified according to their needs. The language school provides the employees with regular questionnaires to adjust the courses according to the requirements of a given group.
The next step is to use the information from the European project Web2Learn – Use of Web 2.0 in Education, which focuses on creating communication and information technologies for self-education and language education. The course participants are introduced to the tools which will provide the option of immediate use of newly gained knowledge. Such tools are for example the HelloTalk application – students will simply contact native speakers, who communicate with the students in order to improve their conversational skills. There is also the use of social networks aPLaNet – they offer international communication in English, German, Spanish and many other languages.
The use of such networks in language education is available thanks to the European project aPLaNet, which was partially developed by the language school PELICAN and its main idea was to help students in self-study of languages.
The language school lectors use the concept of gamification. It deals with the application of the elements of game design and game principles in the context of language education. The reason for the use of the concept is simple; the application of game structures fosters the students’ motivation, productivity and learning. The methods of gamification are based on the needs of the students to reach visible results, success, communication, competition and the need to express oneself. The system of gamification is based on positive motivation; it uses rewards for those who reach desired results or win a competition among students.
