The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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thelinguist.uberflip.com APRIL/MAY 2017 The Linguist 19 FEATURES Pacca creates a simple narrative through which the child experiences various cultures, including an introduction to languages. Pacca takes user interaction to another level, with games supported by in-app storylines and YouTube videos, based on the core principles of repeating words with visual prompts, and inciting the viewer to repeat and practise. What specialists like Therese and Helen can do for such products is push the language content to a challenging level that is still appropriate for the age group, and works for the format. Once finalised, the scripts have to be recorded. I attended the French recording sessions for both The Lingo Show and Pacca Alpaca. The child actors were amazing, but could struggle to hold their focus and consistency, especially if we needed to re-record words (sometimes many times over). In addition, strict rules govern how long children can work without a break – the pressure was always on! Because The Lingo Show was aimed at very young English-speaking children, we needed the English characters – including Lingo himself – to provide good examples of spoken language for viewers to copy but at the same time not to sound 'too French'. I felt it was particularly important to avoid diphthongs, for instance, and to pay attention to nasals and French (not Italian!) 'r's. For apps such as Pacca Alpaca it is even more important to listen to the sound files as they are more likely to be heard in succession or in isolation (e.g. when the user presses an icon to hear the sound). I found that sound engineers were prone to cutting some words short (such as the final Ә (schwa) in French). Comprehension and continuity Pacca is a good example of a modern multi- modal product which stimulates early years learning across a range of skills. Language is not the only component, but it is essential, and therefore has to be accurate, accessible – and fun. Multimedia courses for older learners have a much longer pedigree. I was lucky enough to assist Anny King of the University of Cambridge in her work leading a new English-language course for STAR India – a channel with a global audience of 650 million every month. Anny has a long history of developing multi-platform language learning courses for adults, first at Thames TV, then at the BBC, eventually developing a blended learning methodology for Cambridge University. Aimed at 18- to 27-year-old Hindi speakers who need English to improve their employability, Star English is graded both in terms of content and language presentation. It has a functional approach, showing both key language (e.g. for job interviews) and grammar that arises from the key language. Its 'spiral' structure is made up of blocks of daily programmes, which run as a story: each block comprises two learning programmes followed by a revision programme, then two more learning programmes followed by another revision programme, then a final revision gameshow to cap the week. It covers three levels aligned to A1/A2 (beginner), A2/B1 (elementary) and B1/B2 (intermediate). We negotiated the scripts with the production team in Mumbai. For each script, we mapped key functions and grammar points, and built comprehensive vocabulary lists. Continuity was a challenge: keeping track of who's who in the storyline and what happens when. As scripts were amended, sometimes a storyline would change – with a domino effect across the programmes. It was also necessary to take Indian English into account. "Having words and expressions that did not exist in English-English was not a problem," says Anny. "However, having sentences that mirrored the Hindi structure was not permitted as this made for awkward and at times incomprehensible English." Indian-English words and expressions were included if they met four sets of criteria: appropriacy, familiarity, fluency and accuracy. Once again, the key is for the consultant to adapt to the medium. "What I have learnt in my long career as a teacher, a course writer, TV consultant/co-producer and online multimedia developer is that one has to write for the medium being used. One does not write a book in the same way one writes for online or for television," says Anny. The take-home message is that creating an attractive product for a non-specialist, mainstream audience is as much a commercial media proposition as it is a pedagogical and linguistic one. It has to be excellent on both levels. Do this well and it's mission accomplished! PUTTING ON A SHOW Pacca Alpaca (above); and (right) Marc Silk, who voiced The Lingo Show