The Flip-Side of Academic English (AE)

Abstract

While we reported positive changes in class atmosphere in “Flipping Out in Japan” at iA2017 in Iasi, Romania, questions regarding empirical evidence of language improvement were lacking. Also, the control and experimental groups were not adequately demarcated. Our evaluations were subjective and impressionistic. With the addition of a third partner who advised a final testing protocol, we hope to address both of these criticisms with replicable test results. In this article, we re-examine our premises and the goals of our research. The “flipped classroom,” or experiential learning, is all about context, and because both control and experimental groups did well last year in the class with a decidedly improved atmosphere, we decided this year to maintain the “flipped” format for both groups. With the enhancements of a senior student “mentor” and visitors to the experimental group, and two native English speakers teaching the control group, we are relying on a series of quizzes structured on the relevant material in each module of the class, with the final exam based on those quizzes, to provide robust empirical data which will convince peers of the approach’s utility.