Backchannelling in the Language Classroom: Improving Student Attention and Retention with Feedback Technologies

Abstract

Backchanneling is a technique for monitoring student engagement and performance in the language classroom. In this article I give the pedagogical rationale for this activity and describe some examples of best practice. The article concludes with a number of practical recommendations on how to get started with the various tools that are available and how to best make use of their affordances with your students.

Keywords

• Motivation, assessment, monitoring, CALL