TALL Information

sister with headphones

What Is TALL (Technology Assisted Language Learning)?

TALL is “church-produced language-learning software” with matching print materials that provides missionaries opportunities for individualized language instruction and practice.

Note

Did you know that TALL software has the same vocabulary and phrases as the Missionary Vocabulary and Phrases book? They are designed to work together to help reinforce each other as you learn.

What Are the Unique Advantages Provided by TALL?

• Missionaries should feel stretched but not overwhelmed. An outside source like TALL can often push us more than we can ourselves. (See Preach My Gospel, 146.)

• Reviews and quizzes are administered systematically by the software—and it does not forget to review a topic, like humans do.

• Natural language and native speech models are used. Better than a live native, the software will repeat the same phrase thousands of times and never change and never get tired.

• TALL is shown to improve pronunciation better than any other activity at the MTC.

• Language is taught in missionary contexts, which will be more useful than a secular grammar book. TALL gives missionary terms, whereas a normal dictionary may give unsuitable synonyms for the word.

• TALL lets missionaries practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

What Are Some Effective Uses of TALL?

• Log on to TALL each day, including Sundays.

• Set goals and make plans to use TALL (e.g., 10 min—Review, 20 min—8 phrases, etc.).

• Repeat everything you read or hear in a normal voice. The lab should be a noisy place.

• Use the headset to compare your recorded voice to that of the native speaker.

• Don’t skip reviews.

• Learn phrases in addition to individual vocabulary words.

• Use all the features of TALL available in your language (phrases, grammar, listening, etc.).

• Study the vocabulary and grammar in TALL to prepare for class.

• Use the TALL print materials to continue to review what you learned with the software.

Tuesday, Week 4

TALL has become something different for me over the last few weeks. At first I saw it as something that was taking time away from preparing for our teaching appointments, but now I see how it can help me prepare for them. I have goals for the number of vocabulary and phrases I learn each week. Half of the words and phrases I choose to learn help me improve in general and the other half help with specific things I need for specific appointments with our progressing investigator. I set aside 10–15 minutes each day for reviews. Things are starting to stick. TALL really helps me to remember what I need to repractice. I am excited to be a missionary. I am grateful for this inspired tool.

What Types of Activities Are in TALL?

Here are a few examples of the types of activities found in TALL:

Vocabulary: Study flashcards, record and compare your pronunciation to a native speaker, test your vocabulary knowledge.

Phrases: Study flashcards, answer fill-in-the-blank questions, listen to native pronunciation.

Grammar (when available): Read an explanation, create sentences, translate passages, record and compare your pronunciation to that of a native speaker.

Listening (when available): Learn and practice listening strategies, engage in a virtual reality interaction with a native speaker, watch missionaries teaching an investigator, listen to investigator concerns and prepare to respond, test your listening comprehension.

Reading (when available): Learn the writing system, learn reading strategies, practice reading the scriptures, test your reading comprehension.

How Often Do Missionaries Use TALL?

Missionaries log in to TALL every day. They are formally scheduled to attend the TALL lab for one hour, five times a week; the classroom teacher is scheduled to attend one of these times.

How Do I Log in to TALL?

On any MTC computer, select the Windows® icon (Start button); select All Programs; select Missionary Resources; then select TALL VP and 4.0. Your username is the 9-digit number from your Missionary ID card, and the password is your birthday.

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How Do I Get Help or Report a Problem?

On any MTC computer, select the Windows® icon (Start button); select Chat with Service Desk, and if you need immediate help, click on the Live Chat link to contact the Service Desk, or Submit Ticket to report an error in the TALL program.

How Do I Use the On-Screen Keyboard in TALL?

To access the on-screen keyboard help, select the Windows® icon (Start button); select All Programs; select Missionary Resources; then select On-Screen Keyboard.

How Do I Switch the Keyboard Language?

To switch the keyboard language, click the Language bar icon on the taskbar in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, then select your language or use the hot key Left-Alt-Shift to switch between languages.

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