Cloze Information Gap Tasks with Print-Based Digital Content Interfaces

This paper reports on the use of digitally-enhanced print-based interfaces to support both individual and social information gap tasks. The interactive social nature of language learning can be supported through social scaffolding designed into instruction. Our current work focuses on a well-established information gap task referred to as cloze (L. Steinman, 2002) used under three conditions: individual, dyadic, and whole class. This project investigates enhancing cloze with a patented cluster pattern interface (CLUSPf) (K. Kamen and S. Kimura, 2006). CLUSPI allows digitally encoded information to be embedded in a layer of clustered graphical objects on printed documents and permits paper materials to link with language tools through a point-and-click interface.