The role of WeQuests in learning a foreign/second language

     A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. These can be created using various programs, including a simple word processing document that includes links to websites.

     This program enables the students to discover by using computer and sources of knowledge available on the internet.This program is important because it gives students certain tasks and activities enable them to use sources of knowledge to solve problem also makes them learn some skills like: discovering, reasoning, inference, and circulation. Also, it can develop their creativity and creativity production. In addition, it enhances the spirit of collaborative and cooperative between students. Also, it enables the students to develop their critical thinking and deal with information in useful way. The teacher in this case should be act as a guide and facilitator the process to the students and students should be active participants. The class environment is something important especially when we're dealing with programs or website or any anything requires any source of technology. So we have to make sure that the classroom is provided with required equipment like: computers, or labtop, internet..ect

     If I am English teacher, I will use Web Quest with my students but I should keep in mind their level, policy of school, classroom environment and any other problems I may face.

Website Evaluation

We choose http://www.esl-lab.com/ which is owned by Randall Davis. He has B.A in Spanish education and master’s degree in TESL. He provided source on the left side of the site where both teachers and students can find information about the website as well as how to contact him. In the terms of use he made mentioned that his site is free to use online, but there are limitations on how the materials can and cannot be used unless one obtains a license. All materials at Randall's ESL are copyrighted (c) 1998 -2014 by Randall S. Davis and licensors, all rights reserved.

This website has two main purposes (1) self-access learning forstudents where they can do listening activities on their own to improve their listening skills. (2) Tips and materials for teachers. Here teachers can ask learners to do listening activities as a way to complement their classroom objectives. Information in this site has been presented in an organized manner with different learner levels so it is easy to find and easy to use and also the text is easy to read without any distraction. Even though the site design is not really attractive but it is appropriate for the intended audience.

The title of Esl-lab is appropriate to its purpose. The page loads easily and it is always available. Users do not need to pay or type in personal information before using the website. Randall put up links to additional information related to the topic. Tutorial videos and audios are available for first time users on how to get around the site. There is enough information and it is also current and accurate. Lastly, contents are easy to understand and the advertisements did not overshadow the content.

Suggestions: After our evaluation, we can say that esl-lab website is really educative and will be beneficial for learners to enhance their listening skills. However there is still room for improvement especially the design which is kind of boring and unattractive. The contents can be improved by adding more images to attract younger users.

Do teachers need to create web-based language activities for EFL students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Why and why not?

      

Nowadays the using of internet in language learning becomes an important thing. I think the teachers in the Kingdom have to create their own web-based language activities/quizzes/materials and other thing that related to the class. Because all of the students now can deal with internet and using computers to learn. It help the teachers save their works and materials and but extra exercises for the students . Also it help the students to understand and learning more.

Reflect on the live session we had with Peggy

            Last week we had a virtual class about How Does Arabic Influence the Pronunciation of English? with Ms. Peggy Tharpe. She is an American English consultant. It was for one hour and 15 students had attended the class with our teacher Dr.Hala. I had learned from virtual room that the world is very small and with click we can connect with others and do many things (globalization).

The advantages of using the virtual rooms that the students learning in new way in Learning English. Also, virtual room improves the listening skill for the students. The disadvantages of using virtual rooms in the language classrooms.  The important thing is the lake of internet connection. And maybe some student can’t understand quickly.

Finally, I think the idea of using virtual rooms in language learning is good idea and I’ll try to use it when I’ll be a teacher. Maybe this put some changes in classes. But I don’t think it will be consider in EFL classroom in education of Saudi Arabia.

Wordle in EDU 401

Normalisation of Bax in the Saudi Kingdom

Stephan Bax talked about changing of CALL from past to the future. What it has been? , where is it now and where is it going in the future?. Then he talked about normalization.

            

  

Normalization is the stage when the technology is invisible and even hard to recognize it. CALL has not reached that stage yet. In order to achieve normalization stage, computers should be used every day by language students and teacher as part of their lessons.

  In Saudi Arabia, we can see a lot of differences in learning. In the past,teacher use to teach the students the curriculum in traditional way. Now days, education system have been changed and the teacher became more aware in using technology although there are some teachers who have lack knowledge in how to use it. Teachers are starting use some equipment which can assist them in learning process in order to achieve and reach normalization.

“Challenges of creating web-based activites in Sally Morrison” Interactive lanaguge Learning on the Web”

The writer discuses some of advantages and challenges can any teachers face in creating Web-based language learning activities and what are the activities that can be used in these webs to teach language skills.

There are many challenges and difficulties that teacher may face while creating web-based activities:

·          Lack of technical skills among teachers.

·         Types of computers and browser which students us.

·         The problems that they faced in connection speed

·         The need to design wed page, because they don't know how to do it.

Teachers can teach all language skills through the web. The writer also discusses the types of activities that can be used with languages skills.

In our country, in school and universities we don’t have such a web-based language learning, we only deal with it a little bit in university for some courses not all. It's because of teachers' lack of skills in how to create these webs and how to use it.

CALL and Language Skill

     When we learn a language, there are four skills that we need for complete communication. Listen first, then to speak, then to read, and finally to write. These are called the four "language skills". We have a variety of web sites that can help us as a learner to learn the four skills. For me I like to use English Club when I was in prep level. This website cover all the language skill but now I'll suggest how to use it in learning grammar.

     If I am a teacher I'll perform my student after taking the class to enter the website then go to grammar link. After that I'll tell them to open here to review what we take in the chapter (Nouns & Proper Nouns). There is a complete explanation for nouns in the website. Finally, they have to solve the quiz.

     Here is the quiz:

1	Let's have lunch at McDonalds proper nouncommon noun.	Click for answerproper noun
2	There are 12 months proper nouncommon noun in a year.	Click for answercommon noun
3	My favourite movie is Greece proper nouncommon noun.	Click for answerproper noun
4	Lisa works as a programmer at Microsoft proper nouncommon noun.	Click for answerproper noun
5	I live in a small town proper nouncommon noun in England.	Click for answercommon noun
6	My cousin lives in the USAUSA.	Click for answerthe USA
7	I want to visit the AsiaAsia when I finish school.	Click for answerAsia
8	Call me when you arrive at hotelthe hotel.	Click for answerthe hotel
9	I have a check-up with the Dr. SmithDr. Smith on Friday.	Click for answerDr. Smith
10	We saw whales in Pacificthe Pacific Ocean.	Click for answerthe Pacific

     As a teacher I like to use CALL in teaching because all students now are digital natives. So, they can learn quickly and easily.

Social Networking Sites

What is your most important reason for using social networking sites?

My most important reason for using social networking sites is to communicate and find friends. I use it to post my diary and my pictures, of course not private ones. Also I use it for my courses in the college. And to be aware for any updates that related to my friends and celebrities because I like to Read their news and see the pictures.

Is it possible for you to use them in teaching EFL/ESL? Concrete examples, please.

Yes, it’s possible for me to use social networking sites. Nowadays most of the teachers use social networking site to teach EFL/ESL. For example one of social network site that we use now is Schoology. Our teacher can communicate to us easily even when we are in our home. She can share notes, ppt, documents, home works and put our grade there. Also there are a lot of applications in our phones use to teach like Edmodo and Slidshare.

Reflect about reading 1

Chapter 2: Technological Change and the Future of CALL

     This Chapter was written by Mark Warschauer from University of California at Irvine.  The shortening's word (CALL) is for Computer-Assisted Language Learning and its factors were discussed in this chapter in details. The author also discussed the relationship between all factors and the technology change to understand them.


          Technological determinism, this term refers to introduction of new technology can bring certain results.     
    

 Then, The author reviewed ten development  in Information and Communications Technology  in order as follows: from phone based to wireless, from dial-up internet connection to permanent direct connection, from using personal computer to the use of portable one, from narrowband to broadband internet speed, from expensive computers to affordable one and free internet in most places, from certain internet users in only developed countries to a worldwide users, from text-based to audiovisual form of information, from using English as online language to multilingual internet use, from non-native to native users of information, and finally the movement from the language laboratory to the classroom. Nowadays, computers and portable machines can be found in classrooms to use it in learning.


      Mark Warschauer studied five areas to find the effect of future development on English teaching. These areas as follows: new context, new literacies, new genres, new identities, and new pedagogies.


      Based on Kern & Warchauer, there are three stages of CALL as follows:


 1. Structural CALL (1970-1980), Mainframe technology.


 2. Communicative CALL (1980-1990), PCs technology.


 3. Integrative CALL (21st Century.), Multimedia Internet technology.


      Nowadays, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has start witnessed the ten developments in ICT in classroom. Also, the five areas (new context, new literacies, new genres, new identities, and new pedagogies) start to emerge in the field of education in Saudi Arabia. All these future development can effect on English teaching in Saudi Arabia and improving the teaching level for the teachers and students.

Terms to know

1- Educational Technology:

Educational technology is the study of facilitating learning and improving performance by using appropriate technological processes and resources.

2- Netiquette:

Netiquette is the network etiquette in using the online communication.

3- LMS:

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess a specific learning process.

 4- CALL:

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is succinctly defined in a seminal work by Levy (1997: p. 1) as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning"

 5- Blended learning:

Learning on line and face to face

 6- E-learning:

Learning via internet and networks by using e-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning and computer-based learning.

 7- D-learning:

D-Learning is a mode of delivering education and instruction, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a classroom         

Welcome

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