Sunday, April 14, 2013

The role of WebQuests in learning a foreign/second language



What is the WebQuests?

Bernie Dodge defines WebQuests as "an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing."



    WebQuests are engaged in the teaching and learning process with technology. It is more useful for the digital native or the students because is developing their critical thinking skills to encourage higher order thinking. 
 The feature of any effective WebQuest is make students exploring applying, analyzing and evaluating information by teacher facilitate.

The materials of the Webquest information have to relate to students' live and their level, it will be interesting topic for them. Cooperative and collaborative learning web quests activities among the class room to achieve the goals and interacting with members.  
Webquests is necessary digital tool to teach students TEFL/TESL to increase students' motivation by using technology far tradition way. 
        
     In Saudi Arabia the technology not available in all schools so as teacher I ask them to bring their tool that make them feel more comfortable and get privacy but they have to follows my rules to control students and manage the class room.  



Friday, April 12, 2013

Website Evaluation



A4ESL.ORG is a website for learning English language as a second language (ESL). There are many different languages such as:
(Arabic, French, Hebrew, Urdu and Korean…etc)- English language (Bilingual). That makes chance for learners to learn anther language easily.
The purpose of the website is to provide students' or users' skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) with quizzes, tests, exercise and puzzles. It was created by thousands of contributions by many teachers.


The A4ESL.ORG website is holding many different levels from easy to difficult for the learners. The topics of contents are related to real life and interest to making help popular and useful.  The sound of videos is very clear. The fonts are consistent, easy to read and point size varies appropriately for headings and text. Ever each level contains a lot of and idioms vocabulary. There are no errors or mistakes in spelling, punctuation or grammar. The hyperlinks opened in other page like: two pages (page for reading and page for listening) for one topic.


 The images that used in this website are very old and colorless. Also students can only use this site to measure themselves but they can't learn from it because the website is test the learners' skills more than teach them. The information of A4ESL.ORG website is not dynamic.   

After evaluated as group we suggest:
*The website A4ESL.ORG has to be more useful for the learners.
*Website give feedback
*Website can connect with any social network to share and discus.  
*The users can create account.
*Add the dictionary.
*Website make the users move step by step not randomly.
*Website contains units, exercises and quizzes.
*Help special needs.
*Make levels for the gift students.
*Website show the user his\her level and score  
   *Produce application for this web to be more useful in any digital tools.

Written By : Abeer & Manar

    

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Interactive Language Learning on the Web






        There a lot source of information available on the internet as source of teaching and learning, also it very rich tool for teacher's to help them find material and ideas for their  teaching plan. A good example will be language teaching and learning the world wide web is filled with website can help the teachers to create tier own exercises based on the need of their students.



There  three reason behind creating your own interactive language learning actives for the web they are:

1-   Accessibility: it will be available for the student any time or place there are at, Also they can have quick way getting to their new assignments.
2-   Renewability: it can be easily updated.
3-   Adaptability: it can be changed on the base of the students needs and their level of their studies.




Challenges in Creating Web-Based Activities:
1-   The teacher has to have a basic knowledge of HTML.
2-   To have the compatible kind of computer, browser and internet connection.
3-   The teacher must keep in mind while designing the needs and capabilities of the students specially those who have special need.

What Can You Teach on the Web?

It can used in different ways and activities
1-   Reading and writing skills with discussion boards and web blogs. discussion boards it can be used by the teacher so he or she can ask questions or subject about the lessons . the message are organized by threads or subjects, the students and the teacher can reply either to the questions or the replies, also they can create new threads.
Blogs it can be used by the student by creating their own blog so it can be used to write assignments and discussion.
  
2-   Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises With JavaScript: student can learn new vocabulary through games and exercise, online form can be used for quizzed and vocabulary & grammar exercises, it can be used by CGI script or java script, Liliane Fucaloro at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is one of many teacher who used java script for her beginning French courses, also David Kenosian created a vocabulary matching exercise for German language, some of the familiarity in the design between java and CGI, Alter boxes that inform the user about errors, you can learn how to use java scripts through JavaScript forum.

 3-   Listening Comprehension and Pronunciation Practice With RealAudio it can be used to listening while filling the blinks in the exercises, listing while solving by multiple choices  questions, audio is formed by using real audio and JavaScript, audio clips and the newest technology audio streaming are form in using in java script.



      Online Assessment With HTML Forms and CGI Script
Interactivity JavaScript is strict in using, it can be used to test the students online and after it the email the answers after it the teacher can grade the exams and send back the grads.Types of assessment tolls is John’s ESL/EFL Resources, the students can take the test on the web and then send it via email.

*CGI (Common Gateway Interface) is method used process input from HTML forms.