” The role of WeQuests in learning a foreign/second language?”

  Example of Webquests : http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=133833
Let’s Party

 The role of the students:

·         In this tasks, students are requested to brainstorm many different ideas about their friend’s birthday. Each student is to give a list of the possible ways for holding the party. Students are to work individually and in groups.

·         Each student will work alone to write her list in which she lists the suggested place, time, people who will be invited, and the other preparations for their friend’s party.

·         Students in a group will share and comment on their lists in order to reach a unified list for the birthday preparations.

·         Students will read and write what they have written

·         Students in the group will discuss what have been written and talk about the due preparations that are agreed by all students.

·         After brainstorming, each student will write a report about the part in terms of what happened, what she made, and what she learned from the task.

The role of the teacher:

The teacher will be responsible for organizing the class in groups and tell the students what is required from them. Also, the teacher will be the assessor who will check the students’ answers to each question.

In this task, the teacher has some other important roles:

* Motivator          

One of our principal roles in this task will be to motivate the students, create the right conditions for the generation of ideas, persuade them of the usefulness of activity, and encourage them to make as much effort as possible for maximum benefit.

*  Resource

The teacher gives students the vocabulary related to the party. The teacher supplies information and language and be prepared to look at students’ work as it progresses. He also offers advice and suggestions in a constructive and tactful way.

*    Feedback Provider

        The teacher will respond positively and encouragingly to the content of what the students have written. When offering correction, teachers chooses what and how much to focus on what students need at this stage and on the tasks they have undertaken.

Classroom Environment:

1.    Materially, the classroom should be equipped by the blackboard, paper notes, pictures, and pencils.

2.    Also, attention should be given to all students in the class and for active participation for all students.

3.    An encouraging classroom environment should be provided and each student should be praised for contribution.

4.    An anxiety-free class should be provided so that students do not fear to make mistakes and contribute effectively.

5.    Audio and visual aids such as pictures about things in parties, audio recordings  about birthdays should be in place to fit all students’ learning styles.

                                                                                             

“Evaluating http://www.eduplace.com/tales/ Website”

Website Evaluation

Name of the student: Nouf – Lena

Software/Website Title: Commercial site

Website URL: http://www.eduplace.com/tales/

              As the use of technology nowadays is increasing day by day, we can clearly see that is being entered also in almost every section and aspects of our lives, and this includes the education field where the technology has made a very big change. Students now can easily develop and improve their education through using the technology and the websites which are specialize in education with its different fields and levels. One of those websites is http://www.eduplace.com/tales .

            This website is a commercial website that aims to practice the students reading and listing also as the tales are geared for grades 3 and above. It contains a large number of an interesting and enjoyable tales that helps the child to turn the learning to an entertaining process rather than just a boring learning process. Also, as there is a chance to let the child have his own version of the tale by choosing the names, cities, towns, verbs and nouns, It'll increase the child's motivation and create an enjoyable atmosphere.

           This website is a branch of the official website of the Education Place of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company. It has been noticed that the website is not updated and there is no date information. It can contact to the authors but no reference list.

            Also for the background, layout, navigation, and the links, The design of the website isn't attractive to attract the child's eyes. The home page has a little colorful picture, but other pages have no graphic picture or animation. The font style and size are good and easy to read and appropriate for heading and text. Also, the tales links are easy to open and it doesn't take a long time to open. There is no search section and no advertisement at all. In addition, it can use and move around the site easily, free to use with no login requirement and well structured and organized website.

     The website is good, but need some improvements. For example, adding an option for printing out, images and animations, feedback, Sound to improve listening skills, search section and update the tales.

Morrison’s Interactive Language Learning on the Web

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

      Teachers in the Saudi context need to create web-based activities. The Saudi students have become good users of the interent and technological applications. The development or educational trends had made the Internet an integral part of the current lanaguage classroom.

     Web-based applications and resources have enriched the teaching domain with many rich insights. Internet has introduced many applications whether face to face or online that can be used in the classroom. Educators can benefit from Internet in many ways whether through translation, searching, internet documents, internet groups, internet news, etc.

    Internet provides the facility of custom search. It is tailored to get the specific websites that one needs. Students can work cooperatively to write a document. Internet groups online service allows group members to have a shared discussion and interact together. It can be used in online courses. students can exchange ideas and debates. Teachers can make online materials available to students.

      It is clear that Internet is a comprehensive tool in language teaching. It offers all the services that teachers and students need in terms of the material, the means of communication, the required resources, the proper learning setting, and the relevant classroom activities.

       Web-based activities in EFL domain have always been a reliable source of authentic language learning. With internet-based applications, students, for example, can practice writing whether synchronously (e.g. chatting, instant messaging, and, live discussion boards) or asynchronously (e.g. emails and blogs). In pedagogical environments, using Internet applications effectively helps in sharing knowledge beyond the classroom setting.

    However, the most important point in using technology in EFL classes is the ability of the teacher to integrate the applications into the class and how he can engage students to benefit from this technology. Teachers should be aware to how to make this integration and how to motivate students to be active users of technology.

       On the other hand,  there are many challenges in the Saudi context that mat prevent the teachers from using web-based activities and quizzes.  Students are still regarding technology as a matter of luxuary and not as something integral to the course. Technology should be used as part of the course and students should be evaluated as per their technological knowledge.

Reflect on the live session we had with Peggy

        The presentation is about how Arabic language affects pronunciation of English. English and Arabic have different phonological systems. Also, English and Arabic have different sytems of consonants and vowels. Furthermore, English and Arabic are different in terms of the stress patterns.

     On the other hand, the presentation shows that Arabic speakers usually face the problem of phonological interference as their L1 affects their pronunciation of L2 sounds. For example,  L1 speakers do not differentiate between /p/ and /b/ in L2 as this distinction is not available in their L1. This difference makes students have problems in L2 sounds pronunciation.

      The presentation was introduced on 24 February 2014 by Peggy Tharpe, M.A. TESOL, Monterey Institute of International Studies in the attendence of  Professor Hala Fawzi's CALL class at Yanbu University College, Saudi Arabia.

Advantages of Virtual Classes

1)    Students can develop their langauge and enhance their thinking skills

2)    The teacher is available when help is needed like the classroom.

3)    Virtual classes can be reached anytime of the day by the student.

4)    The teacher can create his own virual classroom

5)    Students can learn and communicate through the internet

6)    Students need to move to the real class to learn

Disadvantages of Virtual Classrooms

1)    Resources must be availabe in order to have virtual classrooms

2)    Lack of motivation to use such type of learning by the students

3)    Not all students have a computer at home.

4)    Some teachers do not have the technical skills to implement the virtual classrooms.

      I will use virtual classrooms in my context. virtual classrooms have been used extensively in many EFL context. Students have become more oriented towards the internet and mobile applications than before. I have made many activities through Skype with my students in the class. We had a conversion about a topic in their course. All other were motivated and enthusiastic to participate. However, there many things that may hinder me from using virtual classes. In my school, I do not have a computerized lab and I do not have a technology department to help me design the virual classes. Also, the design of virtual classes needs much time and I have a busy teaching schedule. Furthermore, there are some parents who think that this is a matter of luxury and play and evaluate this negatively. Overall, I can use it in some cases when possible.