WWW LESSON PLAN

WWW LESSON PLAN

FORM: Form 2

LEVEL: Intermediate

TIME: 2 periods (1 hour and 20 minutes)

AIMS: To develop students' writing skill and awareness in term of computer usage and Internet.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: A computer equipped with Microsoft Words and Internet connection for each pair of students.

PREPARATION:
1. Trace a suitable site about birth date and personality.
2. Check the suitability of the website to be used for the lesson plan.
3. Prepare the worksheets based on the information from the website.

WEBSITE: http://bumthebee.tripod.com/bdaypersonalities.htm

PROCEDURE:

SET INDUCTION
(10 minutes)

1. Teacher brings the students to the computer lab.
2. Teacher asks the students to sit in pair for each computer.
3. Teacher asks the students to start the web browsing.
4. Teacher writes the website address on the whiteboard.
5. Teacher instructs the students to go to the website of http://bumthebee.tripod.com/bdaypersonalities.htm.
6. Teacher displays the web page at the front of the class.
7. Teacher browses the website together with the students.
8. Teacher explains about the website with the students.
9. Teacher asks the students to open up the electronic worksheets entitle "Activity 1" and "Activity 2" provided for each computer.

ACTIVITY 1
(30 minutes)

10. Teacher asks the students to identify their birth date and type it up in the box provided.
11. Teacher asks the students to exchange their worksheet with their pair.
12. Teacher instructs the students to identify the colour based on the pair's birth date and type it up in the box provided.
13. Teacher instructs the students to identify the description based on the colour.
14. Teacher demonstrates to the students on how to copy and paste the description from the website in the box provided in the worksheet.
15. Teacher instructs the students to copy and paste the right description in the box of their pair's worksheet.
16. Teacher asks the students to work alternately in order to complete up each worksheet as they are sharing the computer.
17. Teacher selects randomly any student to speak up about their pair's colour and personalities.
18. Teacher discusses any difficult words and explains it to the students.

ACTIVITY 2
(30 minutes)

19. Teacher asks the students to navigate to the "Activity 2" electronic worksheet.
20. Teacher explains to the students about the worksheet.
21. Teacher demonstrates to the students on how to drag and drop the colour for each description in the worksheet.
22. Teacher instructs the students to read the description provided and select the right color for each description.
23. Teacher instructs the students to drag and drop the colour at the next of each description.
24. Teacher discusses the answer with the students.
25. Teacher explains any difficult words with the students.

CONCLUSION
(5 minutes)

26. Teacher discusses with the students about the websites and what have they learn in today's lesson.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY
(5 minutes)

27. Teacher distributes the worksheet to the students.
28. Teacher asks the students to write a paragraph about the similarities or differences between their personalities to the descriptions filled in the box in "Activity 1" worksheet before.
29. Teacher asks the students to pass up their written work in the next class meeting.

THE WORKSHEETS

ACTIVITY 1
ACTIVITY 2

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITY

ELECTRONIC FEEDBACK: IS IT BENEFICIAL FOR SECOND LANGUAGE WRITERS?

JOURNAL: TEACHING ENGLISH WITH TECHNOLOGY
JOURNAL FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3 (JULY 2008)

AUTHOR: LILIAN FARAG ALLAH
She is a lecturer at Writing Center of the American University in Cairo (AUC), Cairo, Egypt.

E-MAIL: lilimina@aucegypt.edu

ARTICLE LINK: http://www.iaetfl.org.pl/call/j_article32htm

SUMMARY

This article is focusing on the application of electronic feedback or e-feedback in second language writers’ writing work in which as an alternative over the traditional way of feedback. Not only that, this paper also aims to see how e-feedback can provide better teaching and learning environment for second language writer (SLW) that resulting to a better essay or writing work in the future. This article does not have specific methodology as it is a paper that compiles several references from recent studies conducted by various researchers pertaining to the usage of e-feedback. Besides that, this paper also provides some classroom practices that can be applied by the language teacher in their teaching relating to e-feedback on their students’ writing works. These studies and classroom practices have been previously conducted and experimented by the researchers and it has the reliability aspect taken into consideration. Therefore, as this paper is based on reviews from various researches been done, there is no specific subject and sample been used. The subject and sample will be the one that been used by the researchers that conduct the research on e-feedback itself which been the second language learners from various proficiency level. From the compilation of reviews of studies done before, there are various findings that can be concluded out of the research result. Out of various findings, the two core findings that seem to be crucial will be the type and focus of e-feedback comments focusing on peer feedback basis and changes and improvements in later drafts. For the first finding, that is the type and focus of e-feedback comments, it shown that the quality of comments has been developed. For the quality of the comments, the comments given by the students to their peer’s work seem to be more on cognitive feedback than social feedback. Cognitive feedback means that the comments given related closely to the topic given for the essay’s task and the comments also seem to be more constructive and critical pertaining to the development of further draft. Then, balancing the quality aspect, another aspect will be the quantity of the comments. The quantity of the comments means that the length and the numbers of comment improved by using the e-feedback medium. The results showed that students provide lengthier and larger number of comments in e-feedback compared to the traditional feedback medium. The comments given also seem to be more revision-oriented and focus-oriented towards the writing task in a way that seems to improve the later drafts. Moving on to the second finding, it is more effective for the SLW to receive feedback from e-feedback and face-to-face feedback in order for the students improves better. But then, it shown that e-feedback seem to be more based on ‘surface-level’ comments, rather than ‘deep-level’ comments, meaning that it just be focus on the grammar and mechanical aspects rather than the deeper meaning and comprehension of the writing task.

REACTION

Based on my reading, this article is able to attract my interest on the current era of globalization and computer advancement. It is because the field of study for the research is like a new thing for me because I have only been exposed to the traditional feedback medium before this. Even during my study as TESL student, I do realize the importance of feedback to the SLW in order to enhance their writing skills. Hence, e-feedback seem to be more beneficial to SLW as it will be like an addition to the traditional feedback medium whereby the students can have both medium at the same time of learning the language. It is because, in nowadays world, everyone is connected with unlimited coverage of computer technology and Internet, in which enable SLW to interact with their teacher or peers in order for them to improve their writing tasks and drafts. But then, even with various reviews on recent studies on e-feedback, I perceived that this article can be improve more if the author herself conduct a mini-research or case study on the use of e-feedback using her own methodology and sample of recipients. By doing so, I believed that the findings will be more valid and reliable as the author herself observe and collect the data rather than just relying on other researchers’ studies. But then, this article still has its own strength in term of the implication that can be considered by the teachers for their future teaching. It is because the usage of e-feedback and how the impact of applying this medium towards SLW shows lots of improvisation rather than the decrement of the students’ performance. Not only that, from Malaysian contexts, I believe that by applying e-feedback towards SLW, it will be able to gauge interest and attention of the students in learning the language better because Malaysian students nowadays seem to be updated with the computer advancement in line with the borderless world era.

Blog Task For Reading...

CHOCOLATE FONDUE FOUNTAIN
by Richard Tripper

If you're looking to have a great party that people talk about for weeks, then I've got one word for you, chocolate. People of all shapes and sizes love chocolate. And the best way to serve chocolate at a party is a chocolate fondue fountain.

Chocolate fondue is a great dessert to serve at small gathering but quite difficult to serve at larger parties. Now with chocolate fondue fountains, your guests can still experience the taste of chocolate covered strawberries, bananas, pineapple, pound cake or anything else they want to dunk into the delightful chocolate waterfall that flows out of the fountain. You may have enjoyed a chocolate fountain at the last wedding or graduation party that you've attended.

Chocolate fountains are making their way into more and more homes. It has become a popular kitchen appliance to give at weddings and showers. And it's jazzing up more and more house parties than ever before.

ESL WEBSITE EVALUATION

Website address: http://a4esl.org/

1. What does the application attempt to "teach"?

In English, the four essential skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are important to be developed by the learner. From the evaluation, the application does not applied all the four skills, in which it is focusing more on the reading skill of the learners because the learners needs to read in order to perform the exercises given. Besides that, the application also attempt to "teach" mainly on the grammar aspects of English language that comprising the eight parts of speech. The eight parts will be the noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection. In addition to these, the application also attempt to "teach" the vocabulary aspect of English and among the interesting topic will be the homonyms, idioms, expressions, phrasal verbs and so on. The application also provides the crosswords exercises in order for the learners to improve more on their schemata on English.

Furthermore, the application also caters to different level of language proficiency of the learner, right from the beginner, intermediate and advanced level in which in this application the stages will be from easy, not so easy, medium and difficult stage. From these identified stages, the exercises provided are designed to fit every learners learning level and capability.

2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?

In learning the content, the application is likely to promote the autonomous learning of the learners in which the learners have the power and freedom on their own learning pace. However, the learners seem to have the very basic knowledge on English language, in order for them to understand and perform the exercises provided. In this matter, the learner will be able to improve their learning pace depending on their dependency level on the application. Besides that, the application is likely the trial and error application in order for the learner to learn better. This is because, for each question or exercise, there will be clue, list up answer and hint as well as encouragement word either if the learners get it right or wrong. The learners also been given another chance if they think they want to re-do the exercises or even for certain number of questions. By having all these, the application can be said to be very helpful tool in order for the learners to improve and polish up their language knowledge and competency.

3. What sorts of computer skills in the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?

This application can be labeled as an user-friendly application for language learners to learn English language. It is because even with a minimal of ground knowledge on computer and technology such as the Internet, the websites, usage of the mouse and keyboard, the learners can easily access the series of exercises provided in this application. Together with the knowledge of computer and technology, the learners also likely to have the knowledge on Javascript and Flash and have it to be installed in their computers. This application also can be considered as practical and suitable for all learners because the exercises provided been categorized properly with a proper heading in which will lead the learners directly to their right level of language proficiency. By having all these, its like a package for the students because they will easily understand the application usage even if they were novice users of computer.

4. While you are "playing"/"accessing" the application, does it remind you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate, or in self-study?

While "accessing" the application, I am able to recall back the time of my practicum teaching, in which I do applied some exercises that I searched from various ELS websites. Even my school does not have the technology in every class, but I tried to make it realistic for classroom usage by make it like a game for the students to practice out and it is like a trial and error as well as drilling practice for them. Then, I do remembered during my secondary time, my English teacher always taught me English in various ways and one of it is the crosswords puzzle. It really help to develop my thinking and knowledge on the language itself. Moreover, it also reminds me of being together with my classmates during study time as we always encourage each other and let the chance to occur repetitively so that we will learn better time by time.

5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?

The application can be said to have the blending of various theories or approach in order for the students to learn well. Firstly, the application have the basic foundation of Behaviorist Theory in which the students will have the drill and practice session in order to improve their knowledge of the language. The students can always re-do the exercises provided until they gain the understanding and able to imitate the exercises in their learning process. Next, there is also the Direct Method been applied in this application, as the exercises are focusing more on grammar and all the exercises been mainly in the target language aiming to let the students discover the grammar rules on their own based on the example and exercises given. The students will also be able to get the feedback on their errors so that they will be able to gather the input comprehensively during the learning process using the application. Moreover, in order to cater more students from various races and regions, the application applied the Grammar Translation Method as it provides bilingual quizzes for the learner.

6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?

According to Bruner, learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. This can be applied to the website usage as it guided and provide the opportunity for the learner either the beginner of advanced learner to learn and construct new knowledge int their schemata. By doing the exercises provided, the learners can transmit the information they learn in the websites into their daily life situation or even in their learning process. Here, the trial and error approach let the students to discover the learning process themselves and make it as a meaningful experience for them as well as blending it together with their existing knowledge of the language matter. Besides that, this website can also be said to practice the Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, whereby the developmental level of the learner either by working alone or with the guide of expert or the teacher in problem-solving process or in-life decision making. The key word for ZPD will be "scaffolding", in which in this website, it has the various level of aid in helping the students to complete the exercises, such as the usage of hints and clues. The aid will be differ for each level or stage of exercises, meaning that as the student is moving forward, the scaffolding will become lesser compared to the beginner students.

7. In 1980s and early 1990s, there was a major debate on 'whether the computer was "master" of or "slave" to the learning process (Higgins and Johns, 1984). In relation to your evaluation - was the computer a replacement for teachers, or merely an obedient servant to students?

From my point of view, the computer neither a replacement for teachers nor merely an obedient servant to students as the computer is like co-teacher in assisting the teachers as well as the servant to the students in term of learning process. It is because no matter how powerful the computer is, its memory still cannot be compared to the capability of human mind. Computer can be the co-teacher because it will be one of the medium for the teachers to apply in their teaching process in a way where the exercises can be practiced by the students after the lesson given. Besides that, the computer can be an attractive instrument in attracting the students' attention in any lesson and it all depends on the teacher's creativity on how to bring it alive during the teaching process. After all, computer also seem to be an aid for the teacher to teach and not the major teaching figure in class as students still need to be guided and facilitated time by time by the teacher.
Then, as the servant to the students, the computer will be the tool for the students to make use of in the learning process. This means that, the students have the freedom in using the computer in their effort on learning the language itself. The computer cannot directed the students, but then, the students themselves will be the one who control the computer usage up to their proficiency level expectations.

8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Yes? Give reasons:
No? Give reasons:

I will choose to answer yes to the use of the application in my future working environment due to several reasons. Among the reason is the availability of the application itself, meaning that, the application is easily to be retrieved and accessed at any different place and time in which I can make use at any time that I like without any hassle. Then, aligned with the globalization era nowadays, it seems crucial to applied technology aspect in the teaching and learning process so that the learners will be engaged more to the process because it relates closely to the present phenomena. Furthermore, based on the previous practicum experience, I do realized that students are more attracted to learn when it comes to multimedia and graphic as well as the usage of computer, so for me, in order to gain their attention span on the lesson, the usage of application is highly recommended. Not only that, the application also have the value of practicality and able to meet the teachers and students expectation because of the level of the exercises as well as the score point for each exercise.

Suggestions/Recommendations

Overall, I think the application able to cater to all different needs of students in learning English language. However, it might be more attractive if the website author or host on considering the usage of images and animations especially at the Home page of the website. It is also attractive to have different font colour for each label and list of exercises for each level so that the wording can be more catchy. Perhaps, with some improvisation, the application can be utilized wisely by more students because it is such a good application with all those application and the bilingual lesson in means to provide learning opportunities to everyone.

Technology Today!!

With the era of globalization and modernization, it is impossible to go through our daily life without any existence of technology. The simplest will be the cellphone itself, whereby everyone have it. Then to some context, the usage of computer, laptop and up to extent of e-book and so on especially for us, the future educator.

With such, the term CALL will not be a alien term for us. CALL application such as courseware, websites and other type of material usage in teaching and learning process cannot be deniable and of course it benefit a lot. But then, it is always important to evaluate the CALL material before using or applying it in the classroom context. For me, the significant of having the evaluation before hand is because of the P.R.S aspect of that material. P will stand for practicality, R is reliability and S will be suitability. As a future educator, I have be able to understand my learners' language level and ability and it will come the importance of P.R.S, in which the application need to meet my learners' ability. Practicality will be the point of the exercise can be done without so much hassle and vast knowledge in technology. Then, reliability will be on the interrelatedness of the content with the outcome to be measure and lastly the suitability is when either it fits or not my learners level and schemata on the language content.

Learning technology is quite interesting especially when it will help me in my teaching and learning process. Here, come the application know the 'Hot Potatoes' and I just learned on the JCloze materials and amazingly how it will be really helpful for me. It is so suitable in designing the cloze passage and even gap filling exercises within the blink of eye. This type of exercises can be as quite essential in drilling and practicing out the language content that been learned by the learner. Not only that, with all the clues and supportive encouragement given, I believed that it will attract learners interest in finishing the exercise. Besides that, the learner can know their achievement by knowing their score at the end. Overall, teacher will be the one who will be designing the exercises, meaning that he or she knows the learners' capability and it will help the learners learn English better more.

IN-CLASS TASK 2

One more task for me and I decided to do an exercise sheet on description of places along with the suitable nouns for the places.

The exercise will be using Drag and Drop method of teaching.

I hope it will help the students to familiarize themselves with the places by understanding the description for the places.

Here We Go!! The First Task For The Starting Semester!!

It's the starting of my last semester, at last. I'm pretty sure that there will be lots of new things that I will learn in this semester. And here I am, blogging for one of my course, CALL, and lots of interesting things to be learned by me in this course..Here is my first in-class task to jump up the excitement in learning CALL.

I'm a newcomer to this blogging world..My name is Nur Syarafina bt Tan Mustafar, and finally I'm now in my final semester. I've been studying for almost 7 years now as I had done my diploma before this. But then, for me, it never been a waste of time as I love to study and explore new things in my life. Learning is always a continuous process that tend to happen in my life. And I love it so much. For all to know, I'm turning 25 years old this year, but I never feel old because I have friends and people around me that always make me feel younger day by day. Teaching English has been my passion since my adolescent phases and it seems that God had fulfill my wish by giving me the chance to be in the TESL program. Praise to God. For all of you to know, I'm a simple person and love to be friends with anyone. I'm also a happy go lucky person and like to smile and laugh a lot.

Now, let's move on to my level of computer skills and frankly speaking, I consider myself at the moderate level in which means that I'm quite savvy nor novice for the skill. What makes me to say these are because I can use most application at the basic surface such as the Microsoft Office software as I had been exposed to computer usage right from my diploma time previously. But then, I'm not a person that know how to download things, how to use online service and so on. Nevertheless, I will always be the person to refer by my family members, relatives and close friend when they have confusions or problems regarding with computer and technology thingy.

Currently, I'm a Windows Vista (Basic) user, and I have never face any problem using it until now. I do think that I can understand the basic knowledge on using this software. Other than that, I rarely used other software because I always ask the friend of my father to do all that for my laptop. Then, for the hardware knowledge, I assume that I have only 10% knowledge on it. How poor is it, rite? Well, I hope I will improve it time by time then.

For the 25 years old time, I never been experience learning through any technology or even e-learning and so on. I always dream that I will get the opportunity in the future, at least once in a lifetime.

My practicum time was such a wonderful moments for me. I'm lucky to get a good school with good students. I am able to integrate various creative things in my teaching process and using computer and technology were part of it. I remembered that I used to play songs using my laptop for my listening class and my students love it so much. I also always bring my laptop for my discussion class so that my Lower Six students can use it to show their progress for their MUET colloquium. Overall, integration of technology into my teaching process was a success.

I view usage of computer/techonology in classroom is such an interactive and creative way of teaching. It is like a new era in developing positive and conducive learning environment for the students. With all the globalization and modernization period happened in Malaysia, I tend to believe that Malaysian students nowadays are competent in using computer and educators need to adapt their knowledge into the teaching and learning process itself so that the process will be as successful as possible. Language teaching also should be integrated with technology usage because language involves lots of communication and by being creative, educator can capture the students' attention on the teaching.

Learning CALL is like a new chapter in my learning life, and I really hope that I can benefit a lot from this course. I believe that this course is a good course for the future educator like me as it prepare me to face the new era of ICT currently. I will need lots of guidance from you, sir as well as my classmates in order for me to learn and polish up my computer skills till that I can be competent as possible. Besides that, I also hope that I can do all my best in this course and able to obtain a good grade. Wish me luck, guys..TQ..

Well, it seems I need to pen off now..I write a lot already, I think..Will update with you all later then..