Summary of how to teach English with technology and my personal opinion.

How to teach English with technology

There are many reasons why teachers should use technology, and these are:

ü       Teachers can produce more attractive teaching materials.

ü       It uses media which learners use in their daily life.

ü       Access to up- to date materials via the Internet.

ü       Adds variety to a lesson.

ü       Keeps the teacher learning new skills.

ü       Makes the teacher look more professional.

ü       Some ICT (Information and Communications Technology) tools (E.G Blogs, chat, email) can enable learners to make contact with learners in order countries.

ü        ICT tools can be used both in and outside the classroom.

ü       Using a range of ICT tools can give learners exposure to and practice in all of the four main language skills. ( speaking, listening, writing and reading)

ü       Learners enjoy using technology.

Out and in the classroom, teachers can use to work with students:

ü       Word processors. Because Learners can use a word processing program to practice writing skills, grammar, etc. But also, teachers can prepare, create, store and share materials for their classes.

ü        Emails. It allows to communicate with our learners outside the classroom, for example setting, receiving, marking and returning homework and other written assignments.

ü       Chat. It has enormous potential to link students around the world in real time. For example: A group of students in Argentina text chatting to a similar group in Poland about their lives and what their town is like.

ü       Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts. These can be set up and used by teachers and/or learners.  These can be use to connect learners to other communities of learners. And the ideas and context can be generated and created by learners, either individually or collaboratively.

ü       Websites.

ü       Etc.

My opinion.

At the beginning I really believed that work with technology in the classroom to teach English was impossible, but once I read the book “how to use teach English with technology”, It was different.

Now, I realize that Technology is transforming education. Teachers have access to more information, more ways to interact and collaborate, and more approaches to instruction than ever before. Technology can enable teachers to accommodate a variety of orientations to learning, track student progress, remediate struggling students, and challenge advanced learners. Word processing, e-mail, computer software, the Internet, and the World Wide Web are all sources of more and different learning activities. The interactive nature of multimedia provides new ways to enhance the ESL learning experience.

Also, I can say that I find the use of technology in the classroom amazing. It offers great visual aids as well as listening and reading inputs through PowerPoint presentations, etc. It offers you the possibility of playing audio and video files, showing images, recording voice for pronunciation practice and internet site contents to add relevance to the class. What is more, for larger groups, the interactive whiteboard is ideal.  

To conclude, I really think that use technology in the classroom is important and helpful, because students love work with it, and also because it help teachers to develop different activities to plan theirs classes.

Assignment nº 7

Chapter 6: how to use Chat.

A_ Using Chat in language teaching.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Why?

a)    With text chat, we need to tech learners to use “text speak” e.g. L8er for “later”.

Yes, I agree because they are going to read abbreviations in chat conversations, and it is better if they know the meaning. Also, we need to teach common abbreviations  as another way of improving and practicing their English.

b)   Voice chat is easier to use than text chat.

No, because students feel more comfortable writing rather than speaking. And it is easier, because learners text are using text chat in their personal lives to communicate with family and friends

c)    The teacher requires a lot of technical knowledge to use text or voice chat with learners.

      No, because chat software is very easy to install and use, so no special technical skills are needed by teachers, and the only thing they need is an email accounts.

d)    It’s a good idea to teach learners some chat conventions, e.g. how to take turns.

Yes, because introducing learners to some basic conventions they know some rules when  a conversation is taken  place. For example conventions include using “….” to show that you have not finished your turn and type ? to ask for the floor.

e)    Using chat is best between classes who already meet regularly face-to-face.

Yes, It is necessary to use chat with classes who already meet regularly face-o-face, first to exchange some personal information, so that learners at least feel they know each other a little before chatting online.

Halloween assignment‏

Halloween assignment‏

1_Color the following pictures:

      Ghost in pumpkin.



vampire



      Witch

 This activity is  special for kids in order to keep and entertained them, because they love spooky characters, like Dracula, ghosts, witches, etc.

2_  Halloween Word Search

Find the Halloween words from the bottom in the Halloween word search grid. The words can be forwards or backwards, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Circle each letter separately, but keep in mind that letters may be used in more than one word.

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Halloween and Costumes

CANDY		MONSTER
CARVE		OCTOBER
COSTUME		PRINCESS
DOOR TO DOOR		SCARY
DRACULA		SKELETON
FRANKENSTEIN		THIRTY-FIRST
GHOST		TRICK OR TREAT
JACK-O-LANTERN		VAMPIRE
KNIGHT		WITCH
MAKUP-UP		ZOMBIE

3_ Crosspuzzeld

1
					2					3
4			5
												6
					7			8
			9	10
								11
						12
13
		14

Down

2. Popular holiday on the last day

of October

4. Most candy contains a lot of this

7. Popular Halloween treat (two

words)

9. I spin webs

11. A mammal that sleeps upside

down

13. Cats this color are bad luck

14. Scary creature?

Across

1. Clothes worn on Halloween?

3. I ride on a broom

5. Bob for this fruit in a barrel?

6. _____ or treat!

8. Ring this and say, "Trick or

treat!"

10. Word for jack-o'lantern prior to

carving

12. Put a sheet over your head and

you can be a _____ for Halloween

Solutions:

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2 H

A

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3W

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4 S

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5 A

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10 P

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11 B

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12 G

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13 B

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14 M

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