Zeynep BAŞER
Audio-Visual Aids in ELT
Critical Review 2
PRONUNCIATION POWER IDIOMS
PART 1: Description Of The Product
Pronunciation Power Idioms is a product developed by English Computerized Learning Inc. (ECL), which aims to meet the demands of the people related to English pronunciation. They try to produce user-friendly and qualified ESL materials delivered by CD-ROM or the internet. Their products are respectively 8 in 1 English Dictionary, Pronunciation Power 1, Pronunciation Power 2 ,Pronunciation Power Idioms and lastly Introductory Grammar and Vocabulary with Color Key. The creators also point out the fact that they win an award with Pronunciation Power 2 which is now recommended by several foundations all around the world.Unfortunately, their products are not free of charge. The prices are basically:
Pronunciation Power Idioms : $ 25.95 US (+ shipping – $ 29.95 US)
8 in 1 English Dictionary: $49.95 US (+ shipping - $59.95 US)
Pronunciation Power 1: $125.95 US (+shipping – $154.95 US) *includes 8 in 1 English Dictionary
Pronunciation Power 2 : $77.95 US (+ shipping - $93.95 US) * includes an extensive 40 page manual
Introductory English Grammar and Vocabulary with Color Key: $49.95 US
There are also some special combinations and even one can reach to these products by online subscription by paying $ 49.70 US for 90 days and $ 79. 70 US for 180 days. However, the creators indicate that Macintosh users can not reach to the online subscription for the time being because they are still working on it. One can reach to the more information through their website http://www.englishelearning.com/. Besides all, for this critical review, it will be better to talk about Pronunciation Power Idioms which tries to meet the most problematic point of a language learner and even a teacher. Its creators decribe the product as saying “Pronunciation Power Idioms uses memorable and unique illustrations to aid you in remembering English idioms!”. This sentence certainly a summary of the product ‘Pronunciation Power Idioms’. Thanks to this product, one can reach to 104 idioms, their meanings, descriptions and a sample sentence related to each idiom. The features of the product are not limited with them. The clear pictures which one can picture what the idiom (phrases that can not be taken literally/ the whole meaning is different from each part of it) means are provided. Moreover, One can listen to the sample sentences just by clicking on the picture of earphone at the bottom. One has not to follow the sequence of the product, s/he can pass whatever idiom they want to study. In order to do so, s/he can either look into the idiom list which is at the bottom or just type the number of the idiom which is on the same line with the list. While one can do those things under the title ‘Lesson: Idioms’, s/he can also find 3 exercise sections which each of them includes ten parts. In these exercises, s/he try to find the correct idiom according to the given situation and the exact meaning of the idiom. As it is indicated by its creators, one can find over 300 questions to test themselvels. S/he also can see where s/he made mistake and get feedback. Besides these exercise sections, there is a quiz part which also includes 10 separate parts under it. Here one can directly try to find the exact meaning of the idioms. The idiom is given and asked to find the correct meaning among the options. Also at the end of the quiz, s/he can see where they are missing and review them or redo the exercise. Lastly, it should be indicated that one can print out anything during lesson part so that they can follow the idioms and have the written versions in the hand.
PART 2: Critical Review Of The Product In Terms Of Language Learning
To use Pronunciation Power Idioms is not a diffciult work. It is certainly too user friendly. Even though the instructions are so clear, a link on the product ‘help’ provides a more detailed explanation about how to use the product step by step. One does not need to download any new thing onto their computers for this product or internet connection to work with it. It is enough to place the CD-Rom and install via it. As for how beneficial this product is for a language class, we can look into this matter from two different aspects. The first one is related to how a language teacher can have benefit from it in the classroom and how useful it is for autonomous learning. Before explaining how Pronuncation Power Idioms can be used, it is also important to point out how idioms are challenging to learn although they are significant to have a high proficiency level of English. So , to have such a qualified tool is really a big chance for a language learners and even the teachers because it makes their works easier and the lesson enjoyable. However, in order to be able to use this product in the classroom efficiently , the class should have at least one computer, overhead projector and the neccessary sound system if there is not any language lab in the school which each student can have a separate computer with adequate listening system. Although the teacher can print out the lesson part of idioms, distrubute its copies to the whole class and work on them, it would be better to get all the students’ attention on the scene and listen to the sentences because it will motivate the students more and more and the teacher will have the opportunity to provide correct pronunciation of the words via listening to the sample sentences. Because the tool provides description of the idioms, picture related to the meaning of the meaning and a sample sentence, it makes those complex idioms really understandable and clear. The teacher can work on it as it is, and then s/he can ask the students to produce some sentences including those idioms without hesitating and go on practice like this. Moreover, because the product provides exercises and quizes based on these idioms , the teacher can use them to check if the students have learned the idioms or not without spening lots of time to prepare new exercises related to those idioms. In short, thanks to this product, a teacher can manage one of the most challenging part of the language easily and make the lesson enjoyable and motivating for the learners not a confusing and frightening one. As for its facilities for autonomous learning, this product certainly enchances it. Because the instructions are clear, sample examples are given in suitable situations, and they can reach to an idiom list which they can follow like a syllabus, the learner can work on their own and understand the idioms without having difficulty. What’s more , they can test themselves by using several exercises provided by the product. Although unlike the other Pronunciation Power products , one can not record their voices and compare them to the native speaker’s or watch their developement in pronunciation because now there are long sentences as compared to the sounds or simple words in them , still the learner have the chance to hear native speaker’s pronunciation of the idioms even in the long sentences. This also helps the learners to work on their pronunciation by hearing them again and again. To conclude, it is obvious that Pronunciation Power Idioms , as similar to other products of English Computerized Learning Product, is a very successful tool which is not only helpful not only for the teacher to save time and make the lesson related to idioms easy and enjoyable but also but also for the language learners who either do not have time to go to English courses or extra study on this topic.
Sunday 11 January 2009
Saturday 27 December 2008
Zeynep BAŞER
VOCABULARY TEACHING
www.wordchamp.com
wordchamp is seen as a really efficient and amazing language tools by the users of it. Wordchamp has several features which most of them are free. Its features are really amaizing. For instance, you can read a website by using wordchamp so that it gives the meanings and explanation of unknown items when you click on the word. You can also easily access to the largest and fastes growing language learning library including flashcards and audio recordings of native speakers via it. Wordchamp even provides twelve different drills for the language learners to practice on what languages they want. Moreover, teachers can create a class and assign the assignment to the the students on the internet. However, although teachers do not pay for enrollment, students have to pay 12.50 dolars ( to access for up to six months). Just after they pay for it , the students can acces to the interactive class and assignments. Besides these, people can create their flashcards lists and share these. They can also find language partners here.
Gerry’s Vocabulary Teacher
It was created by ESL teacher Gerry Luton, and Martin Holmes, formerly an ESL instructor and now a software designer. It was designed to make teacher’s work easier. In a very short time, teachers can create a variety of vocabulary activities such as gap-filling or vocabulary test. Furthermore, the program also allows users to edit or delete sentences contained within the database, and users can even add to their personal database collection with words and sentences of their own. Any changes or additions made are automatically saved to disc. Moreover, Gerry’s Vocabulary Teacher includes different contexts for keywords, and they are exemplified as different forms such as noun , adj., adv., verb, etc. Actually, it is not a free software and the prices are as the following:
• Pricing is: One single-user registration Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher: US$50
• Extra seat (allows downloading of the program onto a 2nd computer): US$35
• CDRoom One single-user registration: US$75
Text- to- speech Technology
There are some programs such as Natural Voice and TextAloud Mp3 which aim to produce real human voice according to the wrriten text. They have several advantages for language learning. For example, the teacher can create his/her own listening content and pronunciation activity. However, there is also a disadvantage, as well. As Kılıçkaya (2006) said, intonation and stress might be problem because they won’t be certainly like natural speaking.
VOCABULARY TEACHING
www.wordchamp.com
wordchamp is seen as a really efficient and amazing language tools by the users of it. Wordchamp has several features which most of them are free. Its features are really amaizing. For instance, you can read a website by using wordchamp so that it gives the meanings and explanation of unknown items when you click on the word. You can also easily access to the largest and fastes growing language learning library including flashcards and audio recordings of native speakers via it. Wordchamp even provides twelve different drills for the language learners to practice on what languages they want. Moreover, teachers can create a class and assign the assignment to the the students on the internet. However, although teachers do not pay for enrollment, students have to pay 12.50 dolars ( to access for up to six months). Just after they pay for it , the students can acces to the interactive class and assignments. Besides these, people can create their flashcards lists and share these. They can also find language partners here.
Gerry’s Vocabulary Teacher
It was created by ESL teacher Gerry Luton, and Martin Holmes, formerly an ESL instructor and now a software designer. It was designed to make teacher’s work easier. In a very short time, teachers can create a variety of vocabulary activities such as gap-filling or vocabulary test. Furthermore, the program also allows users to edit or delete sentences contained within the database, and users can even add to their personal database collection with words and sentences of their own. Any changes or additions made are automatically saved to disc. Moreover, Gerry’s Vocabulary Teacher includes different contexts for keywords, and they are exemplified as different forms such as noun , adj., adv., verb, etc. Actually, it is not a free software and the prices are as the following:
• Pricing is: One single-user registration Gerry's Vocabulary Teacher: US$50
• Extra seat (allows downloading of the program onto a 2nd computer): US$35
• CDRoom One single-user registration: US$75
Text- to- speech Technology
There are some programs such as Natural Voice and TextAloud Mp3 which aim to produce real human voice according to the wrriten text. They have several advantages for language learning. For example, the teacher can create his/her own listening content and pronunciation activity. However, there is also a disadvantage, as well. As Kılıçkaya (2006) said, intonation and stress might be problem because they won’t be certainly like natural speaking.
Tuesday 2 December 2008
Zeynep BAŞER
Content Management System (CMS)
Computer Managemen System is a tool that helps the people to create, edit and manage content (text, images, graphics, video,sound,etc.) by using a certain process.
www.dokeos.com
It is a well-known e-learning management application. It is a free and easy software. You can build e-courses by using given templates . You can prepare and author assignment and tests including multiple choice, fill-in-the blanks, open questions, hospots, etc. You can organize the lesson content and activities by sequencing authomatically. You can have Chat, Video Conferencing and give feedback to each other . Dokeos also has a mascot ‘Mister Dokeos’ and provides it to the users so that they can enhance learning. It can be used in five language, including Netherlands, English, French, Italian, Spanish
www.nicenet.org
It is a sophisticated tool which provides a variety of learning environments including conferencing, document or link sharing, scheduling, and personal messaging. It is also free and easy to use. To create a class, it is enough just to have an account. It addresses to the post secondary and secondary classrooms, distance education and collobarative academic projects. The site also provides easily reach to every section while dealing with a different section.
www.moodle.org
It is a content management system which is designed for educational purposes. It is a free and Open Source software. It has a large number of users from 193 countries all around the world.One can use Moodle for commercial services such as fully serviced Moodle hosting, remote support contracts, custom code developmetn, consulting. If one know Unix and other web technology, s/he can easily install Moodle. If one need help for developing their own course, Moodle provides coursewares to help them professionally . For example ‘E-Desing’ for United Kingdom is one of Moodle partners forthis aim and provides tschnical and pedagogical service related to Moodle. One of the users, Timothy Takemoto, Japan expresses his thought about Moodle “I am, first of all, stunned by the quality of this software and by the potential it has to help my institution. I have been at the recieving end of a lot of extremely helpful advice.”
Content Management System (CMS)
Computer Managemen System is a tool that helps the people to create, edit and manage content (text, images, graphics, video,sound,etc.) by using a certain process.
www.dokeos.com
It is a well-known e-learning management application. It is a free and easy software. You can build e-courses by using given templates . You can prepare and author assignment and tests including multiple choice, fill-in-the blanks, open questions, hospots, etc. You can organize the lesson content and activities by sequencing authomatically. You can have Chat, Video Conferencing and give feedback to each other . Dokeos also has a mascot ‘Mister Dokeos’ and provides it to the users so that they can enhance learning. It can be used in five language, including Netherlands, English, French, Italian, Spanish
www.nicenet.org
It is a sophisticated tool which provides a variety of learning environments including conferencing, document or link sharing, scheduling, and personal messaging. It is also free and easy to use. To create a class, it is enough just to have an account. It addresses to the post secondary and secondary classrooms, distance education and collobarative academic projects. The site also provides easily reach to every section while dealing with a different section.
www.moodle.org
It is a content management system which is designed for educational purposes. It is a free and Open Source software. It has a large number of users from 193 countries all around the world.One can use Moodle for commercial services such as fully serviced Moodle hosting, remote support contracts, custom code developmetn, consulting. If one know Unix and other web technology, s/he can easily install Moodle. If one need help for developing their own course, Moodle provides coursewares to help them professionally . For example ‘E-Desing’ for United Kingdom is one of Moodle partners forthis aim and provides tschnical and pedagogical service related to Moodle. One of the users, Timothy Takemoto, Japan expresses his thought about Moodle “I am, first of all, stunned by the quality of this software and by the potential it has to help my institution. I have been at the recieving end of a lot of extremely helpful advice.”
Sunday 23 November 2008
Zeynep BAŞER
Creating Blogs and Wikis
Although most of the blogs are belong to only one person, people can have a blog for a community, as well. Blogs can be used to post comments, ideas , any topic. Moreover, one can post audio or video materials and pictures to the blogs. There are several free blog sites on the web. For example, Blogger is one of them. One who wants to create a blog can eaily have an account and sign in his/her blog. People can decide the design of their own blogs. A language learner , for insance, can use a blog to publish his/her assignments or reflections. Also, s/he can send comments to their friends or share some links on the blog. Besides these, people can reach to the other blogs . For example, Jim Duber and Aaron Campbell’s blogs are related to English language learning and technology. The missing point of blogs is the fact that a blog lines up all the posted items chronologically. For this reason, there are some useful tools to master the blogs such as blam and structured blogging. Also, RSS can be used in order to inform the followers about the new messages.As a contrast to blogs, wikis are more suitable for collabarative projects. As a whole class, students can work on any topic via wikis. They are really protected against the unknown visitors. Only the people who know password can add or change something on the wiki. There are also free sites that one can create a wiki page on the internet such as Pbwiki for educational purposes.The well known example of wikis , Wikipedia, is a nice one to show to what extent wikis can be used and beneficial for the learners.
Creating Blogs and Wikis
Although most of the blogs are belong to only one person, people can have a blog for a community, as well. Blogs can be used to post comments, ideas , any topic. Moreover, one can post audio or video materials and pictures to the blogs. There are several free blog sites on the web. For example, Blogger is one of them. One who wants to create a blog can eaily have an account and sign in his/her blog. People can decide the design of their own blogs. A language learner , for insance, can use a blog to publish his/her assignments or reflections. Also, s/he can send comments to their friends or share some links on the blog. Besides these, people can reach to the other blogs . For example, Jim Duber and Aaron Campbell’s blogs are related to English language learning and technology. The missing point of blogs is the fact that a blog lines up all the posted items chronologically. For this reason, there are some useful tools to master the blogs such as blam and structured blogging. Also, RSS can be used in order to inform the followers about the new messages.As a contrast to blogs, wikis are more suitable for collabarative projects. As a whole class, students can work on any topic via wikis. They are really protected against the unknown visitors. Only the people who know password can add or change something on the wiki. There are also free sites that one can create a wiki page on the internet such as Pbwiki for educational purposes.The well known example of wikis , Wikipedia, is a nice one to show to what extent wikis can be used and beneficial for the learners.
Thursday 20 November 2008
Zeynep BAŞER
CREATING HOT LISTS
As a teacher, you can guide your students to the safe and nice websites by creating hot lists. For this reason, teachers should choose the sites that will enhance learning and interest of the students. Filamentality is a way that helps the teachers to reach this aim. By using Filamentality, one can pick up a topic , use fill-in-the-blanks to find the good websites. Moroever, one can easily manage a website without having problem with HTML. Teachers can create their own web-based activities or see the ones made by other users. It is easy to do it. One just click on the button ‘Start a new page’, and the process starts. At the end, one can create Hotlist, Scrapbook, Treasure hunt, Sampler or Webquest that a learner will need. Another useful site is Delicious. One can reach to their own bookmarks (favorite websites) thanks to this website even though s/he does not use their own computer. Moreover, people can share their bookmarks, and see the most popular bookmarks on Delicious.
WEBQUEST
It is the lesson activity provided from internet. It was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in 1995. There are two types of webquest, including short-term webquests and long-term webquests. By using a short-term webquest, a learner can have a basic new information. However, after a long-term webquest, a learner can analyze deeply the knowledge and make use of it during another activity. As for how to create a webquest, it is easy for one who knows to place a hyperlink on a document. The main titles used in a webquest are Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, Conclusion, Teacher Page and Credits. Also, one look into the given Webquest Templates or the stored examples on the site www.webquest.org before preparing one.
PODCASTING
A podcast is digital media tool that includes audios and videos. A learner or teacher can download a podcast or they can listen to them or watch them. The best point of it is the fact that learner can reach to several podcasts on the net. Also, they can choose the topic that is interesting for them. They can find the podcasts that are suitable for their levels. They can do their own podcasts besides all.Englishcaster is a website that both teacher and learners can directly use the podcast aimed for them. Also, by using the website www.podomatic.com , people can create podcasts after creating an account. They can find lots of podcasts under different categories, and learn the most popular ones of the day. There is also forums in this website that the users can discuss different topics or learn from each other (for example , they can discuss the tips of podcasting.)
CREATING HOT LISTS
As a teacher, you can guide your students to the safe and nice websites by creating hot lists. For this reason, teachers should choose the sites that will enhance learning and interest of the students. Filamentality is a way that helps the teachers to reach this aim. By using Filamentality, one can pick up a topic , use fill-in-the-blanks to find the good websites. Moroever, one can easily manage a website without having problem with HTML. Teachers can create their own web-based activities or see the ones made by other users. It is easy to do it. One just click on the button ‘Start a new page’, and the process starts. At the end, one can create Hotlist, Scrapbook, Treasure hunt, Sampler or Webquest that a learner will need. Another useful site is Delicious. One can reach to their own bookmarks (favorite websites) thanks to this website even though s/he does not use their own computer. Moreover, people can share their bookmarks, and see the most popular bookmarks on Delicious.
WEBQUEST
It is the lesson activity provided from internet. It was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in 1995. There are two types of webquest, including short-term webquests and long-term webquests. By using a short-term webquest, a learner can have a basic new information. However, after a long-term webquest, a learner can analyze deeply the knowledge and make use of it during another activity. As for how to create a webquest, it is easy for one who knows to place a hyperlink on a document. The main titles used in a webquest are Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, Conclusion, Teacher Page and Credits. Also, one look into the given Webquest Templates or the stored examples on the site www.webquest.org before preparing one.
PODCASTING
A podcast is digital media tool that includes audios and videos. A learner or teacher can download a podcast or they can listen to them or watch them. The best point of it is the fact that learner can reach to several podcasts on the net. Also, they can choose the topic that is interesting for them. They can find the podcasts that are suitable for their levels. They can do their own podcasts besides all.Englishcaster is a website that both teacher and learners can directly use the podcast aimed for them. Also, by using the website www.podomatic.com , people can create podcasts after creating an account. They can find lots of podcasts under different categories, and learn the most popular ones of the day. There is also forums in this website that the users can discuss different topics or learn from each other (for example , they can discuss the tips of podcasting.)
Wednesday 12 November 2008
Zeynep BAŞER
1548353 - FLE
WWW.MANYTHINGS.ORG
Part 1 : Description of the product
‘www.manythings.org’ is a free study site for ESL and also EFL students with Computer Assisted Language Learning activities. It was created by Charles L. Kelly and Lawrence E. Kelly. It has been published in 2002. The creaters describe it as a site that an English language learner can find enjoyable study activities.There are grammar and vocabulary quizzes, vocabulary games and puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, tongue twisters, sentence machine, reading and listening materials and other computer assisted language learning activities. Even though the primary focus is for ESL, native English speakers may also find some interesting things on this site. This site is non-commercial and has no advertising.
It is a website recommended to the language learners by their teachers. One can learn new words and expressions , work on grammar, develop reading and listening skills by using computer-based materials. Moreover, the visitors of the site may enjoy the site and spend good time while studying English thanks to the provided tools.
Some pages require free Flash Player plug-in, at least version 4, 6 or newer one, and JavaScript. Apart from these, anything is required. It is easy to use this website and free. There is no need to install or download any part of it. It does not require to be a member, as well.
As for how one can use the site, it is really easy. One can choose the title that they want to study on the left part of the site . Moreover, they can find the list of activities on the top of the each page. Then, they choose which exercise and topic s/he prefers to go on. For examle, when one decide to study on listening and choose this title, s/he encounters the choices such as Listen and Read along, English Listening Room, Listen and Answer, Dictation Quiz, and lastly Related Section in which one can find other things to listen. Thanks to the first one ‘Listen and Read along, one can read the text while s/he listen it. Beside it, s/he can see the previous part of the listening passage on the left and the later one on the right of the now-playing part. The sound has really high quality and clear. The listener can understand and follow the items easily.
On the right part of the site, one can see the titles such as What’s New, Video, Popular Part. In the part ‘What’s New’, one can click on ‘daily page’, and can reach to the proverb of the day, quiz for the day, and listening. When s/he chooses ‘Video’, s/he comes across a link that they can watch a video related to the 70 pages of the site. Thanks to this video, one can have a idea about this site quickly. As for the part ‘ Popular’, one can go to the most popular parts of the site easily without spending time by looking for them. In short, it is clear that the creators of the site have tried to do their best in order to make it easier. In addition to this, the site gives instructions related to how one can manage each activities.
Besides all of these things, I believe that it would be better if somethings are changed. Most of them are related to the appearance of the site. I think it should be more attractive and have more energetic colours rather than gray and pale colours. Also, they have links to the good dictionaries ‘Babylon and Longman’, but one can reach to them just by using the title ‘Daily Page’. I think it would be better if they put a link named ‘Dictionaries’ on the left or right part of the site separately. Lastly, I believe that the menu for the site on the top of the page is unnecessary because they already have a menu column on the left throughout all the pages. If they are also improved, the site would be more useful and attractive for the users of it.
Part 2: Critical review of the site in terms of language learning
Because the site has been designed for the ESL and even EFL learners, it has several tools useful for language learning. It enhances language learning. I can critize it in terms of using it in classroom by teacher and in terms of self-learning. Fist of all, how can a language teacher use this site in the classroom ? In order to use this site during language course, the school should have some technologies in the class such as computer, projector, sound system and internet connection because you can not download anything in the website, and you need certainly internet connection. If all of these can be provided, then, language teacher can use the tools of the site and provide an enjoyable lesson. For example, they can play vocabulary games, matching vocabulary with pictures. They can even use different matching activities for the same vocabulary exercise. For example, they are given words and they choose the suitable picture or all the words and pictures are given and then they match everthing. I believe that using this items will be really enjoyable, beneficial and motivating especially for young learners. Teacher can also study on grammar by using quizes.They can choose which topic they want to study. The site has a variety of the grammar exercises, as well. Some of them have time limits. They should finish the exercise in a certain time. There are exercises that they can type, and there are multiple choice tests. The teacher also can use sentence machine in the class. To illustrate, they can organize the sentences by using the given words. If the teacher wants to focus on pronunciation, there are minimal pairs part that will be helpful to have an awareness of the difference between the sounds. Another useful item that the teacher can make use of in the classroom is listening part. For instance, there is a listening room in which they can listen to the text and fill in the blanks while listening. Also, there is a dictation quiz that teacher can make students listen to the sentences and wait for their writing what they have understood, and then shows the correct answer. Morerover, there are several activities based on the documents of Voice of America, including fill in the blanks, matching items, and spelling activity ( finding words by using some clues) .In short, I believe that English teachers can make their course more motivating and beneficial by using those different activities.
As for its use for self-learning, I believe that www.manythings.org will be even more useful and easier to use than it is for classroom. Although most of the schools do not have technology to use this site in Turkey, a large percent of learners can have computer and internet connection at home or internet cafe. They can use the site easily. The learners can practice grammar that they have learned on the net. To illsutrate, if the student learned comparisons, s/he can go to the grammar part and find activities related to comparisons. Some sentences are given and the tool wants the learner to use the given adjectives in their comparative or superlative forms. Moreover, they can learn new words or they can do some exercises on the words that they have learned. They can even have a good time while studying thanks to the puzzles and the pictures used in the activities. They can learn some slangs expressions , proverbs or idoms in English on their own and study on them. They can learn some songs, jokes, tongue twisters , which will be enjoyable for the learners that are really intereted in English. Briefly, I can say that learner can develop their language knowledge by studying on listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary while their interest to language increase thanks to the enjoyable items.
Besides all of these things, some issues also should be emphased as a conclusion.Technology is developing and getting more and more widespread in education area, so websites and other computer-based tools should be followed and analyzed to make use of them. This website is just one of them. The important point is to be able to use them correctly. Teachers should be careful while choosing such kind of tools. They should not ignore level of the learner and interest of them. Moreover, they should guide correctly the students who can reach several materials on the net in todays’world. I believe that this site will be really useful to increase and quicken learning if it is used on the right way.
1548353 - FLE
WWW.MANYTHINGS.ORG
Part 1 : Description of the product
‘www.manythings.org’ is a free study site for ESL and also EFL students with Computer Assisted Language Learning activities. It was created by Charles L. Kelly and Lawrence E. Kelly. It has been published in 2002. The creaters describe it as a site that an English language learner can find enjoyable study activities.There are grammar and vocabulary quizzes, vocabulary games and puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, tongue twisters, sentence machine, reading and listening materials and other computer assisted language learning activities. Even though the primary focus is for ESL, native English speakers may also find some interesting things on this site. This site is non-commercial and has no advertising.
It is a website recommended to the language learners by their teachers. One can learn new words and expressions , work on grammar, develop reading and listening skills by using computer-based materials. Moreover, the visitors of the site may enjoy the site and spend good time while studying English thanks to the provided tools.
Some pages require free Flash Player plug-in, at least version 4, 6 or newer one, and JavaScript. Apart from these, anything is required. It is easy to use this website and free. There is no need to install or download any part of it. It does not require to be a member, as well.
As for how one can use the site, it is really easy. One can choose the title that they want to study on the left part of the site . Moreover, they can find the list of activities on the top of the each page. Then, they choose which exercise and topic s/he prefers to go on. For examle, when one decide to study on listening and choose this title, s/he encounters the choices such as Listen and Read along, English Listening Room, Listen and Answer, Dictation Quiz, and lastly Related Section in which one can find other things to listen. Thanks to the first one ‘Listen and Read along, one can read the text while s/he listen it. Beside it, s/he can see the previous part of the listening passage on the left and the later one on the right of the now-playing part. The sound has really high quality and clear. The listener can understand and follow the items easily.
On the right part of the site, one can see the titles such as What’s New, Video, Popular Part. In the part ‘What’s New’, one can click on ‘daily page’, and can reach to the proverb of the day, quiz for the day, and listening. When s/he chooses ‘Video’, s/he comes across a link that they can watch a video related to the 70 pages of the site. Thanks to this video, one can have a idea about this site quickly. As for the part ‘ Popular’, one can go to the most popular parts of the site easily without spending time by looking for them. In short, it is clear that the creators of the site have tried to do their best in order to make it easier. In addition to this, the site gives instructions related to how one can manage each activities.
Besides all of these things, I believe that it would be better if somethings are changed. Most of them are related to the appearance of the site. I think it should be more attractive and have more energetic colours rather than gray and pale colours. Also, they have links to the good dictionaries ‘Babylon and Longman’, but one can reach to them just by using the title ‘Daily Page’. I think it would be better if they put a link named ‘Dictionaries’ on the left or right part of the site separately. Lastly, I believe that the menu for the site on the top of the page is unnecessary because they already have a menu column on the left throughout all the pages. If they are also improved, the site would be more useful and attractive for the users of it.
Part 2: Critical review of the site in terms of language learning
Because the site has been designed for the ESL and even EFL learners, it has several tools useful for language learning. It enhances language learning. I can critize it in terms of using it in classroom by teacher and in terms of self-learning. Fist of all, how can a language teacher use this site in the classroom ? In order to use this site during language course, the school should have some technologies in the class such as computer, projector, sound system and internet connection because you can not download anything in the website, and you need certainly internet connection. If all of these can be provided, then, language teacher can use the tools of the site and provide an enjoyable lesson. For example, they can play vocabulary games, matching vocabulary with pictures. They can even use different matching activities for the same vocabulary exercise. For example, they are given words and they choose the suitable picture or all the words and pictures are given and then they match everthing. I believe that using this items will be really enjoyable, beneficial and motivating especially for young learners. Teacher can also study on grammar by using quizes.They can choose which topic they want to study. The site has a variety of the grammar exercises, as well. Some of them have time limits. They should finish the exercise in a certain time. There are exercises that they can type, and there are multiple choice tests. The teacher also can use sentence machine in the class. To illustrate, they can organize the sentences by using the given words. If the teacher wants to focus on pronunciation, there are minimal pairs part that will be helpful to have an awareness of the difference between the sounds. Another useful item that the teacher can make use of in the classroom is listening part. For instance, there is a listening room in which they can listen to the text and fill in the blanks while listening. Also, there is a dictation quiz that teacher can make students listen to the sentences and wait for their writing what they have understood, and then shows the correct answer. Morerover, there are several activities based on the documents of Voice of America, including fill in the blanks, matching items, and spelling activity ( finding words by using some clues) .In short, I believe that English teachers can make their course more motivating and beneficial by using those different activities.
As for its use for self-learning, I believe that www.manythings.org will be even more useful and easier to use than it is for classroom. Although most of the schools do not have technology to use this site in Turkey, a large percent of learners can have computer and internet connection at home or internet cafe. They can use the site easily. The learners can practice grammar that they have learned on the net. To illsutrate, if the student learned comparisons, s/he can go to the grammar part and find activities related to comparisons. Some sentences are given and the tool wants the learner to use the given adjectives in their comparative or superlative forms. Moreover, they can learn new words or they can do some exercises on the words that they have learned. They can even have a good time while studying thanks to the puzzles and the pictures used in the activities. They can learn some slangs expressions , proverbs or idoms in English on their own and study on them. They can learn some songs, jokes, tongue twisters , which will be enjoyable for the learners that are really intereted in English. Briefly, I can say that learner can develop their language knowledge by studying on listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary while their interest to language increase thanks to the enjoyable items.
Besides all of these things, some issues also should be emphased as a conclusion.Technology is developing and getting more and more widespread in education area, so websites and other computer-based tools should be followed and analyzed to make use of them. This website is just one of them. The important point is to be able to use them correctly. Teachers should be careful while choosing such kind of tools. They should not ignore level of the learner and interest of them. Moreover, they should guide correctly the students who can reach several materials on the net in todays’world. I believe that this site will be really useful to increase and quicken learning if it is used on the right way.
Zeynep BAŞER
AUTHORING SOFTWARE
QuizFaber
It is a free sofware which allows to create multimedia quizzes in HTML with a JavaScript. One can create a variety of questions by using this program, such as multiple choice tests, True-False exercise, open-ended questions and fill-in-the-blanks exercise. The user can determine a maximum time for finishing the quiz. S/he can change or redesign the background of the page. Explanation for the answers can be written. Moreover, at the end of the activity, the students can see their score immediately, and the results can be stored.
Hot Potatoes
Using Hot Potatoes, one can create interactive web-based activities such as multiple choice, short answer, jumbled sentence, crossword, matching/ordering, fill-in-the-blanks exercises. Students can learn immediately how successful they have been. One can play MP3 Audio files in their exercises. However, it is not a freeware. It is just free for state-funded and non-profit- making educational instutitions, otherwise it must be paid for a licence.
AUTHORING SOFTWARE
QuizFaber
It is a free sofware which allows to create multimedia quizzes in HTML with a JavaScript. One can create a variety of questions by using this program, such as multiple choice tests, True-False exercise, open-ended questions and fill-in-the-blanks exercise. The user can determine a maximum time for finishing the quiz. S/he can change or redesign the background of the page. Explanation for the answers can be written. Moreover, at the end of the activity, the students can see their score immediately, and the results can be stored.
Hot Potatoes
Using Hot Potatoes, one can create interactive web-based activities such as multiple choice, short answer, jumbled sentence, crossword, matching/ordering, fill-in-the-blanks exercises. Students can learn immediately how successful they have been. One can play MP3 Audio files in their exercises. However, it is not a freeware. It is just free for state-funded and non-profit- making educational instutitions, otherwise it must be paid for a licence.
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