Learner Autonomy and Tandem Learning

Schweinhorst (2003) discusses the framework of CMC in three different perspectives: the individual-cognitive, the social-interactive, and the experimental-participatory, which are interdependent to each others. Indeed, they all help both learners and educators to reflect upon the awareness on language development through technology.

This article gives me a strong call on promoting web-based autonomous learning in adult continuing education. Nowadays, free online educational websites are easily acessible and adult students should learn to make good use of them due to their limited time spends on lessons. However, they should be aware the pedagogical value of them at first, and teachers must be the essential ones to faciliate them.

Can learners use concordance feedback for writing errors?

According to Gaskell and Cobb (2004), using online concordance can help a group of low-intermediate level students improve their writing skills. Besides, it provides feedback to students on word-level and sentence-level errors through the authentic data base.

Indeed, I found the use of concordance practical in my teaching in adult ESL classrooms since the data provided is authentic and practical, and it enhances the autonomous learning nature in adult continuing education. However, it is the lack of knowledge and awareness of the students, at first, about the utilization of this power resource, and training of using it provided to them could be a great help in their language studies. In fact, it won't take too long time to introduce how to use the online concordance to the students and I think, more important, it really worths the time!

Copyright issues

Wow, if you go deep into the copyright issues, it could be very SERIOUS!

This is my first time reading materials about copyright in Hong Kong and I am really far away from the knowledge. Oops ...

From what I've heard in common sense, there is much more that we, as a teacher, should know!

Right after learning more about it, I have gone into my blog and deleted a few links that I have provided in the writings.

Teachers, please see if it helps:
http://www.ipd.gov.hk/eng/intellectual_property/copyright/edu_guide.pdf

The CALL Courseware Evaluation Framework of Hubbard

I am so impressed by the the evaluation framework of Hubbard (1988, pp.69); it is so unique that each complicated detail is so clearly presented in one single chart, provided in the form of a framework from which teachers can develop their own evaluation procedures in any training courses. It really gives a great insight to language teachers on how to evaluate a course with clarity, flexibility and readability.

However, I think it would be quite time-consuming spending on describing each little detail in the tasks of the courseware, rather than just going through a checklist or a list of questions to be answered in a traditional evaluation form. But still, the more time you invest in it, the deeper insight you will get. It is worthy though!

As a fresh one experiencing new technologies in language teaching, I already could see how far behind I am, since quite thorough courseware development has been established in the field...

Reference:
Hubbard, P. (1988). An intergrated framework for CALL courseware evaluation. CALICO Journal, 6(2). 51-72.

"Hot Potatoes" is fun to learn and for learning!

I found it at ease with lots of fun learning how to use the "Hot Potatoes" software for language pedagogy BUT ONLY under the technical supports of Christoph and other classmates. I would like to take this chance to say "thank you so much" to them.

Indeed, I am a computer idiot and always found frustration using computer technology as a mean in my teaching. However, I have to admit that new technologies for language pedagogy is very essential since the world has changed to an IT era.

Although the "Hot Potatoes" has been exposed in the world for a while, this is the first time I heard about it. See, how outdated I am - the one who only likes reading grammar books at home!

Theory-Driven Call & The Development Process

Indeed, the idealistic framework of language pedagogy beginning with descriptions of needs analysis and learning objectives, then learning activities before considering the choice of media, as what Levy (1997) has described, is very familiar and practical to most of the teachers in Hong Kong, due to the contraints of technical supports and lesson time in school. However, I totally agree with Levy that the notion of 'fit' is most valuable.

From the different aspect of views according to the field of CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning), the 'fit' between the computer's capabilities and the demands of language pedagogy is as practical and effective as the traditional instructional design that we used to learn to apply in our pedagogy in our generations. Since the wrold has moved to the IT era, I strongly believe that the 'fit' approach would be more essential, and teachers need to move on to advance themselves in such development.

Now, I really admire the langauge educators that have equipped with good IT skills!

Reference:
Theory-Driven CALL and the Development Process by Mike Levy (1997

Educational Family Day with Fun

The Omnimax Show "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure":
www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Space/Sitemap/e_index.htm

I visited the Space Theatre in Hong Kong Space Museum for relaxation last Saturday and unbelievably went to a great adventure back to the prehistoric years. With the paleontologists, the journey unveils the secrets of the sea monsters in the past step by step. It is fascinating and educational, and the English voiceover is so easy to follow. Also, teacher's guide of the movie is provided on the Internet for reference:
www.nationalgeographic.com/seamonsters
www.nationalgeographic.com/seamonster/educators/index.html

I would say, it is a wonderful enjoyment for families, and parents can prepare ahead by checking through the teacher's guide before taking the curious children to a wonderful and educational journey. However, caution is advised to the elderly with motion sickness problem - they will find the journey went through on the screen too adventurous!

Reflection on the readings of online behaviour

It is very interesting to know more about learning behaviour of online communication, and I had never heard of it when I was in college majoring in psychology. I believe research on this subject was probably done within this decade, and it has already become popular academic studies in college nowadays. Indeed, the reading of Language Learning Behaviour in a Virtual Environment (Roed,2003) has bought me forward not just on the recent trend of college studies but also my understanding on the role as a language teacher. I totally agree with Roed that leading students to communicating online is a good approach for language practice since they would feel less anxious and more willing to express themselves in the language. Perhaps, leading students to communicate through a blog is just very fundamental in recent years - I believe multiliteracies has already gone way far from my understanding. The pool of new technologies in language teaching will be endless; therefore, as a teacher, I will have much to learn in order to facilitate my students as well as for the development of my professional.

Reference:
Language Learning Behaviour in a Virtual Environment (Roed,2003)

Funny videos for language analysis and reflection

There videos are excellent for language acquisition analysis, but I doubt if they are all good bookmarks for your teaching in class:

1. Charlie bit my finger - Development Sequences


2. Say ... Frog - Initial and Final Clusters


3. Say ... Pillow - Interdental Fricative


4. Talking Dog - Voicing



This one is just for fun:
Sneezing Panda - the Power of Interjection!

I try to teach my adult students the skills that they’re going to need to succeed in the exam (BULATS)and in the workplace by themselves, without me. I know that once they leave the classroom, they’re not going to be able to reply on me. So, I try to make them realize that they’re responsible for their own studying, that they need to participle actively in their lifelong independent learning. And, I strongly believe that getting students involved in a variety of web-based tasks, including reading the web texts, summarizing information found on web pages, doing quizzes as homework practices, or sharing lists of vocabulary and discussion of favourite websites with others through the platform, is a great benefit to the adult students so as to widen their knowledge on both business and social contexts.

Indeed, I rarely use any technological tools in my classes due to the time constraint and the lack of equipment provided by most of the centers. However, I would introduce and encourage the utilization of web-based source materials to them, since these free online authentic materials are excellent tools for the students to deepen their understanding of the subject study along with the limited class lessons.

Essential Web-based Study for BULATS

Essential Web-based Study for BULATS

Introduction - BULATS
http://www.bulats.org/

CEF
http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef/intro.htm
http://www.english.gov.hk/eng/html/learning.htm


BBC Learning English – Sharpen your Exam Techniques
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teachingenglish/examskills/

BBC Learning English
http://www.bbc.co.uk/

BBC Learning English – Grammar Challenge
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/grammar_challenge
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flash/wordmaster/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/video_and_audio/news_summary/8070822.stm


Free Online web-based Source Materials for Teachers:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teach/lessonplans/

Free Online web-based Source Materials for Independent Learning:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/default.stm
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
http://www.importexporthelp.com/a/business-term-glossary.htm#Q

Hello

This is my first blog set up. I've never thought of creating a personal blog as I don't think there would be anyone reading it.

BTW, my students like to call me "Miss Connie" - funny but nice! They still want to respect my role but get friendly with me.