1. Zulkifli B Hanafi
2. Muhammad Syafiq B Mazlan
3. Mohammad B Muda
4. Muhd Syahir B Abdul Rani
Click Here
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
podcast assignment(group)
1. Zulkifli B Hanafi
2. Muhammad Syafiq B Mazlan
3. Mohammad B Muda
4. Muhd Syahir B Abdul Rani
Click Here
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
World wide web lesson plan
Let’s Celebrate Your Birthday
Level: Form 2 (Intermediate)
Time: 55 minutes
Aims: - To practice letter writing
- To get to know about preparing birthday celebration
Technical Requirements:
One computer with Microsoft Office Word per student, Internet connection with Web-browser and list of e-mail address for each student in the class
Websites: http://www.writing-lovers.com/informal_letter.html, http://ezinearticles.com/?Outdoor-Parties---Important-Things-to-Consider&id=4825762
Preparation:
- Look for websites offering sample of informal letter
- Check availability of websites before lesson
- Prepare worksheets
Procedure:
- Teacher discuss with students on the importance of celebrating their beloved’s birthday
- Teacher asks students whether they know how to prepare people’s birthday celebration.
- Teacher asks the students to surf a website that shows important things to consider for preparing a birthday celebration.
- Teacher instructs students to complete Worksheet 1 based on the information from the website.
- Teacher discuss the answer with the students
- Teacher asks the students to open a website and look for samples of informal letter. Teacher then instructs the students to download the sample.
- Teacher instructs students to complete Worksheet 2 and discuss the answer with the students.
- Teacher gives 20 minutes asks each student to write an informal letter to their friend describing how to prepare a birthday celebration using the worksheets that they have completed and sample of informal letter that they have downloaded as guidance.
- Teacher put a list of e-mail address for each student in front of the class and asks each student to choose the classmate that they want to send the letter to and take note of their friend’s e-mail.
- Teacher asks each student to open their own e-mail and compose the informal letter that they have written to their friend’s e-mail.
- Teacher discuss with students on the difficulties they faced in writing the informal letter and how websites that they have surf has help them write the letter.
- Teacher asks each student to open their e-mail and look for the informal letter that has been sent by their classmates.
- Teacher asks each student to read the letter and correct any grammatical or sentence structure error made by their friends in the letter.
- Teacher selects few students to read the letter they received to the whole class
- Teacher asks the whole class to guess the name of the sender for each letter that has been read.
Follow-up:
- Teacher asks each student to look for informal letter describing how to prepare a birthday celebration on the internet and compare it with the letter that they have written and received.
Monday, August 30, 2010
In-class task ( Hypertext and Hypermedia)
Espresso machiato
Espresso machiato, is a coffee, made with the combination of espresso and cream. In Italian, this drink literally means " espresso stained/ marked with cream". Traditionally it made with one shot of espresso, and the small amount of added cream was the "stain". Starbucks defines Espresso Machiato as "1 shot of espresso in a demitasse and topped with a small dollop of foamed cream. The reason this coffee got its name is because the baristas wanted to show the customer the difference between an espresso and an espresso with tiny bit of cream in it.
Espresso machiato was originated and popular in Italy. It is usually served with dessert during evening.It is also suitable to be served with sandwich and pastry. Espresso machiato can be served either hot or cold. However, more people prefer it to be served in a steam hot condition because it is nicer and more authentic.Suggested places and coffeehouses if people wanted to try espresso machiato in Malaysia is Starbucks, Tony Roma and San Francisco Coffee.
Espresso machiato, is a coffee, made with the combination of espresso and cream. In Italian, this drink literally means " espresso stained/ marked with cream". Traditionally it made with one shot of espresso, and the small amount of added cream was the "stain". Starbucks defines Espresso Machiato as "1 shot of espresso in a demitasse and topped with a small dollop of foamed cream. The reason this coffee got its name is because the baristas wanted to show the customer the difference between an espresso and an espresso with tiny bit of cream in it.
Espresso machiato was originated and popular in Italy. It is usually served with dessert during evening.It is also suitable to be served with sandwich and pastry. Espresso machiato can be served either hot or cold. However, more people prefer it to be served in a steam hot condition because it is nicer and more authentic.Suggested places and coffeehouses if people wanted to try espresso machiato in Malaysia is Starbucks, Tony Roma and San Francisco Coffee.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Article Review ( 10%)
THIS is the article
Title: The development and evaluation of a web-based college English outside reading system for EFL Freshmen
Author: Ching-Ying Pan, Institute of Education, Tzu Chi University and Pei-Ching Huang, Tai Pei Country Hai-San High School
Journal: The JALT CALL Journal, Volume 5, December 2009
OVERVIEW
Reading is considered as one of the most elements in language learning. In Taiwan, where English Language is taught as a foreign language, there is a need and high demand for the students to excel in their reading skill. For colleges as well as other students, instead of just learning how to read well using the old traditional method, there is also a need for new style of teaching reading for the language learner. Web-based reading has been created in order to attract more people to read and many parties has created many websites that includes various types of reading text such as stories, cartoons, diagrams and etc.
SUMMARY
1) Aims of the research
The main purpose of this study was to design web-based English outside reading learning system for college students to study English reading outside the classroom by themselves. This study is also aimed at exploring web-based learning system’s effect on students by comparing it with the reading of traditional printed material. This study is also aimed at investigating the effect of WBEOR learning system on user’s English reading comprehension, motivation and satisfaction.
2) Methodology of the research
Researchers conducted the study for freshmen English reading courses at a university in Taiwan. This study is an experimental study where it applies the pretest-posttest group design. Researchers use WBEOR (web-based English outside reading) learning system for this study and used a t-test to check the results of the student’s University Entrance English Exam and English learning motivation scale.
3) The subject/ sample
There are 166 participants for this study which are Taiwanese university students who took English Reading courses. One group, consist of 79 students called the control group will use traditional outside reading method while another group called experimental group is required to access WBEOR for their study. Both group had the same learning material, schedule and tests and all of them is required to complete their assignments. Control group will fully-use traditional method whereby experimental group will use web-based application throughout the research.
4) Findings of the research
Researchers are focusing on the experimental group for this study. Result shows that experimental group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group on the nine unit reading comprehension as well as quizzes, two midterms and one final examination. For both factor investigated in this study which are motivation and learning satisfaction, experimental group shows higher attainment compared to the control group. It can be concluded that students who adopted web-based learning method had better reading comprehension than students who use paper materials. The result provided positive evidence to support the hypotheses that WBEOR had positive effects on student’s English reading comprehension.
REFLECTION
On my first glance towards the title of this article/research, I have the intuition that this is an interesting study to be explored. To be honest, even though I have been using technology in my teaching process and designing lesson plans, this is the first time I get to know the term “web-based reading”. What is really interesting about this research is that it is conducted in Taiwan which is a country in the expanding circles of Braj Kachru’s circle of World English whereby English is taught as a foreign language. It really triggers me to know the effects of web-based reading and this study on language learners who are not the first or second language learners of English Language. Another factor attracting me to explore this study is that the study is conducted on young adult language learner, not children where I would like to discover how the result and findings of this study may vary.
My opinion is that this study is well conducted because researchers even use two groups which use two different materials and as a result, the researchers have been able to show a discrepancy of reading comprehension ability between the two groups in an obvious, positive and authentic way. I would say this research is well-conducted is also because it involves quite a large sample/participants which are more than 100 participants. However, the finding and result of this study cannot be generalized to the first and second language learner of English which concerns the people in countries like United States, Australia and Malaysia.
Web-based materials usually offer large amounts of authentic materials. This is a great opportunity for the language learner to learn language in an authentic, meaningful way. In general, web-based reading instruction will be an important factor and assistance in enhancing the reading ability of English Language learner. Web-based reading system and materials will be a great shift in our attempt to foster reading habit in our Malaysian children who did not really like to read before because of reading materials such as books, magazines and newspapers are perceived as dry and boring by the children. In our country, number of children who are computer-literate is increasing from time to time and the use of web-based reading and materials is a good initiative and strategy in encouraging the children to read. This will be a good assistance for the reading and literacy programme for the children that have been launched by our government a few years back. As a future teacher, if the school that I will be posted to have all the resources and facilities needed; I will use web-based reading materials and system in my teaching process.
Title: The development and evaluation of a web-based college English outside reading system for EFL Freshmen
Author: Ching-Ying Pan, Institute of Education, Tzu Chi University and Pei-Ching Huang, Tai Pei Country Hai-San High School
Journal: The JALT CALL Journal, Volume 5, December 2009
OVERVIEW
Reading is considered as one of the most elements in language learning. In Taiwan, where English Language is taught as a foreign language, there is a need and high demand for the students to excel in their reading skill. For colleges as well as other students, instead of just learning how to read well using the old traditional method, there is also a need for new style of teaching reading for the language learner. Web-based reading has been created in order to attract more people to read and many parties has created many websites that includes various types of reading text such as stories, cartoons, diagrams and etc.
SUMMARY
1) Aims of the research
The main purpose of this study was to design web-based English outside reading learning system for college students to study English reading outside the classroom by themselves. This study is also aimed at exploring web-based learning system’s effect on students by comparing it with the reading of traditional printed material. This study is also aimed at investigating the effect of WBEOR learning system on user’s English reading comprehension, motivation and satisfaction.
2) Methodology of the research
Researchers conducted the study for freshmen English reading courses at a university in Taiwan. This study is an experimental study where it applies the pretest-posttest group design. Researchers use WBEOR (web-based English outside reading) learning system for this study and used a t-test to check the results of the student’s University Entrance English Exam and English learning motivation scale.
3) The subject/ sample
There are 166 participants for this study which are Taiwanese university students who took English Reading courses. One group, consist of 79 students called the control group will use traditional outside reading method while another group called experimental group is required to access WBEOR for their study. Both group had the same learning material, schedule and tests and all of them is required to complete their assignments. Control group will fully-use traditional method whereby experimental group will use web-based application throughout the research.
4) Findings of the research
Researchers are focusing on the experimental group for this study. Result shows that experimental group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group on the nine unit reading comprehension as well as quizzes, two midterms and one final examination. For both factor investigated in this study which are motivation and learning satisfaction, experimental group shows higher attainment compared to the control group. It can be concluded that students who adopted web-based learning method had better reading comprehension than students who use paper materials. The result provided positive evidence to support the hypotheses that WBEOR had positive effects on student’s English reading comprehension.
REFLECTION
On my first glance towards the title of this article/research, I have the intuition that this is an interesting study to be explored. To be honest, even though I have been using technology in my teaching process and designing lesson plans, this is the first time I get to know the term “web-based reading”. What is really interesting about this research is that it is conducted in Taiwan which is a country in the expanding circles of Braj Kachru’s circle of World English whereby English is taught as a foreign language. It really triggers me to know the effects of web-based reading and this study on language learners who are not the first or second language learners of English Language. Another factor attracting me to explore this study is that the study is conducted on young adult language learner, not children where I would like to discover how the result and findings of this study may vary.
My opinion is that this study is well conducted because researchers even use two groups which use two different materials and as a result, the researchers have been able to show a discrepancy of reading comprehension ability between the two groups in an obvious, positive and authentic way. I would say this research is well-conducted is also because it involves quite a large sample/participants which are more than 100 participants. However, the finding and result of this study cannot be generalized to the first and second language learner of English which concerns the people in countries like United States, Australia and Malaysia.
Web-based materials usually offer large amounts of authentic materials. This is a great opportunity for the language learner to learn language in an authentic, meaningful way. In general, web-based reading instruction will be an important factor and assistance in enhancing the reading ability of English Language learner. Web-based reading system and materials will be a great shift in our attempt to foster reading habit in our Malaysian children who did not really like to read before because of reading materials such as books, magazines and newspapers are perceived as dry and boring by the children. In our country, number of children who are computer-literate is increasing from time to time and the use of web-based reading and materials is a good initiative and strategy in encouraging the children to read. This will be a good assistance for the reading and literacy programme for the children that have been launched by our government a few years back. As a future teacher, if the school that I will be posted to have all the resources and facilities needed; I will use web-based reading materials and system in my teaching process.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Reflection on Hot Potatoes application
Reflection on Hot Potatoes application
Hot potatoes is a free application designed and produced by Half-Baked Software Inc that allows teachers either trainee, novice or even permanent teachers to create various interactive web-based exercises. This includes fill-in-the gap, mix and match, jumbled-sentence and crossword puzzle. The first time I was introduced to this application, I thought that it is difficult to use, but after I have been able to understand part and parcel of the application, I felt that this application has help increase the need for me to express my creativity.
I found this application very useful and helpful as it is quite easy to be used and very user-friendly. Even someone with the slightest knowledge of using technology, with little help from their peers, will be able to use this application. Hot Potatoes will help teachers, especially English teachers like me to be more creative in creating exercises for my students. Because it is interactive, it will increase the motivation of the students to participate in the activity as well as answering the exercises where it is automatically will help them improve their mastery in the language.
Exercises in Hot Potatoes application can be done in part and also it can be linked from one exercise to another. This is good as students get to try various types of exercises in learning the language. The idea of using computers or technology in learning language alone has boost the motivation to learn language, this benefit of get to try various different exercises will make a lazy and passive language learner to become more hardworking and an active learner.
Because of there are many benefit of using this Hot Potatoes application, I will use this application when I have become the English teacher in the future and I insist on the readers of this blog use this application as well as it will be very helpful and a handy little friend to all of you.
Hot potatoes is a free application designed and produced by Half-Baked Software Inc that allows teachers either trainee, novice or even permanent teachers to create various interactive web-based exercises. This includes fill-in-the gap, mix and match, jumbled-sentence and crossword puzzle. The first time I was introduced to this application, I thought that it is difficult to use, but after I have been able to understand part and parcel of the application, I felt that this application has help increase the need for me to express my creativity.
I found this application very useful and helpful as it is quite easy to be used and very user-friendly. Even someone with the slightest knowledge of using technology, with little help from their peers, will be able to use this application. Hot Potatoes will help teachers, especially English teachers like me to be more creative in creating exercises for my students. Because it is interactive, it will increase the motivation of the students to participate in the activity as well as answering the exercises where it is automatically will help them improve their mastery in the language.
Exercises in Hot Potatoes application can be done in part and also it can be linked from one exercise to another. This is good as students get to try various types of exercises in learning the language. The idea of using computers or technology in learning language alone has boost the motivation to learn language, this benefit of get to try various different exercises will make a lazy and passive language learner to become more hardworking and an active learner.
Because of there are many benefit of using this Hot Potatoes application, I will use this application when I have become the English teacher in the future and I insist on the readers of this blog use this application as well as it will be very helpful and a handy little friend to all of you.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
ESL website evaluation
1) What does the application attempt to teach?
This website is constructed specifically for the purpose of assisting both teachers and learners in English Language teaching and learning process. The website is focusing on the 4 areas or skills in English Language which are reading, writing, speaking and listening. In addition, this website also offers wide range of language knowledge that can be acquired by the language learners such as grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and idioms. If you are looking for an ESL website that will help you be better in read, say and listen for any English Language sentences or phrases, this is it. The main focus of this website is so that the learners of English Language will be familiar with the resources and environment of English, especially for the people who learn English as a second, third or as the foreign language. One of the advantages of this website it can be utilize by English Language teachers, instructors and learners from all over the world as it suits the needs and style of English Language users which are either at the beginner, intermediate and advanced level. Despite being in the country either inner, outer or even the expanding circle of English Language, all people get to learn and be better in English Language.
For English teachers, this website offers a lot of materials that assist them in delivering the knowledge and subject matter in the classroom. English Language teachers, regardless of whether they are practicum, novice or even the senior teachers does not have to feel worry about they should prepare and deliver in the classroom as this website offers a lot of lesson plans, exercises and ideas that can be utilized for their teaching process. As an example, in assisting the teachers in teaching reading comprehension, this website offers variety of reading passage that covers various kinds of topics and issues. Another example is, if a teacher wants to do listening activity in his or her class, they can have various resources from the websites to be utilized in the classroom such as videos, podcast and listening tests. All the resources are available ranging from low-beginning, high beginning, low-intermediate, and high-intermediate as well as for the advance level.
2) What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to the learning content?
This question is closely related with the practicality issue of this website’s content. This website can be regarded as a website that is user-friendly as it is easy to use, access and explore all the resources and applications offered. This website caters the needs and style of every learner and teachers of English Language regardless of their English Language proficiency and computer literacy. The learner and user of this website can access and use the resources available in order to learn and be better in English Language.
One of things that a learner can do through this website is learning to pronounce word with the correct pronunciation. This can be done in the listening and speaking section of this website as learners get to imitate native speakers speaking with the correct usage of grammar and pronunciation and apply it in their daily life. Learners also can do various exercises offered in the website in order to sharpen their skill and knowledge in English Language. As an example, vocabulary and grammar exercises. For the teachers who visit this website, they can take many lesson plans and any other resources offered in the website as guidance in their teaching process.
3) What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
The most basic skills that the user or visitors need to have in order to be able to surf this website is their ability to use mouse and keyboard of a computer. This can be regarded as having basic computer skills in general. Users are also expected to have browsing skill in order for them to be able to surf and access the website. The instruction is very clear and the user must only be able to click what they want to learn according to the correct sections, category and level of materials that they want to access.
4) While you are playing/ accessing/ assessing the application, does it remind you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a classmate, or in self study?
I still remember when I was first introduced to integrating technology in the language class when I was brought for the first time by my English Language to the laboratory when I was in Form 1. My English teacher puts in an interactive English course ware CD on learning grammar. We were very eager to participate and involved ourselves in the activity afterward as we were attracted with the application. As my school is in the rural area, my teacher however did not get to show us any websites as during that time, the internet connection in my village is quite bad.
The very first time I am using this website is when I need to do my first micro-teaching during part 4 as a complement for my Methodology in Teaching Listening and Speaking (MTLS). I’m very amazed with this website as it has a lot of resources for me as future English Language teacher and this website also has been really helpful as this is the first time I’m doing my lesson plan as well as micro-teaching.
During my practicum period, I have been able to integrate some technology in my teaching process. The school that I have been sent to, SM SEAFIELD has provided us with a lot of resources such as course ware CD and also great internet connection that has helps me in my teaching whenever I brought my students to the laboratory. The lesson went quite well and the students were very focus and actively participating during the class.
5) Can you pinpoint any theories of language learning and/or teaching theories underlying the application?
It is an undeniable fact that an educational website; in our context, ESL website is constructed based on various learning theories and philosophies. For this website, one of the learning theories and philosophies that it is based on is Integrative Language Learning Theory. Materials and resources in this website allow the learners to experience learning a language via internet but still in an interesting learning environment as more than one skill are integrated in some of the activity offered in the website.
Another learning theory that this website is based on is Audio-Bilingualism. An audio-lingual lesson usually begins with a dialogue which contains the grammar and vocabulary to be focused on in the lesson. The students mimic the dialogue and eventually memorize it. This can be seen in the listening section of this website where a passage will be played and the user can either memorize the sentences, complete the sentences if there is any missing words and also listening while focusing on certain language aspects such as vocabulary and grammar included in the passage.
Another learning theory that I find relevant with this website is behaviorist theory. Behaviorist theory can be simplified as learning by imitation. This means people learn language or imitating native speakers of the language and try to speak like the native speakers. This includes correct usage of grammar and pronunciation. In this website, especially in the speaking section, user of this website can imitate the how native speakers speak and how they use the language through playing various passages and resources offered in the section.
6) How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website?
It is being said that constructivist learning theory is like the theme or the mainframe of all other learning theories and educational reform. This theory states that knowledge is gained through learning by doing knowledge is constructed through meaningful learning.
What makes this website relevant with the constructivist theory is that it offers a lot of resources and exercises that provide opportunities for the users to experiment their talent by doing all the exercises for the sake of their language learning. There are many hands-on activities and so many activities are considered as “learning-by-doing”.
Constructivist (social constructivist theory) also states that it is important to consider the background and culture of the learners throughout the learning process. Because of this website is accessible for the people from different background throughout the world, the resources is being organized in a fair manner in order to cater the needs and suits the style of every learner or user of this websites.
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?
Taylor (1980) proposed that computer assisted language learning is a wonderful stimulus for second language learning. It is reminded that it is only a stimuli and an assistant of a teacher, not the teacher itself. In my opinion, with various characteristic and quality such as noble intention and proper implementation, human being is more qualify to be a teacher than computer.
No matter how advanced our world is the teacher’s role as source of information and knowledge is still needed. In addition, unlike humans, computers cannot understand and feel the feelings, moods and emotions of the learners. Using computer is only applicable when it is time for the learners to do their self-study and it is only relevant with the concept of student-centered style of teaching. The only advantage of using computers to learn is learners will be able to evaluate and enhance their academic performance and also build their self-reflection strategies.
The other point to show that human makes a better teacher than computer is that human teacher can provide immediate response and feedback to the students anytime the students needed it. In addition, unlike computer, human teachers will provide subjective response that suit the student’s condition and emotion.
8) Would you like to use the application yourself in the future?
Yes, I would like to use this application/website in the future due to some reason and unique features of this website. This website provides positive impacts and also inculcates positive reinforcement throughout the learning process. The features and resources provided in this website drive the learning outcomes which are learning a language to be achieved.
I would highly recommend this website to be used by my friends to be used in the future. One of the reasons why I will be using this website is its accessibility and availability. In order to be able to use/access this website, you just need to have a personal computer and an internet connection, and the website is accessible at any time. Another reason is its affordability. In addition to accessible at any time, this website is also can be access or use for free. Users or learners can download any file or exercises without having to pay any money to the website constructor. All the resources and exercises in the website are also suitable for the students from various proficiency levels ranging from beginner, intermediate and also advanced learner.
Suggestion/ Recommendations
This website should be promoted to various people throughout the world who loves learning a language as this website is a very good assistance in the language learning process. I really love all the materials from this website as they are relevant, suitable for every learner and always being updated. However, this website should improve it’s user interface in order to make it look more attractive and will attract more learner/visitor.
References:
1) Brown, H.D (2000). Teaching by principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. New York: Longman
2) WWW.Wikipedia.com/learning theories
3) WWW. learning-theories.com/categories/constructivist-theories
Monday, July 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
In-class task 1
My name is Zulkifli B Hanafi,U8A,2006146147. I'm 22 years and originated from Kedah Darul Aman. I rate myself as a novice user of technology as I had the knowledge and know how to use some of the simple and easy-to-use softwares but I did not how to use few complex softwares usually that is used for web designing such as Publisher,Flash and etc. However,I have the knowledge of using Microsoft Offices, internet,the usage of thumbdrive,cd-rom and also external harddisk.My experience of learning via computer is only when I have to do online research which is browsing for e-journal in the Internet. Yes,I did try to incorporate technology in few of my lessons during my practicum experience. Few of the lessons went very well where i have been able to give the students a lot of information using videos,e-journals and etc. Few of the lessons however did not go well because of unexpected problems such as technical difficulties and etc. In this new and modern era, technology will become a very great tool and assistance for language teachers in the langauge class. Technology will help teachers to vary and modify their lesson so that it will become more interesting and suitable for our young generation in this nuclear era. I hope that i will be able to gain a lot of knowledge from this course on how to use softwares and technology to ease me in my teaching in the future as i will be facing young generations who are very literate in usage of computer and also great in using various type of technologies.
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