The role of WeQuests in learning a foreign/second language?

First off all let's define webquest Barnies dodges defined webquest as "an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet". Webquest include 5 element which are "introduction, task, process, evaluation, and conclusion".  Webquest is good tool for both teacher and learner. It will enhance the learning process. It will improve their critical thinking, student-oriented activities, ccooperative/ collaborative learning and Project-based Learning. Student will engaged on activities which keep them thinking. They have been tasks where they have to analyse and search for solution. For me future I will use webquest in my teaching style.  Because I think it is good tool to enhance learning and make student more interest in learning process.

Do teachers need to create web-based language activities for EFL students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Why and why not? Morrions

When you search on internet about web-based language activities/quizzes/material you will find wide amount of it but creating your own ones have more advantages. As teacher creating your own web-based language activities/quizzes/materials will benefit you in many ways. First, as what we read in Morrison’s article there is three advantages for creating your own web-based. This is accessibility, renew ability, adaptability. Another reason that now day teachers are dealing with students who are digital natives. They prefer to learn by using web base. Also teachers can design the activities/quizzes/materials according to level of the students, and the objectives of the course. And they can design activities/quizzes/materials for those who have disability. 

Wordle in EDU 401

Challenges of creating web-based activites in Sally Morrison” Interactive lanaguge Learning on the Web

Creating web based activity has some advantages for the teachers including accessibility, renewability, and adaptability. Teachers sometimes faced some challenge or difficulties on creating web based. The greatest challenge in creating Web-based language learning activities is that they do not have the technical skill and knowledge to do so. Another difficulty in creating online activities involves the variability of students’ access to computers. Another important issue is the need to design Web pages that meet accessibility guidelines for individuals with disabilities so that students with special needs are not left out.

Here in Saudi Arabia as a teacher I would add to the issue I mentioned before that we don’t have enough PC in school for student to use it. Even if there are PC it would be an old system and process. 

Social Network Sites

What is your most important reason for using social networking sites? 

My most important reasons for using social networking sites to communicate with other and sharing links.  In teaching it could build good relationship between the teachers and students. Also teachers can send to the student some videos and links that to benefit them in their course. 

It is possible for you to use them in teaching EFL/ESL?

Yes, I think we have to use in teaching because we are dealing with students who are Digital natives. Social websites would help the students to learn English. Students can chat with people from other countries and use English to communicate. That would help them to develop their language and use their language in real life situation. 

Speaking

Speaking is one of the most important skills student need to achieve. In order to speak English correctly students need not only to learn its vocabulary and grammar, but also the context in which words are used.

I found this website the helped students to learn spoken English:

Click Here

This website contains 16 lessons having a total of 147 exercises giving a student enough material to speak English for two hours a day, five days a week for nine months each lesson contain 5 section of listening and practicing pronunciation and 2 tables and 1 vocabulary. Also it provide an e-book for the course explanation, It uses the new Feedback Training Method (FTM), It is available for smartphone, tablet, desktop, It is available in both American & British accents. 

 Lesson 1a;

Click Here 

Lesson 1 Table 1 :

Click Here 

Lesson 1 Vocabulary : 

Click Here

The Future of CALL.

In the future of call reading Mark Warschauer explained how technology changes the word as whole. He starts with defining Technological determinism as “Technological determinism refers to the idea that the introduction of new technology automatically brings certain results “. Then  

 He explained the ten developments in Information and Communication Technology which are

• ·         The first important change is from phone-based to wireless communication because of improved technology and telephone/Internet relay facilities.
• ·         A second change will be a move from dial-up Internet connections to permanent, direct online connections.
• ·         A third change will be from the use of mainly personal computers to the use of portable computing and online devices.
• ·         A fourth change will be from narrow band (referring to the speed at which information passes over communication lines) to broadband.
• ·         A fifth change will be from expensive personal computing systems to widely affordable
• ·         Computers and other hardware
• ·         A sixth development is that the Internet will change from being an exclusive form of communication and information, mostly limited to people in developed countries, to becoming a mass form of communication accessible to most of the planet.
• ·         A seventh development will be a movement from text-based information and communication to audiovisual forms of information and communication.
• ·         An eighth change will be from use of English as the main online language to multilingual Internet use.
• ·         A ninth change will be from “non-native” to “native” users of information technology.
• ·         A tenth change will be the movement of CALL from the language laboratory to the classroom.

All people around the world witnessed these developments. And we all agree how greet this development and how it helped as in many cases and make our task easier. Next He examined five area to know what expected effect on English teaching of these likely future developments which are new contexts, new literacy, new genres, new identities, and new pedagogies. In new context mark mention how ICT will have a profound influence on the context in which English is taught. And how the teacher start saying that English is a tool to use a computer and get information in the internet. I agree in that English is considering as universal language and it influence many area in our life not just teaching. But I don’t think that we need to learn English in order to use computer or to get information. In new literacy he mentioned that how the act of reading change from consisted of an attempt to understand the meaning of a single author to online era which has become an attempt to interpret information and create knowledge from a variety of sources. I agree on that because I think technology change people way of thinking. I also agree on what he said on area of new genres. And the example he gave was very impressive for me. In new identities he was absolutely right on everything he mentioned. Actually one of my friends improves her skill in English by chatting with people around the word. She once had an Indian friend who learned from her Arabic and teach her English.

Her in Saudi Arabia school we don’t use that much of technology. We have these developments in Saudi Arabia but we don’t actually us it. When I was in high school my teachers didn't use any way of technology in teaching. They used to use the white board and board markers only. I think they need to engage technology in teaching it will make the student understand better.