Spelling City

Go to Larry Ferlazzo's site and search for 'spelling', you will find lots of fantastic websites for spelling he has recommended to us.

here is the link: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?s=spelling

Among them, I like Spelling City very much.

4 groups in the class has chosen spelling city and their comments on 'how it works' has been put below: 

 Spellingcity - help students to memorize vocabulary (spelling, pronunciation, meaning) with fun. Different kinds of games offer the opportunities for students to learn the vocabulary in different context repeatedly, which help them to master both the form and the meaning of those new words. Writing activities are brilliant. Students can make their own context with the new words based on their previous knowledge. Furthermore, if they signed the website, they can sent their works to their teachers directly and then get their feedback.

 Spelling City is a website that helps learners practice their vacabulary in different ways, which make learning process more enjoyable.  There are four main categories for learners to choose from:  Tests, Vocabulary, Writing, and Spelling.   And you can also practice your handwring in this website. In each category, you can test yourself by playing games, and if you are not sure about the answer, you can click on 'Teach Me' button.

 Take 'Which Word' (sub-category of Vocabulary) for example.  You can click on the right answer, and then click on 'Next' button.  If you do not answer it correctly, it will ask you to try it again.

Spelling City requires to enter a word list so you could be able to use them in several activities starting from simple spelling exercises to more sophisticated activities such as crosswords and match ups. Interesting feature: The fact that word are used in context(you can listen the sentences and the individual spelling of eeach and every word you enter). One drawback might be tfor some activities you need to go premium.

Some of our ideas: (Maria and Jenny)

•  A website to practice spelling skills, vocabulary and writing. 
• You can take tests and play games, you work with your own list or find other ready-to-use lists (Teacher's resources). 
• If you become a Premium member you have access to specific vocabulary and activities and games for premium members only, you can keep a record of your performance and you can work with small groups assignments.
•  If you choose to take the spelling test, you enter your words and then you have to type them correctly. 
• The Teach Me option goes through your word, letter by letter. You can listen to the words and have a sentence in which they are used. After you write the words in the test, you receive feedback on how you did.
•  If you choose the vocabulary test, you have a definition and a number of words to choose from.
•  However, this might need to be carefully considered based on the students' level. And if you choose to play a game, there is a list with different games for spelling, vocabulary, writing and other topics.
• You can use this website in the classroom or at home.It's free, unless you want to become a premium member.

Sync In: collaborative online chatting room

This is an unique chatting room which is quite different from 'TodaysMeet'. It provides the chatting area as well as the editing area. Each member in the room can observe other's typing, editing and is able to edit other's words(just like wiki). After that, you can save everything and review chatting procedure based on different versions. Finally, you can download it as HTML or Plain Texts.

It is an effective tool in the English language classroom because:

• for students, it is an information sharing room that everyone can view other's words and add or edit them. Tasks can be provided and left to students to finished by themselves.  It is a useful tool for students' self-teaching. 
• for teachers, it can record the whole process of the language teaching which offer valuable sources for teachers' self-reflection. 

In the class, we need work in pairs to visit 9 websites and made some comments on the it(what is it? and how to use it in ELT). I have worked with Maria and found lots of interesting and valuable tools for us to utilize in the English language classroom in the further. This is really very interesting task that can be used in the language classroom.


Limitation: without audio support

Sugata Mitra's 'SELF-TEACHING'

'self-teaching' :
 'Sugata Mitra's new experiments in self-teaching' on TED.



link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk60sYrU2RU 
Two central concepts about self-teaching:

•       Autonomy: about students' MOTIVATION and INTERESTS.
•       Network connection: technologies becomes meaningful when they are not only the tools but whereby you can connect with various people who can offer more knowledges and information that you need. 

Further speeches concerning Sugata Mitra's 'self-teaching' and 'Hole in the Wall' 

can kids teach themselves?

'Holes in the Wall'

Sugata Mitra's "Hole in the Wall" experiments have shown that, in the absence of supervision or formal teaching, children can teach themselves and each other, if they're MOTIVATED by curiosity and peer INTEREST.(From TED)

Wordia: Bring words to life!

It is an online visual dictionary that supply lots of videos that different people(some public figure and celebrity) explaining  the words mean to them. Basically we will have the definition and usage of the word if we search it in the 'search bar'.

Besides, if some people have uploaded his or her video to explain the word, it will show on the left hand. 


Value: learning vocabulary in CONTEXT
Looking up the vocabularies in he traditional dictionary is a very boring experience and students always still feel confused when facing to a long and complicated explanation. Also, even they can remember the meaning of the word, they still can not use into practical because they have remembered the word without the context. Wordia provides a new way to study word. People in the video will  explain the word by his or her own 'context' which will help the students to understand the word in depth. Moreover, if students watch the different videos on the same word, they will understand the meaning of it in various context. Thus, I think Wordia offer the learners and students teaching and studying the vocabulary not only in definition as traditional way bu more in 'CONTEXT'. 


Additionally, it is a very interesting way to study the 'meaning' and students will never feel boring when remember the word. They will unconsciously remember it when watching the video. 


Focus on the 'process' learning. 

Usage 
task: for studying vocabulary (practice listening & speaking skills)
  1. teacher tell students the word that they need to learn today, but without any explanation 
  2. divide the whole class into several groups; different group will watch different video but they all explain the target word.
  3. group discussion: members in the same group discuss their understand on the video, the meaning of the word to the recorder.
  4. each group will present the meaning of the word in the video they have watched in the class blog  and embed the video. Then they will also present their understanding to the whole class (each group needs a presenter). 
  5. teacher will make a conclusion and comment. (it is very important because sometime students may misunderstand the word)
  6. mix the students together and redivide the whole class into several groups. students will present the word meaning to themselves in the group. 
  7. After class, teacher ask students to podcast their the word meaning to themselves as a video in the class blog, sharing their ideas with each other. 


Limitation: 

• The definition is the individual'a perspective and some of them are not reliable. 
• Limit amount of the videos that have been uploaded by people

Future of Screen Technology

Future of Screen Technology
This is the result of TAT's Open Innovation experiment. It is an experience video showing the future of screen technology with stretchable screens, transparent screens and e-ink displays, to name a few.


How do you think the technologies might change teaching and learning?
I have selected some useful and valuable views of my classmates in the discussion from TodaysMeet and summarized  their ideas below


1.  Materials, Recourses and Learning environment
Advantages:

• Learners can have access to any materials. 
• Students are exposed to 'real-life' materials and authentic language environment.
• They can learn anywhere,not restricted to classroom

Drawbacks: 

• Too much overloaded input will add pressure on students' mind which distract students' selection of the valuable information 
• handouts and coursebooks may no longer be used

2. Learning Process

    Advantages:

• Technology can build up students' autonomy in learning.
• really learner-centered language teaching

    Drawbacks: 

• enhance interdisciplinary studies
•  the edu is mostly test-oriented so spending time on the Internet and computers can regarded as a waste of time.
• Overload psycho- cognitive processes- might be too much 
• There might be the danger of how to utilise all this knowledge.
• Less face-to-face communication

HOW TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY IN ELT?

For teacher, as the  technology has  strong power to influence the leaner's learning, teacher firstly should comprehensively understand the technology that he or she wants to use in the language teaching. Teachers should have the ability to control the technology so that to avoid the discipline learning process or ineffective input.

Secondly, there are large amount of technologies available in the internet, teachers need to be cautious about  selecting  certain technology in teaching, considering students' needs, learning environment as well  as the aptitude and motivation of  different learners. 

Finally, tasks needed to be well-designed when using technologies; use the technology appropriable.  Consider the sequence and manage the time well. 

Webquest: Design a task for students

This is an interesting webquest for 11th Grade students designed by Vanessa Cremona. The task in the webquest is to ask students to choose one favoriate movie and introduce it to the whole class and persuade them to watch it. Through doing this task, students will practice their reading, writing, speaking and develop some relevant communication skills.

link: http://www.idea-ti.ch/webquest/vanessa/index.htm

Value

• The webquest will foster students' learning autonomy. They can search the relevant movie resources, newspaper reports and others' reviews after class.
• The task in the webquest gives students a lot of freedom to choose the material and use the target language.
• When students finish the task, they will develop their speaking, reading, and writing skill as well as communication and presentation skill.
• The topic of the task is interesting and strongly associated with students' daily life, which will increase their motivation to do it.
• The webquest contains clear instruction of the task which allows students to complete the task independently.
• The evaluation form is clear, which guides students to complete the task based on a certain criteria.
• The given task process is divided into several steps, which leads students to plan their procedure resonablely and arrange their time appropriately. Additionally, the process page provides students some useful links and information about the task.
• Teacherpage is good for teacher to refer to and evaluate students' work and outcome.

Usage

• Teacher introduces the topic of the webquest or plays a movie clip for students in order to motivate students to involve in the following task through a warm-up activity.
• Then teacher asks students to use the webquest, meanwhile, teacher should give some more detailed and specific instruction about the different processes of the task and provide some alternative resourses that students can use.
• Teacher ask students to brainstorm the movie they want to introduce and have a group discussion about the relevant background knowledge about it.
• Teacher can either ask students to do the task on several classes and monitor their performance or ask them to complete it after class.
• When students finish the task and do the presentation in public, teacher should give effective feedback or ask their peers to provide feedback based on the given evaluation form.

Limitation

• It might be a huge load for a student to do the task individually.
• There are not many relevant sources, such as links and pictures available for students.
• Too simple layout is unlikely to be attractive for young students.

BBC Learning English Quiznet

The website provides the vocabulary quizzes, grammar quizzes and quizzes based on the topic.





A. vocabulary quizzes









B. grammar quizzes 









C. quizzes based on the topic.



Different from other quizzes, this  website focus on the more  practical usage of the vocabulary, grammar and daily life English. Moreover, the quizzes will help the learners to correct some ordinary mistakes that even advanced learner will possibly make. 


After finish the quiz, you will have the score and the right answer. If your answer is wrong, it will offer a clear explanation. You can also download the quiz and get a pdf document. 


Value: 

•  for advanced learners to use English practically and flexibly
•  The classification of the vocabularies is very practical. For example, the quizzes  will put all the vocabularies that can deliver the meaning of 'thinking' or 'pleasant' together and it will help the students to distinguish them. 
•  Each question have a picture to give learner some hint to answer; also, it is a kind of visual aids that can arouse students' motivation.
• Download material is great sources for teaching materials

Usage:

•  Teacher can use the quizzes as the assessment . (online or pdf materials)
•  Students' self-testing of study. they can get quick feedback after finishing the quizzes. 

Limitation:

•   It is only suitable for advanced learners.
•   We can not search the topic or grammar points that we want to practice and some of them are not available in this website.