Using Websites in the classroom

1. Using Websites in the classroom \

2. AIDA SURYANI K1 / 2009 96490

3. Using websites in the classroom • One of the easiest and least stressful ways of getting started with technology in the classroom. Why? • Large and constantly expanding collection of resources • Various levels, various topics • Various media (from just simple text until sites with multimedia) • Authentic or ELT specific materials

4. Using websites in the classroom • Advantages of this technology: • Less risk of troubles (what you need is a browser and an internet connection) • No constant internet connection is needed

5. Using websites in the classroom • Possible uses of websites: • As printed pages, with no computers • With one computer with an internet connection • In a computer lab with a set of networked and connected computers.

6. ELT Websites or authentic materials?

7. Both can be used, it depends on what you want to achieve with it. • ELT websites: provide valuable opportunities for more controlled language work, e.g. • Activities for ESL/EFL students: http://a4esl.org/; • English: http://www.english-for-students.com/; • Learn English: http://www.usingenglish.com/students.html; • Linguistics: http://www.ohio.edu/linguistics/esl/index.html

8. Authentic websites: provide ideal opportunities for more authentic and natural.

9. How to find useful websites • Search engine: • Google: www.google.com • Yahoo: www.yahoo.com • Altavista: www.altavista.com • Ask.com: http://www.ask.com/ • Clusty: http://clusty.com/ • Lycos: http://www.lycos.com/

10. Subject directory/subject guide: • Yahoo: http://dir.yahoo.com/ • Specialized search engines and directories • http://webquest.sdsu.edu/searching/specialized.html

11. How to find useful websites • Meta search engines • Dogpile: http://www.dogpile.com/ • Kartoo: http://www.kartoo.com/en_index.htm • Metacrawler: http://www.metacrawler.com/ • Mamma: http://www.mamma.com/ • Others: • Answer.com: http://www.answers.com/bb/ • Yahoo! Answer: http://answers.yahoo.com/

12. How to find useful websites • Images: • Flickr: www.flickr.com • Google image: http://images.google.com • Istockphoto: www.istockphoto.com

13. Video: • Google video: http://video.google.com/ • Yahoo video: http://video.yahoo.com/ • Youtube: www.youtube.com • Teachertube: www.teachertube.com • TeacherTV: www.teachers.tv • AOL Video: http://video.aol.com/

14. Audio: podcast: • ESL Podcast: www.eslpod.com • Download podcast using iTunes Player, iTunes U

15. ESL Independent Study Lab: http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/toppicks/toppicks.html • ESL Independent Study Lab – Content Study: http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/toppicks/content.html • Web resources: http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/tesol98/webresources.html#misc • 4Teachers: http://www.4teachers.org/ • The Internet TESL Journal: http://iteslj.org/

16. Useful and resourceful blogs: • Larry Ferlazzo: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/ • Tom Kuhlmann: http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/ • Free Technology for teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/ • Teacher Reboot Camp: http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/ • Teacher Challenge: http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/ • Or other websites of your own choices, there are many!

17. How to evaluate websites • Accuracy: • Who wrote the page? Is this person an expert in the subject matter  check the qualification, experience, look for an ‘about me’ link • Is the page content reliable and factually correct?  cross-reference with other similar websites and encyclopedias

18. 2. Currency: a. Is the content up-to-date?  check factual information against other reliable sources • When was the page last updated?  check factual information at the bottom/top of the page

19. 3. Content: • Is the content interesting and stimulating?  consider the content from your learners’ point of view • Is it attractive and easy to navigate?  check the color combinations, the logic of the links and visual structure

20. 4. Functionality: • Does the site work well? Are there any broken links?  Be sure to check all pages, and follow all links to all pages you intend to use • Does it use a lot of large files or alternative technologies (e.g. Flash)?  Check how quickly it loads for learners; check sound, video and animation work.

21. Planning lessons using the Internet

22. Plan your session well: visit the websites you intend to use and make sure you know your way around them properly. • Three parts typical web-based session(www): • Warmer－ prepares your learners for what they are going to be doing in the web part of lesson. • Web－ it’s important to spend only as much time as you need working with your computer.

23. Web teaching dos and don’ts

24. Whenever you use technology you should always have a backup plan in place. • Use the knowledge of other teachers and of your learners to help you with the technical side of the lesson. • If it’s a lesson that involves relatively few web pages, try saving them to your computer hard disk.

25. 3. Unless you are working on something like an email pen pal exchange, it is rarely conducive to have learners working alone on computers. 4. Try to arrange the computer room in such a way that you can easily maintain control over learner activities. 5. Not all the content that you come across with your learners will necessarily be suitable for them.

26. Reference Integrating the internet in the classroom: http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/usia/home.html Finding information on the Internet: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html Searching the internet: Recommended sites and search techniques: http://www.internettutorials.net/search.html Dudeney, G., & Hockly, N. (2007). How to teach English with technology. Longman: Harlow, Essex, England.