Jeong-Bae Son (sonjb@usq.edu.au)
University of Southern Queensland, Australia
Abstract
This article looks at ways of using Web-based language learning (WBLL) activities and reports the results of a WBLL project that developed a Web site as a supplementary resource for teaching English as a second language (ESL) and tested the Web site with a group of students in an ESL context. The Web site provides WBLL session plans for ESL teachers, containing three types of WBLL activities: pre-created Web activities for grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening; task-based Web activities that require students to use the Web to produce certain outcomes; and teacher-made Web activities. Participants in WBLL sessions using the Web site showed positive attitudes toward WBLL and expressed the view that they would like to use more Web activities during and outside class time.
Abstract
This article looks at ways of using Web-based language learning (WBLL) activities and reports the results of a WBLL project that developed a Web site as a supplementary resource for teaching English as a second language (ESL) and tested the Web site with a group of students in an ESL context. The Web site provides WBLL session plans for ESL teachers, containing three types of WBLL activities: pre-created Web activities for grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening; task-based Web activities that require students to use the Web to produce certain outcomes; and teacher-made Web activities. Participants in WBLL sessions using the Web site showed positive attitudes toward WBLL and expressed the view that they would like to use more Web activities during and outside class time.
Introduction
The Internet is a global network of computer networks. It provides language teachers with network-based teaching environments in which they can create meaningful tasks and use various materials for language learners. The hypermedia nature of the World Wide Web, in particular, has greatly expanded the power of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) by allowing learners to explore and discover their learning paths themselves and offering them easy access to an on-line database of resources. With a variety of hyperlinked multimedia documents and computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools, the Web can support language teachers to integrate Web resources into the language classroom (Son, 2007; Warschauer, 2001). It can be also a virtual library that has a huge amount of information valuable to English as a second language (ESL) teaching (Allodi, Dokter & Kuipers, 1998; Bell, 1998; Felix, 2001; Murray & McPherson, 2004; Son, 2005; Warschauer & Healey, 1998). In addition, Web-based language learning (WBLL) has the potential to increase learner motivation and engage learners in culturally authentic and highly interactive language experience (Chun & Plass, 2000; Gruber-Miller & Benton, 2001; Kung & Chuo, 2002; Mosquera, 2001; Osuna & Meskill, 1998; Rico & Vinagre, 2000).
WBLL is language learning that involves the use of the Web and exploits Web materials, resources, applications or tools (Son, 2007). Given that WBLL occurs with Web activities on the Web, it is important to use well-designed WBLL activities to maximize language learning. This article looks at the use of WBLL activities in an ESL context in terms of design, implementation and evaluation. It also presents 34
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
WBLL activities that can be integrated into the ESL classroom, while reporting the results of a WBLL project that explored, selected and developed Web activities for ESL learners and investigated the usefulness of the Web activities in the ESL classroom.
Design
Based on the way of creating, presenting and using materials on the Web, the following types of WBLL activities are proposed: (1) pre-created Web activities adopting interactive language exercises that have been already created by others and are easily accessible on the Web; (2) task-based Web activities making use of a variety of authentic Web resources for communications, information collections, problem-solving tasks, etc.; and (3) teacher-made Web activities employing tailor-made language exercises modified by classroom teachers themselves for their own students.
In practice, it is useful to have a dedicated Web site, containing language learning activities for use in a teaching program. For this reason, a Web site entitled WBLL Activities for ESL Teachers and Learners (http://www.usq.edu.au/users/sonjb/projects/wbll/) was developed for the integration of WBLL activities into an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) program at an Australian university. A planned approach was taken in introducing and incorporating Web activities into the ELICOS program, which was looking for new, interesting and authentic materials presented in various media in an effort to meet the diverse learning needs of its student body.
Figure 1 Screen shot from the WBLL Website with a session planner
The Website consists of an introductory page and a session plan page showing pre-created, task-based and teacher-made activities. It provides WBLL session materials
35
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
for ESL teachers, containing a list of pre-created Web activities for grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening and task-based Web activities that require students to use the Web to produce certain outcomes. It also presents teacher-made Web activities created by using Hot Potatoes (http://hotpot.uvic.ca/), which is free for educational use and allows the creation of JavaScript driven interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises. It also allows some customization of the generated files. The files generated for the Web site were made to look as close as possible to the rest of the Web site in terms of the colour-scheme used. An on-line discussion group is also available for users of the Web site.
Implementation
It is necessary for teachers to have teaching plans containing contents and procedures of WBLL activities in order to make smooth progress in WBLL sessions. Examples of session plans utilizing pre-created Web activities and task-based Web activities listed on the aforementioned Web site are briefly described below.
Pre-created Web activities
[Vocabulary]
There are 4 activities to complete:
1. Suffixes
2. Phrasal verbs
3. Disaster vocabulary
4. Commonly confused words
Things to do:
(1) Read the information and instructions on each worksheet before doing the activity.
(2) Some activities require you to write your answers on a table; others require you to answer on-line.
(3) For all activities, record the number correct in the space given.
Outcome:
Completion of all the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
[Grammar]
There are 5 activities to complete:
Articles
Subject-Verb Agreement
Verbs
Connectors
Word forms
Things to do:
(1) Read the information and instructions on each worksheet before doing the activity.
(2) Some activities require you to write your answers on a table; others require you to answer on-line.
36
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
(3) For all activities, record the number correct in the space given.
Outcome:
Completion of all the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
[Reading]
4 reading passages to complete:
Romulus and Remus
Tarzan of the Apes
The Wild Life
Culture Shock
Things to do:
(1) Go to the websites listed on the worksheets.
(2) Read through the questions first.
(3) Read the passages and click on your choice of answer for each question.
(4) Record the number of correct answers on the worksheet after your first attempt at the questions.
Outcome:
Completion of the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
[Listening]
There are 7 conversations to listen to ranging from ‘easy’ to ‘difficult’:
Haven’t we met before?
Camping under the stars
So, what’s the matter?
Friday night mishaps
A healthy lifestyle
Money Matters
Exotic Animal Kingdom
Things to do:
(1) Familiarize yourself with the useful vocabulary section on each worksheet.
(2) As you listen to each conversation, click on the answer to each question.
(3) At the end, write down the number correct out of 5 on each worksheet for your first listening.
Outcome:
Completion of the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
Task-based Web activities
[Newsbreak – Group work]
Things to Do:
(1) Choose a current topic (news) of interest to your group;
(2) Find information on the topic on the Web;
(3) Make a poster with the information from the Web;
(4) Give an oral presentation with the poster.
Suggested Web Sites:
The Courier-Mail (http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/)
CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/)
37
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/)
Search Engines:
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/)
Outcome: An oral presentation with a poster
[Cultural differences – Group work]
Things to Do:
(1) List cultural differences you can think of;
(2) Find supporting information, evidence or examples from the Web;
(3) Make a poster about the cultural differences with the findings from the Web.
Suggested Web Sites:
Cultural differences: Questions for discussion
(http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/discculq.html)
Exploring cultural differences
(http://www.studyabroad.com/handbook/cultdiff.html)
Cultural differences: Making it work virtually
(http://www.crazycolour.com/os/etiquette_03.shtml)
Search Engines:
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/)
Outcome: An oral presentation with a poster
[A book/film review – Pair work]
Things to Do:
(1) List several books/movies that you already read/saw;
(2) Choose one of the books/movies that you want to review;
(3) Find information on the book/movie on the Web;
(4) Write a review about the book/movie with the information from the Web;
(5) Send the review to your teacher via e-mail.
Suggested Web Sites:
BookPage.com (http://www.bookpage.com/)
Worldbookreview.com (http://www.worldlibraries.com/)
Australian Book Review (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~abr/)
Movie Review Query Engine (http://www.mrqe.com/)
Search Engines:
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/)
Outcome: A review submitted to your teacher via e-mail
[A trip to my dream countries – Individual work]
Things to Do:
Imagine if you could plan a trip, for say one month, anywhere in the world. Let’s say you can go to at least two different countries. Of course you have to plan it very carefully to make sure you can do all the things in your dream. Where would you go and what would you need to know about the places before you got there? Write an essay 38
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
with information from the Web and send the essay to your teacher via e-mail.
Suggested Web Sites:
Lonely Planet Online (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/)
The Independent Traveler Online
WBLL is language learning that involves the use of the Web and exploits Web materials, resources, applications or tools (Son, 2007). Given that WBLL occurs with Web activities on the Web, it is important to use well-designed WBLL activities to maximize language learning. This article looks at the use of WBLL activities in an ESL context in terms of design, implementation and evaluation. It also presents 34
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
WBLL activities that can be integrated into the ESL classroom, while reporting the results of a WBLL project that explored, selected and developed Web activities for ESL learners and investigated the usefulness of the Web activities in the ESL classroom.
Design
Based on the way of creating, presenting and using materials on the Web, the following types of WBLL activities are proposed: (1) pre-created Web activities adopting interactive language exercises that have been already created by others and are easily accessible on the Web; (2) task-based Web activities making use of a variety of authentic Web resources for communications, information collections, problem-solving tasks, etc.; and (3) teacher-made Web activities employing tailor-made language exercises modified by classroom teachers themselves for their own students.
In practice, it is useful to have a dedicated Web site, containing language learning activities for use in a teaching program. For this reason, a Web site entitled WBLL Activities for ESL Teachers and Learners (http://www.usq.edu.au/users/sonjb/projects/wbll/) was developed for the integration of WBLL activities into an English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) program at an Australian university. A planned approach was taken in introducing and incorporating Web activities into the ELICOS program, which was looking for new, interesting and authentic materials presented in various media in an effort to meet the diverse learning needs of its student body.
Figure 1 Screen shot from the WBLL Website with a session planner
The Website consists of an introductory page and a session plan page showing pre-created, task-based and teacher-made activities. It provides WBLL session materials
35
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
for ESL teachers, containing a list of pre-created Web activities for grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening and task-based Web activities that require students to use the Web to produce certain outcomes. It also presents teacher-made Web activities created by using Hot Potatoes (http://hotpot.uvic.ca/), which is free for educational use and allows the creation of JavaScript driven interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises. It also allows some customization of the generated files. The files generated for the Web site were made to look as close as possible to the rest of the Web site in terms of the colour-scheme used. An on-line discussion group is also available for users of the Web site.
Implementation
It is necessary for teachers to have teaching plans containing contents and procedures of WBLL activities in order to make smooth progress in WBLL sessions. Examples of session plans utilizing pre-created Web activities and task-based Web activities listed on the aforementioned Web site are briefly described below.
Pre-created Web activities
[Vocabulary]
There are 4 activities to complete:
1. Suffixes
2. Phrasal verbs
3. Disaster vocabulary
4. Commonly confused words
Things to do:
(1) Read the information and instructions on each worksheet before doing the activity.
(2) Some activities require you to write your answers on a table; others require you to answer on-line.
(3) For all activities, record the number correct in the space given.
Outcome:
Completion of all the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
[Grammar]
There are 5 activities to complete:
Articles
Subject-Verb Agreement
Verbs
Connectors
Word forms
Things to do:
(1) Read the information and instructions on each worksheet before doing the activity.
(2) Some activities require you to write your answers on a table; others require you to answer on-line.
36
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
(3) For all activities, record the number correct in the space given.
Outcome:
Completion of all the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
[Reading]
4 reading passages to complete:
Romulus and Remus
Tarzan of the Apes
The Wild Life
Culture Shock
Things to do:
(1) Go to the websites listed on the worksheets.
(2) Read through the questions first.
(3) Read the passages and click on your choice of answer for each question.
(4) Record the number of correct answers on the worksheet after your first attempt at the questions.
Outcome:
Completion of the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
[Listening]
There are 7 conversations to listen to ranging from ‘easy’ to ‘difficult’:
Haven’t we met before?
Camping under the stars
So, what’s the matter?
Friday night mishaps
A healthy lifestyle
Money Matters
Exotic Animal Kingdom
Things to do:
(1) Familiarize yourself with the useful vocabulary section on each worksheet.
(2) As you listen to each conversation, click on the answer to each question.
(3) At the end, write down the number correct out of 5 on each worksheet for your first listening.
Outcome:
Completion of the activities and marks recorded on the worksheets
Task-based Web activities
[Newsbreak – Group work]
Things to Do:
(1) Choose a current topic (news) of interest to your group;
(2) Find information on the topic on the Web;
(3) Make a poster with the information from the Web;
(4) Give an oral presentation with the poster.
Suggested Web Sites:
The Courier-Mail (http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/)
CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/)
37
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/)
Search Engines:
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/)
Outcome: An oral presentation with a poster
[Cultural differences – Group work]
Things to Do:
(1) List cultural differences you can think of;
(2) Find supporting information, evidence or examples from the Web;
(3) Make a poster about the cultural differences with the findings from the Web.
Suggested Web Sites:
Cultural differences: Questions for discussion
(http://www.btinternet.com/~ted.power/discculq.html)
Exploring cultural differences
(http://www.studyabroad.com/handbook/cultdiff.html)
Cultural differences: Making it work virtually
(http://www.crazycolour.com/os/etiquette_03.shtml)
Search Engines:
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/)
Outcome: An oral presentation with a poster
[A book/film review – Pair work]
Things to Do:
(1) List several books/movies that you already read/saw;
(2) Choose one of the books/movies that you want to review;
(3) Find information on the book/movie on the Web;
(4) Write a review about the book/movie with the information from the Web;
(5) Send the review to your teacher via e-mail.
Suggested Web Sites:
BookPage.com (http://www.bookpage.com/)
Worldbookreview.com (http://www.worldlibraries.com/)
Australian Book Review (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~abr/)
Movie Review Query Engine (http://www.mrqe.com/)
Search Engines:
Google (http://www.google.com/)
Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/)
Outcome: A review submitted to your teacher via e-mail
[A trip to my dream countries – Individual work]
Things to Do:
Imagine if you could plan a trip, for say one month, anywhere in the world. Let’s say you can go to at least two different countries. Of course you have to plan it very carefully to make sure you can do all the things in your dream. Where would you go and what would you need to know about the places before you got there? Write an essay 38
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(4), pp. 34-43. August 2008
with information from the Web and send the essay to your teacher via e-mail.
Suggested Web Sites:
Lonely Planet Online (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/)
The Independent Traveler Online
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