Credibility:
www.esl-lab.com/index.htm is designed by Randall Davis, who has degree of education and MA in TESL, years of experience of teaching language, and special interest in CALL.
Depth & scope of information:
http://www.esl-lab.com/index.htm is a comprehensive website of English language learning. It has general listening quizzes consisting of three levels of “easy, medium, and difficult”. This part includes natural everyday conversation with adult and children’s voices, with a wide range of topics. Besides the daily conversation practice, the listening quizzes for academic purposes are also provided to help users to prepare for TOEFL/TOEIC test, including relevant lectures, interviews, and conversations. This part is also divided into three parts: medium, difficult, and very difficult.
The website devotes not only to language learning but also to life learning. In a section “Language Learning and Life Tips” which covers a wide range of topics like student health, free email accounts, online university, and so on.
In addition to audio materials, long conversations with Realvideo are provided so that learners may get used to various ways of stimuli.
Along with each listening program, exercises are designed: pre-listening exercises, listening exercises, and post-listening exercises. This best demonstrates the practice of repetition of listening tasks which is effective to help learners to duplicate the listening practice in different forms, for example, by searching internet for further information about the same topic.
Date of information:
The copyright of the website is reserved from 1998 until 2007. Contact information is also provided. When encountered any technological information about this website, users may fill in the form and will be responded at quickest time. In the meantime, any latest information uploaded will be marked with "new".
Special recommendation:
Long Conversations with RealVideo is my favorite part of the website, which can provide us with very real situations to use English.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
evaluation of website #5 www.englishcaster.com
Englishcaster is a comprehensive website of English using information for both students and educators: EFL, ESL, TESOL, TEFL.
Credibility:
Latest all 2006 Copyright is reserved for the website. And it has devleoped a formula email for any enquiry of using and downloading the materials provided by the website. In addition, in-site searching and advanced searching is also guaranteed. This ensures the success of using the website and searching the information.
Depth and scope of information:
www.englishcaster.com providees plenty of further links to learning and teaching materials for users. You can listen to, rate, review and submit podcasts, as well as other English study resources. Englishcaster provides various listening materials for preparations of current English proficiency tests, like IELTS, and TOEFL. Under the homepage, there is a branch of English Listening Lounge. It is intended for students who want to improve their English through listening comprehension. It is suitable for learners of all levels, from beginner to advanced. It provides a growing collection of authentic recordings of ordinary English speakers, British, American and International, who talk naturally on a variety of interesting topics. There are study aids and questions to help the learner. The site has a free section, where all visitors can study free of charge, and a much larger members section which requires a small monthly fee for unlimited access.
Date of information:
From the copyright it can be seen that the website has been recently updated.
Credibility:
Latest all 2006 Copyright is reserved for the website. And it has devleoped a formula email for any enquiry of using and downloading the materials provided by the website. In addition, in-site searching and advanced searching is also guaranteed. This ensures the success of using the website and searching the information.
Depth and scope of information:
www.englishcaster.com providees plenty of further links to learning and teaching materials for users. You can listen to, rate, review and submit podcasts, as well as other English study resources. Englishcaster provides various listening materials for preparations of current English proficiency tests, like IELTS, and TOEFL. Under the homepage, there is a branch of English Listening Lounge. It is intended for students who want to improve their English through listening comprehension. It is suitable for learners of all levels, from beginner to advanced. It provides a growing collection of authentic recordings of ordinary English speakers, British, American and International, who talk naturally on a variety of interesting topics. There are study aids and questions to help the learner. The site has a free section, where all visitors can study free of charge, and a much larger members section which requires a small monthly fee for unlimited access.
Date of information:
From the copyright it can be seen that the website has been recently updated.
evaluation of website #2 http://www.elllo.org/
Evaluation of website #2 http://www.elllo.org/
Credibility
ELLLO stands for English Language Listening Lab Online. By the register name of "org", users can be assured that it is supported by authentic scholars that users can contact through email: info@elllo.org.
Depth & scope of information
ELLLO is a collection of over 1,000 listening activities that students can view free via the internet. Most listening activities come with a downloadable MP3 audio file, transcript and interactive quiz. ELLLO offers a variety of listening activities that each target a specific listening skill, need or interest.
It includes different aspects and programs, like Weekly Updates, Interviews, Listening Game, and others. A simple click will lead users to the page that listening programs are played spontaneously, accompanied with listening quiz and text. The listening materials in this website are authentic and natural conversation, newscasts and presentations, which cover both entertainment and academic fields, satisfying various needs and requirements of different users. The listening materials are designed for students of different levels of English who want to listen for fun and enjoyment.
Date of information
This website is updated daily. It is free and convenient to users to collect the latest information online.
Special recommendation
My favorite part of this website is Listening Game. When users click Play Game-text, the program will be played online with script shown.
Credibility
ELLLO stands for English Language Listening Lab Online. By the register name of "org", users can be assured that it is supported by authentic scholars that users can contact through email: info@elllo.org.
Depth & scope of information
ELLLO is a collection of over 1,000 listening activities that students can view free via the internet. Most listening activities come with a downloadable MP3 audio file, transcript and interactive quiz. ELLLO offers a variety of listening activities that each target a specific listening skill, need or interest.
It includes different aspects and programs, like Weekly Updates, Interviews, Listening Game, and others. A simple click will lead users to the page that listening programs are played spontaneously, accompanied with listening quiz and text. The listening materials in this website are authentic and natural conversation, newscasts and presentations, which cover both entertainment and academic fields, satisfying various needs and requirements of different users. The listening materials are designed for students of different levels of English who want to listen for fun and enjoyment.
Date of information
This website is updated daily. It is free and convenient to users to collect the latest information online.
Special recommendation
My favorite part of this website is Listening Game. When users click Play Game-text, the program will be played online with script shown.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
evaluation of website #1 http://www.englishstudydirect.com
http://www.englishstudydirect.com
Credibility:
English Study Direct is supported by the expertises of language teaching, for example Dr Angie Philip, the Ph.D in Applied Linguistics of Edinburgh, who works as the academic director of the website. Also the website is staffed with the technical director, Mr. Paul Way-Rider, G.R.S.C of Staffordshire University, who is there to ensure that the website is "as user-friendly as possible". , the website looks authentic and academic,
Depth & scopre of information:
It is concerned with all aspects of English study for NNS, including listening, writing, grammar, language testing and preparations for TOEFL and IELTS. Therefore both teachers and learners will be able to easily find materials they need for various orientations.
Purposes of the website:
As it is stated on the webpage, the website aims "to promote quality online English courses that offer personal tuition, to provide an organized database of links to quality learning resources for students, to provide a database of links to quality web resources for teachers and researchers, and to provide a database for consultancy services in academic English online".
These aims can be reflected in the construction and the contents of the website. It provides specific hints and skills for students to improve their listening and authentic materials like live news, video, interview and academic topics for learners to get familiar with. Also free online video and script are attached so that learners are able to check the results of their learning.
Date of information
One last important information should be mentioned: the copyright 2002-6 English Study Direct is guaranteed. So teachers or students do not have to worry about the copyright issues when they use the materials of the website.
Special recommendation
Online preparational exams or tests are very helpful to those who intend to take IELTS, TOEFL or other English proficiency tests.
Credibility:
English Study Direct is supported by the expertises of language teaching, for example Dr Angie Philip, the Ph.D in Applied Linguistics of Edinburgh, who works as the academic director of the website. Also the website is staffed with the technical director, Mr. Paul Way-Rider, G.R.S.C of Staffordshire University, who is there to ensure that the website is "as user-friendly as possible". , the website looks authentic and academic,
Depth & scopre of information:
It is concerned with all aspects of English study for NNS, including listening, writing, grammar, language testing and preparations for TOEFL and IELTS. Therefore both teachers and learners will be able to easily find materials they need for various orientations.
Purposes of the website:
As it is stated on the webpage, the website aims "to promote quality online English courses that offer personal tuition, to provide an organized database of links to quality learning resources for students, to provide a database of links to quality web resources for teachers and researchers, and to provide a database for consultancy services in academic English online".
These aims can be reflected in the construction and the contents of the website. It provides specific hints and skills for students to improve their listening and authentic materials like live news, video, interview and academic topics for learners to get familiar with. Also free online video and script are attached so that learners are able to check the results of their learning.
Date of information
One last important information should be mentioned: the copyright 2002-6 English Study Direct is guaranteed. So teachers or students do not have to worry about the copyright issues when they use the materials of the website.
Special recommendation
Online preparational exams or tests are very helpful to those who intend to take IELTS, TOEFL or other English proficiency tests.
task 1A for week 3
Country: People’s Republic of China
Values given to education and IT
Education and IT is important in the sense that the intellects shall have solid foundation of knowledge and learning to become competitive in the 21st century, a knowledge economy era.
The development of IT provides favorable conditions and guarantee for modern education. Computer-assisted teaching shall be encouraged. Universities shall establish computer network system and other multi-media centers for the purpose of updating the instruction contents, promoting the teaching efficiency, developing more effective learning strategies.
Roles of teachers
Teachers are instructors that assist students to conduct discussions, discovery, and research. Teachers shall motivate students to participate in the learning process to the greatest extent. In the meantime, teachers shall be able to select appropriate methodology to cater for different instructed objective, the instructing content and purposes. Teachers are researchers as well.
Roles of students
Students are active participants of classroom teaching.
Roles of language and language learning
Language and language learning is an important media for students to develop their mind and thoughts, to discover and solve problems, to understand the world and manage their future profession and life.
Sources of information: http://www.bfsu.edu.cn/chinese/site/gxyyzyxxw/zywj/tyyjxdg.htm
Values given to education and IT
Education and IT is important in the sense that the intellects shall have solid foundation of knowledge and learning to become competitive in the 21st century, a knowledge economy era.
The development of IT provides favorable conditions and guarantee for modern education. Computer-assisted teaching shall be encouraged. Universities shall establish computer network system and other multi-media centers for the purpose of updating the instruction contents, promoting the teaching efficiency, developing more effective learning strategies.
Roles of teachers
Teachers are instructors that assist students to conduct discussions, discovery, and research. Teachers shall motivate students to participate in the learning process to the greatest extent. In the meantime, teachers shall be able to select appropriate methodology to cater for different instructed objective, the instructing content and purposes. Teachers are researchers as well.
Roles of students
Students are active participants of classroom teaching.
Roles of language and language learning
Language and language learning is an important media for students to develop their mind and thoughts, to discover and solve problems, to understand the world and manage their future profession and life.
Sources of information: http://www.bfsu.edu.cn/chinese/site/gxyyzyxxw/zywj/tyyjxdg.htm
Sunday, January 21, 2007
3x to handsome!
It takes me at least one week and many many hours to have this blog! It takes me much much trouble and also causes trouble to zhao yingke--handsome brother! I must give my gratitude to him for his patience and kindness!
a sigh for my university--response to bill gates' vision
Compared with what Bill Gates lays out in his The Road Ahead, the actual situation and conditions in my own university turn out to share similarities in the following way:
1. Like Bill Gates says, my university also has access to the network which enables provides teachers with easier access to some useful websites to get better communication channels with other teachers.
2. A certain portion of classrooms are equipped with computers in which the students are provided with a system for "self-assisted learning of language". Through this system, the students are able to study English according to their own achievement without being physically supervised by the teachers.
3. In my university, the classrooms used for listening or the language labs have white boards instead of the traditional boards, but the white boards are not advanced enough to be the digital ones, just the plain white boards.
4. The classrooms used for listening or the language labs are usually called the Multimedia Classrooms in my university, because they are equipped with computer, DVD player, the projector, OHP and other facilities the like.It seems that the facilities and conditions of our university are close to what Bill Gates describes for the future ideal classrooms based around the notion of the "Information Highway".
However, when we look further into the practical use of htese facilities, it is very easy to find that there is still a long way between where we have gone and where Bill Gates has assumed that we shall have gone. The differences are obvious:
1. although our campus has access to internet, it is confined to being used in the administrative offices. The classrooms are not able to be connected with internet. So it is impossible for the students to have access to the internet or for the teachers to demonstrate some online information to the students even if they are in need of doing that. The best for teachers to do is to put the webpage on the slide and show it to the students, and all the things on the slides are static, losing the motion and vividness the materials should have. So more often than not, the teachers will feel that using the so-called "networks" or "digital technology" is simply and deliberately putting what we can do with traditional paper work onto the computer or projectors. Of course, we must admit that using computers or projectors to demonstrate information saves much time for teacher, but the facilities are not best made use of. To some extent, it is a waste of resources.
2. It is impossible to build up any communication between parents and teachers through information highway, because of the reason mentioned above and also because not all parents are able to use computer and internet. If there is such a need, the teachers will contact the students' parents through telephone or correspondence.
3. What Bill Gates advocates and wishes for the future ideal multimedia classroom is based on the pretext of the easy availability of proficient electronic or technological technicians because the facilities like computer or internet configuration are ver likely to encounter technological problems which may not be solved by language teachers. However, our university is not able to afford such a big number of full-time proficient staff to maintain the computers or internet. So the teachers are very likely to have problems with computer or be attacked by viruses. There is no technological security.
The above-mentioned are the chief problems that our university has in the dealing with language teaching and learning. When I am studying @NIE now, I can observe the gap in a more obvious way. Our university does have a long way to go if we wish not to lag too much behind prestige universities.
1. Like Bill Gates says, my university also has access to the network which enables provides teachers with easier access to some useful websites to get better communication channels with other teachers.
2. A certain portion of classrooms are equipped with computers in which the students are provided with a system for "self-assisted learning of language". Through this system, the students are able to study English according to their own achievement without being physically supervised by the teachers.
3. In my university, the classrooms used for listening or the language labs have white boards instead of the traditional boards, but the white boards are not advanced enough to be the digital ones, just the plain white boards.
4. The classrooms used for listening or the language labs are usually called the Multimedia Classrooms in my university, because they are equipped with computer, DVD player, the projector, OHP and other facilities the like.It seems that the facilities and conditions of our university are close to what Bill Gates describes for the future ideal classrooms based around the notion of the "Information Highway".
However, when we look further into the practical use of htese facilities, it is very easy to find that there is still a long way between where we have gone and where Bill Gates has assumed that we shall have gone. The differences are obvious:
1. although our campus has access to internet, it is confined to being used in the administrative offices. The classrooms are not able to be connected with internet. So it is impossible for the students to have access to the internet or for the teachers to demonstrate some online information to the students even if they are in need of doing that. The best for teachers to do is to put the webpage on the slide and show it to the students, and all the things on the slides are static, losing the motion and vividness the materials should have. So more often than not, the teachers will feel that using the so-called "networks" or "digital technology" is simply and deliberately putting what we can do with traditional paper work onto the computer or projectors. Of course, we must admit that using computers or projectors to demonstrate information saves much time for teacher, but the facilities are not best made use of. To some extent, it is a waste of resources.
2. It is impossible to build up any communication between parents and teachers through information highway, because of the reason mentioned above and also because not all parents are able to use computer and internet. If there is such a need, the teachers will contact the students' parents through telephone or correspondence.
3. What Bill Gates advocates and wishes for the future ideal multimedia classroom is based on the pretext of the easy availability of proficient electronic or technological technicians because the facilities like computer or internet configuration are ver likely to encounter technological problems which may not be solved by language teachers. However, our university is not able to afford such a big number of full-time proficient staff to maintain the computers or internet. So the teachers are very likely to have problems with computer or be attacked by viruses. There is no technological security.
The above-mentioned are the chief problems that our university has in the dealing with language teaching and learning. When I am studying @NIE now, I can observe the gap in a more obvious way. Our university does have a long way to go if we wish not to lag too much behind prestige universities.
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