USING WEBSITES IN THE CLASSROOM

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ROSY SUSANTIK1 / 2009

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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

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

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.

ELT WEBSITES OR AUTHENTIC MATERIALS?

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

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

How to find useful websites

Search engine:Google: www.google.comYahoo: www.yahoo.comAltavista: www.altavista.com Ask.com: http://www.ask.com/Clusty: http://clusty.com/Lycos: http://www.lycos.com/

Subject directory/subject guide:Yahoo: http://dir.yahoo.com/

Specialized search engines and directorieshttp://webquest.sdsu.edu/searchi

ng/specialized.html

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/

How to find useful websites

Images: Flickr: www.flickr.com Google image:

http://images.google.com Istockphoto: www.istockphoto.com

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/

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

iTunes U

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/

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!

How to evaluate websites1. Accuracy:

a. Who wrote the page? Is this person an expert in the subject matter check the qualification, experience, look for an ‘about me’ link

b. Is the page content reliable and factually correct? cross-reference with other similar websites and encyclopedias

2. Currency:a. Is the content up-to-date? check

factual information against other reliable sources

a. When was the page last updated? check factual information at the bottom/top of the page

3. Content:a. Is the content interesting and

stimulating? consider the content from your learners’ point of view

b. Is it attractive and easy to navigate? check the color combinations, the logic of the links and visual structure

4. Functionality:a. 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

b. 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.

Planning lessons using the

Internet

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):1. Warmer － prepares your learners for what they

are going to be doing in the web part of lesson.

2. Web － it’s important to spend only as much time as you need working with your computer.

Web teaching dos and don’ts

1. Whenever you use technology you should always have a backup plan in place.

2. Use the knowledge of other teachers and of your learners to help you with the technical side of the lesson.

3. If it’s a lesson that involves relatively few web pages, try saving them to your computer hard disk.

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.

ReferenceIntegrating 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.