Wednesday, March 16 2016

Week 9: Increasing vocabulary using online resources

Rate: *****3

Susana Constanza

One of resources and the most common which we can assist vocabulary are dictionaries. I remember  at the begnning, when I was studying English in the school, I used to use English-Spanish, Spanish –English dictionary, the most famous dictionary and all of my classmates used to use it as well. We didn’t have access to online –dictionaries because technology was not close us. However, nowadays, dictionaries on line have been increase and we are able to have access to them, and also those appear as applications on cellphones. When I start use online Cambridge, Webster, McMillan dictionaries on line I noticed that they are so helpful and easy to use them.

In general terms, vocabulary and reading are closely related. Now I won’t talk about dictionaries, I will talk about using technology to acquire vocabulary. I consider that students feel more motivated learning vocabulary online or through different activities using computers, such as games, power presentations, websites, etc. We have a lot of advantages compared with the last years where technology has not been increase in the teching field. The article remarks the benefits of using multimedia which plays an important part in reading comprehension. In my point of view, I consider that teacher is the facilitator to provide students meaningful task using technology in  which they can work and make a comprehensible reading and then acquire the vocabulary, and students need to be oriented about  the pronunciation and look for the most reliable resource which provide meaningful learning and enrich the vocabulary

Wednesday, March 9 2016
Week 8. Promoting Collaborative Writing .
Rate *3
Susana Constanza

The article for this new week are following the secuence of the previos article. According that I learned, the main idea for this article is that learners use wiki pages such as an useful tool which can allows them to practice, grafting , rewriting , editing and proof reading , at the same time promoting collaborative writing task outside the classroom. After de reading , I could say as a students of languages ,I analyze how teachers can promote wikis and how it could helps students specially in a Composition I and II.

Using wikis is another different method to motivate students to develop writing skill through community even though if  some of the sites are not relialable . Community allows students to narrow each other as a team work , creating learners autonomy and critical thinking.So, in firts place , learners need to be oriented about the use of wikis on line  and the task or evaluations assigned during the course will be planning .In my opinion , this method could be useful for learners, because wikis is free, easy to learn and use.Suddendly, teachers not tend to use those kinds of online resources in Compostion, they use traditional methods and students can not discover diversity of materiasl which could help them to think critically and freely.

Wednesday, March 02 2016
Week 7:Using diversity of websites in ESL.
Rate *5
Susana Constanza

 In general terms, I have been analyzed the articles readied the recently weeks. All of them were talking about using technology to helps students to acquire the second language and to develop listening, speaking, grammar skills, but this week one of the article is focused on writing skills. 

During the reading I learned two important things. In first place, I learned how to use the technology for teach writing. Suddenly, teachers not receive a trainer about how to include technology in the curriculum. So, if we include it in the  lesson is necessary to adapt according to the age, and level of the students .Actually, in internet we can find a helpful websites , I checked some of them such as letters, bibliography, an argumentative essay, notices and advisertment, description or review of a book, film or play, etc. I found interesting for students, because assigning activities in those websites, students can develop not only writing skills, also reading and speaking skills. Teachers must provide them not only materials for learners because students need real materials which allows them interact with real situations.

In second place, I learned how to use the internet for children focused in the reading skill. There are some creative websites designers for children. The teacher  can do make the reading experience more productive and interesting by planning creativity  activities .Finally, I would like to say that nowadays we have some resources on line designed to develop the skills, so we need to take advantage of those websites and select the best for our students .