Do teachers need to create web-based language activities for EFL students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Why and why not?

     Web-based activities, quizzes and materials have great potential to enhance learning and positive impacts on student learning. So it is very important to use it in the classroom.  Teachers need to create their own web-based language activities, quizzes and materials for several reasons. These reasons include the activities can easily be modified to support students at different level or with special needs, Materials can be updated easily and often and the students can access course materials or information anytime. Another reason for using Web-based activities that most of the students are digital native so these activities well increase the student motivation to learn because it fits their interest in technology and learning. The teachers in Saudi Arabia should use web-based activities and materials  because the book doesn’t have interactive activities or reliable material to enhance learning.

Virtual Rooms in the Language Classroom

     Last week, I had the class about How does Arabic influence the Pronunciation of English? It was it was virtual classroom with Ms. Peggy Tharpe.  Peggy talked about How Does Arabic Influence the Pronunciation of English? Also she talked about the sound system in Arabic and English and differentiates between them. She compared between vowels and consonant in both language. Peggy mentioned that Arabic speakers usually face the problem of phonological interference as their L1 affects their pronunciation of L2 sounds. At the end, Peggy suggested some solution in order to help them to solve this problem like active listening.
     There are many advantages of virtual rooms in the language classroom. Virtual rooms create a different atmosphere in education program. It helps Students to develop their language and skills such as critical thinking and active listening. Virtual rooms help student to acquire knowledge and experiment a new way of learn using technological resources. Also student can use electronic media like a discussion forum, chat room. In addition, Virtual rooms help Students to learn how to communicate through the internet.
     On other hand, virtual rooms in the language classroom have some disadvantages. First, the computers in class room may have limited access to the internet. Second, teachers need to ensure that students enter the room and everything is OK.
     I will consider the use of virtual classroom in the teaching and learning. I believe it makes a different and interactive class where the integration of technology is the key of change in the ESL/EFL teaching and learning process.

Wordle in EDU 401

“Normalization of Bax in the Saudi Kingdom”

Bax argues that, "Our aim should be to attain a state of normalization in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated"

      This article offers a critical examination of the history of CALL. It discusses the three categories of CALL which are Restricted, Open and Integrated CALL. It is suggested that we are currently using the Open CALL. Our aim should be to attain a state of normalization in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated. Stephen Bax in this article makes an attempt to answer three questions: where has Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) been, where is it now and where is it going? He takes a look at work of Warschauer and Healey (1998 and 2000). They identified three phases of CALL “Structural CALL, Communicative CALL and Integrative CALL”. Bax claims that there are some significant weaknesses in this categorization. As a consequence, Bax propose for a new analysis of the history of CALL which are Restricted CALL, Open CALL and Integrated CALL. Also he claims that this analysis can used as a guide to broad historical developments in CALL. Stephen Bax mentions that we are currently experiencing an Open CALL and the way to achieve the meaning of Open CALL is moving towards normalization. Normalization means a stage when technology is invisible, hardly even recognized as a technology. He also describes the stages of normalization.

     
      There is a great development in using technology in classroom in the Saudi Kingdom. Schools and universities in Saudi Arabia follow the traditional method as a way of teaching and learning .But nowadays many schools and universities improve their educational system. They used technology such as computers, projectors and Ipads in their classroom to facilitate teaching and learning. The Ministry of Education starts working at normalization of CALL in the Saudi Kingdom. In order to achieve normalization of CALL in Saudi Kingdom I think we need to prepare the classroom with computer technology such as a computer, a projector and so on, and change the teachers’ attitude about teaching, train teacher in using new technology in teaching and apply technology effectively for teaching. Also we need to change the students’ attitude about learning and how to use technology for learning inside or outside the classrooms

“Challenges of creating web-based activities in Sally Morrison” Interactive language Learning on the Web”.

 

    Sally Morrison in his article mentions some of the difficulties that face a language teacher who want to create web-based activities. First, the teachers do not have the ability and knowledge of how create Web-based activities. Second, the students use variety of computers with a variety of Web browsers to access the web. Third, the teachers need to design web activities that meet accessibility guidelines for the student with special needs which is very difficult.

    In my opinion, there are many difficulties that will face teachers in Saudi Arabia in creating web-based activities. First, some teachers lack the technical skill and knowledge of creating web activities. Second, the Computers and online devices are not available in language classrooms. Even if the computers are available in classrooms, the school does not have the internet to access the web. Third, some students haven’t been attached to technology and they do not know how to use it like poor students and student who lives in villages. Fourth, the content of the textbooks are not flexible to match web activities. These are the greatest challenge of using web-based activities in Saudi Arabia.

CALL and Language Skills

      Computer-Assisted Language Learning is defined as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning." (Levy, 1997). The main aim of CALL is the use of computer technologies that promote educational learning.The use of CALL software such as Windows Messenger, E-mail, the Internet, and other software can be integrated using effective pedagogy to create a powerful language learning programmed. Several studies have shown that CALL has positive effect on language learning. It easily assists and stimulates second language learners in all four skills of listening, speaking, writing and reading .CALL provided a self-paced and motivating language-learning environment in which the students worked with high level of interest.

      The CALL approach assisted students more in developing grammar. There is a number of website which presented grammar activities. The teacher can used online activities to practice which was taught. One of the website that teacher can used in classroom is English4u . This website is a completely free site for learning English specially made for ESL / EFL students in their first years of study. It especially contains the most important English grammar explanations combined with lots of exercises. It also includes information and exercises about countries and cities, some crosswords, irregular verbs and vocabulary exercises, texts and quizzes. It is an online learning website with more than 300 exercises. All activities can be done online and checked directly by clicking the check button on the bottom of each page. For instance: the teacher explains the conditional clauses to the student. Then he/she asks student to open English4u to do exercises to practice the conditional clauses.

Here are some other websites can be used to learn and practice grammar:

• EnglishGrammar.org  is a super useful website for both beginners and advanced learners. You will find the answer for nearly all the questions you can have about English grammar, like Punctuation, Conjunctions, Business Writing, Adjectives, Verbs, and many others.
•  Road to Grammar is an outstanding website with plenty of English grammar activities for various types of language learners seeking to learn English in an efficient and fun manner.
•    Perfect English Grammar is an exceptionally useful and comprehensive resource for language teachers and learners looking for quick, intuitive and easy to use grammar activities.
•   Grammar Quizzes is a non-for-profit, educational website primarily aimed at eager students looking for exceptional resources for understanding, learning and practicing grammar with a wide variety of exercises and practical grammar tips.
•   Grammarly Handbook is an amazing resource to learn English grammar with many examples.

Social Networking Sites

What is your most important reason for using social networking sites?

There are different reasons and several sub-reasons for using social networking sites. For me, the important reason for using social networking sites is to communication and to be remain in contact with my friends and relatives, even though they are very far from me.

Is it possible for you to use them in teaching EFL/ESL?

To me social networks can be used as tool for teaching EFL/ESL. Teacher can used Twitter or Facebook for example: teacher set up a twitter account just for class and asks students used twitter to report real-time news events to the class. Also you can set up your own Twitter account dedicated to just one topic such as historical facts and asks the students to write information or fact. This will motivate students to practice writing skill. In addition, Facebook can be used to create a central page for students and teachers to share information and exchange links, information and polls. And the teacher writes information related to their class and even set homework. Other example is the blog which is a frequently updated website that often resembles an online journal. Teacher can use it as an ideal space for pre-class or post-class discussion. And The Class Blog is a shared space with teacher and students. It is best used as a collaborative discussion space. Students can be encouraged to reflect in more depth, in writing, on themes touched upon in class.