1. What does the application attempt to “teach”?
New English File, an educational website created under Oxford University Press is moderated by Paul Seligson and Carmen Dolz attempts to teach language learners of different levels -beginner, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, and also upper-intermediate. It covers reading, writing, listening and speaking which are important for every learner who intends to master the language. This interactive and well organized website emphasizes on Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Practical English (learners are asked to spot the mistakes in each sentence) and building words. Apart from that, this website allows the learners to learn and at the same time having fun with interactive and colourful games and some injection of humorous elements that will surely boost up the learners’ interest. Learners just need to choose their level before they can enjoy doing the activities and exercises which suit them best. The exercises are different between each level. The number or activities and exercises for the upper levels are more than of the learners of lower level. On the other hand, this website also provides links to other websites that are related with language learning in which it will make the learning process becomes more effective and meaningful. The vocabulary calendar provided in this website helps the learners to learn and organize new vocabularies monthly. This website also provides the learners with printable learning record so that they can record whatever topics that they have done or need to be given extra attention.
2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
With regards to learning its content, the application users are expected to identify their level of proficiency before they could proceed with the activities. Generally, the activities for advanced level are more variety as the scope of the lesson is wider. For instance, at beginner level, it focuses on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation as well as practical English whereas for upper-intermediate, the activities and exercises available are not just on grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation but it is also complete with exercises on colloquial English, mini grammar, idioms and collocation, and a few more as you can see below :
For each topic, it comes with several subtopics and learners will have to choose any of the subtopics that they feel like doing. The activities for idioms and collocation for upper-intermediate for example come with 10 different sets of questions according to its subtopics (personality, town and cities, music, the body, weather, and etc). In other words, this website in addition gives learners the freedom to choose the activities that they want to do. If learners do a particular activity and they happen to find out that they are weak at a particular part, they are able to focus more on certain part so that they could understand and remember much better. Apart from that, the weblinks application provides the learners with a wider access to other related website to practice their reading and learn more about some of the topics in New English File according to the level that they have chosen.
3. What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
In doing the activities and exercises presented on New English File, of course the learners need to be able to use the computer and the computer needs to have the internet connection. Learners have to use their spatial skill in which they need to play with keyboard and mouse. Activity like crossword puzzle necessitates the learners to click on the crossword and type in the answers in the space provided. Listening activities require them to plug in their speakers so that they will know how certain words or utterances are pronounced. In addition, the application users are expected to download Flash Player for some of the activities on this website. Learners are also expected to be able to operate the printer. In order to make the lesson to be more effective, learners may need to straightaway print some of the exercises or activities as future references.
These are some of the activities that require the learners to have Flash Player:
4. While you are “playing”/”accessing”/”assessing” the application, does it remind you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate, or in self-study?
Yes! As I go through the activities on this website, I’ve found an interesting and interactive game – Stress Monsters!.
To play this game, users need to find the stress, use the arrow keys to move the submarine, and use the space bar to identify the stress on the word. This stress lesson reminds me of Phonetics and Phonology - a course that I took during my 3rd semester, I guess – Learning where to stress is rather confusing. The game which is created to identify the ‘placement’ of STRESS is very ‘RELAXing’ and fun! The illustration and attractive colours makes the activity seems to be less difficult, even at the more difficult level. During my practicum period, I did not really teach my Form 1 students on stress because I was afraid that they might get confused and my explanation would just make their confusion getting worst! I think, this game helps a lot in making the students become familiarize with which syllable they need to stress and where not to. By letting them playing this game over and over again, I think, they will remember very well. It is more or less an element of drilling in learning. If only I knew this website at the very beginning of my practicum session, I would have encouraged my students to continuously do all the activities and games equipped on this website.
5. Can you pin point some of the theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
A language is learned through listening, reading, writing and speaking. This website has managed to come out with activities and games that cover these four skills of language learning. There are activities presented in this website that require learners to have basic knowledge about grammar. This is actually an inductive approach in teaching Grammar. For example, if the learner wants to do the activity on present tense, they should have the basic rules of that particular tense. When learners at first need to study examples and work the rules out for themselves, they will remember and memorize certain rules better. On this website, whenever the learners do the activities given, they are able to see the answers straightaway in just a click. They can also see the score that they gain for each activity or game. This allows them to make corrections and improvement. When they do the same activity for quite a few times, it is actually a form of drilling. When learners do a particular activity repeatedly, it is associated with behaviorist theory.This website also applies the constructivist theory.
6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?
To me, this website applies the constructivist theory of learning very well. As taken from Wikipedia, Jean Piaget suggested that through processes of accommodation and assimilation, individuals construct new knowledge from their experiences. In working on the activities, exercises and games on this website, learners are given the freedom to choose the level of the activity that they want to do (either to do an activity which is of their level, below their level or even above their level). When a learner do a particular activity which is above their level, for example, they will come across many new rules about language that they might not know before. When they do the activity, they will tend to make mistakes and the tendency of making mistakes is high (because they don’t know-they just give a try). As they go through the answers and take note upon the mistakes that they have done, they are learning. Whenever they come across the same question, they already know the correct answer as they learn through their previous experience (in answering a particular question).
7. In 1980s and early 1990s, there was a major debate on ‘whether the computer was “master” of or “slave” to the learning process (Higgins and Johns, 1984). In relation to your evaluation - was the computer a replacement for teachers, or merely an obedient servant to students?
In my opinion and in relation to my evaluation, the computer is not a replacement for teachers though it is useful and helpful. This is because students somehow need the teacher’s guidance. Computers cannot answer all of the students’ questions. Some of the information may not be provided by on the website and therefore, teachers are the ones students will turn to. However, the computer can be a good tool in giving the students the freedom to learn in whatever means that they want (provided on the website). It is also very interactive and students may hardly get bored with the colourful illustrations and sounds as they do the activity.
8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Well, I will definitely look forward to use this application in my future work. There is no reason why I should not use this application as it brings lots of benefits to the users. New English File covers all the four skill in language learning which are reading, writing, listening and of course, speaking! This website caters the learners with activities in various levels. It is also well presented and very user-friendly as the instructions are clearly stated and easy to follow. In addition to that, the games are very interesting and even me myself enjoy playing it and of course I learn something at the same time! In my point of view, I think, through games, it will make a lesson become simpler and less difficult. It is maybe because we see the activity given as a game and not a task. That will psychologically make the learners feel that the task is easy and fun to be completed. Learners will stay focus longer in doing a particular exercise when they feel at ease it doing a particular activity or exercise. There is a variety in terms of how they task is designed and should be done. There are crossword puzzles, games, choosing the correct answer from the options given, idioms, and a few more. The weblinks may provide my future students with extra learning materials and references.
Suggestions/recommendations:
I think this website is very helpful in providing the students with exercises, activities as well as games that are very well presented and the instructions given are easy to follow. Students that learn through this website may have a wonderful experience in learning the language. Personally, I would suggest that this kind of websites should be exposed to the students. Students nowadays are very advanced and they can work with computers very well. Hence, teachers should exploit the skills that they have in dealing with computers so that they will use the internet wisely. The weblinks also promote loads of other sources that will be beneficial to them and they may have the opportunity to learn a particular lesson according to their level and interest. Even if they play the games in this website for the sake of just having fun, I would strongly believe that they will eventually learn something just by playing! Maybe the moderator should put some animated pictures to decorate the main page of the website and add more games!
8.8/10
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