Jill's CALL blog

ABC book

2008-08-01T08:48:00.000+08:00

Learning Vocabulary

2008-07-30T21:57:00.002+08:00

Learning Vocabulary Fun
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/

The Ten Best Vocabulary Learning Tips
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/vocabulary_tips.htm

Aa..Bb..Cc

2008-07-24T08:53:00.012+08:00

A is for Art Gallery...

There are so many students' art works decorated around buildings. It's like walking through an art galley.

B is for Bilingual Sign

If you don't speak Chinese, you won't get lost because we have bilingual signs indicating where you are.

Dd..Ee..Ff

2008-07-24T08:53:00.001+08:00

Gg..Hh..Ii

2008-07-24T08:52:00.007+08:00

Jj..Kk..Ll

2008-07-24T08:52:00.006+08:00

Oo..Pp..Qq

2008-07-24T08:51:00.009+08:00

P is for Pink Area...

It's like left-and-right, in-and-our...we need to pay attention to walk on the correct area depends on what shoes we wear.

Rr..Ss..Tt

2008-07-24T08:51:00.007+08:00

R is for Recess....

Mm..Nn

2008-07-24T08:51:00.004+08:00

Xx..Yy..Zz

2008-07-24T08:50:00.005+08:00

Y is for YAES

which means YongAn Elementary School, and our website address is http://www.yaes.tp.edu.tw

Uu..Vv..Ww

2008-07-24T08:50:00.002+08:00

Nations & Flags

2008-07-17T09:01:00.021+08:00

Aa ...Australia 澳洲 ...
........Argentina 阿根廷 ...
Bb ...Brazil 巴西 ... Belgium 比利時 ...
Cc ...Canada 加拿大 ...China 中國 ...
Dd ...Denmark 丹麥 ...
Ee ...Egypt 埃及 ...
.........European Union 歐洲聯盟 ...
Ff ...France 法國 ...
Gg ...Germany 德國 ...Greece 希臘 ...
Hh ...Hong Kong 香港 ...
Ii ...Italy 義大利 ...
Jj ...Japan 日本 ...
Kk ...Kenya 肯亞 ... Korea 韓國 ...
Ll ...Liberia 賴比瑞亞 ...
Mm ...Mexico 墨西哥 ...
Nn ...Norway 挪威 ...
Oo ...Oman 阿曼 ...
Pp ...Poland 波蘭 ...Philippines 菲律賓 ...
Qq ...Qatar 卡達 ...
Rr ...Russian Federation 俄羅斯 ...
Ss ...Spain 西班牙 ... Singapore 新加坡 ...
Tt ...Taiwan 臺灣 ... Thailand 泰國 ...
Uu ...United States 美國 ...
.........United Kingdom 英國 ....
Vv ...Vietnam 越南 ...
Ww ...Wales 威爾斯 ...
Xx
Yy ...Yemen 葉門 ...
Zz ...Zambia 尚比亞 ...

Healey (2007) -- Reflection

2008-07-15T16:39:00.011+08:00

Healey’s paper is discussed about autonomy in language learning based on the Oxford’s model (2003) which has four interrelated but differing perspectives.

~technical perspective~ focus on physical situation
According to the content and locus of control, there are four settings for self-directed leaning; such as, distance education/highly structured learning; CALL/accreditation and training; WebQuest/contract-based independent study; tandem learning project/highly self-directed learning. No matter the learning setting of content is fixed or variable, or the locus of control is more possessed by teacher or learner, it cannot be denied that the learning environment in nowadays is quite different. “Although not everyone may want to be immersed in technology, knowledge about and access to technology are a source of power in today’s world.” I think it is important to cultivate students' computer literacy to be not 'illiterate' in the future. And the ultimate principle is that teacher's primary role is assistant and facilitate.

~psychological perspective~ focus on characteristics of learners
Learning happens when students have purposes to learn. For example, they need to have interests/motivation, some control about their lerning progression, setting achivable goals not beyond their abilities and no fear of exposing themselves with technology. “Language poses special challenges to learners in that there is no clear path to mastery. Learner goals and learning styles are important factors.”

~sociocultural perspective~ focus on mediated learning
Learning comes from the interaction between experience and competence, which dovetails with Vygotsky's ZPD."Computers do not have true mutuality in engagement, cannot understand a community's shared enterprise, and cannot negotiate meaning to coproduce elements of the shared repertoire." Technology is useful since huamn uses it, or it is just hardware. Students are progressing through learning, either from teachers' guidance or peers' competition.

~political-critical perspective~ focus on ideologies, access, and power structure
"To be autonomous, learners need to know to query, find, and question what they find on the Internet, in software, and in print." This is a information-flooded society, especially various kinds of information on the Internet, and learning to inspect, analyze information whether true or false before making a decision is an important training for being autonomous.

"As teachers, we cannot create autonomy in learners, but we can do out best to think about the technical, psychological, sociocultural, and political aspects of learning and how CALL can be used to enable and enhance a learning environment conducive to autonomy."

Alphabet .... animals

2008-07-11T09:08:00.019+08:00

Aa...ant...alligator...
Bb...bee...bear...bunny...buffallo...beaver...bull...
Cc...cat...camel...cow......canary
Dd...dinosaur...dog...dolphin...duck...deer...dragon...
Ee...elephant...eel...eagle...
Ff...fish...frog...flamingo...
Gg...goat...gorilla...goldfish...goose...giraffe...
Hh...horse...hippo...hummingbird...
Ii...iguana
Jj...jellyfish...
Kk...kangaroo...koala...
Ll...ladybug...lion...lizard...leopard...mantis...
Mm...monkey...mouse...moose...
Nn...nightingale...
Oo...owl...octopus...ostrich...otter...
Pp...pig...parrot...penguin...pandan...peacock....
Qq...quail...
Rr...rabbit...raccoon...rhino...
Ss...seal...snake...shark...snail...squirrel...sparrow...
Tt...turtle...turkey...tiger...
Uu...unicorn...
Vv...vulture...
Ww...whale...woodpecker...wolf...
Xx...ox...fox...
Yy...yak...
Zz...zebra...

Alphabet ... food & fruit

2008-07-10T08:49:00.017+08:00

Aa...apple..asparagus...
Bb...butter...banana...bread...bean...beef...
Cc...corn...chips...cereal...cheese...chocolate...cake...
........catchup...cucumber...
Dd...doughnut...dinner...
Ee...egg...eggplant...
Ff...fish...French fries...flour...
Gg...grapes...guava...garlic...gingerbread...
Hh...hamburger...honey...hot dog...
Ii...ice cream...
Jj...jam...jelly...juice...
Kk...kiwi...
Ll...lemon...lollipop...
Mm...milk...meat...muffin...
Nn...nut...noodles...
Oo...orange...oat...
Pp...pear...pizza...pea...potato...peanut...popcorn...
........pudding...pickle...
Qq...quiche...
Rr...rice...raisins...
Ss...sugar...sandwich...strawberry...spaghetti...soup...
Tt...tuna...tomato...
Uu...ugli fruit...
Vv...vegetables...vanilla...
Ww...wheat...waffles...walnut...watermelon...
Xx... X-shaped cookies
Yy... yogurt...
Zz... zucchini...

Alphabet website

2008-07-09T13:03:00.017+08:00

Phonics
http://www.kiddonet.com/gb/flash/phonics/Intro.html

http://www.poissonrouge.com/abc/index.htm

http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/index/load.htm?f

Food Alphabet

Here are some fun A-B-C food snacks
http://searchwarp.com/swa278022.htm

http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/theme/alphabet/abcsnacking.html

http://www.mrsjonesroom.com/jones/foodalphabet.html

http://www.fouroceanspress.com/archive_food_alphabet_2008.html

Alphabet Animals
http://www.infostuff.com/kids/a.htm

http://www.billybear4kids.com/animal/animal-abc/a.html

http://www.pocanticohills.org/shaul/99/abc.htm

Dinosaur Alphabet Book
http://www.zoomwhales.com/dinoalphabet/

World Flag Database
http://www.flags.net/
Flags of All Countries
http://www.wave.net/upg/immigration/flags.html

An egg is an egg

2008-07-04T08:51:00.011+08:00

An egg is an egg... Until it hatches...
And then it is a chick.
雞蛋...孵化....小雞
A branch is a branch...Until it breaks...
And then it is a stick.
樹枝...折斷...木棒
Nothing stays the same. Everything can change.

A seed is a seed...until it is sown...
And then it is a flower.
種子....播種....花
A block is a block...Until there are many....
And then they become a tower.
積木....很多....塔
Nothing stays the same. Everything can change.

Water is water...Until it is brewed...
And then it becomes tea.
水...釀泡....茶
You are you...Until I come...
And then you become "we."
你...我來....我們
Nothing stays the same. Everything can change.

The yard is green...Until it snows...
And then it becomes white.
綠色....下雪....白色
Day is day...Until it sunset...
And then it is the night.
白天...太陽下山....晚上
Nothing stays the same. Everything can change.

The baby was a baby...Until he grew...
And then he is a boy.
嬰兒...長大....小男孩

But you can always be a baby...
You will always be my baby.
Some things stay the same. Some things never change.

students' blogger

2008-07-03T09:22:00.003+08:00

Please post your blogger URL in here....
陳凰姬 http://jillclassroom.blogspot.com/
李小勳 http://yaes945.blogspot.com/
王子杰 http://biggerface0330.blogspot.com/
黃宇婕 http://yoyocutestar.blogspot.com/
林哲漳 http://jerryblue78.blogspot.com/
黃靖芬 http://fanny5326.blogspot.com/
李唯嘉 http://joysweetpudding.blogspot.com/
吳書萱 http://sean850927.blogspot.com/
黃冠仁 http://www.best-jim.blogspot.com/
陳蓁 http://qcat1234.blogspot.com/
劉緒玥 http://sharon-liou.blogspot.com/
唐綺 http://maggie123456.blogspot.com/
蔡子萱 http://smilejudy33.blogspot.com/
侯君儀 http://jasmine106.blogspot.com/
羅巧雲 http://s94860430.blogspot.com/
陳省君 http://jinjin721.blogspot.com/
陳奕伶 http://lemon-elaine.blogspot.com/
楊宛儒 http://louan1.blogspot.com/
李曼瑄 http://s94mandy.blogspot.com/
朱珈妤 http://tiffany551.blogspot.com/
陸音里 http://crystal1226.blogspot.com/
黃雅郁 http://julia-huang.blogspot.com/
花巧馨 http://cindy-hua.blogspot.com/
遲妤倢 http://wohlies.blogspot.com/
黃湘 http://millie1105.blogspot.com/

Reaction_week04

2008-06-30T12:45:00.001+08:00

This paper is clearly describing the major interactions would happen in the learning process and providing the Equivalency theorem of interaction. I agree that this theorem will help educators think about how much they should pay attention to interaction among student-student, student-teacher and student-content. According exactly to the author said, as long as one of the three types of interaction is at high level, deep and meaningful formal learning is supported. A curriculum can be deemed successful depends on whether its educational objects achieved or not. So, what types of interaction should play an important role during the learning process is the core concern when educators design curriculum and make a decision choosing what kinds of resource to help learning.

“The value of content is dependent on the extent to which it engages students or teachers in interaction, leading to relevant knowledge construction.” For me, I strongly advocate that content plays an influential role on interactions between student-content and teacher-content. If teachers are knowledgeable and professional about the course, instructing the lessons systemically and definitely, and providing useful, relative and abundant resources, no mater the course is held in a community of inquiry or a dependent study, the “content” is sufficient itself and teacher-content interaction is at high level. The trigger is how to motivate students engage in the course. If students are naturally having interests in this topic, the student-content interaction is absolutely at high level; or the tasks/activities are attractive, the motivation might be raised up and the student-content interaction might gradually grow up during learning process.

I have a question that how author defined student-student, student-teacher and student-content interaction is at high, medium or low level. In this paper, for example, it just said that “the traditional lecture mode of delivery has medium levels of student-teacher interaction, low levels of student-student interaction and medium to low levels of student-content interaction.” It also listed the levels of interaction happened in distance education delivery, audio and video conferencing and web-based courses. But, I wonder how the decision is made to judge its level.

Anderson, T (2003)

2008-06-30T12:42:00.000+08:00

Getting the mix right again: An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction

Key concepts

＊The purposes of this paper à distinguish between interaction leading to learning in any informal context and those types of interaction that occur in a formal education context.
＊Equivalency theorem of interaction
Deep and meaningful formal learning is supported as long as one of the three forms of interaction (student-teacher; student-student; student-content) is at a high level. The other two may be offered at minimal level, or even eliminated, without degrading the educational experience.
High levels of more than one of these three modes will likely provide a more satisfying educational experience, though these experiences may not be as cost or time effective as less interactive learning sequences.
＊An interaction-based model of e-Learning
1. Paced, Collaborative Learning / community of inquiry
· Learning is sequenced, directed, and credentialed through the assistance of a teacher.
· Using a lot of net-based synchronous and asynchronous (video, audio, computer conferencing, chats, or virtual world) interaction
· Binds learners in time, forcing regular sessions or group paced learning
· Suffer from an inability to scale to large numbers of learners
2. Independent Study
· Structured Learning Resources (search & retrieval, tutorials, simulations games, virtual labs, e-books)
· The independent student is not alone; colleagues, peers, family are significant sources of support and assistance locally or distributed across the net
＊Three functions that a good educational theory performs.
1. Helps to envision new worlds – Getting the mix right involves a series of tradeoffs (knowing how one type of interaction can effectively substitute for another), and provides an essential decision making skill in the distance educators’ knowledge base.
2. Helps to make things – Getting the mix right helps to position and make judgments of the arsenal of available tools as to their potential effectiveness and efficiency in program planning.
3. Helps to be honest –Getting the mix right encourages challenging evaluations: How much of the educational process can be composed of interaction with non-human entities? How much of the human interaction should take place face-to-face or in real time?

Evalutation #1

2008-06-26T21:05:00.000+08:00

Website Title: BBC-Schools-Words and Pictures

Website URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/index.shtml

Grade/Age Level: starter learner

Language & Content:

This website includes several curriculum parts such as: Phonics, CVC Words, Consonant Clusters, Long Vowel Sounds, and High Frequency Words which also contain various interesting activities (on-line games and teaching materials/less plans) in each part. By the way, in the section of "Gallery" which students can post their creative sentences/poems on it and "Teachers and Parents" has many useful suggestionsand printable lesson plans. It is a great website not only for starter learnersgrasping a fundamental knowledge about word structures but also for teachersapplying these resources to their classroom.

For example, the “Poem Pack” at “Long Vowel Sounds” http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/longvow/poems/fpoem.shtml
contains a number of humorous poems, each of which contains many keywordswith long vowel patterns (ee, ai, ea, oa, ay, a-e, oo, y, igh, i-e). Each poem is read aloud for children and provides them with many exciting activities:
Hear it – Listening to the poem being read aloud;
Read it – Read the poem to oneself or with a partner;
Sound Search – Find all words with the same sound;
Find the Word – Find words appeared in the poem;
Print it – Print the script of poem and activity worksheet to practice.

Teachers can hold a workshop to let students learning with computers individuallyand then get together discussing their experiences, reciting poems in harmonyand sharing their own poems.

I think this website is designed in a well-organized and facts-based way and it really makes the tedious topics more fun. In addition, the rhyme poems will help stimulate learners’ sensorial ability of language. Besides, this website isbeneficial for classroom practice. Moreover, it also provides many materials forteachers to print them out which are really effort-saving.

Reaction -- week02

2008-06-26T21:04:00.001+08:00

Two papers briefly introduced the definition of CALL and how its background theories shifting. Which reminds me the course I ever took “computer-assisted instruction (CAI).” About ten years ago, CAI was a very popular topic in education and there were various kinds of CAI software products booming. CAI is a kind of tutorial software which helps students learning language, math, science, etc. The Educational Ministry allotted lots of money purchasing CAI software for every elementary school to infuse computer into teaching.

I think the idea of CAI is between structural and cognitive perspectives because it has many repetitive drillings and sometimes it asks students to complete particular task. I ever used several kinds of software in my class, and I discovered a weird but fun phenomenon. When the software asked students questions with three options, in the beginning, students usually answered correctly, but later, they kind of feeling bored at the same feedback of awesome, good job. So, students tried to choose wrong answers to see what would happen. The loud sound and animation of exploding bomb surprisingly attracted students’ attention and they purposely clicked on the wrong answer to laugh at it.
Will you say they are learning or not? :)

CAI is just for installing in one PC and it is withered through technology advanced. I do believe CALL and NBLT will enhance students’ motivation. However, just like everything has two sides, how to guide students correctly use technology correctly is the core.

Egbert (2005)

2008-06-26T21:03:00.000+08:00

Key concepts
Egbert (2005)
Introduction: Principles of CALL

Ø Defining CALL
※ Various Terms:
＊ computer-enhanced language learning (CELL)
＊ technology-enhanced language learning (TELL)
＊ computer-based language testing (CBLT)
＊ computer-supported reading instruction (CRI)
※ CALL Categories:
＊ According to what students do – fill in the blanks, text manipulation, tutorials, word processing
＊ According to the skills that it addresses – listening software, reading software
＊ By where it is used – home, office, school, lab
＊ By the philosophy that underlies its construction – behaviorist, communicative, or integrative (Warschauer, 1996)
※ Three Themes of CALL
＊ CALL is focus not on technology but on language learning.
＊ CALL occurs in many contexts and with many diverse participants.
＊ CALL pedagogy should be grounded in theory and practice from a number of fields.
Ø Conditions for Classroom Language Learning
1. Learners have opportunities to interact socially and negotiate meaning.
2. Learners interact in the target language with an authentic audience.
3. Learners are involved in authentic tasks.
4. Learners are exposed to an encouraged to produce varied and creative language.
5. Learners have enough time and feedback.
6. Learners are guided to attend mindfully to the learning process.
7. Learners work in an atmosphere with an ideal/anxiety level.
8. Learner autonomy is supported.
Ø Integrating ESL Standards (TESOL, 1997)
· letting students play roles that encourage active learning
· providing a variety of opportunities for learners to interact with native English speakers
· focusing on language use instead of language study
· using higher order thinking skills
· employing different media
· encouraging meaningful language use
· providing flexible timing for tasks
· promoting a variety of sources of feedback and prompting, including other students
· offering adequate information or research resources
· seizing upon opportunities to assist learners in making crucial choices in the learning process
Ø Integrating the National Educational Technology Standards (ISTE)
· use a computer and peripherals
· practice responsible use of technology
· use electronic resources appropriately
· design, develop, and publish products
· gather information
· collaborate with others
Ø Teachers’ Voice
※ Technology does mess up, you have to be aware and have a back-up plan in case if things don’t go as planned.
※ Technology goals are often tacked on rather than infused into content-area curriculum goals.
※ Not all students work best with a computer screen.
※ If the computer doesn’t support learning, it shouldn’t be used just to be used.
※ If all students are doing is exploring how a computer works, aren’t they still learning something valuable?
※ Computer access or no computer access, students first need to know how to ask questions that will get to meaningful answers.
※ You can’t force curriculum to relate to a learner’s life, but you can use the learner’s life to reinforce curriculum.

Kern & Warschauer

2008-06-26T20:59:00.000+08:00

Kern & Warschauer (2000)
Theory and practice of network-based language teaching
Key concepts

Ø NBLT (network-based language teaching) is language teaching that involves the use of computers connected to one another in either local or global networks. Whereas CALL (computer-assisted language learning) has traditionally been associated with self-contained, programmed applications such as tutorials, drills, simulations, instructional games, tests, and so on, NBLT represents a new and different side of CALL, where human-to-human communication is the focus.
Ø The computer, like any technological tools used in teaching (e.g., pencils and paper, blackboard, overhead projectors, tape recorders), does not in and of itself bring about improvements in learning. We must look for particular practices of use in particular contexts.
Ø Perspectives on language learning and teaching
※Structural perspective:
* The grammar-translation method (1920 ~ )
* The audiolingual method (1940s ~ 1950s)
* Contrastive rhetoric between the native and target languages (1960 ~)
◎ the role of CALL – To provide unlimited drill, practice, tutorial explanation, and corrective feedback.
※Cognitive/constructivist perspective:
* Transformational-generative grammar à to fostering learner’s mental construction of a second language system (Chomsky, 1957;1965)
* Providing comprehensible input à to give individuals an opportunity to mentally construct the grammar from extreme natural data (Krashen,1982)
* Cognitive strategies of reading à top-down (e.g., using schematic knowledge) and bottom-up (e.g., using individual word clues)
◎ the role of CALL – To provide language input and analytic and inferential tasks.
※Sociocognitive perspective:
* Language is not just a private, “in the head” affair, but rather a socially constructed phenomenon.
* Communicative competence (Hymes, 1971) V.S. linguistic competence (Chomsky)
* Three principal functions of language use (Halliday) – Ideational function (i.e., to express content); Interpersonal function (i.e., to maintain social relations); Textual function (i.e., to create situationally relevant discourse.)
* Content-based learning
◎ the role of CALL – To provide alternative contexts for social interaction; to facilitate access to existing discourse communities and the creation of new ones.

Emily Dickinson

2008-06-10T14:54:00.001+08:00

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!