Sunday, October 26, 2008
Implementing CALL in Malaysian Secondary Classroom

If you had the chance, would you utilize ICT (CALL) in your teaching?
I would definitely use ICT (CALL) in my teaching as it can make the lesson more interesting. But still, it depends on few important factors such as the school’s computer lab/media room (e.g. enough computers for students to work independently or in small groups of 2 – 3 students, the facilities inside the lab/room in good working condition, got good Internet connection with proper screening, the distance between the class and the lab/room, booking of the lab/room, etc.) and also the students (e.g. whether I can manage them or not).

Sadly, I didn’t have the opportunity(ies) of using ICT(CALL) in my lessons during my teaching practicum, due to few reasons: the lab/room are under maintenance (only one room can function at one time and not all computers can function well), the unmanageable student behaviours, problems with the booking of the lab/room.

How do you think it would help (or would not help) your students to learn English?
I think that ICT (CALL) can benefit both good and weak students as they can access to zillions of information that are readily available for different student proficiency level with various activities/types of tasks that will tests users’ skills (e.g. listening, speaking, writing, reading, etc.) at their own pace at any time/place. Also, this can later promote independent learning amongst the learner.

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing CALL in Malaysian schools?

Advantages:
Information is just at one’s fingertips (accessible at any time, any where – saves teacher’s time to prepare teaching materials, student can put theory(ies) learnt into practice).

  1. Allows for teacher and student creativity.
  2. Boosts student interest/motivation in learning (with all the audio/visual stuffs).
  3. The lesson is beyond books with the use of the Internet.

Disadvantages:
Might distract students from the original purposes of having to surf the web.

  1. Instructions fail to go across the students, especially after they are put in front of the computer due to distractions like Internet, etc.
  2. Insufficient equipment – computers, LCD projector, speakers.
  3. The danger of computer viruses, hackers, blackout, etc.

What are the barriers in implementing CALL in the Malaysian classroom?

  1. Financial constraints.
  2. Lack of skilled/well-trained teachers in the ICT (CALL) field.
  3. Low maintenance of equipment – e.g. computers, LCD projectors, lack of suitable programs.

Other comments/thought/ideas on this topic.
Utilizing ICT (CALL) in Malaysia is a good idea, but a lot of things need to be taken into consideration. Teachers (senior or junior) need training and professional development. They need to be convinced that it’s a good idea and that they want to use it.
posted by .a.y.u. at 12:34 AM - 1 comments

Tuesday, October 7, 2008
WWW Lesson Plan

DREAM RESTAURANT
____________________________________________________________________

Level:
Beginner - Intermediate (Form One)

Time:
70 - 80 minutes

Aim(s):
1. To find specific information on a Website.

2. To practise the correct usage of sequence connectors and creating worksheet using Microsoft Publisher.

Technical Requirement(s):
1. One computer per groups of 2 – 3 students; with an Internet connection, a Web Browser, and Microsoft publisher.

Preparation:
1. Locate sites dedicated to various types of restaurants and foods they served.

2. Using the information on the sites, prepare worksheets.

Procedure:
1. Before the class starts, instructs the students to sit in their respective groups.

2. Shows few pictures of different types of food and asks students:
· which food do they like the most?
· what category do the food they chose falls into? (i.e. Chinese food, Indian food, Italian food, Japanese food, Korean food, Malay food, Thai food)
3. Asks students to imagine that s/he and his/her friends within the same group have decided to start a restaurant together.

4. Distributes a copy of Worksheet 1 to each and every group and explains what they have to do with it:
· complete Section A first by re-arranging the lists of things to consider prior starting a
restaurant in the correct manner
· representatives from few groups will read the answers of his/her group’s using suitable sequence connectors that they have learnt in the previous lesson.

5. Lists down the website URLs of various types of restaurants and asks each group to:
· decide together on what type of restaurant they want to open
· browse through the sites chosen and fill in the information needed in Section B of the given Worksheet 1

6. Informs students that having business cards and menus are among the must-have things for any restaurateurs and restaurants.
· shows examples of business cards and menus
· explains that both business cards and menu booklets can be made manually using Microsoft Publisher
· afterwards, demonstrates making business card using Microsoft Publisher
· within 20 minutes, tells students to create a simple menu booklet of their restaurant using the Microsoft Publisher

7. When all groups have finished within the given time, discuss the results.
· asks a representative from each group to present their menus to the class; i.e. significance of the chosen layout, colour scheme, etc.

Follow-up
8. Before the class ends, distributes Worksheet 2 to each and every student.
· students need to re-write the steps of preparing a simple cuisine using suitable sequence connectors and tenses as well.

9. Reminds students that the task is an individual work and is due on the next class.

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posted by .a.y.u. at 2:01 AM - 4 comments

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