World of Lions

As you can see, I cannot get enough of glogsters. This week, I prepared one as if I was a 9th grader, which is about lions in wild life. You can find it from this link. As you can see, they are a fun way to use L2 for both learners.

World of Language

It has still not been defined how human language has emerged. "As a feature of life on earth, language is one of the science's great remaining mysteries" (Knight, Studdert-Kennedy & Hurford, 2000, pg. 1). It is still assumed that one of the first sounds a human has started with the "hum" sound. The fact that human language has emerged from a sound that is similar to the sounds of some animals today still makes us question when did one phenomenon -animal sounds and communication- and the other -human language- have been divided.

A glogster is an online poster with interactive tools that aims to teach learners via all kinds of media -graphics, charts, videos, photographs, links and many more- This week my subject is the evolution of language. As you have read above, it is a very intricate subject that's mechanisms have not been thoroughly figured out. That is why one cannot explain every detail of the evolution of language in one glog. However, as a student of ELT, I have found it very motivating to learn about how language has developped, in other words I loved getting informed about linguistics.


You can find my glogster about the Evolution of Language in this link.
Hope you enjoy it!

The World of Imagination

Digital Storytelling

As an adult learner, what do you think is missing from your late language learning experience? My idea is that we are too much focused on structural and deductive learning.

What kind of stories do you want to create in your lives? Imagine that life is a board and you can do whatever you like. One exercise that I do with my students is to ask them to create their utopias. But before that, I want to explain my education-life story because as simple it may seem, I have created my utopia somehow.

This week I have prepared a video as a means for using digital storytelling to teach past tense. As you can see no rules are taught, you simply listen to the video and get exposed to the structure.

Here is a snapshot from me as a cartoon character. You can follow the link below for more:

Go Animate!

Another New World of Webquests

Have you ever used a webquest for language learning purposes? I have not. And apparently, the one constant that exists in this blog is that as a prospective language teacher, everything is new to me.

Shortly, a webquest is an online learning tool that gives a subject to the learners and then enables them to engage in a group activity that would foster the learning of the topic that the students are interested in.

This week I have reviewed a webquest that's subject is about science. The reason that I choose a science-based webquest is that I love integrating science with language and invite learners to engage in task-based activities. Also, I am in love with science myself! 

You can follow this link for the webquest about the human eye   

Evaluation (Overall score: 38/50)

Overall Aesthetics: The design of the Webquest is very functional. Since the graphics are designed to focus on the anatomy of the human eye, the visuals are supportive of the subject in a way that would make it easier for the students to comprehend what they are learning.  However, some graphics cannot be viewed. (3 points); The flow of the WebQuest is very good but it is not it is easy to follow. (2 points); There are some links that do not work.  (1 point)

Introduction: The introduction is short but efficient. However, the information seems a bit advanced for 9-12 year old learners. It could have been more simple. (1 point); The introduction does not enable the students to relate with their previous knowledge. Therefore as mentioned before, it may be a little complex for the age group that the webquest is designed for. (1 point)

Task: The task is very clearly organized and it is very clear what is expected of the students. The aim is to get students to understand the structure and function of the human eye and physics of its mechanisms. (4 points); The introduction itself seemed very difficult for the age group, depending of their knowledge level regarding science. However, if the subject is well understood, the task seems very efficient. It should be added that there is a discrepancy between the knowledge given and the task that is required to fulfil. (5 points)

Process: The steps that are required to be followed is very clearly given. Each step is defined one by one. (4 points); All activities are related to the task but they are not embedded in the webquest necessarily. For example designing a powerpoint presentation did not seem like an integrative part of the webquest. (4 points); The activities are very rich, no other requirement is needed as an activity. However, every student is expected to fulfil the same task. (2 points)

Resources: Resources are very efficient. There are graphics that show the parts of the eye elaborately and there are also videos. However, written information can be a bit short. (3 points); Information is not unique but since this is a science class there is a very small chance that the information is unique because the information is factual. (3 points)

Evaluation: How the students will be evaluated is clearly described. However the design of the process could have been more motivating. (5 points)

The World of Online Translators

Did you ever try to read a document with an online translator? I have.

I lived in the Netherlands for six months and many of my legal documents were in Dutch. More importantly I wanted to read a blog: A neurosientist's journal and I had no clue that I had changed my Google Chrome settings in such a way that I was not aware of the original language of the blog. I entered it and the sentences did not make any sense to me. I thought to myself, how can an academic's language be insufficient, and he has a blog in English!

The problem with online translators is that they don't have the context of our social worlds. They translate everything in their literal sense and it lacks flexibility. When machines have consciousness, we can overcome this problem. In the meantime we still need humans who are multilingual.

A Brave New World of a Brand New Series

Have you ever used wikispaces in your language learning process? This is a first time for me as a prospective English Language teacher as well. For this week's task we were supposed to write a brief summary of our favourite books to wikispaces. The aim is to create an interactive environment for the language learner because you can edit what I have created and the same goes for you. For example if you create a story of your own, your teacher or peer can take a look at what you have written and correct your grammar. One of the most important aspects of acquiring a language is that it becomes an interactive process as your first language was.

I present you my first attempt to use wikispaces: My favourite book

Meeting with the World of Podcasts

This week I am presenting what seems to be a torture for me. Are you one of those people that feel comfortable with one particular skill of the language. I have to admit that I am! I am terrible at narrating stories and I am not creative in this manner. I love analyzing the language but I don't like to create a story and read it out loud.

Here is one solution: Please embarrass yourselves! Don't be afraid to look silly in front of others and speak up! Not to mention reading it and uploading it over the internet so that everybody else can hear it too.

Herewith I present to you my embarrasment!