Podcasting from itunes

http://www.apple.com/itunes/

What is this?

Provides us a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication. Once you click the one of program, you can get a latest episode automatically when you synchronize your iPod, with your PC.

If you have any favorite podcast, why don't you share with us?

Learning by WebQuest

http://www.webquest.org/

What is this?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. The model was developed by Bernie Dodge at San Diego State University in February, 1995 with early input from SDSU/Pacific Bell Fellow Tom March, the Educational Technology staff at San Diego Unified School District, and waves of participants each summer at the Teach the Teachers Consortium.
If you want to know more details about WebQuest, click http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html
It explains what kinds of tasks are available. For example, Retelling task, Mystery task, Design task, and Consensus building task.

Why is the content good for language learning? 

• It is all free so no investment for teaching!
• It contains many tasks which learners can learn English both by individual and by group.
• It contains  different kinds of genres.
• Some contain teacher's instruction how to evaluate students' work.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

• Once the teacher sets the goal of the course, she can chose from exsited WebQuest focusing on particular skill such as reading, writing , speaking, and listening.

                                                                   My favarite one

http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webquests/goldenticket/

 This movie 'Chalie and Chocolate factory' is very popular among the student especially at secondary schools, so it is easy to attract and draw them into WebQuest world.

Here is an example question;

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is more than just a story about Oompa Loompas and Everlasting Gobstoppers.  Willy Wonka thought it was important to have a responsible, honest, trustworthy person running his factory.  The characters that Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, created had qualities that you would and would not want in a citizen. The characters that he created over forty years ago can still teach us about the effects of violence, watching too much TV, fame, fortune, and what happens if you become an instant celebrity.  Why is it important to understand the effects of these types of things?  What qualities are important in a good citizen?  Why did Willy Wonka choose Charlie over the other children?

The teacher can get students discuss this question in group and get a feedback from them in a class.

Limitations

• Some studnets cannnot use their background knowledge if they are not interested in motif like the movie 'Chalie and Chocolate factory'.
• Some webquests contain almost only words so it is difficult for visual learners to concentrate on the task.

How to learn English through songs!

www.lyricstraining.com

Your task

If you like music, serch your favorite song and take a dictation.

For example, if you are interested in British pop music, have a look at Beatles's songs.

You can select 'begginer' 'intermediate' 'export' according to your English level.

Songs are good tool for improving your listening skill. Once you can understand the mechanism of changing the sounds such as liaison and assimilation, you can gradually hear and understand what English native speakers are saying.

Tell me which song you chose and which part of the song you had difficulty in listening.