Internet as a source of information in teaching English

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The theme: Internet is a source of information in teaching English

The plan

Introduction

General information about Internet

Internet is a great resource for teachers

Using social networking sites in teaching English

Conclusion

Introduction

teaching internet networking educational

The global spread of English over the last 40 years is remarkable. It is unprecedented in several ways: by its increasing number of users of the language; by its depth of penetrating into societies and by its range of functions.

Worldwide over 1.4 billion people live in countries where English has official status. Scientists comment that there has never been a language so widely spread or spoken by so many people as English. One out of five of world's population speaks English with some degree of competence. Hereby over 70% of the world's scientists read English, about 85% of the world's mail is written in English. And 90% of all information in the world's electronic retrieval is stored in English. And the most surprising fact is that the number of people who speak English as a second or foreign English exceeds the number of native speakers. In addition English is used for more purposes than ever before. And one in five (over one billion) is studying English nowadays.

On the other hand Technology is an ever-increasing part of the English language classrooms nowadays.

Technology is becoming increasingly important in both our personal and professional lives and the learners of English are using technology more and more. Therefore the problem how to teach English with technologies is very actual for every teacher nowadays A lot of works deal with the question of using technology in teaching English. But technology in language teaching is not new. Indeed, technology has been around in language teaching for decades - one might argue for centuries, if we classify the blackboard as a form of technology.

Computer-based materials for language teaching, often referred as CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), appeared in the early 1980s. CALL activities are mostly CDs, teaching computer programs, computer test, encyclopedias.

I think it's high time for us to define our attitudes to technology. Think about yourself. Where do you stand? How confident do you feel about using the Internet and computers in teaching and studying English? If you avoid using technologies, may be afraid of them you can consider yourself as a technophobe. If you think you have come too late to the world of technology you are certainly a digital immigrant. You can define yourself as a digital native if you feel comfortable and confident using computers, the Internet and its tools. And lastly if you believe that the Internet will help you to become a better teacher or a better student, you enjoy using technologies in class and would like to know more about it. Although the use of ICT by both English students and teachers is very important today. The use of technology in the classroom will become more popular. There are many reasons for it:

- Such students as me are growing up with technology and it is a natural and integrated part of their lives. For us the use of technology is a way to bring the outside world into the classroom. And some of us will become teachers ourselves.

- English as an International language, is being used in technologically mediated contexts.

- The Internet presents us with the new opportunities for authentic tasks and materials.

- The Internet offers excellent opportunities for collaboration and communication between learners who are geographically dispersed.

- Technology is becoming increasingly mobile. It can be used not only in the classroom, lecture hall or computer classroom, but it can also be used at home, on the way to school, at any place on the planet.

- Using of ICT tools give learners a great practice in all of four main language skills - speaking, listening, writing and speaking on the principally new and effective level.

As a teacher of English I try to bring computers, technology and the Internet to my classes. And I find a lot of advantages of using ICT in teaching English.

As for grammar, the increase in the number of interactive exercises on CD-ROM and the web has undoubtedly benefited the learners. Students can practice 24 hours 7 days a week and receive instant feedback.

Using ICT provides many benefits in studying vocabulary; it allows students to cross-check between bi-lingual dictionaries and mono-lingual dictionaries, and encouraging them to review language.

In the area of the receptive skills, listening and reading, the effect of technology has been huge. The Internet has provided a vast range of material, offering many more opportunities for exposure to authentic materials, both audio and text.

As for writing and speaking the Internet gives students the opportunity to organize discussions with native speakers using Skype and e-mail.

General information about Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to link several billion devices worldwide. The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and services, such as the hypertext documents and applications of the World Wide Web (www), the infrastructure to support email, and peer-to-peer networks for file sharing and telephony. The Internet had its origin in U.S. Department of Defense program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 to provide a secure and survivable communication network for organizations engaged in defense-related research.The Internet has enabled and accelerated new forms of human interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums and social networking. The Internet has no centralized governance in either technological implementation or policies for access und usage, each constituent network sets its own policies.

In 1990s the term TELL (Technology Enhanced Language Learning) in response to the growing possibilities offered by the Internet.

Today computers and the Internet allow people to connect, collaborate and communicate on-line. So, the term ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) is widely spread now.

What equipment will you need In order to implement information and communication technologies into the process of studying and teaching English? The best variant is a special lab with networked and connected computers as you can see on. If you are lucky enough to be in this kind of situation, then you are placed to incorporate the Internet and teaching programs into your regular Here every student has an opportunity to work individually, in his/her own pace, without preventing each other and to get an immediate feedback from the computer program and help from the teacher.

But if you have just one computer, it can be enhanced by connecting the computer to a data projector or even interactive whiteboard, allowing for greater visibility in class. And it is also possible to make use of its own connected to the Internet for reference. And if you have no computer in the classroom, you can obviously benefit from the Internet and its printable recourses. In addition your students may do their homework on home computers and send it to you via e-mail.

Internet is a great resource for teachers

The role of the Internet and the wide spread of technology in our life create new opportunities for language teaching. Since most of the Internet contents is in English, teachers of English gain access to the enormous variety of authentic materials relating to all spheres of life at almost no cost. Teachers can find suggestions, lesson plans, practical support, information and materials through the Internet. In fact, Internet can make a teacher's life easier and more efficient.

One particularly practical feature of many of the new teacher websites currently available on the Internet is the provision of ready-made lesson plans and suggested activities on a broad array of topics. There are lots of sites which also allow teachers from all over the world to share their best lesson plans and suggestions with each other. Of course, when you are considering using someone else's lesson plan, it is important to read through it and think about whether it will work for students. Books and materials for teachers and students can also be located and purchased online, saving teachers the time used to send away for catalogs or go to the teacher store.

Of course, the websites for these organizations are not the only source for finding information. A variety of other websites provide research on any topic about which a teacher might be interested. Literacy games are also available online and for downloading, as well as reviews of educational software programs. Another wonderful resource is a large variety of online books, often organized by subject, with the text and pictures of each page easily viewed on the screen by the student, who can click on the arrow to turn the page. For students who may not be interested in reading but loves computers, online books can be a helpful teaching tool, as well as providing an easy way for teacher to expend the classroom library.

English speaking newspapers, magazines and books. One can hardly deny the usefulness of reading in the process of learning. If suited to the students' level of English, newspaper and magazine articles can be interesting to read and may trigger some in-class discussion, as well as increase students' cultural awareness. Therefore, electronic newspapers are a great chance for educators and learners, since they are easily accessible and virtually free.

Teacher also can download diverse video or songs depending on a studied topic. As most teachers find out, students love listening to music in the language classroom. It can be also a teaching tool. Often students hold strong views about music and students who are usually quiet can become very talkative when discussing it. In many cases, the teacher plays a song and leads a discussion on the meaning of the lyrics a song.

Most English teachers, even those who consider themselves computer novices, have several relative advantages when learning to use the Internet. They are, in most cases, skilled at English, experienced at typing or keyboarding, and have some basic computer literacy (i.e., they probably have at least used a computer for word processing). ESL students, on the other hand, at least in some cases, may lack these basic prerequisites. Though we have had students who are quite experienced with computers, we have also had students who had seldom used a computer; lacked basic knowledge such as how to operate a mouse or open a folder; and lacked the vocabulary, reading, and listening skills to follow instructions for using the computer

Beyond these issues of learner preparation, there are a number of other complexities in introducing Internet-based activities in the ESL classroom. Activities in a single class may be dependent on scheduling the computer lab, and on students finding computers outside the class time to continue their activities. Hardware and software can malfunction and computer systems can be down. Students' schedules might not permit them to return to the computer lab at a time when computers are available to complete their assignments.

Exchanges between classes are even more complex. The partner class might have absent students, or might not meet in a particular week due to holidays or other activities in that location. The partner teacher might not have the same understanding of the nature of the exchange, and working through differences can cause further delays. The students might have differences in background, language, and experience which can cause further complications.

Using social networking sites in teaching English

Nowadays there many social networking sites which are popular among young learners. Many people use social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, Telegram, Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki and others. On social media sites like these, users may develop biographical profiles, communicate with friends and strangers, do research, and share thoughts, photos, music, links, and more. Proponents of social networking sites say that the online communities promote increased interaction with friends and family; offer teachers and students valuable access to educational support and materials; facilitate social and political change and disseminate useful information rapidly.

Teachers are always scouting for inexpensive and free tools that will help them in the classroom. Thankfully, one such teacher tool is Google. From Google you can find everything what you want, Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, it is full of information. Skype is a great tool for teaching English online and offers new e-learning opportunities to students from around the world.

The advantages of skype on a basic level are that you can get new students started quickly and easily without any overt technology or fuss to contend with. You can share your presentations from your desktop or from online hosting sites, your blog or anywhere on the web.

You can simply speak, share a book or get ambitious and develop web quests, create interactive quizzes etc. for your students to work on during class time, or even get them creating comics, story lines, posters, commenting on videos, breaking news etc.

Interestingly, recent developments are making skype an ever more attractive option for teaching online. Facebook has just announced integration with skype which should open up some interesting avenues for students and teachers everywhere.

Also, skype in the classroom connects teachers all over the world, where you can invite teachers into your classroom, thus offering attractive and simple blended learning opportunites. There are also forums and resource sharing facilities as well as job opportunities available via this portal.

Twitter is a social networking site that challenges users to express themselves in 140 characters. While it may seem an odd place to be able to share ideas and collaborate with other teachers and classes, Twitter has become a mecca for those who want real-time help and conversation with other educators. Many schools and districts ban social networking sites, but for those that allow Twitter, there are endless opportunities for worldwide, real-time feedback.

Apps. Mobile applications for today's smart phones and tablets are for more than just game play. App developers realize that learning can take place no matter where you are and have create a wide range of applications for teachers, students, and parents. Whether you are searching for an app that helps students practice math facts or want something that makes anecdotal assessments easy to record and store, there is an app for you. As with all technology, apps are constantly evolving and new applications get added to the web each day.

Evernote. Keep files organized, download and view PDFs, take pictures and store anecdotal assessment. BrainPOP- much like the main website, learning fun for students enjoy. Math Mago.Math Mago, a fun , timed math fact app, gives students great practice with multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. Students enjoy trying to beat the clock master the app. While not available for all platforms, there are comparable programs for other devices. Dragon Dictation is a computer program and an app. It allows teachers or students to turn their speech into text. While it is not always 100% accurate, it is a valuable resource for those with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. Teacher Pal. Available for both the iPhone and the iPad, TeacherPal helps educators organize students, assignments and more. Track attendance, work on grades, and even create custom information for student IDs to make the administrative side of teaching run much smoother. The developer is even working on a new facial recognition feature to make it easier to group student activity. Flashcards. Create flashcards to help you study anything at anytime while anywhere. Spelling words, math fact, vocabulary, and foreign language phrases can all be added to the program to create instand flashcards. For students on the go, flashcards can be an easy way to keep study information in front of them without fear of it. Alternatives toTwitter. If the thought of using Twitter appeals to you, but your district has banned it, there is another site called Twiducate that offers a safer alternative. Developed for teachers ,by teachers, the website allows aducators to manitor who students are interacting with and how they are interacting. While it may still require district approval, this site is a good alternative for classroom interaction. Edmoda is another social media site alternative for teachers, students, and school districts. It integrates the best of social media and safety to provide educators with a platform designed with performance and student safety in mind. In addition to the collaboration function with other educators and classes, teachers are also able to upload documents and provide students with access to class materials, calendars and grades. Downloadable smartphone apps also make this a go-to site for secure virtual classroom interactions.

Conclusion

To sum up, technology is a central component in a modern learning environment. Technology can also be a great tool for reaching various audiences and making lesson plans exciting and surprising for students. Technology needs to be wisely integrated and controlled in the classroom to create the most effective lesson plans. The teacher must remain the central focus with technology used only as an aid and supplement to the larger goals of the classroom.

On the ground of the above-stated, it can be said that the Internet can bring effective and positive benefits to the process of teaching and learning a foreign language with university students and classes. So the Internet is an exciting recourse for teachers. Using the Internet can make teachers' life simpler and can provide more information and resources than ever available before. The Internet is a way for students and teachers to learn and to connect with others. Last but not least, the Internet can be just plain fun for students and teachers alike.

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