Web-Based Language Learning Activities
1. Pre-Created Activity
EFL Pronunciation Teaching in the Chinese Context Supported by the Online Resource
EVA EASTON Authentic American Pronunciation
In the process of communication, pronunciation is important, since successful communication cannot take place without correct pronunciation; poorly pronounced segments and suprasegments may have the result of disorienting the listener and inhibiting comprehension. According to Professor Wang (2004), the commonly used techniques in pronunciation teaching are: “1) Listen and imitate; 2) Phonetic training; 3) Contextualized minimal pairs; 4)Visual aids; 5) Tongue twisters; 6)Developmental approximation drills; 7) Practice of vowel shifts and stress shifts related by affixation; 8) Reading aloud/recitation; 9)Recordings of learners’ production.”
The most difficult areas in English pronunciation for Chinese English learners are: “1) speech rhythm — Chinese is a syllable-timed language, while English is a stress-timed language. 2) weak forms of vowels — English vowels occurs in weak forms in unstressed syllables, and in Chinese Putonghua, in normal speech, only one out of every six or seven syllables is a weak syllable. 3) intonation — The functions of tones and intonation in Chinese Putonghua are: tones bear lexical meaning while intonation adds meaning in linguistic structure and attitude of the speaker. Tones and intonation thus work together in the actual speech in the way that intonation makes minor adjustments in the pitch patterns of the utterance on the basis of tones. In an utterance in English, on the other hand, pitch pattern is part of the sentence structure, indicating the linguistic structures as well as the speaker’s attitudes.” (Wang, 2004)
Using the Internet for teaching pronunciation has many advantages. It provides a motivating atmosphere. Students can work on their own and at their own pace, and can listen to audio or video clips as many times as they like. Students also have the chance to hear a wide variety of English, and at the same time, students are introduced to valuable technology skills for integrating the Internet into English learning.
A Session Plan of the Course English Pronunciation Supported by the Online Resource
EVA EASTON Authentic American Pronunciation
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LEVEL The first year English majors at the School of Foreign Languages, Xinjiang Normal University TIME 100 minutes AIM The students will learn strong forms and weak forms of vowels in English. OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: 1. Define – in their own words a definition for strong forms and weak forms in a sentence. 2. Compare – based on the understanding of the basic concept, compare strong forms and weak forms in syllables in words and sentences. 3. Practice – imitate the stress patterns and do practice. PREPARATION Hardware One computer with headphone headset per student preferably, linked to the Internet (in multimedia classroom) Software Real Player and Windows Media Player Knowledge Basic use of the computer and access to the Internet PROCEDURE Pre-Internet work: 1. Stimulating: Begin by questioning the class to find out how much the students know about strong forms & weak forms (two different ways of pronouncing the word). Make sure that this serves the purpose of stimulating the students to think about the issue, and have the desire to find out answers for themselves. Internet work:
2. Go to website EVA
EASTON Authentic American Pronunciation (http://evaeaston.com/pr/home.html).
Click Vowel Sounds
from the main menu, and find
3. Ask students to listen to the recordings on the pattern activity page (http://evaeaston.com/pr/red-pattern.htm) to make a good discrimination of the stress in focus. 4. Go to the Practice activity page (http://evaeaston.com/pr/red-practice.html) for strong and weak forms. Have students listen and imitate the stress patterns in focus. 5. Have the students share what they have learned by reading out the practice materials on the web page in pairs, and check each other’s pronunciation between them. 6. Go to the Quiz page (http://evaeaston.com/pr/red-quiz-menu.html). Do the 26 items on that page. Check the answers by clicking the button Check. The students will receive responses immediately. 7. In class, have some students pronounce the words, phrases, and sentences with the weak forms in them given on the web site. Check whether the students can pronounce them properly. Post-Internet work; 8. Comment on the students’ performance by highlighting the achievement of the students and the efforts they need to make in order to improve. 9. Ask the students to do more practice after class and to get ready for the next session.
NOTES FOR TEACHERS Strong Forms and Weak Forms In this session, we will learn strong forms & weak forms – two different ways of pronouncing a word. In unstressed syllables, we often come across the short, unclear vowel /ə/, which is the most common of all sounds in English. This same sound also occurs in many of the function words when they are unstressed. Strong forms and weak forms As we all know, many function words in English have two pronunciations: a stressed form (or strong form) and an unstressed form (or reduced form, weak form). The unstressed form is thus an alternate pronunciation of a word which is so reduced in its articulation that it consists of a different set of phonemes. /ə/ is the most frequently used vowel in the unstressed form and next comes /I/. The importance of learning unstressed forms Two reasons are said to be most important in learning to use the unstressed forms in English. Firstly, most native speakers of English find an “all-strong form” pronunciation very unpleasant. Secondly, learners who are not familiar with the use of weak forms are likely to have difficulty understanding native speakers. |
The combination of traditional and online approaches will make EFL pronunciation teaching more efficient as pronunciation activities can be set in a communicative context, a learner-centered approach can be adopted, and constructivism and online education philosophies are implied.
References
Kelly, C. (2000). Guidelines for designing a good Web site for ESL students. The Internet TESL Journal, 6(3). Retrieved October 23, 2006, from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kelly-Guidelines.html.
Son, J.-B., & Galligan, G. (2003). WBLL activities for ESL teachers and learners. Retrieved October 22, 2006, from http://www.usq.edu.au/users/sonjb/projects/wbll/.
Wang, G. (2004). EFL pronunciation teaching in the Chinese context — traditional approaches supported by online instruction. Retrieved October 20, 2006, from http://www.cflo.edu.cn/ppt/wuhan/t&m.ppt.
2. Task-Based Web Activity
Email Correspondence as a Supplementary Activity for EFL Teaching and Learning
I have been learning and improving my English through emailing to others and reading the English emails that I have received. My personal experience confirms to me that email, a form of asynchronous computer-mediated communication, is a potential tool for foreign language teaching and learning. What’s more, it is easy for students to get a free email box with personal account from the sites on the Internet.
Gonglewski, Meloni and Brant (2001) point out that the pedagogical benefits of email are: 1. Extends language learning time and place; 2. Provides a context for real-world communication and authentic interaction; 3. Expands topics beyond classroom-based ones; 4. Promotes student-centered language learning; 5. Encourages equal opportunity participation; 6. Connects speakers quickly and cheaply.
“When email communication is kept within one class, the teacher can easily connect communicative tasks to the topic currently being covered in class and thereby extend the learners' communicative time and involvement with that topic. Instructors can design email assignments as pre-class, post-class, or supplementary activities.” (Gonglewski, Meloni and Brant, 2001)
I plan to attempt to involve my students in the Basic English Writing class in corresponding via email.
LEVEL:
The second year English majors at the School of Foreign Languages, Xinjiang Normal University
TIME DURATION:
The duration of after-class email exchanges between students after the Basic English Writing lectures will last for one semester.
AIMS:
1. To motivate students to write on a regular basis and take responsibility for both the content and the quality of their writing.
2. To ensure that students make contact with each other in the class group. The students should write email letters on a regular basis within a semi-controlled environment.
3. The student's written expression should improve during the process.
4. The student should be helped to reflect on the writing process in order to raise his/her consciousness of where more effort or help is needed.
MEANS OF ACHIEVING THE ABOVE AIMS
Co-ordinating a class email exchange project which contains the following elements:
1. Personal open honest expression of ideas between students. The teacher will play a vital role in urging the students to be more open by formulating questions that will ensure this process.
2. At least 20 email letters which relate to specific "topics" introduced by the teacher.
3. An organizational framework which ensures that the email correspondence takes place within the scheduled time period, so that the students know what they have to do and have the knowledge and means with which to do it.
4. Timely and constructive feedback from the teacher, who collects the emails written by students every week, then analyses errors produced by students, and gives feedback on the students’ work.
5. Collaboration between students which helps to develop a friendly and fair relationship between students, and so they are willing to offer corrective and constructive feedback between themselves.
References
Gonglewski, M., Meloni, C., & Brant, J. (2001). Using e-mail in foreign language teaching: Rationale and suggestions. The Internet TESL Journal, 7(3). Retrieved October 23, 2006, from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Meloni-Email.html.
Son, J.-B., & O'Neill, S. (1999). Collaborative e-mail exchange: A pilot study of peer editing. Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning, 2(2), 69-87. Retrieved October 23, 2006, from http://www.usq.edu.au/users/sonjb/papers/mall99.htm.
Maintained by: Huaying Chen
Last
updated:
26-October-2006