2006-06-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

Task 1

REFLECTING ON THE READING

1. Do you think that integrating chat in language learning is a good way to get your students
To use language? Why?

Yes, I definetely do because using the chat gives the students the chance of getting out of the classroom in a virtual way and entering in a more exciting and motivating environment.Through the chat, they have the opportunity to interact with other students or people from the real world, in real time and getting along with the real world language. Chat can become a very stimulating tool specially for those students who are shy or timid and don’t feel willing enough to talk in front of a group. In this way, they are able to develop some language skills that they might have thought they wouldn’t ever reach.

2. Would you be willing to go out of your way to try and create the most realistic situations to motivate students to use language effectively?

Sure, I’d love to. But first, I have to learn to feel comfortable myself with the use of different tools that I don’t really know how to get along with.
I’m very grateful to you for this opportunity you are offering to us. After learning how to use chat in class, I will be willing to do it.

3. Do you have some ideas of how can this be done in your class?

At the beginning of the semester, we can divide the students into groups and assign them a project. To work on this project, students should be introduced to a text-chat environment to interact with peers and/or teachers around the world. Students can use different strategies to get the information they need: brainstorming sessions, interviews, discussions, debates, etc.

4, Complete the following chart to organize your understanding about chat.

What’s chat about?

- It’s an online tool that can be used to promote the use of written and oral language to
communicate in an authentic way.
- It’s a dialogue in real time.

Advantages

Chat has such characteristics that make it a very convenient and valuable tool to be used
In the language learning process:
- Chat is a synchronous communication tool because it works in real time and with real
people.
- It can be used as a way of taking the class out of the confines of the classroom.
. - Chat has to run on a computer, a device that most students like and know how to use.
In this way, they feel more motivated to participate in class.
- Collaborative learning and team work can be stimulated in students by using chat with . groups.
- Chat helps develop group skills. When students are given the opportunity to produce
joint projects , they take more control of and responsibility for their learning and
give each other support and guidance. .
- It helps students develop communicative, social, and socialization skills and use
proper etiquette.
- Chat also contributes to develop other skills that are essential in the active world, such
as: personal, interpersonal and organizational skills.

Disadvantages

As everything in life, there are also disadvantages when using the chat. Let’s see some
of them:
- There is a strong tendency among people and specially in younger generations of
using an abbreviated, oversimplified or telegraph type language when chatting
because of the feeling of writing the shortest text possible in the shortest time possible
- Time management and number of participants can become a problem at the session
and project management:

- Since chat is a synchronous form of communication, it’s quite difficult even
impossible that everybody in a distant community get together at the same time
due to the different and diffused time zones.
- We also have to take in account that there are chat platforms that set a low limit to
the number of people that can meet at one time.

How to interact chat in language learning?

We, teachers, may set a specific task to be accomplished or a topic to be discussed in
Class. We should monitor students while they are on line and be ready to give them a
Hand if they need it. Then we should go over the saved version of each group and asses
It.

2006-06-30T14:02:00.001-07:00

Hello,everybody, let me show you a picture of "General Rafael Urdaneta" bridge, which is over Lake Maracaibo.
Maracaibo is the city where I live and where I was born.
Let me give you some information about this lake: Maracaibo is one of only 17 ancient lakes on earth.It is estimated to be the second oldest.
Maracaibo is the largest lakes of South America and is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by a narrow strait in the north.The Lake Maracaibo basin includes the largest oil fields in Venezuela.

At last I could get it. Thanks My Lord.

2006-06-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today I finally started my blog. Little by little I don't feel so afraid. Let me tell you that a short time ago I didn't feel willing enough to use the computer but thanks to God and my dear colleagues Doris and Arlines I've been feeling more secure. I hope I use it very often

See you soon,
Griselda

LET ME SHOW & TELL

At last I could get it. Thanks My Lord.