The Multimedia English Classroom website is a new page developed by
Angel Castano, an English and Spanish teacher. He has been teaching Spanish and English in Poole, Dorset (UK) and also teaching English in Mexico, Peru and Spain. Currently, he is staying in Salamanca and works as a teacher trainer and a full time English teacher at the Official School of Languages in Zamora, Castile. (Spanish)
As stated in the
‘about’ section, he explained that it is easier for the students to learn and pick up the language if they are in an authentic setting. Therefore, this website is developed in order to provide the students with natural environment so that they can learn in a relaxing manner. This in return means that, the website focus more on the context rather than the content so that the students will be able to excel if they were to be put in a real situation with real native speakers.
Who are the users the website/websites is/are targeting?
The Multimedia English Classroom is a website developed for
ESL students all around the world, be it teenagers or adult learners who is really
interested to learn authentic, natural real English.
As its name stated, this website is a site for those who wants to have fun in their learning using multimedia materials in audio and video. It is a suitable site for students with basic knowledge of English from post-elementary to advanced level.
(This information can be found at the bottom of the page)
What sorts of things are the application users expected to do with regards to learning and using (or even manipulating!) the content?
There are a lot of things that the users can expect from this website. The website can be easily explored from the menu that can be seen on the left and right side of the home page. The users can choose from videos, music, listening exercises, lessons page, slideshows, jokes, fun activities and phonetics.
From the
video page, the users can learn many things as the videos are divided into different categories. For example step by step instruction on how to do things or how to interview people. In the
music section, the users will be able to watch and listen to recent music videos. The users are also given the general meaning and the language explanations of the songs.
As for the
listening page, it is where the students can listen (also with visual aid) to authentic conversations, real life questions and answers videos and many more. In the
lesson section on the other hand, the users will be exposed to lessons on grammar, vocabulary and even listening complete with exercise. The catch on lessons page is, it uses video and it is not the traditional teaching and learning session as the ‘teacher’ will use real life activity. For example the lesson on preposition will be done in the context on preparing meals.
There are also
slideshows and jokes page where the users can improve their reading skills. In the jokes page, the users will be given the meaning of difficult words or words that are hard to understand. In the
activities section, the users will get to play games, do several quizzes, filling in the blanks and also crosswords puzzles in order to check and enhance their understanding of the English Language. Lastly is the
phonetic page where the users will be able to use the multimedia to learn and practice the sound of English. Another interesting page which can be found at the bottom of the homepage is the chat area where the students can chat with other English learners all over the world.
Each page will have a comment page where the author will provide explanation for each lesson. Furthermore, the users will also know the difficulty of the lesson from the indicator located at the far right on the screen.
What sorts of computer skills are the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
This website is a tad
complicated as it involved lots of video and audio materials. Apart from just the simple ‘Point and Click’ routine, handling the keyboard and the mouse, it is also important for the users to have a video player or better yet to install Flash Player first in order to play the videos. The users must also know how to enable their Java Script in order for things to run smoothly. This information is available at the homepage of the website. Other than that, the users need to have their speakers ready because the materials involved watching and listening.
While you are “playing”/”accessing”/”assessing” the website, does it remind you of anything you do (or have done) in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate, or in self-study?
While playing, accessing and assessing the website some of the features do remind me with what I have done in a classroom with my students during my practicum. I used songs to teach grammar to the students, and ask the students to fill in the blanks with the correct answer. The difference here is that the students were not able to see the music video (compared to the one that they have in the website where the users can watch and listen). Some of the activities and games that they have in the website also remind me what I always did back in school, for example fill in the blanks, simple games, crossword puzzle and quizzes. The difference now is that the game provided in the website is more fun and is able to attract and held the students’ attention longer.
What setting will the website best used in: independent study lab with no teacher available, lab associated with a class, a teacher-led class with one or a few computers?
I think, this website is best used in a
teacher led class with one computer or in a lab associated with a class. From my view, I think the materials in the website are best used by teachers who wanted to expose their students to the authentic setting and not just focusing on the content. For example, the teacher can use the listening exercises from the website and discuss with the students about the topic. Also, the teacher can use the music videos and ask the students to give their opinion about the songs (the general meaning of the songs, the meaning of several words). Furthermore, it will be easier for the teacher since the explanation is already given. All the teacher has to do is add on other important information and link it to their lesson.
As for lab associated with class, the teacher can use the activities that are provided in the website to test the students understanding. Through this, the students will have fun and the teacher can give immediate feedback to the students.
Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
I believe that
Communicative Language Teaching is included in this website. This is because; it focuses on the context rather than on the form. The focus of this website is to enable the students to learn the language in an authentic setting. This means that the students will focus on how the use the language (fluency) and not focus on the grammatical part (accuracy) of the language. As I have explained in the above question, the teacher acts as a facilitator or a guide and not as an all knowing person. For example the students are taught on how to use prepositions in a real life situation (while preparing a meal).
How well are the Vygotsky’s constructivist theory of learning and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory applied to the chosen website?According to
Vygotsky’s constructivist theory, “social interaction plays a fundamental role in the process of cognitive development.” (Encyclopedia of Education Technology). Students’ interaction with each other is encouraged in order for learning to take place. From my point of view, it really depends on the situation. Vygotsky’s theory can be applied if the website is used in a teacher led class, where the teacher will act as a facilitator and the students work in groups. However, the theory does not really apply to the website if the user (student) is trying to learn on his/her own.
As for
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory, there is some of his theory applied in the website. I think the website include the verbal/linguistic intelligence since most of the activities and lessons available in the website include reading and sometimes writing activities which is very suitable for those who are verbally/linguistically intelligent.
Other than that, it also includes visual/spatial intelligence as well as musical/rhythmic intelligence because the students will be exposed to the audio and visual materials (the name of the website says it all – multimedia) available in the website.
In 1980s and early 1990s there was a major debate on whether the computer was ‘master’ of or ‘slave’ to the learning process (Higgins and Johns, 1984). In relation to your evaluation – is the computer a replacement for teachers, or merely an obedient servant to students?
After evaluating the website, I think that the website is an
obedient servant to the students. As I have explained in Question 5, the students still very much need the teacher’s guidance in order to fully understand the lesson and to fully utilize the website. Even if there are explanations and comments given after each video, music, listening activities, lessons and others, the students still need the teacher to explain and add other important information. If not the students may just use the website without really accomplishing their goals, that is to learn English in an authentic setting. That is why as I have stated above, I think that this website should be used in a teacher led class.
From my opinion, I think that the computer can never be a replacement for teachers. Even though nowadays computers are already used worldwide, teachers are still needed and are still very important in the education setting. From my point of view, I think computer can be considered as tools just like books that we used in order to help the students to learn better.
Would you like to use the website yourself in your future work?
Yes! This website is undoubtedly fun and it exposes the students to the real and authentic use of the English language. Moreover, the materials used (for example for the music page) is very up to date and it unquestionably will be able to attract the students attention. The students will be more comfortable and eager to learn in an environment that they know and they can accept. This website will certainly help the students to become more confident in themselves while using English and it is also suitable for students who wanted to further their studies overseas.
Suggestions/RecommendationsThis website is very new and the author just developed it and it is still constantly ‘under construction’. However, I think it will be better for the website if it also provides lessons and materials for the beginner levels. From my point of view, multimedia can be a lot of help for beginner level learners and those who are having problems learning English. Adding to the fact that the website focuses on the context rather than the content, the students will surely be able to catch on quickly because they do not have to worry about their grammar. This in return will help them to easily learn English, move to the next level and achieve their goals.
If you want to try and have a look at the website click
here!
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