Grammar

What is Grammar ?

Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules*. If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.

Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer is "no". Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the word "grammar". But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the long answer is "yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly and more efficiently." It's important to think of grammar as something that can help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a teacher or look in a book.

So think of grammar as something good, something positive, something that you can use to find your way - like a signpost or a map.

English Grammar Activities

It’s very important for ESL students to master English grammar because it lays the foundation for writing and speaking. Learning all about adverbs, verbs, punctuation, plurals, tenses, and adjectives can be daunting but ESL teachers can use fun activities and games to make the lessons more interesting. Here are some resources on English grammar activities.

CLICK HERE

In this website there are many activates and games to learn English grammar like:

Grammar Ninja, Grammar Gorillas, and Penguins on Ice.

There is some activity in this website like:

Silly Sentence Maker:
CLICK HERE

Social Network Sites

What is your most important reason for using social networking sites ? In my opinion, the important reason for using social networking sites is to communicate with people, interact with each other and to helps in facing some difficulties in courses we study. I use social networking sites for study. For example, using sites to learn any lessons and it really does help me. Also, Sites are helpful to learn a new language and improve your language skills. Is it possible for you to use them in teaching EFL/ ESL ? Concrete example, please. It is possible to use social networking sites in teaching EFL / ESL. It is so useful to use social networking sites in teaching students. Some of teachers now use these sites in teaching their students. For example, I use a site called schology where teacher can give us an assignment and practice that helps us in a course. Also, she open a discussion where can we add a comment in friend's post. Nowadays, there are a lot of sites helps students in learning and write their own words such as edmodo and blogger.

My Reflect on Technological change and the future of call

Reflecting :

From what I read, I can state say that; Technology helps education and gives more access to more information. The advent of the internet spurred along education since people can sit down at a computer and find out anything they want to know.Technology of electronics actually helps with education.Teachers can do so much more with computers to help their students . It has a great effect on education.

What is Technological determinism?

Technological determinism is a term used to describe a relationship between technology and society.

- Technical logic determines the design of technological systems.

- The development of technological systems determines broad social changes.

What are the ten developments in Information and Communication Technology ?

The first important change is from phone-based to wireless communication

A second change will be a move from dial-up Internet connections to permanent, direct

online connections.

A third change will be from the use of mainly personal computers to the use of portable computing and online devices.

A fourth change will be from narrowband to broadband .

A fifth change will be from expensive personal computing systems to widely affordable computers and other hardware

A sixth development is that the Internet will change from being an exclusive form of communication and information.

A seventh development will be a movement from text-based information and communication to audiovisual forms of information and communication.

An eighth change will be from use of English as the main online language to multilingual Internet use.

A ninth change will be from “non-native” to“native” users of information technology.

A tenth change will be the movement of CALL from the language laboratory to the classroom.

What is the expected effect on English teaching of these likely future development ?

Five areas will be examined: new contexts, new literacies, new genres, new identities, and new pedagogies.

What are the first three stages of CALL mentioned in the reading?

First, Technology.

Second, English teaching paradigm.

Third, View of language.

Terms to Know

Blended Learning

Blended learning is a formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction with some element of student control over time, place, path or pace.^[1] While still attending a “brick-and-mortar” school structure, face-to-face classroom methods are combined with computer-mediated activities.^[2] Proponents of blending learning cite the opportunity for data collection and customization of instruction and assessment as two major benefits of this approach.^[3] Schools with blended learning models may also choose to reallocate resources to boost student achievement outcomes.

Online Learning

Online learning, sometimes referred to as e-learning, is a form of distance education. Online courses are delivered over the Internet and can be accessed from a computer with a Web browser (ex. Internet Explorer).

E-Learning

E-learning (or eLearning) refers to the use of electronic media and information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. E-learning is broadly inclusive of all forms of educational technology in learning and teaching. E-learning is inclusive of, and is broadly synonymous with multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based instruction(CBI), computer-based training (CBT),

A Learning Management System

A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of e-learning education courses or training programs.^[1]

LMSs range from systems for managing training and educational records to software for distributing online or blended/hybrid college courses over the Internet with features for online collaboration. Colleges and universities use LMSs to deliver online courses and augment on-campus courses. Corporate training departments use LMSs to deliver online training, as well as automate record-keeping and employee registration.

Netiquette

Netiquette, or net etiquette, refers to etiquette on the Internet. Good netiquette involves respecting others' privacy and not doing anything online that will annoy or frustrate other people. Three areas where good netiquette is highly stressed are e-mail, online chat, and newsgroups. For example, people that spam other users with unwanted e-mails or flood them with messages have very bad netiquette. You don't want to be one of those people. If you're new to a newsgroup or online chat room, it may help to observe how people communicate with each other before jumping in.

CALL

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is succinctly defined in a seminal work by Levy (1997: p. 1) as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning".^[1] CALL embraces a wide range of information and communications technology applications and approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages, from the "traditional" drill-and-practice programs that characterized CALL in the 1960s and 1970s to more recent manifestations of CALL, e.g. as used in a virtual learning environment and Web-based distance learning. It also extends to the use of corpora and concordances, interactive whiteboards,^[2] Computer-mediated communication (CMC),^[3] language learning in virtual worlds, and mobile-assisted language learning (MALL).

D-Learning

Education in which students take academic courses by accessing information and communicating with the instructor asynchronously over a computer network.

Educational technology

Educational technology, sometimes termed EdTech, is the study and ethical practice of facilitating e-learning, which is the learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.