WebQuests

Description: There are many ways that technology can be integrated into foreign language teaching but they are dependent on your own knowledge of technology as well as the equipment you have at your disposal. Decide what new technique you want to learn from the article by Sally Morrison and incorporate it in a lesson for your students.

Task: You are to design an activity for your students that links technology with language learning and at the same time helps you to master a new technique.

Process: First, visit the website http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/0212morrison.html and begin by making a list of the technological terms ( i.e. HTML, CGI, etc.) mentioned in the article. Try to define the terms that are new to you and decide which new technique you want to master. Visit the link at the bottom of the article that shows the technique ‘in action’. Next, decide on an appropriate objective for the lesson you will design. Visit the NASTT site which will help you with the lesson plan design. http://www.beaconschool.org/NASTT/lessonplan.php. Make sure that your plan it is an appropriate use of technology. For example, if the task could be completed more easily by using a dictionary to find the meaning of a word it is probably not the best use of the computer. Make sure that you design an activity that is age-appropriate and interesting for your students and that you feel confident with the technology before presenting the lesson to the class.

Use the evaluation included to make sure that you have included all the necessary components.

Resources:
http://polyglot.cal.msu.edu/llt/vol1num2/emerging/default.html
Goodwin-Jones, B. (1998). Builiding dynamic web pages.

http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/0002enhancing.html
Enhancing Authentic Language Learning Experiences Through Internet Technology
Jean W. LeLoup & Robert Ponterio, SUNY Cortland; Moderators, FLTEACH, May 2000

http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/earp0001.html
More Than Just the Internet: Technology for Language Teaching
Samantha Earp, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, December 1997

http://pt3.cl.uh.edu/lessonplan/lessplan.pdf
This PDF file shows a lesson plan that integrates technology.

Conclusion: How did your students do? Were you able to incorporate technology in the activity? Did they enjoy the activity and did you learn something new?

Evaluation:

 
Superior
Good
Fair
Needs Work
Mastery of Technology
 Able to apply new technique in a variety of situations Can use the technique mastered but only in one situation Difficult accessing and using the new technique Still not sure what technique to master
Lesson Plan
 Easy to follow, all essential elements carefully explained Most essential elements are there but neglected one or two key elements i.e. ‘objective’ Difficult to follow if you didn’t write the plan yourself. Many missing elements. Impossible for someone else to understand how to teach this activity.
Activity for Student
 Technology is essential to completing the assignment Could be completed without a lot of technology Could be completed with or without technology Technology? Don’t need it for this activity
Español
 Es esential para hacer la actividad Puede hacer la actividad sin usar mucho español Solo necesita usar un poco el español Spanish? Oops. No Spanish.

ACTFL Program Standards For The Preparation Of Foreign Language Teachers

Standard 1.c. Identifying Language Comparisons. Candidates know the similarities and differences between the target language and other languages, identify the key differences in varieties of the target language, and seek opportunities to learn about the varieties of the target language on their own.

Standard 2.c. Integrating Other Disciplines In Instruction. Candidates integrate knowledge of other disciplines into foreign language instruction and identify distinctive viewpoint accessible only through the target language.

Standard 4.a. Understanding and Integrating Standards In Planning. Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the goal areas and standards of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning (http://www.actfl.org/) and their state standards (http://sunshinestatestandards.net/standards.asp) , and they integrate these frameworks into curricular planning.

Standard 4.c. Selecting and Designing Instructional Materials. Candidates use standards and curricular goals to evaluate, select, design, and adapt instructional resources.

Standard 6.a. Engaging in Professional Development. Candidates engage in professional development opportunities that strengthen their own linguistic and cultural competence and promote reflection on practice.