Book Image

Moodle 1.9 for Second Language Teaching

Book Image

Moodle 1.9 for Second Language Teaching

Overview of this book

That word Moodle keeps cropping up all over the place ñ it's in the newspapers, on other teachers' tongues, in more and more articles. Do you want to find out more about it yourself and learn how to create all sorts of fun and useful online language activities with it? Your search ends right here. This book demystifies Moodle and provides you with answers to your queries. It helps you create engaging online language learning activities using the Moodle platform. It has suggestions and fully working examples for adapting classroom activities to the Virtual Learning Environment. This book breaks down the core components of a typical language syllabus ñ speaking, pronunciation, listening, reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, and assessment ñ and shows you how to use Moodle 1.9 to create complete, usable activities that practise them. Each chapter starts with activities that are easier to set up and progresses to more complex ones. Nevertheless, it's a recipe book so each activity is independent. We start off with a brief introduction to Moodle so that you're ready to deal with those specific syllabus topics, and conclude with building extended activities that combine all syllabus elements, making your course attractive and effective. Building activities based on the models in this book, you will develop the confidence to set up your own Moodle site with impressive results.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
Moodle 1.9 for Second Language Teaching
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
Preface
Index

Activity 7: Using a chat session transcript to analyze vocabulary errors


Aim: Help students analyze language errors generated by an online chat

Moodle modules: Chat plus optional use of Wiki and Forum

Extra programs: Optional use of word processor or Audacity

Ease of setup: **

Chatting online is an increasingly common activity. Lots of students use MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, etc. to type out a dialog. This is a great way to practice using language fluently, and can be adapted for a number of purposes. For example:

  • Students rehearse a role-play

  • Students and the teacher discuss an issue

  • Students ask the teacher questions about a given topic or issue

  • The teacher tells a story which students can ask questions about

The chat activity allows us to keep a transcript of any online discussion, which we can then review. We can draw students' attention to the errors through error analysis exercises. Reflecting on these errors may help them avoid similar errors later.

Chats usually work better if the teacher is present...