Week-4# Reflection

The week four is the great one in which I have come to learn how can we integrate technology in our lesson for the class. Here first time I made a technology-enhanced lesson plan using a Google doc. I made it for my  2^nd year 1^st Semester B.A(Hons.) students. Here is the link: https://sites.google.com/site/russellswswikiwinter2015/home/tech-enhanced-lesson/prodhanbd. I have also observed lesson plan of my other classmate. After reading the article ‘Tips and Advice from the Webskills Team: Writing a Technology Enhanced Lesson Plan’ many matters have been cleared.

In this week we again remember our class description of week including a problem we face in the class. Here different classmates have posted different problem of their class that they are facing.

Finally I have come to the point where I have learned how can I integrate technology for teaching writing, reading, grammar and vocabulary in reference to different websites. I enjoy this week very much.

Reflection# Week-3

It is a great week for me that I have learned many things regarding teaching language using technology. At the very beginning two articles (1) Teaching Pronunciation to Adult English Language Learners URL: http://www.cal.org/caelanetwork/resources/pronunciation.html  and (2) Using Original Video and

Sound Effects to Teach English URL: http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files /50_1_4_yassaei.pdf have drawn my attention in many ways. In the first article I have found that adult learners are good learners in pronunciation. Adult learners can be able to learn language by contrastive analysis hypothesis which is process of finding similarities and dissimilarities between L1 and L2. Moreover, I also get ideas regarding critical period hypothesis. The article also gives thoughts about accent, intonation and stress. To exercise on correct pronunciation there are many websites referred such as Randall's Cyber Listening Lab-  http://www.esl-lab.com/ and Pronunciation Stuff: https://sites.google.com/site/pronunciationstuff/links. Besides, there are other following resources web links on pronunciation:

i)                    http://www.shiporsheep.com/

ii)                   http://www.english-online.org.uk/pronounce/pronounce.htm

iii)                 http://learningenglish.voanews.com/

iv)                 http://www.spokenenglish.org/

v)                  http://www.oupchina.com.hk/dict/phonetic/home.html

vi)                 http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/  

Above websites must help to teach/learn language especially speaking skill correctly.

In the second article I have found how can video e.g. Television help learning/teaching language. Here we can easily get ideas about setting up video lesson or using video in classroom. For practicing language through video lesson the following websites may be helpful.

i)                    http://voicethread.com/#home

ii)                   http://www.winkball.com/

iii)                 http://livemocha.com/

iv)                 http://www.spreaker.com/

v)                  http://britishenglishcoach.com/33-ways-to-speak-better-english-without-taking-classes/

Except these for getting ideas to use technology in language there is a cluster of articles in the link: http://iteslj.org/.

Finally I am impressed reading different projects knowing different setting of classroom to use technology for learning/teaching language.

Best Regards

Prodhan Mahbub

Read a Project

I have read three projects and chosen one of them which is written by Prem Bahadur Phyak from Nepal URL: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B05v8GScCgIvcDQ4bE8wOFZzWlk/edit

Summary:

This project is written on how to teach academic writing to Masters’ students of the Department of English of Tribhuvan University, Nepal using technology especially different websites. Though the department has limited number of resources even it does not have internet access. In the beginning of the project Mr. Prem has provided his students some websites for reading sample of articles, for preparing research design method and for knowing APA style which are based on students’ need.  Students are accessing into internet outside the classroom. And when they explore their materials they feel enthusiasm for accessing more.

To do it students sometimes feel some problems e.g. some do not have email ID, blog  etc. Mr. Prem has tried to solve them meeting regularly. After few days he has found positive response and reflection from students on using technology for learning and teaching, research and academic skill. Students are reported that websites provide them a wide range of resources and information. Thus the integration of technology and teaching academic writing brings a fruitful change in the mind of students.

My comment:

I am highly pleased to read Mr. Prem’s project that the setting of class is less or more similar with that of in Bangladesh. We, Bangladeshi also face load shedding; many schools and colleges do not have internet access. Students/Teachers who have e-mail or blog they do not use for educational purpose. This project opens my mind that we can easily integrate technology and lesson.

Thank You.

Prodhan mahbub

Reflection# Week-2

  In the beginning of 2nd week of my course I was a little bit worried about whether I would be able to complete my task or not. As I have become a father of a daughter first time, I had to spend much time at hospital for child and mother. I request all to keep my baby in your pray. Finally, by the grace of Almighty I have narrow escaped. I have learned many things  regarding searching topics in different search engines as well as A.B.C.D method for finding a proper objective of my lesson plan.Moreover, reading different types of class setting of different countries posted by other classmates here is very knowledgeable.

Thank you.
Prodhan Mahbub

A.B.C.D Method

Here I have followed A.B.C.D. method for piking up objective of my class.

Audience(A): Undergraduate student of 1st year 1st semester of the department of English.

Behavior (B): To improve their skill using English orally for communicative purpose.

Condition(C): English is taught here as a foreign language.Students are given some models of interactions with different people e.g shopkeepers, taxi-driver etc.

Degree(D): To grade students according to how much accuracy they have gained from their task.

If we practice such for a period of time we can gain our goal.

Best Regards.
Prodhan Mahbub

Describe a class

In the very beginning of describing my class I would like to give you some ideas about the scenario of English learning/teaching in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh English is being taught compulsorily from primary level to tertiary level. From class-1 to class-13 English is learnt for 100% mark each year. In beginning of undergraduate program at university/college English is learnt for 200% or more marks. But after completion of their under graduation/Graduation students are mostly not skilled in using English communicatively. Authority is working at this regards.

My students and Classroom

I am teaching both undergraduate and graduate level students at the department of English. They are mostly 17 to 25 years old. They have already experienced in learning English. As there are only reading and Writing are tested listening and speaking test are totally absent in the examination, So, when student admit into undergraduate level their level in English is not communicative. The aim of the department of English is to make student able to read Literature and linguistics.

Here classrooms are well-furnished with white board, projector, desk and curtains over the window. Some rooms are furnished with sound system. Teachers can easily use their laptops and smartphones in the class. Both teachers and student get all time access into Wi-Fi connection.

Thank you.

Prodhan Mahbub

Creating blog for class

Creating blog for class is a very new thing to me. The concept opens a new window in my mind. Though I have been using blog occasionally to serve notice for my students from the department, it was never in my mind that it would be a tools for teaching.

A teacher can easily maintain a blog where he/she may store lectures, notes or open questions to students to discuss or comment. On the other hand, students may follow their teachers' whether they (student) are at class or out of class.


The globe now is a technology based and that's why from anywhere you can communicate with  any person at anyplace at anytime. Besides,Teaching and learning materials of foreign languages are available in web. From this point of view, blog may play vital role to teach and learn any foreign/ second language correctly and communicatively.

To me through Webskills course we will be most beneficiary.


Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj

agreeing the ground rules

Ground Rules: 1st Draft

We'd like to suggest some ground rules (basic, agreed-upon ideas) for our discussions. Please do comment on these with whether you agree or disagree, and if you have suggestions for changes or additions. We will comment on these in the Nicenet discussion this week.

Ground Rules:

1. All comments should be respectful. We can and should disagree with ideas, not people. This discussion group should feel safe for everyone.

2. All comments should be clearly and directly related to the discussion topic and to what others have said.

3. Comments should look professional. Consider spelling and grammar (we're English teachers, after all), write in full words rather than chat-speak (don’t use “u” instead of “you” or other non standard written forms), and don't use all capital letters (that feels like shouting). (Remember that you can click Edit to edit your own message.)

4. Focus on ideas. Paraphrase (and cite the source) if you read something useful and wish to add or refer to that idea in the discussion.

5. Give credit where credit is due. If you share something useful that you have found on the internet, include the URL so that others can also read the full article or visit the site. Do not just copy and paste into the message without a citation - that is plagiarism.

6. When you respond to someone else's idea (a very good thing), make sure you mention the person's name and repeat enough of their idea that everyone is clear about what is being discussed.

7. Remember that our goal is to help each other. We're learning from all of you as well, so helping is a multi-way street. We have about 20 wonderful teachers in this group, so there's a lot of expertise here!

Do you agree with these as ground rules? Do you have suggestions for changes or additions? Please share your thoughts. Let's have a final decision by Sunday morning Oregon time. This is your chance to have your say (to the whole group, not to your instructor personally, please).

Comment: I agree with these above ground rules with adding a suggestion that all comments should be informative.