Interactive Language Learning on the Web

 The wealth of information available on the Web affords teachers and

learners access to language learning resources like never before. Online

journals, listservs, newspapers, and magazines provide authentic material

for language learners, while teachers can find lesson plans and ideas,

exercises, assessment tools, and other materials for use in their classes.

The World Wide Web’s capability for interactivity makes it especially

exciting as a resource for language teaching and learning. Online language tutorials, exercises, and tests are available to anyone who has access to the Web.

Why Create Your Own Web-Based Language

Learning Activities?

There are many advantages to creating your own interactive

language learning activities for the Web. These advantages include accessibility, renewability, and adaptability.

Accessibility: By putting course material on the Web, teachers provide

students with 24-hour, independent access to course information, and

updates to Web pages and new assignments are immediately available to

students.

Renewability: Once created, materials can be updated easily and often.

Adaptability: Web-based activities can easily be modified to support

students at different proficiency levels or with special needs.

Challenges in Creating Web-Based Activities:

-The greatest challenge in creating Web-based language

learning activities is that teacher do not have the technical skill and

knowledge to do so.

- creating simple Web-based activities requires no more than basic HTML skills.

- Another difficulty in creating online activities involves the variability

of students’ access to computers.

- Web pages that meet accessibility guidelines for individuals with disabilities so that students with special needs are not left out.

What Can You Teach on the Web?

It can teach basic skills, Vocabulary practice, grammar lessons, comprehension exercises, reading and writing tasks, and even pronunciation exercises.

For reading and writing skills: Online discussion boards are a good way to hold class discussions and create reading and writing activities for students. Another way to create online writing assignments or discussions is through a Weblog, or “blog.”

Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises With JavaScript

Games and exercises designed to help students learn new vocabulary are easily put on the Web. Any online form used for interactive activities such as quizzes and vocabulary and grammar exercises will require either a CGI script or JavaScript. JavaScript is an information collection and feedback tool that is used to make Web pages interactive.

 Listening Comprehension and Pronunciation Practice

With RealAudio

Students download and listen to a short audio piece and fill in missing words in a provided text. They then answer comprehension questions about the text and audio and write a short essay. Answers are then emailed to an instructor for assessment.

 Online Assessment With HTML Forms and CGI Script

Online exercises that use JavaScript are limited in their interactivity

in that they can only provide a way for students to check their own answers. Teachers may want to test their students online and do their own

assessments. It is possible to develop online tests that students fill out

and submit to the teacher for grading and feedback.

John’s ESL/EFL a good example of this type of assessment tool on the Web. CGI (Common Gateway Interface) is the standard method of processing input from HTML forms. CGI is often used with Web surveys, online quizzes and exercises, or anything else that requires the collection of data.