INTERNET ENGLISH. WWW-BASED COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES
reviewed by Irena Żywluk-Dudowicz
secondary school teacher,
Gdańsk, Poland
indexkd@axel.com.pl

Authors: Christina Gitsaki & Richard P. Taylor
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2000
pp. 70
ISBN 0-19-437226-X

Overview

Internet English. WWW-based communication activities is a conversation course for pre-intermediate and intermediate students. It teaches real-life English utilising the Internet. When using this coursebook students develop not only their language skills but also computer abilities. By being engaged in basic computer operations learners are getting more and more motivated and creative. Through Internet English students develop basic information technology (IT) skills such as word processing, Web-browsing, e-mailing or typing. But, what is more important, the course gives learners the opportunity to manage their own learning. They are offered some guidance from the teacher and then are left on their own to direct their learning to the resources they are interested in.

The course contains two main components: the student book and the teacher’s book, as well as an accompanying website.

The Student Book consists of:

·         13 four-page units comprising 3 Computer Skills units and 10 Web Search units

·         13 Practice Pages (Language Window, Computer Project, Share Your Project)

·         3 Technical Tips pages

·         an Internet Vocabulary glossary

The Teacher’s Book includes:

·         step-by-step instructions for each unit

·         answer keys to activities

·         an Extension Activity for each unit

·         lists of useful URLs related to the topic of each unit

·         a Vocabulary Log

·         an Introductory to HTML

·         four tests

Additionally the coursebook is accompanied by the Internet English website with:

·         student Keypal Center

·         teacher WWW-Board

·         useful URLs for each unit

·         links to websites dealing with English language teaching and learning.

Description

Internet English. WWW-based communication activities is a very friendly coursebook that can be used in computer labs and in traditional classrooms. It allows (both students and teachers) to develop new abilities. Not only do they enhance information technology skills using the Internet, but also develop their English.

Student Book

First three units introduce basic word-processing, e-mail and Web searching vocabulary and techniques. These Computer Skills Units include activities that help learners carry out the activities in the remaining 10 units. They are designed to be run at first in a traditional classroom introducing and revising basic computer and word-processing terms, some search strategies for the Web and different ways of communication. In this way students are well prepared for the practice sections conducted in a computer laboratory.

They learn to identify different uses of computers, recognise computer parts and become familiarised with the keyboard. Getting to know basic word-processing terms and commands saves their time during online classes. The unit entitled Surfing the Web introduces Frequently Asked Questions about the Internet and presents some techniques how to use a Web search engine. At the end of these introductory units learners are prepared to sign up for a free e-mail account.

These units can be skipped if all students possess these skills. Then they can start with Web Search Units. Each such a unit consists of basic four sections:

·         Identify,

·         Prepare your search ,

·         Search the Web,

·         Web Talk.

There are also Practice Pages that include Language Window, Computer Project and Share Your Project sections.

In a computer laboratory each Web Search unit can be taught in two 90-minute classroom sessions. The first session is based on Identify and Prepare Your Search sections. Language Window given as a homework is a good introduction to Search the Web sections involving students in searching the Net and creating their own pieces of "computer work." After completing these sections students have the opportunity to carry out the Web Talk and Computer Project activities that are the parts of the second session. Finally, learners can work in groups and share their projects according to Share Your Project section.

In a traditional classroom, the computer tasks can be carried out outside the class as homework. First two sections Identity and Prepare Your Search are completed in a class but learners are given activities included in the Search the Web section to be done at home. Students are also asked to print out some of the information and pictures and bring their printouts to class for the next session. The Language Window can be introduced before the next session that includes the Web Talk activities. Before the second session students can also prepare Computer Project at home and then present it in class. In this way the second session is devoted mainly to speaking activities.

Web Search Units – organisation and features

Identify section contains a lot of warm-up activities. It introduces the topic with photos related to the unit and exercises engaging learners in vocabulary review and sharing ideas. For example, in unit 8 entitled Shopping Spree students are asked to complete the table by writing down some things they would buy using different ways of shopping such as a mail-order catalogue or a TV home shopping program. Then, they compare their answers with the partners sitting next to them.

Prepare your search section has exercises developing students vocabulary and involving them in new topics, ideas or choices. It generates ideas that can be used in their Web Search. Similarly to Identity section, Prepare your search encourages students to narrow down their preferences. In this way learners save their time during completing the tasks. To give an example, in unit 8 they are asked to add three items of different goods to three categories such as: "Clothes and Accessories," "Sports and Fitness Equipment" and "Electronic Equipment." Then learners choose one item of each category they would like to buy and suggest the price they would like to pay. The last activity of this section gives them the chance to discuss their choice and to clarify their preferences. A model dialogue and selected vocabulary items also help them make a decision. For instance, in unit 9 entitled Watching Movies students choose the movie they would most like to see and then they talk about their choice with a classmate.

Search your Web section encourages students to look for information on different websites that directly refer to the main topic of the unit. To help students complete the tasks in this section there are two options dedicated to the techniques of searching the Net. In the first method learners are asked to define a set of keywords that can save their time during the search for specific information. After that, they scan their search results and then explore several websites. Another method is moving directly to websites given by the coursebook or the teacher’s book. In this way students have a chance to experience new techniques and organise their time in a computer lab effectively overcoming the problems with loading foreign websites. The last two activities involve them in organising the information they found. Different types of connection and amount of online time available encourage learners to choose the best options.

Web talk section gives students the opportunity to share the results of their Web search. They can share their findings via E–mails or present them as their group projects. There are role-play, pair work and group work activities. Moreover, students are given models for the conversation tasks. In this way they find it easy to generate their own dialogues based on their search. For example, in unit 7 entitled Eating Out learners are asked to role-play ordering dinner at a restaurant. One student plays the customer and the other plays the waiter. Before starting, the customer should give to the waiter the menu he/she found on the Web. In unit 6 entitled Study Abroad students are encouraged to interview a classmate about the course they chose to study. They write down the answers in the chart provided. This helps them generate their opinions about different schools. In all these activities communication plays the main role, as students make a choice on their own and then share the information they found on the Web. The conversations do not take a lot of time, but are short and prefarably dynamic. The teacher can enrich them by additional tasks such as pre-activities: speaking warm-up, revision of key structures, vocabulary review and post-activities: whole-class discussion, focus on interesting vocabulary, follow-up writing assignment. Everything depends on time frame and teacher/learner preferences.

Practice Pages are divided into three sections:

Language Window presents and revises language structures. It can be introduced before Search the Web or Web Talk or given as homework. In this way it helps students be well prepared to the next parts of these sections.

Computer Project engages learners in using the information they find on the Web or creating and editing a brochure, a profile or a poster. While completing these tasks, they can use Technical Tips such as copying images and texts from the Web to a word-processing document.

Share Your Project usually involves e-mail tasks in a computer laboratory. Students present their projects and evaluate others, which can also be run in a traditional classroom involving learners in speaking.

Teacher’s Book

It provides assistance to the teacher in different ways:

·         step-by-step instructions showing how to carry out the activities in each unit,

·         Teaching Tips and Web Tips giving teachers several prompts on how to search the Web effectively and overcome obstacles that can appear when using computers,

·         optional tasks allowing teachers to fill additional classroom time,

·         photocopiable Extension Activities that can be used for more ambitious and skilled students in mixed-ability groups,

·         pages with lists of useful URLs related to the topic of each unit,

·         photocopiable Vocabulary Log page intended for the revision of new words and phrases,

·         four photocopiable tests for assessing students after each set of units,

·         a photocopiable Introduction to HTML guidebook on how to create homepages.

Advantages

1.       A variety of topics satisfying different interests (such as Famous People, Eating Out, Shopping, Watching Movies, Vacation Abroad or Working Abroad).

2.       No advanced computer skills are required.

3.       The course can be used in a computer-equipped or traditional classroom.

4.       Important tips for teachers; especially photocopiable Extension Activities and Useful URLs.

5.       Project pages involving students in pair and group work.

6.       Perfectly designed vocabulary introductory sections.

7.       Internet English summary tests after certain units.

8.       Exercises involving students’ imagination and creativity.

9.       Activities developing students’ cultural awareness.

10.   Interactive tasks improving learners’ computer skills.

Disadvantages

1.       Some URLs give in the teacher’s book are not active.

2.       Sometimes it takes even a few minutes to load some pages which discourages especially young students. That’s why it is very important to check URLs offered by the coursebook and the teacher’s book before each lesson.

3.       Speaking activities included in Identify, Prepare Your Search, Web Talk and Share Your Project sections are definitely too short in comparison with the computer tasks. Therefore, teachers should enrich speaking parts by additional tasks such as speaking warm-up, revision of key structures, vocabulary review or whole-class discussion.

Recommendation

This course can be recommended not only for teachers experienced in computing, but also for those who need some help and be run step by step through the diversity of the Internet. Activities are designed to involve teachers and foster students’ creativity. What we need to remember is that the main goal of Internet English is "not to teach computers" but "to run a conversation course that utilises computers and the Internet." From my point of view it could be successfully used as a supplement to some main coursebooks at schools. A wide variety of topics used in Internet English is likely to satisfy different preferences and is able to be combined with school curriculum.

Minimum system requirements

Internet English is designed to be used with

·         any type of computer, Macintosh or IBM PCs (with or without Windows) with access to the Internet,

·         graphic browsers (Netscape, Internet Explorer),

·         word processing software (Microsoft Word or WordPerfect).