http://www.hotenglishmagazine.com/

Office of English Department

Luoyang University

Henan P.R China

guoshesen@21cn.com

Site URL: http://www.hotenglishmagazine.com/

Language: English

Contact address: C/Estudios 9, Oficina 205, 28012 Madrid, Spain

Phone number: 0034 91 354 0621

Contact email: contact@hotenglishmagazine.com

Hot English Magazine is a very interesting and funny magazine geared to enthuse learners and help them enjoy learning English. The magazine was created with the original idea of improving readers' English in an efficient and fun way, bringing forward both formal and colloquial language. It is useful for studies and business, and to learn about the culture and countries that speak English. The link above is the site address of its online version which consists of the magazine content from all magazines. Web recordings are available for all the articles.

The learning materials provided at the site are accurate and interesting. They are selected are mainly from English-speaking countries and sure to be loved by learners. For example, the four reading pieces in the "Learning Section" of the latest issue are respectively concerned with the backgrounds of England, Canada and the United States. We can infer from the contents and insights of writings that the sources must be from highly competent and successful English writers. There are neither spelling nor grammatical mistakes found. In the page of "Teacher's Notes" we can find some other linked references such as English Jet and Mansion English, which are all about English learning and test resources and are certainly strong support for and valuable supplement to the rationale of the site.

The site is authored by Hot English Publishing which is a company based in Spain that provides high-quality English language learning content using a humorous approach and focusing on the way that native speakers really speak. According to the aim mentioned in the "About Page", the author makes learning and practising English fun and useful. Apart from the interesting, funny feature of the materials provided, distinguishing Hot English Magazine from most English websites, it also focuses on the way people really speak, and even look at the colloquial language that others don't tell you about as well as business English or any other important area of the English language, such as functional language slang etc. On this site we can also practise listening, do exercises and play games.

The site was originally written in March 2001. As it is a magazine, the content is updated every month - with 30 new articles and 15 new recordings, together with more exercises. In addition, there are over 300 articles in the archive. To see an index of the pages and some of the content click on the link that says "See content" on the right of the page. The information provided is current enough to give learning an amusing purpose. For example, when the film Tomb Raider was just being talked heatedly by people, a special article accompanied by the hot picture of Lara was contributed to the "Culture" section which consists mainly of book reviews, films, music and travelling.

The two versions of paper and Web-based magazine are designed to, as stated, make learning and practising English fun and useful. The motive for the site is mixed. The site provides all the features of the magazine and restricts full access to the content to visitors. However, the unregistered guest can still appreciate most of the content as they are often updated for attraction of more visitors - more subscribers. From this point of view it is promotional as well as commercial. When we read the content and do exercises and play games provided on the site we really learn and enjoy the materials with a laugh and have feelings of satisfaction and superiority. We are aware that the latest and the most fashionable recreations are so written in letters and expressed in the English culture. So, it is also informative and recreational as well as educational. I think the contents in all sections of the site comply with the aim claimed.

The site is intended for English learners and especially those who like to learn the language in an interesting, relaxing and recreational way. This creative idea of building a website for language learning deserves encouragement and support as it is distinguished from most English websites in the fact that learners' interests are emphasized, which are of course intrinsic motivation.

The content is composed of sections of Learning, Culture, Humor, Slang, Business, Listening, Games and Cafe. Each section is subdivided when going deeper. For example, in the Learning section we can find four short and quite interesting pieces with separate cartoon characters or pictures which are also consistent with the theme of fun. Together with the lines of each topic are the question links which will activate related page with various activities embedded for understanding definitions of the passage. When you have finished the exercises you may click an answer link that will open in a new page for check. The articles selected by the author are short, interesting, true or funny stories and topics which facilitate effective and fast reading. In the latest issue there is an article entitled Those Bloody Brits – Betting. There are only 620 words but you will interestingly have an overview of British attitude to betting. You will know some important aspects about the British betting such as its history, prohibition, prize and etc. Similarly, other sections serve to meet this requirement. So, the content attracts readers with its brevity and interest.

The content of the site is very easily accessed. The page elements and items in all sections can be fully loaded quickly. No special requirements of software or browser are claimed. The layout of the content is quite well-organized and impressive. Images for the structure and the reading text are all viewable and well suited. The background color matches the fonts and structure beautifully. The highly intuitive navigation bars are arranged at the top and bottom for easy access to respective sections. Each page contains sufficient amount of information and is not overloaded. Links to other sections are all included on each succeeding page. The information flows logically from reading to understanding and then to exercise or test in all sections. Learners will be tempted to go deeper after browsing some introductory materials. Even the welcome page of the site is very hot. In a word, the user-friendly and visual-appealing interface as well as the interesting learning materials engage the viewer.

The learner will be at once familiar with the teaching plan and procedures as presented by the site as they are the same as those in the traditional classroom. The reading materials are accompanied with notes of difficult words, definitions of some background knowledge, understanding exercises in forms of multiple choices or filling blanks, writing and etc. These learning modes facilitate the learners' quick involvement in the process of learning in addition to the unique content of the site and characteristics of hypertext triggered by a finger flip.

The disadvantage of the site is that the author does not provide the difficulty degree identification for learning materials. It seems in the latest issue the materials are for intermediate or above level. The learning materials in all sections should be marked for beginners or the advanced so that learners can locate directly and conveniently their materials which easily arouse their interest because of appropriateness, which will further improve the level of motivation.

As stated, the materials are correct in terms of facts, grammar and spelling. They are consistent with the textbook both in syntax and in semantics. The site can merge smoothly in the teaching plans. It is a good choice for the variety, interest and creative idea of learning English it offers. Moreover, it is easy to incorporate the materials into curriculum or to use them for pastime as a learning supplement. Students can be assigned to read the materials in the classroom or lab or at home. It can also be used for language assessment and vocabulary building.

Aims: Building word power and reading comprehension

Procedures:

1. Open title page of either Learning section or Culture section and ask all the students to read the introductions to the articles and the pictures.
2. Get the students into groups according to the number of articles in Learning or Culture and give students assignment to read the article of their own group within set time.
3. Open the question window for each article and ask the students to do all the exercises in that page, including word exercise and choices and etc.
4. Ask them to read again their article and redo Step 3.
5. Open the answer window to each article and ask the students to correct their answers.
6. Ask the students in their group to discuss with each other what they know about the article and what new words they have learnt. Ask each group to select a spokesperson and an assistant for summing up the article of their group in the classroom.
7. Ask each spokesperson and assistant to make a loud speech in the classroom about the article of their group and the words they have learnt. The group that was the best in summing up what they have learnt are given the highest marks as extrinsic motivation.