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Building an ESL Web Site to Supplement an Intensive English Classroom

I. Preliminaries about second language acquisition

A. Time: length of time spent learning the L2.

B. Exposure: amount of listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, cultural awareness practice with the L2.

C. Motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic desire to learn the language.

A. Critical Period Theory: After a certain critical period or age, humans lose the innate language acquisition abilities they had as children for acquiring a second language. The period is six months to puberty.

B. Competition Theory: It is also referred to as the competing cognitive models theory. Innate language abilities haven't shut down, but they are competing with all the other cognitive functions in the mind. Consequently, the brain cannot devote as much mental energy to the learning of the second language due to factors such as abstract thought, logic functions, and the worries of day to day living.

C. No difference theory: Interference from L1: Phonetic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic frames interfere as learners transfer these patterns from the L1 which may not work in the L2. Psychological factors: anxiety, frustration, prejudice, attitude, and motivation affects a person's ability to learn a second language.

A. Identify what classes you regularly teach and what kinds of handouts you use. Can you put any of them on a Web Site, so that you reduce the amount of paper and copies you have to make for your class?  

1. TOEFL Sample Pages

a. http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_11.htm  information about TOEFL and related Web Sites.

b. http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_12.htm  questions about TOEFL and related topics

c. http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_13.htm  sample TOEFL diagnostic test results

2. TWE Sample Pages

a: http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_9.htm  TWE test taking tips and sample essays

b: http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_10.htm  scored TWEs from previous students...the good, the bad, and the ugly.

3. Grammar Web Pages: To give students more exposure with grammar structures, I created 855 grammar self-study questions http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/Englishgrammarselfstudyquizzes

4. Writing Sample Web Pages: A benefit to both students and instructors alike, sample essays from ESL students from High Beginner to High Advanced were uploaded to my Web Site (i.e., http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_4.htm

5. Linguistics practice exercises for university students, a sort of comprehension check before students take quizzes or tests: http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/English%20311homepage.htm

6. Picture vocabulary practice exercises: http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/household_words.htm

IV. Using a web site to build camaraderie among students: A good camaraderie in an IEP classroom results in lasting friendships. Also, that students have a close relationship with instructor and other students means a more positive attitude and approach toward learning and teaching. Thus, the students and instructors will have a higher degree of motivation, a key ingredient in second language acquisition and in teaching English as second language.

A.  Advice from ESL students: have students E-mail success stories of how to learn English and publish them on your web site. Go to the experts...your students! http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/new_page_8.htm

B. Put motivation quotes on a web site: Most of my quotes center around hard work and determination, two important assets toward learning a language. http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/news.htm

C. Using a digital camera yourself or by having students E-mail you digital pictures of students, create a photo gallery. After getting consent from the students, post their pictures on the Internet, after which parents and friends can access them anytime, anywhere in the world.

1. Fall Quarter 2001 students:       http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/fall_2000.htm

2. Winter Quarter 2001 students:

                    http://buckhoff.topcities.com/winter_2001.htm

3. Spring Quarter 2001 students:

                   http://buckhoff.topcities.com/Spring%20Quarter%202001%20pics.htm

A. Thirty sample syllabi: http://buckhoff.topcities.com/samplesyllabi.htm

B. Sample administrative forms (i.e. annual activity reports, ESL Internship agreement form, letters of recommendations, teaching portfolios, petition to drop a class...) http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/sampleadministartiveforms.htm

C. The Evaluation Process: sample pre-visit forms. http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/evaluations.htm

D. Research Papers: http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/researchpapers.htm

E. English Placement Test Writing Prompts/Grading forms for Cal State Universities: http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/ept_writing_prompts.htm  

VI. Using your Web Site as a gate way to the ESL Internet (ESL Games/Activities, Grammar, Listening, TOEFL, and Professional Development for teachers) http://members.nbci.com/buckhoff/ESL%20Links.htm

1.  Chamberlain, Cathy. "Frontpage Tutorials. "http://www.electricteacher.com/tutorial2.htm  (10 April 2001)

2.  Dreier, Troy. "A FrontPage Tutorial." http://idm.internet.com/articles/200003/fp_index.html  (5 April 2001).

3.  Kelly, Charles. "How to Make a Successful ESL/EFL Teacher's Web Page." The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. III, No. 6, June 1997. http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/Articles/Kelly_MakePage/

4.  Kelly, Charles. "Guidelines for Designing a Good Web Site for ESL Students." The Internet TESL Journal,Vol.VI, No. 3, March 2000.

5.  Kimball, Kimball. "Thriving on Screen: Web-Authoring for L2 Instruction." The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. IV, No. 2, February 1998.

6.  Kuang-wu Lee. "Energizing the ESL/EFL Classroom through Internet Activities." The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 4, April 2000.

7.  Muehleisen, Victoria. "Using the Internet In College English Classes." The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. III, No. 6, June 1997. http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/Lessons/Muehleisen_Projects.html

8.  NBCi. "File Transfer Protocol (FTP)." http://home.nbci.com/LMOID/resource/0,566,_3137,00.html (1 April 2001).

9.  Yahoo. "Free Web Pages." 2001. http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=free+web+hosting  (10 April 2001).Back to Teacher Resource Center