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 Ratings
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| Reviewed: |
Dec 06, 2002 by World Languages Editorial Board |
| Overview: |
The Interesting Things for ESL Students site overall is designed to improve the
writing, reading, grammar, listening, and speaking skills of ESL students. The
presentations that address these second language acquisition concerns come in
various attention getting audio, javascript, CGI, and java applet games,
puzzles, and quizzes. The site offers a wide variety of lessons, making it
useful as a supplemental component to coursework. Finally, in spite of the fact
that it is mainly designed for individual use, students should have no problem
working in pairs; a few of the reading sections guide students to work with a
partner.
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| Learning Goals: |
Improve writing, reading, grammar, listening, speaking, and skills of ESL
students
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| Target Student Population: |
Intermediate to advanced level
Secondary, Post secondary, and Adult learners
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| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
Low intermediate English language learner
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| Type of Material: |
Audio clips, pop up JavaScripts, CGI and Java Applet quizzes, puzzles, and games
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| Recommended Uses: |
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| Technical Requirements: |
Real Player, Flash Player, and speakers
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| Strengths: |
This site emphasizes listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These are
presented through dialogue/interview, games, audio, multiples choice quizzes,
and fill-in-the-blanks. Moreover, the site also covers a wide range of grammar
topics, tenses and agreement. Finally, the variety of presentations (multiple
choice, games) makes it engaging.
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| Concerns: |
This site would be more effective if words were pronounced for the student upon
completion of the game/exercise. The exercises could be more coherent through
focusing on a single topic instead of mixling different grammar concerns into
one quiz
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
Rating:  |
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| Strengths: |
The site is particularly useful for low intermediate to advanced English
language learners. The site can be for independent learning as well as for
working in pairs. It addresses grammar, word usage, pronunciation, spelling, and
dictation.
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| Concerns: |
There are no links dealing with punctuation or sentence boundary issues.
Students would probably benefit more if lessons were more contextualized.
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
| Rating: |
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| Strengths: |
The site's user interface makes it easy to navigate and instructions are clear.
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| Concerns: |
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| Other Issues and Comments: |
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