Lesson Plan (sent hard copy earlier during presentation)

LEVEL : Form 3
TIME : 60 mins
AIMS : To practice writing journals through blogs.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

One computer per group of 2-3 students, with an internet connection, a Web browser, and email. Each students or group needs an email address.

Websites: www.blogspot.com, www.wordpress.com, www.livejournal.com

PREPARATION:
1. Locate sites offering suitable blog
2. Check sites before lesson.

PROCEDURE
1. Show the students of important bloggers with their blogs like Tun Mahathir Mohamad and Afdlin Shauki and other relevant blogs that suits their age or interests from the main computer and projector. Write some examples of websites on the board.

2. Give each student or group to browse through the websites first for them to get a glimpse of what a blog is all about and to give them the ideas on how they can write their own.

3. Send the students to a particular blog host and demonstrate to them on how they can create their own blog.

4. Give the students some time to open up their own account of blog.

5. After the students have done this, discuss any procedures that they might have encountered. Then, instruct the students to write their first entry in their blog with a specific topic on how they feel on starting a new blog.

6. If time permits, pick random students to share their entries with fellow classmates where their blogs are shown to the others as an example.

FOLLOW UP

1. Students are showed on how they can make their blogs more interesting with simple additional html applications by the teacher.

2. Make a list of the students in class and their blogs. Put it on the notice board. Invite the students to visit each others’ blog from time to time.Students need to answer the worksheet as a homework.

WORKSHEET
1. What is your opinion on blogging?





2. Which do you prefer? Traditional diary or blog?





3. Why?



4. Will you continue to blog after the class has finished?

Practicum experiences

If you had the chance would you utilize ICT (CALL) in your teaching?

I'd absolutely utilize ICT in my teaching because it has so much to offer to me as the teacher and to my students. I'd save some of my time when the students do their work through computers and the students would enjoy the lessons with ICT with what the computer and internet could offer.

How do you think it would help (or would not help) your students to learn English?

My students would definitely be more independent with the usage of internet, first of all. When they check on pages and read the information online, most of the info are written in English. Whenever they have a problem with a definition of a term, they can immediately check the meaning online. A lot of listening and speaking exercises are available where students can just get the software and practise them themselves.

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing CALL in the Malaysian schools?

If the government were to implement CALL to all schools, it is going to be a huge problem when the schools cannot afford to get the computers for the students to use. As for the advantages, teachers and students are going to have a lot of fun using and experimenting what the computers and internet can offer to a student.

What are the barriers in implementing CALL in the Malaysian classroom?

Firstly, it is the facility. Not all schools can afford to get sufficient computers for its students to use. This mainly happens in rural areas where electricity might even be a problem to them. And even after the schools have gotten the computers, maintaining those computers is also another problem that might occur. We can see abandoned computers in schools corrupted with viruses and it is such a waste.

Please also include any other comments/thoughts/ideas on this topic

I would say that we are lagging behind compared to other countries where computers are students' good friends. Learning through computers have so much to offer and not only they teach, but computers are also infotaining. Ministry of Education has to realize and buck up what Malaysian students are missing.