Using IT in EFL Teaching

For many years teaching English has been characterized by the use of traditional and grammatical-oriented approach with limited information resources: a teacher, a textbook and chalkboard. Nowadays emerging technologies represent a potential for teaching English as a foreign language. There is a wide variety of hardware and software available for teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The following Internet technologies are used in EFL classes:

1. SMART Board. It is a series of interactive whiteboards developed by SMART Technologies. The SMART Board uses touch detection for user input – e.g., scrolling, right mouse-click – in the same way normal PC input devices, such as a mouse or keyboard, detect input. The SMART Board is an interactive, electronic whiteboard which can enhance instruction and learning.  The SMART Notebook software makes it possible for teachers to create content rich, dynamic lessons which address specific student skills.
2. Now that a growing majority of Internet users have broadband, YouTube and other video clip sites (Google Video, Revver, etc.) have become very popular - especially with young adults. These sites also provide English learners and classes with a new tool to improve listening skills. The real advantage to these sites - at least from a language learning point of view - is that they offer authentic examples of everyday English used by everyday people.
3. Blogging is becoming increasingly popular as a language learning tool. A blog (short for weblog) is a frequently updated website that often resembles an online journal. Aaron Campbell (2003) has outlined three types of blogs for use with language classes: The Tutor Blog, The Class Blog, The Learner Blog. Nowadays, blogs can also display photos and some people are using them with audio and even video.

      I think Internet videos are precious useful resources to help in the listening process acquisition and fill the blanks of the constant need for language demands when the learner does not live in an English speaking country. For instance, in a video systematic locus like YouTube, at present the most prominent video network you can find news videos, movie thrillers, music, tv shows, interviews, lectures, informal conversations. Besides listening, it is possible to work with other abilities concerned with pronunciation and phonetics, vocabulary acquisition, speaking and to use creativity for a range of activities that shows students the multiple potential of working with new technologies tools like Internet videos. It is also a step for EFL students to work with their autonomy related to their learning. The advantages of using blogs in teaching English are the following: to provide extra reading practice for students; to increase the sense of community in a class; to encourage shy students to participate; to stimulate out-of-class discussion; to encourage a process-writing approach, to help build a closer relationship between students in large classes.

Valentine Traditions and Superstitions

Ancient Romans honoured the goddess Juno on February 14th. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia. In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

Some people said if you found a glove on the road on Valentine's Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove.

Some believed the first man's name you read in the paper or hear will be the name of the man you will marry.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seed that remain on the stem, and that is the number of children you will have.

Or, cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you can also tell how many children you will have.

A poem which is dedicated to St. Valentine’s day

Make this day a perfect one:

Love and make some casual fun.

If you are not well prepared:

You are single and not married,

View this day from other side:

You won’t waste money,

You won’t waste time.

But if you are so well prepared:

You are not single,

And you’ve just got married.

Don’t laugh at those who are alone

Because you are going to clean and to moan.

                                             A story to St. Valentine's day:     A perfect woman

        You know in heaven angels are working very hard indeed. They arrange the meeting for every man and woman in the earth. They appoint the certain data, time and place of your meeting. Having such a great amount of work they sometimes forget about somebody that’s why some people are left alone. But don’t scold them! If you had such a great number of things to do, you would also forget something. You are just not lucky. And the luck is the field of activity of some apostles in heaven. But this story is not about them. So let’s come back to our angels. It is not a secret that men always complain about their women. They have a long list of complains. But the main ones are: the women are too fretful, they demand much money, much attention, they cry and whimper too often, they are always late and they forbid men to drink and to pay attention to the other women. But there was only one man in this world who has never complained about something or somebody. For that matter, angels decided to reward him. They created a perfect woman for him: beautiful, with an irreproachable figure who didn’t complain and argue but who dusted, washed, ironed, cooked and spent very little money. They sent her to the earth one St. Valentine's Day. The couple met. The angels expected them to be married soon.  But the man married another woman.

-“What have you done?! We tried our best to please you! Why you didn’t marry this perfect woman?” – asked the angels him then.

 - You know I got bored and felt very strange. She didn’t waste the money I gave her. Even sometimes I left my purse open on the table and she didn’t take the money when I was absent. I was very surprised. Then I came home drunk. But she didn’t even say a word. The next time I crawled up home drunk and her reaction was the same. I think she is not alright.

Moral: Girls! The men don’t want you to be perfect. Just be the way you are and you will be loved and admired. You can’t become perfect but everyone should try! Happy Valentine’s Day!

                 What does friendship mean in your life?

         To define the meaning of this word let’s firstly look into the dictionary. What does it say? Friendship is the close relations which are based on the mutual trust, affection and common interests. Dull and scanty definition. Don’t you think so? But it is foolish to expect something more from the dictionary. When people try to define this word they feel lack for words. I understand. There are a few words in this world for which you can’t give full and exact definition. Friendship is one of those words. I tried my best to create the following: friendship is not a necessity, it is a desire to give without expecting that you will be given something back.

         Have you ever thought about friendship? Where does it come from? Maybe it appeared at the school desk between two pupils, maybe one summer day it was playing with children in the yard, or perhaps one day it emerged in the heart of a boy who extended a helping hand to a girl who fell down on her way?  How does friendship match the pairs? For example can you imagine friendship between two absolutely different people who can’t live a day without quarreling with each other, or between two people one of those is hardly ever able to touch the shoulder of his friend? Maybe you hold the opinion that friendship does not exist at all. You have the right to think so. But I do believe that friendship exists. I know it for sure. My friendship began almost ten years ago. For some time we were bound by the long chain of letters, chain of words. We paved the way to each other’s heart, through the railway stations, through the thick forests, rivers and tunnels. Through the years we didn’t let go of our hands, dozens of faces have changed and dissolved in my memory, but only one remained. But why is it so? You may think that it is because the other people were not faithful, honest or attentive. No, they were. But with time I got tired with their friendship. That’s why I want to say that friendship should not be a burden, it is a desire to give more and more to your friend. There is no place for a word “must” but the word “want” should accompany your deeds. 

         So for me friendship is a free-will contribution. I don’t want to be obliged to be a friend. I just want to know that I am your friend and you are a friend of mine.

What makes a good foreign language teacher?

        The bell rings, a smiling woman wearing a neat dress comes to meet you, she takes your hand, and you feel warmth and softness of her touch and her tender voice is like music to your ears. Did I manage to describe a teacher of your dream? Maybe you had a figure of an old lady wearing glasses in your imagination. Whatever you picture, most likely it coincides with image of your mother of another beloved person. But very often we face another kind of man and have to spend long years with a teacher who partially or at the worst entirely failed to correspond our ideas.

        You know in my childhood I thought that a teacher was such kind of person from a special stratum of society who are born already grown-up possessing all professional skills and holding a pointer in the hand. A kind of conveyer, you know. And of more over I couldn’t image them caring for husbands, children, cooking in kitchen or crying at night. But with time I understood that teachers were the same people as you and me but a little bit different. They are parents, grandparents but a little bit different. They are consumers, passers-by but a little bit different. So what makes them different? What qualities or traits make them different? Sense of humor is the first thing I want to mention. Learn to laugh at yourself, smile and be free to admit mistakes. The teacher has to be a broad-minded person, develop his or her knowledge and not only to be aware of the new trends in methodology, but also in common life, in new technologies, in short she has to be in the main stream. Teacher’s lessons have to meet the requirements of modern life. Pay a little extra attention, a hug, a query as to how the student is feeling today. Try to motivate the students. A good teacher helps the child realize her strengths and encourages and challenges the student to learn. Never speak negatively about your students and never gossip about someone of them. Maybe the lesson plan can be more effectively learned if the students stand and move about, play a game with the information or talk about something else that is important to them at that moment. Manage the time, speak to the back rows, don’t be monotonous, listen to your students and reveal their talents. Be tolerant!

        So all this qualities and traits make a good teacher, differ his of her from people of other professions. Don’t be afraid of such a long list of requirements. It is easy to follow them if you feel that teaching is your destination, if you love children, if your heart starts beating quicker because it is filled up with love to them and you feel happy.

How to find a work life balance

        Actually this essay had to be dedicated to the perfect teachers. But this time I will make bold to change the theme a little bit. The thing is that not only teachers face the problem of work life balance. So not to make people of other professions feel forgotten and underestimated I invite them to join our discussion. I want to suggest you a method which is called “I have to & I am prohibited”.

        It seems to me that one had to write a book, and more than one, solving this problem in order to give an adequate and intelligible answer. But I will try to be brief and precise. First of all you should set the priorities, periodically reexamine them to find out what things are really important for you. How to do it? Take a sheet of paper and draw two columns. You will draw the table. It will help to systematize the information. Title the first column “I have to” and the second “I am prohibited”. Do not confuse these statements with “I want” and “I don’t want”. Fill up the table. Starting from it you will do what you have to and you won’t do the things which are prohibited. “And how do we know what we have to do? Maybe we are mistaken and the things we have listed are not really essential!”- you will ask. In future you will see if the things you do bring an affirmative reply you will continue doing them. If they do not, strike them off your list. But don’t think that you will have time for everything. Be ready that you will have to sacrifice something. Some simple examples: you want to have a pet but you can do without it, you have to do your job well but you shouldn’t run to extremes.

       If this method intrigued you, try to follow it right now, set the priorities, take a sheet of paper and write “I have to” and “I am prohibited” and periodically reexamine your list. Do not waste you time. I will tell you one thing I am sure about: our life is too short to waste it on offences and quarrels. So, it can be the first item in the column “I am prohibited”.