Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Slideshare


What is this?

This is an example slide about planning a halloween party from http://www.slideshare.net/.  It was created and shared by Anna from skype English school. Eight slides contain planning ideas, party tips and so on, which provide a lot of interesting activities and useful information. It can be used in English language learning classroom as a activity material and resource.
Slideshare is a website that allows everyone to share his/her slides, presentations and perspectives. Also, it provides rich resources for everybody to watch, download and share those slides.
Why is the content good for language learning?
  • The content in this slide is interesting and creative, which provides rich information and cultural background for learners to learn the language as well as western culture, especially the traditional festival.
  • Learners may be motivated to search and learn more relevant language and culture in order to implement a specific activity or step in this slide, in other words, it can increase learners' autonomy.
  • The slides in this website is totally free and can be embedded.
  • Slideshare contains a lot of authentic learning materials and resources which can be used in classroom.
  • It allows learners to upload and share their own slides.
How might you use it in a language teaching context?
  • Teacher asks students to work in group and prepare a real Halloween party based on given information and tips in this slide. This activity needs the students to understand the target language itself as well as western culture and to work collaboratively.
  • Teahcer can play this slide as a demonstration of a task which asks students to design a party or a small gathering in group.  Then, teacher is responsable for explaining the language difficulties in the slide and giving specific instruction of the task.
  • Students can select any topic they are interested in (or the topic introduced in class) and create their own slides and share it with teachers and peers.

 Limitation
  • This website may not be accessed in China.
  • Instructions in some slides are too complicated to understand.
  • Teacher need to do some changes in order to make the material suitable for a specific class and teaching context.

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