1. Be careful when selecting exercises for teaching a specific language skill. Most recent ELT web sites have become a specific within one aspect of language skills. Some sources are particularly designed to improve grammar, some offer good source of activities for academic writing. To find out the purpose of the web site, you will have to do a quick survey. Look at the overall meta language, sections and subsection and pictures. Look at ESL Blues at http://ww2.college-em.qc.ca/prof/epritchard/ . There are lots of grammar terms, sections have been divided by grammatical categories. Although there is an attempt to keep it communicative, i.e language in the exercises are authentic and sort of contextualized, one can easily tell that this website is to practise grammar and accuracy.
2. Updates and more recent materials makes the site more relevant and attractive. Check if the links are maintained and if the content is up-to-date. Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and look for "This page was last updated in dd/mm/yy".
3. It feels almost like reading a packaging. Once you have checked the "best before date" of the website, you can move on to find out the content. Is it interesting and relevant for your age group of students? Is it funny, useful or culturally appropriate? Decide wether or not the materials provided on the webpage is suitable for your learners.
4. Finally, the technical side that include the presentation and layout of the website. Is it attractive to look at? Easy to use/navigate? Does it contain both audio/video?
This is short but useful criteria for beginners who are destined to use some online ELT resources in their teaching. Choose the right website with the right activities to make your classroom experience more successful and fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment