USING WEBSITES IN THE CLASSROOM

The web is a source of content which can be used as a window on the
wider world outside the class, of course a ready available collection
of authentic material. We can use web pages in the classroom in a
variety of ways like as printed pages with no computers, with one
computer with an internet connection, and also we can use it in a
computer lab with a set of networked and connected computers. The ELT
websites provide valuable opportunities for more controlled language
work and are often a great help to learners who need to brush up on
certain aspects of the language or to prepare for an exam. In the
other hand, authentic sites provide an ideal opportunity to work
through the issues of total comprehension that plenty of learners have
to deal with at some point in their studies. To find useful websites,
firstly we ca use the search engine, the subject guides, and also we
can use the real language searches. Checking the accuracy, the
currency, the content, and the functionality are the steps that we can
do to evaluate websites. Movie star is a sample lesson plan that is an
upper intermediate to advanced lesson concentrating on famous movie
stars and their lives and work, it's also makes learner explore in
interview techniques, and the way on interacting a social level.
Websites which are more suitable for lower levels will include
websites with simple, clearly presented text, websites with non
linguistic data which is easy to interpret, websites with visuals that
is a task can be based around the visuals only, and ELT website where
the content has been written, edited and prepared with this audience
in mind. By using websites in language teaching, we can provide
learners with knowledge and content which they perhaps do not know, or
would normally not have access to, or to supplement more traditional
course materials that motivating for them, leading to more language
production and a higher stake in the success of the class.
In my opinion, with the authentic websites student can explore
conversation, reading and writing activities that student use to build
vocabulary and engage grammar. In other hand, the ELT websites provide
content that our learners can use for language practice activities
they can do on their own. We also have to evaluate the websites with
accuracy for example, by making sure that the author provides e-mail
or a contact address/phone number. With currency for example, by
asking how many dead links are on the page? With content by checking
whether the site interesting and stimulating or not, and with the
functionality by making sure whether the site work well? Or are there
any broken links? For planning lesson using the internet, we can do it
by following lesson plans have been set up for classroom use and are
designed to teach something about the Internet, teach how to use the
Internet, and teach something by using information gained from the
Internet. In short, using websites makes the teaching and learning can
be freed from the boundaries of classrooms and class schedules.
Moreover, the web can help us re-focus our institutions from teaching
to learning, from teacher to student and the skills called for in
students are critical thinking, problem solving, written
communication, and ability to work collaboratively.