Teresa Almeida d'Eça |
18 February 2001 |
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Experience-based notes on email and email exchanges
Strengths of email
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an innovative tool to communicate with teachers and colleagues, family and friends·
a different medium from the traditional pen, paper and book·
the current means of communication: pervasive in the real world out side the four walls of the school·
strong student identification with it (because it implies using a computer?)·
simple to learn & use: low learning curve·
fast paced: high speed of message flow·
inexpensive: a (local) phone call away!·
informal: no constraint to contact people we don't know·
immediate: instantaneous delivery (messages are sent/received in seconds/minutes)·
interactive and authentic: it's a two-way means of communication - "an authentic voice speaks to a real person and expects an authentic reply" (Gaer, Susan in CALL Environments 71)·
convenient: asynchronous (no need to be tied up at the other end)·
useful: great to keep in fast, permanent and low-cost touch with family, friends, peers·
(quite) reliable/dependable·
(very) flexible and (extremely) versatile: multifaceted tool (permits attachment of files of any type) that is extremely powerful for language learning·
(highly) functional: can be used as a communication, information, business, commercial, advertising, marketing, educational, cultural means·
motivating & powerful tool to teach/learn English: around 80% of files and email are in English·
(relatively) safe: there's still some danger in sending certain types of personal info.·
(easily) adaptable to and (seamlessly) integrated into any curriculum and level·
a pervasive means of communication in the real world·
improves reading and writing skills·
often leads students to writing more and longer texts than in the traditional way·
students write for an 'authentic' audience and with a 'real' purpose·
broadens student audience: a one-to-one (student-teacher) audience becomes a one-to-several/many audience·
contributes to constructing knowledge in a 'meaningful' way: students produce (authentic) materials·
helps students acquire cognitive, social and technological skills necessary for academic and professional life·
enhances personal, academic & professional development·
nurtures high levels of enthusiasm ('have we got mail?'), commitment and participation among students and teachers·
nurtures sharing and collaboration·
overcomes time and distance/geographic barriers·
makes learning English become ALIVE through Authenticity, Literacy, Interaction, Vitality and Empowerment (Warschauer et al. 7)·
helps strengthen teacher-student and student-student relationships·
can reduce (eventually abolish?!) use of paper
Limitations of email (exchanges)
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(last minute) technical problems/disruptions: system crashes·
limited number of computers calls for differentiated activities per lesson·
need for alternative 'emergency plan', because machines do have 'tantrums'·
language is usually more informal and tends to be more careless - less attention to correctness·
difficult to coordinate tasks in a 50-minute time slot: need for longer class periods·
noisier and more agitated lessons caused by healthy signs: motivation, interest and commitment·
one-to-one partnerships may easily break on one side and cause drop in motivation: better to form groups·
different school year calendars may complicate the process·
teacher/student work overload: after school time may be necessary
How email can be used to teach/learn English
·
as a different, innovative and motivating means of communication (between close or remote partners, [non]native speakers of English) used among other things to interact quickly, informally and inexpensively·
to communicate with peers in different and distant communities and cultures·
as a means of communication that permits a faster flow of messages between partners·
to support the L2 in a powerful way in terms of information and communication·
to empower students and help make them more responsible for their learning·
to broaden linguistic and cultural horizons·
to open up perspectives·
to interact culturally and personally·
to improve the writing and reading skills in the L2·
to generate enthusiasm for reading and writing in the L2·
to provide a motivating means of learning·
to provide a means for using 'authentic, genuine' language·
to provide a means of 'learning with a purpose'·
to generate collaborative work·
to give students the flexibility to go beyond the content agreed on·
to get students to 'produce' their own materials (and eventually 'publish' them)·
to empower students with cognitive, (inter)personal and social skills such as negotiation of contents, peer correction, critical thinking, research, selection and organization of materials, interviewing·
to give students a real and wider audience for their work (especially when the project is published on the Internet)·
to allow students to 'voice' their ideas·
to demonstrate the growing relevance of the English language and the new technologies in today's world
References
·
Egbert, Joy and Elizabeth Hanson-Smith (eds.). CALL Environments: Research, Practice, and Critical Issues. Alexandria, VA: TESOL, 1999.·
Warschauer, Mark et al. Internet for English Teaching. Alexandria, VA: TESOL, 2000.
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Link updated on 26Apr2012