Writing an Article - Basic Rules of Grammar

Posted by Avans On Friday, October 1, 2010 0 comments

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Some would-be writers think they can dash off an article without bothering to learn the basic rules of grammar. But just as any craftsperson spends time honing his skills to make the perfect piece of craft, so must a writer work hard to present an article that will be a pleasure to read and not shame him for its sloppy grammar and punctuation. True, some errors are typos, but doesn't that reflect a certain laziness on the author's part? An article should be closely examined for typos before it is sent off or uploaded.

Don't trust your spell checker. No automated spell-checker can alert you to every error. Whose and who's, lose and loose, quiet and quite, its and it's are all legitimate words, so there will be no red line under them. Spell-checkers are not clever enough yet to tell which one you meant to use. And if the error is not due to a typo, it means you need to keep a dictionary on hand to check anything you are uncertain of.

Remember that when a word ends in " 's" it means there is a letter missing. "It's" means "it is". If you are unsure which one you should be using, try saying the sentence both ways.

For instance…

" It's a good day today/ It is a good day today". The latter example makes perfect sense, so it is okay to use "it's".

But….

"Here is a rabbit. Its burrow is over there."

Does, "It is burrow is over there", make sense? No.

Of course if you said, "The rabbit's burrow is over there," then the apostrophe denotes possession (and only one rabbit), not a missing letter.

"The rabbits burrow is over there," (with no apostrophe) means there are several rabbits.

And just for the record, "loose" means not tight, while "lose" means you've lost it.
"Who's" is short for "who is", but "whose" is the possessive form of "who" (as in "Whose is that car?")
"Quiet" means "hush", while "quite" is an adverb (which should usually be left out).

"I felt quite silly," sounds better as, "I felt silly".

"I felt like an idiot," may be even better.


Sometimes rules of grammar get in the way of good writing. If this is the case they can and should be broken, otherwise your writing will become pedantic and even mechanical. One such rule is that a sentence should not begin with a conjunction. Both "and" and "but" can certainly be used to begin a sentence, or even a paragraph, but not to end one. Using either of these conjunctions to start a sentence can be a natural transition to carry the reader forward.

A rule of style tells us to never use the same word twice in a sentence, but if you have to search for several other clumsy substitutes to do the job, then please repeat. Repetition of someone's name is a little different. It can easily be replaced with "he" or "she" as the sentence progresses.

A persistent myth masquerading as a rule tells us not to end a sentence with a preposition. Winston Churchill is supposed to have made fun of this by stating, "This is the sort of English up with which I will not put." Of course a sentence may end with a preposition. A good rule is to write the way you speak. But unless you have grown up speaking English, ignore this rule too.

A few more pointers…

· When writing an article, watch that you don't repeat information unnecessarily. Even if you use different wording, it still gives the reader the impression that you think he was too dumb to get it the first time.

· Use short sentences more than long ones, but do vary the length.

· Break up the text by using bullet points, or asking a question. Why? It will add interest and prevent your reader falling asleep – or simply turning the page.

· Use short paragraphs too. This will make the job of reading it all seem much easier. In this fast-paced world readers are mostly in a hurry. If they come to a huge block of text with no white space, they'll usually skip most of it.

If you keep these tips in mind, your articles will keep both editors and readers happy.


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Learn English Online

Posted by Avans On Monday, July 5, 2010 0 comments


learning english online


Technology today become very powerful and we can't hide that technology help most of human activity. technology such as computer, internet, radio, Television, and other become the source of information, especially the internet. why internet become very special?. because internet is the only simple and fast way to travel the information to the world, moreover it is very easy to learn. in knowledge internet also take a part by providing online learning. it help us to learn every material, especially to learn English. Learn English on internet would be wise and useful since English is the main language on the internet. The rapid pace of language changes in today's society can only be kept up with by online English internet learning forums.

The constant change of the internet provides an excellent medium on which to base your English studies. The internet is instant and the study courses are always available. English learners and those looking to improve their language set can go online anytime and hear, speak, and read English any time of the day or night.

Other options available to the English student are the large English online learning based courses. Any skill level and any subject material from every day life to business transactions and on the job details can be found in English lessons online. Other options available are chat rooms and online forums where one can interact with other students and hone their skills. In the next few years the internet will dominate as the world's foremost learning center tool.

Speed of Learning

Learning English doesn't have to be a fast paced race as classroom learning tries to make it. Really learning a language takes time. It takes as much time as did learning your mother tongue did growing up. There were years of simply listening and then making simple phrases of common words.

Time and repeated exposure are all the necessary tools needed to learn a language. Grammar and spelling can be used later to improve the skill set. Your improvements will show with the amount of time you spend listening.

The more you listing to English on the internet, the more you learn. The listening skills improve confidence and accuracy. After listening has been mastered then learning to speak simple words then phrases will improve the vocabulary. Finally, once the language can be spoken confidently, adding in slow paced grammar and spelling lessons can help you gain a mastery in your new language.

Learn English On Internet

English internet learning provides you with the ability to customize the pace and lessons plans. There are many courses to choose from, most of them are free and provide excellent tutoring for the new and beginning learner. Other courses are made for those who are familiar with English and need to improve their skill set.

Start with listening to your new language . Learning English in the internet requires a set of speaker and a lot of time listening. Once you have mastered this and can comfortably understand spoken English internet lessons, then you can move onto reading English.

Learning to read simple Englishis a great starting base that forms a great foundation for your English internet learning capabilities. Many programs can provide feed back instantly on your progress.

Next in your English online lessons involves learning grammar and syntax. Grammar is the uses of the words and how they are arranged in speech and writing. Syntax deals with the overall structure of sentences and speech. These are significant as they import more meaning to your words and can help others understand your communications in English more effectively. In business, grammar and syntax also aid you to display a professional and successful demeanor.

Once you have these down, then you simply need to expand your vocabulary and writing skills . Doing these regularly for a long period of time can help making English like second nature. learn English on internet can have a profound affect on your business and social life. If you are moving to a new country or simple want to use the internet more effectively for business, if you learn English on the internet you will have an advantage in society


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Improving Student english ability using TI

Posted by Avans On Sunday, July 4, 2010 0 comments


In English, technology includes cameras, audio equipment, computer technology, video equipment, overhead projection devices, scanners, printers, CD equipment - almost any device that can access, present, manipulate and communicate words, sounds and images to enable us to create meaning.Furthermore English teachers have always used some technology but the explosion in digital. technologies has opened up new and exciting possibilities:


Why use computer technology in English?

There are two kinds of reasons for using computer technology in English. First there are the benefits to teachers and students from including computer technology in any learning area:

For students technology can:
  •  be very motivational
  •  be the source of a significant amount of reading material
  •  be fun - and when it's fun you learn!
  •  help students to produce excellent published work

For teachers technology can:

* allow for the easy production, storage and retrieval of prepared materials such as certificates and work required sheets.
* free up communication with other teachers
* help teachers to find information easily
* assist good teaching but not replace it!

Secondly, there are the challenges and opportunities presented by computer technology that make it an increasingly important part of English in particular. These include:

* the emergence of new kinds of texts and the consequent need to teach students to create and use these texts effectively;
* changing social practices associated with communicating via computers and the consequent need to teach students how to make judgements about appropriate use of different avenues of communication;
* the pervasiveness and power of texts created through computer technology and the consequent need to teach students to be critical readers and viewers of such texts.

Each of these is discussed briefly below.

1. Creating and using new kinds of texts.
- such as hyper-texts, web-pages, e-mail communications, and multi-media texts.

Many of these texts blend the written, spoken and visual, so students can express ideas in exciting and powerful ways. The choices available to the creators and users of texts are expanding rapidly so English teachers need to start helping students to make informed choices.

Multi-media texts challenge readers and viewers to integrate information and ideas in new ways. Making meaning from the interplay of words, sound and vision involves a sophisticated set of skills, skills that have not necessarily been highly valued in the past:

Hypertext heralds a different way of accessing texts since, even more than with traditional print or screen texts, the reader or viewer actively creates an individual text through choices made. We can choose to jump from link to link in different ways, creating many possible texts from one set of material. Adults often comment ironically on the almost irresistible lure of hypertext links that invite us to flit from site to site, searching for the better, brighter site that surely waits just one screen away. We need to explore the same issue with students to ask what effect this has on our understanding and how we judge when it is better to resist or go with the lure.


In a recent workshop presented by PETA, Katina Zammit presented Tasmanian teachers with some useful tools to help students read computer texts, including her analysis sheet for web sites:
Analysing Screens

Select an Internet site and consider the questions below:

How is the screen composed?

* What caught your eye first?
* What has been placed on the left side of the screen (the Given section)?
* What has been placed on the right side of the screen (the New)?
* What is in the top half of the screen (the Ideal)?
* What is in the bottom half (the Real)?
* Why has the screen been designed in this way?
* How would you read this screen? Where would you start?
* What pictures or images have been included? Why? What do they represent?
How natural/scientific/abstract are they?
* What written text is used? Why? What sort of fonts, size of type? Why?
* What would students need to know to be able to use this site or read this screen?
* What navigation tools are used? Where are they located? How might this influence
the user's reading pathway?
* Does the screen provide information (Offer) or have an image that looks you in the eye
(Demand)?

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2. Judging the appropriate use of new kinds of texts.

When we use computer technology to make and access texts, we operate in changing social contexts. E-mail, discussion groups and chat rooms create qualitatively different contexts for communication. Teachers often comment that the kinds of relationships they and their students establish through these kinds of channels are unlike others they are familiar with. For example, with no status cues such as paper quality, handwriting or letterhead, e-mail is potentially a great leveller. While this has possible advantages, we also need to establish new ways of judging authenticity and credibility. As the clamour
for better Netiquette suggests, there is a need for everyone to make judgments about the appropriate use of new texts. Students need to weigh up the relative advantages of e-mail, letter, fax or phone call in any particular situation as all will become increasingly available.

Other questions arise, such as:

* What is appropriate information to include on a personal home page?
* What are the pros and pitfalls of computer chat?
* If e-mailing someone we don't know, what is an appropriate tone to use?
* Does layout matter?
* What are the social and personal implications of not having access to computer
technology to communicate?

3. Critically reading and viewing computer-based texts.

While teachers have been busy learning to use computer technology, the emphasis has understandably been on practical applications rather than critical analysis. Now that critical literacy is recognised as a significant part of English, teachers are starting to develop a critical approach to computer technology. The same kinds of questions that we ask of other texts can  be asked:

* Who is privileged in this text?
* Who might this text exclude or marginalise?
* What attitudes and values are implied in this text?

Just as students increase their personal power when they improve their traditional literacy skills, they also gain significant social power through competent, critically-aware use of new communication technology. English teachers are in a powerful position to help students develop this new dimension of literacy. top icon

Issues involved in using computer technology in your classroom

* Developing a whole school approach. This involves considering how students will be taught basic skills; what kinds of priority will be given to students in accessing computers; security and privacy implications of the use of computer technology; intranet development and use.
* The teaching strategies needed to accommodate the computers. As students'access to information improves so that they can go beyond what the teacher or school provide, and can locate information much closer to its source, the relationship between teacher and student inevitably changes. Some students may have a much stronger practical knowledge base and operational understanding
of computer technology than their teacher does. Recognising this, we need to work out how to acknowledge and use their skills and bring our own teaching expertise and critical awareness to bear in choosing appropriate ways of working with computers. Questions arise such as: Can we use peer-tutoring to help students develop basic skills? How are computers best used within a writing program? What is the most time-effective way to use computers for research?
* Where to place the computers in the school/classroom. Where do they need to go to become a natural part of learning programs, and not an add-on? How can we ensure the most effective access to computer technology by the greatest number of students?
* The technical assistance needed. What happens in the event of a breakdown? Who will help you to trouble-shoot? What kinds of routines might help to minimise technical difficulties and keep the learning program going smoothly when they inevitably occur?
* Classroom dynamics. How do we ensure that students use the computers in a collaborative way? What balance of computer and other activities is appropriate at any one time to keep the class communicating and functioning well?
* Skills, attitudes and knowledge of computers and computing. What kind of PD is needed and what is the best way to get it? How do we help students to develop the specific skills needed in English, such as effective use of spell-checking programs and critical viewing skills?
* Moral, ethical and equity questions. When the Internet opens up information resources far beyond the schools' own, how do we ensure that students are protected from exploitation but not limited? What kinds of ethical questions do we need to investigate with students?


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The Use of Technology to Improve Listening

Posted by Avans On Saturday, June 12, 2010 1 comments

 dewirya blogs the source of information
I think everybody agree that computers are in the center of our everyday life. Is your answer no? Then, just think again: Computers can divide/multiply or add numbers for us, we can draw money from computer managed ATMs anytime we like, they work in our digital watches, in ABS & ESP systems in our cars, in almost all of the control mechanisms of an aeroplane, in digital cameras, in cellular phones, in cd players, in remote controllers, in photocopiers, in satellite systems, so on and on…. Do they sound familiar? If you use any of them, it means that you unconsciously “managed” by a computer system in your everyday life, because all the things I mentioned here have the same basic controlling system: computer. However, we also use computers – I mean Personal Computers- consciously and directly in banks, offices, schools, homes, and everywhere they are needed… We use computers in any cases, anyway, so this is the awful truth: We are totally surrounded by computers. Believe it or not, this is the reality.

As regards education, -in our case it is foreign language education-, do you still believe that foreign language teaching & learning process keeps unaffected by this 'silent computer revolution' and is trying to accomplish its aim through so-called “traditional” methods? I am giving the answer for you: Definitely not! Now, foreign language teaching methods are rapidly shifting from the traditional methods to the methods using computer applications and multimedia environments. These applications and environments are used extensively and successfully in reading, writing, listening and speaking practices by ESL teachers and students throughout the world. What's more, the tools I mentioned here are truly helpful in practising the four skills of a language (reading, writing, listening and speaking) since these tools give language practisers almost exacly what they need; however, the main focus of interest in this article is developing listening & speaking skills via internet & multimedia tools. “The internet is suitable place to practise languages as it offers the possibility, with the right software, of using images and audio resources at the same time, combining sounds and images as in communicative situations in the real world. It also provides users with a highly appealing and innovative format” (Labayen et. al., 2005, p.9). From now on, I will try to show you what computers, internet and multimedia environments offer and how using these tools can help ESL students practising listening & speaking throughout this text.


Originally, media environmets' high, fast and easy accessibility is what makes them an almost perfectly tailored solution to L2 effective and easy-to-reach learning & practising resources. Using media environments is convenient in itself, indeed, because it gives us the possibility to choose what is appropriate for us at a certain period of time. Hoven (1999) asserts that computers allow L2 learners to determine the way and the pace that suits them and their needs. For example, when an ESL practiser is in class, s/he can have access to the internet, TV/video to watch movies or educative programmes in the target language, or study on a listening/speaking application using a computer on his/her own. Ehsani et. al. (1998) emphasize that by combining sound, vision, text, video and animation, this self-paced interactive learning environments create much more educative and creative classroom environments. What's more, besides individual work, two or more people can work together in a group activity which makes the process more interactive. Hoven (1999) believes that computers allow learners to add up what they know altogether more effectively and support peer correction. What's more, Ellis et. al. (2005) suggest that technology has shaped the collaborative relationships between students and the way they interact with each other which eventually shape the learning opportunities in a classroom.


The use of the internet in classroom environment is relatively a new phenomenon. However, seeing that it offers almost unlimited resources and choices, it has become widespread all around the world. At this point, the important thing is how to use it effectively in classrooms. Labayen et. al. (2005) emphasize that only when the sources are properly selected can the internet be useful in a learning environment. Then, another problem arises: How to select appropriate web sites to make use of them in a classroom to improve listening and speaking skills of students? Labayen et. al. (2005) show that the best way to find good web sites is to listen to a collegue's suggestions who actually searched the site on his/her own or find a “serious” web site which may actually help.

When it comes to speaking practice via the internet, there are cheap, useful and wise solutions available. For example, Skype, MSN Messenger, GoogleTalk and similar VoIP applications can be used to connect a native speaker on the internet and realize a real-time conversation for free. Volle (2005) notes in her research that using MSN Messenger to conduct her online lessons, she observed the development in oral proficiency of her students. Even though VoIP conversations cannot make up for some features of a real & face-to-face conversation, it is a precious opportunity for an L2 learner to use VoIP applications considering the hardships of finding a native speaker in the place where the learner lives. Labayen et. al. (2005) indicate that face to face communication has many advantages, so video-audio devices in CALL and on the internet are essential to teach oral skills.

MSN Messenger application user interface.



As an alternative, internet TVs and radios can be used to develop listening comprehension skills of an L2 student in an entertaining atmosphere; however, there is a relatively new emerging phenomenon: YouTube.com! This is a video upload-watch-download site and is increasing its popularity day by day. To have an idea how the site looks like see Fig. 4. According to statistics, the site has more than six million videos and the total time necessary to watch all these videos is 9.305 years! This huge video pool offers priceless opportunities to practice listening in an entertaining and convenient environment. LeLoup & Ponterio (2006) allege that television/radio shows, news, documentaries, music videos and any videos beyond the imagination of people are just one click away. All you need is an internet connection. The rest is almost totally free; however, LeLoup & Ponterio (2006) also suggest that videos should be carefully selected and prepared by the instructor to maximize comprehension and minimize frustration of learners and they hope that improvement in search tools for videos will allow the teachers to find the right video clip for supporting language class.

The Use of YouTube videos to  improving listening comprehension.

As BBC has always been seen as a genuine source of “right” form of English, it cannot be disregarded for English Language Teaching. Being aware of its educative role, BBC has been publishing books, audio/video materials and so on. With the rise of the internet, BBC has prepared an English Learning Page which is one of the best of its kind. LeLoup & Ponterio (2006) assert that the site gives ideas to the learner about material development and how to work efficiently with the aural input. Maintaining the publication at http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/ , BBC provides the visitors with quizzes, videos, podcasts and games as well as radio archives and voice recordings. As regards listening activities, there are many activities based on listening comprehension one of which is shown at Figure 5.


The aim of this article is to discuss some prominent benefits of using computer and multimedia environments to develop L2 students' listening & speaking skills and how the L2 students are affected from it. Jenks (n.d.) suggests that the internet and internet-based applications have great influence on us; however, since enough research hasn't been made over the issue, we are not certain 100 % about the outcomes of its use. Of course, we know that there are some limitations in its use as well; however, keeping it in our minds, ELT community should eliminate the limitations as much as they can and try to exploit its usefulness in every aspect of language teaching. To do this, much more research and experiments are required in the area. Hampel et. al. (n.d.) assert that finding an effective way to practise speaking is one of the biggest problems in both distant education and also online education. By determining the weak points of the method and fixing them, work force can be used more efficiently, more energy and material can be saved and more reliable and permanent development can be achieved. To achieve the better, we all should work very hard and do the best we can for it.



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