From: Jack.Crawford@f620.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Jack Crawford)
Newsgroups: k12.chat.teacher
Subject: Esl/Lep Telecom Ideas
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 92 12:06:00 PST
Organization: FidoNet node 1:260/620 - W-FL Teacher Resour, Stanley NY

BFA>Who has AWARD WINNING ideas for developing English language skills for K-12
BFA>ESL/LEP students using telecommunications? Please keep messages public and
BFA>use this subject label.  Thanks.

This has not won any "awards". Perhaps that's because it is too
simple, too obvious and certainly not new:

Objective: to have your students become active members of an
           international community through extensive reading and
           writing for a peer group audience in English.

Outcomes: 1. enhanced command of written English
          2. introduction to the subculture of the "Global Village"
          3. introduction to technical side of telecommunications
          4. development of keyboarding skills

Procedure:
After a prliminary session on the "how-to" of BBS messaging
operations (logging on, using menus and editors, etc.), have your
students start reading thru the K12net "Chat" echo appropriate for
their age level. (E.g. elementary, Jr. or Sr. Chat). Their
assignment will be to find one message which they feel most
comfortable to reply to. They should do this each day for at least
five days. Advise them that it is "ok" to jump into the middle of
any ongoing conversation. (This is what online conferences are all
about!) As a matter of technique, their initial replies should,
preferably, be in direct repsonse to something that has already been
said rather than a solicitiation for new correspondence such as "Hi,
my name is James, I like snakes, please send me mail". The latter
seldom produces much response. One other "trick" is to end replies
with a question to invite a response. (E.g. "Is there anyone out
there who likes snakes? Why or why not?? Why do boys usually like
snakes and girls do not??", etc.)

It is important that your students log on every day to "check their
mail" and write at least one reply. Eventually, as replies start
coming back, your students will find themselves involved in various
ongoing written conversations. They will begin to make real friends
with various individuals of their own age group. Engrossing, vital
peer-group conversations will ensue (that just so happen to be in
written English!) Eventually, they will begin to view this activity
as "talking" rather than writing. Written English will then become a
tool for social intercourse between peers rather than something that
must be done "for the teacher". Powerful stuff!!

Note: your more advanced or mature (high school) students might find
it interesting to venture outside of K12net into some of the special
interest conferences available from FIDOnet, etc. For example, a
student particularly interested in horses might find all kinds of
interesting friends and lively conversation in the FIDOnet echo
called EQUUS. There are also "echoes" for Chess, Apple computers, There are lite
Talk to your local system operator about this.

Best wishes!

=jack=


--  
uucp: uunet!m2xenix!puddle!260!620!Jack.Crawford
Internet: Jack.Crawford@f620.n260.z1.fidonet.org