Breaking News English

                                                                                           

What is it about?

This is an ideal website for learning English. It provides not only the podcast of current events and news but also the lesson plans. Moreover, this website also provides teachers with PDF handouts include activities of all language skills and teachers can use them in the classroom. Teachers and students can both find out interactive quizzes and games related to the content in this website.

Why is the content good for language learning?

1. Learners can get the latest news from this website.

2. Learners can practice listening ability because the audio files can be downloaded.

3. A variety of activities and games are provided online and they are challenging and fun!

4. It is convenient for teachers because the PDF handouts and activities on the websites can be download.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

1. Have students work in pairs and share their experiences about writing e-mails and letters.
2. Have students listen to the latest news from this website and then share their ideas about the main topic they hear.
3. Have students play "Flash cards" in their group.  When they are familiar with the new vocabulary and the meanings, have them to play the "Match" game. 

4. Let students try "Fill in the blank" and "Hangman" in class for being familiar with the vocabulary and their meanings.

Limitations

1. The news is sometimes too difficult for students with a lower level.

2.  Teachers need to select the news which is suitable for

their students’ level.

TED

What is it about?

This website provides different kinds of videos with English subtitles. These videos are about the speech of successful people sharing their ideas. The themes of these videos are various, including economics, business, global issues, technology, science, and entertainment.

Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html

Why is the content good for language learning?

1. The ideas of each speech are encouraging and motivating.

2. Visual and audio aids both help to express what the speaker would like to infer.

3.  The subtitles help students to understand the meaning of the speech clearly.
4.  Students can learn the skill of presentation in English.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?

1. Let students watch the video and ask them to take notes and guess the main idea of the speech.


2. Ask students to share what they guess in group, and talk about the main idea the speaker might talk about.


3. Teachers provide some questions according to the speech’s content and let students think about these questions. 

4. Compare the main ideas with each other and have students to work out in groups to answer the questions.

5. Once students answer the questions, let them listen to the answer in the speech. 

6. Teacher choose some difficult or good sentences and ask students to work in group to figure out the meaning together.

7. Provide the link and encourage students to watch the video again at home. 

Limitations
1. The videos are not suitable for low-level students. 

2. It may take teachers a lot of time to search for a speech which is related to the topic of the school's curriculum. 

Adrian Underhill's Pronunciation Workshop

TodaysMeet - An Instant Online Chat Room

What is this?

TodaysMeet is a great chat room for discussions and interactions in the classroom as well as at home. It is a veryconvenient tool because all the users only need to create their own rooms hereinstead of registering for getting or entering a room. Once the user creates a chat room here, he/she can invite his/her participants to join theconversation immediately. Once the room is set up, it can last for at most one year. Besides, all the records of the conversation can be saved as personal documents. TodaysMeet also allows live discussions and interactions.


Why is the content good for language learning?

1. Language learning has become more interactive and interesting.

2. Both instructors and learners can interact or exchange their ideas on the topics immediately.

3. Students are able to see the thinking of other learners simultaneously.

4. Motivate learners’ language learning interest.

5. The instructors can see the progress of their students.

6. Get shy students involved.

How might you use it in alanguage teaching context?

Classroom Discussion-

1. Students are able to express their opinions and get the feedback immediately.

2. The teacher can see every students’ opinions clearly.

3. Both instructors and students are able to comment on others’ ideas.

Limitations

1. It is a very useful tool for live discussions and comments in the classroom or even at home. However, it does not work well beyond that function.

2. Passive students may be left out in this online discussion.

3. The speakers cannot be selected by the teachers.