Essential Reading Reflection for session 4

As I could not log in the run run shaw library, I did not read the essential reading. But I downloaded it from City U the next day.

Roed, J. (2003). Language Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Environment. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 16(2-3), 155-172.

This is the study to investigate the behaviour of language learners communication via computers. 13 first and second year students of Danish were put into the same room and communicate through a chat room in WebCT. The aim of the task was for the students to interview each other and find out the identities of their fellow guests. As the result, the study shows there are a number of advantages for language students when working online. There is no accent to be distracted by. There is no time pressure and no interruptions from students or teachers. The shy and introvert langauge students speak up and talk freely in the chat room while they are anxious to speak up in the classroom. They are equally important when they are online. They are confident to embark on conversation in the target language. It allows full participation.

I think talking online is a really good way for the shy people to express themselves and communicate with others. So, I would like to encourage my students to commuicate with me through msn or email. The purpose is to build up the relationship with them, to keep good relationship and to collect their opinions for my teaching. I hope that they would reflect their learning difficulties to me in order to improve my teaching. However, I think we cannot have an English lesson only through a chat room even working online has its advantages. Because learning a language needs a variety of practices, like trying to pronunce the words, listening and communicating with others. But with no doubts, it s a good tool for a causal talk between teachers and students.