Gayle's Ferris Reading and Writing Class Blog

Thursday, December 15, 2005

More COOL websites

Today you are going to check out some fun sites to help you with your English...(should you want to study on your own.) So we're going to have some fun ... give some reviews of the sites I've listed below. If you know of some other sites that might be useful to your classmates, please share them.

Visit the links I have listed below and give them a try. Play around and then come back and tell us all what you like or dislike about them. You don't have to visit all of them, but you do have to visit some of them.

You will share your thoughts here.

Here they are:

This site is developed by students for students. Some of it might be 'high' level, but I think you can understand it. There are even tapescripts to follow as you listen. (My personal favorite is 'The Ultimate of All Sports' because I played this sport in college! If you search my name, you will see what I looked like in college.)

http://www.youthradio.org/indexx.shtml


This next site comes to us from the UK. It looks like a train map. When you click on a 'station' it takes you to that page.

http://www.britishcouncil.it/students/rome/


This is an online magazine for ESL students at Arizona Western University, but we can check it out too. The students wrote the articles themselves. (Hmmmmm, maybe we can post our magazine online...)

http://www.azwestern.edu/modern_lang/esl/cjones/mag/index.htm



Here's another online magazine by and for ESL students. I especially like the 'Special Memories of Christmas' link...'tis the season to be jolly. ;-) Students from all over the world write about their memories of Christmas. There's lots of stuff to play with.

http://www.topics-mag.com/Electronic/Magazine.html



This link comes from Canada. It has video too! There are lessons you can do on your own and the topics are interesting.

http://www.cbc.ca/ottawa/esl/lessons.html



ELLLO means English Language Listening Lab Online. Here's the link:

http://www.elllo.org/


Lots of stuff at this site, from games to grammar to reading to podcasts to ... you name it! My Keio students liked this one!

http://www.manythings.org/


You have a lot to check out.

Share it with others!

g

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Week 12 Question December 13~December 20

Here's this week's question:

What image or images of Japanese culture would an Inuit, Ladakhi or American, etc., see if he or she watched Japanese TV?

I look forward to reading your thoughts!

Gayle

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Week 11 Question December 6 ~ December 13

So today we read about TV and movies from Western cultures 'invading' a small village in India. This kind of media seems to have had a negative influence on the village.

Are you influenced by foreign TV, foreign movies, and advertisements? Explain why or why not. (For example, if you watch a commercial with Brad Pitt wearing jeans, do you want to buy a pair of those jeans, or see boys in those jeans?)

I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any questions or don't understand the question, please email me, I'll be happy to help you.

g

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Week 10 November 29 - December 6

This week we read about Wireless Wearables, that is, wearing clothes that have high-tech devices in them which allow us to connect to the Internet, email, and so on.

Some people say high-tech devices are interfering with traditional face-to-face interaction. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you think society will benefit from the introduction of high-tech wearable devices? Why or why not?

I look forward to reading your thoughts and opinions.

Friday, November 25, 2005

Week 9 Question of November 22 - November 29

This week we read about the use of cell phones to help a small rickshaw business in Cambodia.

Do you think the invention of the cell phone is a good thing for society? Explain your answer with examples.

I look forward to reading your thoughts. Please respond to others too. ;)

Gayle

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Take a break

Take a break from the class blog this week and work on your papers.

(Keep blogging in your personal blogs. :-)

See you Friday.

g

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Week 7 Question Nov. 8 - Nov. 15

Today we read about beauty.

Please share your ideas for this week's question.

What do you think about when you hear the word beauty? Why? Give reasons.

I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Gayle