I recently found this video on youtube. it is actually a lego game..but a genius made a opera performance out of the lego game. i have no idea how he or she did it.

 According to Encyclopedia Britannica (11th edition), the term concordance can be defined as “literally agreement, harmony, hence derivatively a citation of parallel passages, and specifically an alphabetic arrangement of the words contained in a book with citations of the passages in which they occur.” The purpose of a concordance is to pull together several passages of a text which shows the number usage of a word. This term is usually associated with the linguistic and literary studies. However, the significance of a concordance can be seen much clearer in literary studies when carrying out analysis in terms of a specific word, phrase or theme. Concordance is often used as a tool in linguistics on studying a text for:

 • Analyzing keywords

• Analyzing word occurrences

• Evaluating usage of the same word in different passages of a text

• Creating indexes and word lists which is useful for publishing

 For further details, feel free to pay a visit at http://www.pharmj.com/pdf/articles/pj_20031011_whatisconcordance.pdf

An example of an online concordance can be found at http://www.edict.com.hk/concordance/

This is a rough idea of how a concoradance looks like..

2. Do you think that computer can assist you to become a better language learner?

 Yes. The internet is equipped with various language learning websites. People can easily access to these websites and improve their language for free. Besides that, there is also many websites available for online reading materials. This means that people do not need to make their way to the bookstore or library for certain books. They even get to save their money from purchasing a book. In addition, the internet is a source of definitions. For instance, it is not a necessity for a person to have a dictionary when they can easily go online and search for the meaning and even download the software in their computer.

3. How effective is blogging in assisting you in the following:

• Confidence in writing?

 It is undeniable that the course I am pursuing in needs a lot of writing. I must admit that blogging has help build up confidence in me to write. Throughout all blog tasks in this course, I have gradually improved my writings and am confident of the ideas I have put in writings.

• Confidence in publishing your work?

Honestly, I am still withdrawn to publish my work in my blogs. My biggest fear when it comes to writing is the grammar mistakes and bad sentence structure. I also have bad vocabulary and choices of words. However, blogging did build some confidence in me to publish my work. This is probably because I am free to be myself and speak the words on my lips through blogging.

 • Getting ideas to write?

Blogging does not help me in getting ideas. As for me, the search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing is partially the source of my ideas. Blogging just helps me to introduce my writings and ideas to people all over the world.

 • Improving your writing skills?

 Blogging has helped me improve my writing skills just as Microsoft Word. This is mainly because of the confidence I acquire in writing. I am always gradually working on improving my writing just so others will be contented with what they read. Blogging is a platform for everyone to work on their writings. Plus, anyone is free to drop a comment on my writings. This helps me appreciate my own writing and also write again until it is adequate.

 4. If you are going to use computer to teach language one day which language learning website will you recommend?

I would recommend this website http://www.sparknotes.com/

 This website is very beneficial for literary students particularly. I am currently using his website to guide in finding brief information about short stories, dramas and poems. I must say that it provides sufficient information for literary studies. I am able to read on summaries, characters, themes and many more just by logging on to this website. I personally feel that this website will be useful for my future students as it is to me. There are no complications faced in moving around in this website. Nearly everything here is straight forward. Besides learning, this website also offers some quizzes which will help students understand a text much better.

The advancement of technology in today’s society has brought about many benefits to the academic world. Educators and students are able to perform various activities on the Internet such as group discussion via chatting, assignments via blogging and also online testing. Online testing can be defined as assessments carried out online using computers and the Internet.  As for now, the topic of discussion in this post is the online language test.

URL: http://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/index.php

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is created to measure the language ability and proficiency of students who want to study or work where English is the language of communication. There are several options of test such as listening, reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar. The test that I sat for is reading, which significantly contributes to the development of vocabulary. This test consists of a total of 40 questions with 3 separate sections. I have been given 60 minutes to complete this test.

Advantages

• Immediate feedback

Students are able to obtain the results immediately after completing and submitting the test. As a student, I feel that this makes life a little better for as I would not have to waste time worrying and waiting for my results.

• Sufficient time

The time given to complete this test is a just about enough for any students. Students can use the extra time to check their answers, for most students are usually careless when it comes to tests. In addition, there is also a time indicator to assist students in keeping up with the time limit for the test. This helps students to complete the test within the time span given.   As for me, the time given is more than enough to complete and look through my answers.

• Reliable scores

The test result is based on number of unanswered questions, total score, total time used to complete the test and also a remark on how we performed. Students can observe their achievements from the test and improve themselves from the remark. Students can also review their mistakes and know the answers.

• Save cost

There are many free online language tests that can be found for all students. Students who do not have access to internet at home can use the internet service in college or university. This way, students do not have to spend money buying books to do tests.

• Usefulness

Most online test can be taken for other purposes, not just as a test. Students can surf the Internet to search for websites with free online language test as practise, time filler during class and even as placement exam. This will enhance language proficiency among students.

 Disadvantages

• Lack of supervision

Educators are unable to keep an eye on all students at the same time while the test is going on. Students can access to other websites for assistance in completing the test with flying colours, especially if they sat for the test at home. The chances of students cheating on a test is very much high when it is done online.

•  Strict evaluation

When it comes to filling in the blanks, there is a fix answers prepared by the authorities. This means that students have to state the exact answer which is prepared by authorities in order to get the question right. In written form test, educators will consider the answers given by students. The chances of students getting marks in a written form are higher compared to online test.

• Technical problem

The online language tests mainly require a computer and Internet connection. Students can be disrupted while sitting for the test if there is a computer breakdown, internet connection problem and electricity breakdown. This will definitely affect the effort of students in completing the test and they will have to start all over again.

Conclusion

All in all, there are more advantages than disadvantages from the online language test that I sat for. The online language test will be constructive for all students in developing their skills on listening, reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar.

The BEAUTIFUL Edna St. Vincent Millay

In this digital era, there are numerous online educational website to help students in every way. These websites are very much useful for most students especially when it comes to assignments and researches.

URL 1: Literature for Secondary Students (http://www.literature.com.my/)

 Introduction

This website is created by Just English Sdn. Bhd. as an online literature resource especially for all Malaysian secondary students. Therefore, the contents of this online literature component website such as poems, short stories and novels are based on the literature component used in every English language classroom in Malaysia.

 Objectives

• To enhance the minds of students by being critical and creative.
• To expose students with a broad-based method in understanding literature.
• To improve management skills and information processing among students.
• To encourage the usage of a newer learning method (ICT) among students.

 Target Group

This website is open to all homosapien but primarily for Malaysian secondary students studying in Form 1 to Form 5. Teachers and parents are also welcomed to participate in this online literature component website.

 URL 2: Shmoop (http://www.shmoop.com/)

Introduction

This is a literary education website where all content is written primarily by Ph.D. and Masters graduates as well as students from Stanford University and University of California. Among them are individuals whom have taught at a college or high school levels. The contents in this website consist of poems, short stories, novels and many more.

Objectives

• To make people a better lover of literature, poetry and life.
• To make people understand how literature and history are related in today’s world.
• To make learning and writing more fun and relevant for students in the digital age.
• To inspire students to think profoundly.

 Target Group

This website is open to all individual especially among high school and college students. Apart from that, this website is also created for educators to make literature more fun.

MY OPINION

I personally find both url functional for people of all ages who shares a deep interest on literature. Students can refer to the online literature material to study and understand literature, but to a certain extent of course. In my humble opinion,i believe that educators should be the main source of literature and also the one responsible to expose literature broadly to the students. These two url are meant for extra insights for the students. They cannot depend entirely on the online literature component to understand literature. At the end of the day, students will still turn to their educators for inquiries. As for now, I think most students are grateful with the presence of many online literature components to help them especially when it comes to assignments and researches. In my view, there should be more audio literature materials online. This can help some audio learners to appreciate literature in their own way. Both websites I have chosen certainly helps me understand literature better. I have used both websites before when completing assignments. It was helpful as I was able to get extra insights about some short stories and poems. However, I rather spend my time discussing literature with my lecturers rather than going online. This is mainly because I am new to the world of literature.

What is Computer Mediated Communication?

According to Levy (1997), Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) can be defined as “concerned with communication between two or more participants via a computer covering technological platforms such as e-mails, bulletin board, discussion list and computer conferencing, both text- and video-based”. In other words, CMC is a form of communication between two or more individuals through the computer and internet. In this technological era, CMC is widely used by many educators to guide their students in understanding and learning subjects. The application of synchronous and asynchronous CMC in a language classroom will be discussed.

Application of synchronous CMC

A study was carried out at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) among 70 English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student. A synchronous online communication via LAN Chat Enterprise was used for this study. Students were asked to discuss the given topic based on the topics in the textbook using the interactive chat program.

According to Chun (1994), the development of language production and ideas among students can be seen from this study.

• The teacher was aware that both weak and better students had equal opportunity to use the language.
• There is an increase in learner production rather than teacher-centered discourse.
• Students were able to communicate with their own thoughts before expressing them in written form.
• Students could question, reply and comment on the opinion of the peers instantly.
• Students often spent time on clarifying and elaborating their ideas for their peers to grasp, which helps students in academic writing.
• Students who are verbally weak in the language could speak their mind through chatting.
• Students were less conscious of the teacher’s presence, which enhances their creative and critical thinking to produce to ideas.

Application of asynchronous CMC

Based on a research carried out at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), the usage of CMC can be seen in a language classroom among the English for Civil Engineering (ECE) students. In this study, a total of 73students and one English language teacher were required to carry out an asynchronous online discussion forum via the CMC bulletin board.

From the research, both teacher and students gave a positive and favourable feedback to the task conducted.

• There were interaction between the teacher and students via comments and corrections.
• The students were able to observe their language output and then have the opportunity to edit their writings.
• The teacher could monitor the students language output and have them improve the problematic forms in their writings.
• The students were able to get a faster feedback on their writings from the teacher.
• The students find the CMC bulletin board a relaxed environment to post their writings.
• The CMC bulletin board encourages more participation among students, especially among the weaker ones.
• The students could go at their own pace to dwell on their writings and improve their writings.

Conclusion

Overall, the usage of synchronous and asynchronous CMC in a language classroom is flourishing. Teachers and students are able to interact with each other on a closer level. Teachers can monitor the writings of their students and help them improve in the usage of a language. Students on the other are able to get a quick response from their teachers regarding the writings. This is normally difficult to do in a classroom as teachers have to rush for time and they are unable to pay attention to each and every student at the same time. Students can always observe their writings and correct the problematic structures with their own pace. The application also encourages students to think before writing, which gives them more time to think on their ideas and ways to present it. The wide usages of CMC in language classrooms help students in language production and improve themselves in language acquisition.

Reference

1. Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan, Norizan Abdul Razak, Mohamed Amin Embi.2008. Readings in Online Language Learning and Teaching.
2. Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan, Norizan Abdul Razak, Mohamed Amin Embi. 2006.Online Teaching and Learning in ELT
3. Maiko Hatta.2003. Using Computer Mediated Communication in Second Language Classrooms. http://www.osaka-ue.ac.jp/gakkai/pdf/ronshu/2003/5403_ronko_hata.pdf  [5 March 2010]

Grand Theft Auto aka GTA is a mind-blasting game which I am addicted to. This edition of GTA-Liberty City Stories is the first game that i successfully completed with my own effort. There may be numerous presence of violence like stealing cars, shooting people and robbing people, but it is an extreme adventurous game which makes me feel in charge of my life..in the game of course.

Nowadays, the Internet is becoming more and more important in every individual’s life. People use the Internet for countless number of reasons like emailing, blogging, chatting and playing games. This shows that the Internet allows us to communicate with anyone around the world in a matter of seconds. As we communicate more frequently through the Internet, it is no surprise that the language we use has adapted.

Netspeak is a term created by David Crystal, the author of Language and the Internet, to illustrate the transition of language since the arrival of Internet. According to McFedries, Netspeak can be defined as the words, idioms, and peculiarities of spelling and grammar that are characteristic of online documents and communication. Netspeak is also an alternative to terms such as Netlish, Weblish, Internet language, cyberspeak, electronic language, computer-mediated communication and so forth. This so called medium of language  is widely used in the Internet by people because it allows us to experience a effectiva and faster communication. People who uses Netspeak have come about many new words from the root word to make communication convinient for them. These new words may be lexically wrong but semantically approriate to every user.

David Crystal argues that Netspeak is actually a radically new linguistic medium. According to Crystal, the fact that the Internet is an electronic, global and interactive medium is crucial for the kind of language used on the Internet. Crystal also states that “As a name, Netspeak is succinct, and functional enough, as long as we remember that ‘speak’ here involves writing as well as talking, and that any ‘speak’ suffix also has a receptive element, including listening and reading”. There are also several linguists whom argues that Netspeak is actually a form of ‘written speech’. This means that individuals write their messages in the same way they speak. However, this term is normally used in informal communication like chatting, blogging and also social networking sites.

 These are some of the examples of Netspeak:

• Abbreviation

LOL-laugh out loud, BTW-by the way, KIT-keep in touch, OMG-oh my god, BRB- be right back

• Smiley and emoticons

 - smile or happy, – sad or upset, – smile with a wink

• Short form

Etc- etcetera, 4gt- forgot or forget, Aite- all right, wud- would

In a nutshell, the Internet has generate a new variety of language which has many advantages and disavantages. This new medium of communication comes handy to many people but the future of Netspeak is still hazy although it is widely used among the online society.

 Reference –

http://www.abe.pl/html/samples/b/0521802121.pdf

http://www.lisamarieshaw.net/web%20impact%20report.pdf

http://books.google.com.my/books?id=Nj2lF6rjtq8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false

 

Introduction to Social Networks

According to Professor J. A. Barnes, the term social network can be defined as an association of people drawn together by family, work or hobby. There are several social networking sites that can be found on the internet such as Twitter, MySpace and Hi5. I would like to discuss about the two social networking sites which is Facebook and Friendster. Facebook was launched on February the 4^th of 2004 and the mastermind behind it is Mark Zuckerburg, a second year Harvard student. Friendster, however, was founded by computer programmer Jonathan Abrams and officially launched on March the 22^nd of 2002.

Similarities between Facebook and Friendster

There are many similarities in both social networking sites. Firstly, I would like to talk on shout outs, also known as short messages, which is posted and found on the profile page. For instance, there is “What’s on your mind?” in Facebook and “Shoutout’ in Friendster to keep your friends updated about your everyday doings. Moving on, both Facebook and Friendster allow you and your friends to post comments on the “Wall” and “Post a Comment” on each other’s page. Social networking site users normally drop comments on shout outs, photos and status. Besides that, both social networking sites are equipped with notifications on your profile page and also through your email. For example, you will be notified when your friends change their shout out, add new photos and even their birthday. Furthermore, these two social networking sites feature a search bar on the profile page. This feature makes it is easy to find anyone you may be looking for on that particular social networking site.

Differences between Facebook and Friendster

Along with similarities, Facebook and Friendster have several differences in its features. Firstly, one the most interesting feature that separates Facebook from Friendster is the ability to create and invite people to different events. Facebook permits you to send invitations to your friends on Facebook and get confirmation from them whether or not they will attend for that particular event. Besides that, another significant feature that set these two social networking sites apart from each other is customizable profile. This distinctive Friendster feature allows you to change your page layout, add videos and also add music using the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Moving on, Friendster also has its own blog-builder that functions the same as other weblog site such as Blogspot. Facebook on the other hand, only allows you to post an external link of your weblog on your profile page. Furthermore, Facebook is different from Friendster because only Facebook allows you to communicate with your friends whom are online by using instant messaging service which is also known as chat.

My preference

I am a user of both Facebook and Friendster for the past three years already. As for me, I personally prefer using Friendster. This is mainly because of the distinctive features that Friendster acquires which Facebook does not. Friendster gives me the opportunity to express my creativity by customizing my page layout according to my personality. Besides that, I am also allowed to share my favourite videos and songs on the profile page. I am a fan of all music genres and love to expose my friends to songs that is unfamiliar to most people. In addition, I really appreciate the fact that I am able to view the comments posted by my friends on the same page. Unlike Friendster, Facebook requires users to click on their friend’s page to see comments. I find this feature particularly helps me save time for not having to visit my friend’s page. However, I am looking forward to some customizing features by Facebook.

Google: www.englishclub.com

Yahoo: www.learnenglish-a-z.com

Bing: www.learnenglish.de

Reading skills: http://www.world-english.org/improve_reading_skills.htm

Listening skills: http://www.english-listening-world.com/

Writing skills:http://esl.about.com/od/writinginenglish/English_Writing_Skills_Letters_Resumes_and_Writing_Style.htm

1. Links on Wikis that helps in writing:

• http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ849346&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ849346
• http://student-as-scholar.blogspot.com/2008/08/working-with-wikis-in-writing-intensive.html
• http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCH-4SY5WVY-1&_user=10&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2008&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=11efcba6111bf53bd6b551d6bfb1d2ad

2. Links on Blogs that help in writing:

• http://www.writingportfolioblogs.blogspot.com/
• http://www.theteengeek.com/2009/09/the-effects-of-blogging-on-peoples-writing-ability/
• http://www.imaginaryplanet.net/weblogs/idiotprogrammer/2007/05/the-effect-of-blogging-on-writing-style/
• http://www.bgsu.edu/cconline/barrios/blogs/write/index.html