The Internet. David Hardisty

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      Scott Windeatt, David Hardisty, David Eastment

      The Internet

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      First published 2000

      2011 2010

      10 9 8 7

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      ISBN: 978 0194372237

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      Acknowledgements

      The authors would like to thank the many colleagues who have given us inspiration for ideas in this book. We would also like to acknowledge the support of the British Council in Hong Kong in developing some of the material in the book. We should especially like to thank Martin Peacock and Rod Pryde for their support. We would also like to thank Tony Sibbons for his comments and Nina Blackett for her help in finalizing the manuscript.

      Appendix B1, ‘Surfing the Web’, was based on a page produced by Charles Kelly which can be found at http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~ckelly/

      There may be instances where we have been unable to trace or contact copyright holders before our printing deadline. The authors and publisher apologize for this apparent negligence. If notified, the publisher will be pleased to rectify any errors or omissions at the earliest opportunity.

      To our children:

      Christopher, Susan, Philip,

      Maria Ana, and Filipe

      Foreword

      The Internet was undeniably the most radical agent of change in the last quarter of the 20th century. It touches all our lives at many points, and its influence will continue to grow inexorably, and in probably unpredictable ways, in the 21st century. Language pedagogy cannot and should not be immune to the advantages the Internet offers – in information, in resources and in opportunities for global communication.

      However, teachers’ reactions to the Internet are typically emotion-driven. On the one hand there are those in whom it evokes anxiety and confusion. The response to ‘infoglut’ (the sheer quantity of information available), ‘infosprawl’ (the apparently chaotic manner in which it is organized) and to ‘infobabble’ (the triviality of so much of what is accessible) is at best a sort of mental block and at worst a passionate, Luddite resistance.

      On the other hand there are those whose uncritically enthusiastic embracing of the Internet may produce equally negative results. A fascination with the technology at the expense of sound pedagogy can only be harmful, for all its superficial attractions.

      The book provides a welcome corrective to both these emotional responses. The activities in Chapter 1 (Core Internet Skills) are specifically designed to lead both students and teachers through the skills of searching and saving on the Internet. They are clearly and unthreateningly presented, as well as providing interesting and productive language work. The chapter should build confidence even among technophobes.

      The remaining two chapters (Focus on Language and Focus on Language Skills) offer a wide range of language-learning activities drawing on the resources of the Internet. The primary focus is always the language-learning payoff rather than the technical sophistication of the medium.

      Features which will recommend themselves to novices and Net experts alike are the appendices and Website, which contain a wealth of information and links.

      The book thus combines user-friendliness, pedagogically valuable activities, and state-of-the-art information. As such it will help teachers to use the Internet as a resource.

      Alan Maley

      The authors and series editor

      Scott Windeatt teaches in the Language Centre at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, where he is Director of the MA in Media Technology for TEFL. He has taught at secondary schools in the UK, and has worked in Finland, Romania, and Austria. Other countries he has visited to give lectures and workshops include Denmark, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Spain, and Qatar. His publications include books and articles on teaching grammar, computer-assisted language learning, computers and teacher training, computer-based language testing, classroom practice and observation, task-based learning, syllabus and materials design, and self-access learning. With David Hardisty, he wrote CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) for this series in 1989.

      David Hardisty worked for many years as a teacher and teacher trainer at The British Council in Lisbon and now teaches at the New University (Universidade Nova) in Lisbon. Before moving to Portugal he taught in the UK, Sudan, Spain, and Mexico. Other countries where he has given papers and workshops include the USA, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain. His publications include books and articles on computer-assisted language learning, general methodology, using the media, grammar teaching and learning, and using music in the classroom. With Scott Windeatt, he wrote CALL in this series.

      David Eastment taught English in Japan and Italy before starting to specialize in the early 1980s in the application of computers to language learning. He worked for many years with the Bell Language Schools in Cambridge, where he was Director of Studies for Information Technology. He has run workshops and seminars in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America, and has written and lectured extensively on the problems and the opportunities presented by the new technology. David now works as a freelance teacher, teacher trainer, and consultant. From 1994 to 1999 he was editor of Issues,