COPY OF EMAIL
TO: TESL II
FROM: ROGER THOMPSON <rthompso@english.ufl.edu>
SUBJECT: Miniactivity 2: email in the classroom

When I receive the following from you, you will have earned the next 10 points for your miniactivities.

Tman, I have submitted to you:

_____1. my email introduction

_____2. my reaction to computers at UCLA

_____3. my reaction to Khalid in Morocco

_____4. carbon copies (cc:) of my reaction to the writing of 4 (four) classmates

THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS: A. Reflect on your experience in using email for discussion and interaction with one another in academic ways. How can these activities be adapted for teaching communication skills to non-natives speakers? How do they match up with activities which commonly occur in the writing classroom, for example.

B. Reflect on (perhaps go back and count) how much you and your classmates wrote as compared to how much you spoke in our classroom discussions this past week. What are the implications for teaching academic English?

C. Second Language Acquisition research emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in language acquisition, especially academic language. Reflecting on your learning style, what was your reaction to being forced to use extended language, as in writing these reflective comments? What problems do you anticipate with students with differing learning styles?

D. Several of you in your comments noted the feeling of isolation and the lack of social envolvement which might accompany the use of computers in teaching English. Now that you have had more experience interacting with each other, do you have the same feelings, or do you have new insights as to how the computer can be used to socialize people who might not otherwise interact with others? (i.e. have you had unexpected intellectual and social stimulation through this experience?)

E. As you look through the assigned reading on conferencing, etc. in Boswood, how do you find that the brief experience we have had on the computer has helped you to evaluate the teaching activities which are suggested?

Happy Reflecting Tman
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