The Language Teacher
04 - 2003

A Lesson in CALL:
Prepositions of Direction and Place

Roger Charles Kenworthy

Hokkai High School

<rogerkenworthy@hotmail.com>



QUICK GUIDE

Key Words:CALL, the Internet, prepositions, poster presentations
Learner English Level: Intermediate to advanced
Learner Maturity Level: Young adult and up
Preparation Time: Varies
Activity Time: Varies from two to four lessons
Materials: Computers, printers, access to the Internet, poster-sized cards



Today the Internet is easily accessible with the proliferation of computers in the second language classroom. As a result, there is a vast amount of authentic language and cultural material at the fingertips of both instructors and students. This wealth of material can easily be exploited for Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) lessons. For example, when prepositions of direction (north, south) and place (under, beside) are integrated with electronic technology, a routine lesson is taken to a new level for both instructors and students.

Procedure

Step 1: First, introduce prepositions of direction and place (at the foot of, down the) to the class. English textbooks commonly contain a fictitious map and exercises, which enable students to practice giving and receiving directions.

Step 2: Divide students into small groups and tell them they will plan a three-day trip to a major foreign city such as New York, Paris, or Rome. Assign a city to each group. Travel brochures of these cities can also be shown and discussed to generate interest.

Step 3: Students are then asked to search the web and find the following:

  1. The homepage of their assigned city,
  2. Two major tourist sites, hotel accommodation, and a city map,
  3. A weather website (for wardrobe needed), and
  4. A currency conversion website (money for expenses).

The exciting part of this lesson is that the Internet is used exclusively to find this information. Major city websites are easily accessible by typing the name of the city and searching the web (Google, Yahoo). These homepages provide all the necessary information: hotels, tourist sites, and much more. Once this information is located, it is saved to a diskette and printed out for the poster presentations.

Step 4: Each group then prepares a poster to assist them with an oral presentation. Each poster should contain a simplified city map, tourist sites, accommodation, weather conditions, and a currency conversion chart. The use of the map and the prepositions learned earlier are required to maneuver around the cities.

Step 5: Each group gives a 10- to 15-minute presentation. In addition, each group should provide a summary of the weather, clothing, and costs incurred.

Step 6: Finally, a written preposition test is given to the class.

Optional lessons:

A PowerPoint presentation can be substituted for the poster presentation because all the information has been saved to diskettes making preparation time minimal. Or, groups can exchange information to provide the basis for writing compare/contrast essays (weather, currency).

In closing, integration of the Internet into the second language classroom is an enjoyable way for learners to use their language skills within the context of real language.



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