Facebook! Where I Get My New ID

By Danielle, Kristy, Rose, Sylvia Introduction Each of us might have a different understanding of the relationship between our linguistic identities and individual languages. Some might feel more comfortable using English and identify themselves as English users, others might feel different and consider themselves to be English learners. The availability of digital writing only further […]

On Becoming Facilitators of Multimodal Composing and Digital Design

Post by Krystal, Yvaine, Aria and Eva When you think about writing, what are the ideas that pop into your head? Are you still thinking about characteristics like sophisticated, long paragraphs, or closely related to paper? Probably yes. Under the influence of standardized writing tests, ESL learners are all familiar with the ongoing privileged format […]

Welcome to My Cool Website — the Combination of CMC and EFL Learning

By Christine, Heidi, Carina and Sophia. Almon, a teenager emigrating from Hong Kong to the United States, was quite desperate about English learning in the beginning and had little hope for his future as poor English proficiency means few job opportunities. However, only after about one year, Almon had made great progress in English and became much more […]

Teachers’ Self-initiated Professional Learning Through PLNs

Introduction to Personal Learning Networks As a possible ESL teacher in the future, have you noticed that our everyday life is increasingly mediated by technologies and so is our classroom? More and more online applications like Canvas are being used and at the same time videos, images, or useful links are more often seen during […]

CMC–Talking in Text, Learning by Net

Conducted by Champion, Nicole, Shirley and Queenie Not the building CMC (Creative Media Center) located in CityU, the CMC that we will talk about in the following passage is computer-mediated communication. Computer-mediated communication was defined as “a vehicle for the metaphorical construction of community, the crafting of multiple personae and collective identities, and the assumption […]

Language learning through interactive websites

As a new mode of language learning, some foreign language learning websites with social networking features appear as collaborative platforms in which users can learn languages by communicating directly with other members of the online community. In Stevenson and Liu’s (2010) article, Palabea (the website has been closed), Babbel and Live Mocha, three language learning websites, are selected […]

Getting started with blogging: Building a learning community

Now is an exciting part of the semester: we’ve gotten off to a good start and are ready to explore the world of new literacies and language learning. As Graham Stanley points out in his book Language Learning with Technology, for online learning to work effectively, it’s important to build the right kind of supportive […]

YOU’RE NOT STUDYING, YOU’RE JUST…

Do you have the same problems in language education? In COMMENTARY: YOU’RE NOT STUDYING, YOU’RE JUST…, Ravi Purushotma puts forward an idea that educators should embrace and modify entertainment-focused media forms in language education. In order to illustrate and support his opinion, the author takes his own language learning experience, in which he took great advantages of […]

Getting started: Building a learning community online

Now is an exciting part of the semester: we’ve gotten off to a good start and are ready to explore the world of new literacies and language learning. As Graham Stanley points out in his book Language Learning with Technology, for online learning to work effectively, it’s important to build the right kind of supportive […]

Blogging and language learning

Blogs can provide teachers and learners with a tool that is very easy to set up and that provides a space where they can interact and practise language use. Considering blogs in education generally, Will Richardson points out that blogging means linking to content, analyzing and synthesizing that content, and writing for real readers, with […]