Master of Arts in English as a Second Language: Internet Usage in the ESL Classroom-Final Project by Joan Thomas UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA ENGLISH DEPARTMENT Kiss from a Rose

Contents Introduction Using the Internet Examples Conclusion Reference

Introduction What is the Internet? ARPAnet has been the Internet forerunner it has been around since the late 1960s. The Internet has been the hot topic and doesn’t seem likely that the topic will cool down in the near future. Access to the Internet is foremost. It is access to a wealth of information from academic research to tostock market quotes. The Internet was originally designed as an academic-exchange medium. Internet has become a favorite target to people who sell everything from stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to compact discs, mucic boxes, and vintage wines.

Continuation… The Internet is worldwide series of interconnected computer systems and a series of several different types of computer services such as: The world wide web, Gophers, newsgroups, FTP site. is the oldest Internet service, dating back to the mid 1970s.

Using the Internet then and now, the basic concept behind is fairly simple: You log into a computer system and write and address a text message to a user on another system. The message is then routed through the maze of interconnected computer systems until it is delivered to its intended destination.

Continuation… FTP (file Transfer Protocol) refers to both an Internet service and a UNIX utility (it’s also now a Windows 95 utility). The Intenet service FTP is a series of computer file servers that archive and distribute files. Many FTD sites are operated by computers who

Continuation….. IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is another immenseley popular Internet service. IRC is a system that allows users to congregate in a common area, in this case an IRC server, and chat with each other. It’s not vocal chat, you communicate by typing your contribution to the conversation.

Continuation.. The World Wide Web It is often referred to simply as the Web, it’s a service on the Internet, it is without a doubt the most popular. The web went online in 1992, a creation by Tim Berners-Lee of Geneva, Switzerland.

Continuation… By october of 1993, there were more than 200 Web servers up and running and by June, 1995, the total of Web servers on the Internet totaled more that 6.5 million.

Continuation… Part of the Web’s attraction is the fact that it is the only multimedia service on the Internet. The web began as a text-only system. Now it is a cacophony of text, graphics, sounds, animation and virtual reality.

Continuation.. The Web also seems to have no boundaries for the type of information you can find on Web sites, such as: Education, Government agencies, Colleges and universities, Health and science, political organization, etc.

Example ESL Lesson Using Web Sites Techniques/ Techniques/

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Conclusion There are many advantages in using the Internet in the ESL classroom First, taking part in the Internet is intrinsically motivating for students since they see it as a trendy and usefull tool, enabling them to be connected with the world. As English is the main language in the Internet, learners begin to appreciate the usefulness in learning the language.

continuation Secondly, Using the net also gives student control over their learning, enabling them to go at their own pace and choosing their paths according to their individual needs, which is also motivating.

continuation Thirdly, the World Wide Web (WWW) gives students instant access to a wide range of authentic material, from newspaper and magazine articles to radio broadcasts and informal chat-rooms, and also material prepared specially for learners, such as grammar, pronunciation,vocabulary exercises and test.

REFERENCES Grimes, Galen. The Internet and World Wide Web. 3rd, Edition. Indiana, USA. Macmillan Computer Publishing. 1997

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