Reading Aloud Game Article

Our reading aloud game (coming soon ...) will be based on this interesting article from the Economist.

Schumpeter

Mammon’s new monarchs

The emerging-world consumer is king

Jan 5th 2013 |From the print edition

 

 

 

You may want to read it and learn how to say the words before we play the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wikis - a useful tool for students (or anyone) to collaborate

This short YouTube video explains the basics of what a "wiki" is (why and how we use it).   It is one of the best introductions.  The speaker speaks very quickly, so you may want to select "cc" (close caption)  in the bottom right corner of the video so you can read as you listen.

You can also read this short introduction (if you want).





I have created a wiki for AP5 using PBWorks (you can log-in here or through D2L).  You have all been invited (an e-mail has been sent to you) and are official editors for this wiki space.    Within this wiki, which I haven't done much at all with,   there are files and pages for the 5 AP5 groups, where you can collaborate.  This would be a good place to work digitally together on your group argumentative essay.      The wiki is an optional part of this course, but one that along with blogs you may find to be extremely beneficial.


Here is a short video I have made using Jing and Screencast that shows you our AP5 wiki and how to navigate and use it.

Win an iPad mini

You only have a couple of days left for this. I would certainly do it if I were a student.





You can do it from the Facebook page   here

Week 4 Computer Lab

In this computer lab,   you will become acquainted with a learning management system that has been newly introduced at VIU for all students called D2L (Desire to Learn).    Many academic courses use D2L to blend their in class and out-of-class teaching.   It will benefit you to learn it now.


Two important new urls you need to learn are:

www.learn.viu.ca

and

ap5d2l.blogspot.ca

To enter D2L,  you go to the first website and enter your name and password as  would you normally do.      

The second website is a special blog that has a video introduction to D2L, which essentially repeats what I will show you in class.


You have three computer tasks this week.   The first two deal with D2L.

1. After familiarizing yourself with D2L,   use its e-mail function to send me an e-mail.
2. In the discussion board,   make a post and reply to a post.   You can do this within an existing thread or you can create a new thread.

3.   On your blog,   if you use a mobile device (smartphone or tablet-  Apple or Android),  

describe what you use it for mostly.   Also,  write about how you use it for learning English and how you would "like" to use it to learn English.     If you do not have a mobile device,  write about how you imagine one could be  used to help you learn English.  This is an individual post, not a joint post.




You can also study the Academic Wordlist in computer lab as we will be studying it this week.  You can use the AWL link in this blog to help you.

Looking up word definitions

Looking up the meaning of words should be very easy and should avoid translation.   If you have an iPad, iPhone or iPod,   you can utilize an iOs feature called dictionary which allows you to highlight a word, which will then bring up its definition in English.   I know you can do the same with your own first language, but it is not so helpful for learning English. 

This blog post explains and shows this.  (I'm sure Android devices have or will have a similar feature.)  Using this,  you should be able to find out the meaning of the words for Monday's reading quiz in 15 minutes.   Don't translate!   Although these images show text using Notepad,  the dictionary app also works in Safari, iBooks and other programs.