Teachers’ Notes

Target Learners Learning Objectives Processes and Tasks Evaluation

Target Learners

This webquest is designed for adult, intermediate students of English as a foreign/second language. The activities in this webquest are likely to appeal to adult learners than the younger ones. For example, deciding the cost and profit they plan to make out of a tour package. The target students should at least be in a intermediate level because the processes involved to do the tasks require some skills that may not be learned until they reached this level e.g. skimming and scanning, summarizing, and presentation. In addition, the students should have basic knowledge of searching information from the Internet. Because the URL of the websites they have to visit are already provided, they should be able to open, browse and navigate them. This webquest would be suitable for both EFL and ESL learners. No specific feature in it would limit its use in either EFL or ESL context.

Learning Objectives

In general, this webquest is aimed at improving the students’ skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in English. Specifically, after completing the webquest tasks, the students are expected to demonstrate their abilities to:

gather and note information from the websites
write a brochure about an offer of a tour package
present orally the ideas underlying the brochure.

Processes and Tasks

The processes involved in this webquest serve as scaffolding for the learners in order to successfully complete their tasks. The processes would also enable them to improve their skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing by actually using the target language in individual and group work.

In the process of planning the brochure the students would search information from the websites the links of which are provided. This can initially be done individually. The skill involved in this activity is using information technology-browsing and searching information from the WWW. In addition, the skills of reading for specific information (scanning) and reading for general idea (skimming) are also needed. For example, the students need to scan the WWW to find information about a certain hotel rate. They also need skim read a text, for example to understand the historical background of a place of interest. The students are also required to take notes. After they are ready with their individual notes they have to discuss with the other team members to decide the information to be included in their brochure.

During the discussion the students can improve their listening and speaking. They can also develop their communication strategies which include discourse competence and strategic competence. The students would learn how meaning in relationship of the entire discourse is constructed. Also they would practise the strategies to initiate, terminate, maintain, repair and redirect communication. On top of that, when they interact and negotiate in the discussion they would focus on the content rather than on the language, therefore, facilitating the language acquisition. Your role is to monitor and encourage them to use English, not their native language throughout the discussion.

After the students reach an agreement with their groups on how the information would be arranged in their brochure, they would practise their typing skills which involve word and image processing. Since this is a group work a student with higher proficiency can help the other who is less skilful. The page limit of the brochure (maximum 6 pages) would encourage them to arrange their brochure efficiently. This means they would need to think clearly and set a clear plan.

The students would also gain the skills of planning and delivering oral presentation. In particular they would practise their pronunciation and improve their fluency in spoken English. They would also learn to use effective body language and visual aids to support the effectiveness of their presentation. Your role during the presentation would be as a moderator: decide who will present first, second, etc., and keep the time. You would also evaluate them based on the set criteria.

In the process of preparing the presentation the students would read resources from the websites about effective presentation. You can help them by providing scaffolding for the students to better understand the information. You can, for example, ask questions to elicit the students’ knowledge about good presentation that they have learned from the websites. Another possible activity is assigning them to jot down important aspects needed for effective presentation.

Evaluation

The students’ brochures are assessed based on the criteria of clarity, accuracy, and presentation. The highest point in terms of clarity is indicated by grammatical accuracy, appropriate choice of vocabulary, sentence structure and register. Accuracy is indicated by correctness of the information. You can check what is written in the suggested websites and what is written in the students’ brochures. In terms of presentation the score depends on the attractiveness of the brochure. Pay attention to its layout, choice of fonts, choice of pictures, etc. Position your self as a prospective tourist. The more interested you are in the way the brochure looks, the more point you should give to it. Each criterion has maximum point of 20.

The oral presentation is evaluated based on the criteria of: pronunciation, fluency, body language, and use of visual aids. The maximum point in terms of pronunciation is indicated by intelligible pronunciation with accurate stress and intonation. Good fluency is indicated by smooth flow of ideas from opening, content, and closing of the presentation. The use of effective signposting would be another indication of fluency. Body language is assessed based on its effectiveness i.e. it enhances the clarity of the presentation and keeps the attention from the audience. Effective use of visual aids can be seen if it helps making the presentation clearer. In other words, as an audience you can understand the presentation better by looking at the visual aids. Each criterion weighs 10 points.

Note that the maximum overall score for the brochure is 60 and the oral presentation is 40. It is assumed that the brochure writing needs longer preparation and more detailed plan than the oral presentation. It is important for the students to understand the criteria on which they are assessed so that they can focus their attention to produce the best work they can.

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