c. Selecting ICT Resources

The teacher in the case study is completely at home with the skills behind most of the options we have looked at above. She has used some videos, she already has some word-processed materials, and she has seen some good German sites on the World Wide Web.

You may not be in the same positions as she is, so we shall look at the options in the context of your school and your experience. Think about the following points as they apply to you:

Using the text only, and not using any ICT (or other technology) at all.
Using a textbook only, is the most usual way of dealing with the topic. It is clearly laid out and presents some challenging and authentic material. However, the World Wide Web also contains a wealth of material that can equally be challenging.

Using a word processor package to create worksheets on the topic, placing some images into the worksheets.
Here the question is one of how much the pupils will learn, retain and organise if the teacher spends her time on creating learning and testing resources using a word processor, and how much they would have done so anyway. She could for example use a work sheet including pictures to explain the modal verb and therefore would encourage the exclusive use of the target language. This presents the extra advantage that she will be able to re-use and adapt those resources.

Using some video.
This isn't strictly an ICT option, but it would be if it were done in conjunction with the word-processed worksheets or some work on the World Wide Web. The best thing about it is that looking at video provides a range of stimuli to the learner - especially our younger learners with high levels of 'teleliteracy'.

Using the World Wide Web to gather resources.
The following web addresses provide interesting resources to the topic we are interested in:

http://de.yahoo.com
German language search engine.

http://vtc.ngfl.gov.uk
It is also known as the Virtual Teacher's Centre and contains a number of links to be used by Modern Languages Teachers.

www.eduweb.co.uk/harberg/index.htm
This site will provide you with grammar exercises on the present tense, vocabulary building exercises (flash cards, crosswords) and questions with suggested answers.

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/haberg/reallyusefulge/
This site has lots of really useful exercises in grammar and vocabulary as well as listening exercises.

www.texthaus.com
This site provides you with an interesting game to play in German.

www.puzzlemaker.com
This site allows you to create your own word puzzles. You can for example create a word search on "Leisure Activities".

http://web.uvic.ca/german/149/
Lots of useful links from this page.

http://sps.k12.mo.us/khs/german/germany/teacher/
methods/dmethod.htm
Hints and tips on teaching German from practising teachers.

www.quia.com/german
Lots of games.

Using e-mail and video conference.
The obvious problem here is to find an institution, which has the necessary facilities. The German Embassy can help you with this:

www.german-embassy.org.uk/ic.html

Now that you've looked at my ideas about the options available, you need to make your own choices. The teacher in the case study has decided to use all options, and to combine two or more in particular sessions over a five-lesson period. You need to plan to do something of this sort. On the next page, make a copy and fill out the summary to help you get a focus on what you will do. Think of some uses of your own, and make a short note on what you will have to do to make it work, what you expect the benefit to be to your pupils, and what difficulties you expect to encounter when you do it in the classroom.

Resources Selected for Work on Leisure Activities