Designing Web-based Lessons

Incorporating Computer Skills

I'm a language teacher, how much computer skills do I have to teach?

In the CALL classroom, computers are used as a tool to teach language. By definition, language learning is the overall goal of a CALL class. A lot of language learning can take place if students are competent in:

Elementary word processing
The fundamentals of email
Basic Internet browsing and searching

How do I sequence the introduction of computer skills?

Computer skill objectives should be introduced sequentially according to difficulty and necessity. Easier skills should be introduced before more difficult skills. Certain computer skills are prerequisites to other skills and must be introduced accordingly. Often the computer objectives in a Web-based CALL lesson are to reinforce and refine already existing skills.

Our Lesson Step Three: Incorporating Computer Skills

In the lesson that we are designing, students will go to the ABC News Country Profiles site and browse for information.

Students will be able to browse a Web site and gather predetermined information.

Now let's put our objectives and content area together and write our lesson plan.