Post-Reading activities

Task 1

Imagine that you represent NCET and that a newspaper reporter is interviewing you. Use the information in the text to complete the dialogue in your own words.

Reporter You	What exactly does the term “educational technology” cover? ________________________________________________
Reporter You	I see. Apart from offering advice on technical matters, what other services do you provide? ________________________________________________
Reporter You	Does the I. T. In Schools Program help teachers as well as students? Yes._____________________________________________
Reporter You	What about those with special educational needs? ________________________________________________
Reporter You	What responsibility does the NCET’s Training Directorate have? ________________________________________________
Reporter You	Does that include helping people in industry? Yes._____________________________________________
Reporter You	One last question. What kind of work is the Technical Consultancy Directorate doing in schools at the moment? ________________________________________________

Task 2

Make a list of the “new information technologies” mentioned in the text. Do you know what all the terms mean?

Vocabulary Development

Task 1

Look back in the text and find words or phrases in the text which have a similar meaning to:

1. include

2. advantages

3. covering everything

4. course

5. physically or mentally challenged

6. approach

7. up-to-date with

8. instructions to monitor

Task 2

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. You may have to change some words slightly.

1. create, created, creating, creation, creativity

1. The _______ of this database will give us a huge advantage over our competitors in the long run.

2. The procedure for _______ a new file is very simple.

3. The new position we are advertising is going to require someone with enormous _______ .

2. generate, generated, generative, generation

1. Exercises can be quickly _______ using this program.

2. Our company is working on a new _______ of software products.

3. This development is sure to _______ great interest.

3. access, accessed, accessible, accessibility

1. All user requests to _______ a database are handled by the database management system.

2. _______ to the computer room is restricted to authorized personnel.

3. Those files are not _______ unless you know the password.

4. analyse, analysed, analysis, analyst

1. When a text is _______, all pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and verb forms are automatically identified.

2. This _______ shows that most PC users are not aware of the full potential of the software products they buy.

3. The DBMS first receives the request and _______ it for syntax errors.

Listening

I. Tony Longstone, an expert on educational technology, is answering questions from teachers about Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Listen to the discussion and decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).

1.  Most users of computers in language education can be described as CALL.

2.  There is no point in buying a computer for CALL, if there is no commercially available software for that computer or operating system.

3.  The number of computers you buy will depend on two factors: the number of students there are, and the amount of physical space available.

4.  It is possible to have CALL using only one computer.

5.  The ideal way to organize CALL is to have one computer in each classroom.

6.  The CALL resource should be free to students if possible.

Listen again. Change the sentences that are false to make them true.

II. Listen again and fill in the missing words in this tapescript:

LONGSTONE: Well, given sufficient (1) _______ , it’s a good idea to have some computers (2) _______ for teachers in the teachers’ room. Also, it’s very useful to have a self-access (3) _______ for use by students. In both cases, they – teachers and students – can gain a lot of confidence and (4) _______ by having free access to the (5) _______ . Finally, an excellent idea is to have one computer with a large screen functioning as an electronic (6) _______ for messages prepared for students and staff.. This should be located in a public part of the school or college, such as the hall or (7) _______ .