Vol. 4. No. 4 M-2 December 2000

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Site Reviews

Three Websites Focusing on News and Current Events

Exchange
http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/exchange/

CNN Newsroom and WorldView
http://lc.byuh.edu/CNN_N/CNN-N.html

Dave's ESL Quiz Center -- Geography Quizzes
http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/quiz/geo1.html

Introduction

The news media are an ongoing resource of current English-in-use relating to changing world events -- an ever-generative wellspring of written and spoken English for ESL learners. The more traditional media such as print, radio and television can be supplemented by the newer medium of the internet to enhance ESL students' usage skills. What makes sites such as these especially interesting is that they allow for interaction between the learner and presented material. Following are brief reviews of three such interactive web sites focusing on current and cultural events.

SITE: Exchange
URL: http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/exchange/

Exchange is an electronic magazine designed for intermediate and advanced ESL learners, and is dedicated to publishing English writings of non-native speakers of English. Sponsored by the Intensive English Program and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, this site is an interesting forum for non-native English writers and readers; not only is there a variety of material presented, but student submissions are accepted in all categories. The topics found throughout this site appear to be relevant to students' interests and upper-level writing abilities.

Exchange categories include Cookbook, World Cultures, Essays and Stories, Letters to the Editor; Pen Pals, and Class Projects.

The Cookbook presents a full-blown menu including selections from Appetizers, Salads, Main Dishes, and Desserts. World Cultures contains a huge selection of writings grouped in such categories as Impressions; Cultural Comparisons; Living in the USA; Festivals, Holidays, and Celebrations; Food and Eating Habits; My Country; and Sports. The Short Stories, Poems, Reviews, Essays and Creative Writing headings found in the writing section offer a range of student perspectives, as does the Letters to the Editor section.

One of the best parts of this site appears to be the Pen Pal section, which prospective correspondents may search to find a suitable match. Choices are plentiful and up to date, and come from practically all parts of the globe.

Although the concept for this site appears to be extremely useful and interesting, some of the entries do not always appear to be regularly updated throughout the site. Web sites such as this would do indeed require a lot of editorial maintenance. However, this concept seems like a worthwhile project -- perhaps similar to an online newsletter -- for an instructor's own web site. This concept is an effective showcase forum for student writing -- both within a particular institution and throughout the cyber community.

SITE: CNN Newsroom and WorldView for ESL
URL: http://lc.byuh.edu/CNN_N/CNN-N.html

This site is also designed for intermediate and advanced ESL learners. Featuring grammar and vocabulary exercises, CNN Newsroom and WorldView for ESL, produced at Brigham Young University-Hawaii Language Center, is based upon a weekly WorldView Broadcast by Turner Educational Services Inc., which is available for recording each week throughout the academic year. Grammar and vocabulary exercises are also updated weekly throughout the academic school year.

Complementary completion exercises are updated weekly. Grammar topics like Adjective Clause Connectors and Word Forms provide structure focus; The "El Shaddai" religious movement is one example of a topical focus. One vocabulary exercise focuses on "Nightlife in Macao." Students often enjoy working on exercises which focus on an issue from their country.

One minor criticism of this portion of an exercise, however, is that a group of adjectives had to be in a particular order to be considered correct (for no particular reason!).

Overall, though, these exercises -- especially when used with the corresponding weekly newscasts -- appear to be an excellent liaison for realistic application of grammar and vocabulary.

SITE: Dave's ESL Quiz Center -- Geography Quizzes
URL:http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/quiz/geo1.html

Although this is not a news site per se, these geography quizzes can be seen as a prelude to comprehension of news and current events. Geared toward the high-beginner/low-intermediate levels, the quizzes include both world and U.S. geography.

Consisting of multiple-choice exercises, the quizzes cover a balance of geographical areas. Subject matter primarily focuses on capitals, major cities and principle bodies of water. This is a great site for lower-level English learners, who most likely possess the geographical knowledge, but perhaps do not possess the knowledge to communicate extensively in English. Exercises such as these are beneficial for newer ESL learners to experience success -- and therefore paving the way for more complicated grammar and comprehension exercises.

As this is a part of the very extensive (and hence, popular) Dave's ESL Cafe site, there are links to virtually all other mainsteam ESL web sites in existence.

Conclusion

Quite frankly, this reviewer expected to find more ESL web sites which are direct products of the news media (seems like that it would make good marketing sense!). Perhaps this is an area where the enabling institutions have yet to stake their claim in cyberspace.

Amy Burns Short
Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA
<Amy.short@murraystate.edu>