Googling in EFL?
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abufletcher
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 8:12 pm
Googling in EFL?
Is anyone aware of any articles on the use of Google as a concordance tool? Googling a word or phrase appears to have become a standard way of checking on a range of things and I would imagine that someone has written up something.
Sorry, I don't know of any articles on this subject - but I do find that Google is a very useful tool in EFL teaching.
I often teach technicians, and they have very specific questions about particular components or tools. In the past, I referred to technical dictionaries or trade catalogues. Now, I just tap the word onto my Google search bar and launch a picture search. The images quickly show me what the technician is trying to describe, or show the student what I want to say.
Just this morning, the word 'lockbox' came up in a discussion with a financial guy. I wasn't sure if the word 'safe' was appropriate, but the Google search showed lots of small metal boxes with locks on them (what I would have described as a 'cash box'). A potentially long search through dictionaries was over in seconds.
I often teach technicians, and they have very specific questions about particular components or tools. In the past, I referred to technical dictionaries or trade catalogues. Now, I just tap the word onto my Google search bar and launch a picture search. The images quickly show me what the technician is trying to describe, or show the student what I want to say.
Just this morning, the word 'lockbox' came up in a discussion with a financial guy. I wasn't sure if the word 'safe' was appropriate, but the Google search showed lots of small metal boxes with locks on them (what I would have described as a 'cash box'). A potentially long search through dictionaries was over in seconds.
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Wereldreizigster
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:27 pm
- Location: The Netherlands
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Indeed, I have to second strider on that one. I don't have any articles on it either but I have used it with my students as well. I am using it as a teaching tool for some time now.
Specifically on students who learn from visual aids, it can be very helpfull. They ask me for instance what a 'stereo' means (simple example) and I tell them to look it up on Google (images). That way they get a visual image of what a stereo is. Which helps the student a 1000 times more than telling him it is something that produces music, etc.
Do remember to put a filter on sometimes. So have Google search only on English websites! (Otherwise you're into a big surprise sometimes, and trust me, that is NOT a good idea from time to time!).
Specifically on students who learn from visual aids, it can be very helpfull. They ask me for instance what a 'stereo' means (simple example) and I tell them to look it up on Google (images). That way they get a visual image of what a stereo is. Which helps the student a 1000 times more than telling him it is something that produces music, etc.
Do remember to put a filter on sometimes. So have Google search only on English websites! (Otherwise you're into a big surprise sometimes, and trust me, that is NOT a good idea from time to time!).
I would say Google is the concordance tool.
You can get a really good idea of usage by, for example, googling "interested in" (750 million hits) and "interested to" (19 million hits). Google has an incredibly sophisticated search algorithm and it is a fantastic tool for ESL teachers.
I use it everyday without fail.
my site: www.roadtogrammar.com
You can get a really good idea of usage by, for example, googling "interested in" (750 million hits) and "interested to" (19 million hits). Google has an incredibly sophisticated search algorithm and it is a fantastic tool for ESL teachers.
I use it everyday without fail.
my site: www.roadtogrammar.com
Googling a range of things is convenient for English teachers. It's time-saving, and google provide us with latest interpretations and explanations. But we are supposed to be alert and clear about what we are looking for or, we may get lost . You know we have to first of all locate the right place and then choose the very imformation for our questions. That's my feelings on googling. 