Review questions for November 23

1. Learning a language, like English, is not just learning vocabulary and grammar and studying books. It is also learning how to use the language in order to get things accomplished, create contact, maintain relationships, establish trust and so on. These are the social or professional functions of the language. In this respect, what are the ways you are learning English in our class by internet? How are you creating and maintaining contact and relationships? How are you using English? What are the ways you could do this better?

I have indeed experimented the importance of speaking English in context. During travels, as in Thailand this summer, I have understood my lack of knowledge in English. I was with 2 bilingual persons who could speak with every traveler we met, and I I had big difficulties to establish a real contact. Now, as I am preparing my departure in Denmark, I have to communicate in English with the University by mail. So, it is a way for me to use English in a sort of professional context.
I believe that in this point of view, our class of e-culture could be interesting. We are now in master. The time of learning grammar is finish. I know my difficulty is to speak English fluently. That’s not reading texts and books that I will get better, but communicating instantaneously either by writing on msn messenger, either by speaking. Moreover, one of the stakes of an e-culture class with this device is to establish contact in English with Bob but also with the other students. We have to participate in order o maintain the contact. Without participation, each person stays in one’s world without paying attention to the others.


1. What is an FTP server and why is it useful? What are some of the activities you can do with it? Do you have one available for you, and which one is it? If you don't have one, why don't you get one?

An FTP server is a server which permits to share documents on our hard disk, especially documents which are too big to be sent, as video, photos. The advantage of this software is that whoever can discover the documents. You are not obliged to send it. Just give the address.
I don’t have one because until last week I didn’t know it. As I am very bad in technique, I don’t have personal creations to put on the web for example, so I don’t’ see any interest for the moment of using an FTP server. But never know…


1. Our class has a special approach to interactivity. It is not possible to have the same interaction of a normal class, but it offers several new ways of interacting. What are these? What are the ways that are especially interesting to you? How could they work better? What technical solutions can you suggest?

We can interacting by using the common space to make remarks, give our opinion on a subject, make suggestions. But as I am not so good at oral, I prefer speaking than writing, and it’s not easy in this class. Moreover it is slower to react by writing. While you are writing an idea, some one else has already given an other idea on which you would want to react.
But I believe this class is in constant amelioration, even if msn messenger is not the best way to do it.

1. Prepare one question about the last class: what did you not understand? What would like to have more information on and why? What question did our discussion cause you to ask?

I have no specific question. I asked myself about the importance of technology in our society. How we are dependant of it to work: for example there’s no more company which don’t work on computer, it has become a necessity to know using computers. This English class is a perfect example: if we don’t have computer an Internet at home it is more difficult to do homework. We are also dependant of the working of the technology, as we had the bad experience in class. And even if it makes part of the dispositif of our class, it is really difficult not to be angry about it and to positive.