Reflection on essential reading for week 5

The writer mentioned the effectiveness of learning English through virtual learning environment. More relaxed and stress free atmosphere can be generated than that in the traditional classrooms. The writer also showed readers how passive students change their behaviours through the process.

I do believe that virtual learning environment can facilitate students’ language learning, if created, promoted, prepared and used appropriately. Like what the writer said, the online work benefits students who are shy and introvert language learners.

However, one problem faced by many Hong Kong students, especially for those who have very low language proficiency is that they do not understand the instructions given by the platform. As a result, they may become impatient and lose their interest in learning. So as I have mentioned before, teachers have to practice with students very well at the very beginning, let them be familiar with the learning platform first.

To make virtual learning more effective, suitable and ongoing assessment is required or a must (very often). Since students’ parents are usually very busy and they cannot monitor their children at home, students may spend a lot of time on playing computer without any learning purposes. To them, it may be much more interesting than doing learning online task. Teachers can monitor students’ progress through formative assessment. Both teachers and students can have record on what they have done and how well they behave in the virtual classroom. It’s a kind of motivation and reinforcement of what students learn.

Do teachers agree that assessment is important for promoting the use of virtual classroom?