ENGLISHLEAP: A GRAMMAR SITE EVALUATION

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I evaluated one grammar site which can help ESL/EFL learners improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. This site is known as EnglishLeap (http://www.englishleap.com/courses/level/1). EnglishLeap aims to redefine English language learning by using a mix of innovative pedagogy. Its mission is “to build a large community of English language learners and provide them with the tools to enable them to become more fluent English speakers.”

I evaluated this site on the following aspects: relation to learning approach, critique of technical features, and relation to tips from Chapelle and Jameison’s book.

Relation to learning approach

Behaviorism:

Approach realized

- Learners are allowed to learn at their own pace.

- Grammar is taught explicitly.

- Feedback is provided on an individual basis.

- Provide immediate non-judgmental feedback. After the grammar exercises, students will get feedback from the program. The feedback will either say “Concept clear-you have good understanding of the concept” or “Needs attention-you need to improve on this concept.”

Analysis

- Learners can stop and continue anytime they like. They can even jump to the more difficult level if they want to.

- There are grammar video lessons that explicitly explains grammatical issues to students.

- In the writing section, student will get feedback from English teachers who are working for this website. However, this feature is limited to premium members.

- Feedback is only limited to “Concept clear” or “Need attentions”. It cannot give praise on students’ real performance.

Cognitivism:

Approach realized

- Grammar is taught implicitly through listening and speaking.

- Students are encouraged to write and initiate a discussion.

Analysis

- This learning tool provides both implicit and explicit grammar learning. Learners learn grammar implicitly through animated cartoons. After they watch the cartoon, they will be asked to practice speaking by reading the sentences containing specific grammatical issue.

- When learners become premium members, they can initiate a discussion through their writing pieces. English teachers will give feedback on their writings and learners are welcome to continue the discussion.

Constructivism:

Approach realized

- Provides authentic materials, and learners are given the opportunity to learn language through content.

Analysis

- Apart from learning grammars, learners can click on the “practice videos” where they can learn about culture, economy, or science. The videos are taken from the real world news. Learners will automatically learn language through the videos.

Overall, this website presents a variety of English lessons and skills. The use of graphics and videos can easily catch students’ attention. Students can keep track of their writing pieces and participate in the discussion with the teacher. However, timing should have been implemented in this program in order to set time limits and monitor time on a task. Tutorial should have been also provided for the first time user.

Relation to tips from Chapelle and Jameison’s book

1. Select CALL materials that teach carefully chosen grammar that is appropriate for learner: Grammar topics are appropriate for beginning to advanced learners. It offers different types of grammatical issues which allow learners to choose to suit their interest and their proficiency level.

2. Provide learners the opportunities for interaction with the computer that include explicit teaching, discovery, analysis, and production of grammar: Learners are encouraged to produce the grammatical forms through their writing and speaking. Exercises are provided to students; however, those exercises are in the form of multiple choices. I think it would have been better if students had been asked to create sentences on their own.

3. Let grammar tasks spark interaction among learners.I don’t recognize this feature on this grammar website: The only interaction I noticed is the interaction between teacher and student on the writing task.

4. Include evaluation of learners’ responses and regular summaries of their performance: After the grammar exercises, students will be evaluated by the program. The evaluation will either say “Concept clear-you have good understanding of the concept” or “Needs attention-you need to improve on this concept.” However, it cannot give praise on students’ real performance.

5. Help learners develop strategies for learning grammar from texts on the Web through explicit practice and inductive learning: This feature is not implemented in this website.