More Self or Less Self

In Jepson's article, Conversation--and Negotiated Interaction--In Text and Voice Chat Rooms, he mentions some points which I'm interested in:

1. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) has an equalizing effect on participation across gender, socioeconomic status, and age, because participants feel less anxious or shy (Warschauer, 1996, 2000).
2. Some participants use Internet chat rooms to play out their fantasy selves (Turkle, 1995).
3. Socialecomic and gender roles may be reversed.
4. Both leanring environment and sociocultural patterns are important considerations in language learning, because they certainly influence language development (Lantolf, 2002; Spolsky, 1989).

From other researches, I know that cyber learning may be one good way for learners to learn language. There are many reasons for it, and one important reason is certainly about "identity". Take myself for example. I am a little bit affraid of talking with English native speakers, because that I don't think my English is good enogh to communicate with such a proficient Englush speaker. I'm shy and I just say some short words, such as "oh yes", "really?", "sorry" and so on in front of those who are considered to be native speakers. I'm affraid that the interluctors may not understand what I talk to them. And then maybe they would mock my English. Therefore, I stop development of my English. The similar situation showed in my first year in the university, too. I was affraid of talking with teacher. More correctly to say, I was affraid of communicating with teachers. I was affraid of talking and listening. I suppose that the reason of the problems I've met is "identity". In my deep mind, I have placed myself on a lower position as I'm in front of a native speaker or some one else who is better at English than I am. I call myself an inferior. If I call myself "inferior", there must be many people doing the same thing. And this is connected to the point 1~3.

Second Life is one of the famous online games around the whole world. The apparant feature of SL is the virtual world. It's not only virtual sound, virtual words or virtual communication. Just like what it is called, second life, it is a virtual life. In SL, you can have your virtual appearence, virtual belongings, virtual jobs and anything else. And more exciting, all these virtual things, including your identity and apearence, are all changed by yourself. This benefit help users obscure and eliminate the recognition to the identity.

As what are mentioned in point 1 and point 3, people would feel anxious and shy when talking to others. On the Internet, people can reverse their own identity, however. It provides people a "safe house" (Bloch, 2004). SL seems to be the best modle for this feature. You can reverse anything in SL. And then you will get a sense of security which you hope to own.

This kind of sense of security help learners a lot develop their language; however, are learners willing to use their improved language in reality? Or can they still feel easy outside the safe house to use language? If the answerc is negative, the effect of the cyber language learning is useless. It's because that you are a real person andd you have a real life. You must use your own real identity to communicate with other.

I don't know what is exact. But to me, I would support that taking the Internet as a tool for practice but learn language in the real class.

One, Two, Three! Get Your Picture!

     In Brandle's article, Integrating Internet-based Reading Material Into The Foreign Language Curriculum, he mentions three different approaches for the curriculum. First one is teacher-determined lesson. Second one is teacher-facilitated lesson. And the third one is student-determined lesson. The three types of lesson are shown in the film.

     In his article, he mentions that if learners' language skill is not good and critical enough, it is possible that the leaners may lost themselves in the wide Internet. Therefore, based on the quality of leaners' language, he raises up three approaches. They are good in some way. At least, the approaches reduce the possibility that leaners may get lost in learning. But there are still some other reasons we have to think about. Provided that designers of lesson can control over the quality of leaners' language, one potential problem we have to concern about is students themselves. Now, teacher wants to integrate Internet-based reading materials into his class but not all the students in the class have convenient access to get the Internet or even computer. It would build a big obstacle on students' learning. And moreover, it may reduce students' willing to learn. This problem is easy to find out in some countries which are developing or which have a big poverty gap. 

Cybespace = Pretty context for Learning!?

In Bloch's article, Second Language Cyberspace Rhetoric, he cites Sproull and Kiesler's argumentation: electronic communication alow for interaction based on shared interest and not physical proximity, thus allowing members of an Internet community to be simultaneously linked and buffered from one another. This argumentation is used to support the concept, which is "safe house". I agree with this argumentation. Cyber interaction grows rapidly up nowadays. There must be some special reasons for it. Except the convenience, it provides a very important and obvius advantage, which is no-face-to-face interaction. Human beings are funnily strange. We must live with others. But we are ffraid to interact with others. And the phenomenon is getting apparent--there must be some psychological reasons for it. Therefore, cyber interaction successfully wins people's hearts. Take my own experience for example. To some degree, I like cyber interaction. It's because that the invisible wall which the Internet builds up provides me a space of buffer. The advantage of buffer demonstrates its good in the case that I am interacting with foreigners in English via the Internet. Usually, I am a coward to talk with others face to face in nglish because I cannot get what others exactly say. And it makes me feel difficult to respond to others. And moreover, I once gave back a wrong or strange response. It's so embarrassing. The Internet eases me well, however. Before I giving response, I can spend a little bit time using some tools to understand what others say. And then give back my response. Though it takes some time, I still enjoy in it. As long as I can understand what others talk, I would be much willing to keep communicating with others.

In Bloch's argumentation, he stands for that cyberspace would be a very good context for Chinese L2 writers to improve the skill on writing in argumentary and critical thinking. This is the point which I am suspicious of. Would it really be good for improving writing skill? In my opinion, the cyber learning just give learners a sense of security. Writers are not affraid of writing too much. On the contrary, they are courageous to write. It doesn't provide any very good way to help learners wrtie good in formal. It's because of the lack of guide. In other words which would be more clear, no direction leads writers into a correct and formal writing. Writers in cyberspace follow only what they want to write. They don't usually think about how to make their articles better. But when they are in class, teachers would give them comments immediately.

Final trip

Another place I forgot its name. I only remembered the place was for fun. There was a strong man standing by me. He was so kind!!! He told me how to get money through some simple voting. And thanks for his help, I got $L15!! And the place in the picture was for dancing. Just click the blue ball above, I could choose any kind of dance. And....it looked really funny when I danced.= = Oh ya, I also bought a new pair of boots here. They are free.

[2:24] Makavelius Udimo: hi dori

[2:24] Dori Sporg: hi

[2:25] Dori Sporg: what is the place for?

[2:25] Makavelius Udimo: just to hang out make fun and there are some shops to

[2:25] Makavelius Udimo: dance also in here

[2:25] Dori Sporg: wow

[2:25] Makavelius Udimo: aint that cool?:P

[2:25] Dori Sporg: yes very cool

[2:25] Makavelius Udimo: ty

[2:25] Dori Sporg: i'm new in SL

[2:26] Makavelius Udimo: welcome :)

[2:26] Dori Sporg: thanks:D

[2:26] Makavelius Udimo: well start to vote and earn money

[2:26] Dori Sporg: vote?

[2:26] Makavelius Udimo: 2 vote stations the green ones

[2:26] Makavelius Udimo: follow me :)

[2:26] Dori Sporg: ok

[2:26] Makavelius Udimo: see this green ?

[2:26] Dori Sporg: yes

[2:26] Makavelius Udimo: click on it

[2:27] Dori Sporg: what's this?

[2:27] Voting Station (v1.3) whispers: Thanks! 92 votes so far today.

[2:27] Makavelius Udimo: there you go

[2:27] Makavelius Udimo: ty

[2:27] Dori Sporg: oh....i ahve no money

[2:27] Dori Sporg: have

[2:27] Makavelius Udimo: ok next one in the mall

[2:27] Makavelius Udimo: see it ?

[2:27] Dori Sporg: yes

[2:27] Makavelius Udimo: 10L

[2:27] Voting Station (v1.3) whispers: Thanks! 108 votes so far today.

[2:27] Makavelius Udimo: can every come back to vote and get money

[2:28] Dori Sporg: i have money!!!

[2:28] Makavelius Udimo: haha

[2:28] Makavelius Udimo: coool

[2:28] Dori Sporg: wow

[2:28] Makavelius Udimo: ok some free stuff we have to

[2:28] Dori Sporg: ok

[2:28] Makavelius Udimo: want to see

[2:28] Makavelius Udimo: ?

[2:28] Dori Sporg: yes!

[2:29] Makavelius Udimo: cool follow me again please

[2:29] Dori Sporg: ok

[2:29] Makavelius Udimo: here you can dance

[2:29] Dori Sporg: how to?

[2:29] Makavelius Udimo: see the blue bball

[2:29] Makavelius Udimo: up there?

[2:30] Dori Sporg: where is it?

[2:30] Makavelius Udimo: come stand here :)

[2:30] Makavelius Udimo: now you se

[2:30] Dori Sporg: ph i see it!

[2:30] Dori Sporg: oh

[2:30] Makavelius Udimo: ok click on it and choose a number

[2:31] Makavelius Udimo: then yes and u dance

The last station for my second life trip was on a China boat. See, they were playing mochong. XD And before the final trip, I got to one Japanese plce. I must say, the setting was great!!! And the people there were all just like real japanese girls wearing some cosplay costumes. Very interesting.

Traveling Around SL

This is the Freebie Heaven, I bought a lot of free clothes here. But I don't know how to take on clothes, I'm always naked at begining.

Then I finally knew how to change my clothes but I made my hair disapeared!!! So terrible~~~~~ And someone asked me what's wrong with my hair!? I felt very embarrased>///<

Then I found out some ways to change my hair style so that you can see in the picture that I have two rabbit-ear-like hair. XD And just focus on the two people in the picture. I was going to an island which was private and belongs to a couple. At first, I met the black man right side. He asked to chat with me. And from our talk, I knew there was one house here belong to him. (There were many houses here.) So I asked him whether I can take a look around his beautiful home, and he answered positively! But some thing happend right after his answer~~~~@@ There came a woman, the left one. And she asked us whether we need help "politely"..... Then she told me she and her boyfriend were the owner of the island. And I thought....the black man was her boyfriend....= = So, I asked for her allowness to take a visit around the island and left from them quickly. It's because they seemed to qurrel with each other in some kind of foreign language. It's nothing better than getting away.

Here, I met a Korean girl. She greeted me in Korean. And I asked her could we chat in English. But she just answered me back with a same Korean word many times and then left away. Very 囧.

This place was like a wild forest. But there was a person living here. He lived in a wood house builed on top of a big tree. And under the tree, there were many kinds of instruments and some pets runnuing around. A peaceful place.

This was George. He was new in SL, too. So that we made friends with each other and chat awhile. Finally, I got a normal chat with someone else. He told me that my English was good. >///<>

George Suppenkraut: Hi Dori

Dori Sporg: hi

George Suppenkraut: Been here before

Dori Sporg: no

Dori Sporg: i'm new here

George Suppenkraut: Neither have i

Dori Sporg: and u?

Dori Sporg: wow

George Suppenkraut: Just getting use to the whole experience

Dori Sporg: it's my first time to playSL

Dori Sporg: and u?

George Suppenkraut: me too

Dori Sporg: cool

Dori Sporg: where are u from?

George Suppenkraut: it's a little weird but fascinating

George Suppenkraut: UK and you?

Dori Sporg: yes that's right

Dori Sporg: wow UK

Dori Sporg: i'm from Taiwan

Dori Sporg: :D

George Suppenkraut: You speak good english

Dori Sporg: really?

George Suppenkraut: yes

Dori Sporg: thank u>///<

Horrible...

SL, what a terrible place! It's nothing for me to play online game of Taiwan. But I really feel suck when I'm in SL. So terrible!!!! I can't believe that there is some one who dares to ask me for sex!!!! Oh my Jesus! I can’t describe the feeling for this. It’s very suck. And it also makes me afraid to get in SL. I think I won’t play it anymore. It’s very horrible.

This is the dialogue:

[4:25] DavidC Gaffer: please sit

[4:25] Dori Sporg: i want to know how to sit...

[4:25] DavidC Gaffer: point at pink and sit

[4:26] DavidC Gaffer: that better

[4:26] Dori Sporg: why?

[4:26] Dori Sporg: if i sit I can't see u

[4:26] Dori Sporg: why??

[4:27] DavidC Gaffer: do you want to see me

[4:27] Dori Sporg: yes

[4:27] Dori Sporg: why if I sit i can't see anything

[4:27] DavidC Gaffer: at the top of your screen ok vew

[4:28] DavidC Gaffer: ok

[4:29] Dori Sporg: wow I see u

[4:29] Dori Sporg: :D

[4:29] DavidC Gaffer: press it 3 colems down camre controle ok

[4:30] DavidC Gaffer: point to it and a dox with 2 cercles appears omn your screen

[4:30] DavidC Gaffer: have you got that

[4:31] Dori Sporg: ha...it's a little bit hard never mind

[4:31] Dori Sporg: can we chat about other things?

[4:31] DavidC Gaffer: ok mwou;ld you like to see my home

[4:32] DavidC Gaffer: such ass

[4:32] Dori Sporg: such ass...ha

[4:32] DavidC Gaffer: sex

[4:32] Dori Sporg: u from Engliand?

[4:32] DavidC Gaffer: yes you usa

[4:32] Dori Sporg: no from asia

[4:33] DavidC Gaffer: ok so whot do you want to kno

[4:33] Dori Sporg: just have a fee talk can we?

[4:33] Dori Sporg: free

[4:33] DavidC Gaffer: yes no problem

[4:33] Dori Sporg: thanks

[4:34] Dori Sporg: do u have any habbit

[4:34] DavidC Gaffer: so have you had sex on sl yet

[4:34] Dori Sporg: no

[4:34] DavidC Gaffer: do you want to

[4:34] Dori Sporg: no

I just want to find someone else to help me fufill my task but the person really shocks me! But it also shows that in SL, the morals and the esteem are seemed not so important anymore.

Website Review- the End

Watching the foreign blogs is a special experience. I seldom surf on foreign website because the words in it are always very small. And each article is as long as a river. I can’t afford it. So, I chose blog to follow. I consider blogs around the whole world are all the same- using simple grammar and writing short which in Taiwan, the Chinese blogs I’ve watched. However, at the end, I’m wrong. Yes, the grammar is not difficult but the American likes to write long, long and long articles! It’s the conclusion.

As a second language learner, I feel so difficult to keep English learning after I entering university. I am in English department, and the teachers here seem to consider me as a good English user and keep ask me to read a big pile of articles and book and other data. It totally drives me crazy. Therefore, I start to think about the problem. What’s wrong with me? I loved to learn English before, what’s wrong now? I figure out one possible reason. That is a problem of the level.

Compared with my writing and speaking, my reading and listening are bad. Someone else once told me that keeping reading would help my English well. Maybe it’s true—I’ve never got the sweet fruit from it—but to me, it’s not of efficient at all and worse of all, makes me feel learning English is a cruel torture.

After following the blog website, I have some conclusion about making an English learning website. For my target audience is those who feel learning English is boring and torturing but want to advance poor English skill, I have three short thought: first, don’t put many things together in one website. It may get the readers overload. Just focus on something I am familiar with. It would help me to build an interesting website. Secondly, using pictures or videos is good to some learners who have difficulty with reading text only. And the third one is make the articles short. It would be easier to understand for readers.