Cultural Difficulties Facing EFL Instructors: Chatlog 2003

The webpage shows some parts of the chatlog of a synchronous text-conversation, between an EFL instructor in an elementary public school in Kuwait, and me, Buthaina. The purpose of providing this text-log is to support my story on cultural difficulties facing EFL teachers when working using technology in their homes.

Please note that some names of persons and places are replaced by the (Xs) for security reasons to avoid any kind of trouble for that teacher. This chat took place online using a free of charge IM, in Spring 2003.

eflteacher: It's really nice what you do with your classes

buthaina_3: Chat is very important

buthaina_3: students and parents should know that chatting can be used for educational purposes

buthaina_3: Another writing project my 090 students did

buthaina_3: http://090writingassignments.blogspot.com/

eflteacher: I started to build the site as a small step in this direction

buthaina_3: this I need to publish more of their work but cannot find enough time to do everything I want

buthaina_3: great..

buthaina_3: focus on CMC tools they are great

eflteacher: yes they are

buthaina_3: for your pronunciation lessons you can try a voice chat with them

buthaina_3: would you like to try it here..now?

eflteacher: love to...but I don't have a microphone

buthaina_3: oh, better get one soon… as we are using video now..

buthaina_3: Maha

buthaina_3: the final goal is to achieve the following

buthaina_3: http://www.geocities.com/esl_efl_ku/tesol03_conclusion.htm

eflteacher: not sure what will (xxxxxx) [O1] say...my husband :) he hates chatting

eflteacher: he hear a lot of bad things about it

eflteacher: he needs some lessons from you maybe :)

buthaina_3: if you show him what teachers do in a chat session , I'm sure he will change his mind

buthaina_3: no, he needs to check out work by teachers from all over the world.

buthaina_3: this for example: https://alothman-b.tripod.com/sus_chat_090.htm

eflteacher: he'll shake his head and go :) but I'm trying to make

eflteacher: him involved with me in it

buthaina_3: http://www.geocities.com/aidenyeh/shih_chien/2ndsem/whatsinaname/who.htm

eflteacher: I show/tell him about WIA

Cut----

buthaina_3: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/efiwebheads/

eflteacher: I read about them and how to join

buthaina_3: http://www.homestead.com/prosites-vstevens/files/efi/webheads.htm

eflteacher: it is really interesting

buthaina_3: would you like to join teachers' discussions..every Sunday? [O2]

eflteacher: Thank you :) this the page I visited

eflteacher: I'd love to

eflteacher: but

eflteacher: do you really think I'll manage it there ?:)

buthaina_3: yes, and the one prior to it is their yahoo group site where he [O3] can join directly and start writing

buthaina_3: a teacher [O4] should reply to him

eflteacher: I'd love to participate

buthaina_3: and he can tell her what he needs to improve

eflteacher: aha cool

buthaina_3: and she/he [O5] can have him in many projects too

eflteacher: I'll even ask him to read this log :)

buthaina_3: chatting using voice as well

eflteacher: wow very nice

buthaina_3: yes, and Dafne and other teachers developed an online course with video too.

eflteacher: aha

eflteacher: I might join them

buthaina_3: tell him, I'm sure he will change his mind and start considering chats

buthaina_3: and you can join Webheads

eflteacher: I feel I need it too

buthaina_3: and then participate as a teacher in a porject

buthaina_3: with your students

eflteacher: do you think my English is OK?

buthaina_3: what do you mean? of course ..it is perfect to me.

buthaina_3: you are qualified, aren't you?

eflteacher: yes I am

eflteacher: but i feel I'm loosing the language because I'm practicing it less

buthaina_3: let me tell you, if you understand the concept behind e-learning and e-teaching then things would be very clear to you.

eflteacher: good

buthaina_3: you can join forums and CoPs [O6] , they are really good for us [O7] , where we can practice our English with Native speakers.

eflteacher: I do understand...then I guess it is clear but I need to trust myself

End

[O1] Name of the husband deleted and replaced with Xs.

[O2] I mean Webheads’ teachers meetings at Tapped In every Sunday at 12:00 GMT.

[O3] I mean her husband.

[O4] I mean Maggie, of course

[O5] I mean Maggie or Vance.

[O6] Communities of practice.

[O7] I mean teachers in general.


	Difficulties Facing EFL/ESL Instructors in the Home The webpage shows some parts of the chatlog of a synchronous text-conversation, between an EFL instructor in an elementary public school in Kuwait, and me, Buthaina. The purpose of providing this text-log is to support my story on cultural difficulties facing EFL teachers when working using technology in their homes. Please note that some names of persons and places are replaced by the (Xs) for security reasons to avoid any kind of trouble for that teacher. This chat took place online using a free of charge IM, in Spring 2003. eflteacher: It's really nice what you do with your classes buthaina_3: Chat is very important buthaina_3: students and parents should know that chatting can be used for educational purposes buthaina_3: Another writing project my 090 students did buthaina_3: http://090writingassignments.blogspot.com/ eflteacher: I started to build the site as a small step in this direction buthaina_3: this I need to publish more of their work but cannot find enough time to do everything I want buthaina_3: great.. buthaina_3: focus on CMC tools they are great eflteacher: yes they are buthaina_3: for your pronunciation lessons you can try a voice chat with them buthaina_3: would you like to try it here..now? eflteacher: love to...but I don't have a microphone buthaina_3: oh, better get one soon… as we are using video now.. buthaina_3: Maha buthaina_3: the final goal is to achieve the following buthaina_3: http://www.geocities.com/esl_efl_ku/tesol03_conclusion.htm eflteacher: not sure what will (xxxxxx) [O1] say...my husband :) he hates chatting eflteacher: he hear a lot of bad things about it eflteacher: he needs some lessons from you maybe :) buthaina_3: if you show him what teachers do in a chat session , I'm sure he will change his mind buthaina_3: no, he needs to check out work by teachers from all over the world. buthaina_3: this for example: https://alothman-b.tripod.com/sus_chat_090.htm eflteacher: he'll shake his head and go :) but I'm trying to make eflteacher: him involved with me in it buthaina_3: http://www.geocities.com/aidenyeh/shih_chien/2ndsem/whatsinaname/who.htm eflteacher: I show/tell him about WIA Cut---- buthaina_3: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/efiwebheads/ eflteacher: I read about them and how to join buthaina_3: http://www.homestead.com/prosites-vstevens/files/efi/webheads.htm eflteacher: it is really interesting buthaina_3: would you like to join teachers' discussions..every Sunday? [O2] eflteacher: Thank you :) this the page I visited eflteacher: I'd love to eflteacher: but eflteacher: do you really think I'll manage it there ?:) buthaina_3: yes, and the one prior to it is their yahoo group site where he [O3] can join directly and start writing buthaina_3: a teacher [O4] should reply to him eflteacher: I'd love to participate buthaina_3: and he can tell her what he needs to improve eflteacher: aha cool buthaina_3: and she/he [O5] can have him in many projects too eflteacher: I'll even ask him to read this log :) buthaina_3: chatting using voice as well eflteacher: wow very nice buthaina_3: yes, and Dafne and other teachers developed an online course with video too. eflteacher: aha eflteacher: I might join them buthaina_3: tell him, I'm sure he will change his mind and start considering chats buthaina_3: and you can join Webheads eflteacher: I feel I need it too buthaina_3: and then participate as a teacher in a porject buthaina_3: with your students eflteacher: do you think my English is OK? buthaina_3: what do you mean? of course ..it is perfect to me. buthaina_3: you are qualified, aren't you? eflteacher: yes I am eflteacher: but i feel I'm loosing the language because I'm practicing it less buthaina_3: let me tell you, if you understand the concept behind e-learning and e-teaching then things would be very clear to you. eflteacher: good buthaina_3: you can join forums and CoPs [O6] , they are really good for us [O7] , where we can practice our English with Native speakers. eflteacher: I do understand...then I guess it is clear but I need to trust myself End [O1] Name of the husband deleted and replaced with Xs. [O2] I mean Webheads’ teachers meetings at Tapped In every Sunday at 12:00 GMT. [O3] I mean her husband. [O4] I mean Maggie, of course [O5] I mean Maggie or Vance. [O6] Communities of practice. [O7] I mean teachers in general.