Speaking: Siri & Ok Google

 Have any thoughts on Siri or Ok Google?

Well, both of them are part of mobile phone application. It claimed as the mobile phone user's personal assistant. It is a built-in "intelligent assistant" that enables users to speak natural language voice commands in order to operate the mobile device and its apps (Webopedia).

 

We can set the reminder, call someone, text someone, play music and many more by talking and not push or touch the button in the phone. As we know, the features is already updated. So, Siri and Ok Google can be change into many languages or our first language. But for the ELL, why don't you try to speak with Siri and Ok Google in English. If they can't understand of what you saying, maybe you can fix your pronunciation and practise more. It's fun to try, also it doesn't harm you because you can use it directly from your phone.

When you speak with them with wrong grammar, they still can understand you. Also, sometimes they correct it for you by showing the blue underline under your wrong word.

It's fun talk with them, and it could be as a tool to improve your speaking. Or, as your partner in learning English if you don't have a partner in real life.

So, try it! 

My Experience: Facebook as An E-tool to Improve Writing Skill

In this post, I'll tell little bit of my experience of using Facebook as an e-tool in writing class. Last year, I got a project to write a short biography of a person. My choice is Chris Pine, my favorite actor ever! I won't talk about him, I'll talk about how to use Facebook for writing.

At first, I make a new account (because I don't have one before). Then, I started to write and post it. Don't forget to attach an image to make it more interesting.

 

The great thing from this project is, I still can study together with my friend even though they not around. I ask my friend to analyze the structure, the content, and the information. Turn out really great, I got some responses from my friends. 

 

I did the same thing to them, analyzed their writing. So, we were like commenting each other to see whether our writing is correct or not.

You can do the same thing to improve your writing skill. Ask your friend to analyze your writing when you have already posted it. You can still connect with your friend even though you're not in the class!

ExamEnglish.com to Test Your Listening Skill

 There are lot of website that provide the users to test their English skills. But for this time, my choice goes to examenglish.com . This website is really useful for me (personaly). It's easy, and free. Easy because you can answer the questions directly from your phone with your headphones on (if it's listening test). Also free, because it doesn't need your credit card to join the test.

This website not only provide listening test, but another tests. But I think this is the best one so far to test your listening skill. Because there's no ad, no direct clik triple clik (which is a trap!!), and no charge. 

There are 15 questions total. Push the 'play' button before answering the question. Make sure to prepare a stopwatch. So, you can measure how fast you can answer it. After you have answered the questions, you can ask the result to be sent to your email. But, you can't see the explanation from your wrong answer. You can see it bellow:

 

What you waiting for? It's easy and free!

Using Games Online to Improve Your English (In Communicative Way)

 

Who doesn't love game? Everyone love it, enjoy it, and play it. But, have you ever wonder if there is another benefit of playing games beside satisfying  yourself? Yeah, of course there is! We can improve our skill to communicate with other in speaking English. Well technically you will not speak, but you will write. The example I give to you is Farmville. It is one of online game you can play in handphone or personal computer. Usually the users will find many people as much as they can from all around the world to help their farm (in virtual life).

How they ask for help? Of course the users must chat the random person or friends to ask for help. Maybe at first you will not understand the message, so google translator is the only way to make you understand. But practise makes you perfect. You will soon understand naturally what message a friend give you. Later, you will easily sending chat to your friends  and understand it (with or without google translator, it doesn't matter because you still learn). Maybe the topic of the chat is not only about game, it could be other things that relate with improving your English. Have you tried it? If it so, congratulation you are making friends now! 

E-tools Recommendation For Practice Children's Reading Skill

Have you ever give e-tools for children to practice their reading skill? Maybe some people did and other didn't. Well, it's better for you to use technology because it's 2016!!! There are many explanation why it so. These are benefits of using technology, most of the website provided are free, easy, and fun! Not only website, but there are some applications too. But for the applications, some of them might be not free. My suggestion is choose the free one, because why we need to buy if there are lots of free apps!!

But in this case, I just give the list of the website you can use for practicing reading skill. I got the information from elearningindustry.com. I have my nieces by my side when I open that website, so I ask my niece to try 'em out! Turn out she feels so happy, even though she don't understand the language literally (our first language is Bahasa). Here are the best website according to me :

1. Children's Storybook Online

This is a website that provide many story books. You may prefer this one because it's free, rather than buying on book store which is not-so-affordable haha! I suggest this books for your junior student's / kid / niece (just like me) because if you use the printed one, the chance of having broken paper is 70%. Little kid likes to torn the paper into pieces!

In this website, there also the categories of the stories for children, teens, and young adults.

(http://www.magickeys.com/books/?utm_campaign=elearningindustry.com&utm_source=%2Ftop-10-free-tools-for-teaching-reading-and-writing&utm_medium=link)

2. Poetry Idea Engine

Make sure to have adobe flash player before playing with this website because it is needed. Children may not really interested in poetry because the words are quite hard to understand. But in this website, the children may find it interesting because there's animation in it. The children will be guided to make their poetry in this website, so they probably feel happy! There will be some explanation about the types of poetry which is good, and also some animations that make this website more fun to play!

(http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/poetry_engine.htm?utm_campaign=elearningindustry.com&utm_source=%2Ftop-10-free-tools-for-teaching-reading-and-writing&utm_medium=link#)

3. Free Rice

This is the most generous website I ever visited in my entire life! Why so? Because every question we had answered (the correct one), we'll collect 10 grains of rice and later it'll donate to United Nation World Food Program. Explain to your students/children about it, and it can make them more excited when they know that they can be a philanthropist too by answering the questions! 

(http://freerice.com/?utm_campaign=elearningindustry.com&utm_source=%2Ftop-10-free-tools-for-teaching-reading-and-writing&utm_medium=link#/english-vocabulary/1532)

Punti Kayu

source : kotawisataindonesia.com

Punti Kayu

Zoo is a fun place to go with family or friends. Playing with the animals or feeding them must be fun! In Palembang, South Sumatra there is a zoo called "Punti Kayu". Punti Kayu isn't only a zoo, but it also a nature park. It is located in Kolonel H. Burlian street, it's on downtown so it's easy to find. Punti Kayu is surrounded by tall Pine tree, it makes Punti Kayu become cool as we know the weather in Indonesia is pretty hot. Also, there are some gazebos in certain area. So, we can take a moment for sit and relax while enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

There are many kinds of animal in animal area. There are cute rabbits, chickens, hedgehog, peacock with its beautiful feather, bear, crocodile, monkey, and many more. The monkey isn't only in animal area, but they are everywhere on the tree. So you have to be carefull with yout stuff, you can't put it carelessly because anytime the monkeys are ready to steal it (lol)! You can feed the animals too, but you have to ask with the officers before you feed them.

For those who like to play in the water, there are swimming pool and a lake. Before you enter the swimming pool, make sure to bring the swimming suit. In a lake, you can rent a canoe or a swan boat to explore around the lake. Make sure you have a couple to ride a swan boat, because the 2 pedals need to be stepped. Also, there is a suspension bridge which is safe.

There are another area like outbond area and picnic area which provide flying fox, ferris wheel, riding a horse or elephant, and many more. But you need a ticket to enter certain area. For the first stop, a ticket for children is 4000 rupiah and for adult is 7000 rupiah. A ticket for animal area is 5000 rupiah. For swimming pool and the lake, the ticket is 15000 rupiah and 10000 rupiah. Every ticket is used for each person. So, what are you waiting for?!