Home of DRIVE-THROUGH ESL: January 2001

HELP TEAM REPORT

Write the report in a notecard. Things to write in the report:

First name, last name. (Copy and paste names, don't type them)
First language.
Other (English level, best times for classes, special interests, needs)

Copy the name as soon as the visitor appears at the infohub. Send the report to Giovanni Tweak every week. When you come to class 15 minutes early, open the report, IM the visitors, invite them to class and explain what type of class it will be.

Making the Best Use of Text Lessons in SL

1. Before the lessons starts make sure that your CHATS are being LOGGED

Click on the EDIT menu…then the PREFERENCES tab at the bottom

Select the COMMUNICATION tab. At the bottom of this window you can tick boxes to LOG CHAT (and to LOG INSTANT MESSAGES) and at the very bottom of the window you can select where you want these files to be saved. (I think the default is in your documents.)

By logging the chat for the lesson you make it possible to find the text of the lesson and read through it again after you have logged out of Second Life.

This may be very useful, but remember that there may be many typing errors there. The teacher may not have corrected all the mistakes made by the pupils, and may also have made typing and spelling errors herself as she types away as fast as she can during the lesson!

2. ENABLE HISTORY (click CHAT and then HISTORY) and then make this window as LONG as you can. This will give you time to read what is being said in the lesson.

3. Arrange the windows on your screen so that you can see both the classroom (if you need to see the teacher and the other avatars) and the chat window in which the lesson is happening. The classroom SHOULD be arranged to make this possible if not easy!

4. If it gets dark during the lesson, remember that you can make it light again by clicking on WORLD and FORCE SUN, and selecting NOON.

5. Remember that you can ask questions at any time during the lesson. Questions about English should be typed in the chat. Don’t be shy, and remember mistakes are GOOD!!! When the teacher corrects someone’s mistake and explains it…EVERYONE LEARNS. Questions about the lessons and the school (not about English) should be in IM to the CLASS RUNNER, or to GIOVANNI TWEAK the owner of the school.

6. NOTE FOR OBSERVERS. If you are an ESL/EFL teacher yourself and are observing please do not interrupt the lesson! You are welcome to join in as a student but please give the other students a chance! Do not leap in immediately with the answer…of course you know it!!! LOL. Please give any observations and feedback to the teacher in IM, preferably AFTER the lesson.

This is all I can think of just now…if you think of any more tips that I can pass on to other students please let me know. 

Bracken Homewood BA BSc PGCE MA CELTA

Teacher at the Drive Through ESL School in Second Life

Answer their questions

Ask if they have any question. If the visitor doesn't understand English, tell them when the Help Team member (if there is one) who speaks their language works, and send him/her an IM with the name and language of the visitor. FAQ: - each class runs for about AN HOUR -About DRIVE-THROUGH If someone asks you about the program, you can tell him/her that this is DRIVE-THROUGH ESL program, and that the best way to know how does it works is by joining a class. By drive-through we mean that there need not be a pre-set lesson plan, that the class is conducted according to the needs of the participants in that particular class. It also means that a participant needn’t remain in the class for the entire hour. - About LEVELS

All levels are welcome at our classes. All questions will be answered. If you find the class too easy or to difficult, please talk to the class runner after class

- About CLASS COSTS 500L is less than 1.8 US$ or 1.5 € and 1000L is less than 3.5 US$ or 3 €. You can buy 10 text classes for 3.500 L. You can tell the person that the first class is free. Tell him/her, that if after class, he/she is really interested in continuing to take classes, we can talk about it. - About PRIVATE CLASSES Private Classes for SIM owners: 6000L$/hr Business English classes for RL businesses: 15.000L$/hr Private classes cost 6.000L$ each. Duration 1 hour. SIM owners will decide when and where Private classes will be held. ESL SL provides the teacher and class running support. SIM owners pay for the class in advance, can invite who they want. Examples of private classes: Training for SIM employees Class for shop renters, residential renters: community building. Class to promote SIM with SL new residents Class for paying students (SIM owners keep the money) Starter offer: 15.000L$/4 classes Business English classes cost 15.000L$. Duration 1 hour Class is for employees of RL companies. Can Attract RL businesses to SL. Other ideas? IM Giovanni Tweak. ESL SL, the English school. Home of DRIVE-THROUGH ESL

Add visitor to group

Invite them to the school group:

«If you'd like, I can invite you to the school group. If you join you will receive a notice before each class»

HOW TO ADD A NEW MEMBER TO GROUP

- Open COMMUNICATE window

- Click on CONTACTS tab

- Click on GROUPS tab

- select ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SL

- click on INFO button

- click on MEMBERS & ROLES tab

- click on INVITE NEW PERSON button

- click on OPEN PERSON CHOOSER

- type Avatar's name in FIND field

- click on FIND button

- click SELECT button

- click SEND INVITATIONS (in the other window)

ANOTHER WAY TO ADD A NEW MEMBER TO GROUP

- right click on avatar

- click MORE

- click GROUP INVITE

- select ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SL

- SEND INVITATION

Give the URL

Tell the visitor to visit the url of the school website: For EXEMPLE: «you can check class and help team schedules at http://esl-sl.blogspot.com»

Invite visitors to class

Inform visitor about:

- joining a free text class. Invite him/her - when the next class will be

DRIVE-THROUGH ESL INFO

Class Introduction

Welcome to ESL DRIVE-THROUGH

"ESL" means English as a Second Language. It's an expression used in North America to define the kind of English taught to people living in an English-speaking world, people who speak two languages every day.

"DRIVE-THROUGH" means that the classes are not part of a course. Classes can be taken as needed.

Just come by and ask your questions. You can learn from other people's questions and from the teacher's answers.

Don't be afraid your question is too difficult, or that other students will not understand. The teacher will answer for everybody.

Don't be afraid to ask a question just because you're worried it might not be correct English. That's the reason you're here!

Ask your question anyway. The teacher will understand, and by correcting your question, the whole class learns something.

If the teacher doesn't understand, you can ask for help from another student who speaks your language. Use IM please.

It is not to your advantage to arrive late to class or to leave early. If you have to, please say "hi" and "bye" to the class quickly so the lesson won't be interrupted.

For comments or questions about this note card, see Giovanni Tweak.

ESL SL DTinfo

ENGLISH (ESL) DRIVE-THROUGH Beginner/Intermediate level

***Join the group "English as a second language in SL” to receive notification of the upcoming classes and school activities***

Come to our class at ESL SL with your questions about English: words, text, expressions, slang and idioms, and grammar.

Experienced, native-language teachers will explain what words and phrases mean and how to use them.

It’s a new method to learn and improve your English built to suit Second Life.

Get your questions answered:

· How do I greet someone I want to meet?

· How do say “I want to make money” in SL?

· How do I ask for a date?

Anything you don't understand? Get your questions answered in class!

Learn what you want and when you need it. All our teachers hold specialist teaching qualifications.

Obtain a strong base in verbal communication skills while improving your written English, grammar and language usage.

Our fees:

· one-hour class, 500L

· 15 minutes private lesson, 500L

For more information or to schedule your private lesson, IM Giovanni Tweak (anytime; IM to e-mail)

Greet Visitors and give Infocard

- Welcome the visitor to the school. For EXAMPLE, you may say:

«Hi xxx. Welcome to ESL SL, an English school.»

- Ask visitor what his or her first language is. For EXAMPLE, you may ask:

«What is your first language?»

Give the visitor DRIVE-THROUGH ESL INFO and ESL SL DTinfo notecards in his/her first language or in English. For EXAMPLE, you may say: «I'll give you two notes. They are short. Please read them. When you have read them, you can ask me any questions you want.» or, after giving both notecards: «I gave you two short notecards about the school in XXX. Please read it.» * To give a notecard, just click on it, drag and drop it into avatar or into his/her profile (into the pic or into Give Item: Drop Inventory item here field)

How to wear Help Team Tag

- Open COMMUNICATE window

- Click on CONTACTS tab

- Click on GROUPS tab

- select ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SL

- click on INFO button

- click on MY ACTIVE TITLE

- select ESL SL HELP TEAM

Sending a group notice or a group IM

HOW TO SEND A GROUP NOTICE

- Open COMMUNICATE window

- Click on CONTACTS tab

- Click on GROUPS tab

- select ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SL

- click on INFO button

- click on NOTICES tab

- click CREATE NEW NOTICE

- write the notice (Exemple: «Hi! If you need information about classes or school, please come to the Help Team Office. I'll be here from xx to xx AM (or PM) SLT.»).

- drop the landmark into OPEN ATTACHMENT field

- click SEND NOTICE

HOW TO SEND A GROUP IM

- Open COMMUNICATE window

- Click on CONTACTS tab

- Click on GROUPS tab

- select ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SL

- click on IM/CALL button

- write the text

- SEND it

When you start your work in the infohub, send an IM or a notice to advice people that you are working in the infohub. You can write it in English and in your first language.

If you send a notice, every member of the group will receive it, even if they are off line, if they have enabled that option, so send only one notice. If you send an IM, only the group members that are on line will receive it, so you can send more. For example, you can send one when you start to work, and one hour later.

Remember to attach the landmark (if you send a notice) or to copy the URL address http://slurl.com/secondlife/Matamata/119/51/98 (if you send an IM)