--- Forwarded Message from Joseph Dias <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 12:19:36 +0900
>To: LLTI <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Joseph Dias <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: mobile assisted language learning -- MALL?

------------------
I'd like to hear from people who are making use of cell
phones, or other mobile devices, in _any_ way in their teaching.

As more than 95 percent of my students have cell phones
I've been trying to make increasing use of them for language
learning purposes -- mainly the email and Web access
functions that most of the new hand-sets offer. This is
what I've been doing so far ...

* Sending announcements to students' cell phones about
upcoming class activities, room changes, etc. [I do this
from a computer as my thumbs are not as fast as those
of my students.]

* Using a BBS that can be accessed from computer Web
browsers, iMode phones and, one of iMode's competitors
in Japan, J-sky. The BBS is used by students to coordinate
group summer homework and so that I (and they) can
recommend extracurricular English language events such as
plays and special lectures.

* Having students make use of the few mobile Web sites
available for English study. They're not extremely useful
but show some potential. The ones I've found so far are ...
http://www.upworks.com/i/english/
[Gives very simple phrases in Japanese and their English
equivalents. You can access this from a computer but you
need a browser that can deal with Japanese.]
http://www12.u-page.so-net.ne.jp/sa2/michihik/English/kentei.html
[Presents questions like those found on English entrance
exams in Japan and users must choose from among 4
possible answers. Questions deal with pronunciation, grammar,
and conversational English. This is slightly more interactive
than the first site. Again, it requires a Japanese-capable browser
or hand-set.]
http://202.222.107.225/mobile/english/
[Momo's One Point English Conversation -- bascially does
the same as the first one listed above but with more
humor. For example, "Got it." is translated in Japanese
phonetic script as "Roger." This is actually good for non-
Japanese who want to study or brush up on _very_ colloquial
conversational Japanese.]

Well ... that's it in a nutshell. I'd like to hear about what
you've been doing.

Clear skies,
Joseph Dias
Kitasato University, Kanagawa, Japan