Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh

Informational Newsletter
Volume 96, Number 2
/projects/ckp/newsletter/v96n2.html

Using the World Wide Web in Foreign Language Classes

The Internet is a powerful learning tool in foreign language classes. Using email, PPS students and teachers regularly communicate with penpals from countries around the world, post inquiries on German, French and Spanish newsgroups, and participate in international surveys. Clearly, the Internet has provided learners in foreign language classes with authentic opportunities to converse with others in their native tongue.

This newsletter describes a number of attempts to move beyond the typical email activities towards creative uses of the resources available on the World Wide Web. Innovative PPS teachers are developing foreign language curriculum that points to actual resources (museums, libraries, cultural events) in the countries being studied. Common to all of this work is an interest in developing multicultural understanding, accessing native speakers, and integrating network activities into curriculum. Also, since this work is published on the World Wide Web, it is available to all.

German Classes at Schenley H.S. - Regine Fougeres

German students in upper level classes use the WWW as a resource for a wide range of topics - current events, culture/ethnicity, arts/music, geography, literature, environment, technology, health, mass media, contemporary women's issues, and historical events. The topics are an integral part of the existing curricula. Students, working independently, use a set of Netscape lessons created by their teacher Regine Fougeres. The Netscape lessons and samples of students' work can be found at: http://sparta.schenley.pps.pgh.pa.us/~fougeres/deutld.html

French Classes at Carrick H.S. - Roxane Gaal

French students at Carrick High School have been taking a "promenade" on the Internet via web pages designed specifically for them by their French teacher, Roxane Gaal. Students in French 4 browse through museums, viewing Impressionist works and learning biographical facts about such artists as Renoir and Monet. The French 3 classes land at De Gaulle airport, and must figured out how to get to their hotel via the RER. Sightseeing is on the program for the French 2 classes. Their itinerary includes several museums and monuments, ending with a dizzying panoramic view of Paris from atop the Arc de Triomphe. The French 2 classes will eventually be able to take a restaurant tour, eating their way from "Haute Gastronomie" to McDonald's, but that web page is not yet ready for public access. All of these pages can be accessed through: http://grace.carrick.pps.pgh.pa.us/~gaal

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can anyone with a Common Knowledge account create a WWW homepage?

Answer: Yes! PPS staff may create homepages for educational purposes. The homepage will be a file that resides in a subdirectory in your account. Directions for setting up a directory for this purpose can be found at:

/projects/ckp/info/html.html

An online course on using html to set up homepages was created by Oscar Huber and Regine Fougeres from Schenley H.S. It can be found at:

http://sparta.schenley.pps.pgh.pa.us/~fougeres/wkshop1.html

Obtaining Help

Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh maintains a number of email addresses that provide users with online help. If you have an account on the system and would like to obtain answers to common questions, send email to:

trouble@pps.pgh.pa.us (technical assistance)

resources@pps.pgh.pa.us (curricular assistance)

info@ckp.edu (information pertaining to Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh)

sliplube@pps.pgh.pa.us (setting up a slip account on a PC)

macslip@pps.pgh.pa.us (setting up a slip account on a MAC)

If you are a PPS employee and would like an Internet account, call us at 622-5930.