Class 8: Email and the things you can do with email

Today’s lesson is about email and some extra things you can do with it.

Some Vocabulary to remember

mail (also known as “snail mail”), a letter (dénombrable), some mail (undénombrable), receiving email: inbox/outbox, folders, send, reply, forward, address book, attachments, signature, client, ISP (internet service provider)… When we want to talk about email (courier électronique), you must use the “e” ahead of the word. If you don’t English speakers think you are talking about regular postal mail (letters and packages).

Section One: you can answer these questions without the computer. (15 minutes)
We will answer these questions together in class

What is email? Create a definition like you would find in a dictionary.

Email means…. It is a system for ……

What are some similarities between regular postal mail (snail mail) and email?

(give two or three reasons)

What are some of the differences between regular postal mail and email?

(give a minimum of 3 reasons)

What are some problems that can arise when you use email ? (for example, problems with the delivery or with attachments)

(give a minimum of 4 reasons)

Do you have the same satisfaction receiving an email as a postal letter?

Section Two: Use the computers to answer the following questions:

Look at this site and answer the questions: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blinternet.htm#email from the History of the Internet:

- Who created email? When?

- What does the @ in the address signify?

More information about email can be found on these sites, http://www.nethistory.info/History%20of%20the%20Internet/email.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00047/email.htm (good vocabulary in the second to last paragraph)

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/email.htm (watch the video. Or scroll down to the diagrams)

http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/20how.htm (look at both pages for easy technical descriptions)

- What are the different parts of an email address called?

- Do you know how to read (aloud) the following email address: what are the names for the punctuation? (at, backslash, colon, dash, dot, hyphen, semicolon, tilde, underscore...)

MmeBays_Cergy@lang.u-cergy.fr/English

- What explains the difference between how you can receive emails via a POP server (also called email client software) vs. Webmail: What are the differences between these two systems? What are the advantages and drawbacks of each? (This information was in the text you read as homework)

- What is SPAM? (give a simple description, don’t list all the different types).

= = THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH EMAIL = =

1) What is a MAILING LIST? (these are also called LISTSERV lists)

Look at this animated site to find out how email mailing lists work. http://www.learnthenet.com/english/animate/maillist.html

- What is the difference between a “moderated” and an “unmoderated” mailing list?

From the following site, find a list with a topic that interests you. http://www.coollist.com/

2) What is a NEWSGROUP?

Look on this site again to find out how they work. http://www.learnthenet.com/english/animate/maillist.html

This site should give you more information about different types of human communication online. What are the different types? How are they all different?

== OTHER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE ==

What is Instant Messaging? And how does it work? How is it different from an email, mailing list or newsgroup?

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/instant-messaging.htm

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/05/25/how.messaging.works.idg/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messaging

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/instantmessaging/qt/windowslivemess.htm

== USES AND ABUSES ==

If you have time:

What is Phishing? Or Identity Theft? How can you avoid being a victim?

What is a P2P network?

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HOMEWORK

Read « Blog toujours, tu m’intéresses » article from Le Monde Diplomatique , mardi 19 mars 2002.

Class 7: preparing for and finding jobs and interships

Today you will be looking for tools to help you find a job. Then you will look for summer jobs and internships in some English speaking countries (or Spanish or German speaking countries too).

- From the following site, find out what a “resume” is and how it is a “selling tool”.
http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/index.cfm

(if you cannot find the definition, look at the Sample Resumes section and look at the examples. You will recognize what a resume is from these.)

- Find the right kind of resume format for you now or for when you finish your studies in LEA at Cergy (you are a “new graduate”).

- What is the British English word to say a job resume? How is this same word (the answer to the first question) used differently in American English (hint: the definition is more specific)?

- Compare these three more sites about writing a resume:
a) www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html
b) http://esl.about.com/library/howto/htresume.htm
c) http://www.questcareer.com/tips.htm

- Describe each site and its style with one or two sentences.
- Which one is the most adapted to you?

- Write down some notes about yourself following the example in the b) site. This means, answer questions 1, 2 and 3 on the advice given in the Here’s How section.

- What must you write and include with a CV when you apply for a job? (What is this called?)

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Here is a giant site that specializes in Job hunting: http://content.monster.com/

Go to the Jobs Basics section and look up the Resume Center. Scroll to the bottom of the page. And look at some sample resumes and letters.

Now go back to the Job Basics section and click on the Interview section. Scroll down the page and choose Virtual Interviews.
- What is a Virtual Interview?
- Then chose the Campus Virtual Interview and follow the interview for a couple of pages (this takes too long to finish, so only do a few pages).

Go back to the main Interview section. You will see the Dos and Don’ts section.

Click on “More articles like this” after the Dos and Don’ts section. Now click on the article “Your turn to Ask”.
- What does it tell you about your role in the interview?
- How can Hobbies benefit you? (Another article in the Dos and Don’ts section)

What is the definition of an “internship”? Go to Google and type into the search bar “define: internship” (the 3^rd definition is the easiest to understand)

Find some internships in foreign countries like England, the USA, Australia, Spain, Austria…

http://www.studyabroaddirectory.com/listingsp3.cfm/listing/712
http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/summerjobs/a/summerjob.htm
http://www.idealist.org/
http://www.foe.co.uk/press_for_change/volunteer/
http://www.jobsabroad.com/listingsp3.cfm/listing/23592

HOMEWORK:

Read the text: Managing Email (pages 14 -17 in your brochure)

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Extra information:
http://www.directetudiant.com/ (the French equivalent of the Jobs Abroad site for you to look at later)

Career Advice:
Go back to this site: http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/index.cfm, look for the Career Guides Section and select Career Guides for Everyone. Then choose the question “What do I want – Online career tests”. Select the The Keirsey Temperament Sorter and follow this text for Non-English Temperment Sorters (the link is at the bottom of the page). How did you do? What is your personality like?

Go back to the jobsmart.org page and find another test to help orient yourself towards a career.

Class Six: Writing to Ulster Students & Exchange Programs

Contact with the Northern Irish & Exchange Programs

Part One: Contacting the Northern Irish Students

Open up the software BlocNotes (WordPad or OpenOfficeWord). You will write two paragraphs (about 50 words each), one in English and one in French. The topic depends on the class you are in:

MONDAY

Group 7: Your favourite travel experience (or What is the funniest or most frightening travel experience you have had?)

Group 9: Your favourite travel experience (or What is the funniest or most frightening travel experience you have had?)

Group 5: Your favourite travel experience (or What is the funniest or most frightening travel experience you have had?)

TUESDAY

Group 10: How much do you “consume” media (like TV, Radio or the Press) and does this influence the way you think?

GROUP 6: How much do you “consume” media (like TV, Radio or the Press) and does this influence the way you think?

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Part Two: Exchange programs:

From the U-Cergy website homepage, find the section about studying abroad. (Hint, it’s in the International section)

- As an LEA student, what other countries can you study in?

- Who is the person (or people) responsible for International Relations in LEA? If you want to go abroad, it is sometimes necessary to contact this person directly if you have questions about your candidacy.

Find information about the Erasmus program.
- What are the conditions for participating in the Erasmus program?
- What are some of the different steps taken before going on the Erasmus program?
- What must you do when you arrive in the foreign country? And when you come back to Cergy?

- Where can you turn if you don’t have the money to pay for your year abroad? (give two concrete examples, minimum)

- Also in the International section of the Cergy website, find the information about doing an international “internship”. Find out the conditions, and what organisation can give you information. (if you don’t know the word internship, look it up in the American Heritage dictionary online: http://www.bartleby.com/61/ or through Google)

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- Look up some other exchange programs by doing some keyword searches on the Net. (15-20 minutes)
- What keywords should you use? (remember KEEP IT SIMPLE and only put the ESSENTIAL words. So, think about what you are really looking for).

- Imagine that you want to go to study in the following different countries (and one more of your choice) (and it is not possible to go through the UCP). What programs (other than Erasmus or through the UCP) offer exchanges to these places?

Australia, China, Mexico and XXXXXXXXX

==> Find at least three programs for the year to work or study (or both). What are the conditions to go? Does it cost anything? How long would you go for? Where would you live?

In the USA, this is called a Junior Year Abroad (Junior is the 3^rd year of University). Listen and watch one or two testimonies from students who go abroad: http://www.nbc4.tv/jya/index.html First watch the Postcard, and then you can see episodes of their lives.

(Do NOT spend more than 5 minutes on this in class. If the sound or video doesn’t work, go on to the next exercise)

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- What is a “Gap Year”? (10 minutes)

- What does a person usually do during a Gap Year?

- Give some examples of sites that help organise your Gap year. What do these sites offer?

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If time (if not do this at HOME): Look up CouchSurfing or the Hospitality Club. What do they offer or promote? How can these organisations be helpful in learning about different cultures and places?

Now you can watch some exchange students and related subjects on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uinrDYS6SBg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvGuxP7-RI0 (this may be difficult to understand because they have a fake Italian accent).
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Homework:

Read the article “The Call of the East”, The Economist, Feb 17^th, 2005. Fill in spaces and answer questions. There will be a quick quiz next class period about this text.

Go Onto the Internet this week. Answer the following question:
What does CNN Student news provide to help you learn English better?
http://www.cnn.com/EDUCATION/

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Extra Information:
What kinds of education and training programs are offered through the following sites?
Union et aides européennes: http://europa.eu.int/
Programme Face: http://www.fnege.net/ (you may need to do a keyword search on this site)AJECID : http://acadmae.free.fr/AJECID/.
Internships international: http://www.backdoorjobs.com/ii.html

Class Five: Recapitulation & Contacting Irish Keypals

Recapitulation: take 5 to 10 minutes to answer these questions. You may work with your neighbors. We will answer them aloud in class.

- Do you know this vocabulary: account, bookmark, to click, file, folder, hypertext, keypal, meta-search engine, online, plagiarism, podcast, to post, search engine, to search for, to scroll (down), to type,

- What is the difference between the Yahoo.fr Group and the Class BLOG?

- Why can’t you access the Yahoo Group when you are signed into your Yahoo Mail account?

- Where are you supposed to post your homework online?

- How does a BLOG present information in terms of the chronology of each entry?

- Where do you find the Homework for the next lesson?

- How can you go directly to Class Two without having to scroll down the screen?

- Where is the Centre de Ressources Linguistiques located?

- How can you make a reservation to go to the CRL?

Time for YOUR Questions(in French or in English)

Contacting the Irish Students

Part One: Consolidating the questionnaire for the Irish Students (10 minutes approx)

With your neighbours (in groups of 4 or 5), consolidate your questions and choose the 5 best questions for the Irish students. These should include two “yes-or-no” questions, two multiple choice questions, one open ended question. Hand this in to the instructor also. This survey will be posted online for the Irish students to answer.

Part Two: responding to the Irish texts.

Have you received an email from an Irish student? Make sure to check your Yahoo Mail account for their comments on your essays. If you have not yet received an email, check again next week. They will be writing to you soon.

Connect to the Yahoo Group. Go to the Fichiers section and open the file Franco_Irish_Exchange. Then find the file that corresponds to your class group (NB: Lundi 14h30 + 15h30 are combined so you open the same file).

Open and read some of the Irish texts and prepare a response (votre professeur vous dirait combien de textes il faut lire et auxquels il faut répondre car ils sont beaucoup moins nombreux en class que vous) (Bien sûr, vous pouvez lire les textes des autres groupes aussi ! Ils sont intéressants).

Group 7 – Lundi 13h30:

Group 9 – lundi 14h30: read all the texts in both folders for 14h30 and 15h15.

Group 5 – Lundi 15h30: read all the texts in both folders for 14h30 and 15h15.

Group 10 – Mardi 9h00:

Group 6 – Mardi 15h15:

Respond to one of the texts, or contact one of the people who did not yet post their text. Write a short email in English to the person who wrote the text (See the Excel folder for the email addresses).Give your impressions of the content. Correct his/her French if you want by making suggestions about the vocabulary or the grammar.Tell the person about Cergy , the town you are from or the Cergy-Pontoise region.

Part Three: Exchange programs: (10 minutes)

From the U-Cergy website homepage, find the section about studying abroad. (Hint, it’s in the International section)

- As an LEA student, what other countries can you study in?

- Who is the person (or people) responsible for International Relations in LEA? If you want to go abroad, it is sometimes necessary to contact this person directly if you have questions about your candidacy.

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HOMEWORK:

Go to the Centre de Ressources Linguistiques and work on some English language software (you choose which software you want to work on). Bring your teacher an Attestation signed by the monitor to prove that you went.

Finish writing to the Irish students if you did not finish in class.