【英语趣味课堂】教室里的电脑-Computers in Class

Peter: So Sarah, tell me, you're teaching¹ right now, could you give me your opinion on computer use in the classroom, like using it in your classes, what do you think about that?

 

Sarah: I think it's good when there's certain activities that are related² to using computers. But when you're trying to do an activity that's not on a computer in a classroom that has computers, it's very difficult to get your students' attention because they're often distracted³ by doing something else on the internet, they shouldn't be doing.

 

Peter: Oh, I totally agree, I often have that problem, it feels like I'm speaking to a crowd of ghosts. I have no idea that they're talking to me or looking at me or doing anything that they should be doing, so it's really hard. I find it really hard. But I agree also, I think computers can be so useful in the classroom, especially if you have to do a specific⁴ activity where students have to find information and listening activities where they can listen to individual listenings and things like that, you know.

 

Sarah: Yeah. So what do you think about cell⁵ phones in the classroom, do you let your students use them? Because maybe they have an electronic⁶ dictionary of some sort on their mobile⁷ phone. So is that okay, or no cell phones, what do you do?

 

Peter: Ah, that's a frustrating⁸ topic. I think sometimes I find it really useful if students have their smartphones with them and they can do a quick online search of something that they want to do, especially words they want to look up. So the dictionary use I think is quite useful for students. But on the other hand I always have to kind of keep a watchful⁹ eye and see what students exactly are up to, you know, they sometimes start playing a game or they sit on Facebook and sit writing notes to their friends and messages come and go. So yeah, I'm always not sure exactly how to handle it, but most of the time my students are pretty good. So they seem to use it mostly for dictionary.

 

Sarah: Oh, that's good, yeah.

 

Peter: Yeah. How about your students?

 

Sarah: Yeah, some of my students use it for ... they have a dictionary on there that they use. But I think though, most of them have a separate¹⁰ electronic dictionary that's only a dictionary. And I much prefer it when they use that because then I know they are really just looking at a word and not on Facebook or doing something else like you just mentioned, so.

 

Peter: Have you ever taken cell phones away in class from students?

 

Sarah: No, not yet, I haven't had to, usually when I walk around the room they put it away very quickly if they are doing something they are not supposed to be doing. And if they are using it to look up a word then they have no problem with me seeing what they are doing, so, end of class.

 

Peter: I heard about a teacher the other day, he said he's got a basket that he collects cell phones with at the beginning of class, and he puts them on his front desk and then at the end of class he gives them back. But I thought, wow, that's quite strict I thought. I don't know if I would do that, how about you?

 

Sarah: Yeah. I would be worried that some students would forget their phones and then the problem with trying to get them their phone back and all of that, it might not be worth the hassle.

 

Peter: Yeah, I probably would agree with that.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

a crowd of ghosts

 

It feels like I'm speaking to a crowd of ghosts. 

 

Here, the speaker means¹¹ that the people in his class are not listening to him or noticing him.

1 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

2 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。

3 distracted   

a.注意力分散的，思想不集中的

参考例句：

• When working, one should concentrate and not allow oneself to be distracted. 工作时要集中精力，不要分心。
• Noise outside distracted her mind from her studies. 门外的噪音使她心神不宁，无法集中注意力学习。

4 specific   

adj.明确的；具体的；特定的

参考例句：

• The money is to be used for specific purposes.这笔钱有专门用途。
• We haven't fixed a specific date for our meeting.我们会议的具体日期还没有定下来。

5 cell   

n.区，细胞，血球；小室，牢房；电池，光电管；基层组织

参考例句：

• Soap destroys the cell walls of bacteria.肥皂破坏细菌的细胞壁。
• They have locked the prisoners up in their cell.他们已把犯人监禁在小牢房里。

6 electronic   

adj.电子的；n.[-s]电子学，电子设备

参考例句：

• It is an electronic device with many uses.这是一部具有多种用途的电子仪器。
• Father needs a new electronic shaver.爸爸需要一个新的电子剃须刀。

7 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

8 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

10 separate   

n.分开，抽印本；adj.分开的，各自的，单独的；v.分开，隔开，分居

参考例句：

• Are they joined together or separate?它们是合在一起还是分开的？
• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering.洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。

11 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。