Convert MS Word files to PDF files

PDF files are widely used now. If you have a word file and want to convert it to a pdf file, you can use www.adobe.com. Adobe will convert the file for you. Of course, you need to sign up (easy) and you get 5 conversions, absolutely free. There are some commercial software to convert files, I tries some of those. None of them is good. Use Adobe Acrobat program is the best choice. New version of Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader) will automatically add a pdf icon in word to convert files. It is neat.

Blogging in Teaching/Learning 中文课博客(网誌)写作

Let's blog!
博客(网誌)(blog)已被广泛接受. 每个人都可以成为网上作者, 在网上交流自己的作品. 中文教学中也可尝试使用博客来进行写作教学. 其优点是学生成为博客网的主人. 其他同学都可自由阅览, 并参与讨论. 学生也可自由发挥, 写作一些自己想写的题材. 以下是我的学期计划.

1. 规定写作:
按教学内容, 列出作业题目.
文体包括: 自我介绍, 游记, 记叙文写作, 文学评论(比较), 论说文, 诗歌, 散文......

Requirements for assignments
写作的基本要求:
1. 思路明确, 主题清晰.
2. 段落分明, 言简意赅.
3. 词语优美, 语句通顺.
4. 表达流畅, 认真标点.

作业 Assignments (Spring 2006):
作业1: 自我介绍--介绍自己与众不同的方面, 可以是自己的特殊经历, 特殊性格或出事方式.
Introduce yourself and demonstrate one unique characteristic.

作业2: 我的职业选择
Select a career for yourself, and explain why.

作业3: "我的母亲"
Writing: My Mother"

作业4: 选择一个网页作业题目, 写一个提纲.
Choose a web project title. Write an outline of the project.

作业5: 写作: 详细介绍网页作业内容.
Write about your project.

作业6: 写作: 小组交流工作网页作业内容, 相互评论改写.
Read members' blog. Write a response/comment.

作业7: 写作: "律师的独子"--讨论评价人物或主体.

考试1:选两题

1. 列举"茉莉冰淇淋" 中科丽娜的人物特色.
人物是文学作品的主要表现形式, 作者通过人物来表现作品的主要内容与反映作品的主题。 试分析人物的特色， 并举例说明。

2. 恶梦, 茉莉香, 姥姥, 在故事中有什么关联?
它们在故事中有什么意义？ 作者在写作时想通过它们表达什么？

3. 此篇作品的写作方法评述
作品的写作方法包括不同的修辞手法。 通过这些修辞手法来表现人物， 发展情节， 反映主题。举例说明文中的三个写作方法。

作业8: 但丁 <<神曲 地狱篇>>阅读: 描述第二层地狱.

作业9:




Assignments (Fall 2005):
作业1: 自我介绍--介绍自己与众不同的方面, 可以是自己的特殊经历, 特殊性格或出事方式.
Introduce yourself and demonstrate one unique characteristic.
作业2: 谈谈对中文学习的想法. 到了美国有没有必要学中文?
Comment on the importance of learning Chinese: Should we study Chinese in America?
作业3: "我的故乡"
Writing: My Hometown
作业4: 选择一部上列电子作品, 阅读后写一篇作文介绍这一作品.
Read one ebook from above site. Write a response/comment.
作业5: 作家介绍
Introduce one author you know.
作业6: 我为什么来美国?(或询问一下父母来美原因)
Survey: Why does my family come to U.S.?
作业7: <<哈姆莱特>>中人物特色介绍.
Explain the characteristics of one character in "Hamlet".
作业8: <<哈姆莱特>>中的人文思想.
Explain the humanism in "Hamlet".
作业9: 问卷调查--来美动机与建构图表
Draw a graph of the above survey.
作业10: 阅读作文:哥伦布发现美洲的意义.
Reading/writing assignment: the significance of Columbus Discovery of Americas
作业11: 用自己的经历简说中美文化差异
Explain the cultural differences between China and America with your own experience
作业12: 选拍一张照片, 写一篇相关文章.
Select one of your own photos, write a paragraph about it.
作业13: 听了这个版面的音乐有什么感受?
Discuss your feeling about the music of this site.
作业14: 选用一首古典音乐在你的博客中, 并作介绍.
Introduce one classic music in your blog
作业15: 阅读作文:美国独立的原因.
Reading/writing: The causes of the independance of America
作业16: 讨论: 《哈克贝利·费恩历险记》
1. p.326
"...自己坐在靠窗的椅子里, 尽量想些叫人开心的事儿,可是不成. 我觉得寂寞到了极点...."
你会有同样的感受吗? 有的话, 有何不同?

2. p.327
"头一回, 他们作了一次劝人戒酒的演讲, 不过赚的钱还不够他们两人喝个烂醉的."
这句话与马克吐温的写作风格有什么关联?

3. p.328
"这下子, 我们吓得不轻, 两人约定, 说什么也不跟这种这种行为沾边;....."
"我"说这句话的含义是什么? 胆小怕事?

4. p.330
这里哈里说他犯错了. 他犯什么错? 这些话的真正含义是什么? 与结尾有什么关系?

作业17:用PDA写作:分析马克.吐温小说的特色.
Write with your PDA: Analyse the style of Mark Twain's novel.
作业18: 用PDA写作:从马克.吐温小说的人物想到我的童年
Write with your PDA:From Mark Twain's characters to my childhood
作业19: 阅读评论同学的一篇博客文章
Comment on one of your classmate blog.
作业20: 影视欣赏
--加题目
--场景分析:最精彩的部分
--改写结尾

作业21: <<我的网客>>封面制作 (Photoshop)
Design a cover of your blog book.
作业22: 摄影与写作
Photography and writing
教案演示

作业23: PDA -助我学业进步
PDA helps my learning.
作业24:从圣诞节想到......
At this Christmas time, I am thinking about.....
作业25: 又是新年
New Year Again

作业26: 阅读制图 (Reading and graph)
讨论:
1. 靠艰苦奋斗创业 美华人移民已达183万--The population of Chinese Immigrants in U.S reaches 1.83 millions

2. 第四代华人改变美国风景线--The fourth generation of Chinese immigrants made a difference in U.S.

3. 在美华人女性是自强自力的群体--Chinese immigrant women in U.S.

4. 美國華人移民達183萬 勢頭趨于平穩五成四已入籍--Four fifth of the immigrants are naturalized.

5. 今日美國華商 Chinese American Business

6. 中国崛起改变美主流对华人态度--Attitude change along with the rise of China

作业26: 阅读制图 (Reading and graph)




第一期考试:
一. 阅读: <<外国文学作品选>> 第322页
作家: 马克.吐温
选两题:
1. 概括两章内容
2. 列举故事中的主要事件
3. 分析人物特征

二. 写作
题目:

期末考试:
写作

试题：根据评判镜中的观点，用两部文学作品来写一篇议论文。在你的论文中，解释此一观点，并表明你是赞成还是反对，用作品中的例子来论证你的看法。

评判镜：文学作品中，冲突常常展现人的丑恶一面，有时也展现人的善良一面。(待换)

做法指导：请务必：
--提供充份的解释，以清晰的手法建立分析的准则。
--在作解释时，表示你是赞成还是反对此一观点。
--分析两部文学作品，论证你的观点。
--用评判镜所提出的准则来分析你的观点。
--避免概述事件发生的经过，而是用具体的例子 (如：主题，特性，背景，
观点) 来展开你的分析。
--把你的想法有逻辑连贯地组织起来。
--指明你所讨论作品的名称，作家，文体。
--遵守标准中文的书写规范。




2. 自由写作:
题材风格不限(诗歌散文都可).
规定致少三份作业, 超出不限.

3. 小组作业:
分小组, 成员之间互相评论写作, 合作完成作业.
可选择的题目:

1. 语言与思维
2. 中文学习的必要性
3. 中外文学作品比较
4. 中国文化的特殊性

中文的博克网可用 http://spaces.msn.com.cn 该网站有中文注册.
英文有http://www.blogware.com 此网站功能较强.
比较方便的有http://www.blogger.com, 该网站支持中文输入.

Web Design in Classroom Teaching--教学中网页设计的运用

1. New online video tutorial on Dreamweaver
http://tech.163.com/special/D/0009158K/Dreamweavers.html

2. Super deal: Some web hosting services offer pretty good deals. Right now, aspwebserver.com offer $1 for the whole year contract. Usually it costs $4/month. You get 500MB space for your site. It should be plenty for a class site. Of course, you need to register a domain name. The advantage of getting a hosting service is that you don't need to worry about the security issues and maintenance of the web server. In general, they are very reliable and secure. I don't have any hosting issues so far (several years already). My site is always there and never get hacked.Another choice is to use free web hosting service. Quite often, these companies would add an ad banner somewehere in your page. It can be equite annoying. As I recently noticed that geocity does not have any banner. It provides good services. Plus, with geocity, you don't need to get a domain name. You use their subdomain name.

3. Every year thinkquest.com hosts a nationwide web design contest for k-12 schools. When teachers sign up as a coach, thinkquest will allocate web space for web projects. It is free and open to everyone. Their local counterpart tqnyc.org also organizes web contest in the city. They have more support and activities during the school year.

4. Planned projects:

Metoer Showers By Yingxiang Wei

Merry Christmas! By Jiang Yuyun

Birds Flu By Xie Zhixing
New York Walking By Lei Dongfan, Chen Xibiao, Li Chong

Tornado By Yuan Weichung, Feng Lichao
Tang Dynasty By Xiao Guangliang, Zhang Guizheng,..

Photography By Yang Fan, He Dacai, Li Qiao
Coffee By Miao Xiaofeng
Music Instruments By Kuang,WenZhan, Tan Haiwen, xie,zhixing
Food and Fit By Chen Binbin

Pocono By Yu Junjie, Wen Xia

Chinese Festivals By Li, Meiqian
Cars By Jin Ye

Changle-My Hometown By Lin Qiao
Bakery By Wu Yuejie
DNA By Wang Yizhou

X game By Lin Kang
Cells By Dongmei Chen
Immigrations By Liang Yongcong
Food and health By Zhu JunJie
Marco Polo By Jianfeng Yu
Mount Wuyi By Gao Xun
Pyramid By Luo Meitian
Dreaming World By Li Chong

Calligraphy By Wu Huiping
Immigration By chen,hongquan


Climate By Li Qin
Fruits By Gao Shan, Feng Lichao, Gao Xun
Climate By Wu Cuiying, Li Yanping, Yuan Weichung
Data Model By Huang Kaizhong
Mercury By Lin Wei
Azaleas Li Jingjing
Stamps Zhou Hengbei

Dreamweaver 8 Certification Exam Practice
http://www.learnbyheart.com/FreeTrial.cfm

Tutorial
http://www.intranetjournal.com/articles/200002/dream_index.html

Online Web Design Competition
ThinkQuest
ThinkQuest New York

5. Rubrics for assessment

Internet in Classroom Teaching--课堂中英特网的使用

Internet can be a very useful tool in classroom teaching. There are encyclopedia, dictionaries, translation tools avaiable online. Let students present variety of topics through Internet, showing multimedia files, get them involved in reading and writing. It does change the whole dimension of language teaching and learning.

Practices:
1. ebooks Reading.
Select readings from ibooks8.com. Assign students to discussion questions in groups or pair. Share their comments about what they read.

2. News reading.
Get on some major news sites. Read news and discuss. Share opinions and views on current events.

3. Reading a specific subject area material.
Choose a related topic and sites. Assign discussion questions.

4. Blogging
Writing assignments can be given whenever is appropriate.

5. Journals writing
It can also be in blogs, writing about feelings, reflection, views or comments on anythng experienced during the day.

6. Research projects (WebQuest)
Select a specific topic related to the subject area. Let students use online tools to complete a research paper. Use the search engines to find materials.

7. Web projects.
Reorganize the research paper to web pages.

8. Instant Messaging/E-mailing for online discussion

9. Distance learning/Online instruction

Teaching/Learning with Pocket PC--课堂中掌上型电脑的使用

One advantage of using Pocket PC in Chinese class is to write Chinese characters directly on the screen after the Chinese input software is installed. It is a good tool for students to practice writing in Chinese with pocket PC. The text can also be transfer to PC or input into email and send out.

A useful Pocket PC software download site at download.enet.com.cn
such as Chinese handwriting programs, Math, English learning and many others.
1.英语字典 English Dictionary
2. 汉王笔 for PocketPC
3. 小灵通背单词
4. LearnWords
5. 李阳口语
6. 呼吸系统的知识学习卡片
7. 中国古典诗词集(掌上先锋版)
8. 中国古典诗词集之唐宋选集
9. 中文手写输入 CE-Star Suite for PPC 2003

Here are some ideas to work with students with pda
1. Use it to take notes.
2. Writing assignment with PDA.
3. If you have an email, let students email you assignments from PDA.
4. Do a webQuest with PDA, or find resources online.
5. Use PDA as a dictionary, find a word definition...
6. Use PDA as voice or audio recorder. In ESL class, audio feature of PDA can be used to enhance speaking and listening.
7. Ask your colleagues for more appplication.
8. Send a picture or a video clip, let students respond.
9. WebQuest with PDA.
10. Spreadsheet/making tables.
11. Writing and sharing with the feature of "Beaming"

Notebooks in Classroom Teaching--课堂中笔记本电脑的使用

1. Word processing with MS Word/Wordperfect
2. Projects with Internet Access (WebQuest)
3. Digital Imaging with Adobe Photoshop
4. Web Design with Macromedia Dreamweaver
5. Movie projects with Adobe PremierePro