Internet Premodule

LESSON 4  Creating and Using an E-mail Account

Materials Needed:          

  • Flip chart paper or board and markers/chalk
  • Computers with Internet access
  • Text: Internet English:  WWW-based communication activities, by Christina Gitsaki and Richard Taylor, Oxford University Press (2000).
  • Web Sites:  http://www.hotmail.com  (Other sites that offer free e-mail accounts.)

          Notes You may want to preview the Internet sites that offer free 
          e-mail accounts and anticipate any questions that students may 
          have when they register online for a free account.

Notes You should make it clear to the learners that opening an e-mail account is optional.  No one is obligated to open an account.  Also, when opening an account, they can input fictitious personal data if they choose for the purpose of protecting privacy.

Word Bank:

Internet, e-mail, message, online, register, account, user, user name, login name, password

Introductory Activity

  • In the previous activities, you looked at finding the information you need on the Internet. Today you're going to use the Internet to send and receive e-mail messages.
  • What is e-mail? What does the “e” stand for?  Has anyone used e-mail? If so, what for?
  • Now let's look at an e-mail message. At the top of page 10 in the Internet English textbook, you'll see an e-mail message. 
  • Read the e-mail message. Who is it from? Who is it to? Why is the person sending the e-mail message?

Draw learners' attention to the smile symbol (p. 10, next to "See you") and have students guess or explain what it means and why it is used.

Activity 1: Setting Up an E-mail Account

  • In this activity, you can set up a free e-mail account for yourself so that you can send and receive messages.
  • Turn to p. 11 in the Internet English textbook. Read through the instructions on this page.
  • Complete the exercises on p. 11 (A, B, C, D, and E). When you finish them, you will have signed up for a free e-mail account with a Web site you have chosen.

Notes If learners are using Hotmail, you can suggest that they click on the boxes marked "Hotmail Member Directory" and "Internet White Pages" to remove the checkmark in them, so that students will not be added to the mailing lists associated with these directories.

Activity 2: Sending E-mail Messages

  • Now that you have set up an e-mail account, you can send messages to your classmates.
  • Turn to p. 12 in Internet English. Look at the message format at the top of the page. What button do you click on to send a message? How can you save a copy of your message?
  • Look at p. 13 in Internet English. If you are working in a group, complete Exercise A by asking five or six other learners for their names and e-mail addresses.
  • Choose one person from your list and send a short e-mail message to that person.
  • When you have received an e-mail message, click "Reply" and send a response to the message.

Writing Expansion:

  • Did you like sending an e-mail message? Why or why not? Do you think you will use this e-mail account? Do you think it is better than telephone calls or writing letters?  Why or why not?  Write a paragraph about your opinions of e-mail.

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