Checklist for evaluating language websites

1. Running head: EVALUATING LANGUAGE LEARNING WEBSITES
Evaluation language-learning websites checklist
The checklist below consists of three main dimensions that encompass technical characteristics
(relating to ease of use and reliability), contextual pedagogical characteristics (in regards to the
content quality) and features related to the Communicative Approach principles (that include
autonomy, language contextualization, language skills integration, interculturality, interaction and
evaluation). It is noteworthy that descriptors involving the last assessing dimension were written
in relation to the possibilities provided by the website in terms fostering learners’ low or high order
thinking skills as well as boosting their communicative competence.
It is advisable to skim first this evaluation instrument before applying to a chosen language website.
Additionally, the evaluator has to keep in mind that even though the checklist was mainly designed
to provide insights on the Communicative Approach principles reflected fostered in websites, it
still allows teachers to glimpse its strengths in relation to other criteria.
Instructions: Mark and “X” in the column that best reflects the language website quality in relation
to the proposed evaluation criteria.
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
EASE OF USE
The website: YES NO
1. Allows free access to all the tools, resources and content.
2. Provides use specifications related to the hardware (e.g. processor, sound card,
internet connection, etc.) and software requirements (e.g. web browser such as
Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.).
3. Includes a navigation guide that ensures accessibility to the user.
4. Includes frameworks that enable the permanent view of the sections index (e.g.
menu, grammar, exercises, culture, etc.) and therefore, facilitates the transition
between pages.
5. Provides a clear and simple language, which allows a general understanding
for users of different language levels.
6. Uses a range of colors that do not fatigue or irritates the users’ view, therefore
it is attractive and motivating for their navigation.
7. Has a balance between the textual and multimedia content.
8. Respects the conventions of the virtual environment in the extent to which the
links are usually underlined in blue and the information follows the structure
of the multimedia mesh.
9. Presents graphic consistency between the font sizes for titles, subtitles and text
in general, and the buttons (icons) are always the same.
Commentaries:
RELIABILITY
The website: YES NO

2. EVALUATING LANGUAGE LEARNING WEBSITES
10. Is periodically updated (e.g. date of last update, links are active)
11. Provides information on the author or the source of creation by means of links
with labels such as Who are we? About us, consultations, copyright or simply
“us”.
12. Provides information about the teaching and/or learning theory on which it is
grounded it.
13. Is supported by a person or a team of competent people in the field of teaching
and learning foreign languages.
14. Does not contain spelling typographical or grammatical errors.
Commentaries:
CONTEXTUAL PEDAGOGICAL CHARACTETISTICS
CONTENT QUALITY
The website: YES NO
1. Indicates the language level in the provided activities and exercises.
2. Integrates a variety of contents, activities and resources.
3. Includes the learning objective pursued in the development of a particular
activity or exercise.
4. Contains short and understandable instructions in relation to the
implementation of the proposed activities and exercises.
5. Sets out the grammar topic to be worked in functional terms (e.g. formal and
informal presentation to study the verb "to be").
Commentaries:
COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS
AUTONOMY
The website allows learners to: YES NO
1. Find texts and materials of their choice by the integration of hyperlinks that
link words within the website with other resources (e.g. readings, videos,
pictures, exercises, etc.)
2. Make different learning routes in and out of the website through hyperlinks
and an internal search box.
3. Construct their own learning path after taking a diagnostic test.
4. Monitor their learning process through the submission of exercises or activities
with the possibility of reviewing the obtained results through the "check"
option.
Commentaries:

3. EVALUATING LANGUAGE LEARNING WEBSITES
LANGUAGE CONTEXTUALIZATION
The website allows learners to: YES NO
5. Infer inductively the uses of certain grammatical elements by providing input
enhancement (e.g. capital letter, boldface, underlining, italics, etc.).
6. Interpret the meaning of words within a text through the support of linguistic
resources such as the dictionary or clicking on the option key words in order
to receive a definition in written form or through images.
7. Interpret written and oral statements by the inclusion of activities that will lead
them to reach a functional purpose.
8. Contrast inductively the use of linguistic elements in different variants of the
target language, by the exposure to authentic resources encountered within the
website or linked to another one.
9. Make predictions in relation to the content of a text through written or oral
multimedia elements such as images, videos and audios.
10. Integrate different groups of lexical units with a communicative purpose,
through the inclusion of activities raised from a communicative intention (e.g.
make a list of objects for a move).
11. Rank the quality of the site and its contents (e.g. grammatical explanations,
exercises, multimedia resources, etc.) by some of the following means: a
mailbox of comments or recommendations, a feedback comments box, a
bottom that leads to the option "contact us", etc.
Commentaries:
LANGUAGE SKILLS INTEGRATION
The website allows learners to: YES NO
12. Find oral or written texts consistent with their interests and communicative
needs by means of the option of linking to other pages or websites (e.g.
newspapers, magazines, shows, documentaries, means of communication such
as radio, television, etc.)
13. Recognize the main ideas and details in oral or written texts by the inclusion
of activities where the understanding of authentic materials (documentaries,
podcasts, trailers, poems, stories, etc.) is favored.
14. Identify prosodic features (e.g. intonation, accent, pauses, tone, etc.) from the
communicative intention expressed by characters in a video hosted within the
website or linked to another one.
15. Recognize examples of authentic voices through songs, dialogs of everyday
life, audiobooks, etc., that provide a variety of communicative contexts.

4. EVALUATING LANGUAGE LEARNING WEBSITES
16. Self-monitoring in regards to the listening and reading comprehension skills
fostered by activities that lead to the real use of the target language (e.g.
conversations, dialogs, ask for information).
17. Check their oral comprehension by clicking on the options of video or audio
transcriptions.
18. Carry out oral and written activities that imply a communicative purpose by
offering rich input (e.g. journals, videos, recordings, etc.) and encouraging
input elaboration.
Commentaries:
INTERCULTURALITY
The website allows learners to: YES NO
19. Identify the cultural traits of different Spanish speaking countries, through the
inclusion of texts and resources that address sociocultural knowledge issues
(e.g. daily life, conditions of life, values, beliefs, social conventions, ritual
behavior, etc.) and therefore, prevents stereotyped attitudes.
20. Recognize elements of non-verbal communication of the target culture through
resources such as videos, where paralinguistic actions can be easily evidenced
(e.g. gestures, facial expressions, postures, sounds linguistic, prosodic
qualities, etc.).
21. Compare cultural traits of various Spanish-speaking countries by integrating
topics of cultural interest that have had an impact on people’s life such as
popular culture, politics, history, etc.
22. Contrast elements of their culture with those of the target language or various
Spanish-speaking regions by means of videos, audios or readings, where
linguistic variations (e.g. diatopic, diastratic and diaphasic) as well as
comprehension activities are included.
23. Generate attitudes of openness and empathy towards the target culture by
including texts, readings and videos (e.g. immigration to a country, themes of
political debate and their different perspectives, among others).
24. Interact with other users using synchronous (e.g. chat, instant messages) and/or
asynchronous (e.g. email, forum, newsgroups, distribution lists, etc.) CMC
tools hosted within the site or linked to other ones.
25. Generate collaborative learning in real contexts of communication (e.g.
forums, discussion boards, etc.).
26. Publish their opinion on any topic and know others’ by taking surveys and/or
participating in a voting activity.
Commentaries:

5. EVALUATING LANGUAGE LEARNING WEBSITES
EVALUATION
The website allows learners to: YES NO
27. Recognize their level of accomplishment in relation to the intended
communicative objectives, through the inclusion of any of the following
means: evaluation rubrics or phrase referring to what the student has been able
to achieve at the end of an activity, exercise or unit.
28. Identify their right answers and correct the errors in a particular exercise,
through the auto-feedback option (e.g. delete the incorrect answers, indicate
the percentage of hits or include a comment).
29. Find and correct errors in oral and written comprehension activities that may
affect communication, this by offering a feedback option where understanding
is favored (e.g. automatically delete wrong answers that transgress the
message).
30. Deduct the possible answer of an exercise by giving an explanatory hint.
Commentaries:
Total number=
Once the grid has been filled, the evaluator can proceed to count out the number of YES entries
related to the Communicative approach dimension, taking into account that it involves a total of 30
evaluation descriptors. The following chart displays the degree of qualification achieved by the
website in regards to the communicative approach principles:
Number of X entries in the "Yes"
column (Communicative Approach)
Degree of qualification
Between 1 and 7
(Between 1% and 25%)
Poor (Not appropriate)
Between 8 and 15
(Between 26% and 50%)
Suitable (acceptable with reservation)
Between 16 and 22
(Between 51% and 75%)
Good (appropriate for use)
Between 23 and 30 (more than 75%) Excellent (highly recommended)
For the overall rating of the language-learning website, the evaluator should count out the number
of X entries on the YES column, bearing in mind that the three evaluation dimensions (technical,
contextual pedagogical characteristics and the ones related to the Communicative Approach

6. EVALUATING LANGUAGE LEARNING WEBSITES
principles) comprise a total of 49 evaluation descriptors. The following chart displays in detail the
possible results:
Number of X entries in the "Yes"
column (Overall evaluation)
Degree of qualification
Between 1 and 12
(Between 1% and 25%)
Poor (Not appropriate)
Between 13 and 24
(Between 26% and 50%)
Suitable (acceptable with reservation)
Between 25 and 36
(Between 51% and 75%)
Good (appropriate for use)
Between 37 and 49 (more than 75%) Excellent (highly recommended)