sketchcast.sample
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Teaching idea - Using "about.me"
I'll keep this nice and simple! I've chosen this tool because I haven't met my students yet (all I know is that some of them will be aged around 15 and their level will be pre-intermediate) and I'm not sure how familiar they might be with technology. However, I'm pretty sure they'll have access to the Internet at home and I assume they'll probably enjoy using computers. In terms of their literacy levels, I do not anticipate any major problems.
I would use this on week 1 as part of the "getting to know each other" process and the aim would be to revise language and vocabulary and assess them informally, especially their speaking and writing skills. I would show them my own biography and brainstorm some ideas about the background I've chosen first. I would elicit that I prefer warm, sunny weather, beach holidays rather than skiing ones, etc. I would ask them to tell me five things that they think I included in my biography and I'd elicit family, likes/dislikes, etc. I would subtly imply that some topics might not be appropriate to include when we use blogs to share information, etc to make them aware of this! I would get them to discuss in pairs some ideas so everyone has a chance to take part. I would monitor very unobtrusively while they do and get an idea of their speaking skills. We'd then have feedback as a class and we'd write down some ideas they came up with. I would then give them the biography and get them to gist read in order to compare their ideas and check if they were right or not. Whole class feedback.
Following that, I would tell them that they're now going to write their own, choose a background that they can identify with, etc. In class we'd write the first draft. I would first get them to write a list of things they'd like to include. I'd then get them to elaborate on them and write full sentences.I would monitor and help if necessary. They would have to design and write their biographies using "about.me" (I would give them some guidelines of course!) and we would then share each other's biographies and write comments to each other about them. As a follow-up, I would get them to remember some information about each classmate and we could have a competition on who remembers the most! This is a nice way to get to know (and remember about!) each other, use a new tool and integrate speaking and writing as well.
I would use this on week 1 as part of the "getting to know each other" process and the aim would be to revise language and vocabulary and assess them informally, especially their speaking and writing skills. I would show them my own biography and brainstorm some ideas about the background I've chosen first. I would elicit that I prefer warm, sunny weather, beach holidays rather than skiing ones, etc. I would ask them to tell me five things that they think I included in my biography and I'd elicit family, likes/dislikes, etc. I would subtly imply that some topics might not be appropriate to include when we use blogs to share information, etc to make them aware of this! I would get them to discuss in pairs some ideas so everyone has a chance to take part. I would monitor very unobtrusively while they do and get an idea of their speaking skills. We'd then have feedback as a class and we'd write down some ideas they came up with. I would then give them the biography and get them to gist read in order to compare their ideas and check if they were right or not. Whole class feedback.
Following that, I would tell them that they're now going to write their own, choose a background that they can identify with, etc. In class we'd write the first draft. I would first get them to write a list of things they'd like to include. I'd then get them to elaborate on them and write full sentences.I would monitor and help if necessary. They would have to design and write their biographies using "about.me" (I would give them some guidelines of course!) and we would then share each other's biographies and write comments to each other about them. As a follow-up, I would get them to remember some information about each classmate and we could have a competition on who remembers the most! This is a nice way to get to know (and remember about!) each other, use a new tool and integrate speaking and writing as well.
Classdigitools - Reflections on Week 1
Classdigitools - Reflections on Week 1
As part of the EVO Workshop - Digital Tools in the Classroom I looked at how several digitools can be used in an ESL setting. Although I did not take too much time to explore on some of the tools we came across this week, I have thoroughly enjoyed using a few and would definitely use them with my students in a variety of ways. My favourite tools have been so far:
1. Introducing oneself: I have used "about.me" to do my own introduction. You can check it out here if you like: http://about.me/andreagascoyne. I found this really easy to follow and I loved the different backgrounds available to suit different personalities and tastes. I think the choice of background can tell you a lot about the way you see yourself. I got a lovely email with some feedback and it said exactly that, i.e. that the background said a lot about me. This has given me some ideas as I'll soon start teaching teens again and although back here in Argentina, we do not have as much access to some interactive tools, such as the IWB, as in other parts of the world, the Internet and digital gadgets are pretty much common and used in daily life, especially by teenagers! Another tool I think they might enjoy is "animoto" as it enables them to speak about themselves through "sb" else. I feel this might be appealing to less confident students. Having said that, I find this tool really cute and I would enjoy using it myself so I guess it would also be effective with some adults. These tools would be ideal for the beginning of the year (which is March here in Argentina) to add a bit of variety and get students to interact with each other, leave comments, etc. This would give them a chance to have a bit of freer writing practice and a "real reason" for writing and communicating with each other in a way they are probably familiar with, i.e. through emailing or blogging.
2. Blogs. I had seen and followed a few but had no idea they could be set up in a considerably simple way. I had a go at "posterous" and "WikiSpaces" but I then went for this one as I found it the most appealing to me. I hope I'll be able to learn about it and become familiar with it so I can fully exploit its potential and advantages. I'll have a go uploading documents and stuff and see how it goes. This hopefully will give me some ideas on how to use them with my students and as a way of meeting and keeping in touch with people. I have to say I have until now been rather against the idea of using the so-called social utilities such as facebook so in a way I'm quite new to this kind of thing.
Even though I've had to rush the tasks a bit, I feel I have already learnt a lot and will definitely keep it up for week 2. ICT in ELT is definitely one of the areas I would like to further explore and develop while teaching here in Argentina. Roll on week two!
As part of the EVO Workshop - Digital Tools in the Classroom I looked at how several digitools can be used in an ESL setting. Although I did not take too much time to explore on some of the tools we came across this week, I have thoroughly enjoyed using a few and would definitely use them with my students in a variety of ways. My favourite tools have been so far:
1. Introducing oneself: I have used "about.me" to do my own introduction. You can check it out here if you like: http://about.me/andreagascoyne. I found this really easy to follow and I loved the different backgrounds available to suit different personalities and tastes. I think the choice of background can tell you a lot about the way you see yourself. I got a lovely email with some feedback and it said exactly that, i.e. that the background said a lot about me. This has given me some ideas as I'll soon start teaching teens again and although back here in Argentina, we do not have as much access to some interactive tools, such as the IWB, as in other parts of the world, the Internet and digital gadgets are pretty much common and used in daily life, especially by teenagers! Another tool I think they might enjoy is "animoto" as it enables them to speak about themselves through "sb" else. I feel this might be appealing to less confident students. Having said that, I find this tool really cute and I would enjoy using it myself so I guess it would also be effective with some adults. These tools would be ideal for the beginning of the year (which is March here in Argentina) to add a bit of variety and get students to interact with each other, leave comments, etc. This would give them a chance to have a bit of freer writing practice and a "real reason" for writing and communicating with each other in a way they are probably familiar with, i.e. through emailing or blogging.
2. Blogs. I had seen and followed a few but had no idea they could be set up in a considerably simple way. I had a go at "posterous" and "WikiSpaces" but I then went for this one as I found it the most appealing to me. I hope I'll be able to learn about it and become familiar with it so I can fully exploit its potential and advantages. I'll have a go uploading documents and stuff and see how it goes. This hopefully will give me some ideas on how to use them with my students and as a way of meeting and keeping in touch with people. I have to say I have until now been rather against the idea of using the so-called social utilities such as facebook so in a way I'm quite new to this kind of thing.
Even though I've had to rush the tasks a bit, I feel I have already learnt a lot and will definitely keep it up for week 2. ICT in ELT is definitely one of the areas I would like to further explore and develop while teaching here in Argentina. Roll on week two!
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