A Useful Podcast

Todos con Haití

This podcast is related to the past earthquake in Haiti.  It talks about the Latina singer Shakira and her efforts of helping reconstruct the nation.  She created a foundation that helps children by providing schooling, health care, food, and more. It is basically a 2:30 minute audio podcast that gives a basic news report about Shakira’s foundation.  I really liked this podcast because the native speaker talks slowly and clearly.  This is the kind of podcast I would use in an Intermediate Spanish class as a listening comprehension activity (for homework). Students would be able to listen to the podcast as many times as they wanted and then answer given comprehension questions about the information contained within the news report.  It brings current events into L2 classroom discussion as well as practices listening comprehension!

ePals

ePals

When I think about what needs still remain in modern language classrooms, one of the first things that comes to mind is how difficult it is to find native or fluent language speakers that students can interact with. Most language teachers have access to a wide range of print materials and recordings they can use with their students, but finding a way for students to really engage with fluent language speakers remains a challenge.

After exploring the ePals website, I have realized there is a solution to this problem!  Through ePals Global Community (which is FREE), it gives teachers an abundance of global connections which support multiple content areas and learning goals. It is the world's largest network of K-12 classrooms available with connections in more than 200 countries and territories. Educators can access the ePals Global Community to find collaborative projects, join discussions in the community forums, and search thousands of classroom profiles to engage with others in authentic exchanges.  EPals can be used to successfully connect to classrooms from across the world so students (and teachers) can learn from each other and gain a better understanding of other peoples’ culture, society, politics, and exploring everything from what kids in other countries do for fun, have for lunch, and learn about in school.  To me, a great element to this feature is that a teacher can search by project topic, student age range, country, language and more to find the perfect collaborating class partner.  I would definitely use this feature from the ePals site in my future classroom to collaborate with classes from around the globe.

Digital Storytelling With Animoto

La Ciudad de Oaxaca

The digital story I created with Animoto was intended to be a visual stimulating video that mixed photographs and vocabulary.  I chose to use my own photographs from when I studied in Mexico.  This way, students are not only being presented vocabulary words, but introduced to concepts of another culture.  In a classroom setting this video could be used for various purposes.

For example, most simply, this digital story could be used as a way for students to review vocabulary on their own while outside of the classroom if given the URL.  Additionally, during an actual class, the story could be shown and used for students to practice recognizing pictures of vocabulary words and saying those words out loud.  For instance, (for reviewing) I could show the video, but stop it before each vocabulary word is shown and have the students guess out loud what term matches the picture presented.  I could also stop the video while the word is shown on the screen and have the students repeat it after me several times, for introducing the vocabulary terms.

For a more advanced level Spanish class, I could use this digital story as a precursor to writing.  It would serve as an “anticipatory set” to a writing activity.  After watching the video I could have the students write short narratives about “a day in the city of Oaxaca..” and ask them to include things like: What did you see, hear, taste, smell?, Where did you go?, What did you do?, and Who did you see? (based on the visual stimulation from the digital story).  A writing piece like this could also have a focus on using the past tense.

I could also create a lesson of comparison/contrast between this Mexican city and the area we live in (where the students live).  A more advanced level Spanish class could write essays of this nature in the target language. 

I think digital stories that integrate photos, videos, and music are great tools for teaching BOTH culture and subject area content! They also have the ability to engage a variety of learners, including visual, musical, linguistic, and naturalistic.



Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Using Bubblr in Teaching

My First Bubblr Story - "La Ciudad de Barcelona"

There are various ways for me to use Bubblr (using Flickr photographs) as a teacher and even more ways for my students to use this tool that will promote engagement in second language learning.

The story I created with Bubblr is about the city of Barcelona in Spain. All photographs used depicted real places in the city.  Each page showed a different scene of the city and the text explains what the place is/the name of the place/what you might find there.  I could use stories like this in my future classroom in order to show students what different Spanish speaking places look like and how they compare to where they live/cities in the United States.  An objective for a lesson/activity involving this might be:

·         Students will be able to compare and contrast the city of Barcelona to the city of Buffalo. 

I could also use a story like this one to practice/introduce/review vocabulary for PLACES.  As we read the story out loud in class, I could highlight the places vocabulary and have students repeat the words after me and define them in English (for review).  To extend the lesson, and depending on the grade level, I could ask students to tell me what things they might find in each of the places stated throughout the story.  Objectives for an activity like this would be:

·         Students will be able to identify and orally state review places vocabulary.

·         Students will be able to recognize places depicted in pictures and orally state what items you can find in that particular place (in Spanish).

Students could also create their own stories like these after doing research about a Spanish speaking country/city and present them to the class.  Other Bubblr story topics that students create might be based on a vocabulary or grammar theme.  Objectives for these story creations might be:

·         Students will write a short story correctly in a specified tense.

·         Students will write a short story correctly including specified vocabulary words.

·         Students will write a short story which includes the word/phrase (ex: “hay”) at least 5 times.

Sharing Bubblr stories in class in front of an audience will also motivate students to show their best work and encourage student ownership of their work!

Digital Storytelling

Digital storytelling is a new literacy practice that is highly useful in the educational setting.  As stated in the article 7 Things You Should Know About Digital Storytelling, “digital storytelling is the practice of combining narrative with digi­tal content, including images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component.” Basically, it lets a person tell a story by using computer-based tools. I think the best thing about digital storytelling is that a story can be created with any sort of path, combination, and media integration. It gives the author a limitless amount of resources and allows for maximum creativity.  Another great point made at the site called Center for Digital Storytelling is that literally anyone has the ability to create a digital story.  It explains that a digital storyteller is, “Anyone who has a desire to document life experience, ideas, or feelings through the use of story and digital media. Usually someone with little to no prior experience in the realm of video production but time to spend a few days attending a workshop and developing a story with creative support and technical assistance from compassionate, highly experienced facilitators.” This means that any student can create a digital story with the guidance and support from a teacher (the facilitator).  Making a digital story promotes confidence and encourages ownership of their creation.  It lets students express themselves through literacy and media in a way that pencil and paper does not allow.

                According to 7 Things You Should Know About Digital Storytelling, “A digital story typically begins with a script. The storyteller then assembles rich media to support the ideas and emotions in that script, including music or other audio effects, personal or public-domain images, animations or video, and other electronic ele­ments. The storyteller pieces together and edits the digital story, creating a short movie, usually about two to four minutes long, in one of various file formats.”

                The uses of digital storytelling in any classroom are endless, especially in a foreign language classroom! Digital stories can take on any kind of topic and contain different points of view. The website The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling mentions that, “The topics that are used in Digital Storytelling range from personal tales to the recounting of historical events, from exploring life in one's own community to the search for life in other corners of the universe, and literally, everything in between.” In my future Spanish classroom, I can use digital storytelling for multiple topics.  For example, students could create digital stories about Spanish-speaking countries/cultures/holidays, make children’s books based on a specific topic, and write a digital story using a certain tense (events that have happened in the past or what they hope to happen in the future).  There is room for digital storytelling in any curriculum.  All you need is a little imagination!

Photo by umjanedoan (Flickr)

Twitter Teaching

I have joined Twitter for the first time this week!  After exploring and reading a few articles, I have learned how microblogging can be used in the language classroom AND for professional development. 

You Are Now Entering the Twitterverse

In just reading this one article I realized how many ways a teacher really can use Twitter to instruct students in a meaningful manner! Below I will describe some innovative ideas for Twitter use….

·         Twitter Characters – Students can create Twitter accounts for different characters in a book you are reading and have conversations with a partner (another character) about chosen/assigned topics; choose a scene to recreate in “tweet-speak”

·         Reading log/Book talks – Students can have discussions surrounding a book they are reading in class; post questions, reactions, comments to the text as they read; by using a specific hashtag in each tweet you can create your own class reading response thread

·         Scavenger Hunts - Tweet different "hunts" to your students; involve students finding unique facts within their reading assignment or searching around online for a factoid I set them after; it could be a contest and the first person to tweet you the answer wins

·         Resource Twitter Page – Post homework assignments, notes, reminders for students to look at while outside of the classroom; post helpful/extra links for students to explore or use to help them do assignments

·         Daily Words/Quotes – Post a new word (with definition?)and/or quote to Twitter each morning and students can explore them as much as they'd like

·         Retweeting – If you find something interesting that would be beneficial or relevant to what class is learning, retweet (share) it with your class OR to a specific student/s

I think these ideas are amazing and only the beginning of how Twitter can be integrated into instruction! These also can be adapted to almost any subject area.  I can particularly see myself using these types of activities in my future foreign language classroom!

Educational Twitter Chats Calendar

 

One of the ways that educators can benefit from using Twitter is to participate in any number of Twitter chats. Twitter chats are scheduled events or conversations that use a specific hashtag in an attempt to organize a conversation around a particular topic. If you're new to Twitter participating in ed chats can be a good way to connect with other educators that are interested in the same topics as you.

My First Social Networking Group

Classroom 2.0



After investigating several social networking services, I think Classroom 2.0 is a good place for me to start. It is a networking group for teachers interested in Web 2.0 and Social Media in education. What really appealed to me was the fact that it welcomed “beginners.”  This would be my first educational networking group and after perusing the site, I feel very comfortable to join and take advantage of the benefits of digital dialogue.   I think this website would be a good starting place to begin having digital conversations with other teachers.  I like how the forum posts are easy to search because of the “tags.”  It also gives a long list of discussions on specific topics categorized by tools, subjects, and areas on the left side of the homepage. I noticed topics that are relevant to me such as: blogging, social networking, foreign languages, elementary, secondary or high school, and MANY MORE. 

My Analogy of The Teacher Today….

Connectivism and Teaching

After reading this article about CONNECTIVISM it seems that my idea of learning and the role of being a teacher must be altered.  I think it is true that our world around us has changed immensely, especially with respect to the infinite amount of technology and information available to all human beings. However education (its structure/foundation) has been slow to change in order to adapt to the ways of today’s society.  The article states, “Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual. Learning (defined as actionable knowledge) can reside outside of ourselves (within an organization or a database), is focused on connecting specialized information sets, and the connections that enable us to learn more are more important than our current state of knowing.” This means that because of the huge growth in knowledge that is occurring on a daily basis, a person can never know everything there is available to know.  What matters is the ability of the individual to be able to find and CONNECT with other people, networks, and technological sources in order to continue learning.  Then one person can share what they know with another person who knows other things, and so on and so on.  In the video, The Network is the Learning , Siemens says, “that particular network that I create is what enables me to continue to stay current…in my own field and just with the trends that are occurring in the rest of society as well.”  Additionally, the Connectivism article also states, “The pipe is more important than the content within the pipe. Our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today. A real challenge for any learning theory is to actuate known knowledge at the point of application. When knowledge, however, is needed, but not known, the ability to plug into sources to meet the requirements becomes a vital skill. As knowledge continues to grow and evolve, access to what is needed is more important than what the learner currently possesses.”

Based on these ideas, a teacher today is like a tour guide of a college campus.  A tour guide shows people all of the important places on campus and gives information about where to go in order to complete certain tasks as well as which people/places will be able to help them with specific things.  In general, a tour guide briefly explains where to go to do certain things or where to go to find help while attending the school/ learning on campus.  This is exactly like a teacher of today’s society. A teacher introduces their students to the huge world of networks that are available to them in order to learn throughout their lifetime.  A goal of a teacher should be to promote lifelong learning.  Since the amount of known information increases daily, a teacher can never teach everything.  However they CAN show students how to connect with networks in a way to continue learning!  Teachers must be the connection to and tour guides of the networks available to students in the ever changing world we live in.  What we teach them today will not matter in the future.  But, if we teach them how to stay current through networks and technology, they will hopefully be able to learn what is needed in the future!

My Resources:

http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
Siemens, G.  (2005, January).  Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age.  International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Retrieved November 20, 2005

The Impact of Social Media on Learning (3:18 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grI_h88vs3g&feature=PlayList&p=3E43054A8703F57A&index=3 Retrieved January10, 2009.

The Network is the Learning (3:14 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpbkdeyFxZw&feature=PlayList&p=3E43054A8703F57A&index=4 Retrieved January 10, 2009.

Get your ideas online and start REELING in the feedback

The Reel App- Reeling in your feedback!

Click for my comment on Free Technology for Teachers Blog

This blog post sparked my interest because when teaching a foreign language, it is important to expose students to pictures/images of different countries/cultures to supplement instruction. Reel App works by uploading images, PowerPoint files, or PDFs to the site.  It then provides you with a web address for your "Preso" you have created.  Next you share your Preso web address with an audience.  The best part about this tool is the instant feedback you can receive about your presentation/images/files.  When a person views each page, they can click a thumbs up or thumbs down button (similar to a "like" on facebook).  Even better, when people give feedback, a reports page is available for the creator of the Preso to view!

One use of this service is simply sharing photographs with students. (Great for showing diverse cultures in second language classrooms!)

Another use is posting a PowerPoint presentation of information and having each student give feedback about whether they understand the information or not.  (Thumbs up for understanding, thumbs down for not understanding)  Or the thumbs can be used for true and false! This can be used for pre-tests, post-tests, and review of instruction!

After testing this service out for myself by uploading images, I really think that this could be used in many ways in a second language classroom. Here's the link if you would like to check out my quick "test" Preso. 

Click for my "test" Preso on Reel

What a great find!

Education Change Challenge

Educational Change Challenge

 

This video poses a variety of key ideas dealing with today’s education and the relevance to using technology.  It expresses the idea that all students learn differently and by putting a class in one room taught by one teacher, you cannot expect that everyone will learn at the same pace and remain at the same level.   It is because of the diverse population of today’s schools that teachers must strive to differentiate instruction in order to meet the needs of all learners.  Technology is a great tool to use in order to connect with the variety of students you will find in one classroom!

The video mentions that a classroom must reflect the real world outside of its walls.  This is extremely important because technology is growing rapidly every day.  Students use technology in various ways on a daily basis.  If a teacher is not connecting with students through the use of technology, they are missing out on a HUGE part of their learners’ lives!  This unfortunate disconnect can easily be avoided by integrating technology into classroom instruction.

Overall, I believe the message of this video is the significance of relevant teaching.  In order for students to learn, an educator and their instructional strategies must be relevant to the learner.  It is important that teachers put effort into learning the culture of their students and making sure they prepare them for the real world they are actually living in.  A goal of educators should be to build lifelong learners.  In order to do this, one must spark curiosity for learning.  Technology supports and encourages these innovative teaching strategies that can interest the diverse students in today’s classrooms throughout the world!

Brave New Digital Classroom

The word technology can be very daunting and scary to a teacher.  Amongst all of the standards that must be met, tests that must be passed, curriculum to teach, and classroom management to handle, technology can often be the last thing an educator thinks about incorporating into their daily instruction.  Especially without practice and experimentation integrating technology use can be frightening.  However, after reading the first chapter of Brave New Digital Classroom: Technology and Foreign Language Learning by Robert J. Blake I have realized that teachers must be BRAVE and utilize the advantages of the wide ranged world of technology.  It can literally open up a whole new world of learning!

One idea that particularly stuck out to me in the reading was how technology and computers can encourage students to use a foreign language for communication more comfortably.  It states, “In other words, computers are social actors as well, at least from the student’s perspective, which is all that really matters….Computers can make a significant contribution to the SLA process because the students themselves feel that they are interacting with a computer in a real social manner,” (Blake, p.3).  Through the use of computers and technology, students are able to use the second language with “another person,” but without the anxiousness of practicing with peers orally in a classroom.  Additionally Blake explains, “Networked exchanges seem to help all individuals in language classes engage more frequently, with greater confidence, and with greater enthusiasm in the communicative process than is characteristic for similar students in oral classrooms” (p. 5). 

 Another important idea is the ability to access learners outside of the normal constraints of the classroom via computer.   As the beginning of the chapter indicated, the hours that a person must study a language in order for acquisition to take place is an extremely large amount.  The more hours of the day that teachers are able to encourage students to use the second language, the better!  Technology allows students to practice the language at home, on lap tops, and cell phones!

Overall, the ways to use technology in second language instruction are endless.  However, “…the mere use of technology by itself will not improve the curriculum,” (p. 9).  Instead, the methodology of instruction which uses technology is the key to success! It is not the tools that will revolutionize your teaching, but the people (teachers and students) who use them.  This is extremely important to keep in mind when using technology.  Using it just to use it will not be beneficial.  There must be meaning behind every activity!

Internet Safety

Dear Students,

Welcome to our Spanish class blog!  Through this blog we will discover new and exciting ways to use Spanish on the internet.  But before we get to posting, let's look at a few rules for using the internet both in and out of class. There are many things that you need to be aware of when using the internet to be safe.  Here is a quick list of ideas to keep you safe while online:

Rule #1: Do NOT Give Anyone Your Information
Sometimes, websites or people will ask you for information like your name and where you live. Unless you have your parent's permission, don't answer these questions. Here's a list of things you shouldn't say on the internet:

• What's your name?
• Are you a boy or a girl?
• Where do you live?
• Where do you go to school?
• What is your phone number?
• What is your email address?
• What do you look like?
• Also, it is very important never to upload any pictures of yourself or share them online with anyone.

Rule #2: Do NOT be “Click Happy”
Do not accept gift or a present from someone online; it is usually a scam! Do not install or download software/programs that could be dangerous or harmful.  Do not click on advertisements online.

Rule #3: Don't Talk to Strangers
Remember what we taught you in Kindergarten? Well that still applies on the internet! If you ever get an email or comment on your blog from someone you don't know--don't respond to it. Instead, let me or your parents know immediately.
Rule #4: Keep the Internet Bully-Free
Just like in school, we should be treating each other with respect and kindness. If you see something, say something to me or your parents. If you see any bullying on our blogs when you're at home, let me know the next time you see me in school.
Rule #5: Keep Your Own Passwords
Now that you are using the internet, you need to keep your online passwords safe and sound and to yourself! Of course, you can share them with your parents (and probably should if you are forgetful!), but never give them out to other people.
Rule #6: If you accidentally come across something that seems inappropriate leave the webpage immediately!

Here are some websites to watch videos, play games, and learn more about internet safety. Just click on the link to check them out!

Watch episodes: http://www.netbasics.org.nz/

MTV website: http://www.athinline.org/

Blog Uses

There are endless ways to incorporate student blogging in the foreign language classroom!  Three ways that I can envision using blogging in my own classroom along with the standards these uses would meet are described below!
1. I can post a cultural type photograph and ask the students to write about personal reactions and/or answer though provoking questions about the picture.  This activity can be used to introduce a "cultural" type unit in order to see what the students already know about a particular topic, introduce or conclude an in class oral discussion, or assess students about something they have learned about a Spanish-speaking culture or country. It is a good way to integrate cultural awareness, technology, and writing/reading in the target language!
The Corresponding New York State Modern Language Standards:

Standard 1: Students will be able to use a language other than English for communication.

READING & WRITING

·         write short notes, uncomplicated personal and business letters, brief journals, and short reports

Standard 2: Students will develop cross-cultural skills and understandings.

·         exhibit more comprehensive knowledge of cultural traits and patterns

·         draw comparisons between societies

2. I can post links to current events/news from Spanish websites, magazines, and newspapers and ask students to express their opinions about the topics raised, reflect on what the articles meant to them, ask questions about what they read, summarize the information, or find examples of specific grammar topics/tenses they are learning about in class in the article.  The possibilities of using links to real world Spanish news are never ending.  It enables students to connect to the language in a realistic and meaningful way while integrating culture education and reading/writing in the target language! These activities could be done as a group or individually. 

The Corresponding New York State Modern Language Standards:

Standard 1: Students will be able to use a language other than English for communication.

READING & WRITING

·         read and comprehend materials written for native speakers when the topic and language are familiar

·         read simple materials independently, but may have to guess at meanings of longer or more complex material

·         write short notes, uncomplicated personal and business letters, brief journals, and short reports

·         write in the target language in a manner that articulates similarities and differences in cultural behaviors

Standard 2: Students will develop cross-cultural skills and understandings.

·         compose short, informal notes and messages to exchange information with members of the target culture

·         understand how words, body language, rituals, and social interactions influence communication

3. I can have students write about topics using newly learned vocabulary words and/or tenses.  At times I can give students freedom in what they can write about while including certain information/grammar and other times I can ask them to write about specific topics while using information learned in class.  It gives me the opportunity to assign "homework" that doesn't seem like "homework" while reinforcing what is learned in class.

The Corresponding New York State Modern Language Standards:

Standard 1: Students will be able to use a language other than English for communication.

READING & WRITING

·         write short notes, uncomplicated personal and business letters, brief journals, and short reports

·         read simple materials independently, but may have to guess at meanings of longer or more complex material

·         draw on a broad range of learned vocabulary, idioms, and structures, including the full range of time frames, as well as language acquired through independent reading

·         use culturally appropriate learned vocabulary and structures associated with a broad range of topics, and structures such as simple and complex sentences to communicate through the full range of time frames

Resources:

Richardson, Will.  (2010) 3rd edition. Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.  California: Corwin.