Monthly Archives: August 2010
Back-to-school links shared by my Twitter PLN
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52636849@N00/204934333/
What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard Shaw
5 Sites To Explore This School Year
The Top Five Back-to-School Online Safety Questions Every Parent Should Ask
How to do 11 Techy things int the new school year
Back-to-School Guide: Jump Start Learning With New Media
The Responsibility of the Open School
Back-to-school 2010:9 collaboration and management tools for students
Activities for the first days of school
Top ten websites to learn English
“Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know it just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers”
Richard Bach
Most teachers are overwhelmed by the endless amount of websites they can find online to teach English. I would like to share the best websites according to my students to learn English. One key ingredient in these websites is that students have fun while learning English.
Language Guide is a fun visual tool to learn vocabulary
Writing Fun is a MUST for teachers. This website motivated my students to enhance their writing skills.
Listen and Write allows you to improve your listening skills and hear about the news. Great site for dictation.
English Central turns popular web videos into fun and effective language learning experiences. My students love the idea of listening to their pronunciation mistakes. It is a great website to learn different kinds of pronunciations through videos.
Lyrics training allow you to have fun learning English and listening to your favourite song. Teenagers love this website.
Breaking news Check several Lesson Plans and Podcasts for studying current events and news. Find really interesting news to improve students listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.
How to teach Phrasal verbs Learning phrasal verbs is finally interesting for my students.
10 days in Manchester Wonderful website to travel and learn English at the same time. Students learn how to check in at a hotel, ask for directions, phone their boss, register at a conference etc.
Vocabulary exercise and word order Students learn new word and complete a mixed-up sentence exercise to put the parts in order to form a sentence.
Nonstop English practise English language skills with many interactive grammar and vocabulary tests to build vocabulary for fun. New exercises are added every week.
These are my best website to motivate students. I really hope you enjoyed them.
Now it´s your turn. Which websites do you use with your students?
Thanks for sharing 
I want to start integrating technology in my classroom. Where should I start?
Last week was a really hectic week. On Monday I gave a presentation at Pearson, on Tuesday I have a presentation at SBS Martinez and on Wednesday I gave a presentation at Essarp.
This time I had the pleasure to give the presentations on Monday and Tuesday with Vance Stevens and Rita Zeinstejer. It´s always great to meet these inspiring Webheads who have revolutionized the way we can use computers to teach English. Vance elaborated a document with some of the links we used for the presentation. Please take a look at Baffled in Cyberworld.
Our presentation focused on how teachers can develop their own personal learning networks to practice continuous lifelong learning and ‘teacher autonomy’ before applying these concepts to students. The audience was overwhelmed with all the information we gave them.
After the presentations many teachers sent me an email asking this very simple question: I am planning to integrate ICT in my English classes. Where should I start?
Where did you start?
Who inspired you?
Was failure part of your learning process?
Great quotes from the 2010 Reform Symposium
This wonderful free online conference is focused on innovative practices in education and what role these practices can play in educational reform. Check out the great speakers and a big cyber clap to all the volunteers that make this conference possible. I would like to thank Shelly Terrell @shellterrell for her unconditional support and inspiring job through the whole conference.
Take a look at the fantastic Google Doc full of resources shared throughout the conference http://bit.ly/9PI4SS
I was able to summarize the most important quotes shared via Twitter that took place today. Enjoy them!!!
“Teach kids first, curriculum 2nd” @gcouros
“Relationships central to everything we do.” @gcouros
Change…”just b/c we have schools, doesn’t mean we have education” http://snipurl.com/1015g
Play and Learn (GAMES) Mind Map resources http://bit.ly/aXtX10 by @busynessgirl
Fun is the act of mentally mastering a problem, fun is learning pres by @busynessgirl
Where do we want our students’ brain to be? @busynessgirl
Bloom’s Taxonomy According to Pirates of the Caribbean http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjhKmhKjzsQ
Theory of Fun http://www.theoryoffun.com/ shared by @busynessgirl
Boredom means there are no new patterns to discover @busynessgirl
Research used to be a closed environment btw student & teacher. Digital tools have allowed us to break boundaries & collaborate.
We need to stand in front of students NOT as a master teacher, but as a MASTER LEARNER – Cel Foster
It is important to have fun with students.Teachers who do not see teaching as fun need to get a new career.via HootSuite
Have kids annotate what is worth talking about not just facts via Seesmi
Where do we want our students’ brain to be? @busynessgirl
Boredom means there are no new patterns to discover @busynessgirl
We “tell” students how to do things rather than how to think independently. “Playing to Learn”
“Technology is making ‘content’ irrelevant. It’s what you’re able to do with content that ‘s important.”
We’re preparing our students for the future, for jobs that do not exist right now via Kevin Creutz
Most important goal: help students (teachers, and admins as well) become lifelong learners. -Kevin Creutz
Research used to be a closed environment btw student & teacher. Digital tools have allowed us to break boundaries & collaborate.
Tagging is one way of moving from remembering to the understanding level (Bloom’s) http://bit.ly/bV6TEd
The right tool for the purpose is v important
“It’s not about the tools, it’s using the tools to facilitate learning.” Andrew Churches
If you develop a trusting relationship with your mentee, it’s going to take you far. @teachingwthsoul
New teachers need to get parents on their side.
Have fun! Get excited about your lessons. Ignore negativity from peers @flourishingkids
Look 4 student’s strengths & build on them via @flourishingkids @ #rscon10 So important 2 treat each learner as a unique individual!
Try to find something you love about every student, especially the challenging ones.
Assessment should be authentic and equitable.
“Equity means giving kids what they need. It does not mean equal”
“Know your limits, guided by your philosophy” @flourishingkids
The limitations of the medium are what make it powerful.
“Backchanneling allows the shy student a voice.” @rmbyrne
Backchanneling engages students, limits how often class interrupted, gives shy students a way to ask questions.
Backchannels can share information outside of small groups to larger groups. Allows more thoughts and ideas.
“Backchannel in the classroom gives the students the opportunity to share their ideas as soon as they have them” @rmbyrne
I think there are still so many educators who need to be reformed and get into the 21st century. Unfortunately ..
@alexgfrancisco “Be the rain-”the key words. We,teacher,should be the rain that makes kids to flourish
Control me and you can hold me accountable. Trust me & provide me with freedom and you empower me to be responsible.
Nothing motivates us more than success. (All of us Teachers & STUDENTS) @alexgfrancisco
Use technology to lead, show new perspectives, and to connect learning opportunities.
“Any teacher that can be replaced by technology, deserves to be.” – David Thornburg
Give your students space to make it personal by @alexgfrancisco
The future of teaching is learning! @Alexgfrancisco We have to become the learner!
Goals shouldn’t really be about tech making teaching easier – should be about enriching learning process
“Machines are easy; People are the hard part” @alexgfrancisco
” If kids can’t learn the way we teach, perhaps we should teach the way kids learn.” Ignacio Estrada
