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When you see this collage, doesn't it seem like teaching and learning Spanish is a blast? Well, collages can be deceiving. :)
Saturday, May 15, 2010
En el aula de español - collage
When you see this collage, doesn't it seem like teaching and learning Spanish is a blast? Well, collages can be deceiving. :)
Mass-sharing?
How might we prepare students for a life of mass-sharing?
Well, I know how I should start and that is by accepting mass-sharing as the way things are done and learning to be more relaxed about it. Putting things on-line for me is the same is "handing it in" and what I like to hand in is "the final copy". In my mind everything else, that is not the final, proofread and a "ready for printing" version, is not "good enough" to be on line. I know that this is not the way I should be looking at things, but it's hard not to do that when all through my education I was taught that the final copy is the best copy and everything else is "not acceptable". Also, I do have to admit that I've also had a couple of bad experiences with leaving comments on blogs and having people with unfamiliar usernames rip them apart, pointing out the "flaws in my reasoning", correcting grammar, etc. in a very inconsiderate and sometimes simply mean way. I guess this may sound crazy, or at least overly sensitive, to some people, but it is how it is... and if I feel this way, maybe some other people might too.
So, when preparing my students for mass-sharing, I would primarily talk to them about all the wonderful benefits of sharing and contributing to understanding, then try to teach them how to find the most useful source of information and check the accuracy of the information they found, provide appropriate feedback when doing so, and how to carefully choose what PERSONAL information they share. I guess I'd also try to teach them to be more relaxed about sharing their own stuff and not have the same "hang-ups" that I clearly do. A very good first step would be having them share their thoughts and ideas on-line but primarily with their classmates and teachers, and then slowly take it from there.
So, when preparing my students for mass-sharing, I would primarily talk to them about all the wonderful benefits of sharing and contributing to understanding, then try to teach them how to find the most useful source of information and check the accuracy of the information they found, provide appropriate feedback when doing so, and how to carefully choose what PERSONAL information they share. I guess I'd also try to teach them to be more relaxed about sharing their own stuff and not have the same "hang-ups" that I clearly do. A very good first step would be having them share their thoughts and ideas on-line but primarily with their classmates and teachers, and then slowly take it from there.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Online Teaching Resources
What online resources have you used to improve your teaching, and how do you usually find them?
Usually, when looking for online resources, what I'm basically looking for is ideas. I generally search for worksheets, practice exercises, lessons which I can use or modify and try out in the classroom. Sometimes I look for examples of authentic spoken Spanish from different parts of the Spanish speaking world so that my students can get a taste of what communication in Spanish sounds like in Argentina or Mexico and how it differs from communication in Spain. I also regularly use my favorite online English-Spanish / Spanish-English dictionary.
I must admit that I haven't been very successful in my search for free online courses that are both age appropriate and teach the "Spain" version of Spanish. The fact of the matter is that even when I do happen to find what seem to be very good online courses or activities that my students might like, I'm reluctant to use them in the classroom because every time I've tried something like that, ISB technology somehow failed me. I don't know if it's a weird coincidence or the fact that my classroom is in the basement, but I just haven't had luck with online courses. It mostly has to do with problems students encounter as they are trying to log in or access the website in question. Perhaps it's the laptops or a "bad connection", but whatever it is, it results in some students, those who managed to successfully log in and access the website in question, being on task and engaged while others, who haven't been successful logging in and accessing the website, being frustrated and disruptive. Because of this, I usually encourage my students to use online resources at home for practice. I imagine/hope that next year will be a different story with every student having his/her own laptop and I look forward to using online resources more regularly in my everyday teaching. One thing is for sure: dictionary use will be faster and more practical and using my delicious account as a source of teacher recommended online resources will definitely help my students stay on track, get additional practice, and take a more active role in their language learning, if, of course, they choose to do so. :)
Usually, when looking for online resources, what I'm basically looking for is ideas. I generally search for worksheets, practice exercises, lessons which I can use or modify and try out in the classroom. Sometimes I look for examples of authentic spoken Spanish from different parts of the Spanish speaking world so that my students can get a taste of what communication in Spanish sounds like in Argentina or Mexico and how it differs from communication in Spain. I also regularly use my favorite online English-Spanish / Spanish-English dictionary.
I must admit that I haven't been very successful in my search for free online courses that are both age appropriate and teach the "Spain" version of Spanish. The fact of the matter is that even when I do happen to find what seem to be very good online courses or activities that my students might like, I'm reluctant to use them in the classroom because every time I've tried something like that, ISB technology somehow failed me. I don't know if it's a weird coincidence or the fact that my classroom is in the basement, but I just haven't had luck with online courses. It mostly has to do with problems students encounter as they are trying to log in or access the website in question. Perhaps it's the laptops or a "bad connection", but whatever it is, it results in some students, those who managed to successfully log in and access the website in question, being on task and engaged while others, who haven't been successful logging in and accessing the website, being frustrated and disruptive. Because of this, I usually encourage my students to use online resources at home for practice. I imagine/hope that next year will be a different story with every student having his/her own laptop and I look forward to using online resources more regularly in my everyday teaching. One thing is for sure: dictionary use will be faster and more practical and using my delicious account as a source of teacher recommended online resources will definitely help my students stay on track, get additional practice, and take a more active role in their language learning, if, of course, they choose to do so. :)
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