Week 5 - reflections

After reading the texts suggested and browsing the web for alternative assessment, rubrics, PBL and webquests, thinking they would be just too hard to implement, we had the opportunity to plan both rubrics and a weebquest.

It was indeed hard work but it paid off.

Although PBL was not new to me, I could see different ways to use the web to run them.

I consider webquests the highlight of the week. It’s amazing how we can bring together so many web resources and tools to produce a webquest and have students focus on the five abilities: reading and writing, listening, speaking and socially interacting, building knowledge together.

I’m looking forward to reviewing my webquest. It needs improvement. I want to become more efficient in working with them by the time classes start. I1ll try to replace one of the traditional activities by a webquest, probably related to the extensive reading assessment.

One very important issue this week was studying rubrics. I never even considered writing my own rubrics or writing them with the students. Rubistar will certainly be a fundamental tool from now on.  I expect to discuss rubrics with students before and after the projects, so that they’ll become aware of the quality standard expected from their work. This way, they’ll be able to learn from their own limits and possibilities. 

This scenario clearly shows how important the teacher is to facilitate learning by helping students recognize how they learn.

Week 5 - PBL, rubrics and webquests

Let us now reflect upon what we did, what we learned and how it is going to change our perspective and actions in our work.

Instead of asking ourselves what we know about teaching, we should ask what we know about learning. First I’d like to report this wonderful video which shows our search for a pedagogy that makes a difference.

Week 4 - Reading and Writing

This week I learned about developing reading and writing skills. I consider the synergic relationship between reading and writing the most important aspect of this reflexion.  One doesn’t exist without the other.

While Liang’s paper has no significant impact in my experience, Krajka points out a very important issue related to writing through the web: one must not lose sight of learning objectives and the effectiveness of technological tools to enhance them.

Reading and writing emails, web pages and class blogs can motivate students and give them a sense of accomplishment because of its authentic and updated content.

Maybe the greatest gift I was given this week was the never-ending list of blogs to feed my Delicious page.

Among them I found:

http://www.21stcenturyschoolteacher.com/cool-websites.html

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/lesson-plans/

http://www.thinkfinity.org/

http://www.booksshouldbefree.com

Last but not least, the lesson plan was so demanding. Besides the planning ability I do have to get hold of, I was once again asked to think of students learning style which I consider one of the most important aspects of lesson planning. That’s what really makes us focus our teaching on the students and their needs. Therefore the choice of resources will be objectively driven.

We’re heading to the middle of the course already!  This has been a long and winding road, hasn’t it?  I thank Donna and all of you for the rich sharing and support.

Week 3 - CALL

CALL - Computer Assisted language learning programs are very collaborative and motivational. 

One good thing about using CALL is that students can learn at their own pace using the learning strategies they find more suitable. Also, using CALL might grant the students with the ability to develop autonomous learning skills.  

On the other hand, it is sometimes impossible for the teacher to adapt the content of the softwares to the students' needs.  

It is common sense that computers bring innovation to ESL classes. There are excellent teaching tools to develop the four communicative skills and enhance language acquisition. However, it is still upon the teacher the role of providing innovative and resourceful opportunities enhance students' learning. 

Week 3 - delicious

Wow, I can't believe I had so much trouble with bookmarking!

Believe it or not, I used to keep an email with ELT and ESL websites so that I could access them from any computer.

This week all my problems were solved. I found 'delicious' a great way to store and organize important websites. 

For a very long list and weak memory, it's good that descriptions may be added to the bookmarks. 

Week 2 - Course Project

Start planning the course project helped keep me in fresh mood because now we can start applying what we learn here to how we teach.

The first step into planning this project was a meticulous description of the class. I consider the students motivated and willing to learn. I really hope they'll share my enthusiasm to learn the different ways in which they can learn, so that they eventually become more independent.

Week 2 Searching

In addition to planning our objectives, we were given a gift: NoodleTools. I became acquainted with so many search engines I had never heard of.

 Of course there was no time to check all of them in depth. I chose a few and tried to look for the same kind of information. Although I found iSEEK Education and TWURDY quite consistent, I still think we need to check how dependable the information on the site is or what the credentials of the writer are. Authorship is a major issue in the internet.

Week 2 Planning

This has been a very busy and productive week. Before reading the texts about planning, I would easily say I didn’t feel the need to plan, first because I was never asked to and also because I believed you only needed to plan if you didn’t know what to do.

Well, I couldn’t be farther from the truth. The ABCD objective planning helped me consider one of my major difficulties in teaching which is assessment. I think I’ll be more comfortable choosing how to evaluate students’ learning if I plan in advance what they are expected to produce and at what level of accuracy given a certain condition. It is a must that students know what they’re about learn and produce.

I planned a special lesson using short dialogues from a film to review reported speech. 
It was a change of pace!