Great ways to us YouTube in your classroom!

Need an Idea for using YouTube in the classroom... try one of these:

o Teachers can identify videos that will help students practice grammar or vocabulary that were presented in class. Teachers can e-mail links to each student.

           o Teachers can post YouTube links to a teacher web site or blog, and students can click on the links for practice.

           o YouTube can be used as a media library. Teachers can collect links for dictations, “new vocabulary” videos, conversation practice, pronunciation practice, and grammar review.
            o Teachers can assign homework. (Imagine: a teacher can video record the homework assignment and post it to YouTube, and students can watch the instructions!) (71).


It's a great way to communicate with others around the world!

Reference:

Langer de Ramirez, L. (2010). Empower english language learners with tools from the web. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Creating a podcast with your ESL students is easy and a great learning experience!

      Podcasting allows students to tap in to a variety of intelligences:

o   Linguistic

o   Logical-mathematical

o   Musical

o   Interpersonal

o   Intrapersonal

o   Visual-spatial(53)

-          After planning the content of the podcast, all that is needed is come simple technology to create one:      

o   A computer with Internet connection

o   Speakers

o   A microphone

o   A digital recorder

o   An iPod or other mp3 player with a microphone(51)

-          A podcast is “ a series of audio or video digital media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers” (49)

-         Listening to podcasts from different regions of the world, different parts of the country, and even different neighborhoods in your city or town can provide students with exposure to different accents, a variety of registers, and access to colloquial and formal expressions. (52)

reference:

Langer de Ramirez, L. (2010). Empower english language learners with tools from the web. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Is your test the right kind of test?

I think that it is really important to make sure that the testing material is appropriate and can benefit the students.
-..teachers can consider the following guidelines (Worthen & Spandel, 1991) to help them determine the benefits and limitations of the test:

• does the test correspond to the task that it measures?
• does the score approximate the students' ability?
• how cant he score be supplemented with other information?
• does the test drive the curriculum?
• is the test a fair example of the students' skills and behaviors?
• are tests that involve minimum standards being used to make critical decisions regarding classification of students? (202)

It is so important for so many reasons to make sure that the tests given have a purpose and are going to measure the fields you need because giving a test to give a test and not have any benefit to you or the student is just discouraging to them and zero help to your lesson.

resource:
Diaz-Rico, L.t. & Weed K.Z. (2010) The Crosscultural Langauge, and Academic Development Handbook. Pearson Education. Inc.

Podcast: History of ESL

Just a little background on the history of ESL! Hope you Enjoy!

http://www.box.net/shared/qlv2dn44s0sjvi597y8u






Reference:

The History of ESL. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2nd, 2011, from http://www.yourdictionary.com/esl/about-esl/the-history-of-esl.html

Podcasts

Looking for a Podcast to work with your ESL student?
Try this website!

http://www.manythings.org/e/podcasts.html

ESL lesson plans and Activities

Looking for something new to do with your students?

Try: http://www.ielanguages.com/lessonplan.html

or

http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/

Need Help Getting Certified as a Test Administrator?

Wanting to get certified as a test administrator but not sure how to?

Here is the link to the Kentucky division of WIDA for testing information and who to contact!

http://www.wida.us/membership/states/Kentucky.aspx

A look into India

Check out my video on India! It's a great way to learn about a new culture!

http://youtu.be/bcdiyJSl04M

Why Blogs can help with ELL Students

Blogs can be useful in teaching ELL students because it is a way for them to talk to others in their class as well as to their teacher without feeling the pressure of them being in the classroom. It is a great way for these students to work on their reading and writing. They can get practice in both the social and formal talking and writing situations. Blogging also gives them a new way to express themselves. Most students now a day loves to use technology and having the ability to do work in a different way than paper and pencil is usually exciting for them.

Physical Education and ESL

" The Physical Education Framework(CDE, 1994) divided its seven standards into three areas: movement skills and movement knowledge, self-image and personal development, and social development (140).

"Students who participate in high-quality physical education program can expect the following: to develop various motor skilled and abilities related to lifetime leisure skills; to value the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle; to improve their understanding of movement and the human body; to know the rules and strategies of particular games and sports; and to gain self-confidence and a sense of self-worth in relation to physical education and recreation programs (p.vi). (140)

Physical activity proves to help students focus better in class when they have had the ability to get out of the classroom environment and get outside/inside and release some energy. I have had a great time working with our ESL students and learning new ways to change games and being able to see them adapt to our rules of the game. I have found that no matter how big the language barrier is, when it comes to physical education everyone seems to be on the same playing field.

Reference:

Diaz-Rico, L, & Weed, K(2010). The crosscultural, language, and academic development handbook. (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.