Interesting tools to include in our lessons

Today I bring you Voki an incredible tool that not only can be used as entertainment but also for educational ends. This application allows users to create their own talking character, customize it to look like historical figures, cartoons, animals, and even yourself!

You can give this avatar a voice by recording with a microphone, typing the message you would like to share, or uploading an audio file. Voki characters can be emailed, shared on social media, and embedded on websites! Plus, it is user friendly and it only takes a few minutes to follow the steps.

If you are looking for a twist in your classroom routines, this tool will help you empower activities for your students and break the mould. They can create their own avatars and you can give instructions and assignments in a completely different way. Students will definitely enjoy creating their character and personalizing it to resemble their appearance, and perhaps can help to refresh the activity repertoire they are used to working with.

Here is my Voki, hope you like it!

Another application that we have been working with in ECO II is Wordle, in which you can generate “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. However, saving your wordle in the gallery is not the smartest thing to do, since the amount of "wordles" is overwhelming and yours is bound to get lost any time soon. It is always a better choice to cut it and paste it on "paint" and then you have it among your files.

Despite being a rather simple tool, I think it does wonders when it comes to working with grammar, it also reinforces vocabulary, syntax and lexis. It adds a new dimention to the well-known "word order" found in many books that may result a bit dull. Students have the opportunity to create their own wordles without being limited to what they see on the books and this is advantageous for their autonomy and self-steem.

Let's see if you can tackle my wordle, it is about a popular saying... that is the only hint you will get! 

My experience working with Google Docs

I guess you might be wondering what Google Docs is and why is it used for; I will only explain my personal experience using this service but I do not want to go on about the programme as such, since Gisel Cracco (a classmate) wrote a very appealing article about it and I highly recommend you to read it if you would like to learn about it thoroughly. Here's the link to her post, where you will find valuable information about it along with her own experience that may help you decide whether to try it out or not.  So, this post will be limited to my experience as a user.

This year was the very first time I came into contact with this marvelous service when we had to do a practical work for this subject (ECOII). My group and I could not see eye to eye to arrange a date to team up and start working, plus, the only moment we could all be “present” at the same time was late at night so we were in the middle of a pickle! How on earth could we be all together late at night!? Unless we did a pyjama party… but that was not the point at all. We figured it was high time to change the group dynamics and look for a quick and effective solution: Google Docs was the answer to our prayers.

It is a fact that whenever we are trying something completely new we get this oppressive feeling in the chest and doubts assault you in no time. Luckily, our work developed smoothly without any inconvenience and with the tranquility that we were working separately but strongly connected. Since this programme allows you to create documents which can be edited, shared, and opened by different members of the group at the same time, you can see what the other person is actually doing to the file and all the changes done are saved every time you modify something, that is while you are typing. You can also program it to delimit the access to it and none of the adjustments made to the documents are lost, you can browse through it and you will find past editions.

The only pitfall would be that you need internet connection to use it, but it is a minor defect compared to the immense benefits it comprises. I have no further complaints about this programme, it helps you save a lot of time and the whole getting-together issue is resolved. Besides, you feel freer to write without having to discuss every single sentence and in case you want to have a say in what your partner did, it has a chat where you can talk things over and put things into discussion. In case you need to download the document you have different formats available, making it even easier for you to take it with you. In addition to this, it is “dummy-proof” very easy to use, create and addictive too.

For me it’s an ideal way to work in groups, especially when you have tight schedules and you cannot agree on a day to meet. It saves time, you do not lose information, and you can set the boundaries as regards privacy. 

Teacher-designed materials, give it a try!

Having read the article about designing effective English language teaching materials by Jocelyn Howard and Jae Major, I would like to express my point of view regarding the overall article. Personally, I found it to be practical and applicable to our daily practices and could help us expand our teaching horizons.

English language teachers may choose to construct their own teaching materials to meet their instructional purposes and objectives. They do so by tailoring texts, worksheets and activities to suit a particular level, class-size, learning styles and strategies to ensure students are learning to their maximum potential.

Appealing as it may look, it is quite a demanding task that only a few teachers dare to embark on. It is cognitively challenging since a wide array of factors need to be taken into account, and educational goals should be crystal-clear for their successful employment. It becomes crucial for teachers to recognize and spot the instructional objectives and to establish a well-defined idea of what students should be able to do at the end of the lesson. In other words, the establishment of prior objectives will give you a clear perspective on what you want to accomplish with the group.

Additionally, analyzing the group we are working with in depth to gather information regarding their social status, ethnic origin, and interests will give you well-grounded tips to successful material development. Likewise, bearing in mind the variety of intelligences present in the classroom will provide us with important hints to adapt and tailor the material to enhance the learning process.

One of the first positive aspects of teacher-designed material is that the context in which the learning and teaching is taking place is comprised, whereas commercial material is devoid of meaning and ends up being artificial. What’s more, it is produced in a serial and systematic fashion without contemplating the special features of each context, resulting in a lack of interest and identification with the topics dealt. Something even more concerning is that we learn our mother tongue in a natural context, that is why when it comes to teaching another language it is paramount important to create an artificial context within which we can attribute meaning to the language itself. Language is meaning, and meaning is conveyed through language, so if we do not set the conditions for that, the learning will be hindered.

Another issue that goes hand in hand with the context is the resources available. We may have the possibility of taking full advantage of the vast resources of the institution but at some other times, lessons will be impoverished because of the lack of aids. It is here when the teacher gains importance and his or her creativity is at the heart of it to profit from the material he/she manages to construe. Along with this, teacher-designed material is beneficial for those students who do not have access to commercial goods because of their high prices; it is not directed to a unique sector of society, fostering inclusion.

Teacher-designed material is advantageous for individual needs, as I have explained later on, it allows a more flexible approach and it can be modified and articulated to fit a particular group and attend class diversity. This material is designed in the light of the student’s background, experiences, level, and socioeconomic situation, resulting in a personalized instruction that becomes extremely motivating for the learners and rewarding for the teacher.

Working this way will also assure you up-to-date material that is pertinent and relevant to bring about critical discussions in class, let alone the fact that you will tap into the learners’ interest.

Lack of coherence or organization may be the first disadvantage that teacher-made material has. By adopting this crafty way, we run the risk of losing our focus and moving towards unwanted directions. If we decide to construe something by ourselves, we need to have clear in our mind what we are aiming at, to avoid losing perspective. In this case coursebooks do offer a reliable guidance to the teacher, and it is highly likely that they feel more confident and secure following this framework.

Let us imagine we are teaching the animals to a group of kids. For that reason we have decided to design colorful flashcards that resemble the animals because the ones that the book has are not of your liking. In this case, we need to be mindful since kids tend to touch things a lot (they need to make use of all their senses), you will use those flashcards to play memory games, you can hide them in the classroom and they should find them and this may be counterproductive for the material, it may be damaged. Hence, it becomes indispensable for us to plaster the flashcards and make sure the material we used is a good quality one.

Suppose you have your material ready, you are pleased with it and confident it will work out perfectly, and are planning to use it for next class. There is a remarkably important detail we should not let it pass us by: the instructions. These are the cherry on top, without clear, concise and straightforward instructions we won’t make it too far.

Time is an impediment factor for those teachers who are loaded with work and are running against the clock. It is important to strike a balance between life and work; you also need time for yourself and others. Hard work always pays, but when it comes to the final decision you are the one to weigh up the pros and cons of designing your own material. Nevertheless, whenever possible, we should not hesitate to try and offer our students alternative ways of working.

If you found the topic interesting, here's the link to the complete article

Best regards!

Using Prezi... (For the first time)

If you are fed up with the monotonous aspect of power point, I suggest you to take the plunge and try Prezi instead. I am not trying to underestimate power point as such, it is greatly useful (As I have stated in the previous entry) but if you would like to spice things up a bit, Prezi is certaintly the way to go!

This was the very first time I used it and to tell the truth, I was a bit apprehensive about it since I thought it would be extremely difficult to handle. It just takes a few minutes until you get used to the experience and then is like riding a bike, really. The results are alluring and more glamorous, it is a pleasure to look at, especially the way in which you can arrange the slides to move backwards and forwards; it is completely novel. You are also allowed to zoom in and out, depending on the emphasis you might give to certain things and the display is not linear like in power point but is messy in a lovely kind of way; you can play with it to create the effect you desire and it also has enticing effects to highlight some words and the outcome is surprisingly modern.

We used Prezi for ECO's PW nº 2 and had the possibility of choosing either power point or Prezi. We worked in groups, which made the whole process more "doable" and when we got together we decided on a whim to give Prezi a try. Choosing Power point would have been a much safer choice but it is interesting to move towards unknown directions and be positively surprised. We were supposed to work with a unit called "Girls night out" and to come up with a lesson plan that includes one of these presentations. We thought it would be really interesting to create a Prezi presentation with our own "nights out", including real pictures and customs that we have here in Santa Fe as a contrast with the ones they have in The United States. Our Prezi would be used a model for learners to create their own Prezi with their own stories. I must say it came out wonderfully, and the foremost important aspect of this work was the authenticity implied.

All in all it is worth running the risk of trying new things out, I would definitely use it again for further presentations. We were not able to try it out in a real classroom, but I'm posistive that students would be thrilled to work this way. It is a personalized work, extremely menaingful and enjoyable.

Here I share our Prezi for you to see how gratifying the result is!

Using Power Point Presentations adequately

Using slides are a great way to guide your audience through the main points of your presentation. Slides that are clear and concise will complement, and even enhance, your verbal presentation. However, slides can also become a source of distraction. There is a fine balance between providing enough information so that slides make sense and overwhelming the audience with excessive information.

Let us consider the following tips to capitalize on its use:

1)-Use readable font: make your slides easy to read from anywhere in a room.

-Use bold font for all text on a slide.

-Do not rely on the default settings; they may not be as legible when projected onto a large screen as they are on your computer screen.

-Use contrasting colors for text and background.

-Be consistent, use the same size and color font throughout the whole presentation.

2)-Use key words and phrases: be concise on slides.

-Use bullet points (phrases instead of complete sentences)

-Your slides should guide the reader to your main points: make only three or four points per slide.

-However, include enough information so that the slide makes sense.

3)-Use Charts and Figures: when it is difficult to describe something briefly, display the information in another format.

4)-Keep it simple: too much animation, color, or text will be distracting.

-Use simple design templates or backgrounds.

-Use animation sparingly.

-Keep text out of the slide design.

5)-Talking with your Slides: remember that no matter how great your slides look, content is the most important part of your presentation.

-Use your slides as your outline for the presentation.

-Use the same words in your speech as appear on the slide; this will help the audience follow along.

-Be sure to discuss the text on the slide; try not to make the audience choose between reading the slide or listening to you.

-Reference your information by including citations on slides

-As a general rule, have one slide per minute of presentation (e.g., for a 12 minute talk, have 12 slides)

-Practice your talk so you stay within your allotted time.

We should definitely employ the use of power point presentations or prezi for our teaching practices because it offers the possibility of making your work more attractive and neat (following the above criteria). Instead of making a plain oral speech we could implement this to enthrall our audience and aid comprehension, as long as slides are tidy and clear. Besides, note-taking is improved since the slides state the main points of the topic and people can have a better understanding of the subject matter.

I personally believe that one of the best pieces of advice on the use of power point presentations is to keep it simple, do not overload the slide with words, if so, your audience will switch off at once and the main idea of your theme will be lost. It is always advisable to include images that represent what you are stating and make it more eye-catching.

If the above criteria is too serious and formal for you, take a look at this video that will make you break in two with laughter!

Food for thought: Is it a good website?

Websites can become our ally when teaching and looking for novelty or adding variety to our daily practices, but being assertive on our choices is not something that comes out naturally and  out of the blue. One should be mindful, and foremost important, to be as critical as possible and to browse deeply through it to find any information that may come handy and give us a hint of its credibility and reliability.

This may seem a piece-of-cake-kind-of-task, but it is definitely not. It is time-consuming and also requires our undivided attention, if we want to do it properly. On the other hand, it is highly rewarding and it may be an interesting complement to introduce variety, to shake up routines and it serves as further practice on a particular topic that the teacher wishes to enlarge on, or to extend its practice.

As a complementary part of our subjet ECO, I have been analyzing websites based on a specific criteria, and believe me when I say it is worth every bit of our time. I must confess that I wouldn't have payed attention to the analysis of websites before, in fact, choosing a website for me was something instinctive and directionless; I only cared for the attractiveness of the activities proposed there. After having the chance of revising key features within sites, I have come to the conclusion that we should be consciencious before choosing to work with one.

Some criteria that may be useful to apply:

Accuracy: make sure the athor provides e-mail or contact address/phone number and the institution that published the page.

Authority: If your page lists the author credentials and check URL domain. The ones preferred are: .edu, .gov, .org, or .net.

Objectivity: If your page provides accurate information with limited advertising and it is objective in presenting the information.

Currency:  If your page is current and updated regularly and also if the links (if any) are also up-to-date. Pay attention if the page is outdated or to the amount of dead links present.

Coverage: If you can view the information properly and it is not limited to fees, browser technology, or software requirement, otherwise you will be loosing the opportunity of making the most out of it if you do not have the required sofware to view the information.

 If you use this guideline as a framework for your decision, then you won't run the risk of choosing an invaluable website.

The above criteria also applies to our learners. The internet can become a trap for some children if they do not have a steady direction to follow. It is our duty as teachers to create awareness on this issue and to deliver trustworthy information about it. It is pretty common to see very young children in front of the computer, clicking thousands of webpages every day; then, it is worth asking ourselves: how many of these kids are able to distinguish a safe webpage from a crappy one? the answer is alarming. Consequently, helping them to utilice this magnificent tool is our number one priority and should not be procrastinated. This is the only way of showing them that not all information out there is valuable and that a careful selection of the material existent in the web is needed.

 I leave you this quote which I think should be reminded constantly when in panic!

 "There is no reason to fear the Internet. When used properly with the right precautions educates, positively influences, and provides a creative outlet for today's kids." 

Don Tapscott: "Net Generation"

In the first entry of this blog I have put forward my viewpoint regarding Mark Prensky's article about "Digital natives and Digital immigrants". I have read another author called Don Tapscott who also wrote and did research on the same topic presented, but with the minor difference that he uses another terminology: "The Net Generation" (Shortened to N-geners). I reckoned that it would be quite interesting to reflect upon some ideas that I've gathered from one of his most well-known articles called: "The rise of the Net generation".

I took an excerpt from the article that I considered worthwhile: “The Net generation are children at the heart of the new digital media culture, and whose learning styles and strategies have changed profoundly and dramatically from that of their parents”. I believe it is highly important for us to see that learning strategies and styles are no longer similar to that of former times; hence, we need to move away from the traditional teaching model to a more eclectic and inclusive one. Our learners are more demanding because the world we live in is fast-moving and insists on trends that are hard to crack.

 Furthermore, we should not fight back or resist the network fashion but we should adopt it and apply it to improve our lessons and to appeal students. That is why I think it is advantageous to obserb and be mindful about our children’s strategies to develop lessons that are more fruitful, content-rich, and that contemplate the new learning styles.

Another characteristic the author mentions, is that this new generations are exceptionally curious, self-reliant, smart, focused, able to adapt, high in self-esteem, and has a global orientation. Let alone the fact that the way they get hold of input data is utterly different, and their ability to multi-task has shaken everything known so far.

 This last fragment holds truth only partly, since it generalizes and one cannot take for granted that all kids will have these traits with no exception whatsoever. In the educational field, we encounter individuals of all kinds, some of them may embody the characteristics mentioned above, but some others won’t. This is the moment in which our role becomes important to help learners develop their learning skills, stimulate their intelligences and adjust our lessons to make the most out of their potential.

The “culture of interaction” is another topic tackled within this article, and I do agree with the author in that this generation has the strong necessity of exposing themselves, their passions and interests; it is the Internet the path that makes this urgency viable with only just "one click". This culture, if harnessed, can be a tremendous force in promoting learning.

"When these peoples surf the net, they typically participate in several activities at the same time.” This fragment reffers back to multi-tasking and I must say I have an ambiguous posture towards this topic. It is widely affirmed that this ability is aqcuired by new generations because of the way they access and digest information masively and overwhelmingly. However, it is also fair to say that this ability is somehow connected to maturational factors. Young learners have a more flexible schemata and they subsume information in a larger scale and with hardly any effort than older people, who do not have much "room" left in their shemas and their speed for processing data is fairly weaker. Two plausible theories for one topic, I guess it depends on how we want to see it.

“Another reality is that kids are not fond of pre-digested information, they want (and need) to learn by doing, where they check their own understanding trying things out! and this is how learning becomes experiential, and hence, meaningful and long-lasting.” When I read this passage form the article Brunner came to my mind immediately. We studied Brunner's ideas and theories in Psycholinguistics (a subject of our English teaching programme) and he coined the term "Scaffolding", by which adults or teachers (in our case) should guide the learner or child to discover things by himself. It is precisely this discovery that will have a meaningful outcome for the child and that experience is automatically engraved in his mind, resulting in a long-lasting learning. Having said that, we should consider devicing classroom activities based on problem-solving or simply tasks that pose a challenge to them and that they can resolve by trial and error.

These are some ideas that kept bouncing in my mind...

Hope you find them worthwhile.

Here's the link to the complete article if you feel like reading it!