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Title: Ideas for Using Songs to Teach
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Lisa Shepard shares a method for using the Picture Talk technique for introducing a target language song to a language class. Her blog post also includes additional activities and links to other ideas for using songs in the classroom. Read it at http://madameshepard.com/?p=1583
Source: Madame's Musings
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Title: Game Ideas
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From https://mmemoghtader.com
French teacher and blogger Sarah Moghtader has already assembled a collection of language classroom games (https://mmemoghtader.com/category/games/). In a recent blog post, she describes three more whole-class games: Alibi, Celebrity (which your InterCom Editor knows as "Salad Bowl"), and the Newlywed Game. Read the descriptions of these three games at https://mmemoghtader.com/2019/02/11/fighting-the-winter-doldrums-with-games/
Source: Mme Moghtader
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Title: Resources for Black History Month
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An FLTEACH listserv users recently requested ideas for Black History Month, which is February every year. Responses include specific resources for French classes, as well as discussions of integrating content throughout the year.
Here is the link to the initial query: https://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1902&L=FLTEACH&P=R956
From there, click on "Next" by "By Topic" to read other teachers' responses.
Source: FLTEACH
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Content Type: 1
Title: How to Create Adventure Stories Using Google Slides and Keynote
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From https://www.freetech4teachers.com
Richard Byrne explains how teachers can use tools such as Google slides and Keynote to build creative presentations. One of those overlooked features is linking slides to other slides. If used correctly and with a little planning, students can create choose-your-own-adventure stories by using the slide linking feature.
Learn how to create your adventure stories using Google Slides at https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2019/02/how-to-use-google-slides-to-create.html
Learn how to create your adventure stories using Keynote, at https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2019/02/how-to-use-keynote-to-create-choose.html
Source: Free Technology for Teachers
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Title: Six Online Whiteboard Drawing Tools
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From https://www.freetech4teachers.com
In this article you will find a list of six useful online whiteboard and conferencing tools such as, Scratchwork and Draw Chat, that can be used for free. On these online platforms you can draw, type, share images, and host meetings with your students.
To learn more, visit https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2019/02/six-online-whiteboard-drawing-tools.html
Source: Free Technology for Teachers
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Title: Beware of Time-wasting Low Level Technology Learning
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From https://www.coolcatteacher.com/beware-of-time-wasting-low-level-technology-learning/
In this ten-minute podcast listen to Vicki Davis talk to Tom Murray, the Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools, a project of the Alliance for Excellent Education located in Washington, D.C. In this podcast, Tom talks about his concern that teachers often celebrate low-level learning. “Just because something is digital does not mean it is any good,” says Tom.
To learn what he means by low level learning, visit https://www.coolcatteacher.com/beware-of-time-wasting-low-level-technology-learning/
Source: Cool Cat Teacher
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Title: Making Video Lessons to Use in Class
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From https://kidworldcitizen.org/making-video-lessons-to-use-in-class/
In this podcast listen to Becky Morales talking about creating video lessons to use in the classroom. She is looking at 10 different platforms and methods to mix audio, images, and videos for learners, such as: Edpuzzle, Vizia, and Clips. She will also speak with Angie Torre, who’s going to share how she records conversations for her students to learn from.
For more information, visit https://kidworldcitizen.org/making-video-lessons-to-use-in-class/
Source: Kid World Citizen
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Content Type: 3
Title: Moving Beyond Group Work: Facilitating a Learner-Centered Classroom
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By Julie Sykes, CASLS Director
The notion of learner-centeredness in the world language classroom has been a focus for quite some time. With the prolific application of a focus on communicative competence and proficiency-based language instruction, learner communication in the classroom appears in the majority of best-practice guides for world language education.
Despite this focus, a common complaint often made by world language educators is the lack of student participation when they are placed in groups or pairs. These complaints often stem from results in which learners go through the motionx to complete a task and, at worst, end up with them not completing the task at all. While, pair and group work are not always met with these results, they also are not a panacea for facilitating learner-centeredness in a world-language classroom. In addition to giving students time to work together and creating the conditions under which all students have the opportunity to be successful, learner-centered approaches also require attention to the interests and needs of the learner beyond their classroom behavior. In this week’s Topic of the Week, we explore two ways to extend learner-centered experiences beyond small group work.
- Learner agency and choice can be about topic and domain and also about how learners choose to complete a task.
For example, let’s imagine you are teaching the function of descriptions and you want learners to be able to practice different ways of describing different kinds of things and people. A common approach to this task is giving learners an information gap activity in which one learner describes something to the other so that their partner can guess what or who they are thinking of based on their description. This task, while certainly facilitative of potential learning, does not guarantee a learner-centered experience. To augment the opportunity, one might offer the opportunity to describe anything a learner wishes. For example, they could select five images of the things they would like to describe. Critical to the learners’ experience of this activity is their choice. The instructor can provide a model of things they like to describe why they would like to describe them and give learners the same opportunity. In this way the activity not only becomes communicative and collaborative with the learners working hands-on in small groups, it also adds an element of personalization to the language that they work with and practice with.
- Support learners’ opportunity to become experts and share that knowledge with the class.
Another opportunity to facilitate a learner-centered classroom is to give learners an opportunity to create lessons and teach each other. This can entail selecting new types of words they’re interested in learning, maybe things like hashtags or social media terms, or, alternatively, creating activities for their peers in which the learners facilitate the learning experience. This does not become the core of every lesson, rather the opportunity for learners to not only think about the consumption of information, but also the skills they would want to share to teach that information or categorize that information in a way that works in their particular context.
Regardless of the approach one takes, extending learner ownership and agency can increase awareness and success in the world language classroom.
Source: CASLS Topic of the Week
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Content Type: 3
Title: Using the First Language as a Scaffold for In-the-wild Language Development
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By Christopher Daradics, CASLS Language Technician
As we know all too well, clear, intentional communication can be difficult to achieve, let alone maintain. Finding the right word, clearly communicating your intention, and conscientiously sequencing information for the benefit of your interlocutors are cognitively demanding tasks and sometimes even emotionally exhausting. Also as we know, these same difficulties, and more, are often heightened while developing and practicing a second language.
In order to ease the cognitive load, stress, and complexity of improving one’s second language skills it can be quite helpful to reach for the stable ground of a first language. Using a first language, learners can rely on a familiar and stable scaffolding to help them find ways of moving out of their comfort zone and deeper into their zone of proximal development. Along these lines, learners’ second language development will be greatly aided by three key activities: 1) cultivating social relationships that afford target language engagement, 2) establishing routines and patterns that bolster target language participation and identity, and 3) consolidating knowledge gained “in the field” into a coherent mental framework or model.
Performance in each of these areas can be greatly enhanced by relying on an L1 as illustrated below.
Use a first language to facilitate social contact and relationships development
Expert English speakers have a skill many people around the world interested in developing, proficiency in the English language. Setting up a language exchange is an excellent, low-stakes way to initiate social interaction. Online services, language programs, and study abroad centers can be instrumental in helping eager learners find language partners.
Developing plans for language contact may be easier in a first language. First, at the level of corresponding with a language partner about a time and place to meet, especially the first time, it makes sense to agree on plans in the language with the highest degree of fidelity. It can also be beneficial to stick with a first language when it comes to studying tactics and strategizing about how to develop relationships. The same principle can also be applied to reflection and self-evaluation, especially at the earlier stages of language learning.
Build routines and habits that strengthen TL performance and identity
The routine of going to a gym (e.g. cross-fit) or other socially sanctioned collective activity (e.g. drumming circle, capoeira club, performance group) can be a great way to jump into a target language community with shared interests. Using a first language can be a helpful way of finding and getting started in an activity that integrates learners’ lifestyles and personal interests with language contact.
Developing a habit of writing questions and observations about the TL is a great way to stay engaged and keep information flowing. This practice will be much easier and faster in the L1. As proficiency grows learners can begin to take notes in their target language as the context affords. In addition to quickly jotting notes for language study, the notes can also be used to remember information about social contacts. Using this information in follow up interactions will allow more personal connection with language partners.
The habit of noticing and exploring connections between a first language and a target language is also productive. Activities like identifying cognates, comparing/contrasting pragmatic norms, and comparing/contrasting formal structures are all ways to leverage first language knowledge to get a better handle on the target language. The noticing and exploring can be in a journal or through conversation. In conversation, when topics go beyond a learner’s target language skill, it can still be beneficial to carry on the interaction in the learner’s first language. Expressing genuine interest in understanding ourselves and others better demonstrates solid character and will have the effect of attracting quality, suitable language partners.
“Make sense” by using whatever conceptual systems (languages, objects, environments, tools) are available
Some aspects of unfamiliar languages and cultures can require heavy cognitive lifting to begin to understand. Where possible, it may be helpful to switch into a first language simply to understand what is going on (like a busy festival) or why something is the way it is (like a revered building or structure).
Reading about and practicing open awareness and focused attention (Seigel, 2018) in a first language can also be a helpful tool in attempting to explore and encounter the target language, as much as possible, on its own terms. By consciously practicing quieting the “first language mind” learners can better position themselves to encounter the target langua-culture with a more open mind.
Reference
Siegel, D. J. (2018). Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence. New York: TarcherPerigee.
Source: CASLS Topic of the Week
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Content Type: 2
Title: Careers of Language Study Abroad Alumni: A Comprehensive Investigation
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Dear Colleague,
Did you study abroad? Just a few minutes of your time would help researchers from Penn State University to understand how studying abroad impacted your personal and professional path. Knowing that will contribute to a larger body of research in the field that can help us improve language education and education abroad and make it more applicable to students’ future careers and goals. Will you help?
Completing this survey, “Careers of Language Study Abroad Alumni: A Comprehensive Investigation,” funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, is one way you can help: http://bit.ly/2G4ipbJ
You can learn more about the research project by visiting this website. Any questions or concerns regarding the survey can be directed to the principal investigator, Celeste Kinginger, at cxk37@psu.edu.
When you’ve finished, share it with your fellow study abroad alums on social media, too!
Thank you!
Source: CASLS
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