QR code Fun!

Shared PREZI

Sample Prezi on Prezi

Polleverywhere benefits

Teachers who have used  polleverywhere.com found it helpful saving money and time and at the same time found their students learn more efficiently. By positing an instant question on the wall,  a Holy Trinity high school math teacher Matthew Dopira got the idea about what and how much his students has learned right away during his class. I can see how he can use the data collected for his next lesson plan preparation, and modification.
Moreover, if teachers have a hard time dealing with students using their smart phones, why not incorporate cell phones in teaching; make students use the best out of their personal mobile devices to enhance their learning. I believe that students will pay attention in the class since as a High school English teacher Valerie Williams stated that her students did not have to worry about taking notes but participated well in the class, " knowing that they will have a picture of the board to use for later reference."  Furthermore, a junior high school teacher, Kathy Peter agreed that "allowing mobile device use within clear parameters makes it less likely that students will use them inappropriately" Peter said "They (students) know that I will allow it when it is necessary." I think this is a great class management strategy.

How to avoid Powerpointlessness?

How to train our students use Powerpoint effectively without making their presentation Powerpointless?

I have assigned my students Powerpoint presentation projects in my Art class before. Most of my students put too much information in their slides which really distracted the audience and made their presentation powerpointless.  Furthermore, it was time consuming that I remember spending a lot of time editing, and writing specific comments and feedback for each group.
After reading the article, I am inspired by James McKenzie's Scoring Power Points and learned that showing my students a Powerpoint presentation rubric can really help them grasp my expectations.  Moreover, I will also provide good and bad examples of Powerpoint slides when I go through the rubric.

QR code ideas and info

http://langwitches.org/blog/2011/11/22/transliteracy-qr-codes-and-art/

http://blogs.southfieldchristian.org/pixelsandpaintbrushes/2011/03/29/super-heros/

http://www.qrcartist.com/category/use-in-education/



Pinterest

http://pinterest.com/jnase1/qr-codes-lessons-and-activities/


combine: goolge doc, QR code, and audioboo

Google doc

Using technology to learn collaboratively.

I agreed that in order to understand ideas deeply, there must be some interactive conversation take place.  The collaborative journal writing which mentioned in this online article sounds brilliant that it does not only provide a forum for students to share their learning process and strategies but also create an opportunity for students to have writing conversations back and forth with their peers. 

I have done similar activities with my students in a non-technology environment. I found it helpful since through the activities, students had chances to discuss what they learned and share what they missed from the contents that other students have found. The only disadvantage was that students had to wait until the next class to get their journals back,  then write back to their partners and exchange the next time again.

Therefore, I think online collaborative journal writing can really save both students and teachers a lot of time. Students can do their research while writing their journal as homework.

Furthermore, for teachers this is a great way to train "expert learners". Teachers can assign writing assignments following the order of  Planning Starters, Reflective Starters and Comment or Discussion Starters, mentioned on the site, Scaffolding For Deep Understanding. http://theconstructionzone.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/scaffolding-for-deep-understanding/  
For example, every student will start a piece beginning with "I want to learn...", then read other people's writing online to write their reflections, for instance, "I learned...". After they have read other people's learning refections, each student will choose one colleauge's writing to write his/her response, such as "I disagree with you because...". Finally, all studnets have to write a work or artist's statement to conclude their project learning process and appreciate others cooperation.  

Livebinder

Livebinder

Myna Memo

Thesis Statement Activity

Artist's Comfy Outfit

Artist's Comfy Outfit by debbiechen featuring canvas handbags

J Crew long shirt
jcrew.com

Denim skinny jeans
allyfashion.com

Dress shoes
amazon.com

Canvas handbag
etsy.com

Lerning from reviewing yourself.

Students usually practice to present and perform through speaking but they hardly had opportunities to review and listen to themselves. They only get feedback from their teachers and peers.
I think it is a great idea to offer students the opportunities to observe themselves from their own perspectives and debrief with their teachers after they have reviewed their own performances.  Furthermore, using the best out of tools students already have such as ipod, mp3 is brilliant.
However, there are more to learn since I am not a digital and technology person. I would love to learn how to use popular digital devices among students and use them as learning and teaching tools to benefit my students.
At the same time, I would love to hold a technology show and tell day for my class. In the class, each student will have to share with the class, one technology that he/she has learned and used for different purposes. After collecting what my students are using in favour, I can design an activity and assign a group project that will motivate my students to learn using their ipod, ipad, mp3 and smart phones.

Fun Wordle Vocab Review and Creative Notes

Students can use wordle to review their vocabulary. They can first use new words they have learned to make a paragraph and then copy and paste the paragraph they created on wordle. This way they review newly learned vocabulary in an interesting way. Wordle can also be used as notes for students when delivery a speech or a presentation.

Wordle

Students can use wordle to review their vocabulary. They can first use new words they have learned to make a paragraph and then copy and paste the paragraph they created on wordle. This way they review newly learned vocabulary in an interesting way. Wordle can also be used as notes for students when delivery a speech or a presentation.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/19139812/Reading-Intermediate-Phase-

Listening Exercise for today

listen to ‘Listening exercise’ on Audioboo

Hi welcome to English Express Site. Let's start with playing a game here. We call this game Chain Introduction. I will be the first and the last player of this game. Following the steps to participate.

Step 1: Click on the Audioboo to listen to my introduction about myself,my favortie food and favorite way of eating it.

Step 2: Sign up Audioboo to record your your introduction.
Step 3: In your recording, you have to first retell the previous person's introduction. For example, if you were the first person to sign up, you would talk about what you heard in my recording and then introduce yourself following your name, your favorite food and your favorite way to eat it. I will have to do a long recording after all, since I am also the last player. So you sure would like to sing up as soon as possible (ASAP).

Step4: Publish your recording on Audioboo by clicking publish.

Step5: Go to the Audioboo website and embed your recording on your blog for the next person.

Step 6: Leave your URL for the next person

Using Translators in classroom

 I recalled that once I could not stop my students from looking up their electric translators in the class whenever I introduced a new topic or new vocabulary. As their ESL instructor, I would like my students to express English freely without afraid of making mistakes. Using electric traslator really slowed them down and made them less active.
Then I came up with an idea. One class I divided the class into small groups. I gave each group a piece of blank paper and had each group member take turn to draw a small picture. In the end, each group has eight pictures on the piece of paper. I then asked each group to create a story out of the pictures they drew in their mother tongue --Taiwanese. My students were surprised and excited about that. After that I asked them to translate the story to English.
Through the process, my students practiced choosing appropriate vocabulary, analyze different grammar system and sentence patterns and in the end they told me that they found it's easier just creating the story in English directly rather than making the story in their mother togune and then translate it to English. I told them "Yes, and it is also faster because you think in English instead of thinking in your first langauge and then writing it again in English".
I like the idea of holding a cotest for the funniest story. I can see how effective of holding a contest for the funniest will be when I apply it to my teaching next time. Furthemore, I also agree that instead of stopping students from using translators why not using it as a teachable moment. As we learn much from mistakes and bad examples.

Reading Matters

 As a young ESL learner, I had hard time whenever I took a reading comprehension test. It was usually the new vocabulary that blocked me. 

As an experienced and advanced ESL learner now, I found it is easier for me to understand English text than in my mother tongue. Because I was trained to read in English and I have built up my reading skills in English.

 I found when I read English text, I am more aware of the sentence structure, main ideas, and I ask myself questions like " What is the purpose of the text? " and "why are we (am I) reading it?" Therefore, when I am reading for answers, it is usually easier for me to find the information I need in the text. 

I think reading in L1 and L2 are the same since we are taught how to read. Moreover, reading is a part of our life. We are reading all the time. For example, we have to read the ingredients and  expiry dates on food labels.