Working hard

Hello there! How´ve you been?

   It´s been a while since I last posted anything (in this blog anyway). I´ve been busy blogging and posting in my webpage for my English students. On top of that, I´ve been working my fingers to the bone with the new school year, you know planning and stuff. But I am glad to take some time apart to post a line or two.

 
  I have added a new postcast in my itunes- Ted Talks. Everyone (by everyone I mean three people, lol) has suggested to me so I am going to give it a try. I have, in fact, seen a video clip from the thousands of instructional videos and audio materials you can get. let´s see what I find.

   This year, I have giving a chance to ebooks and podcasts. I have read quite a number of books this way and I always listen to my favorite podcasts in my ipod. Howstuffworks.com is one I am currently listening to.

   So, there you have it. Just when I thought i was out, they pull me back in.

Jerry!

Vacation almost over

Hello everyone.

In a couple of weeks I am due back at work. When I resume my work, It will be almost two months since I began my break.

However, I kept on working with my esl classes and blogging and stuff like that. If you have noticed, I have added a new blog and a website for my English students. I am so excited about this because my students are really responding to this new approach to language learning.

This week, I am supposed to partake in a seminar on using technology in class. Seminar which is sponsored by the Honduran Ministry of Education. I still don´t know if I have to address the crowd or just sit in.

My new acquired knowledge on technology is paying off. It has given a new look to the way I teach. I am sure my students are enjoying every minute of it.

Jerry

Ps: my website is: https://sites.google.com/a/delcamposchool.org/esl-teaching-learning/home

Useful Websites

Hello
Are you a google user? good for you. But you can also use other sites such as:
http://www.noodletools.com/index.php
http://www.searchedu.com/
http://www.sweetsearch.com/
http://www.askkids.com/

Give these search engines a shot. It´s worthwhile!!

Websites to keep at hand

Cambridge Website for students:
http://www.cambridge.org/us/esl/touchstone/student/index.html

Here´s a Webquest I prepared about Webquests. I´ll keep this post for a week:
www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=105044


For those teaching Touchstone book 1 (levels 1 and 2):
http://www.cambridge.org/us/esl/catalog/subject/project/custom/item5964175/Touchstone-Grammar-Presentations-and-Worksheets/?site_locale=en_US&currentSubjectID=2489422

A few videos I have added the lyrics to:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ginteriano003

The aftermath

  My ecourse has come to an end. I can´t believe 10 weeks have passed by so quickly. I feel I should always be in training.

  Somehow, I think I am. I mean, this coming monday, I am going to give a workshop on two points from my webskills online course. I will shre the knowledge I acquired with my fellow teachers.

I will continue expanding my knowledge on Computer assisted language learning (CALL) so I can improve my language teaching repertoire.

So my e course may have landed, but my search for technology in the class is still airborne.

Jerry, Honduras

Technology in class (final reflection)

I can´t believe this is the last week in our web skills e- course.

I would like to start by thanking the American Embassy for being my sponsor so I could study on line with UO. It was ten weeks of discovery.

Two things I loved about my e- course were Web Quests and Power point presentations. None of them were new to me but reading more about them and being asked to develop tasks made me realize the practical use of these tools in our technological world. In fact, I have taken upon myself, to expand my knowledge and introduce them in every class I teach.

Every topic, reading and task we came across with, in the e course was worth the while. I am going to go over such material to instill in me every bit of it. Sooner than later, I am going to give a workshop to my co workers. So I need to be prepared to handle it. I am so thrilled!

I am fully satisfied with the way the e course was conducted. Robert, my e trainer was with us all the way. For me, there was a lot of discovery and rediscovery I may add. I feel like I am 5 steps ahead of the crowd (namely, other teachers). This is how I feel.

Week 9 Reflections

The ecourse is almost finished. A lot has been gained as far as incorporating technology in our classes. Our task is now to put it into practice and pass on the webskills learned, praticed and most importantly acquired. It´s been a great journey but I kind of feel it´s not over yet. There´s the extra mile we have to go.

Speaking of extra mile, I have volunteered myself tyo give a worshop to my fellow workers. I will sit in and focus on one or two of the new things I learned in my online class. I am sure my coworkers will benefit greatly.

As for my technology development, I will continue seeking for information on the matter. I will also cotinue blogging and sharing stuff. As for my students, they will get the benefits of applying technology in class.

Jerry.

Week 9 events

Another busy week for me at school. It´s the last week we´ll see our studens before we close out the school year.  That means a lot of work, posting grades, turning in forms at the principal´s office etc.

On top of that, I have been asked to make a video (sort of a documentary) telling all the events which took place throughtout the school year. I´ll make a fun one, adding pictures, text and most of all, details of most of the school activities where teachers and students got involved. I even made my own filming company logo. So I hope it turns out the way I expect it.

Maybe this is why I am a little behind my e course tasks. I need to work on my Final Project Report which is due this coming friday. But I am confident I´ll be able to turn it in on time. I just need to make some changes, that´s all.

So, this is it for this week. It´s downhill from here.

Topnotch technology - Week 8

Despite having to post up grades for school and countless other tasks, I squeeze in some time to write this entry. I have done it for the last 7 weeks. I can´t afford to past this week with at least a couple of my thoughts.


Today  was able to type my first draft on my final project. It took me a while but I was able to do it. Tomorrow I will email it to my course peer for suggestions or corrections. I will also CC it to Robert who will give it a glance.

I had a chance to start exploring the new webpages/ programs for English teachers. I immediately bookmarked them to study them thoroughly in the very near future. I couldn´t help but giggle about all the new things we keep learning everyday. I wouldn´t have known about this if I hadn´t taken this e course.

I have even had a talk with my boss about it. The school is very well aware of my studies. They want me to give a crash workshop on technology. I am looking forward to it.

 I am about to start my evening class so leave any comments if you please.

yours,
Jerry, Honduras

Learner Autonomy

   As a student, I always sought ways to improve my language learning. A part of me knew that I needed to be independent from the classroom. This knack for learning by myself allowed me to be a step ahead of the crowd, namely my classmates. How did I become an autonomous learner, you may ask. Let me explain how I did it.

   Before I even started studying formally at the university, I was lucky enough to have a book (incomplete and all torn), but very valuable for my needs. This book had a series of sentences and every sentence had a picture to go along with. With this fact I came up with my first rule of thumb: Don´t translate. Make a mental picture. Don´t forget I was doing this without the help of an English teacher. I was just using my gut feeling.

   The second rule came up with was when I realized I didn´t need to translate so I was doing a separate kind of learning, I mean, I didn´t let Spanish (my native language) interfere with my L2 learning. This rule had the biggest influence in English acquisition because it made learning faster. I brought this self learned knowledge when I enrolled in a formal Language learning environment.

   My first year at the university though, I didn´t study Languages. My major was Electrical Engineering. However, I was really interested in mastering the English language. One of the classes I took was English 1(two whole semesters of language are required for Engineering). I happened to be the best in the class. I befriended my English teacher. He suggested me to switch careers since I wanted to learn English so badly. 

   After that, I continue with my formal education on Languages, which I may add, went smoothly thanks to my self- imposed rules. I learned quite a lot from my Language teachers. I couldn´t have done it without them but the fact that I was able to come up with rules for my own education paved the way for a successful career.

   Yet, not everybody works the same way. Our students may rely more on their teachers. This may be so, because they haven´t been prepared to rely on their own learning. We are not to blame either the students or the teachers. What we can suggest, though, is to give the students tools to become more independent for their learning.

   Teachers who encourage their students to be responsible for their own learning are people like me who took up Language learning on their own and succeeded. 
Jerry, Honduras

Week six - Power Point time

Everything (for teaching anyway)I come across with, I try to implement it as soon as possible. This is the case of this week´s task in which we were to create a Power Point Presentation.
Since I started using a pc, I have always been aware of this MS application. Yet, I was only a

a receiver not a creator of this kind of presentations.

Not anymore, Last night I finished my first power point presentation intended for my English class. It took me a while to sit and come up with the topic, download the images to go along with the text. I think it took me and hour to do so.

I decided to go with the latest topic in our class which is describing people. I tried to make it simple, not only so my students can participate fully but also easy enough for me to accomplish my task.  So I finished it last night while the class was doing some team work. It came in the nick of time because like I said it was our topic at hand. I played the presentation and the students interacted. There was no hint of inhibition, pretty much because the presentation itself was kind of easy. But this is just a start.

Not bad for starters!! I am going to keep creating more power point presentations and/or downloading more for my class. 

The implementation of technology is having a positive effect on my students. They seem more focused. Who wouldn´t?? Language teaching can be more attractive for both students and teacher.

Jerry, Honduras

Power Point Presentations

I´ve been swamped with work this week, so I have just started tackling the reading material for week 6. I can see it´s getting better and better.

I have read about teaching large classes in a way to get the students involved in the learning process. One of those ways is by using power point presentations so we catch the students´ attention. It´s a well known fact that, we recall more if we see it than just merely listen to it.

So far, I have never created a PPT for my classes, although I am familiar with Power Point. One reason why I have never used such a program is because we did not have the technology in class. Now we do. So I will prepare these kinds of presentations to enliven my classes.

So, this is another tool which I will add to my teaching repertoire. I enjoy enriching my tech knowledge.

Jerry, Honduras

French and PBL

  I kind of like to say that French is my third language. It was in fact my minor in the University. I happen to mention French so I can share some thoughts on PBL, Rubrics and webquest.

I always like to see things from the point of view of the students. that´s why when I read about Project based learning, I inmedaitely thought about my expericience learning French. Why is this? becuase the more we make it real, the more interested the students will be and the more involved they will be.

Two years ago I spent a month in Paris visting my sister who lives and works there. This trip was a like a dream. I enjoyed my afternoons and evening checking the landmarks, architecture, musuems etc. I had the best vacation ever.
As for my French, I watched a lot of french tv and talked here and there with friends of my sister´s and people I bumped into in the street and wherever. It was like a project everyday when I had to ask directions or ordering in restaurants.
Now that I am back, I keep myself in touch with french tv especially TV5 (which by the way, offers French lessons so people can practice their french). I also listen to podcasts so I can have further practice. I do this becuase i have a sense of self preparation. I don´t need to go to a class so I can learn about something. I can do it on my own.
heres where PBL comes to mind. How good it would be if we, teachers, think about teaching a language (in this case) taking into account the motivation factor students present. The more motivated and engaged the students are the more learning there would be. I have experienced it in my own flesh. I am aware of it because I am both teacher and student.
PBL is a must in our globalized societies. we ought to implemet projects in which students bring out the best in them. As a result it fosters in us, the motivation to strive to be better professionals and better people.

Webskills so far

A reflection

How fast have 3 and a half weeks passed by. In this time I have had the chance to read into technology to improve our language teaching. 

There´s the reading on CALL which still fascinates me. I am looking forward to move on to the actual use of it. The ABCD method of writing objectives has become handy to plan our classes better, taking into account all the aspects of writing good objectives.

As I continue reading, I realize that as I student I would look for ways to improve my own language mastery using what was at hand. I would watch cable tv- later with closed captioning. Then I came across VOA so I would tune in almost every day. As time move on, so would my techniques on improving my English. 

Nowadays, I keep searching new and different ways to get my dose of English. I came in contact with podcast in Itunes. Being part of this e-course moved me to look for VOA in Itunes. What a nice surprise was it when I found it. So I added to my list of podcast. This time, though more than helping my English I added it to my students.

I used VOA back In the day (in shortwave) I will use it with my students, by listening to the podcast. In fact I have already emailed a segment in Special English called words and their stories. I am yet to hear from my students since we´re enjoying our spring break. I hope they like it and ask for more. This time around I emailed it, next time I hope to use it in class so we can discuss it. I will tell my students that VOA helped me improve my English twenty or so years ago. It´ll do wonders with their English being so easy to get and all.

I didn´t know there was such a thing as CALL (Computer-assisted language learning) but I guess I kind of knew something like that existed since long ago our lives have been flipped over by the world of computers.  

Internet is more than email or chatting or gaming, especially if you are a language teacher. Since I retook my ESL courses I have added a little bit of technology to enlighten my classes. How appropriate this e course has been because it has nailed it in the head as far as technology is concerned. I am so pleased to be part of this course on webskills. I recommended it highly.

 

Reading L2 theories

  This week I began reading on theories on L2 acquisition. This reading material brought back memories when I read a lot on the subject especially from Stephen krashen. The relevance of such reading is that I applied it as a student then and as a teacher now.
  As a requiment to get my B.A. I had to write a paper (in 1998). Guess what was my topic? None other than Second Language acquisition and how adults can indeed get native like pronunciation. As an adult learner of a second and third language I subjected myself to prove my points.
  I happened to learned English after 18 years of age which makes it difficult for adults to get native like pronuciation as the brain has already been lateralized. According to Krahen, althought it´s almost impossible to get native like pronuctiation at this stage, the adult enjoys gaining more insight on language learning and usage. The only advantage kids seem to have by learning a language at an early age, is pronunciation.
  My English sounds pretty good regarless of the contrains explained above. I think my mastery of the English Language is based upon my desire and my necessity to Speak it. All this done in an non English enviroment I may add - When I was a student.
As a teacher, I speak English with my bosses, coworkers who include native like speakers and the student population who puts some pressure on you (they catch you if you make a little slip). so I am always improving my English competence which seems never to end. The more you read the more you come up with new words and expressions.
this is what´s been going on as far as reading for my E course is concerned. Later I´ll blog about my third language which is French.

Language arts on the net

Hello!
   Just a few years back, we, in our school, had a hardcover book for Reading. Back then, we liked it. And in fact it was useful but our students´ need grew so the school administration gave the green light to improve our textbooks. It was decided that every year a new textbook was going to be implemented. The first year, it was the turn for Reading.  This year it´s for math.

   I want to talk about Reading Street by Pearson, the book we´re presently using. This is the first year we have had it. Let me tell you that is wonderful. I mean, it covers not only reading but other subjects as well. Subject such as science and social studies. All the teachers grades k- 6 are very happy to have chosen this textbook.

   Today we´ll have a Pearson Trainer come over to our school and teach us how to use Reading Street in the internet. We are looking forward to introducing Reading Street online to the school community and I am sure we´ll soon be reaping success by means of this new way of studying Reading and Language Arts.http://pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ16e&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=3289&PMDbSubCategoryId=&PMDbSubjectAreaId=&PMDbProgramId=69481

Reading from e-books

Good morning all,

Today I did a lot of reading from the ebook I am currently reading. It´s called The Laws of Success in Sixteen Lesson by Napoleon Hill. A classic book from 1928.

You may wonder, what does this book have to do with my e course? well, nothing directly. But this is the kind of reading I have done and keep doing for quite some time. Not all my reading has to be about teaching, you know.

One thing, though, on a day like today, I read aloud to myself to muster some energy within me and of course to improve my English pronunciation. Being a non native speaker and learning English right after the second language threshold which is by the age of 18, I take it upon myself to speak English as native like as possible. Reading aloud helps me in this regard.

For those interested in second language adquisition read Stephen krashen´s work on the suject. http://www.sdkrashen.com/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning/index.html

Computer Education

I am an avid user of technology. Everyday, like most people nowadays, I lean on my laptop to do a lot of my work. Not only I need it for myself, but now I´m teaching how to use it. That is, I have become a computer teacher. A task that I have grasped with all my mighty.
However, knowing about it is one thing, conveying such knowledge is another thing. Eventhough the curriculum mapping has been provided to me, I still need certain strategeties and skills to be able to shine as a Computer Science teacher. This is a cry for help!!!

Back to school

Hello! I´m back to school, an interactive school that is. I have enrolled in an E-course which is provided by the university of Oregon. I´m really looking forward to Learning new things for my work. I just happened to be named the Computer Teacher for K-6. so this course absolutely comes in handy. The way I see it, I am going to keep myself updated as far as technology is concerned. I have always had an interest towards this field. But because for being a traditional teacher, I have not been able to expand my knowledege. however, A few months back I took a workshop on technology and now I am taking this E-course. I am on my way to becoming a more knowledge person, computer wise. 

Week 0 week 1

All of a sudden I am pretty busy. first I was appointed Computer Teacher for K-6 grades. today was my first day. I also started my e-course with UO.
I had to start at 6:15 am today April 4, 2011 to be able to use the school´s internet since my home internet connection was down over the weekend. I read my emails and I started answering the survey. At 7: 30 am our school day began with a monday morning assembly. Then I participated in the special teachers´ meeting where I was asked to take notes. Then I began my computer classes. It´s 2: 35 pm. The school day is almost over. But I still have to teach an ESL class in a bank in the evening.
As you can see I´m pretty busy, trying to catch up with week o and 1.