A PRESENT FROM ST.NICHOLAS

LEARNING IS GOING ON!

TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The question of professional development is still widely discussed. There are different

examples of pilot projects which can be worth implementing, to my mind. One of them you can find following this link: http://people.umass.edu/educ870/teacher_education/Documents/Craig-book.pdf

This is so called “Focus School Project” model.

One of such projects is The three-year Primary Science and Technology Project (Sci-Tec) between the South Australian Education Department and the former South Australian College of Advanced Education (now the University of South Australia.

Schools within the local districts are clustered together to enable joint professional development activities, the sharing of resources, and the dissemination of information. There is generally one focus school selected per district cluster. Thirty focus schools were identified and two teachers from each of the schools were designated focus teachers. 

The project had three phases. In phase one, the focus teachers developed their own classroom practice in teaching science. They then assisted teachers within their own schools to develop their classroom practices. In phases two and three of the project, the focus teachers worked in pairs in schools in their clusters to assist local teachers first to develop their own classroom practice and to develop the teaching skills. The project provided focus teachers with 20 percent release time from the classroom for three years. The focus schools were required to match this release time from their professional development budget. The teachers were provided with additional release time at the beginning of the project to attend a two-week program at the University of South Australia on classroom practice. At the end of phase one, additional teacher release time enabled focus teachers to work on their inservice skills.

It might be rather interesting (and challenging as well) to participate in such model of teachers’ development. Would you like it? 

Collaborative Learning

I am really sure that collaborative learning is very effective. As we say, two heads are always better than one. While practicing different group activities I witnessed how my students can share strengths and develop their weaker skills at the same time. They also develop their interpersonal skills while collaborating. In some situation they even learn to deal with conflict.

So, group work can result in the production of:

·         wikis

·         proposals

·         reports of case studies

·         in-class or video presentations

·         posters

Here are some ways to provide feedback on group productivity throughout the process as well as on the group product.

·         Evaluate students on both their contributions to group processes as well as the final product.

·         Create a detailed explanation of what your expectations are.

·         Provide scores for individuals as well as groups.

·     Use rubrics.  Consider asking students for feedback and including some of their ideas to the rubric.

·         Incorporate peer and self-assessment at various milestones. This is a good way to check in on the assignment progress as well as the group dynamics.

·         Communicate clearly to students at the beginning how you will calculate their grades.

One of the first things you can do when assessing students' learning is present them with a problem that will elicit a recall of various skills learned throughout a particular course of study. In the traditional manner, give them clear objectives, criteria to demonstrate what they have been learning, and a rubric that defines clear expectations. Then, let them go. Allow your students to organize into work groups. Let them define the roles needed for the task and allow them the opportunity to use various technologies to present, but don't suggest or define a specific tool.

So to quickly review:

·         Step 1: Set clear objectives and tasks

·         Step 2: Allow for open collaboration

·         Step 3: Allow access to learning tools

·         Step 4: Limit explicit direction

·         Step 5: Define clear expectations 

4 Great New Google Docs Templates for Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

4 Great New Google Docs Templates for Teachers ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

How to make an effective group

I don’t stop telling my students the words of Tom Peters “Today we live in a project world and, if you are in a project world, you’ve got to be a great teammate .” I try to learn them to contribute the group work by being a part of their team or group.

The first rule to be a good teammate is to communicate, communicate, communicate. If any of them  has a problem with someone in their group, I ask them to talk to them about it. As they shouldn’t blame others and they should support group member's ideas. If a teammate suggests something, always consider it – even if it's the silliest idea you've ever heard! Considering the group's ideas shows that the person is interested in other people's ideas, not just their own. And this makes them good team members. After all, nobody likes a know-it-all.

Another rule is no bragging! Don't act like a superstar – that is what I say. Sometimes it happens with my children and it comes to the situation that a group doesn’t want to have those “supers” among them.

Another thing I always ask my students is to listen actively and to look at the person who's speaking to them, nod, ask questions and acknowledge what's said by paraphrasing points that have been made. If they're unclear about something that's been said, I advise them to ask for more information to clear up any confusion before moving on. Everybody knows that effective communication is a vital part of any team, so the value of good listening skills shouldn't be underestimated.

And the last rule but not the least is to get involved. I do tell my students to share suggestions, ideas, solutions and proposals with their team members.

 Follow these tips:  

• Create the groups based on student personalities and skill sets.
• Make sure students understand the value of group work by having a session with them about why group work is important.
• Have a team skills training session so that students know how to work well with each other.
• Provide an environment that builds mutual trust by…:

• having the group assign roles.
• having the group decide their means and frequency of communication.
• having the group create a process for conflict management and resolution.

• Make sure the group has set clear goals.
• Assess the students as a group AND as individuals. You can also evaluate the final product, as well as the team process.
• Consider involving students in the assessment process by having them submit documentation about their group process as well as a variety of evaluations (team, peer and self).
• Provide sufficient external support by planning how you will support groups/students that have poor attendance, don’t do their share of the work, receive poor peer evaluations or that can’t resolve a conflict.

Jigsaw Reading Activity

I would begin Jigsaw technique with teacher modeling.  If my students were not familiar with this activity, I would explain to them that they would be working in different groups: a jigsaw or home group, made up of students who have read different texts, and expert group that all reads the same text.

Then, with a piece of text appropriate for my group of students, I would read and think-aloud as if I were working in an expert group, focusing on thought processes such as:

How can I put these ideas into my own words?

How will I tell the members of my jigsaw, or home, group about this material?

To prepare students for returning to their home, or jigsaw, group, I would demonstrate thinking they could use to monitor their performance there:

Do people understand what I’m saying?

Then I would organize students in their home or jigsaw groups and share with them the learning goal or guiding question for the lesson.  I would remind them of the modeling they saw. After appointing the roles I would check their understanding by asking:

·         Will everyone who will be experts raise your hand?

·         Can those responsible for the group work stand up (Leaders)?

·         How much time will you have for reading?

http://www.adlit.org/strategies/22371/    Teachers can use the following steps when developing the jigsaw strategy for a class:

1.       Introduce the technique and the topic to be studied.

2.       Assign each student to a "home group" of 3-5 students who reflect a range of reading abilities.

3.       Determine a set of reading selections and assign one selection to each student.

4.       Create "expert groups" that consist of students across "home groups" who will read the same selection.

5.       Give all students a framework for managing their time on the various parts of the jigsaw task.

6.       Provide key questions to help the "expert groups" gather information in their particular area.

7.       Provide materials and resources necessary for all students to learn about their topics and become "experts".

8.       Discuss the rules for reconvening into "home groups" and provide guidelines as each "expert" reports the information learned.

9.   Prepare a summary chart or graphic organizer for each "home group" as a guide for organizing the experts' information report.

10.   Remind students that "home group" members are responsible to learn all content from one another.

MIXED ABILITY CLASSES

MIXED ABILITY CLASSES

Actually, all our students are individual. They have different names, different appearance, different age and gender, different background. They are different in their character, their interests and their likes and dislikes. Naturally, every our student processes and learns new information in different ways. It means that all of them have different learning styles out of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic ones. As we deal with the problem of mixed ability classes, we should realize how to learn and what methods of learning best fits our students. Understanding this can help maximize time you spend teaching by incorporating different techniques to meet the classes objectives.

We know that mixed ability classes are those made up of students of different levels of proficiency. It means that students may have different strengths, weaknesses and approaches to learning. They may respond differently to various teaching methods and classroom situations. According to Georgina Ma http://www.witslanguageschool.com/NewsRoom/ArticleView/tabid/180/ArticleId/58/Teaching-Tips-Mixed-Ability-Classes.aspx we can outline the next reasons for mixed ability classes:

·         Age or maturity 

·         Intelligence and multiple intelligences

·         Learning style

·         Language aptitude

·         Language levels 

·         Mother tongue

·         Learner autonomy

·         Motivation or attitude towards the subject

·         Cultural background

Basing on Richmond Publishing According to Ur (1991: 303), some of the challenges teachers of mixed ability classes may face include: 

·         Discipline - Teachers may find their mixed ability classes are chaotic or difficult to control. Discipline problems occur when learners feel frustrated, lose concentration, get bored, or behave in a disruptive manner. Some reasons why mixed ability classes may be more difficult to control may be because different learners may find the subject matter easier or more difficult to grasp, weaker learners may require more assistance from the teacher, or more advanced learners may dominate aspects of the lessons. 

·         Interest – Learners may differ in their learning styles, motivation and interests. Teachers of mixed ability classes may find it difficult to provide content and activities that are motivating and interesting to all learners in a class. 

·         Effective learning for all – In mixed ability classes it is difficult to provide effective learning for all learners. The content or activities in a lesson may be too easy for some and too difficult for others. 

·         Materials – Materials are usually rigidly aimed at a certain kind of learner and may not offer teachers options or flexibility. 

·         Individual awareness – Teachers may find it difficult to get to know and follow the progress of all learners in a class. In classes where there are many differences, teachers are not able to devote time and attention equally to all learners (Šimanová, 2010). 

·         Participation – In mixed ability classes, more advanced learners tend to participate more actively than weaker learners. Lack of participation or attention from the teacher, may further affect weaker learners proficiency in the subject. 

·         Correction – Teachers may feel overwhelmed by the marking load and may also not feel equipped to deal with the errors made by a student. For example a subject teacher may not feel comfortable correcting a learner’s language errors. 

Dozens of Great PowerPoints for AP History Students & Teachers

Dozens of Great PowerPoints for AP History Students & Teachers

75 Google Apps Video Tutorials

75 Google Apps Video Tutorials

LibriVox Offers Tons of Free Public Domain Audiobooks to Use with Students ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

LibriVox Offers Tons of Free Public Domain Audiobooks to Use with Students ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class | Edutopia

30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class | Edutopia

Still Learning!

 A perfect way for teacher's professional development is to join Coursera. Here you will find free courses which refresh your knowledge and improve your teaching skills.

WISDOM of IDIOMS 

IDIOM: to keep an eagle eye on
"Despite his work, he was keeping an eagle eye on his son." #learnenglish #idioms

https://plus.google.com/+Keepsmilingenglish/posts/FJbBZj2JoAf

DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING 

K-W-L Charts - Assessing What We Know/What We Still Want to Learn

Rationale

K-W-L charts are graphic organizers that help students organize information before, during and after a unit or a lesson.  They can be used to engage students in a new topic, activate prior knowledge, share unit objectives, and monitor learning.

Procedure

Step one: Make K-W-L charts
Ask students to create three columns on a sheet of paper:
Column 1: What do you Know about the topic?
Column 2: What do you Want to know?
Column 3: What did you Learn?
Or, you can distribute a blank K-W-L chart that you have designed.

Step two: Complete column 1
Have students respond to the first prompt in Column 1: What do you know about this topic? Students can do this individually or in small groups. Often teachers create a master list of all students’ responses. One question that often emerges for teachers is how to address misconceptions students’ share. Sometimes it is appropriate to correct false information at this point in the process. Other times, you might want to leave the misconceptions so that students can correct them on their own as they learn new material.

Step three: Complete column 2
Have students respond to the prompt in Column 2: What do you want to know about this topic?
Some students may not know where to begin if they don't have much background knowledge on the topic. Therefore, it can be helpful to put the six questions of journalism on the board as prompts (Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?). We suggest that students’ questions are used to direct the course of study. As students’ share what they want to learn, this step provides an opportunity for teachers to present what they hope students will learn in the unit.

Step four: Complete column 3 and review columns 1 and 2
Throughout the unit, students can review their K-W-L charts by adding to column 3: What did you learn? Some teachers have students add to their charts at the end of each lesson, while others have students add to their charts at the end of the week or the end of the unit.  As students record what they have learned, they can review the questions in column 2, checking off any questions that the can now answer. They can also add new questions. Students should also review column one so they can identify any misconceptions they may have held before beginning the unit.

Variations

You could add other columns to this chart such as, “Why is this information Important?”, “Where did I Find this new information?” or “Something I hope to Remember.” 

https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies 

A Handy Google Drive App for Converting Audio Files ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

A Handy Google Drive App for Converting Audio Files ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Iceberg Diagrams 

Rationale

Typically, there are numerous underlying causes that give rise to a specific event. Often these causes rest “beneath the surface” and can be difficult for students to “see.”  The Iceberg teaching strategy can be used to help students gain awareness of the multiple factors that give rise to particular events. The visual image of the iceberg helps students remember the importance of looking deeper than what is on the surface in order to better understand events in the past or present.  This strategy can be used as a way for students to organize their notes as they learn about a period in history, as a way to review material, or as an assessment tool.

Procedure

Step One: Preparation

Select an event students are exploring in class. It can be an event from literature, history or current events.  Students should already be familiar with this event.

Step Two: Drawing the Iceberg
Ask students to list what they know about icebergs. Or, you can show them a picture of an iceberg. The main idea you want to come out is that what you see above the water is only the tip of the iceberg. The larger foundation rests below the surface. Then, ask students to draw an iceberg on a piece of paper or in their journals, making sure that there is a tip, a water line, and a larger area below the surface. Their drawing should be large enough so that students can take notes within the iceberg.  Alternatively, you can create your own iceberg template for students to use.

Step Three: The Tip of the Iceberg
Ask students to list everything they know about the facts of an event in the “tip” area of the iceberg.  Questions they should answer include: What happened? What choices were made in this situation? By whom? Who was affected? When did it happen? Where did it happen?

Step Four: Beneath the Surface
Ask students to think about what caused this event. Answers to the question, “What factors influenced the particular choices made by the individuals and groups involved in this event?” should be written in the bottom part of the iceberg (under the water). Factors might include events from the past (i.e. an election, an economic depression, a natural disaster, a war, an invention, etc.) or aspects of human behavior such as fear, obedience to authority, conformity, or opportunism. This step is often best done in groups so that students can brainstorm ideas together.

Step Five: Debrief
Prompts you might use to guide journal writing and/or class discussion include:

·         What did you learn from completing your iceberg?

·         Of the causes listed in the bottom part of the iceberg, which one or two do you think were most significant? Why?

·         What more would you need to know to better understand why this event took place?

·         What could have happened, if anything, to prevent this event from happening?

·         What have you learned about how to prevent similar events from happening in the future?

·         How does the information in this iceberg help you better understand the world we live in today?

  Variations

-        An evaluation tool: As a final test for a unit, you could have students complete iceberg diagrams for a particular event you have studied.  You might have students write a companion essay explaining the ideas they included in the bottom part of the iceberg.

-        Comparing events: Have students complete iceberg templates for events you study throughout the year. Periodically, ask students to compare these templates, recognizing similarities and differences among the factors that give rise to particular events.  This exercise can help students notice historical patterns, while also appreciating the particular context that makes each event unique.

-        A note-taking template: Rather than have students complete their iceberg as one class lesson or homework assignment, you can have students complete their iceberg as you study a period in history. You can even post a class-version of the iceberg on the classroom wall. As students learn new information, they can add it to the iceberg.

-        Tree diagram: A similar strategy helps students analyze events by using a diagram of a tree instead of an iceberg. In this variation, students record basic facts about the event in the trunk of the tree (name of event, when it happened, where). The different people involved in the event (bystanders, perpetrators, victims and upstanders) are listed in the branches of the tree. Sometimes teachers have students draw a line connecting each person or group to a choice he/she/they made related to this event.  Finally, the causes of the event are listed in the “roots” section. For an example of this strategy, including a graphic organizer, see lesson 13, “Kristallnacht” in the unit Decision-making in Times of Injustice. 

-        Current events: Use the iceberg strategy as a way to help students explore current events. Have them bring in a story from the newspaper or found online. Working in small groups, students can complete an iceberg diagram for this event - recording details about what happened and then ideas about what they think caused the event.  Finally, students can present their iceberg diagram to the larger class. 

https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies/iceberg-diagrams

One More Useful Link to Use In Teaching English

124 Recordings of Famous Poets Reading Some of Their Poems

50 Great EdTech Tools for Teachers and Educators

50 Great EdTech Tools for Teachers and Educators



So many ways to improve the lesson. :) Just learn how to use them!

5 Highly Effective Teaching Practices

5 Highly Effective Teaching Practices

3 Google Drive Tools for Creating Professional-looking Diagrams and Flowcharts

3 Google Drive Tools for Creating Professional-looking Diagrams and Flowcharts

Everything Teachers Need to Know about Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

Everything Teachers Need to Know about Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

It is always useful to refresh our knowledge. :)

To Use or Not to use...?

Using mother tongue is not the problem actually. The problem is when and how to use it. Before answering this question, it should be born in mind that mother tongue use must be considered “as a means to an end”. The target language must be used where possible and mother tongue when necessary.  Here are some examples of appropriate use of mother tongue in EFL classes.

• Beginners

• The mother tongue can be probably more beneficial to beginners. As they progress in their learning the target language will take the lead.
• L1 can be time-saving.
  Instead of going through a long explanations in the target language, it is sometimes easier and more efficient to give a translation of a vocabulary item or an explanation of a grammar point. Imagine a teacher  who wants to teach the word “car” to French students and start by phrasing the explanation as follows “a car is a road vehicle with an engine, four wheels, and seats for a small number of people” while a simple translation of the word ( or perhaps the use of visual aids) would be enough.

Comparison
A comparison of English and the mother tongue can be a very enriching experience. In fact, discovering the similarities and differences of both languages can enhance the TL acquisition. 

E-learning Visually Explained for Teachers

E-learning Visually Explained for Teachers 

If you still have questions, do follow the link.

DAY OF HAPPINESS

March 20 has been established as the annual International Day of Happiness and all 193 United Nations member states have adopted a resolution calling for happiness to be given greater priority.

10 Good Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms Add-ons for Teachers

10 Good Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms Add-ons for Teachers 

30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class

30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO STUDY 

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/33-digital-skills-every-21st-century.html

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

The problems that you provide to the students can come in a variety of forms

• Logical Problems: apply logic to solving a puzzle
• Algorithms:  apply a formula or series of steps
• Rule-Using Problem: apply rules
• Story Problems: a textual description of a problem told as a story
• Decision-Making Problems: make a decision
• Troubleshooting: determine what is wrong with a situation
• Diagnosis-Solution Problems: determine how to treat/respond to a situation
• Strategic Performance: perform a complex skill or task
• Situated Case-Policy Problems: analyze a case scenario
• Design Problems: design and develop a product to meet specifications
• Dilemmas: resolve an issue with two or more opposing perspectives

Also, a set of problems can be considered analysis problems such as:

·         Identify and order the sequential steps of a process

·         Characterize a set of phenomena by their component elements

·         Identify causes leading to an event or the consequences derived from an event

·         Break an event into problems and the actions taken to solve them and the problems these actions created

·         Determine cause and effect

·         Examine parts of a whole and their relationships

·         Determine the similarities and differences of a place, event, or people

 Break into and identify parts

Duch, 2001, http://www.udel.edu/pbl/; Jonassen, 2000;

http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/problearn.html, http://www.samford.edu/pbl/