¡Pégalo Primero! Game

I am always trying to think of ways to expose my students to a variety of ways to practice vocabulary. Let's face it, if we are teaching languages as we should be, it should be comprised of vocabulary (words and phrases). Students love games and therefore, the two should naturally go together. So I came up with a game (forgive me if someone out there already has something similar) that is highly engaging and also practices input of the language/vocabulary. This game is not limited to language classes alone. It is such a fun way to practice vocabulary words, phrases, events...just about anything!

I call it "¡Pégalo Primero!" (which means Hit It First!) as, the object of the game is to "hit" or grab the card first. As you are describing the scene, vocabulary word, event, etc., the students must keep their fingers on the edge of the table until you finish your description then they must grab the card first. It can get very loud and quite exciting! One rule I use in my class is focused primarily to save my cards: they cannot fight over a card. If there is a dispute with no resolution, they must both forfeit the card and no one gets it.

I have used this game after a Movie Talk, after practicing the new vocabulary and just before a Quizlet Live! game, and after a story. We always wait to use this game until after the students have been exposed to the vocabulary and structures sufficiently to be successful with ¡Pégalo!.

Here is an example of the game:

Here is an example of a card for a Movie Talk

Teacher: There is a little girl with large blue eyes, blonde hair, and a blanket over her head. 

You can give other descriptions too, but I wait to give the most obvious clue at the end of my description. If I have only one card with a little girl on it, I may say something like:
there is a room with cracked paint, a bed, and a person. The person is....
This way, you are able to get them listening more. If you are doing one for vocabulary practice, I typically give the translation or the definition and the kids must find the card I am defining. If you want the game to be a bit more challenging, I will have the kids place half the deck of vocabulary cards face side up in the target language and half down in English (you can do this with flashcards and vocabulary too). For the following card, I would simply give the translation: grapadora
An activity we do in class is called Visual Vocabulary to help them use words  in sentences using visuals. They must find visual representations of words they are struggling with and place it in our classroom Padlet. I then print them out for each class and we use these cards for practice.

This is an example of a vocabulary card.

The person that has the most cards, wins the round. This is a low-tech activity that is fun, engaging, and a great way to practice vocabulary and structures.

Teach Like a Jedi Master

I am a geek. I love everything Star Wars and tech; as, I am sure you can tell from the title of this blog post. I love to incorporate these elements into my teaching style to make things fun and engaging for my students. We “Write Like Jedis” in my class, use Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader to help explain difficult grammar concepts, and “travel” to the planets Hoth, Tatooine, and even the city of Coruscant. As I dig deeper into the meaning of the phrase, Teach Like a Jedi Master, I have stumbled across a much deeper meaning that I feel educators should ignore no longer.

I would like to believe every teacher wants to be the best he can be for his students; which is why we attend professional development sessions on our days off, participate in webinars and Twitter Chats, and read up on all the latest sound instructional practices. In order to make the connection between teaching like a Jedi Master and our current roles as teachers, I believe I must first focus on what a Jedi Master is and what his capacity is in the life of his students.

A Jedi Master is a Jedi that has earned his right as a Master after demonstrating a variety of skills; including teaching. One of the important skills a Jedi Master must experience is the success of his or her students. Some take several Padawans on at a time; while others take on one specific student to teach wisdom and skills to. This is a process that takes time, patience, and a tremendous amount of coaching. This is the heart of what Jedi Masters do. Coaches have caught on to this important skill; so I ask, why is it we don’t run our classrooms as coaches coach their athletes?

Educators can learn so much from the coaching style. In most situations, coaches first demonstrate a particular skill, have the athletes practice it, then the athlete will demonstrate his ability to the coach. The coach then makes the necessary adjustments and the athlete tries again. Some of the best learning happens when trial and error is the norm and correcting oneself is allowed to naturally happen. I see the same benefits in gamification in the classroom (but that’s another post for the future).

Jedi Masters we must be; maximum potential we must reach. When creating your plans for the week, be sure to include ways for students to learn from their errors to reach their potential. The best learning comes when we move out of our comfort zones. Luke learned valuable lessons from Yoda on Dagobah; most of which he initially failed. Yoda coached him and helped him realize his true talents. He saw the potential within Luke; he just needed to help Luke realize it himself.

May the Force be With You!

Vocabulary GIF and AR Activity

This activity was such an incredible lesson. My students chose three vocabulary words they hadn't quite mastered at that point. By using Google Drawings, they drew a visual representation of the word they chose, then used a GIF creator.

We then used Aurasma to create an aura for the words. This way, they could use the Augmented Reality word wall when they needed to "look up" a word.

Movie Talks!

Movie Talks are such a wonderful way to practice repetition in the target language while using technology. We begin by finding a movie short on YouTube. I found one that was perfect for practicing the past tense. "Anya" is such an endearing story, the kids responded positively to this activity.

This story is such a wonderful way for students to learn about real situations across the globe while using the target language at a comprehensible level. The story of Anya is about an orphaned girl who arrives at an orphanage in Russia back in 1996. We practiced words such as "era" ad "tenía". I pre-taught many of the words I knew they did not know ahead of time. WE created signs and/or motions for many of them. 

I did the Movie Talk with them and stopped frames and discussed each one in Spanish, asked questions, and reflected on the situation in the story, we then played the video with sound without interruptions. The kids responded very positively to the story.

So, it was such a great lesson in past tense, I created a story using the vocabulary words we were working on and had my students "Volleyball Read" it together. It was strictly a narration and I purposely chose not to include dialog. It was a great success! 

I took this lesson even further, and had them create a cartoon that plugged in the possible dialog or thoughts, of the characters in the frames they chose. Using Snagit, we cut frames from the movie short and used these to create our very own comic strips. They chose 3-6 frames, used PicMonkey to create a comic strip with the "collage" tool, then they inserted word/thought balloons with unique the text features.The beauty of this lesson, was the fact that the kids had to insert the dialog in the target language that was not present in the story. They had to infer what the characters might be thinking or saying since there was no dialog in the movie (with the exception of two single word phrase). This lesson was exciting for them and gave them skills to create. They included this in the e-portfolios as well and gave some great feedback. They were very excited to create these from scratch. I loved that it was evident what they inferred in the frames they chose.

Global Education

TCEA, (Texas Computer Education Association) this year, left me such an appreciation for the need for a global perspective in education, that I had to step back and ask, Why? Why are more educators not taking this perspective? We have an amazing opportunity to equip our students with tools that will help them become strong collaborators, creative thinkers, and amazing innovators.

We have been Doing Mystery Skype and MHO in Spanish; as well as connecting with students throughout the world. These activities have been such and eye-opening experience for my students.

On Friday, one class taught a lesson to fourth graders about Cinco de mayo. The kids had props and costumes. They first pronounced the vocabulary words then acted them out. They wrote a simple story in Spanish, and read it slowly and comprehensively while acting out the vocabulary words each time they were mentioned.

I was so proud of them as they planned the lesson and worked very well together. Their reflections stated how accomplished they felt and how fun it was to help others understand the history behind Cinco de mayo.

We have done several Skype Misteriosos with other Spanish language learners. This activity has strengthened their geographical vocabulary and their confidence to communicate in the target language.

Spanish Novel Reviews

Students playing a game that required the use of QR codes. The front of the card provided the questions and the back provided the answers.

We begin our class with SSR (Silent Sustained Reading) each day. We have many novels available so my students have choice in their reading. These novels can be found on the TPRS Publishing website. Their semester project was to creatively present a review of their favorite novel read this semester. 

This was no ordinary presentation. I decided to give my students a challenge and put a twist on things as they had to present their project through the perspective of a person, place, thing other than the main character; but the biggest challenge was that they could not use PowerPoint, Word (or any other word processing tool) or posters. I gave them a list of project ideas and told them they were not limited to this list, it was just there to help spark their creativity. I had some amazing projects and they were very creative.

Some of the more creative projects came in the forms of board games, skits, and animations. 

I found that allowing for creativity and giving my students this opportunity to really think out of the box, they surprised themselves. In their reflections, many mentioned how proud they were of their level of creativity and truly enjoyed this project.

The Guantlet has been Thrown...

Thanks Steve Wick (@rechargeedu) for sharing this! 

I had the opportunity to visit the architectural firm PBK last year with Klein ISD's new Transform Academy. We watched -very intently- how a high-functioning team operates; and it was truly a mind-blowing experience. 

I realized how we are -as educators- grossly underestimating the skills our students will need to be competitive in their futures. They require Avengers©-like collaborative skills, problem solving ninja skills, and (among many others) be creative innovators. I hear so often how teachers (in 1:1 environments across Texas) use their tech as glorified worksheets or for warm-ups and are very unwilling to change the way they have done things..."because they have 'worked' for so long". At the risk of ruffling feathers, I ask this question: How can we get our students to the "PBK mindset" of innovation and asking questions, this "edutopia", if you will; if so many educators still focus on the answers, rather than the questions?

We must equip them with tools and skills to nurture their inner creators. Thank goodness we have so many amazing resources literally, at our fingertips! We use Google apps in our class to create, collaborate, and innovate. I tossed out the projector and brought in interactive panels and an HD TV. My students collaborate in a variety of ways and have become skilled at working with others, as it is done holistically -every day- in my class. They create with Google Drawings, evaluate and give feedback using Google Slides, experience and experiment with Google Cardboard, Google Earth, and Google Maps, and they will begin communicating with others, globally, using Google Hangouts.

I want to equip these students with the knowledge and skills that will transform their lives, not just their learning. Won't you join me, and help our students be creative independent thinkers that work well with others that possess a global mindset? The gauntlet has been thrown...now it's time for us all- teachers, principals, directors, superintendents, parents- to step up, grab that gauntlet, and leave those worksheets behind.

Have You Moved Over the Google Side? Part 2

In Part 1 of this series, I introduced several uses of Google Drawings for a collaborative experience. In this post, I will focus on a few ways you can use Google Slides along with Google Drawings to encourage students to create, share, and provide feedback.

After teaching them little tips and tricks with Google Drawings, I had them share their creations in Google Slides. I created a shared Slides presentation and had each team share their Google Drawings. They were to leave a comment on several of the slides (this is a great way to teach them verbiage for constructive criticism). I heard many of them ask a student, "How did you do that?" or "Wow! I wish I had thought of that!" It is so rewarding to hear them discuss their work in a collaborative setting.

After a training I did in Klein ISD in 2015, I had the participants give feedback at the end of the session. I wanted them to see they could use this to have students reflect on activities, lessons, experiences, etc.

I came across several ways to use Google Slides in the classroom and my favorite has to be the beginning of the year activity by Alice Keeler ! It is brilliant! Especially, for those of us who struggle with learning our students' names!

I would like to take this one a little further and make it also and end of the year activity (since I teach 8th graders, and they are about to start high school). This is a fun activity that will allow them to see their growth through the year if you add reflective questions.

Google tools are so much more than some people have experience with...especially Google Drawings and Google Slides. Most people think of Google Slides as simply a presentation software; but it is so much more. I hope you share this tool with your students and allow them the opportunity to experience Google in all the creative ways they should be used!

Have You Moved Over to the Google Side? Part 1

I am a geek and love Star Wars. 

I also love Google tools, so I decided to use the theme, "Are You Ready to Slide Over to the Google Side?" for my tech session on Google Slides. 

It was fun and best of all, I had teachers using the collaborative features and they LOVED them! Most had never used Google tools for collaboration. These tools are fantastic for all classrooms but I am finding so many incredible things that benefit our Foreign Language students! I will be sharing these in a series of posts since they will be filled with tons of engaging activities!

The first tool I want to talk about is Google Drawings. This is not just a "Paint" for Google. There is so much more to this program than meets the eye! The best part of Google Drawings is the ability to have more than one person work in the drawing at the same time. There are some fantastic ideas out there on the internet using Google Drawings, but these are some of my favorites:
Creating a Timeline:
When creating a timeline, your students must know the information as they must research whatever it is they are going to place on the timeline. If you have them in teams of 4-6, they can be responsible for certain events/periods. For example: A Walk Through History Timeline
You can assign students different Eras that you want them to cover and they are responsible for those sections of the Timeline. You can do one in Foreign Languages for Wars in Spain, or A timeline over Pablo Picasso's paintings/styles, etc. I did this one for a training session on Google Drawings in my district:

Another clever use of Google Drawings is to create your own graphic organizers in teams. You can actually "see" the thinking process as they can comment in the drawings and help one another. One graphic organizer we did in class was discuss a character from a Movie Talk we did (this example is done in English for the sake of all language teachers):

Sylvia Duckworth does a wonderful job with her SketchNotes. I encourage my students to draw the definitions of words as this helps them remember the words much better. You can check her SketchNotes here.

The kids really enjoy working with each other using these tools. I hope you will allow your students the opportunity to collaborate and create!

Are You a "Failsure"? or a "Failearner"?

"Failsure"? I know, I know it's not a real word and neither is "failearner"; but they could be. Let's begin by defining these words. 

Failsure- noun (feyl-shur) 

1. an individual who does not to take risks in the classroom so as not to fail.

2. a person that does not adopt new and innovative strategies easily to ensure his/her students are all learning at their levels. 

Failearner- noun (fey-lur-ner) 

1. someone who learns from failures.

2. an individual unafraid of failing to be innovative so students can benefit from their experiences in the classroom.  

So, are you a failsure or a failearner? Educators are notorious for desiring control (at all times) in the classroom. I get it; however, it is essential that we put those fears to rest and take risks; Isn't this what we ask of our students? We expect them to be innovators; to be creative; to be original. How are they going to reach their full potential if we don't model what we expect from them? Just as we must model how to use digital tools for education, or to be respectful individuals; we must model how to learn from our failures. 

In Transform Academy this year in Klein, I learned the importance of failing and how to take these failures, reflect, and try again. I saw incredible growth from my students by modeling how to handle failures and make the necessary changes. We had many new experiences this year that really pushed our boundaries; and reflected on everything we did. This fostered a growth mindset in my class.

Prior to the new activity, project, procedure, etc., I let them know we were trying something different and we would reflect on our experience in hopes of improving whatever it was we were doing. This gave them the mindset that that these trials were works in progress (as are we) with the opportunity for improvement.

Teaching our students the importance of reflecting and learning from our failures is one step in fostering a failearner attitude. Dr. Shelly Zavala takes the opportunity to reflect by asking herself: "What is this inviting me to learn?" Have the kids journal their experience and how they feel they can improve on it. Take the time to help them shape their learning.

Attitude is an important aspect of learning from failing or being a failearner. Thomas Alva Edison had the perfect mindset when he said:

 

Don't be a failsure. It might be safe, but are you helping all your students grow to their full potential? Be a failearner and help your students be reflective, growth mindset individuals by learning from their failures. Provide them an environment to take chances, to reflect, and to grow. 

10 Cool Tools to Transform Student Learning

We know that engagement is the key to student learning; why is it then that so many teachers, especially foreign language teachers, still use very little-if any- tech in their classrooms?
Here are a few tools that will drive student learning through the roof!

1. Kahoot! My students can't wait to Kahoot! They love to create their nicknames and compete against one another. In addition, they practice concepts, vocabulary, and culture at the same time. There is now a ghost feature that allows your students to compete against themselves. You can also collect data to see which students are grasping concepts and those who still need support.
2. Tagxedo is a tool you and your students can use to create word clouds in customized shapes.

3. Yakit (or blabberize for android) is a fun way to have characters or photos speak, You could have them use target vocabulary or summarize a novel, or discuss a famous person.
4. QR codes: what a fun way to have kids explore text, vocabulary, and so much more! My kiddos did a project for our class novel, La Vampirata and they could not use PowerPoint or Word. They WOWed me!!! Some created websites on Weebly and created their QR codes. They posted the QR codes throughout the class and had teams go from one to another to "frontload" information prior to playing "Jeopardy". They were incredible!
5 weebly.com is a great resource for students to create their own websites. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to teach them digital responsibility. They need to learn how to site sources and how their words can be seen throughout the world. It is important for our students to realize how our words can impact others.
6. blogger.com   Having students publish their work online is an opportunity for students to be reflective people. You can create a class blog where they take turns reporting what was done in the class for the day. This can be a fantastic resource for students who are absent that day.
7. Connected Mind is a mind-mapping tool that allows you to insert links, videos, photos and much more! Real-time collaboration is not yet available but they are working on it!

8. BigHugeLabs has many resources for students and teachers...and it's free! Students can create movie posters for books read or create a motivational poster that describes their outlook on life, topics, etc. 

9. Aurasma is amazing! Students can investigate historical figures and create auras that explain that person's life, facts, etc. This is an extraordinary way to assess your students' learning.
10. Picmonkey is an online photo editing tool that enables your students to create unusual products but much more user friendly than Photoshop. Students can create projects, comics, books, etc. The possibilities are endless!

My students have astounded me with their creations! There's no question as to their mastery of the concepts through the use of these tools. Keep working on transforming your students' learning!

Agents of Change

Transform Academy is a new program created in Klein ISD that has enabled teachers invited, to "transform" teaching practices. This program has created quite a buzz in the district. I had the opportunity to participate in this elite group and I have to say it was such an encouraging experience! For years I have been making a push for a change in our attitudes towards learner-centered education which includes environment, teaching practices, and blended learning.
So often, educators tend to teach students in the manner they were taught. This might have been fine long ago, but today we have students that are innovators, problem-solvers, and unbelievably creative. We need to provide a learning platform that enables our students to create their own learning experiences. Most districts are reluctant to this philosophy due to accountability. I get it, but if our kids are retaining and truly learning rather than regurgitating, we have no worries when it comes to accountability so long as we are still providing our students with the standards.
Transform Academy also provided us with monies to transform our classroom environments. WOW! What an experience! We were able to try-out the furniture and speak with manufacturers to discuss any concerns we might have. My plans are to create a "language lab" format in my class since I tend to do stations, it is very conducive to collaboration.
I am looking into many options for technology as well. I love Steelecase's MediaScape is a product I would love to have in my classroom but it is just too expensive for a small-scale venture. I have looked into many products that might mimic these features and have come close, but I am not quite there yet.
Many educators choose to look away and continue doing what they have done since the beginning of their career. Teaching is ever-changing; therefore, doesn't make sense that our teaching practices must also change to meet the needs of our learners?

Transform Academy looked at the "whole student" approach. We focused on considering what exactly our students need to learn at their maximum level. Shouldn't this be what every educator does in his/her classroom (regardless of subject)? We explored new technology and approaches at how to best use these in classroom environments. There were educators from elementary, intermediate, and high school present. There was dialog as to what works at the varying levels and what does not.
I love the fact that these 31 educators had an experience of a lifetime to provide their students experiences that will enable them to learn to their full capacity.
Krimmel's theme for the Transform Academy presentation was "Agents of Change". We have seen how this experience has positively affected not only our students, but the excitement of teaching in the school. We really are Agents of Change and are thrilled at all the possibilities!

Change

Change. For some, this is word is a nasty four-letter-word. I can understand complete as humans are creatures of habit. Is change necessary? You bet! Change is inevitable and we know it is coming. So what can we do to help our students meet those changes head-on? ¡Es obvio! We need to change our mindsets and how we teach our kiddos.

One thing to ponder: Are you teaching your students to learn? I know this sounds silly, but really, are you teaching your students to empower their learning or are you just teaching the subject? We must help our students learn how to learn.

I decided to throw out many of my "normal" routines and change everything. It was quite daunting...but so rewarding! Being part of Klein ISD's new program, Transform Academy, I had the opportunity to reflect on what I was doing and decide where I wanted my students to be based on the incredible experiences in Transform Academy.

I changed my furniture (due to generous funding by Klein ISD). Here are a few photos of my class. I am sure it will evolve many times over until we find what truly works. The desks are Ethos chairs from Haskell Furniture. I love these and saw the Steelcase version at TCEA a couple of years ago, but I love the fact that these chairs have desks that will pivot for a right-handed person or for a left-handed student. The Zynergy chairs are great for students who have trouble sitting still. I found the table at a ReStore location and finished it with a dry-erase finish. I have chairs on casters that telescope up and down and swivel around, so they have multiple uses.

Star Wars and Spanish?

Wow! It has been such a while since I've posted! There is so much information and resources I want to share with you!
My latest venture is being selected as part of a new program that Klein ISD has developed called Transform! Academy. We are "no-box" thinkers and have an amazing time collaborating and coming up with spectacular ideas for our classrooms.
They gave us some monies to us as we see fit to enhance our students' learning. Since my campus is a 1:1, I decided to focus on some unconventional technology as well as new furniture to create a cafe style atmosphere in my class. I am excited to receive all my collaboration technology and love the fact that KISD is so supportive.
I wanted to take a moment to chat with you on the different things you could do in your classes to make it fun and engaging. With the new Star Wars hype, it was so much fun to use the scene between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker to explain ser vs estar. You could bring in light sabers and really get into the presentation of this. I use a scene clip without sound and we act it out.
Here's the poster in my class:

I also use travel posters when we do our travel unit of the various planets in the Star Wars movies. We have a discussion in Spanish as to which planet they would visit and why. I put together a short video that serves as a travel commercial to each one of the planets/locations in the ads. As we discuss each planet, I play the commercial for each The kids have so much fun and it is completely relevant to them. Using pop culture is one way to reach our students and make things interesting for them.
You can also take a photo and use Yakit to have them speak for the character in the photo/poster. It is a great way for students to use the language and have fun with it!
¡Que la fuerza te acompañe!

The Future of Foreign Language As We Know It

As I was discussing Spanish III with my niece the other day, it occurred to me that if foreign language teachers continue in the direction many are heading, the future of foreign language as we know it is bleak at best. My niece mentioned how unfriendly her Spanish teacher is; which in turn was the deciding factor as to why she refused to continue in Spanish. The teacher's outlook on teaching Spanish has to do with "old school" beliefs that Foreign Language should be grammatically difficult as a means to challenge students. While I agree we should always challenge our students; it is the manner in which we choose to do so that will make the difference. 
There are many ways to challenge students in foreign language to stimulate higher-level thinking. Challenging students to find solutions to real global situations plaguing the areas being studied is one of my favorites. I love The Flat Classroom Project! It is the ingenious collaborative effort of Viki Davis and many others. If you are unfamiliar with Flat Classrooms, please, do yourself a favor and check out the many amazing things they have accomplished.
Foreign language teachers need to change their mindsets to match the students they teach. If our goal is student learning, how can we truly believe this, if many continue on the same path with little to no change? Students are no longer choosing to continue in the FL they had been studying. Instead, they are taking other electives after they fulfill the minimal requirement.
Here's the problem with the old mindset; kids are not choosing the conventional language classes and now that computer programming is now an option to fulfill the FL credit,  we now have competition; and compete we must!
Stir things up! Here is an amazing site that provides a multitude of ways technology can be used in a foreign language classroom.Use technology and have students LOVE our beloved foreign language!

My Adventures at the 2014 TCEA Conference

Sitting here at the 2014 TCEA Conference, (Texas Computer Education Association), has my mind reeling with incredible ideas for the "World languages tech takeover". Yes. I said it. It's about time foreign language classrooms transform into engaging learning spaces. We have the capability of transforming learning as as we know it. If you haven't experienced a TCEA conference (or any tech related conference)...I highly recommend you do! I have heard inspiring stories of learning through the use of Twitter, Animoto, ebooks, classroom design, QR codes, and many many others.

The big focus this year in the Digital Square, thanks to the incredible efforts of Scott Floyd, was learning spaces and how learning can be transformed by creating an environment that is powered by collaboration. I know... I know... many of you are thinking, "Oh great, not another new idea that will soon fizzle out." What I found were incredible individuals with proof that students' learning improves when the learning spaces are inviting and centered on collaboration. There were some intellectual conversations circling this topic; as well as, one of the questions we have all asked at some point; how do we get "buy-in" from administrators and teachers unwilling to give up the traditional classroom design? There is no easy answer but we must be empathetic and work to educate these individuals by collecting and presenting data; lending an empathetic ear; and provide them with a support net to help with transitions. Christian Long and David Jakes facilitated the discussion in regards to learning spaces and design thinking.

It was refreshing to see how willing many administrators present at these sessions want the change for their schools.

Now,at this point, you should have noted a tone of favoritism towards this new concept of how the classroom environment impacts learning. There is a distinct difference between learning spaces and traditional classroom designs. Companies today are searching for innovators and individuals that collaborate well in team settings. 

Let's take a look at the two:

These two photos demonstrate learning spaces. Students are engaged and working collaboratively.

  

The traditional classroom model invites direct instruction which does not foster a collaborative atmosphere.

As a World Language teacher, it is my duty not only to promote language acquisition, but also to provide a learning experience that will produce creative collaborative individuals capable of intellectual thinking and problem solving.  I challenge you to use engaging and thought-provoking lessons to help prepare our students for the future. 

"We have 19th Century equipment, must move into the 21st Century but we still have a 20th Century mindset." -Tom Whitby Do we have a challenge ahead of us? You bet; but anything worth getting takes hard work and determination.

 Be an agent of change! Create a learning space for your students where the seamless use of technology will yield incredible results!

Flipped Classrooms...LOTE Style!

It has been a while since I have posted and there are many new technology resources out there for foreign language teachers! One important concept that is sweeping education today is the flipped classroom. This concept is not about the videos per se, but a way to get students engaged in their learning. For those of you unsure of a flipped classroom, watch this video by Aaron Sams. There are many tools available today to help with videos and animation if this is the road you choose. This one has many resources already created by fellow FL flippers! The key to success is to remember that this concept is not about the video. If you do not have resources to create animated videos, no worries! You can be as successful with a simple video to impart what you want your students to know. A couple things to keep in mind: keep them short and impart humor! Oftentimes, you can find incredible videos on youTube that will serve the pupose perfectly. No need to reinvent the wheel! Another resource for flipping your classroom is the TedEd website. There are fantastic videos you can customize to your teaching. Now, as far as LOTE teacher are concerned, we are still the pioneers. The flipped classroom gives us more application time in the classroom which means more exposure to what we want our students to master. The beauty of this concept is this: when the kids need to apply what they have learned, you are right there to help them so they do not practice incorrectly! It is much more difficult to correct inaccuracy that has been practiced over and over than to teach and model correctly and practice initially. Another advantage is that students can watch the videos, pause, and rewind as many times necessary to help with mastery. The final point I will make in regards to flipping your foreign language classroom is the fact that it caters to all levels of learners. Those that master the concepts quickly can move on. Those who need more time, can spend more time learning and mastering the concepts. It is a win-win for educators. There are many resources for you on the web. I hope you take the time to consider even using this method some of the time in your classroom. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results!

New Collaboration Tools

I came across some online sites that are helpful tools to put in your tool belt. The first I found to be especially helpful as it has real time communication for collaboration and allows the users to see the updates as they are being made. typewith.me is a helpful site that will enable your students to work in groups with real time communication.
The next site I found to be especially helpful to language teachers is Google Earth. I know many of you have had exposure to this online tool but may not be too sure as to how you can use it in your language classrooms. One way you can use Google Earth is to create a "tour" to various places in a country as a culture lesson. There are photos you can "fly" into and 3-D buildings you can experience.
Here's one that is a new spin on a favorite of mine, tagxedo.com  This site uses the same concept that Wordle uses but you can create your word "clouds" in shapes. These tools can be used at the beginning of a unit, a warmup activity, student work, Advance organizers, to name a few.
There are many new tools that can be incorporated easily in the foreign language setting. I will post a few more in the coming days.
Think of the units you plan to teach and find ways to incorporate technology into them so that it is as natural as using a pencil.

Flickrstorm!!!

Foreign Language teachers (and all others for that matter), you are about to acquire a tool that will allow your students to use photos from Flickr safely! For those of you, like me, we cannot use Flickr in our district and I understand exactly why...now. As I was searching their site for photos on Spain, I came across a rather alarming, but funny photo. Of course, I would be completely dismayed should any of my students come across something like this while searching for useful goodies! I found that Flickrstorm will allow you to search their site (be sure to use the "advanced search" for creative commons photos), you will then take the photo you like and put it in a "tray". You may put multiple photos in this tray. Then you will take the web address for that tray, and share it with your students. This way, they ONLY see the photos YOU added!! I was so excited to find this little nugget and just couldn't wait to share it with you! Flickrstorm is easy to use and above all, safe for your students to have a resource for photos. Just be sure they are creative commons and allowed for student use or educational purposes!

Voicethread

Wow! I came across this little nugget at a Web 2.0 class this week! It has so many great features! Project opportunities abound! This is especially helpful in a foreign language classroom. The students can create artwork and discuss it or they can post a picture and describe it in the target language. You then have his/her classmates make comments on the work also in the target language! What a great way to have students practice at home! Another way to use this tool is to provide prompts and have students make comments and answer. Teachers can leave video comments to provide students with constructive criticism and guidance.
http://voicethread.com/