The Soul of ESOL: August 2015

Professional Development –

Because things HAVE transformed, shifted and improved since we graduated and received our teaching certificate…

Readings about the latest Teaching Methods and Pedagogy

It has been far too many times that I heard from fellow educators (not only in the ESOL department and not only in higher ed) that they have not attended professional development workshops, webinars, seminars, workshops…because the institute that they work for does not provide enough time or money for it. I am not sure where this confusion comes from, namely that it is the sole responsibility of the school/college to further train their teachers/instructors/professors. I do not intend to upset any of my colleagues or fellow educators, but I truly believe that in the 21st Century no one can afford not to advance themselves no matter the profession they are committed to. It is not purely about staying employed but it is also about respecting the learners we teach every day and of course our professionalism, our integrity. It does not have to be a weekend long conference or a day long webinar! I regularly receive feeds on Facebook from various educational websites like Mindshift and Edutopia or even Grammarly and read about the latest tips and tricks in teaching. I gain access to free webinars and free online professional development courses provided by our college or MOOC, and I watch YouTube videos from fellow professionals to find out what’s new. They really do help me revise my teaching methods and approach each semester.

Here is a collection of articles and websites that can serve as a DIY professional development course

Online teaching and Video lectures:

http://hechingerreport.org/data-mining-shows-that-recorded-video-lectures-are-the-least-effective-way-to-learn/

"But at a minimum it seems that professors should stop spending so much time filming videos when they create online courses, and stop trying to replicate the lecture hall online...But they were able to determine across four different courses in computer science, biology, statistics and psychology that active exercises were six times more effective than reading....And new data analysis techniques are allowing researchers to conclude that active learning not only is associated with higher learning outcomes, but actually causes students to learn more....

Must read articles from October 2015:

http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/ineffective-teaching-methods/

http://practicaltheory.org/blog/2015/08/24/how-to-plan-better-professional-development/

http://www.edutopia.org/diy-professional-development-resources?utm

http://chronicle.com/article/Why-It-s-So-Hard-to-Leave/233670

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/complex-academic-writing/412255/

https://instagram.com/edutopia/

Great pics with precious quotes

http://blog.ted.com/how-to-learn-a-new-language-7-secrets-from-ted-translators/

http://phys.org/news/2014-05-fluency-outweighs-pronunciation-non-native-english.html

http://www.salon.com/2012/10/27/whats_the_secret_to_learning_a_second_lanuage/

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2014/10/un_gran_maestro_in_any_languag.html

“For English-Learners, an Effective Teacher in Any Language Is What Matters” Want to find a better teacher for English-language learners? Start by looking for teachers who add the most value for any students, rather than limiting the search to those who may have had specialized training to work with ELLs.”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-your-educational-philosophy-ben-johnson

“Over the summer, teachers reflect on the year and often redesign and perfect their teaching strategies and plans. In essence, they get back to the basics of what they believe is the best way to inspire learning in their students -- in other words, they revisit and refine their philosophy of education.”

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/22/take-action-verbs-that-define-blooms-taxonomy/

“Bloom’s Taxonomy gets an active makeover in this infographic, which provides a way to think about how the actions involved in a class assignment might be categorized in the schema.”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/educating-parents-about-education-tom-whitby

“What complicates these views further is the fact that most of us were educated by teachers who employed 20th century pedagogy and methodology, which means that the 20th century is the basis of our educational experience. Since we are now almost halfway through the second decade of the 21st century, we need to get everyone up to speed. This requires educating parents about the education of their children.”

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/04/16/what-will-education-look-like-in-a-more-open-future/ It’s about open learning systems which are transparent, inclusive, welcoming and promote innovation.

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/15-characteristics-21st-century-teacher

“As new ways and new technology keep emerging, learning and adapting is essential. The good news is: it's fun, and even 20 min a day will take you a long way!”

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/11-habits-effective-teacher

“I really appreciate teachers who are truly passionate about teaching. The teacher who wants to be an inspiration to others. The teacher who is happy with his/her job at all times. The teacher that every other child in the school would love to have. The teacher that kids remember for the rest of their lives. Are you that teacher? Read on and learn 11 effective habits of an effective teacher.”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-wow-worthy-learning-spaces-todd-finley

“Does your classroom mirror the rectilinear seating arrangement popular in Sumerian classrooms, circa 2000 BCE? Or is your classroom seating flexible and tricked out with the IDEO designed Node Chair by Steelcase? What classroom design changes can you do on a budget that supports learning? Those questions and more are answered below.”

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-things-every-college-professor-hates-2014-8

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-things-transformational-teachers-do-todd-finley

What Does Transformational Teaching Look Like?

Have students ask questions and solve real-world problems.
Questions should require students to:

Analyze
Synthesize
Create
Empathize
Interpret
Reference background knowledge
Defend alternative perspectives
Determine what they know and don't know

Organize students into learning groups.
Make learning segments manageable through modeling and mastery.
Guide, facilitate, challenge, and support.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-highly-effective-teaching-practices-rebecca-alber

“Through his research, one of his goals is to aid teachers in seeing and better understanding learning through the eyes of their students. Hattie has spent more than 15 years researching the influences on achievement of K-12 children. His findings linked student outcomes to several highly effective classroom practices.”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/essential-habits-excellent-educator

“Your habits make you exceptional. Your habits can also make you struggle. The iron law of the universe that you reap what you sow is never truer than when it relates to habits. In my career, I've learned that the better my habits, the better teacher I'm free to become. Dependable habits can free your mind from clutter and let you perform at higher levels. As you plan this school year, ponder and plan key habits to help you improve. One word of caution: habits can be hard to change. Pick a few or practice habit stacking as you assemble routines of success. Change your habits, change your classroom, change your life.”

http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/developing-growth-mindset-teachers-and-staff

“Developing a Growth Mindset amongst students is not an immediate process; rather, it will take a concerted effort on behalf of teachers and the rest of the schooling community. Equally, encouraging teachers to see themselves in the same way will equally take a lengthy period of time; however, there are significant benefits to be had from leveraging these ideas.”

-http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/08/27/willful-blindness-margaret-heffernan/

How to counter the gradual narrowing of our horizons.

https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog/post/95208400815/the-learning-myth-why-ill-never-tell-my-son-hes

“Researchers have known for some time that the brain is like a muscle; that the more you use it, the more it grows. They’ve found that neural connections form and deepen most when we make mistakes doing difficult tasks rather than repeatedly having success with easy ones.”

http://www.edutopia.org/school-leadership-principals-teachers-resources

“For principals and other school administrators, this list of videos, blogs, and articles includes advice and tips on effective leadership strategies, partnering with teachers, and cultivating and retaining strong leaders.”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-characteristics-effective-school-team-elena-aguilar?

“Strong teams within a school are essential to retaining and sustaining teachers. If a team is effective, then people learn from each other. What Makes a Good Team? Here are some key characteristics that I believe make a good team:”

http://www.edutopia.org/resource/individual-learning-plan-download

“Students create individual learning plans and monitor their own growth and development throughout the year. This learning-plan template demonstrates how.”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/incentivizing-engagement-based-management-model-lori-desautels

“The first aspect of this behavior engagement model is to teach our students about their own neuro-anatomy. When we understand how the brain learns and feels -- with every word, thought, and experience -- we empower our students with the lifetime tools that will enhance their experience in and out of school.”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-and-the-pursuit-leadership/201505/what-you-need-know-about-know-it-all

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge” – Widely attributed to Stephen Hawking, likely from historian Daniel J. Boorstin”

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/key-effective-teams-schools-emotional-intelligence-elena-aguilar

“Teams need to develop emotional intelligence so that members can engage in conversations that push each other's thinking (not each other's buttons), and that include challenging questions, taking personal risks, and acknowledging vulnerability. Building emotionally intelligent teams might just be the most important work that we do as facilitators, department heads, instructional coaches, and leaders.”

http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/06/25/5-quick-tips-for-secondary-classroom-management

“Classroom management isn't like following a recipe, where you follow exact steps and end up with a beautiful finished product. It takes time, practice and patience. But these are some tricks I've learned that help move that process along”

http://www.actfl.org/advocacy/discover-languages/advocacy/discover-languages/advocacy/discover-languages/resources-1?pageid=3392

http://www.npr.org/2013/11/01/241889567/what-it-takes-and-means-to-learn-english-as-an-adult

“For Hong and Perez, learning English gives them a chance at a better job and a better future for their families. But there are thousands more who are waiting and hoping for their own shot at the American dream.”

http://phys.org/news/2015-04-language-cross-cultural-avatars-robots.html

“Since communication often occurs across cultures, people must know more than just the vocabulary and grammar of a foreign language. They must also have cultural awareness—a recognition of the "dos and don'ts" that each culture maintains—to communicate smoothly, effortlessly and with confidence. Virtual role-play—where learners engage in simulated encounters with artificially intelligent agents that behave and respond in a culturally accurate manner—has been shown to be effective at teaching cross-cultural communication.” http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=134698

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/survey-shows-teachers-need-more-professional-development/education

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/08/20/01help.h34.html

“While online courses can make it easier for more reserved students to ask for help, Mr. Roll said they do increase the risk that students will focus on expedient help rather than help that improves learning, such as problem-solving strategies. It's harder to simply ask for "the answer" in a live class discussion, he said.”

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/sheltered-instruction-and-english-language-development-defining-eld/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/ell-content-mastery-through-best-practices-of-learning/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/steps-to-proficiency-oriented-classrooms/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/lifelong-learning-inspiring-the-quest-for-knowledge/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-best-practices-choosing-materials/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/top-5-education-trends-for-2015/education

http://thejournal.com/Articles/2015/01/19/5-Productivity-Skills-Every-Educator-Must-Have.aspx?Page=1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/09/10/do-students-learn-more-when-their-teachers-work-well-together/

http://www.educationdive.com/news/what-should-the-us-learn-from-foreign-education-systems/266452/

http://www.edcentral.org/new-york-kicks-new-ells-conversation/

“Looking at innovative ways to support English Language Learners. For instance, by working with guidance counselors to deepen their understanding of the tools ELLs need to become college and career ready. We’re also developing a STEM, science, technology, engineering, and math initiative specifically for ELL students to leverage their bilingual skills and expand their opportunities.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140828135319.htm

“If you want to make a mark in the world of computer games you had better have a good English vocabulary. It has now also been scientifically proven that someone who is good at computer games has a larger English vocabulary. This is revealed by a study at the University of Gothenburg and Karlstad University.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140813103503.htm

“Words in the English language are structured to help children learn, according to research. Words like "woof" accurately represent the sound of a dog while sounds with similar meanings may have a similar structure, such as the "sl" sound at the beginning of a word often has negative properties as in "slime, slur, slum, slug."

http://blog.tesol.org/ted-talks-for-english-language-teaching/

http://blog.tesol.org/are-you-a-tech-addict-a-writing-speaking-activity/

http://blog.tesol.org/teaching-intros-and-conclusions-to-ells-without-a-safety-net/

http://blog.ted.com/2014/06/04/two-educators-two-very-different-visions/

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-choose-your-news-damon-brown#review

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/the-power-of-social-media-in-language-acquisition/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/digital-storytelling-for-cognitive-processing-in-ells/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/transform-your-classroom-into-a-modern-learning-space/education

http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/open-source-software-tools-for-tesol-professionals/education

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-students-to-be-visionary-curriculum-stacey-goodman

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/web-tools-boost-student-engagement-nicolas-pino-james

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/classroom-management-tech-equipped-classroom-andrew-marcinek

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/05/20/empowering-students-626/

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/05/22/30-apps-educators-634/2/

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/09/08/future-tomorrows-classrooms-934/

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/08/21/apps-parents-teachers-391/

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/need-help-picking-the-right-learning-game-some-things-to-consider/

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/what-are-the-most-powerful-uses-of-tech-for-learning/

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/teaching-kids-skills-for-deep-reading-on-digital-devices/

http://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/04/teaching-english-learners-a-new-educators-practice-guide-from-the-what-works-clearinghouse/

http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2014/08/how-teachers-can-become-fluent-classroom-technology

http://www.securedgenetworks.com/secure-edge-networks-blog/bid/104263/7-Amazing-Open-Education-Resource-Tools-for-Your-Classroom?utm_campaign=LinkedIn&utm_content=6767286&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin

http://www.districtadministration.com/article/social-media-tips-teachers

http://www.trentonian.com/social-affairs/20140501/edison-college-using-ipads-to-help-teach-children-english-as-a-second-language

http://theconversation.com/lessons-taught-in-english-are-reshaping-the-global-classroom-25944

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/may/12/technology-language-teaching-learning-pedagogy

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/09/brazilian-teens-video-chatting-elderly_n_5290162.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education

http://www.thedailytimes.com/opinion/our_voice/how-to-teach-english-as-a-second-language-in-a/article_2cd9d4d0-dff7-5b01-b99c-85c79c6ca9df.html

http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/53934/9/teaching_english_in_a_global_context.html

https://www.edsurge.com/n/2014-07-23-how-my-students-learned-english-by-making-movie-shorts

http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/09/10/report-details-5-keys-to-using-technology-to-help-at-risk-students.aspx

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/international-student-counsel/2014/10/07/4-free-tools-to-help-international-students-improve-english-skills?int=95a608

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2014/05/12/mentor-teachers-students-iowa-education-boost/8987797/

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/english-language-use-most-significant-internationalisation-trend-for-he/2013009.article

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/learning-english-mooc-to-be-launched-on-futurelearn/2013119.article

http://main.omanobserver.om/?p=78674

“A roundtable conference on Standard of English in Omani Schools organised recently by Oman Daily Observer explored the issue as to why are high school graduates of public education are weak in English and what can be done to remove this weakness? The six-member expert panel suggested that Oman needs to find new teaching and learning practices and delivery mechanisms for English language. The panellists expressed disquiet on the continued observance of customary norms and practices that hinder progressive learning.”

http://www.arabnews.com/news/568766

” Saudi school pupils “study” or “learn” English purely for the purpose of passing examinations. At no time is it impressed upon them that English is a valid means of communication in the world today.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorrison/2014/04/25/coming-first-with-a-second-language/

http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20140420/AIK0101/140419298/1004/partnership-helps-teach-english-as-a-second-language

The Soul of ESOL

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Monday, August 31, 2015

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Monday, August 24, 2015

I just made a new Voki. See it here:

Sunday, August 23, 2015

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Professional Development – Because things HAVE transformed, shifted and improved since we graduated and received our teaching certificate…Readings about the latest Teaching Methods and Pedagogy

Professional Development –

Because things HAVE transformed, shifted and improved since we graduated and received our teaching certificate…

Readings about the latest Teaching Methods and Pedagogy

Online teaching and Video lectures:

Must read articles from October 2015: