Podcast in my classroom

Right before I came to America, my friends gave me a ipod as a gift. Before that, I had not had any experiences to access podcasting. To use ipod, I searched how to download program and I could see emornous world of podcasting. Yet, that was just for me to enjoy podcasting world rather than thinking I could use for educational purpose.

I looked around many podcasting website and listened to samples. Then I found this website called PODBEAN.COM. They have many categories not only education, but also entertainment and religion, etc. One of the podcasting I like was Just Vocabulary. It introduces two vocabulary items at a time and explains definition and examples. However the words introduced are fairly difficult so it will be helpful for students to prepare TOEFL or GRE. What I like it about is that it doesn't teach many vocabulary at a time and it provides a various examples so students can notice the usage of the words. I think vocabulary is really important part in reading and listening for students, this podcast can help students to improve their vocabulary. Since the podcast is only for about five minutes I think I can play the podcast either at the beginning of the class or at the end of the class. In that way, students can learn two vocabulary every day.

Using Yackpack for Global Cooperation

In the process of participating in global cooperation, communicating with other people is the key, especially many websites emphasize that students need to develop intercultural competence through accomplishing several projects.
Yackpack can be a perfect tool for students to use to communicate other people who they can't reach easily due to the long physical distance. Even though the email can help to communicate in order to collect data from people who are from a certain culture, Yackpack can facilitate better communication. Since people can talk and exchange their knowledge and information, it would be helpful to complete the project in global cooperative projects.

Global Cooperation

1. The Global Schoolhouse

1) Overview

This is designed for students and teachers to colloborate one another in order to improve their learning process through technology. The project enalbes for them to learn language, communication skills and intercultural communication through exchange ideas and opinions. Although physical distance exists between different groups of students and teachers, they can use technology to lower the walls between them.

2) Special features

This pragram is supported and has partnership with famous people. In the video which introduces about GlobalSchoolNet, I could see a number of people who are famous in their field endorse this program such as Al Gore, Bill Gates and so on. This proves that the program has more validity and reliability to use.

3) How to use in classroom

One project draws my attention on the website. International School Cyber Fair! This is project that many groups of students compete globally. It is the event held every every and endorsed by White House. Every year, they have new theme such as "Empower and Unite(2007), Learn and Unite(2008), and Teach and Unite(2009).

If it's possible, I think it's good to participate in this fair with the students. Since we can take a look winners' final products on the website, we can show them to the students how to do it. Also there are a lot of information about the procedures. In the way of doing it, the students are able to learn their own communinty and global community as well.

If participating requires too much work for both students and teachers, it can be modified into smaller projects. What I mean is that the teacher takes motif from the Cyberfair and holds class cyber fair, so that the students can work on the smaller projects.

2. Epals

1) Overviews
This website is used many students and teachers to share their ideas. It emphasizes that the website is specifically designed to educational environment so it's safe to use in the classrooms.

2) Special Features
This website includes that translation function so it enables the students who has low English proficiency skill to communicate with other students all over the world.

3) How to use in classroom
This website can be useful in the classroom where students can learn each other and communicate with other students who are living in other countries using English. One of the reasons that I think it's beneficial in the language class is that students can actually use English to communicate with other people in the world.
The students can ask questions about a certain country's culture to people who are from that culture. Also they can discuss and express their opinion on the forum according to the topics they are interested in.

Video from Videopedia

Vesuvius' Eruption That Buried Pompeii

Personally, I am interested in History. Even though I don't know much about the history I like searching for the information related to history. While I was browsing this website I could see many categories of video. Then I got to the "Knowledge" category where I could find 'history' there. Then I saw this video and I came up with the idea abou how to use it in my classroom later.

2 years ago, I was teaching English at Private Language School and I taught several short reading books. One of the reading book was about Pompeii. It would have been great that I had showed my students this video. It could have helped students comprehend the reading book better and they might have been interested in the reading book more.

Like my example, there are many videoes that the teacher can use in their classrooms in Videopedia. Especailly, they can be used in Content-based Instruction setting.

Video from Teacher Tube

Using video is always effective, because students can focus more on the lesson and they can learn language in the context as well. I am a big fan of the website 'Youtube' and I didn't know there is a website called 'Teacher Tube'.
Thesedays, I am taking Practicum class and I have to go to real ESL class and teach them once a week. The topic is 'Cause and Effect' so I tried to find out some idea how to teach the topic using vedio. Then I found this video. I could use this video in my classroom and also I can create other materials based on the idea I got from this video.
Therefore, one of many usages of video in the classroom is that the teachers can gain ideas when they need to create materials or they are looking for other approach of teaching.

Following tweet....

I've spent some time to go through the long list of tweets from the people I follow. Most of the tweets are from EFL CLASSROOM blog and it's hard to understand who wrote it to whom. However, one think I found interesting is that I could read what my classmate wrote. She wrote how she is doing and what she wants to know. After I read some tweets and i tried to update about what I am doing and send some direct message to classmates. I am still learning how to use it and haven't gotten used to it yet, but I am willing to learn the new technology all the time.

Twitter: A tool for classroom???

Microblogging: Collaborative technology with a growing interest from users coming from different domains. (CAN WE USE TWITTER FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES? BY GABRIELA GROSSECK/CARMEN HOLOTESCU) I would like to start to state with the definition of the microblogging, since its concept is quite new to me. I have heard a lot about blogging and I also doing it now, but microblogging is a fairly new experience to me. That's why I want to make sure what it is.

I started having microblogging experience with joining Twitter. The first impression of the website Twitter is quite strange for me. What does it mean by strange? It seems like a chatting room. People were writing message and I didn't know what the message is for. I couldn't think of any use of the twitter in education at a first glance. However my view has started to change after I looked through the articles about the potential usage of Twitter and other microblogging in the classroom.

One thing popped in my head is that students may get interested in what is new to them. For example, I teach class which discussion is the big part of it. Even though the procedure of discussion may same, I can use a new tool to introduce the topic or I can have the students generate their thought through a new tool such as Twitter or microblogging. Although they can communicate through email, a new tool always draws students' attention.

In addition, I like the ideas I read in an article . It says that the Twitter can be used in various ways such as polling or continuing conversations. The ideas are for training teachers which fits to myself right now. I haven't' used twitter like the article presents but it's definitely possible and I would like to try it.

Also I think the second article(CAN WE USE TWITTER FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES? BY GABRIELA GROSSECK/CARMEN HOLOTESCU) I read points out a brilliant point. People cannot write more than 140 characters so writers need to summarize what they are going to say. So it may help students to practice summarizing skills. For example, the teacher can give a task for students to post a summary of what they read using Twitter.

I think I did judge the book by the cover at first. Yet looking at more closely and reading about it make me realize my judgment was wrong. I am glad I can have a chance to consider another tool for my future classroom.