From the "Teaching & Learning Spanish" blog, I found a really interesting post about a website entitled "Practica Espanol". Check it out via the following link: http://teachinglearningspanish.blogspot.com/2011/02/practica-espanol.html Within this post was a YouTube video that explained what this website was all about (see below).
Being a Spanish teacher, I'm always looking for new and helpful resources that will help develop my own Spanish language skills, while also making me aware of what is going on in the Spanish-speaking world today. This website has it all! It is split up into categories such as: health, entertainment, politics, etc... so I can easily be up-to-date on what's happening in countries like Spain or Argentina. Also, what I really liked about this website, it that it can be adjusted to fit your current level of Spanish understanding. In this sense, I can easily see this being a great resource for my students.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
The Students of Today... Do We Know Them?
I recently watched a video entitled "A Vision of K-12 Students Today" and I was shocked by the seriousness and solemness that the students projected. Nothing was said verbally, but it was enough. The statements on the whiteboards spoke volumes. Right from the get-go you recognize how much time the students of today interact with technology in their daily lives. Statistics like: 16.5 hours watching TV a week, gaming 3.5 hours a week, 5.5 hours on a computer a week, etc... We live in a digital and technologically-influenced world, and more and more students are walking into our classrooms with experience and knowledge of so many resources that us, as teachers, may not be familiar with. And that is the problem.
More often than not, teachers are uncomfortable working with or using technology in the classroom because it's something they have never used before themselves, yet their students have. There's a technological gap that is quite evident. Therefore, teachers may choose to rely on lectures and other teaching methods to reach their students. Unfortunately, as seen in the video, these methods are not affective in reaching them. Instead, students find themselves disengaged, not interested, and bored. In addition, students question why they are learning what they are learning if it's not going to foster: critical thinking, creativity, and skills that are essential for today's world. This is where technology and its use in the classroom comes into play. We have to teach our students in a way that is most practical and beneficial for them... the statistics should tell you how we're going to do that. Technology, technology, technology!
More often than not, teachers are uncomfortable working with or using technology in the classroom because it's something they have never used before themselves, yet their students have. There's a technological gap that is quite evident. Therefore, teachers may choose to rely on lectures and other teaching methods to reach their students. Unfortunately, as seen in the video, these methods are not affective in reaching them. Instead, students find themselves disengaged, not interested, and bored. In addition, students question why they are learning what they are learning if it's not going to foster: critical thinking, creativity, and skills that are essential for today's world. This is where technology and its use in the classroom comes into play. We have to teach our students in a way that is most practical and beneficial for them... the statistics should tell you how we're going to do that. Technology, technology, technology!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Fluent In a Second Language?!
More often than not, one takes up learning a second language with an intent or "final outcome" of becoming fluent. What exactly does that mean and how much exposure to a second language do you need to get there? Robert Blake starts off his text with this very thought in Brave New Digital Classroom addressing why technology is in the L2 curriculum. Second language acquisition (SLA) is a "intensive and time-consuming activity" (Blake, 1) You would think that starting a language in the 7th grade and continuing all through middle and high school (a total six years) would mean that fluency is the final outcome... not so much. According to the Foreign Service Institute, anywhere from 700 to 1,320 hours of full-time instruction are needed to reach a level of high fluency. In addition, "the time commitment for learning a Romance language minimally approaches 20 weeks of intensive, full-time study at 30 hours per week, for a grand total of 600 hours..." (Blake, 1). These numbers are startling, particularly for university students whose courses don't come close to these requirements.
Reading these statistics surprised me in a sense that I had no idea how much continuous exposure was necessary to gain a high level of fluency. What first popped into my head was my own personal experience with learning Spanish I've been interacting with the Spanish for now 12 years, having started learning the language in 7th grade. I remember deciding that I wanted to become a Spanish teacher my junior year of high school, and then asking myself, "Can I even speak Spanish that well?" I could carry a basic conversation one-on-one with my Spanish teacher and even my peers in class. I even could get up and give a decent 10 minute presentation on Las Fallas, but it felt like something was missing... this whole idea of "fluency". It wasn't until I studied abroad in Spain for a semester that I felt that I had acquired a level of fluency- being able to speak Spanish with an authentic accent and carry conversations with native speakers. Obviously, the idea of "increasing contact with the target language" (i.e. through study abroad) is the solution... a second language is "best learned and taught through interaction" (Blake, 2 & 3).
Friday, September 9, 2011
When Blogging, Blog Safely: Internet and Blogging Safety Tips
It's so important to be aware and safe when browsing the Internet and/or blogging. The Internet can be dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing, so it's important that you are proactive in your gaining of knowledge on Internet safety. In turn, this awareness will ensure that you have a positive and safe experience when surfing the Web and blogging. Here is a list of tips that you should follow... you can never be too careful:
1.) Protect Your Privacy: You should never reveal information about where you live, where you work, your age, your telephone number, or even your full name. There are bad people out there on the Internet that will take advantage of such information, so don't give away or post personal information so freely.
2.) Passwords Are Private: Do not share your password with others, even your best friends. You don't want your password to get stolen because that could lead to the theft of your identity. Also, you should create a password that is strong (see link below).
3.) Avoid Clicking on Pop-ups/Advertisements: Clicking on pop-ups or advertisements on webpages can lead to your computer contracting a harmful virus that can cause a lot of serious problems. Furthermore, what is being advertised is usually false/not real/ a scam. Make sure your computer's "Pop-up Blocker" is turned on (it usually is), and if a pop-up comes up, close out of the window immediately.
4.) Click "Back" or "Close": If at anytime you come across something that is inappropriate on accident, click the "Back" arrow button to leave the webpage or close out of the window immediately.
For more information and safety tips check out this website: www.connectsafely.org/safety-tips-and-advice.html
1.) Protect Your Privacy: You should never reveal information about where you live, where you work, your age, your telephone number, or even your full name. There are bad people out there on the Internet that will take advantage of such information, so don't give away or post personal information so freely.
2.) Passwords Are Private: Do not share your password with others, even your best friends. You don't want your password to get stolen because that could lead to the theft of your identity. Also, you should create a password that is strong (see link below).
3.) Avoid Clicking on Pop-ups/Advertisements: Clicking on pop-ups or advertisements on webpages can lead to your computer contracting a harmful virus that can cause a lot of serious problems. Furthermore, what is being advertised is usually false/not real/ a scam. Make sure your computer's "Pop-up Blocker" is turned on (it usually is), and if a pop-up comes up, close out of the window immediately.
4.) Click "Back" or "Close": If at anytime you come across something that is inappropriate on accident, click the "Back" arrow button to leave the webpage or close out of the window immediately.
For more information and safety tips check out this website: www.connectsafely.org/safety-tips-and-advice.html
Three Ways I Can Use Blogs In My Classroom
1.) Building a Classroom Portal:There is a huge trend towards making what was once given as a paper/handout into digital documents. Why not use a blog to create a class portal? In this sense, as a teacher, you can communicate information about your course to your students and their parents online. Furthermore, you can archive all of your class materials: syllabus, classroom policies and procedures, homework assignments, rubrics, etc... The blog then becomes a "powerful course management tool" (Richardson, 21). It makes your job as a teacher that much easier. You save time by not having to make and/or save duplicate copies of what was handed out to students. Plus, there is no excuse for not having work completed because it will be posted on the blog. Finally, it keeps other teachers within your school, administrators, and parents informed with what is going on in your classroom.
2.) Student Collaboration: "One of the biggest potentials of Weblogs is the ability to create spaces where students can collaborate with others online" (Richardson, 23). The blog-a-sphere opens up new possibilities for your students; whether it's learning from their peers or learning from other professionals. I'm a firm believer that students can learn from one another in so many ways. In some sense, a blog gives students the opportunity to be the "teacher", which they may not be fully aware of. Nevertheless, learning happens in an online environment, in which students can work together and feed off of each others knowledge.
3.) Going Beyond the Classroom: As a Spanish teacher, having your students use the language and interact with it outside the classroom is essential and something you strive for. A blog is a great way to take what was learned in the classroom, post it, and then expand upon it through interactive activities and links through the Internet. The students can then use the blog as a resource to help further develop their Spanish skills, as well as, engage in fun games or review practices. Especially with culture, I can see how a blog would open up a lot of possibilities. Post links that allow you students to access videos, digital music files, photos, and websites that relate to what you may be focusing on in the classroom. For example, I may be talking to my students about Running of the Bulls, and would have this link posted on my blog:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFKy6Ld9gU8 and then my students can watch an authentic video of the event. As a Spanish teacher, with this blog, you are addressing one of the five "C"s (Culture) within the foreign language standards. This opens the window of opportunity for your students, by allowing them to experience other cultures and develop a respect and appreciation for them.
** Overall, use of a blog within the classroom supports the "C" of Communities, where learning experiences are "extended from the world language classroom to the home... emphasizing living in a global society" (National Standards for Foreign Language Education). When you think about it, it's pretty amazing, and gives both yourself and your students a new perspective of the world and how learning happens within it.
2.) Student Collaboration: "One of the biggest potentials of Weblogs is the ability to create spaces where students can collaborate with others online" (Richardson, 23). The blog-a-sphere opens up new possibilities for your students; whether it's learning from their peers or learning from other professionals. I'm a firm believer that students can learn from one another in so many ways. In some sense, a blog gives students the opportunity to be the "teacher", which they may not be fully aware of. Nevertheless, learning happens in an online environment, in which students can work together and feed off of each others knowledge.
3.) Going Beyond the Classroom: As a Spanish teacher, having your students use the language and interact with it outside the classroom is essential and something you strive for. A blog is a great way to take what was learned in the classroom, post it, and then expand upon it through interactive activities and links through the Internet. The students can then use the blog as a resource to help further develop their Spanish skills, as well as, engage in fun games or review practices. Especially with culture, I can see how a blog would open up a lot of possibilities. Post links that allow you students to access videos, digital music files, photos, and websites that relate to what you may be focusing on in the classroom. For example, I may be talking to my students about Running of the Bulls, and would have this link posted on my blog:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFKy6Ld9gU8 and then my students can watch an authentic video of the event. As a Spanish teacher, with this blog, you are addressing one of the five "C"s (Culture) within the foreign language standards. This opens the window of opportunity for your students, by allowing them to experience other cultures and develop a respect and appreciation for them.
** Overall, use of a blog within the classroom supports the "C" of Communities, where learning experiences are "extended from the world language classroom to the home... emphasizing living in a global society" (National Standards for Foreign Language Education). When you think about it, it's pretty amazing, and gives both yourself and your students a new perspective of the world and how learning happens within it.
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