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This article from The Guardian discusses the impact of the government decision to lower the requirements for learning a world language based on the belief that, once the England leaves the EU, other languages won't be necessary. Essentially their equivalent of the Education Department is changing back to more extensive requirements so that by 2025 90% of students will be studying a language again.

Some more ideas on how to integrate social media.

This article from Edutopia provides ten simple suggestions for using various SM tools. The author's description of twitter won my heart: micro-blogging. Just that idea alone makes twitter seem much more manageable and useful.

Nice resources. I have not heard of Actively Learning. But I have used screenomatic and Edpuzzle together. It worked well.

Lots of good ideas. I would like to look into Actively Learning. Sounds like a great resource. Pear Deck is another one I would like to try. I agree that the virtual pen pals sounds like fun, as does having students text in Spanish and send you screenshots. They already have tons of personal experience with that already.

Training and curriculum by a Spanish teacher using Comprehensible Input. Many free resources.

This is a practice-oriented publication that's a bit more casual in tone and practical in content than its scholarly counterparts, while still rigorous in the quality of information it offers. We will feature articles, interviews with notable folks in the field of language teaching and learning, reviews of software, materials, and books, and more!

A lot of great ideas and a nice way to stay informed and to, at the same time, feel connected with a network of language educators who are addressing the same challenges and concerns.

SpatialChat looks so fun! I'll be curious about pricing, and appropriateness and safety for high schoolers.

Any learning activity in which all learners are simultaneously participating is called synchronous learning. It's real-time, highly interactive, and very social.

There are four most common synchronous formats: traditional classroom sessions, on-the-job coaching, web-based classes, and, recently, live streams in social media.

I have no annotation because I exceeded my limit :-( But here is the gist: This is a report from a design experiment using synchronous online communication for learning French. The problem: Canada' Core Language program for learning French as a second language resulted in a great number of students with "minimal abilities" to communicate in French. In search of a solution: to use synchronous online communication. Quoting White 2003:"the benefits of using web‐based, real‐time (synchronous) interaction and communication as follows: it is spontaneous; it motivates learners who develop a sense of community and gain energy from the group; it offers opportunities for peer feedback; and it supports the development of interactive competence. "

A bit academic but also interesting and thought-provoking.

I agree it is not easy to make students use authentic discourse online.

Provides guidelines for creating effective online collaborative tasks.

The article highlights the effectiveness of collaborative and cooperative language learning activities such as school exchanges and pairing students with counterparts abroad. It also bring up the issue of difficult assessment gets in the way and brings to the front solo performances and summative examinations.

I certainly agree with this as being an effective way to language learning. We in the military community use the group/pair work approach for many reasons. Pair work keeps them interested and motivated to learn. It also makes better use of class time. I also think that when the students are ready for the OPI, they generally do better than if they were in a traditional classroom. As for assessment, yes it is more difficult, but it is up to us as instructors to find ways to measure the students' performance based on the interaction. Once the student is in country, it will be up to him/her to communicate with others. That will be the true test.

Great resource for using Spanish language music videos and silent videos for interpretive activities, check out my sticky notes for more resources!

Great resource for using Spanish language music videos and silent videos in the classroom for interpretive activities with Twitter and eduCanon.

I like the idea of using Simon Cat videos. Another option: Charlie Chaplin films

From 2018, but a good place to explore using games to teach.