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vallb001

New Tools for the Flipped School: Interactive Visual Media in Remote Learning - 4 views

  • This article focuses on the use, potential benefits, and best practices of interactive visual media in online education and remote learning. We will discuss: What are the main arguments for interactive visual media in online learning? What are some examples and best practices for creating visual learning materials for students? How can students use interactive visual media for documenting and sharing their learning?
  • Interactive images, videos, and virtual tours can support online learning by providing an alternative to text-based communication. Here are three arguments for why this is the case.
    • vallb001
       
      Agreed. I think we must keep in mind the Internet goes beyond text and video. If we use online tools just as we used books and VCRs in the bast, we are wasting the potential of the Internet.
  • Humans remember pictures better than words (the “picture superiority effect”)
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  • Multisensory experience triggers simultaneous associations.
  • Pictures, sounds, and words together with a contextual experience of a place can create memorable learning experiences more efficiently than plain images or written words alone that are not associated with anything real
  • Seeing a new word written under a picture and hearing how it is pronounced, helps us understand and remember what we are looking at.
  • Virtual tours expand our fields of perception from physical to digital.
  • We can remember and learn on a virtual field trip the same way as we learn on a physical field trip.
  • Interactive videos, audio posters, narrated screenshots, and virtual tours can be effective tools for online education that help educators and learners work together using not only text-based communication, but also voice, video, and images.
  • A great way for giving assignments or sharing projects is adding voice instructions to various areas of a photo, poster or a screenshot.
  • Equipment: The good news is, you only need your phone or laptop, so there is no need to invest in additional hardware unless you want to
  • Setup: A video lesson can be very similar to your lesson in the classroom.
  • Recording: Find a place with natural light where you feel comfortable, and start recording. The audience is your students so picture them in front of you, and address them as you would in the class. You may even mention some of them by name to keep their attention!
  • Duration: Our recommendation is you look at the lesson as a whole and divide it into parts, max 10-15 minutes and ideally 6 minutes each.
  • Examples and best practices for creating remote learning materials for students
  • 1. Explain visuals with text labels
  • 2. Explain abstract concepts with detailed descriptions
  • 3. Explain assignments using your voice
  • 4. Art history: Introduce a masterpiece
  • 5. Literature: Interpret a masterpiece
  • 6. Read to your students
  • 7. Learn vocabulary in new places
  • 8. Narrate your own virtual lesson
  • 9. Create a virtual field trip with assignment
  • 10. Ask students to narrate a virtual audio tour
  • Supporting student-centered learning with interactive visual media
  • Project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, and problem-based learning are constructivist approaches to education that develop the learners skills for research, problem-solving and collaboration. The process is based on authentic questions and problems identified by students, and finding information and explanation models to research and solve them.
  • An important aspect of student-centered learning is documenting the various phases and aspects of the learning process.
  • The following examples will show how students can use mixed media for completing various kinds of creative assignments and sharing them with their teacher and fellow students.
  • In the following, we summarize 10 easy project ideas for remote learning that encourage students to 1) make handwritten, visual and pictorial notes, collages and artwork, and 2) enhance and explain their work using digital audio/text notes, photos and video. Each of the examples provide a mix of learning opportunities combining traditional student work in the classroom with digital storytelling at home. The projects can be shared to a learning management system or collaboration platform such as Canvas, Schoology, Google Education or Microsoft Teams.
  • 1. Make an interactive greeting card
  • 2. Create an interactive book report
  • 3. Make a vocabulary poster in a foreign language
  • 4. Introduce yourself
  • 5. Create an interactive herbarium
  • 6. Make your own comic strips
  • 7. Create an interactive timeline
  • 8. Explain details of a painting
  • 9. Create an interactive map
  • 10. Build a diorama
  • Hotspots, what are they and how do they work? The purpose of the clickable hotspots is to give the viewer further information and resources on the topic they are learning about. Teachers and students can add various types of content in the hotspots, such as text, additional closeup images, video, sound, links and embedded web content such as maps or forms. These resources can serve any of the following functions: Building perspective by linking to related materials Improving comprehension of the topic by highlighting key concepts and vocabulary Zooming into details in a scene Creating a feedback loop by including a call to action
    • pamh6832
       
      These would be very helpful in a flipped classroom or with distance teaching.
  • Examples and best practices for creating remote learning materials for students
  • Examples and best practices for creating remote learning materials for students
  • Examples and best practices for creating remote learning materials for students
  • Best practices for developing students' creativity and digital storytelling skills at home
  • School teachers
  • School teachers
    • pamh6832
       
      10 creative ideas for students to use ThingLink while remote learning and in traditional classroom. I could see doing #3 (vocabulary poster) and #4 (introduce yourself) during first quarter.
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    An article written by the founder and CEO of ThingLink in which she discusses the main arguments for interactive visual media in online learning, examples and best practices for creating visual learning materials for students, and ways students can use interactive visual media (ThingLink) to document and share their learning. She shares numerous ways teachers and students could use ThingLink with examples.
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    I have been thinking of what makes Thinglink different from the Microsoft Power Point? PPT also enables you to add recording on a slide. Later, I realized that Thinglink enables multiple layers to one picture/screen. Users can opt to access to other media or information when necessary. It would be useful to provide scaffolding only when it is necessary (e.g., students click links to get hint only when they cannot complete the task by themselves). Thinglink also condense information within one page/slide/screen without having to scroll down. However, we may be economical when we decide how many links we want to put on one screen.
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    Whether we like it or not, it looks like we're going to consider some of this information in the upcoming school year. As I browsed the article, I realize options are almost unlimited but of course it requires time to figure out and prepare materials. Last spring I felt a bit like a Youtuber and I see how that is not actually an easy job!
  •  
    An article written by the founder and CEO of ThingLink in which she discusses the main arguments for interactive visual media in online learning, examples and best practices for creating visual learning materials for students, and ways students can use interactive visual media (ThingLink) to document and share their learning. She shares numerous ways teachers and students could use ThingLink with examples.
  •  
    A very complete article about the advantages of using images and learning. I really want to learn how to use thinglink now.
MariaEmicle Lopez

LangMedia: Resources for World Languages - Five College Center for the Study of World L... - 3 views

  • We aim to provide examples of authentic language spoken in its natural cultural environment so that students of all ages can better understand the interplay between a language and its culture. The videos were filmed with handheld camcorders and microphones provided by the Center. The video and audio quality varies.
    • MariaEmicle Lopez
       
      This resource page gives access to spoken language and culture through authentic video and audio materials. There are materials in different languages on a variety of topics raging from basic communication, to culture, social life, transportation, etc. I found materials from some of Latin American countries and Spain on necessitites>emergency situations (Emergency Room, Taking the Physical Exam, etc.) for my Medical Spanish class.
  • Students should be aware that we have tried to remain true to the language our subjects actually uttered. Therefore, we have not corrected grammatical errors and the videos sometimes show highly colloquial language, local slang, and regional specific speech patterns.
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    Collection and other multimedia materials
Maki Nakayama

Skype takes English teaching to the next level (Includes interview and first-hand account) - 4 views

  • Many teachers and organizations have tried to take the offline teaching model and simply put it online. This causes some problems. Firstly, the materials they use are not specifically designed for online teaching and they don’t use the technological capabilities of online teaching fully.
    • Maki Nakayama
       
      I learned that teachers should choose their teaching materials, either offline or online, based on the goals and process. If online materials work for their teaching, teachers should use them. If offline materials work effectively, then they should use offline materials.
Marlene Johnshoy

Four Tips for Creating Technology-Enhanced Materials that Endure - The FLTMAG - 10 views

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    "One of the main responsibilities of my job is creating technology-enhanced curriculum, and over the last few years I have learned some things (some the hard way) that help me to create a technology-enhanced curriculum that has the potential to survive longer than it would otherwise."
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    First I did not want to read this, because I feel unable to CREATE technology enhanced materials, but when I glanced at threarticle, it became easy to understand and do, most valuable and very possibly manageable with my limited understanding of technology. Wonderful!
murasimo

Library - Diigo - 1 views

shared by murasimo on 03 Aug 17 - No Cached
  • VoiceThread is a ridiculously simple online program that allows students to comment on authentic materials, whether they be pictures, documents, web pages, or video. Students can provide written feedback to the material presented along with oral feedback via their computer mics, web cams, or cellular phones.
    • murasimo
       
      Voice Thread is very simple and fun to use it and students can work with authentic material. It is very good to practice listening comprehension and speaking.
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    I have always looked at and wondered about using VoiceThread but have never actually done it until I took this class. I'm happy that I finally used it and I'm thrilled to see all of the suggestions for World Language activities that people have shared.
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    Same as Anne! I only new about VoiceThread when I started Carla17 online course. Thanks for sharing this information. We can continue learning about all the advantages of it: free, facilitates learning through authentic materials, different modalities of response: oral, written, video, doodle.
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    I agree with you that Voice Thread is simple and can be used very effectively in class.
greghutcheson

Aprende español callejeando por Madrid - 4 views

  • Si lees mis entradas habitualmente, ya sabes que llevo un tiempo de bastante mal humor por algunas cosas que han pasado en mi trabajo en esta época de pandemia. Pero ya empiezan las vacaciones, recuperaré fuerzas y volveré con ánimo para recorrer Madrid buscando cosas interesantes para el blog. De momento, me tomo un descanso de ordenador y me despido hasta septiembre.
    • greghutcheson
       
      Although she's taking a break until September, she's been at it since 2012, and her archive is a treasure trove of authentic materials (including graffiti) for the Spanish-language classroom!
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    Authentic materials from the streets of Madrid!
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    This looks like a great blog to follow, fun for those of us who have studied in Spain and also a great source for authentic materials.
Bill Koulopoulos

UCLA Language Materials Project: Main - 0 views

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    Teaching materials for the Less Commonly Taught Languages
cbbbcb

Authentic Activities for the World Language Classroom | Edutopia - 27 views

  • Encourage students to have silent conversations using Google Docs. Choose a theme and have each student select a color for their responses. Make sure they share the document with you too, so that you can monitor and comment.
    • effeinstein
       
      I love this idea of using google docs for interpretive activities
  • In order to help students better master the units we teach, remember these rules when selecting activities:They must be authentic. They should always be engaging. Activities should be varied. They need to be focused on the unit theme. Perhaps most importantly, they should force students to use the target language.
    • effeinstein
       
      Important to remember!
    • leahmyott
       
      This reminds me of the assessment class I took at CARLA where I learned about the importance of using authentic materials to help boost student engagement and language learning.
  • f we make activities genuine, our students will be much more inclined to participate, acquiring new knowledge in the process.
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  • Show videos on Yabla
    • cbbbcb
       
      I just heard about FluentU. How is Yabla different from FluentU?
  • authenticity
    • cbbbcb
       
      I think authenticity refers to authentic materials and authentic tasks. What are real things native speakers would do?
  •  
    This looks like a good resource for new classroom activities for any language.
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    I am very interested in creating comics, I will use this in class: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/strip-designer/id314780738?mt=8 Thank you a lot for the great ideas. May George, Group C.
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    This site has some awesome ideas! I can't wait to start planning for the upcoming school year!
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    Amazing blog! I really like the explanation they provide for authenticity since it is not just decoration of the classroom with the cultural aspects of the target language. I will be using some of the activities they suggest :-)
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    This great. I am not comfortable with the modes. This blog will help me to associate the modes with activities which will be more meaningful for me.
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    Always good to have a list like this on hand! I also like the breakdown by modes.
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    Thanks for sharing. I bookmarked it.
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    Looks like a great list!
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    This is such a valuable resource. While it felt validating to see some of the activities that I already use on these lists, they also gave me new ideas to try for next semester. I am sure students will appreciate the variety.
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    I have used both Veinte Mundos and Paperboy--Wondering if I can use EdPuzzle/ Playposit, or Diigo with these-- I think that will help with greater student engagement and my ability to track what they are 'doing' with these resources-- It is not enough to assign them to watch/ read, I need to provide the activity to accompany it.
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    this one is a keeper.
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    If a tech device is not available for all students in class, you can do silent talk using a pen and paper. I used to call this activity "Pencil Talk"
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    This seems like an excellent article/suggestion. I really enjoy using Google Docs and am excited to look into that.
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    I, too, was planning to bookmark this piece. I appreciated that it was organized by the different modes.
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    Focusing on authenticity makes students more inclined to participate. In addition, activities should be engaging, varied, focused on the unit theme and force students to use the target language. This article has suggestions for engaging activities for the interpretive, interpersonal and presentational mode. Many of these activities use technology, and the author provides links to the apps. A very useful and quick read.
  •  
    I really like the idea of doing an email activity with my students! Thank you for posting this article! Great ideas!
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    Now I have another question: what role does a textbook play in our instruction? Do we need to get rid of materials written for language learners?
Carol Petersen

Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling - 4 views

  • These sites contain material that is generally free to use, uncopyrighted, whose copyright has expired, or is uncopyrightable. The last includes resources from US government agencies, educational organizations and companies that provide materials for students and teachers.
    • Carol Petersen
       
      I like free!
    • Carol Petersen
       
      also, did you notice this is from U of Houston, where I live.
  •  
    Royalty - Free Media
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    Royalty - Free Media
Marcie Pratt

Social-networking sites in foreign language classes: Opportunities for re-creation | Ka... - 4 views

  •   38   SOCiaL-NetwOrKiNg SiteS 2001). This difference in ‘lifestyle’ gives educators reason to believe we shouldincorporate SNS usage into our class-related activities, to capture these students’imaginations and t their thought patterns and socializing habits (Godwin-Jones,2008; Winke & Goertler, 2008).However, although technology is an integral part of neomillennial students’lives, they often do not know how to use technology in ways that would benet them in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) (Dieu & Stevens, 2007;Kolaitis, Mahoney, Pomann, & Hubbard, 2006; Winke & Goertler, 2008). Suc - cessful CALL activities, then, often require a substantial training period at theoutset (Jones & Bissoonauth-Bedford, 2008; Kolaitis et al., 2006), and studentsmay be less enthusiastic about a class’s language and culture projects if the formof computer-mediated communication ( CMC) employed is not the type they areaccustomed to using (McBride & Wildner-Bassett, 2008; Thorne, 2003). A usefulresponse may be to craft CALL activities more to the practices that our studentsare familiar with (Winke & Goertler, 2008). SNSs are an obvious possibility to consider, given their tremendous popularity.If we can get our F
  • we can get our FL students to interact socially on SNSs, then they may beengaged in more authentic social and communicative behavior than typically hap-pens in classrooms, because “instead of merely simulating other modes of interac-tion, technology mediated communication is, in and of itself, the real thing
  •   40   SOCiaL-NetwOrKiNg SiteS and sites like it, knowing, socially and technically, how to re-use media in thisparticular way has become foundational for communication and creative expres- sion over the Web” (Perkel, 2008, p. 218). We can call this activity of writing/remixing the self through the manipulationof text and media ‘ self-authorship.’ Within the framework of CALL, this term refers to students authoring their own materials which can then serve as the basisfor learning and lessons. Using student-created materials as the center of a lesson ts with a student-centered pedagogy (Dieu, Campbell, & Ammann, 2006). Self-authorship activities can increase interest and time on task, and they put students in a more active role in their own learning process (Kramsch, A’Ness, & Lam,2000; Nikolova, 2002).Students must take an active role in their learning. They cannot simply be handed knowledge from an expert because understanding is the result of a cre- ative process one must work through over time with other people (Bereiter, 2002). Learning
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  • Students must take an active role in their learning. They cannot simply be handed knowledge from an expert because understanding is the result of a cre- ative process one must work through over time with other people (Bereiter, 2002). Learning and language develop through interaction with others, by means of in- ternalizing problem-solving patterns that are rst experienced in dialogue withothers (Vygotsky, 1978). SNSs therefore are a promising tool for FL education intheir capacity to be used by learners as L2 practice in a way similar to how they are used by the majority of young people in our society.
  • Such use could instantiate the primary condition that research has shown to encourage L2 acquisition: timespent on meaningfully embedded interaction and negotiation with others
    • Marcie Pratt
       
      I did not mean to highlight so much. Can't find the "undo" highlight. I believe the paragraph starting with "If we can get our FL students..." is important because as FL teachers we are always working towards getting out students to speak in the target langauge and with as much authenticity as possible. By working with an SNS then they might be more apt to use their L2 skills in a more authentic way outside of the classroom as mentioned in the paragraph.
    • MariaEmicle Lopez
       
      Great comment! SNS are a way to help students connect class with the real world and someone besides peers and instructors. Interaction through SNS is practice in the target language with speakers of that language, helpful for when they study abroad, for when they graduate and find a job where they interact with Spanish speakers in the case of my students population. These kinds of interactions build on confidence and improvement of speaking skills.
Marlene Johnshoy

Evaluating Online Courses | Michigan State University - 2 views

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    "The evaluation of online courses involves many of the same criteria applied to traditional classroom courses but also necessitates the use of new criteria more directly based on the online environment. The course evaluation materials below offer a range of rubrics and guidelines for help in developing effective practices for evaluating online courses."
Shereen Elgamal

5 Social Media Tools for College Students - US News - 1 views

  • viewers click around a large "mind-map," which can feature text, images, and videos,
  • equates Prezi to an "infinite whiteboard" wherein the audience can see an overview of a topic, or zoom in to see the relations between topics.
    • Shereen Elgamal
       
      Since this tool would be available to numerous students, it would be very helpful that a wide array of related topics are mapped out so that each student focuses on what's most relevant to their interests/needs.
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    Prezi is a good resource for students to look at a wide array of related topics and choose the angle that best suits their research or class direction. Gradeguru and Notehall are mainly about student exchange of helpful notes and study materials. Dropbox is mainly a storage tool that also allows sharing and exching files. Chegg is a book rental tool.
Constantinos Tsouris

Foreign Language Education Learning with Video Games and Authentic Web Media Tasks - 2 views

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    Abstract: In recent years, a sharp increase in the number of academic studies around the use of video games and new media for educational purposes has greatly expanded our understanding of their potential for enhancing learning.
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    Constantinos, this a great resource of information. Thank you for sharing! I haven't sit down to read it all, but skimming through it I found plenty of interesting information. I was always interested in using video games or educational games for language learning, but never took initiative in reading anything on the topic. In the beginning of "From "Authentic Materials" to "Live Materials" section, the author mentions that the culture should not be described to students, but rather facilitate a platform for them to actually participate in that culture. I see how we can do that through games, but is there any of you using other means to do it? Is it possible to do it through social networks or second language learning networks? If yes, how exactly? Any thoughts on this?
Madame Carbonneau

Open Educational Resources - 0 views

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    Open educational resources (OER) are "digitized materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching, learning and research."
Marlene Johnshoy

Engaging Faculty in Online Education (EDUCAUSE Review) - 0 views

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    Notes and links to materials Brown University uses to prepare faculty to teach online.
Marlene Johnshoy

Global Language Online Support System - 0 views

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    From the LARC newsletter: G.L.O.S.S. provides over 7,000 lessons in 40 languages with skill integration (reading/listening) and an interface that supports easy navigation. Lessons are built around authentic materials such as articles, TV reports, and radio broadcasts, and are most appropriate for learners at a low-intermediate level (ILR 1) and above. G.L.O.S.S. is designed and maintained by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, and is freely available to teachers and students alike.
akikomatk

Instructional and Authentic Resources | Ohio Department of Education - 8 views

  • To truly assess proficiency, learners need opportunities to use their language in real-world situations, using authentic cultural resources (i.e., resources that are created by native speakers for native speakers).
    • barichetti
       
      Concise statement about "why authentic materials".
  • learners
    • barichetti
       
      The materials linked in the doc for German were quite good sources of cultural and news text and video.
    • akikomatk
       
      I found some good authentic Japanese resources! Thank you for sharing.
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    Thanks for sharing this incredible resource!
barichetti

Six Habits of Highly Empathic People | Greater Good Magazine - 6 views

  • “instrumental empathy” (sometimes known as “impact anthropology”) can go a long way.
  • “instrumental empathy” (sometimes known as “impact anthropology”) can go a long way.
  • ambitious imagination
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  • ambitious imagination
    • vaguevara
       
      I like this phrase-- it encourages expansive thinking and ways out of old, ineffectual ways of thinking--
    • vaguevara
       
      I like this phrase-- it encourages expansive thinking and ways out of old, ineffectual ways of thinking--
  • empathic conversationalist.
    • vaguevara
       
      #great catch phrase for L2 learners
    • vaguevara
       
      #great catch phrase for L2 learners
  • Inspire mass action and social change
    • vaguevara
       
      And this is my hope, that empathy leads to agency and action on the parts of my students--L2 is an amazing tool to support action and change
  • Orwell developed new friendships, shifted his views on inequality, and gathered some superb literary material. It was the greatest travel experience of his life. He realised that empathy doesn’t just make you good—it’s good for you, too.
    • vaguevara
       
      This is a great example of empathy-- I want to bring more of these types of anecdotes into my classroom-- via web apps--
  • Orwell developed new friendships, shifted his views on inequality, and gathered some superb literary material. It was the greatest travel experience of his life. He realised that empathy doesn’t just make you good—it’s good for you, too.
  • Six Habits of Highly Empathic People |
    • vaguevara
       
      I chose this article, as I feel empathy is the root of language learning, and I am searching for rationale and 'hooks' for student engagement in their L2 learning.
    • vaguevara
       
      I chose this article, as I feel empathy is the root of language learning, and I am searching for rationale and 'hooks' for student engagement in their L2 learning.
  • ighly empathic people (HEPs) have an insatiable curiosity about strangers.
    • vaguevara
       
      This is what I want from my students-- I look forward to using the tools of this CARLAtech18 to draw them in and help them to become lifelong language learners
  • the power of empathy to overcome hatred and change our minds.
    • vaguevara
       
      I am especially interested in the intersection of L2 learning and empathy-- I think that a deeper understanding of culture--differences and commonalities, helps to form a bridge between peoples-- In learning language, we learn humility and stepping into the unknown--trying on new ways of saying things and seeing the world.
  • Six Habits of Highly Empathic People |
  • Six Habits of Highly Empathic People |
  • Empathy is about discovering those tastes.
    • barichetti
       
      I like that this focuses on the active role we play in learning better empathic responses - sometimes I think we act like empathy is either something we have or we don't and that we all feel the same.
  • . Evolutionary biologists like Frans de Waal have shown that we are social animals who have naturally evolved to care for each other, just like our primate cousin
  • HEPs challenge their own preconceptions and prejudices by searching for what they share with people rather than what divides them.
  • Habit 4: Listen hard—and open up
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    I really like the phrase "instrumental empathy" -- I think it's something great to strive for in our classrooms and to integrate into our lessons.
speabodymn

Using Music in the Foreign Language Classroom | GradHacker - 11 views

  • By Natascha Chtena November 22, 2015 5 Comments   .blog-spacer { display: none; } @media (max-width: 420px) { .blog-spacer { display: block; height:1px; clear:both; } }   googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("dfp-ad-story_level_pages"); }); Natascha Chtena is a PhD student in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @nataschachtena.       One of the challenges I face teaching a daily language class is finding novel and creative ways to maintain student interest throughout my lessons. One of my favorite teaching “tricks” is using music to motivate learning, improve concentration, create a sense of community and help my students absorb material.   Music is a wonderful tool to integrate into your teaching repertoire, especially if you are a foreign language teacher. It has a
  • The key is to not be too ambitious (unless of course you are teaching a language AND culture class) and to set realistic goals: one song one major point! I usually keep it to seven minutes max, which includes a song, a very short “lecture” and some time for student questions at the end.
  • where I asked students to compile a short (German) playlist that describes their personality, explaining what it is about each song that speaks to them and/or that they identify with.
    • murasimo
       
      I would like to try this activity.
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  • By Natascha Chtena November 22, 2015 5 Comments   .blog-spacer { display: none; } @media (max-width: 420px) { .blog-spacer { display: block; height:1px; clear:both; } }   googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("dfp-ad-story_level_pages"); }); Natascha Chtena is a PhD student in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @nataschachtena.       One of the challenges I face teaching a daily language class is finding novel and creative ways to maintain student interest throughout my lessons. One of my favorite teaching “tricks” is using music to motivate learning, improve concentration, create a sense of community and help my students absorb material.   Mus
  • Music is a wonderful tool to integrate into your teaching repertoire, especially if you are a foreign language teacher. It has a way of capturing everything about a culture, its people and their language and it can inspire interest in a subject matter when other methods have failed. Not to mention that students love it and benefit from it intellectually and emotionally (even when they find your music taste questionable).
    • murasimo
       
      I use songs all the time and students love it. it is useful for grammar, vocabulary and culture. most of the time students start following on youtube the singer and present to class new songs from the same singer.
    • heidikreutzer
       
      My students (college level) really enjoy any music I bring into the classroom. Usually, I use it because it fits a grammar or vocabulary theme. I'd love to expand my use of music with my students.
    • vivianfranco
       
      My students also love to listen to songs in the target language. As you said, it is useful to work not only the language (grammar aspect) but also the cultural part. In my classes, I try to play 1 minute of music in Spanish before starting the class. They really enjoy it and even bring me more songs suggestions in the target language to play the next day.
    • pludek
       
      I like the idea of keeping the song length to a minimum. Sometimes the students get off task, especially if they don't like the song. Thanks for the idea! I love it when they tell me they've added the song to their own playlists!
    • speabodymn
       
      As a German instructor, I find music also is a great way to bring more traditional texts to life--lots of poems become more exciting to students when combined with a setting by Schubert or Strauss (for example), even if the student isn't initially interested in either poetry or classical music. (I have a video of Schubert/Goethe's "Erlkönig" that adds another dimension through a sort of cartoon horror-story video--so it's text plus music plus visuals.) With this much to discuss, it can easily fill half of a class session or provide the basis for a larger project. Still, I also like the shorter use of music as a way to add energy to many different topics without taking over the lesson.
  •  
    "Music is a wonderful tool to integrate into your teaching repertoire, especially if you are a foreign language teacher."
  •  
    This sounds fun! I would love to try it next year!
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