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Also, you can discuss why certain companies make different products for different countries.  I saw one commercial for a lemonade made by 7-Up.  It is always fascinating the different flavors that each company makes worldwide.

Michael Gorman, former president of the American Library Association, decries the movement towards a user-controlled Internet as “a world in which everyone is an expert in a world devoid of expertise”

technical usability

pedagogical usability

Claudio Zavala Jr. and Scott Titmas

So many opinions were out there on social media. I decided to focus this unit even more on this popular music event.

So many opinions were out there on social media. I decided to focus this unit even more on this popular music event.

Lots of comprehensible input there! They learned about new genres. Some said they added music that we learned about in class to their playlists. Love that!

“Students should practice picking up key words and extrapolating main ideas using the context of what they hear.” @ChristeyHughes responded, “En français, we often refer to ‘la tolérance de l’ambiguité’ to be able to work through, perhaps not getting each word.”

“…Make sure that you select an appropriate length for novices–small doses of ‘anything.’”

“Multiple choice requires no production of any kind. Really, it’s only good for finding out what they don’t know.” @LauraJaneBarber said, “I like to do listening as input for a writing or speaking task. Can show true comprehension better than multiple choice.”

A "text" isn't limited to something written down. A text can be a film, an artifact, anything in a language and culture that conveys meaning.

Created texts have long dominated the materials used in language classrooms. But increasingly, educators are coming to understand the need to bring more authentic texts into the learning environment.

Posted by Kara Parker on April 17, 2017 in 3 Activities, Interpretive Reading, Reading, Techy Stuff, What's New

Highlighting is one of my top go-to interpretive reading activities. Today I will review an app for Apple devices and Chrome. Let’s see how highlighting can go digital! I blogged about this “Highlight Away” activity before… It was Idea #71 in 2012! If you haven’t read it, take a minute to see where this idea started. Why I love highlighting… It gives a focus while reading It takes away the frustration of “not knowing every word” (adjust the task, not the text) It preps them to summarize It preps them to discuss the reading No comprehension questions needed (low teacher prep) It lets them figure out the meaning and learn new words in context It shows comprehension without translating Here are a few examples of highlighting activities we’ve done in lessons:

s in the Street Art unit. They were reading opinions about graffiti before they gave their opinion. It was awesome seeing how this activity gave them so many solid reasons that support their opinions.

Padlet is a free, online "virtual wall" tool where users can express thoughts on topics of their choice. It's like a piece of paper, but on the Web. 

Uses for Padlet in your classroom

Book Reviews: 

Research suggests that students perform tasks where concentration is required, better with music playing in the background.

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.

One “choice” assignment I regularly offer students is letting them engage in a texting conversation in Spanish and send me the screenshots. This assignment seems more like fun than like work. Plus, students are able to use the language in an authentic, realistic way.

Connect students with another class and set up a virtual pen pal program. (Bonus points if you can arrange this with a class in a country in which the target language is spoken.)