You should view this because it illustrates how social media can be a powerful tool to create meaningful connections with educators all around the world.
Excellent resources and lessons to teach students about the following topics (separated by grade level)
- Privacy * Security
- Digital Footprint & Reputation
- Cyberbullying
- Creative Credit & Copyright
- Information iteracy
- Internet Safety
A
Basic User
B
Independent User
C
Proficient User
A1 Breakthrough
A2 Waystage
B1 Threshold
B2 Vantage
C1 Proficiency
C2 Mastery
"The CEFR
examines and values what an individual does know, based on their
competencies. Its philosophical underpinning is that all individuals have
the capacity to learn, there are many different ways to learn, that learning
can continue throughout the life span.
Educators: learn
more about the CEFR through an online professional learning workshop offered
to members of the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers. Contact
mihaelavieru@caslt.org.
France has
developed the Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) for levels
A1 through B2 and the Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF)
for levels C1 and C2.
The DELF/DALF are offered
in 154 countries to some 300,000 candidates each year.
A learner takes
the level of assessment for which s/he feels confident (for students, the
teacher normally assists in choosing the most appropriate level). It
is not required to take all of the tests, or to take them sequentially.
Having
successfully passed one of the DALF / DELF exams, the candidate
receives an official Diplôme issued by the Ministère de
l'Éducation Nationale of France through the Centre International
d'Études Pédagogiques (www.ciep.fr). The
candidate also receives his/her marks for each portion of the exam.
This life-long certification is recognized internationally by
employers and postsecondary institutions. For example, the B2 level
is required for entrance into most universities in France. And,
of course, the Diplôme and the accompanying proficiency
descriptors are the perfect addition to any résumé, outlining in
very practical terms what the individual is capable of doing in
French.
In Canada,
responsibility for the DELF/DALF rests with the
Embassy of France. The DELF
Scolaire is offered by a school district or a school in agreement
with the Embassy, the DELF Junior by language schools such as the Alliance
Française.
Each exam center
receives the software and other materials required to conduct the exams. The
center is responsible for logistical arrangements, assessors, registering
candidates, printing the exams, marking the oral and written exams, and
publishing the results. The center establishes the fees it will charge
for the exams.
A
school or district can become an exam center through an agreement with the
Embassy of France. Alternately, it can make arrangements with an existing
exam center to administer the exams to interested students.
Whether iphone or ereaders...allowing students to use technology to enhance the learning process is something I am starting to approach with a more open mind.
said mobile devices are particularly useful because of the many learning applications and basic language tools, such as spell check and grammar check, which increase the speed of learning. Rather than view the mobile applications as learning shortcuts tantamount to cheating, Nieto sees them as motivational tools that increase his students’ interest in reading and writing by giving them instant feedback. It’s a perspective most of his students seem to share.
Instant feedback is what I am looking for in the English classroom. I want to be able to provide constructive criticism more immediately, so the students can edit at the moment as opposed to waiting a day or two days to receive my comments on a writing piece.
as motivational tools that increase his students’ interest in reading and writing by giving them instant feedback.
When I indicated to my students that they could use kindles, kobos or ireaders/iphones for the ISU novel study unit, they were quite excited and quickly retained copies of ISU via this means. I am still using paper copies of the books as well, but I want to be able to have choice in their methods of acquiring texts and engaging in the reading process.
Project Tomorrow survey of roughly 300,000 K-12 students, 42,000 parents, 38,000 teachers and librarians, and 3,500 administrators from over 6,500 public and private schools, on how they are using—and would like to be using —new technologies in the classroom.
The results show that while the majority of students—and, perhaps surprisingly, parents—are in favor of using mobile devices for learning as long as the school allows it, most school administrators remain opposed
“I know the main reasons mobile technology is not welcome in the classroom are fear and misunderstanding about the structure that it gives the learning,” said Reina Cabezas, a teacher at Cox Elementary in Oakland, Calif., who is also doing masters thesis research on the topic of mobile devices in the classroom.
Currently my students are participating in their ISU novel study. They are currently reading and annotating their novels. I have indicated to my students that ireaders or ereaders are the quickest means to accessing a text as opposed to waiting one to two weeks for a book if it has had to be ordered. With the ireaders and ereaders they can now annotate and highlight important or interesting passages as they read. I would like to be able to have the students bring these technology tools to class. I have indicated that this is the direction in which I am going with ISU study, and so far, my Director has indicated he will back in allowing the kids to bring ereaders/ireaders to class. Fingers crossed it will bring positive and engaging results.
“But I don't think we stop living because of fear, right? No, we educate ourselves and learn about the security measures, expectations of all stakeholders, and apply principles of successful models of mobile devices in the classroom. Most importantly, we realize that technology is a tool of efficacy for the teacher, not the teacher's replacement. Lastly, technology only engages and motivates students when teachers know how to use them strategically to keep the hook. Overuse of anything is never good.”
Ongoing concern within my school is the use of personal mobile devices in the classroom. Policy at our school is mobile phones are in the lockers and not used on school premises.
You should read this article because, like me, if you have been skeptical about the use of iphones in the classroom, you will be enlightened about how to proceed in a way that will make technologies in the classroom understandable to and meaningful for all stakeholders:administrators, teachers, parents and students. Stay tuned for my blog on incorporating ireaders/ereaders in the English classroom.