Getting students interested in languages: is it that hard? - 0 views
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eflclassroom 2.0 on 07 Aug 08# Never use technology for the sake of using technology. Ensure instead that the use of technology is warranted within your schemes of work and that it will help you achieve your lesson objectives. # Use streaming video in your classroom. The advent of broadband has facilitated the inclusion of video straight from the internet within lessons. Authentic video material from sites like YouTube or national TV broadcasters' websites, such as TVE or Canal+ are a fantastic way to expose reluctant teenagers to the popular culture other reluctant teenagers enjoy in their native countries. # Use more music. Teenagers are fanatical about music. The likelihood is that they use iTunes and so should you! Find out what type of music they are into and try to get similar music in the target language, which you can then use in your lessons. # Use teleconferencing tools, such as Skype, to put your students in touch with students in partner schools abroad. They'll realise there are other people in the same situation in other countries and might even end up establishing relationships they can follow up using MSM Chat, Hotmail, etc. # Create your own interactive exercises. You know your pupils' strengths and weaknesses better than anyone, so why be stuck with exercises done by other people for other people? Make your own using tools such as Hot Potatoes or game makers from ContentGenerator.net or LanguagesOnline Australia and then get your school teccie to put them on the school's website or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You can see my interactive Spanish exercises here. # Use your interactive whiteboard more effectively. Go on a course and learn the basics. A little knowledge goes a long way helping you create more effective interactive classroom activities for you and your pupils. I have posted some tutorials here. # Create your own podcasts. They are technically easy to do and once they are done they can be downloaded again and again, year after year. Think about them a
