Boss, actually, I think I deserve a rise...

Here's one that came from today's workshop, in which I asked you to role play a dialogue in which an English teacher asks his/her DoS for a pay-rise.

Attendees at the seminar, Ryan and Louis demonstrated that next time they don't get a rise they do have a future in acting:




The actual task, to be done in threes, that I suggested was:

1. Brainstorming the ideas (and making notes) on why you deserve a rise
2. Person A (the teacher) go and ask Person B (the DoS) for the rise; while Person C observes
3. Person C makes notes on (a) how realistic the conversation is (would a boss say that...?); (b) the language used; and (c) the performance (did they put feeling into it...?)
4. Person C discusses the notes to see if the performance could be improved
5. Various rehearsals, to improve it (roles perhaps being swopped)
6. Recording

As I suggested, it's knowing that the dialogue is going to be recorded and broadcast (podcast) to the world that makes the students want to get it right, want to get it perfect...

That's one of the many attractions of podcasting, I think.

Welcome to today's seminar

Spring in Barcelona...

Hello, and welcome to you if you have come to our "Easy projects with easy technology" seminar today, our first this spring.

We'll be emailing you a handout with the links from the seminar and here on this blog you'll find more on the things we'll be talking about this morning:

• Creative writing
• Blogging
• Webquests
• Podcasting

We will also be talking about using technology in the classroom in general terms, and if you are not that confident that you are computer-literate, here's a Technology 101 that you might find useful.

Let me also highlight the following post. It refers to young learners, but I think the same applies to your adult learners: if you are posting your students' work on the Internet, the issue of privacy is a big one.

See also this post for bibliography.

This session is one of eight in our annual teacher development seminar series.

Online: IATEFL Annual Conference

IATEFL's 42nd Annual Conference takes place in Exeter shortly (7th–11th April 2008). If you're not going to be there, there is an Exeter Online website, which allows you to take part (IATEFL membership not required, though registration is).

Resources include video and/or recordings of selected sessions, live streamed plenaries and other events, and moderated special interest discussion forums, among other things, and there is also an Exeter blog.

IATEFL's special interest groups are well worth joining, particularly for their discussion groups (active throughout the year, some requiring IATEFL membership).

>> IATEFL.org

More ideas for blogging projects, webquests

A couple of very recent news stories that might make good blogging projects and/or webquests...

I'm assuming that you have a class blog with a group of adults, on which all your students can "author" posts (write, and not just comment, that is), though if you only allow your students to comment, the first at least would still work well.

1. Virtual fashion
In Britain and France, "the world's first virtual fashion game" Miss Bimbo has been a huge success with young girls (it's addressed to 9-16 year olds), allowing them to create a virtual self and earn "bimbo dollars" to give themselves plastic surgery etc. Needless to say it has sparked controversy -- and it's the controversy that I think would make it an idea that would work in class: your learners will want to talk about it, find out more, etc.

2. The worst food in the USA
The New York Times has a book review that lists the worst foods in America, based on their fat content, calories, etc (like the Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream, with a mere 1,600 calories). The article gives you a starting point for discussion and though they might not be able to find out all of the actual details, calorie counts, etc, researching "the worst foods in Spain" (or wherever), or "the worst fast food", might make a good project.

3. Plastic rubbish on the beach
The BBC's environment correspondent David Shukman has a report on the threat of plastic rubbish drifting in the ocean, which might make an interesting project particularly if you are teaching a content-based curriculum (or have just got to the "Environment" unit in your coursebook!), and particularly if you teach somewhere close to the beach. You might not be somewhere as dramatic as Mr Shukman gets to (the historic Pacific island of Midway), but you might try to persuade your learners (for homework!) to go down to the beach, see what rubbish they can find and report back (via their blog, that is).

Homemade webquests
If you wanted to turn these ideas into webquests, I'd talk about the stories first and see what sort of unanswered questions class discussion produced -- as I much prefer my learners to generate their own questions, their own webquest, rather than one I impose on them.

Alternative technologies
If you don't have a blog, you could still do all of the above, and could produce PowerPoint presentations or things to display on your classroom walls.

Using the Board

Another new article, on Using the Board, on my favourite ELT site: teachingenglish.org.uk.

They probably taught you most of what the article says on your CELTA course, but it's an important enough issue to look back at.

Virtual worlds

Here's an interesting article on Edutopia.org that shows how virtual worlds can provide "a shared online universe in which students can play to learn": Get a Life: Students Collaborate in Simulated Roles,

It mentions Whyville, "a Web-based virtual world that provides inquiry-based education for middle school students" and some of the projects that schools have done using it, as well as looking at some of the benefits and (ahem) "challenges".

Whyville isn't Second Life -- it's not so sophisticated, as you can see from the avatar I was starting to create (above right) -- or Teen Second Life, but it's simplicity might just appeal to kids, if you're teaching them.

Edutopia [about] (the cynic in me loves that name! .-) provides "Information and Inspiration for Innovative Teaching in K12 Schools".

Video: How to start a blog with Blogger

YouTube video: How to set up a blog with Blogger

Don't remember where I found this one -- an "official" video on YouTube showing you how-to set up a blog on Blogger. Believe me: it really is that easy.

Here's the link provided at the end of the video for more information (Blogger's excellent "Help" section)

On YouTube, you'll find lots of other "How to's" for Blogger.

Here on this blog we have a step-by-step set-up guide if you find the video hard to follow...

splendid-speaking.com

Splendid Speaking, which concerns itself with "Speaking skills for advanced learners of English", has free materials that you might find of interest if you are teaching CAE or a similar sort of level.