Reading Prompt #7

EGBERT Ch. 7. Content-Based Instruction

What are some important techniques for designing content instruction that supports both language and content learning? Egbert gives several examples of ways content and language objectives can be combined with technology objectives. Share some of your own experiences or ideas for combining these. In other words, give a specific exmple of how you could teach a content-area lesson with integrates technology and supports language learning for ELLs.

Kidspiration Story Map

Here is an example of a Kidspiration Story Map (click to see a larger image).

For your assignment:

1. Create your story map or outline for your podcast using Kidspiration (create it with your partner or group)

2. Export it as a .jpg image.

3. Create a new post on your blog. Title it "Kidspiration Story Map"

4. Insert the image by clicking on the image icon.

5. Click on Browse and select your file wherever you have it saved, then click Open.

6. Choose the layout you want.

7. Click on Upload Image

8. Image will appear in your create post window.

9. Add text telling us who your partner is, and tell us about your podcast idea.

10. Publish you post.

That's it!

Reading Prompt #6

EGBERT Ch. 6. Inquiry and Problem Solving
RICHARDSON Ch. 8. Podcasting and Screencasting: Multimedia Publishing for the Masses

Describe an inquiry or problem solving activity appropriate for ELLs that you have used, participated in, read about, or just now thought of. Describe which critical thinking skills it requires students to use and develop. Then, describe how this activity supports language and content learning for ELLs. Finally, comment on how podcasting could be used within the inquiry and problem solving process in a manner which supports language and content learning for ELLs.

Phone Numbers

I noticed a couple of instances where some students have posted their phone numbers on other students blogs in the comment sections.

I'm glad to see folks networking, but please please please be very careful. You are not only giving your phone number to your classmate, but to the entire world!

E-mail is a much safer way to exchange this information. You can e-mail each other through Web-CT.

Interactive Word Worksheets

I just looked at your interactive Word worksheets. I am very impressed! They cover a wide range of topics--minimal pairs, tongue twisters, the solar system, and a famous soccer player, just to name a few. They are also multilingual. In addition to worksheets in English, there was a worksheet in Spanish providing infomation on the culture of Mexico, and another in Spanish where students had to listen to three choices to determine which question matched a written answer. We also had one in Chinese on the story of the Three Little Pigs! A couple of you even inlcuded video clips.

If you haven't done your worksheet yet, or if it is incomplete, please finish it and let me know when it is ready.

You can find the grade for your worksheets under My Grades on Web-CT. As we have time in class, I may ask some of you to share your worksheets with the class.

As reminder, please do not e-mail large files to me. They clog up and shut down my e-mail account! Please use the folder in the computer lab to save large files, and let me know when to look for them and what they are named.

A new school of bloggers

Here's a great article I just found from the Houston Chronicle about Teacher Bloggers. Here's the first part. Use the link to see the rest

Jan. 29, 2007
A new school of bloggersA growing number of teachers are expressing their
views — but most do it anonymously
By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

After long days of grading papers and disciplining rowdy children, a
growing number of tech-savvy teachers are creating online journals to vent about
the stresses of the profession.

Educators who have already embraced the technology — called blogs
(short for web logs) — find themselves walking a fine, virtual line of conduct.
They strive to entertain and inform, but can't violate their school districts'
ethics policies or federal laws designed to protect students'
confidentiality.

Most teachers who blog have opted to do so underground — refusing to
cite their names, workplaces or other identifying details — to avoid potential
professional pitfalls.

[Click here for full article]

Required Blog Contents

Now that all of your have created your blogs, here are the minimum requirements in terms of the contents of your blog to receive full credit for your blog:

1. Your Quickshare (description and link)

2. Three Software Evaluations

3. Samples from your KidPix project

4. Reading Discussion Board Prompts (#2-10)

In addition to the above, you must also:

1. Create a Link List -- provide links on the side of your blog to our class blog, and at a minimum, at least five other links. Two of these links should be to ESL specific websites/resources

2. Create a blog Archive

3. Create a label section

4. Post a photo and make comments about it (will do in class)

5. Post a YouTube Video and made comments about it (will do in class)

6. Two other postings on any topic of your choosing.

COEHD Scholarships!!

There are two scholarships specifically for graduate students in bilingual education or ESL concentrations -- the Albar Pena Memorial Scholarship, and the Kessler Family Memorial Scholarship -- plus other scholarships you may be eligible for. Deadline is March 9, and the application process is fairly simple.

See http://coehd.utsa.edu/Students/Scholarships/PSAvialCOEHD.htm for more details.

Reading Prompt #5

EGBERT Ch. 5. Creativity and Productivity
RICHARDSON Ch. 4. Wikis: Easy Collaboration for All

Popular second language acquisition theories stress the importance of "comprehensible input." While most agree this is important, many others argue we also need to focus on output as well. What are some ideas you gained from the Egbert chapter about how technology can be used to encourage creativity and production? How does this help promote language learning? Share any experiences you've had with any of these or similiar ideas in language learning classrooms. Finally, comment on the potential of Wikis to allow language learners to collaborate in creative and productive ways.

Create Bloglines Account

If you get this message before we meet on 2/13/07, please create a Bloglines Account:

www.bloglines.com

Go to the link above and click on the "Sign up Now, It's Free" link in the middle of the page. Its takes just about a minute. (be sure to write down which e-mail address you use, and your password!)

You'll get an e-mail that you will need ro respond to by clicking a link in the e-mail message, in order to activate your account. Please do this before class. In class I'll show you how to set up your aggregator and add rss feeds.

If everyone can do this before class, we can get started right away on setting up our aggregators through Bloglines. We'll have limited time because we'll have a guest speaker.

Reading Prompt #4

EGBERT Ch. 4. Communication & Collaboration
RICHARDSON Ch. 5. RSS: The New Killer App for Educators

Why is communication and collaboration so important in the language learning classroom? What ideas did you gain from the Egbert chapter about how computers and technology can be used to faciliate greater communication and collaboration for students? Give any personal examples you have had using these or other ideas.

San Antonio Express News Column - MySpace and Future Teachers

Here's a really interesting column which appeared in Sunday's San Antonio Express News which goes along nicely with our discussion in class about the dangers of MySpace for college students in terms of future employers. This one focusses on Education majors with some pretty interesting examples

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/columnists/krodriguez/stories/MYSA020407.01B.krod.1c721d2.html

Ken Rodriguez: Kids can find what principals can't on a prospective
teacher's character
Web Posted: 02/03/2007 11:01 PM CST
San Antonio Express-News

Let's begin Super Bowl Sunday with a wager: I'll bet a 9-year-old can
secure more personal information about an education major than the school that
hires the student right out of college.

I'll use Lacey, a real University of Texas student, as proof.

The school that interviews Lacey can check her grades, resume,
references — even her criminal history, if she has one.

But the 9-year-old can learn more personal details about Lacey. How? By
reading her profile on My- Space.com.

On MySpace 21-year-old Lacey actually wrote: "I like watches and
watching porn ... and watches with porn on them ... and porn stars who wear
watches."

Whom would she like to meet?

"The world's tallest midget," she wrote.

What books does she read?

"Anything shallow."

Lacey's aversion for books does not extend to business. The woman,
evidently, knows how to make a buck.

From her MySpace blog: "For those of you standing in line like waiting to
see my boobs ... that will be 20 dollars per boob!!! No less ... I also except
(sic) donations."

Principals in San Antonio's three largest school districts would never know
about Lacey's online profile.

Administrators do old-school background checks, not new-school cyber
checks. Which means Lacey could wind up teaching that 9-year-old. Think about
it. A third-grader could access more information about a new teacher than the
principal who hired her.

Scary? There are a slew of Lacey-like education majors out there. Consider
Marco, a University of Texas at San Antonio student. Marco belongs to a
Facebook.com user group called "Alcoholics anonymous ... or maybe not so
anonymous."

The group's description: "This is for everyone who is very aware they drink
hardcore, know they have a problem, and don't give a damn! Cheers!"

Consider Jesus, a 21-year-old student at UT-Austin. His Web page includes a
slide show of young lip-locking males. Included are the words: "it's so effing
hot! Boys should always kiss!"

Consider UTSA's Mahka. She posts pictures of herself in various stages of inebriation. The caption beneath one: "Can u say wasted?"

In another photo, she and a group of male friends are flipping the bird.
"Drinking and partying," she writes, "is my specialty."

She adds, "I'm gonna be a high school English teacher one day."

In blogs and photos, the teachers of tomorrow are telling the world about
themselves today.

Peers are listening. Some professors and parents are, too. Most future
employers are not.

San Antonio School District administrators cannot view cyber profiles.
Security blocks prevent district computers from accessing MySpace and Facebook
Web sites.

SAISD could get around that problem. It could use non- district computers.

The next generation of teachers bares its soul like no other in history.
Preferred music. Favorite movies and books. Turn-ons. Turnoffs. Dreams. Hobbies.
Interests. It's all there for the viewing.

The other day, I saw Web pages laced with inspirational sayings and Scripture. I came across others marked with toasts to porn and drunkenness.

Today's education majors are a revealing bunch, painting vivid autobiographical sketches online.

A 9-year-old could find God in some of the details, the devil in others.

And the principals who will hire these future teachers? They'll find what
Lacey and Marco want them to find. Resumes that glow in the dark.

Call Ken Rodriguez at (210) 250-3369 or e-mail krodriguez@express-news.net. His
column appears on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Reading Prompt #3

Readings:

CUMMINS Ch. 4. Technology
EGBERT Ch. 3. Developing and Practicing Listening and Speaking Skills

Cummins et al. discussed the pedagocial divide that separates instruction for low-income and for more affluent students. Discuss some of the technology-supported strategies from their chapter. Also comment on one of the examples from Egbert's chapter and describe how computers can assist ELLs with learing and practicing listening and speaking in English.

(Due 2/6/07 before class -- Post answer on own blog, and respond to another students' answer on their blog).