Module 6

Module 6:
Sherri McPherson (Fayette County Schools, Kentucky) offers a module in which students consider the question “What are the qualities of good reader and writer?” and argue for their answers after reading texts from Vladimir Nabokov, Stephen King, Francine Prose, and Sherman Alexie.

To create a good environment for students, the teacher uses Edmodo so the students have a good place to discuss and tell their ideas. The students read their reading texts and they share their idea about what the qualities of good writer are according to the texts they read. Then, they discuss their comments via Edmodo. While they have a good social learning network, they will learn lots of things about these writers. After they have a common idea about the writers, the teacher posts the other question: What is the qualities of good reader? Are they good readers and if yes, how they can prove it?

Then, the teacher wants them to create a short presentation with Photostory3 about what the qualities of good reader and writer are.

Goal:
-To enable students to learn with a different way
- To enable students to feel good while they are learning.

With this assesment, while the students will have a chance to use their creativity with Photostory3, they will have a chance also to use their information on the presentation. At the time, the students are preparing their short presentation, they will repeat what they learnt and the teacher will have a good way to assess the students.

Paper Blog!!

After reading the blog focusing on the use of “paper blogs” in order to introduce the concept of blogging into the classroom for primary education students, I really like the teacher's stragies to make more familiar students with blogs. Actually, it is a great way to use post it for students' comments. It is a good start for students. I am sure that the students really like it. One of my fieldworks, Mr. Cedeno also used some ways to make familiar students with blogs. The students were working on a paper which they were talking about their traditional customs,foods and music. This was an ESL class and students were very excited to complete this paper. I think the teacher's fisrt step to start the writing is also very effective. Fisrtly, she talked about the blogs and she explained why blogs are useful. There are few students who read blog and I am sure after this class, lots of students become more curious about the blogs. Also, at the first step, I are creating their paper blog and it is a very good way to increase their creativity. I really liked these ways and I am sure one day I'll use them.

Technology

What I find challenging about creating a technology infused unit is that the technology is not totally suitable for classrooms. Our education system is about to make all the changes for technology but it is not completed totally. So I felt a little bit different because we are learning a totally new way. However, I am sure that it will be very helpful for students. For example, smartboard is a very good way to use students' different intelligences. It increases the opportunity of students to use visual aids and Smartboard makes it very effectively. I think smartboard especially is very useful for Kindergartens and Elementary Schools because it makes enjoyable students' learning and increases the acquisition of them. For example, wikispace is also a good platform. Such teaching softwares make easier both students' and teachers' job. Especially, I really like edmodo. It is very creative environment for students' discussions. While students are discussing with their friend, they can have an idea about the topic. As a teacher, I really want to use edmodo for discussions.

2 different ways with cellphones!

After reading the information on cell phones in the classroom, I think cellphones can be used in the classroom. I searched some different applications. Students can use  Remind101. This free site is created for teachers and students to seamlessly create text and/or email reminders for assignments, projects, quizzes, tests, labs, class activities and homework. Teachers create accounts, upload syllabi, insert all class projects, activities, homework and assignments. Then students can log in to Remind101, search for their class, subscribe to the class, and automatically start receiving all reminders for the class activities. Students can add new reminders, or personalize the text alerts to be for only certain types of activities. One of the best aspects of this site is that it is quick and easy to use. Instructors can also use the same class site over and over again, just changing the due dates.
   Also, students can use Let's Go Vote and uses texting messaging from any cell phone to vote.  You can create a free account that will allow up to 20 votes per poll. It also allows you to create a poll with a "right or wrong" answer that can show up after the voting results are in. In addition, you can move from one poll to the next without having to go back to the main screen, so it is easy to have multiple question voting. Especially, teenagers love using their cellphone and this way can increase their participation for class. For example, a teacher can preapre a competition for students. The teacher seperates them into groups and delivers the questions. The group who sends their message firstly becomes the winner. Not only does this way motivate students, but also this way makes the lesson more interesting.

Thinkfinity- English Vocabulary

http://iteslj.org/v/ei/

The link is about English Vocabulary Quizzes using images. It can be used for ESL. Owing to the fact that my major is English Language Teaching, I can use these quizzes to assess my students. For assessment, these quizzes is very good because these quizzes have pictures about words. Thanks to these pictures, students can build a relationship between words' meaning. These pictures help students remember the meaning of the words. Furthermore, after these quizzes, students can learn the meaning of the words easily thanks to pictures even though they don't remember their meaning. After these quizzes, I tell the correct answers so students can learn the words with visual aids and it becomes more effective. In brief, these quizzes are both a good way to assess students' knowledge and a good visual aid to enable students not to forget these words.

SAS - Word Origins

http://www.sascurriculumpathways.com/portal/Launch?id=941 

       The link is about word origins -vocabulary skills-. I am taking Syntax class and we have learned some words’ origins. It is very helpful to learn their origin because we can think the relationship between its origin and meaning so memorizing this word becomes easier for us. I can use also this link for my students to improve their understanding of English word origins through the use of audio and visual aids. Recognizing the relationship between knowledge about word histories and editing decisions enables my students to learn the words better. Also, they need to use some skills such as writing and they will have an environment which is used the audio and visual aids. These will help them take their attention for class. Furthermore, learning the words’ origin is an interesting topic, using such a way can make the subject more interesting.

Connecting with the Community

Students who are learners of second language have a serious problem to speak, generally. Although they have enough information to speak, they do not speak owing to the fact that they don't have an enough chance to practise it. I think it is related with that they are not connected with community. As a teacher, firstly I want to handle this problem. In order to create an environment which students need to speak more, I can give homework which they need to make an interview with a person each week on different topics. According to the topics, the person they'll interview chance and they have more chance to speak with more people. They will record their interview and each week they will share it with me. I think at the end of the semester, not only will their speaking be more fluently, but also they will have a chance to talk different people from society.