Power(Point) Ballad :)

Christmas activities

Let's share links to Christmas activities. You may add them to this wall

Voice - recording

Workshop at the conference "Teachers`s network." on 28th November 2009:
"ITC methods in voice-recording"

Why teach grammar?

Listening activities

I started a wall in wallwisher about links for listening activities. Feel free to browse the list and add your own favourite ones.

Invitation

People

I would like to invite You with your students (from Class 10)to participate in the competition that is held 17 December at Tallinna Kesklinna Vene Gümnaasium.

The theme is W.Shakespeare(Hamlet, King Lear, The Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet).

If you want to participate- please,send me an e-mail alina.siht@gmail.com
The deadline is 10 December

I look forward to hearing from you

Alina Siht

After-Conference Reflection-2

http://nachalka2008.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-post_30.html

List of Useful Blogs on Web 2.0

Dear Colleagues!

I would like to me publish addresses of the blogs that can be interesting for you in terms of our discussions and topics of the Conference, the BarCamp session:

• http://americanmosaic.blogspot.com/


• http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/ - Nik Peachey's Learning Technology Blog


• http://quickshout.blogspot.com/ - Nik's Ouick Shout - Links and Opinion on Learning, Technology, Web 2.0 and EFL, ESL


• http://bloggingandsocialmedia.blogspot.com/ - On Blogging and Social Media


• http://learning-with-computers.blogspot.com/ - Learning with Computers
• http://web20intheclassroom.blogspot.com/ - Web 2.0 in the Classroom
• http://iktkeeleope.blogspot.com/ IKT keeleõppes - one of the Meeri Sild's blogs
• http://esl-lab.com/ - Extrao-o-o-o-dinary list of Listening Tasks
• http://esl-lab.blogspot.com/ -> the following blog.
• http://elearningtime.blogspot.com/ - Russsian e-learning PRO Assotiation
• http://gluhova.blogspot.com/ Usage of e-Learning technologies in education
• http://kopomko.blogspot.com/ - Picasa, Gadgets , etc

NB! ESPECIALLY FOR Tatjana Ignatova ___________________________________________________________

• http://usingmoodle.blogspot.com/ - Using Moodle
• Tatjana, have a look at my "Moodle-related" video album at Vimeo
• The Moodle Web-Community itself is - http://moodle.org/?lang=ru_utf8
• Bulk of video-Tutorials on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=moodle+tutorial&search_type=&aq=1&oq=moodl - we can discuss the question(s) F2F.

Enjoy your Web-search.

Good luck!

The Conference

The conference “Teachers on the Internet”

To start with, we all (teacher) got the invitation and some brave of us accepted it filling the on-line form. And then we had to wait a little.
The conference was held on 28 November in Lasnamäe Vene Gümnaasium. I, personally, was impressed by the renovation of the building. But it was completely forgotten when we entered the classroom. Being in community of professionals is the reword to our hard work. The atmosphere was friendly, everyone was attentively listed to.

I do not want to start with Mrs. Rozdestvenskaja speech. It was worth listening. I would like to pay attention to our( teachers of English) section. We were caught by the knowledge of Mrs.Karpova and Mrs. Ignatova. Two little kids showed us how to use a smart board were funny,but they used their skills with pleasure.

And the last part of our conference- barcamp( thank you, Mr. Logvinov that ,you became a leader of it) helped us to establish the friendly relationships in our community.

We have got some new idea at the conference that will help us in our difficult work.
People! Thank you very much! I look forward to meeting you again.

After-Conference Reflection

Dear All!
Thank You for the great insight, that there're some things you should share with your colleagues, with these people who are really interested in using different Web 2.0 tools in the class - the insight is that these knowledge and skills are necessary!

My short speech at the BarCamp session was in general devoted to the tools I use in class for making it cheerful; enjoyable and NOT BORING (this is the problem we deal with practically every day - Traditional education is NOT ALL for learning!).
So, ... I would like to divide all the tools (that are provided by some web-sites) into categories:

1. Materials for the classwork - exercises, mind maps, tests, etc. that can be prepared before the class or even during it in an easy, non-complicated way - just for you. They are:

• www.better-english.com/grammar - nice collection of Hot Potatoes' exercises;
• http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/ - the collection of grammar explanations together with lots of 'issue-related' exercises - I wish you tried & liked them!
• http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/ - also vocabulary & grammar rules, explanations and tests;
• http://www.englishpage.com/ , containing personilised professional Forum, collections, web-storage possibility (Needs Signing In!);
• Another group of Web 2.0 tools - http://www.wordle.net/ - preparing topical word/vocabulary clouds-I often use http://www.wikipedia.org/ and then simply shorten text if I don't have any particular word list- quite a wide area for creativity!

- http://bubbl.us/ - a nice, easy-to-use tool for vocabulary, note-taking (even by students in class), for sharing them;

- short videos at - http://www.vimeo.com/ , http://www.youtube.com/ (e.g. English with Jennifer http://www.youtube.com/user/JenniferESL - grammar videos from the beginners up to the advanced level), http://www.foodtube.net/, http://www.teachertube.com/, www.elllo.org/ (the listening, video tools with post- exercises!), etc. - for discussions, chat, blogging (you can embed all the videos into your blogs). BUT -To save and to organise your favourite videos found- register ! (other video eBookmarks're - http://delicious.com/jurilo/video );

- for class-fun (m.b. for some other reasons ... in junior classes) can be used a http://www.jigsawplanet.com/ - creating online topical Jigsaw Puzzles (e.g.http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?m=p&id=06164146191e72a8);

- and at last, http://www.wallwaisher.com/ (e.g. http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/training, http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/cityiknow) - these kinds of web-newspapers / note-takings can be prepapred /created anonimously (typical classwork!), but for using them more times - nedds registration (also, quite easy issue!)

2. e-Tools for the long-run work - http://www.blogger.com/ (For organising & keeping track on all your blogs, all favourites - http://www.bloglines.com/ )

• http://www.wallwisher.com/
• http://www.wordle.net/
• http://bubbl.us/ -- can also be given as a home work, project work, etc.

That's it, if any questions do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards

P.S. We wish to thank Ljudmilla Roždestvenskaja for the professionally prepared, interesting and effective conference. Ljudmilla , you are the best!

One intresting on-line game

This game could be usefull if You want your students to have a brainstorm in their vocabulary

http://www.postitgame.co.uk/

Conference "Teachers` Network"

We invite teachers to participate at the conference, which will take place on 28th November, 2009 in Lasnamäe Russian Gymnasium in Tallinn, at 23, J. Koorti

The practical workshops are aimed aimed at teachers, professional networking and support.

The topics of the seminars include:

A blog in teaching
SMART board at the lessons
Various computer classroom
Web-based learning tools (Google Groups, friendfeed, blogger, etc.)
Teachers from all over Estonia will share their experiences in e-teaching.
The programme of the conference
Registration for the event is untill 20th November here
The working language is Russian.
The conference participation is free for everyone.
The event is supported by Tiger Leap Foundation.

Lyudmila Roždestvenskaja,
conference organiser

Learning English with Audio / Video?

1. Have a look and listen to a beautiful ABC Song-Lets Start Smart original alphabet song - quite a 'refreshing', colourful educational item (You can also find some other items, sources of this kind here - at YouTube.com).
2. Another interactive methodological technology-related Web-materials' collection is the English with Jennifer site with "a bulk" of different (Not random,but logically presented!) grammar, vocabulary, etc. topics.

That is more visual, aural professionally and simply introduced add to regular classes in order to make learning / studying more effective, practical, and also - interesting, lively.

It can be used in class - the only question is to plan your time: 'when, where and why' to insert this material, who is the "target audience"- and it works, reduces the boredom, formality of regular classworks.

Enjoy

American and British English

Visiting Meeri`s blog I came across an interesting video, which can be used at the lesson. Why not discuss how it could be done and what tasks for the students might it have.

About the Podcast

Grammar Grater® with Luke Taylor

About the Podcast

Grammar Grater® is a weekly podcast about English words, grammar and usage for the Information Age. Because we live in a time of e-mail, blogs, instant messaging, even online product reviews—everybody's a writer. And with the global nature of communication, there's not a single style guide everyone uses. To help sort through some of the confusion, host Luke Taylor and the Grammatis Personae Players™ take linguistic bugbears and put 'em through the Grammar Grater.

To subscribe, click here or paste this URL into your podcast software:
 http://minnesota.publicradio.org/tools/podcasts/grammar_grater.xml 

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/podcasts/grammar_grater/

"Twitter and teachers a mini workshop"

Twenty Five Interesting Ways To Use Twitter in the Classroom

View more presentations from Michael Sauers.

A Teacher's Guide To Web 2.0 at School

A Teacher's Guide To Web 2.0 at School

View more documents from Sacha Chua.

EATE Summer Seminar 2009

It was very useful to hear the latest news about ELT in Estonia, buy the newest books, practice some useful things and just refresh your English in Parnu!
The materials of the seminars could be found here

“Cool Tools for Schools” and “Getting Tricky with Wikis” – Two Exceptional Resources

As an educator interested in creating engaging wikis, you’ll want to keep resources like “Cool Tools for Schools” and “Getting Tricky with Wikis” handy for your Web 2.0 needs.


Read more

How Mindmaps can help you learn a language

Tony Buzan, inventor of MindMaps, explains how this memory technique can help you master learning a language. This time you will remember!


A short video showing the laws of Mind Mapping.

Google Web Elements

Listening Activities

Dear colleagues!





Look through, listen and use the 10 Top Listening Activities.

Virtual excursion

Dear collegues! Could you suggest your ideas about using this video at the lesson? (grade? level? task types? questions?)

We Think

A new book by Charles Leadbeater, 'We Think' explores the potential of the latest developments of the internet

Year 12 Exam Preparation Tips

Dear colleagues!

It's a bit late, but yesterday I found the Hungarian branch of the British Council with quite interesting guidelines how to design the speaking tasks (as tips for the state exam - http://www.examsreform.hu/Media/TaskDesign.pdf) and Speaking Tasks Samples (http://www.examsreform.hu/Pages/SampleTasks.html).

Also feel free to examine their topical Situational Tasks (http://www.examsreform.hu/Pages/ST_SitTasks.html) ... may help :-).

Enjoy!

Video dictionary

Links for Teachers: Where to start & where to ...

1. "Oh, where to start and where to finish!

I've included some sites that I find really useful and some that have wowed other teachers. There's so much more I could have put in and I'll add some as they come to mind. They're all free, by the way."
Positive and useful link-story from"English language Garden" - http://www.elgweb.net/t_links.html

2. This is Johanna Stirling's (Cambridge University Press) blog about English spelling. How it works, how to learn it, how to teach it, and how to love it! -http://thespellingblog.blogspot.com/

3. "Write or Die" Writing Lab ,

"Applications for Authors. Actual help for the floundering ones, no namby-pamby advice. Utilities that help you get writing done, and tools to help you with the deeply annoying parts of the editing process. Welcome authors one and all to the Lab. " http://lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html - Write or Die introduces consequences if you do not write. Set goals, choose your mode, and write away, or else!

4. Word Magnets - for use with a projector or interactive whiteboard - http://xmleducation.co.uk/magnets.html - for more information, for how-to's http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9043

5. Vocabulary work, word clouds - quite spectacular http://www.wordle.net/

Feel free to study my word clouds at

• http://www.wordle.net/gallery?username=Juri

6. For brainstorming ideas before writing - http://bubbl.us/edit.php

Regards

How to use blog in the classroom

33 Ways to use blogs in your classroom and in the educational setting

HAPPY EASTER!

Dear Colleagues!

Happy Easter!
And my best Wishes .

Juri Logvin

Are ICT introduced in Schools?

Are ICT introduced in Schools?

View more presentations from europeanschoolnet.

Study materials

It seems that we can begin compiling a collection of study materials together. The teachers who attented the seminar in Karjamaa Gymnasium on 20th February have been invited to share this MindMap. They can also invite other people. If other teachers wish to co-operate, send your e-mail address to galinalynx@gmail.com
It can look like this. Join!

Can Music Aid Memory of Text?

Yesterday I caught quite an interesting tool to be used while working with a text - The site is called P22 Music Text Composition Generator and you can find it at:http://p22.com/musicfont/

"...What the site does is to convert a written text into musical notation with a midi music file to play the notation. Well I can hear people thinking; "What's this got to do with language teaching?" and that's a really good question, so here's how this 'might' work.
How to use this with students ... "

I am not sure how it works in any real (traditional) class environment, may be - for motivating, showing the option to learn to the student, but ... m.b. for making your classes more 'colourful', not only 'black-and-white', as they say :-)?
Practically, it can be tried!

Nick Peachey's site is also quite an interesting resource for lots of tools, ideas, etc. in the colourful web 2.0 world for education.

Best regards

Pancake race

Why not organize some event and discuss/describe/do some language structures task at the following lesson? I suggest Pancake Race:
Aim:
-learning traditions of English-speakinng countries
-pre-writing
Preparation:
-presentation "Shrove in England";
-provide pancakes and frying pans;
-divide the students into groups of 5-6 people;
-every group prepares appropriate costumes or at least headwear;
-invite a bell-ringer and assistants;
-think about the prizes;
-make a poster "Pancake Race rules" and study the rules with the students
Procedure:
-students run a relay race with the pancakes on the frying pans;
-at certain places they toss the pancakes at the height of 1 meter (?)

Teachers are invited to suggest language activities after the race. (in the comments)

Shrove Tuesday

Here are links of some pages I have used while teaching
http://www.chiff.com/a/shrove-tuesday.htm
http://puzzles.about.com/od/familyfun/qt/KidsMardiGras.htm
http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/saints/shrove_tuesday.htm

Another idea is to build a lesson around watching some authentic video clips about traditions. Like that


Or students can watch this music video about making pancakes and write the instructions.

Quiz

Just posting last year's quiz questions on England and Wales.

Quiz England and Wales

View more presentations or upload your own. (tags: quiz england)

Shrove Tuesday

Dear collegues!
Let us work at one lesson plan together! There is a month before Shrove Tuesday. Why not compile a folder on this theme in cooperation with each other! Please, share your ideas, links, materials, activities, games; at least, words of support. May be it will work!