Top 10 Tips and Insights from TESOL 2011

Day 2 and 3 of TESOL went by in a flurry of events. I’m glad I kept my eyes wide open and didn’t blink. Otherwise, I would have missed quite a lot. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to be in two places at once, so I couldn’t attend every session I wanted to, but I was a satisfied participant at the sessions I could make it to.  From the presentations, luncheons, and other events, I was able to load my head with many ideas before flying back to Boston.  I definitely did not leave New Orleans with an empty suitcase, so to speak. Here’s my top 10 list of tips and insights from TESOL 2011.

10. As excited by technology as we teachers may be, we should be selective and not fall prey to overuse or overconsumption – or what Randall Davis refers to as GAS, Gear (Gadget) Acquisition Syndrome. (Read more here.)

9. Although for many around the world instruction and study have become dependent on technology, we (teachers, materials writers, and others) should remember that not all learners and institutions have access to the latest gadgets or popular online resources. We must try to answer the question, “How can we still move ahead without leaving so many behind?”

8. Google Docs has many possibilities that go beyond file sharing. During the presentation “Vocabulary in the Cloud”, instructors from the Program of Intensive English at Ohio University demonstrated the gFlash+ mobile app. This resource allows teachers and students to create and share flashcards for language study.

7. iPads are the “in” tool for classroom instruction. I was impressed by the number of presenters discussing their use of this latest piece of technology. Indeed, the price of an iPad is not scaring off everybody, and atually a number of lucky institutions have obtained grants to purchase a set of iPads for teacher and student use. I was intrigued by Joseph Tomei’s observation that iPads can promote presentation skills. Back at his university in Japan, he’s able to encourage better eye contact with the audience when students hold up their iPads to display slides and images during class presentations. In the past, he noted how students sometimes hid behind their laptops. He’s also been able to create successful group projects with school-issued iPads (5 students to one iPad).

6. Zahra Foroughifar from the American English Institute at the University of Oregon showed some possibilities of using Voiceboards on A National Virtual Language Lab (ANVILL). Voiceboards is an audio-video recording tool, and it can be used on ANVILL. From discussion boards to teacher-crated quizzes, Voiceboards allows the use of rich media. Multimedia has become the norm in online materials and communication. [See poll below.]

5. Smartphones are winning the battle. It’s true that some institutions will continue to have a strict policy against cell phone use in the classroom, but when it’s not an issue of policy but a matter of pedagogy, teachers are choosing to integrate phones into their instruction. From built-in features like Voice Memo to free mobile apps and downloadable materials, it’s hard to argue that today’s phones should be turned off when language study begins.

4. The growth of the Internet has encouraged many people in our field to take on work as independent contractors. It’s important that such workers, from materials writers to freelance editors, learn to file taxes properly. Many thanks to Daphne Mackey and Barbara Foley for running the session Finance 101 for Materials Writers.

3. TESOL supports authors who can support their peers. As the newest member on the Book Publications Committee, I’m learning to appreciate the special niche TESOL fills in publications. Are you capable of writing materials that aid the professional development of practioners in the field? Please look at the  information for authors on the TESOL site.

2.  As Maggie Sokolik, one of my co-presenters, said, “The textbook is dead. Long live the textbook.” We all know that learning materials are undergoing a transformation. What do we want them to transform into?

1. My top tip is short and simple. If you can, please attend TESOL 2012 in Philadelphia or at least participate remotely through webcasts. With the landscape of teaching changing so rapidly, it’s important we connect with one another regularly to exchange ideas and discuss best practices.

ESL/ EFL Site Forecast for 2011

I’m curious to see if anyone reading this will suggest a website we should all keep our eyes on in the future. Do you anticipate the growth of any particular resource or contributions of an individual content creator? Let me share a few sources that I predict will develop some good materials for ESL/ EFL teachers and students in 2011. If you can, please add to the list.

In no particular order, here they are.

1.  Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab.  This is already a well-known site in the ESL/ EFL community. However, I anticipate much growth in 2011. First off, Randall promises to make his materials accessible for use on portable devices, such as iPhones. Second, I appreciate his collection of Video Snapshots because they offer lessons on both language and culture. Yet another project I find interesting is Randall’s Multimedia Language Activities. It shows his willingness to experiment with other online tools, namely Voice Thread, to enage more of the learner.

2.  Voice of America. This is another big name, but perhaps not so many are aware of The Classroom, which offers a growing collection of multimedia lessons based on readings that range from American Life & Culture to Science & Technology. The activities that follow each article are consistent in format and pedagogically sound. Explore VOA’s virtual classroom and you’ll also find additional activities for all levels, from grammar practice to mini lessons on common idioms.

3. EnglishCafe. There are good reasons why I often collaborate with this site. I truly like the spirit of community and the willingness of all the teachers to support one another. Also, I have observed and participated in the site’s growth over the past couple of years. More and more talented teachers are joining, and that means more free resources are being developed for ESL/ EFL learners. Check out the blog posts and lessons published by Paul Meier, for example. When students ask if I have materials on a certain pronunciation topic and I don’t, I often look to see if Paul does. Then I recommend it. I do the same with the materials created by Kenneth Beare regarding grammar. When I receive requests for online lessons and I’m not available, I often steer students in the direction of fellow TESOL member, Smiling7 (aka Holly). In short, EnglishCafe is a growing community, and in 2011 I expect to see dozens of contributions to the already sizable collection of blog posts and interactive lessons created by qualified teachers around the world.

4. English with Jennifer. You didn’t think I’d miss the chance to put my own website on this list, did you? Of course, I’m excited about how it will develop in 2011! The site was launched in Februrary of this year, and over the past several months I’ve been able to consolidate my online work and make it easier for users to find resources they need. The site features projects I’ve created in response to popular demands for help with writing (Improve Your Writing), vocabulary (Word of the Day and Everday Vocabulary), listening and speaking skills (The Jim & Jen Show), and self-study (Study Tips). I hope to continue working on all these projects as time allows, and I suspect that new ideas will come about in response to other requests for online resources.

TESOL – Boston – More impressions

I expected to see more interest this year in technology and online resources at the convention, and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed. The TESOL program listed a good number of events for me to choose from. I made an effort to attend sessions related to video and technology in general. I felt drawn to one discussion group because of its title: Is Technology a Modern Blessing or a 21st-Century Curse? Learning How to Integrate Technology and Pedagogy to Support Teaching. That sounded right up my alley since I’m blessed to be professionally active as a stay-at-home mom, yet I’m challenged to learn all the technology I need to support my work. So off I went to find the appropriate conference room where this session was to be held. Soon after taking my seat in a large circle, I discovered the discussion was to be led by Randall Davis of Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab. How wonderful and what an honor! I’ve used his collection of audio quizzes and referred many students to his site.

What I loved about this session was the wealth of ideas.  Randall offered practical tips, such as the use of Gabcast.com to post audio to a blog. He also shared a wonderful analogy to explain the potential of the Internet to overwhelm an educator with its plentiful resources. He compared using the Internet to taking a sip from a gushing fire hydrant. I’m sorry I don’t recall whether it was his original idea or not, but I’m so happy he shared the analogy. It’s so accurate, isn’t it? Randall easily created a welcoming atmosphere, and many other ideas were voiced by participants. I absolutely loved the analogy one woman offered. It topped the fire hydrant image for me. She compared technology to a newborn baby. You love it, but as a new parent you’re not sure what to do with it. And it keeps changing. Others joked and said that it then becomes a teenager and turns on you. I chimed in by saying at that point, you can call in Super Nanny. Someone explained that Super Nannies must be web and program designers. Oh, so true!

The general consensus was that we TESOL folk love technology, but we’ve experienced a good amount of frustration in trying to use it. We recognize that we need to be realistic and practical when bringing it into our instruction. As much as we’d like it all to be as user-friendly as an on-off switch, we know that time and effort is needed for training. To make the most of any tool, you need to know how to use it.

I thank the participants of that session and Randall Davis himself for a positive experience.

TESOL – Boston – Day 2

Day 2! The weather has turned colder, and there are snowflakes falling from the cloudy Boston sky. At least we don’t have blizzard-like conditions as we did in Denver at this time last year. Most important, the weather hasn’t stopped teachers from coming to the Convention Center in full force.

I began my day by attending sessions at the Electronic Village. I love learning about technology that other educators have discovered and applied to their teaching.

• YouTube Across the Curriculum: This mini session was led by staff from the English Language Institute at the University of Utah. Rus Wilson, Korrin Ebira, and Randall Davis taught me and several others about techniques like time-stamping a video from YouTube. Wow! I’d known about free YouTube downloaders, and I recommended the one I learned about through Jamie Keddie – SaveVid.com. Now I can recommend a second to viewers, especially teachers. The VLC media player allows teachers to pinpoint exact frames with ease and modify the playback speed. (Do a Google search for a free download.) They also shared tips they learned from WebProNews on using YouTube in the classroom. Thank you!

• What is Voicethread? I’m happy I got to sit down in front of the computer with Sue Toerge as well. She demonsrated the potential of Voicethread. I’d heard of it, but personally have never used it. She compared it to a wiki but with the great option of using voice recordings. We talked about using images, documents, and videos to stimulate communication. Users can comment using voice recording, text only, or even a video via webcam. Cool! Sue has designed class projects for elementary school children. I began to think of more possibilities – alternatives to track changes and inserted comments on Word docs, for example.

I’m off to a 10:00 session now, and I hope to learn much more before the day is over.

To all those who missed my summary of the session I co-moderated as part of the Electronic Village Online, please know I’ll be in the Electronic Village on Saturday at 9:30 to repeat the demonstration of online resources my team presented back in January and February.

Also, to anyone who didn’t receive a handout at my 5:00 session, please know that Sack Sitters can make copies upon request. Their table is located next to Registration.

Finally, thank you to Evelyn, who so thoughtfully offered her presenter mug to me so that I could have a two-person set! She knew it was my first year presenting, and I was a little sad they had run out of the customary ribbons for presenters.

Happy learning to all!