A Treasure Box of Insights and Ideas on AI

There are certain presenters you can count on to deliver quality takeaway, and Susan Gaer is one of them. Never a person to shy away from new technology, she was the teacher who got us to take out our smartphones back in Texas at TESOL 2013 and discover the possible mobile learning lessons we could…

The Process of Adopting AI in Writing Instruction

Of the many TESOL 2024 sessions on AI, Kyle Butler of Ohio University offered the most unique approach that would likely resonate with those still wary of the new technology. With sensitivity and relatable humor, he tapped into our sense of vulnerability and fear of being expendable in this fast-changing landscape of language instruction. On…

ChatGPT: “We Have Liftoff”

It’s been five months since I first signed up for ChatGPT. (See my February 2023 post.) By now, our field is abuzz with talk and tips for its use. Where are you in your AI journey? Have you found helpful ways to integrate this chatbot tool into your teaching practice? I’m enjoying an unpressured pace…

ChatGPT: Fighting the Fear of the Unknown

Last night I finally became one of the millions of ChatGPT users. Some of you may think I’m rather late to the party. Others are saying, “Chat-what?” And there could be a few sighing at this news in disappointment — “Oh no, Jennifer, you too?” New technology evokes different responses. If you don’t know, by…

Painting a New Picture as Online Teachers

Our lives are changing quickly, and at different moments over the past week I’m sure we’ve all been more grateful than ever for the Internet, our computers, and our mobile devices. In trying times, it’s important to stay connected and find sources of support. As many of you move completely online for ESL/EFL instruction, you’re…

Have You Become an Online Teacher Overnight? Get Tips and Tricks!

In the space of a very short time, many of us have seen our daily lives altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Coronavirus” appears in most headlines and conversations these days. For hundreds of teachers, online classes will become the new norm. Some teachers already have experience giving webinars or meeting with students through videoconferencing, so…

Moving with the Times: A Cool Movie Clip-Based App

I’ve been recommending YouGlish as a listening and pronunciation tool for quite some time. It’s wonderful to hear different speech models and consider the various contexts a word or phrase is used in. However, the search results don’t include movies, TV shows, or music videos. What if there were a similar app that did include…

3 Voice Typing Activities on Google Docs

A private student reminded me about the Voice Typing feature on Google Docs, and since then I’ve been considering effective ways to use it as a learning tool. Do you know how to find it? Open up Google Docs and create a new file. Go under Tools and select Voice Typing. Then click to turn…

Flashforward: Flashcards in 2018

  Some digital tools are really fun to explore. I was delighted with the discovery of Google Slides as a student resource when I attended an Electronic Village session at TESOL 2018 in Chicago. Since then I’ve had two of my own students collaborate using Google slides: they’ve done joint a presentation and they’ve co-created…

TESOL 2018 Highlights: Creativity Through Collaboration

For the second year in a row, Mary Allegra of University of Carabobo in Venezuela enticed me into the Electronic Village with her session title. Last year she co-presented in the EV about Quizizz (read post). This year she teamed up with her colleague Monica Fernandez to demonstrate possibilities with Google Slides. Their session was…

TESOL 2018 Highlights: Online Tools for ELLs

Visiting the Electronic Village at the annual TESOL convention is a must for me. Even a single visit can result in the discovery of a few different resources. The title of one presentation this year immediately caught my attention: Three Powerful Online Tools for Skills Development. The presenter, Silvia Laborde of Alianza Cultural Uruguay-Estados Unidos…

Would You Rather Use an App?

Have you ever voted on Wishbone? This app takes you into the world where there’s no middle ground. The only thing you do is choose between two options. Every question makes you compare two things and quickly indicate your preference with a single tap. It sounds limited and limiting, but I see people spend quite…