BYE BYE....

Dear Anna Franca,
I'm sorry but I 'm afraid I won't be able to participate and contribute to this com any longer...
At the moment I'm rather engaged in a number of different...activities? projects? However you'd like to define them - concerning both the school I'm trying to teach in and the village I live in...
My students, my sons, my friends, my friends' sons and daughters....
I still believe blogs and wikis could and should become useful teaching and learning tools - and I'm somewhat thinking about it - yet, I'm convinced the first 'learning' step should be taken by teachers; you can't use a blog with your students if you have never tried to use it by yourself.
As far as the questionnaire issue is concerned...I'd create one for teachers (followed by a specific course?) before imaginig of proposing anything to students.
Just my personal point of view, you see.
I have no clear -cut idea about how to use a blog with one of my groups of student - in spite of the fact that Iìve my own blog and often contrivute to others'.
This blog - TESOL' S C om of pratice can account for very few people actually trying to actively parcipate : just a couple of us...?
Anyway I really enjoyed being here- and I'd love to repeat it....
Luv,
Dani

Dear everyone,

I have been reading a recent publication, which I have found very interesting and would therefore like to share with you:

Paolo Ferri, 2008, La scuola digitale, Milano: Bruno Mondatori Ed.

The first part of the book deals with Web.2 tools, and it is in my opinion very clear and well-structured. The second reports data and reflections about the way in which the digital generation (‘digital natives’ opposed to the ‘Gutemberg natives’), and relates to the web and to new technologies with specific reference to the possible impact and changes it can have on schools and education.

Last week I bought a new mobile phone and… I have to confess that the feeling is that of being a ‘Gutenberg native’ without any hope, if not that of being an” immigrant” in the best of cases, into a new world - the new millennium world of digital generations: the ones who were born with a remote control in their hands.

I am trying. I have been trying both within this community of practice and in other on line courses, not merely to “keep up to date” with the resources offered by new technologies, but out of a real sense of curiosity and need to learn and understand. I am grateful to this community of practice to have given me the opportunity to arouse curiosity even further. I do believe, and more and more so as I go on reading about the topic, that they (and Web.2 in particular) can offer great potentialities to transform learning. To connect classrooms with real life. To speak the language of our students. To put collaborative and cooperative learning in practice. To move from a teacher-centred to a student-centred way of operating and thinking in designing and realising didactic activities.

Nevertheless, the feeling is that of an immigrant in a world I did nor grow up in and with. Of all the wonderful things my new mobile phone can do, including podcasting, creating/sharing/using and what else God knows with multimedia files, I find it difficult to find my way and use them all. While I am sure my 15-year-old son, or even his younger mates, would just plunge into it and do it. It is not only that I do not have a try-and-error approach – it’s just that my mind very likely works in a gutembergian linear way, and “advanced” hypertextual ones feel at times more like a labyrinth than an opportunity. With a consequent feeling of frustration – because I want to learn and to do/use all those wonderful things. Probably the same feeling of frustration some of our students go through using “our” linear books and ways of dealing with knowledge. Once more, it’s probably good to be “on the other side of the desk” from time to time, but… but: so many question marks. And once you seem to be able to cope with one tool, it’s out of date already, and there are so many new other ones to learn about…

Will I ever be able to manage in a sufficiently self-confident way these tools in order to use them with my students? And together with me how many educators? Is this feeling of frustration and insecurity what keeps technology out of real school projects and practices (data in Ferri seem quite dramatic in this respect).

Help from a Gutenberg native! ;-(

Paola

HAPPY EASTER!

So nice to be on holiday....
Happy Easter to everybody!
Luv,
Dani

Let's design the questionnaire

Ok Dani!
Let's go back to the issue of designing a questionnaire.
Let's first ask ourselves some questions:
1. what is the aim of the questionnaire?
2. what are we going to ask SS?
3. what format (open/closed), length and arrangement should the questionnaire have?
4. what format should responses have?
5. how should it be administered and evaluated?

Some helpful ideas are available at:

http://student.bmj.com/back_issues/0601/education/187.html

Be careful ! It's addictive....

Dear Anna Franca,
I tried... 'n' did it...
Now I have this 'button' in my blog - something like 'share'(very coloured and appealing...)
If you click on it, you open a window...: and there you find de.li.cious, technorati, read me and a number of other...I don't understand exactly WHAT...
I haven't actually understood what a feed is yet - except at a very superficila level.
Yet, I realised that the bookmarks I have on my pc are all there - which means I can get and use them even when I'm using a different pc - any pc worldwide -(just need a internet connection), and this is ...useful. Indeed.
I signed in for Technorati, too - and it seemed to me it's a way to open your blog, and your favourite other blogs to a larger 'audience', which might decide to contact you on the basis of the tags you chose, or the content of your posts - or while they're just looking for something through some kw which have some kind of link to your tags or what you wrote in the posts...

Very...fascinating.
Yet, A bit ...overwhelming, too.
For me, at least.

I like working on my blog, participating to other blogs -chatting on skype or msn - thinking about using a blog and other e-tools either for educational aims or just to improve communication...
I'm also really enjoying Paola's wiki experiment: the idea of co-writing a story is great!
And I appreciate all your suggestions and hints leading to a further immersion into the incredible potential of the web - yet, I'd rather...slow down?
Scrolling through the posts and comments I realise we didn't fully developed some good ideas - eg, the questionnaire/survey to present and promote the use of a blog with our EFL students - or/and the designing of a 'blog-project', with some specific detailed EFL aim...

You see, I definitely Love challenges - the new, the unknown - I feel 'alive', when I don't understand, when I have to make a genuine effort to understand -and I'm sure this can only bring along positive attitudes and new opportunities as regards our learners.
Yet, this is not my blog...
I somehow feel we might have 'scared' a number of possible participants 'coze we were going on too fast...Only a couple of us actually tried and created a blog - or already had one.
Don't know exactly what I mean....Just a 'feeling'.
Thx for anything and everything: I learnt a lot...
:-))))
Dani

RSS feeds

Watch the video RSS in Plain English, by Common Craft.
1. Register at My Yahoo or Google Reader
2. Subscribe to the RSS feed of our blog, and then add it to your RSS feeds reader
3. Go to http://www.addthis.com/
4. Click on the "AddThis Button"
5. Get your free "Feed Widget" (Remember you must have created your own blog first) and subscribe to the RRS feed of your own blog.
When you are finished with the above tasks, please go to our blog to post an entry about what you learned.

Excellent 6 step on how to subscribe to RSS feeds using Google Reader
http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan04/richardson.shtml#

Dear Bloggers ….

Hello everyone,

wow! I’m overwhelmed with all the postings and the interesting material to read or view. I teach English at the Science Faculty at Unical. I was unable to log on earlier, but just a note about blogs. I’ve used blogs with university students and they really enjoy it. I had my group write short articles and then post them on the class blog. The only drawback I found with University courses is that they are so short that by the time the students actually post their work and then get a dialogue going with comments the course is over. The other difficulty of course is getting a computer room so the work can actually be done in class as not everyone has a computer at home.

Wikis on the other hand, sound like a fascinating tool to try but I have never used them. I really liked the video on wikis. I will continue to view all the other videos posted.

I came across a short article on the Wired Campus on a professor experimenting with blogs as a formative peer review process. Here's the link--you might want to read it

http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/2817/blog-vs-peer-review-update-interactivity-brings-some-surprises


How long will this CoP last, by the way?

Sara

wiki created...

hi tesolcop mates :-)

still in progress... but fun to experiment!

http://learnteachexperiment.pbwiki.com/

there's a story to create, if you feel like to have a creative collaborative break ;-)

Paola

Wikis + Weblogs

Hi!
- What are the advantages of combining wikis and weblogs?
http://bolka.at/pubs/2005/snips.pdf


- Set up your own wiki using http://www.pbwiki.com/
The initial phase is just like setting up an email account. Remember to sign up as an educator so that you have an advertisement-free site. Practice adding photos, audio, and video to the wiki pages.

- Share your wiki via the TESOL CoP blog.

Wikis in Plain English

Cooperative Learning

WIKIS...

Nice, clear... and simple....

http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Other blogging ideas!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/communicate/blog/

This could be a possible way to show our students how a blog in English can work - what they can do in a blog, using English to communicate with other people from all over the world...

Luv, D
Dani

Blogs and Wikis...

I largely agree with Paola's analysis as regards the differences between blogs and wikis - but I must confess I have very little knowlege of wikis : the only one I could mention is Wikipedia - all the others I saw were mere attempts, experimentiments in their initial phase, sort of "let's try and do it..."I'm going to have a more thorough look at the world of wikis...I promise. Yet, on the whole, my impression is that wikis are more concerned with 'writing' rather than with other different expressive codes (photos, videos) - even though, you can upload images and create links to videos in a wiki...- they are used for more 'serious' tasks and have often a sort of 'revision group' who monitors what's being unploaded (content, form etc.). Blogs seem to offer a freer way to e-working but if we want to use a blog for educational teaching aims, we need to include some 'usage' and behaviour rules - and also make sure they are respected...
Difficult task, Anna Franca: maybe we shoud try and use both tools to understand differences more clearly...
Have a nice day,
Dani

web.2, blogs, wikis, second life

Hi Annafranca and everybody

I have found a video at the following link

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=F1IRkqbUoXY

that briefly explains the difference between blogs and wikis, introducing also possible uses of "Second life" in education. Hope it can be useful.

Love

Paola

Web 2.0 technologies: blogs & wikis

Here are 2 points worth reflecting on:

1.What's the difference between a blog and a wiki?
2. What ethics would you expect from bloggers?

technorati resources

Hello everybody :-)

Sorry I have been absent for a while, but have been completely absorbed by work. I have kept on reading you, however, and it is always so stimulating to read comments and reflections from you all. Thanks, Tesol Cop blog-mates! :-))

I have browsed through technorati, as Annafranca suggested, with different words: EIL/ELF, cooperative learning, learning styles, and found different materials, blogs, videos, though not all particularly useful in my opinion.

Two have attracted my attention:

one on cooperative learning, as it has been produced by students after a research of CL
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=HEh8Z0sbiRE

and this could be an idea of how to exploit this resource in the classroom, with CL work or with project work, as a final product

the other is about learning styles, and I have found it interesting as it is addressed to parents in order to create awareness about differences in the ways of learning
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp6IADRDf2A

I have tried to insert the video directly, as skillful Dani has done, but has not managed it: how do you do it?

As concerning the question on how students see it, I agree that a survey would be a very good idea - it could also perhaps be attached to a project using blogs for didactic activities, so learners would have an idea of what it is like: what do you think?

All the best

Paola

FURTHER HINTS...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cncW5tzMvP0
Students talking about using blogs as a learning tool...

http://www.apogeonline.com/webzine/2007/02/21/23/200702212301

An article about Technocrati - and some suggestions on how to use it....

How To Maintain Classroom Discipline - Good And Bad Methods

TECHNORATI...that is 'technological litterati....

I vaguely remembered I had already visited Technocrati in the past - almost by chance, as it sometimes happens when you 'surf' with no very specific aim, following a sort of thought chain, starting from a point and getting to something different, only slightly related to your starting quest, yet related to some different interest of yours...
Yet, what Anna Franca asked us to do was quite specific, thus I focused on her suggestions.
Tried to do so... Yess.
Search box, key words. I tried with EFL, ESL, teaching/learning ESL/EFL, using blogs/web0.2 for learning/Teaching, educational technology etc. - differently combined and mixed - and I found lots of useful and useless 'stuff' (single posts, blogs, videos): 'tags' might be misleading, they don't always bring you exactly to what you're looking for...Example: 'teaching' might appear in a blog just 'coze the guy is a teacher...but is blog is utterly devoted to photography...and you find absolutely nothing about 'teaching'...You see the point?
What I liked best were the videos - and I finally chose to watch a number o f them related to teaching and teachers, rather than learning through web0.2 - and somewhat completely forgot about Anna Franca's task.... Sorry... Have a look at the one I posted here.

ps. I know this is not what Anna Franca's task required...just liked to share it with you all!

Let's try it...

1. Which Web 2.0 tools are we familiar with? Why should we use them in EFL/ESL classrooms? What are their pedagogical value? How can we integrate them into our ELT?

2. Go to Technorati.com and look for the search box there, ( usually on the right top corner of Technorati site). Enter key words relevant to your ELT area, and then see what results you get.

3. Post your feedback on this experience with ideas or ways you may integrate this technology in your classes.

Reading resource:An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Tagging in Blogs , by Christopher H. Brooks and Nancy Montanez

Dear Anna Franca, Dani and Paola,

I have tried twice to respond in the blog to your comments, but unfortunately, I am "scaduta" and cannot seem to log on again! But, I did want to comment and hope that since I do not have Paola's email handy, one of you will send it on.

Having now taught 'solo' and side-by-side teachers here in Italy for several years in a number of different settings, I would like to comment on the blogging response. I wonder if it has to do with teacher's attitudes toward their students, level of teacher training and also, comfort level with writing in English. Just some thoughts. I so admire people such as yourselves who have committed to being bilingual and who can express yourselves so eloquently. Certainly, I think my own chances in doing so in Italian are slim at this ripe age of 58 (notice I omitted OLD!). But, the point is that we have to look at the English language teaching community itself and imagine how such an important group of people are not regularly attending teacher-training programs and are not required to join professional organizations such as TESOL-Italy. Frankly, all I hear about is how many hours they have to do, the drag of teaching, etc., etc., etc. But, wouldn't one think that if they gave up the teaching approach that bores them and their students and usually has minimal effect on the class at large, then all would be joined in a more mutually enjoyable and rewarding teaching/learning exchange? Until there is better teacher preparation, until there is a movement toward learning in English and not superficially about English, until English becomes a way to 'express' the inner lives of each individual, I don't feel that much movement in terms of interacting professionally and bringing about significant change over a large area of the population is going to work for quite some time.

I want to share a recent experience I had this week. I teach with 4 teachers doing 'lettore' at a well-reputed classical high school here in Venice. The students are engaged in "Fast Track' and a literature books, Voices and Views. Now, all classes are mixed levels, nobody really knows at what levels the kids read because this is never considered. Two classes, quite out of control with the regular classroom teacher, have now come into some semblance of participating in the hours that I have them. The teacher asked me to do . . Dickens. What could I do? For three weeks I have brought in new materials I took from the 'net and even graphically (sometimes using a few colorful words, I admit!) described London, had them imagine Venice in the same conditions, then we looked at a timeline of Dickens' life and tried to evaluate emotional, traumatic, normal experiences (he was a VERY troubled person), we talked about social reform, etc. But, at the end of the day, we had to do the piece from David Copperfield. Imagine their delight. . .I finally closed the book and announced in the hours I had left with them, I was not going to subject them or myself to such a didactic teaching text. .something suitable for an AP course in America or England perhaps. Now, I choose from my own materials to teach them to develop their independent thinking, reading and pronunciation skills in English. . those mispronunciations can be a source of potential errors! In two weeks, we will start a small project (I'm still working on the shape of it!) based on the film 'Freedom Writers." Next week, we will start a piece on communication about the work with animals in the sign language programs in the U.S. Why? to get them to think about acquisition, what it serves and how it shapes out lives particularly when we learn a new language which then can transport us into a new realm of experience and thinking. .and no, we do not learn culture by watching exchanges about "couch potatoes" in our latest version of . .well, you know what I am saying. I hope before the hours are up, we can read a chapter froom Stones in the Water, a book based upon a real life experience of a Italian-American who as a child in Venice was abducted with his friend when they went to Mestre. All in English. . . . By the way, a student told me that the teacher announced to them that the reason I was not doing Dickens was because I was American and since I spoke a 'different' version of English from BRITISH ENGLISH, I was not really able to read Dickens to them and so therefore, chose not to do it. Hmm. .my first degree in English was with an emphasis on British lit! This kind of narrow-mindedness prevails everywhere. . everyone too busy, too whatever to really figure out what they are doing in their classrooms (or not). So, for me, it has been a distinct pleasure. Keep pressing for change and keep haranguing those people to BLOG.

And, let's hope people realize that they can spend two weeks in America in English just as well as in England!!

Love to you all,
Nan

PS. Hi, everybody...I've just cut and pasted here Nancy's text: she sent it to me by e-mail as it seems she can't post it herself for some technical problems. I'm just a sort of 'go-between'... Yet, I do believe there are some interesting topics for discussion within Nancy's text, eg, British English vs American English in a world where we all have to cope with 'Englishes'....
Do we still have prejudices of this kind as regards English - while we have a great number of students - Italian, native Italian speakers - who gets to University entry texts and miserably fail..'cause, after more than ten years of compulsory educational curriculum still result unable to decently use their own native language...?
Luv :-)))
Dani

Participation is vital to the phenomenon of any CoP. Geographic dispersion and the usage of ICTs serve to heighten the difficulty of securing interest and participation. Human communication and sharing is always more forthcoming in an environment of physical proximity.

In any case, let's move on ...
1. Which Web 2.0 tools are we familiar with? Why should we use them in EFL/ESL classrooms? What are their pedagogical value? How can we integrate them into our ELT?

2. Go to Technorati.com and look for the search box there, ( usually on the right top corner of Technorati site). Enter key words relevant to your ELT area, and then see what results you get.

3. Post your feedback on this experience with ideas or ways you may integrate this technology in your classes.

Reading resource:
An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Tagging in Blogs , by Christopher H. Brooks and Nancy Montanez

FURTHER 'THOUGHT SHARING'...

What about talking a bit about 'Indicazione per il curricolo'?
Blogs, the Web might become a way to change things...
Yet, Is it really possible to think about such a 'change' while there are 'people' who still strongly believe there's no ...whatsoever difference between designing a curriculum on exit competences rather than one on objectives (actually resulting in vague 'contents')?
Last Tuesday, I spent more than half an hour to try and 'explain' to my maths collegues that starting from 'expected competences' was different from listing a number of 'objectives/contents'.
What do you think?
Can we really work for a Change'?
Dani

Further thoughts on blogs

Thanks Dani for sharing your thoughts!
You might want to read more at:
http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html
:-))

What's a blog?...Whyshouldanyone decidetocreatea blog?

I created my blog just to learn how-to-do-it.
I still believe (though I'm 45) you can't effectively do something -and talk...about anything if you don't try and do it.
Yet, I realised a blog is no more and no longer simply a web-log.
Anyone who creates a blog is not creating a more o less 'personal' log book: he/she doesn't just want to 'log'.
We are finally looking for other people to answer, reply - be there. We are perfectly aware we are not writing a 'secret' diary: we are ontheweb, everyone can read us.
Since I first read my elder son's blog I read lots of other blogs, 'coze I wanted to understand why blogs were...-happening?
I realised there are lots of sort of 'blog competitions'...Blogs are a way to 'appear' (much more than 'being'?) as well as some Tv products are. You must 'collect' people join in, participate - write a two-three words comment just to ....I really don't know what or why.
Yet, I still believe a blog could/might become a very useful and effective communicative and educational 'tool' : we (teachers? lifelong learning grownup people?)just need to Use it.
Luv,
Dani

Try your hand at it!

Anna,
why don't you try your hand at it? It's simple ...
Here is what you do:
Go to https://www.blogger.com/start
Click on “Create Your Blog Now”.
If you already have a google or gmail account, sign in on the page that opens with that account name (if it is the one you want to use for your blog). You can always create a new google or gmail account for your blog if you prefer.
Once you sign in (or create) a google or gmail account, you will be asked forthe “Display Name” for your account. This is just how you will appear whenlogged into the blog.You also need to click the box to accept the terms and conditions.
On the next screen, you will need a title for the blog. (i.e., ESP for Law, Mary's Travel Diary).Then you will need a blog address. Have some backup names ready because your blog address may already be taken. Click on check availability to see.
On the next screen you will be asked to choose a template. Don't worry about this too much. You can change templates later if you want to.Click on the template you want. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click“Continue.”
Now you can start posting. Your blog is ready for your first posting.
When you have created your blog, please post a message on the TESOL CoP Blog adding your blog address. We would all like to take a look at what you have created.
Happy Blogging :-)))

Exciting Blogs

Dani,your blog is exciting! I like the song of "the Ancient Mariner", terrific for our classes,I think.
Your friend's blog is very interesting, too. I particularly like Emily Brontie and Charles Dickens; I think he portrays the industrial society in a very effective way, his descriptions are better than photos and stimulate readers' reactions, too. I should publish this as a comment but, sorry, I'm not able to publish comments this evening, I've already written one but it was cancelled, obviously I don't know why!

Hi!
I'm sorry but at the moment I'm a bit (....) busy and have little time to create a new blog. I'll do it, I promise!
In the meanwhile, may I send you the links to my own (lately created, just an experiment) blog and to another one, created by a friend of mine....?

http://himomehiteacher.blogspot.com/

http://thewasteland.myblog.it/

Adm: sancarlo
Pass: sancarlo
(you'll have to use these passwords to enter my friend's blog)

Luv,
Dani

This blog is great!

Hello, teachers! My name is Rosa Alcaro, I'm from Catanzaro. I teach at secondary school and I am a contract professor at the University of Catanzaro and University of Calabria. I know I'm very late, but I have had a lot of problems with Explorer in the last weeks. I'm particularly interested in ESP/EAP and CLIL. This is my first experience on a blog and I find this Tesol blog really great! I'm sure it would be exciting and useful! I 'll have the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions with all of you! Thank you very much Anna Franca, for your invitation...

Thanks Paola!

Thanks for breaking the blog ice, Paola and showing us that it's quite user-friendly to create a blog. l've posted a comment to your blog...
Let's keep the blogroll ( upper left hand corner) going.

Paola'a blog

Dear everyone,

I have created it! What fun!

http://learnteachexperiment.blogspot.com/

Looking forward to your comments

Love :-)

Paola

A quick reminder

In case you already haven't done so, don't forget to go to
http://attendr.com/tesolcop to know where we are in the real world and:
a. join attendees list;
b. edit your profile;
c. upload your photo;
d. mark who you already know;
e. mark who you would like to know.
Thanks!

Ready to go??

Why not start our own blogs to use with our ESL students??
Here is what you do:
Go to https://www.blogger.com/start
Click on “Create Your Blog Now”.
If you already have a google or gmail account, sign in on the page that opens with that account name (if it is the one you want to use for your blog). You can always create a new google or gmail account for your blog if you prefer.
Once you sign in (or create) a google or gmail account, you will be asked forthe “Display Name” for your account. This is just how you will appear whenlogged into the blog.
You also need to click the box to accept the terms and conditions.On the next screen, you will need a title for the blog. (i.e., ESP for Law, Mary's Travel Diary).
Then you will need a blog address. Have some backup names ready because your blog address may already be taken. Click on check availability to see.
On the next screen you will be asked to choose a template. Don't worry about this too much. You can change templates later if you want to.
Click on the template you want. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click“Continue.”Now you can start posting. Your blog is ready for your first posting.
When you have created your blog, please post a message on the TESOL CoP Blog adding your blog address. We would all like to take a look at what you have created.
Looking forward to checking out the blogs.

Non-verbal communication2

I saw the video Antonietta mentioned in her post and read Anna Franca and Paola's comments. I agree with them: we often miss our students' non-verbal messages, but one of the reasons might be that we have so many students in our classes...You can't possibly 'see' what 25/26 children are telling you with their eyes, or bodies - unless most of them are 'shouting out' the same thing (which may happen, and sometimes happens). Yet, it's also a question of what you choose to look for or not look for when you are with them and you're trying to help them learning something new: if you focus too much on what you are doing as a teacher, you have very little chance to get some useful hint of what is happening to your students.
Anyway, what mostly impressed me in the video was the part about virtual communication.
I was a tutor online last year (and I've been practising a lot of virtual communication: skype, MSN, e-mails, chats, fora) and I'm sure there's some kind of particular 'non-verbal communication' even when you use written words to communicate... I can't really explain -at the moment - how it works, yet after some time you've been 'reading' a person's messages, you become able to 'feel' how she/he's feeling, what's going on: confidence, disappointment, uneasiness, enthusiasm... You can feel it.

And...as regards our students, most of them hate writing the so-called "temi di italiano" but, at the same time, write wonderful involving thoughtful 'things' on their personal blogs. Almost 'correct', from a linguistic point of view, too...

Very, very late... Going to bed
'Night
Dani

Blogs in Plain English

How interesting! Thanks for the link.
Hi guys!
I'm new to the list. I've been teaching English for quite a few years now, fist at school and then at Uni level. I'm interested in New Technologies, although I feel a little bit left behind at the moment (too many new things have come out recently, including blogs).
I hope to learn lots of new things from you all.
Take care,
Emy

Blogs in Plain English

More food for thought ;-)

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI

Non-verbal communication

Following Anna Franca's suggestion I visited this website http://home.learningtimes.net/learningtimes?go=1668588 and I was captured by an interesting video about "non-verbal communication".
Would you mind watching it and expressing your own ideas ?
How meaningful is it in your daily social dimension?

Yours,
Antonietta M.D.P.

Hi everybody !

it’s me , Mauro , from the north-west of Italy.
As you know, I have been working in Milan for a very long time…
but I come from Naples.
I studied at “Istituto Universitario Orientale” where I graduated long time ago…;then the journey from learning to teaching started and is still going on.
During these years I have found that this journey ignites the wonder, excitement, emotion, and awe of discovering virtual lands and learning with new friends like You are.
All the best and good luck to all the bloggers!
CU soon
MaVe

Hey Bloggers let's get goin'

Hi Bloggers,
the CoP is warming up as you guys are breaking the ice with self-introductions and interesting issues. While we're waiting for other more than welcomed bloggers (maybe they're just lurking), don't forget to have a look at the video at http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o.

In the meantime, please also go to LearningTimes at http://www.learningtimes.org/ and become a member (it's free :-)) ) as from here we'll try to organise our first live CoP meeting in the upcoming weeks.
Cheers!!

Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0

After watching the video and reading Daniela's and Paola's posts, I think the difference between the two modes is clear enough.
I started using the web very late ( 6-7 years ago) so I directly experienced the web 2.0 tools, even though I was not able (and still I am not) to use them.
Now, something is evident: our students are completely familiar with these tools and we can only capture their interest if we can cope with the new communicative ways.

Should we start trying with the new tools? should we create a blog to be used with our students to post materials and/or exchange ideas? would it work? or should we wait to be a bit more expert?

Yours,
Adela

Introducing myself

Hello, everybody!
I am Adela Agostinelli. I teach English as a foreign language in a Secondary school in the province of Avellino. I have been teaching English for many years and I always try to follow all kinds of innovations in the field of teaching.
This is my second experience with Tesol members in an online ativity. Last year I took part in an e-learning course with the colleagues from Venezia, Benevento and Cosenza. It was a very intersting experience. That is why I am here again: to learn more about how we can use ICT to meet our students' needs.
Thank you to Anna Franca for this wonderful opportunty. I hope I will be able to give my contribution , even though this is my first blogging experience.
Nice blogging to everybody,

Adela Agostinelli

Rita's Introduction

Hi Bloggers,
First of all thank you again , for the invitation to take part in the online Tesol CoP! I am Rita
from a little village near Bn.This is the second time that I 'm going to work on the net, after the last experience about the Learning Objects.There I had the chance to meet nice people coming from Venice,Cosenza and other cities! I'm a foreign English language teacher.I've been teaching in a Comprehensive school for many years.I like my job very much,I see teaching as my duty in life .I spend much time planning exciting activities for my pupils .They sometimes get bored about learning but I'm always ready to involve them in something you think could be useful or fun.Travelling is my hobby.That gives me the opportunity to socialize. Some years ago I used to give me more time for a holiday. Today much time at home! So blogging sounds me perfect !Looking forward to starting..
Virtual Kisses and hugs
Rita Massaro

What about Web 1.0 and Web 2.o

There is a different generation between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0: the former had a different language and perhaps more difficult in its applications from users.Today's Web 2.0 gives great possibilities of simple individual use for personal and professional aims. Moreover you can employ a wide degree of creativity (blog,wiki, sharing). What I definitely know is that I have been able to create my blog in a few minutes and I am interacting with you with a simple click.I am sure that teachers who use technology will have a big advantage on those who don't do it: walking with their students and capturing their attention, having an immense teaching resource bank.Moreover what technology offers nowadays is the possibility of interactive teaching and e-learning . Consequently it becomes easier and handier to update oneself following the urge of a globalised culture and technology.
These " trendy "teachers will also be able to exchange and compare ideas with their colleagues, enriching their human experience.That's why I am here ...Thanks Anna Franca
Yours,
Antonietta

Antonio's self-introduction

Hello everybody!
I'm Antonio Mirra and I teach English since 1979; Ive been teaching maily in secondary High School and at the moment in the same school as Anna Mazzeo (Liceo psicopedagogico in Benevento).
My personal hobby is electronics and Video editing . Unfortunatle I have really little time and always too many things to do. I'm not so bright as most of my dear colleagues but I feel always motivated and interested in new paths which can improve my competence (basic!) and fulfil me as a teacher.
Sorry if I am so late , I have had and still have problems with my computer and I'm engaged also in an afternoon course which takes me a lot of time.
I had a beautiful experience last year in the e-learning course and had the opportunity to be in touch with super colleagues and some unforgettable people.
A special thank to Anna Franca for this further possibility she has invented for us
Antonio

A Vision of Students Today

I thought I'd like to share this video with you to put on our thinking caps.

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

Does it feel familiar to your teaching/learning environment? ;.))

Web 1.0 - Web 2.0 - Technology and the teacher

Hi everybody :-)

Thanks Daniela for having broken the ice: my experience with ICT is similar to Daniela’s, even in the “unawareness” in moving from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. I have used ICT since the 90s, but started applying it to classroom pedagogical aims only around 2000. First I introduces power point presentations instead of OHP slides, then gradually experimented with other more interactive forms such as creating virtual classes in moodle – something I would like to do again in the near future with my university students.

With my collegues we also set up a self-access centre in the Licei Renier in Belluno where I was teaching at the time, using Cd-Roms and resources in the web to create personalised learning paths both for “recupero” and “eccellenza”, an experience I continued at the Centro Linguistico Ateneo at Verona University while I was collaborating as a Language Consultant. When I was teaching Italian as L2 at the same CLA I used forums as an expansion to the lesson, particularly to enhance writing skills in a collaborative way, which was a very positive experience, too. Meanwhile my on-line tutoring skills grew as a student first, then as a tutor in ALIAS courses (http://venus.unive.it/aliasve ) and in the Ministry project Azione Italiano L2 (http://venus.unive.it/italdue ).

Until I watched the video I didn’t know about differences between Web 1.0 and 2.0; besides the aspects Daniela has pointed out, what struck me is the fact that Web 2.0 offers more possibilities for interaction and a ‘more democratic’ use of the web, as info in different multimodal formats can be added and contributions be made even without knowing much about the form-formula technical aspects. The focus seems to be more on the collaborative – sharing aspects, which have been made possible by Web 2.0 in its “linking people”, as the video recites.

This brings me to the quotation “Technology will not replace teachers, teachers who use technology will probably replace teachers who do not”. Behind actions, and even more so behind didactic choices and actions, there are people. Technology cannot substitute people - it can constitute an important tool to enhance learning possibilities. But not only: most of our students are strongly familiar with these forms of creating and sharing information, and their knowledge of technological tools is often much greater than ours. Besides the possibilities offered in didactic terms by ICT, it is in my opinion fundamental for us teachers to include in our everyday practices these aspects of ‘real life’, which play such an important role in our learners’ everyday cognitive and affective world.

I have recently read an extremely interesting book by Gunther Kress, Literacy in the New Media Age. New York: Routledge, 2003, where differences about grammar and ‘reading paths’ between print and the screen are scrutinised. Most teenagers have grown up being accustomed more with screen-reading than print-book reading, and this has important implications in terms of literacy and of reading skills: education may have to adopt changes in perspective and practices to meet this new reality and impact of technology and the media.

Well, all for now

warm greetings

Paola

WEB1.0 and W2.0: personal experience

Well. I’ll try and break the ice…

I saw the video twice: the second time I put out the 'soundtrack', ‘cause it got me a bit anguished.I know that’s the rhythm you can 'do' things on the Web (and in real life, too, nowadays), and I actually live that way, most time… but I can't stand it - every now and then.
Do you know “Money” by Pink Floyd? I’ve always loved it – yet, could never listen to it without feeling a bit … uneasy.

I met ICT when I was rather ‘old’: 35, more or less. I started with MSDOS – and almost gave up – but a couple of a young friends of mine told me I could do it, just needed newer, more up-to date tools.
When I attended SSIS I was ‘forced’ to get new hardware, software – and new competences.
I was obliged to work online weekly ( tasks, forum contribution, group work e- mails and messages on a not-always-perfectly- working CMS) : I wasn’t so willing to do it but I learnt how-to-do it and even if it wasn’t that easy at the beginning I gradually began even to enjoy it... And did my best to learn as much as I could. I spent a lot of my ‘night time’ (the only time left, having two children, a husband – a job) exploring – surfing – trying to understand what – when – how – who…on the Web. I learnt a lot, just from doing.
I didn’t know anything about the differences between WEB1.0 and WEB2.0 and somehow went through rather unaware from 1 to 2: a friend invited me to contribute to her blog, and I thought ‘why not? Let’s try and do it…’ (I create my own account, wrote a profile, ‘dive’ in…didn’t care I wasn’t really able to swim!) then my eldest son told me he had a blog and asked me whether I wished to have a look (I’m sure this was a ‘great honour’ – sort of letting me read a personal diary and asking me to give some kind of comment– yet, I didn’t thoroughly like what I read … and have always been very cautious, and careful in contributing..)
Then, last year I attended EPICT course and got a little deeper knowledge on the topic (I discovered Wikies and blogs were WEB2.0!) and found out there were lots of way to use and exploit blogs, e.g from a pedagogical point of view, involving both teachers and students (and even parents) into new communicative opportunities and new ways of sharing and building knowledge. Just have a look at http://www.edidablog.it/ and you’ll understand what I mean.

Anyway, the main difference I can see between W1.0 and W2.0 is that the latter allows and promotes the active creation and sharing of information and knowledge, on a ‘Web level’, while W1 was more like a huge library – and an even larger ‘market place’ – where you could find almost everything (if you know how and where to look for…) and could also come in as a ‘maker’, a creator, but you had actually little chance to interact with others – unless you joined a chat, or participated to some fora or CSM platforms (where most of these tools are present).
Moreover, if you wanted to be 'there', with your own website, you needed specific knowledge and competences, while if you want to start/create a blog you just have to follow a couple of simple directions - which doesn't absolutely means any blog will be a 'successful' one, or that it will last more than a couple of weeks: it simply means it's so much easier to 'be there', on the Web, than it was before.
I know there’s much more than this….just wished to give some starting hints for further discussion…
Next time, if you are interested, I’ll tell you about the ‘module project’ which my EPICT online group and I proposed as regards the ‘pedagogical use’ of a blog…
Hope I wasn’t such a bore,

Luv,

Dani

Is knowing how to teach reading in English important? You betch'a!

Hi everybody! I've enjoyed reading the new entries and introductions and surfing the new websites. May I suggest a topic for conversing? What is reading in English all about and how can we help our learners to become proficient speakers and hence, readers? I want to refer you to a website, learn@cdl.org, the site for The Center for Development and Learning in the U.S. There is a great new conference coming up (I know! we can't go) but you can search some of the presenters. . for example, Louisa Moats. She is great -- practical but knowledgeable about spelling and reading in English (No! we NEVER use Italian phonology to help students spell in English as they are completely different). And, we should never forget to teach 'phonics' (the sound/letter correspondences in English -- sounds in English do not have fixed letter patterns as in Italian. . .we know that!) so that students can automatically 'decode' (then, they know what the print sounds like and focus their attention on meaning). The better able students are to access the code of English, the more attention they can pay to building vocabulary, natural rhythm in English and learning grammar because they hear it more clearly. Such a simple thing! And yet, why don't we regularly focus on this. . .especially in elementary school? We are doing it through Inglese Dinamico at the European School of Venice and in our labs -- what a quick uptake on better pronunciation, decoding and vocabulary and yes, even grammar recall -- we store words and 'chunk' our grammar in our 'mental dictionaries' first through sound!

Nancy

5 Introductory CoP Tasks

Dear All,
the CoP introductory tasks are the following:
1. join the TESOL CoP blog;
2. post your self-introduction;
3. edit your profile and upload your photo;
4. go to http://attendr.com/tesolcop to know where we are in the real world and:
a. join attendees list;
b. edit your profile;
c. upload your photo;
d. mark who you already know;
5 a. watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g
and post your opinion on the difference between web 1.0 and web 2.0 tools.
b. watch Chris Abraham's video on How to Start Blogging with Blogger at:http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=ryb4VPSmKuo
c. Post your idea on the quote "Technology will not replace teachers...teachers who use technology will probably replace teachers who do not." - Ray Clifford

Let us know if you have any technical problems.

Paola's introduction

Hello everyone :-)

I'm Paola, I am currently working as a researcher in the department of English Studies at the University of Verona. I have been teaching English for many years, and Italian as L2 for a couple of years, too. My interests include how to develop learner's autonomy, learning and teaching styles, the possible developments in research and classroom practice of English as a Lingua Franca.

My experience with blogging is limited, especially as concerning its use in language teaching and education - but would like to learn more... so here I am! I did use some forums with students while teaching Italian, and that was a very good experience.

As for CoPs, I participated in last year Tesol course about Learning Objects and, well, that was a GREAT experience, both from a professional and a human point of view!!!

Well, all for now, hope to read you soon :-)

Luv

Paola

What is Web 2.0?

How about watching this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

What's the difference between web 1.0 and web 2.0 tools? Tell us your opinion.

Social networking for language learning

I've just seen this site which is aimed at helping people to set up language exchanges. It's a kind of social networking tool. It's called Friendsabroad.com. You simply put in your language and then the language you want to learn and then you can also choose the country where you would like to find the person. Click on search and you get a list of people who fit your criteria.

http://www.friendsabroad.com/

Introducing myself

Hi Everybody,
I am Elisa Chiarelli, an English language teacher in a Secondary School in Cosenza.I started my teaching activity in 1979 and since then I have always been teaching English mainly in secondary schools.I try to keep up with time and I am always interested in all the innovations that can come from technological support to teaching, because this keeps me closer to our teenagers.
So I want to thank Anna Franca for her invitation and I hope I will soon have my own blog.Have a nice blogging.

Edit your profiles + locate yourselves

Hi All!
Just a reminder to edit your profiles as co-authors of the blog, upload your photos and locate yourselves on the map at the link below:
http://attendr.com/tesolcop

Blogging cheers!

a new entry

Just few words to introduce myself. I'm Andrea Francesco Bilotto, I live not far from Cosenza and work at the University of Calabria. I am an EFL teacher but I'm also involved in teacher training with the SSIS students.
I must thank Franca for inviting me to join this blog. This is my first experience .... so I need a push. I'm very happy to become part of a larger community and hope to learn a lot from you.
Andrea

Antonietta's introduction

Dear Colleagues,

I am very enthusiastic about joining you in this CoP.
That's my second time working with Anna Franca who gave me a very great opportunity of growing in a TESOL e-learning course last year. There I met wonderful people from Cosenza, Benevento and Venice Tesol groups whose qualities I had the possibility to appreciate. It is pleasant to have the chance to exchange ideas and contributions thanks to Anna Franca's blog and I hope everything will be ok even if this is my first blogging experience.

I am a teacher of English language in a Secondary School in Pordenone, where there is a wide percentage of foreigners students from Ghana, India, China, East countries. This is leading us to change our teaching styles and to find new strategies.
I started my teaching activity in 1981 and since then I have always been teaching English mainly in secondary schools.
I am interested in ITC and in improving my professional competence through learning and exchanging experiences.
I think technological support to teaching to be a must for our young generations.
That's way I thank Anna Franca for her kind invitation and wish everybody a fruitful blogging.

Yours,
Antonietta Maria Di Paola

hi everyone

Hello,
First of all, I would like to thanks Anna for inviting me to this blog. I am Mine Eryoldas from Istanbul. I have been in Cosenza to give a local Tesol workshop thanks to Anna and had a chance to meet lovely Italian people and magnificient lanscape of the area. I teach at Marmara University, Prep. Department in Istanbul. I have set up my own blog but not worked on it that much so far. I hope this blog will encourage me to get going on my own blog as well.
Mine

Let us know where u r..

http://attendr.com/tesolcop

How to Start Blogging with Blogger

Watch Chris Abraham's video on How to Start Blogging with Blogger at:


http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=ryb4VPSmKuo

Please POST MESSAGES

Dear All,
a quick reminder to POST your self-introductions and NOT to add them to comments.
It's easy to follow for all of us ;.)))
BTW, have a look at the YouTube videos (on the top left side of the screen) and let's us know what you think about Web 2.0 tools.
Happy blogging

Hi everybody!
I'm Daniela Millini, I teach English at 'secondaria I grado', and I'm really very very...very glad to have the opportunity to meet again Anna, and the other friends of Benevento and Cosenza groups!
It's true, our previous e-learning experience with TESOL was great from many points of view, and I learnt more than I did in a number of F2F courses. Wonderful people and 'unforgetable' tutor on line. Moreover, I like blogging....I blogged with my students of Corsi Speciali, with my eldest son and his friends...and I've just tried to open my own blog (but I have very little time to update it at the moment...).
After the Tesol e-learning experience I also attended the EPICT online course (just finished it!); the module contents were interesting (a good starting point for futherr deepening and research) and we had to works in group online (which was not so easy, for some of us...).
I'm sorry but I must go now: Consigli di classe, scrutini.....that kind of stuff...

(Don't get scared about my nickname: I chose it some time ago and then I kept it....Yet, I'm Daniela: you know me...)
Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Self Introduction - Anna Mazzeo

Hello, Everybody!What a wonderful community!I'm Anna, I've been teaching English for ages to students aged 14-19. I've never experienced blogging, just heard about it, but I'm very curious and want to learn it. My only cybernetic experience has been my participation in last year e-learning course about "Learning Objects"that was great, involving, fantastic, ...terrific...and gave most participants great enthusiasm and a strong willingness to keep in touch! Here we are, at last! ready to exchange experiences, comments, to help each other! Thanks Annafranca for starting this community!As I am the coordinator of the Benevento Tesol group, I'm sure other members of the group will join this community; I just need a bit more time to inform all them.That's all for now.
Luv
Anna

Please, post a message for self-introductions

Can l please ask you to introduce yourselves by posting a message, rather than leaving a comment .. it's easier to start the community rolling this way...thanks!! :-)))

"Technology will not replace teachers...teachers who use technology will probably replace teachers who do not." - Ray Clifford

Welcome to TESOL CoP!

Dear Participants,
a warm welcome and thanks for your interest in joining this online Community of Practice (CoP)! As you may already know, this CoP will start on 14th January and hopefully will be actively nurtured by all of you until 30th April 2008.
In this first phase, we will start building the on-line CoP by getting to know one another. To do so, let me ask you to post a message in which you:
1. introduce yourselves. It'd be great if you add your first name to the subject title of your introduction message, e.g "Mary's Introduction".
2. Add a brief bio about yourself, including the following:
a. your current teaching background;
b. any experience you have had with blogs ;
c. any experience of CoPs

Hope to read you soon...
Meanwhile, feel free to look around :-)
All the best,
Anna Franca