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