January | 2009 | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

January 6, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
6 Comments

Prezi

Various tech writers in the blogosphere are very enthusiastic about a new online presentation-maker called Prezi. For example, GoToWeb20, an excellent blog that’s been on my RSS Reader for quite awhile (and which I’d recommend highly), described it this way:

[Prezi] allows people to create and perform stunning non-linear presentations with relations, zooming into details, and adjusting to the time left without the need to skip slides.

I’m sure that’s an accurate description of the service, but when I tried it out after I received an invitation, I was just as confused by how to use the application as I was by GoToWeb20′s description.

I attribute that completely, though, to my being a pretty non-tech-savvy person. It’s cool-looking, fun to play with and, for people like me and for English Language Learners, far too confusing to use.

I had originally, and tentatively (before I tried it out), placed Prezi on The Best “Unusual” Ways To Create Online Presentations. It certainly will help you create an unusual presentation, but it’s just not suitable for ELL’s.

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January 6, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
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Study Stack

Study Stack lets you easily create (after your register) flashcards, hangman games, word searches, and many more activities.

I had been less-than-impressed with it the first time I tried it quite awhile ago, but it seems to have added a lot of functionality. I’m adding it to The Best Sites For Making Crossword Puzzles & Hangman Games.

Thanks to a tip from Donna Murray, I checked it out again.

In terms of creating flashcards, however, I still think no one comes close to Proprofs. Their process is so easy, and you can quickly add images and videos to them, too.

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January 6, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
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Tipping Point

I posted about the ambitious and excellent Tipping Point online video game early last year. Since then, two more chapters have come-out. You can find all three here. In addition, there’s a walkthrough for all of them, too.

You can read how I use these kinds of games as language development exercises here.

I placed links to the game and walkthrough on my website under Word and Video Games.

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January 5, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
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Reading Trails

Reading Trails lets you create a “trail” (basically a slideshow) of books you’ve read that fit a theme of your choosing — favorite books, scary ones, or with much sophisticated topics. You can explain the theme, and then briefly write about each book. It’s super easy to add a screenshot of each book’s front cover.

If one of your chosen books “intersects” (is also mentioned) in a trail created by someone else, that’s indicated so you can look at that slideshow if you want. People can also leave comments, though they don’t appear to be moderated (but I might be wrong on that).

I don’t think there’s any question that short “book talks” in the classroom are a far better way for students to hear what their friends are reading. And if students are going to write much about the books they’ve read, something much more in the line of a “response to literature” piece is much better than a next-to-useless typical book report.

However, I could see having students create a reading trail that could be posted and shared with students in other classes — either in the same school or in another one (for example, in our International Sister Classes Project). It’s just another opportunity to have an authentic audience. Each book trail is embeddable in a blog or website, or you can just post the url address.

Thanks to Mashable for the tip.

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January 4, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
3 Comments

The Best Resources About President’s Day

President’s Day, which celebrates the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, will be coming-up next month. And, especially since it’s the two-hundredth anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, I thought a “The Best…” list would be helpful.

You can find additional resources at The Best Sites To Learn About U.S. Presidents.

You can also find these links and more on my U.S. History page.

Here are my choices for The Best Resources About President’s Day (that are accessible to English Language Learners):

GEORGE WASHINGTON:

Happy Birthday, Mr. President is a simple “talking book” that also describes how President’s Day began.

This Brainpop movie about Washington is good, but you need a paid subscription to view it. Or, you can sign-up for a free trial.

Though this description of Washington’s ownership of slaves is not accessible to English Language Learners, teacher’s could certainly modify it.

Father of Our Country is pretty “schmaltzy,” but it is an accessible “talking book.”

EL Civics has a very good presentation on George Washington.

The History Channel has many online resources on Washington.

Though the language in this story is a bit “old-fashioned” it’s of course important for students to know the popular myth of George Washington and the cherry tree.

Enchanted Learning has a number of accessible materials about Washington.

Here’s an online cloze (fill-in-the-gap) about both Washington and Lincoln.

A student has written a simple and short biography.

Take a short quiz on President’s Day.

Here’s another simple biography.

I have to admit that I’m not all that familiar with how Mayor Bloomberg has dealt with public schools in New York City. However, there’s a great post in the NYC Public School Parents blog titled Lessons For Michael Bloomberg On President’s Day that provides an excellent summary of George Washington’s leadership style. The post’s writer, David Bloomfield, then contrasts that with how Mayor Bloomberg acts in school matters. The Mayor doesn’t come across favorably. But whether or not you know much about what’s going on in New York City, or even if you support Bloomberg, the summary of Washington’s leadership style is grist for an engaging lesson and student discussion. And, because of that, I’m adding the post to this list.

“Discover The Real George Washington” is a brand-new and very engaging interactive timeline from Mount Vernon. I’m not so convinced it shows all aspects of the “real” Washington (some non-flattering but true information may be omitted), but I’m still adding it to this list.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN:

The History Channel’s site on Lincoln is not-to-be-missed.

Beacon Learning Center has a simple “talking story” about Lincoln.

Digital Vaults, the exceptional site from the National Archives, has what they call a Pathway game on Lincoln that is worth checking-out.

Scholastic has a good “Listen and Read” Lincoln biography.

Abraham Lincoln For ESL Students is from EL Civics.

Here’s an accessible Abraham Lincoln timeline.

The Constitution Center has an online game, with audio, about the decisions Lincoln made as president. It’s called Abraham Lincoln’s Crossroads.

Here’s a simple biography.

Lincoln’s Gettysburg address is the focus of these ESL exercises.

The Mask of Lincoln is a new Smithsonian exhibition.

Enchanted Learning has Lincoln resources.

Brainpop,Jr. has its own Lincoln movie (again, you have to subscribe or get a free trial).

The Smithsonian has a neat presentation of the Gettysburg address which includes a “zooming” capability, along with providing audio support for the text.

Portraits of Abraham Lincoln is a slideshow from TIME Magazine.

I’m adding a New York Times slideshow on Ford’s Theater (where Lincoln was shot) to this list.

Birthday Party For An American Icon is a slideshow from The Washington Post covering how Lincoln’s 200th birthday was celebrated.

Georgetown College has some very impressive Teachers Resources For The Lincoln Bicentennial. They include excellent lesson plans for each grade (and I’m not impressed by many lesson plans I find on the Internet).

The National Parks Service has put together a really exceptional interactive on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Feel free to offer additional suggestions.

If you found this post useful, you might want to check out my other “The Best…” lists.

In addition, you can also subscribe to this blog for free.

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January 4, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
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Know Of Research Showing Technology’s Effect on English-Language Learning?

I was recently asked about research on the effect of technology on the academic achievement of English Language Learners. I thought it was a good question — one that I didn’t have much of an answer to.

Here is what I shared — does anyone else have other suggestions?

Family Literacy, Computers & ESL

Home Computers And English-Language Learning

Best Practices In Integrating Technology

Later this month, I’ll also be sharing the results of some research I’ve been doing at our school. I’ve been teaching two United States History classes composed of Intermediate English Language Learners. One class has been entirely in the computer lab, and the other primarily in the classroom. I’m compiling the results of assessments I gave each class in early September and in late December. It should be interesting to see how it shapes up.

Again, please leave any other recommendations for research in the comments section. Thanks!

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January 4, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
1 Comment

“WhosTalkin?” Is An Intriguing Application

WhosTalkin? is a brand new web tool that’s a “social media search tool.” In other words, it specifically searches a ton of different sources like Twitter, Ning, Technorati, etc. to discover “conversations” that are going on about your topic of interest.

In my case, think it’ll be useful for professional development and research. For example, I typed in the name “Stephen Krashen” (the second language learning writer, practitioner, and theorist) and found many different results than what I found on Google (or maybe Google would have the same listings, buy way back in their results).

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January 4, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
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Final Selection

Final Selection is a text-based online game, also know as interactive fiction. Playing these kinds of games are excellent language-development activities, and their impact is magnified by having students working in small groups with a Walkthrough.

I’ve placed the link on my website under Word and Video Games.

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January 3, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
3 Comments

The Best Sites To Learn About Street Gangs

As part of a series of lessons on writing a persuasive essay with my Intermediate English class, we’ll be reading “It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way: A Barrio Story” by Luis Rodriguez, who’s written several excellent books on gang life in Los Angeles. His books are exceptionally popular with teenage students.

I thought I’d quickly come-up with a “The Best…” list to supplement the unit — and I do mean quickly. I’m sure there’s a lot of other good work out there that’s accessible to English Language Learners that I haven’t found. I hope readers will suggest additional resources that I can add to the list.

Depending on your how your school’s content filter handles streaming media, some of these links might not be accessible.

You might also be interested in The Best Sites To Learn About Mexico’s Drug War.

Here are my choices, not in any order of preference, for The Best Sites To Learn About Street Gangs (and are accessible to ELL’s):

A slideshow from The New York Times is about Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles-based organization that provides jobs to former gang members.

All My Enemies is an impressive multimedia presentation on gang life in L.A.

The San Jose Mercury News has a slideshow on the efforts of a local church to promote a gang cease fire.

The Providence Journal has an ambitious feature on the Gangs of Providence.

In Cold Blood: Guatemala Gangs is a slideshow from National Public Radio.

Gangs Without Borders is multimedia presentation from The New York Times on Central American gangs.

The Los Angeles Times has a feature on gangs in El Salvador and the United States.

Here’s a presentation on British gangs.

The L.A. Times has an audio slideshow on gangs in the city of Compton.

An article in The New York Times is titled “Gangs Grows, But Hardline Stirs Doubts.” That article and another editorial, A Job Or A Gang, are probably not accessible to English Language Learners, but can be modified by teachers to stimulate class discussion on how best to keep young people out of gangs.

The Modesto Bee has an interview with a police officer on “The Gang Lifestyle.”

A Seattle newspaper has an audio slideshow called Gangs In Seattle.

Here’s a moving slideshow on effects of gang violence in Miami.

Some students from Trinity College came up with some decent ideas for simple classroom lessons and, more importantly, they include links to good resources teachers can use for developing their own.

Gangs In San Diego is another multimedia presentation.

Here is a slideshow about gangs in Salinas, California.

You can watch a very short “trailer” to a documentary about Latino gangs. It’s called Nuestra Familia, Our Family.

Here’s a video on Home Boy Industries, the group that was highlighted earlier in this post in a New York Times slideshow.

A Massachusetts newspaper has a variety of online videos, infographics, and articles on gangs.

The Press Enterprise newspaper in southern California has impressive feature on gangs called Bloodshed and Bravado. It includes an accessible slideshow and several online videos.

The Columbus Dispatch has an audio slideshow titled Gospel Versus Gangs about a church’s effort to get youth to leave gangs.

Young Guns: A New Brand of Gangster is a slideshow from a Seattle newspaper.

Thug Life is an audio slideshow from an Indiana paper.

A Better Way is yet an other audio slideshow from the Ventura County Star about a gang member who left that way of life.

The History Channel has an impressive site called Gangland.

I’m adding a multimedia presentation from the San Jose Mercury News on that city’s Anti-Gang Unit to this list.

The Wall Street Journal has an online video about former gang members being trained to install solar panels.

PBS’s Wide Angle series has a number of resources connected its film about gangs in El Salvador called “18 With A Bullet.” There’s a video preview of the film, a photo essay, a video update, and an overview of gangs worldwide.

Gangs In Hempstead is an onine video from The New York TImes.

Promise and Peril in South L.A. is an impressive multimedia series from LA Times on gangs and gang intervention.

Gangs On Tribal Land is a video from the New York Times sharing how “tribal officials on the Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Reservation are struggling to control a rash of gang-related crime among native youth.”

Knocking Out Chicago Gang Violence is a CBS News video on an anti-gang boxing program.

Ex-Gang Members Work Together is a CNN video.

From Gangs To Breakdancing is another CNN video.

CNN has a series of videos about gangs in one community:

Hope In Hollenbeck

The Hero of Hollenbeck

Gangs of Hollenbeck

CNN also has three videos on gangs in Chicago:

Chicago’s Deadly Gangs

Activists Target Gangs

Gang Member Speaks

MSNBC has a video on the MS-13 Gang.

ABC News has several videos:

Gang Violence in South Los Angeles

Tackling Gang Recruitment

Gang Life Grows Online

Gangs of Chi-Town

Gangs in Paradise

The $65 LA Gang Tour

From Gangs To “Green Collar”

21,000 Gangs: 700,000 Members

I’m adapting a lesson from The Write Institute (also see The Best Websites For K-12 Writing Instruction/Reinforcement) unit on persuasive writing for the unit I’m teaching now.

One of the lessons — related to gangs — has students list the different groups they “belong to” family, school, etc.) In addition, I’m having them write out the different benefits they receive from belonging to each group (love, support, learing, etc.)

Next, students are researching why kids join gangs, and will then compare those reasons for joining that group with their benefits for being part of their groups. Many, though not all, of the reasons will probably be similar, and then we will explore why students think gang members might not receive those same benefits from elsewhere like our class members do.

Here are some more relatively accessible websites that I’m adding to this list that students will be using to research that particular issue:

Why Kids Join Gangs

Why Do Young People Join Gangs?

Why Do Young People Join Gangs? (same title, different resource)

Gang Life Quiz

The Lure of Guns and Gangs

The New York Times has an online video titled Streetwise Saint Joins Mexico Drug War. Here’s how they describe it:

Mexico City gang youth have adopted a first century saint as their idol. A septuagenarian American priest who speaks their language wants to cash in on their unconventional fervor to help them.

Interactive: Gang activity in Sacramento is from the Sacramento Bee and shows on a map where gang activity is occurring. Other newspapers may have similar features.

“After Gang Life” is the title of a slideshow from Newsweek.

Victims of Gang Violence: The smoke clears, but pain endures is a multimedia presentation from The Los Angeles Times.

Urban Jungle on the Reservation is a slideshow from TIME Magazine.

You might also be interested in a series of “Fotobabbles” (audio-narrated photos) that our Intermediate English students did on the issue of what are the consequences of being involved in a gang.

Homegirl Cafe is a video about a young woman escaping gang life.

Blood Ties: A Photographer Captures Gang Culture In Her Family is a photo gallery from TIME.

As always, feedback is welcome.

If you found this post useful, you might want to look at previous “The Best…” lists and also consider subscribing to this blog for free.

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January 3, 2009
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments

Learning About The Circus

The British Council has some excellent activities to help students learn about the circus.

Circus Escape is a very accessible “talking story” with animations. There’s also a “When The Circus Comes To Town” song. They’re both accessible to Beginning English Language Learners.

I’ve placed links to both activities on my website under Sports And Fun Activities.

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Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

…For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Monthly Archives: January 2009

Prezi

Study Stack

Tipping Point

Reading Trails

Know Of Research Showing Technology’s Effect on English-Language Learning?

“WhosTalkin?” Is An Intriguing Application

Final Selection

Learning About The Circus