August 4, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
1 Comment
Teacher Magazine has just published a new article I’ve written titled “What Are Your New School-Year Resolutions?”
Previously in this blog, fifty teachers and administrators shared their plans about what they planned to do differently this coming school year.
In the article, I write about the things I’m planning to do and what my reasons are for each.
You can see earlier articles I’ve written at “Articles I’ve Written.”
August 4, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Drips let you paint like Jackson Pollock, and you can save it online. And you don’t have to register for it.
Even cooler, it gives you a choice of painting it with either your mouse or your webcam and computer microphone. With your webcam, you can use your cellphone light or something else as a brush and your voice to change the color.
After you save it, you’re given its url address. Students can post it on a student/teacher blog or website and describe it, as well as comment on others made by their classmates.
I’m adding it to The Best Art Websites For Learning English.
August 4, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
4 Comments
I personally don’t “get” why Mad Libs are so popular among some kids — just one of many such attractions I don’t “get” 
They’re also of limited value in the language-learning classroom,
But there is a new site called…Madlibs that lets you easily create your own. It could be a fun little filler if you have a few minutes leftover in the computer lab some day. You can then post the links on a teacher/student blog or website for others to complete. I could see creating them, and completing ones your peers made, could be a good activity.
A caveat, however, is that it appears the most recent mad libs done on the site are posted on the homepage, and some might be a little off-color.
August 4, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Here’s another infographic reviewing the changes coming to health care in the U.S. over the next few years as a result of the new health care reform bill.
It’s not as accessible as other ones on The Best Online Resources For Learning About Health Care Reform list, but it’s still worth adding there.
August 4, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
1 Comment
The first part of this post is my usual introduction to this series. If you’re familiar with it already, just skip down to the listing of new sites…
Here’s the latest installment in my series on The Best Ways To Create Online Content Easily & Quickly. As you may remember, in order to make it on this list, the web tool has to:
* be easily accessible to English Language Learners and/or non-tech savvy computer users.
* allow people to create engaging content within minutes.
* host the user’s creation on the site itself indefinitely, and allow a direct link to be able to be posted on a student or teacher’s website/blog to it (or let it be embedded). If it just provides the url address of the student creation, you can either just post the address or use Embedit.in , a free web tool that makes pretty much any url address embeddable.
* provide some language-learning opportunity (for example, students can write about their creations).
* not require any registration.
You can find previous installments of this series with the rest of my “The Best…” lists at Websites Of The Year. Several hundred sites have been highlighted in these past lists. You might also want to take a look at the first list I posted in this series — The Best Ways For Students (And Anyone Else!) To Create Online Content Easily, Quickly, and Painlessly.
You might also want to look at The Best Ways To Create Online Content Easily & Quickly — 2009.
I’ll also be publishing an “all-time best” list later this year.
Here are the newest additions:
HAVE STUDENTS LEARN WHO THEY “WRITE LIKE”: I Write Like is the famous application that, after you copy and paste a few of your paragraphs, will give you a badge to embed or link to telling you what well-known author you “write like.” It might make students are little more motivated to learn about “their” author.
CREATE A NATURAL SYMPHONY: Identify four nature sounds at Nature Sounds For Me, compose it into a “symphony,” and post a link to it on a student/teacher website or blog. (Thanks to NT Camp Smackdown for the tip)
MAKE YOUR OWN WEBSITE: Orbs is a very, very easy website maker. I especially like it because you can just copy and paste images on it. You don’t officially have to register to use it but, if you don’t, they’ll delete it after 24 hours. Registration is a cinch. I’m also adding it to The Best Ways For Students Or Teachers To Create A Website. (Thanks to NT Camp Smackdown for the tip)
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You might also want to explore the 470 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
August 3, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Book Trailers For Readers is a wiki that provides examples and how-to instructions on how students can create multimedia presentations about the books they read.
In addition to the tools they recommend, you could also start out with much more simple online presentation applications like Bookr.
Student presentations can then be added to class blogs and other students can comment on them. I’m sure I’ll have students try doing them on our Intermediate English and Ninth Grade English blogs.
I’ll be adding this post to My Best Posts On Books: Why They’re Important & How To Help Students Select, Read, Write & Discuss Them.
Thank to Free Technology For Teachers for the tip.
August 3, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
1 Comment
The Washington Post has a report on a new study from The Educational Testing Service.
It finds that:
“…there was a steady narrowing of the achievement gap from the 1970s until the late 1980s. Scores essentially remained the same since then.”
That’s about the same time the poverty rate in the U.S. began to rise after a steady period of getting lower.
Here’s another quote from the article from the study’s author:
Restarting progress in closing the achievement gap must be addressed on multiple levels, Coley said.
“Entire neighborhoods may have to be uplifted in terms of their economic capital, school quality, safety and health structures,” he said.
Obviously, a report like this does not remove a school’s responsibility to do everything it can to reduce the achievement gap. But it does point to other things that have to be done…
August 3, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
2 Comments
ELT and Technology is the title of a wiki created by David Deubelbeiss of EFL Classroom 2.0. It’s chock-full of useful information.
I’m adding the link to The Best Sources For Ideas On How To Use Technology With English Language Learners.
And, speaking of David Duebelbeiss, he has also written an excellent post titled “The Teenaged Language Learner.” It’s a must-read for any secondary teacher of English Language Learners.
August 3, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
The images of the countless fires in Russia are terrifying, and they don’t expect rain anytime soon.
I’m also adding this list to A Compilation Of “The Best…” Lists About Natural Disasters.
Here are my choices for The Best Sites For Learning About The Russian Fires (and are accessible to English Language Learners):
Russian wildfires are photos from The Boston Globe’s Big Picture.
Fires Rage Across Russia is an MSNBC slideshow.
Wildfires Rage in Russia is a series of photos from The Sacramento Bee.
Wildfires Ravage Russia is a Wall Street Journal slideshow.
CNN has several videos about the tragedy.
Forest fires in Russia is a slideshow from The Telegraph.
Wildfires Burn In Russia is a TIME Magazine slideshow.
Fires Burn Across Russia is a Wall Street Journal slideshow.
Russia forest fires: smoke and smog blanket Moscow, turning the sky orange is a slideshow from The Telegraph.
Smog From Wildfires Covers Moscow is a Wall Street Journal slideshow.
Forest Fires Ravage Russia is a Washington Post slideshow.
Russian Wildfires Continue To Burn is a series of photos from The Sacramento Bee.
Smoke Chokes Moscow is a Wall Street Journal slideshow.
Continuing Russian wildfires are photos from The Big Picture.
Russia’s Long Summer is a series of photos from The Denver Post.
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August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Summer Must-Read for Kids? Any Book is the headline of an article in The New York Times. It’s a more informative article on the study I’ve written about previously that shows the impact of summer reading on student achievement.
I’m adding this post to My Best Posts On Books: Why They’re Important & How To Help Students Select, Read, Write & Discuss Them.
August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
3 Comments
The United Nations has declared August 9th to be The International Day Of The World’s Indigenous People.
I don’t have a whole lot of time but, since it’s coming up, I thought I put together a simple list of related-resources and add to them later.
You might also be interested in A Beginning List Of The Best Folklore & Myth Sites.
Here are my choices for The Best Sites For International Day Of The World’s Indigenous People (and are accessible to English Language Learners):
CNN has two good videos:
Battle Over Rainforests In Panama
The last member of an Andaman Island tribe dies, taking her language with her
Photos of Amazon tribe not a hoax is an MSNBC video.
At the Big Myth, you can watch and listen to creation stories from indigenous people from around the world.
Stories of the Dreaming is a multimedia feature on the stories of the indigenous people of Australia.
You watch and listen to a number of aboriginal stories at this site. Click on “Aboriginal Stories.”
Dust Echoes is another site featuring Aboriginal stories from Australia.
Indigenous Language Map documents languages in Australia, including audio samples.
Native Planet has several slideshows about the indigenous peoples of India.
Song of the Forest is an Oxfam video about Peru.
Indigenous Venezuelan Tradition Sparks Debate is a New York Times slideshow.
Native voices from the heart of Alaska is an audio slideshow from the World Wildlife Fund.
Indigenous Geography from the National Museum of the American Indian helps you learn about indigenous people throughout North and South America.
PBS has an interactive map showing the indigenous roots of many place names in the United States.
How Stuff Works has numerous videos about Native Americans.
Codetalkers is an interactive about Native Americans in World War II.
The Buffalo and Native Americans is a video from the History Channel.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has a fascinating timeline of Native People’s Concepts Of Health And Healing.
The History Channel also has numerous slideshows on Native Americans.
The Smithsonian has an impressive collection of teacher materials related to Native Americans.
The Smithsonian also has a buffalo hide painting activity that I have used.
We Shall Remain is a new PBS mini-series on Native American history. You can watch the episodes for free online, and it also offers an excellent teacher’s guide.
The Library of Congress has brought together many resources for Native American Heritage Month.
American Indian Responses To Environmental Challenges is an interactive from The Smithsonian.
Amazon Watch and Survival International are two groups working to assist indigenous peoples, and they both have multimedia resources (thanks to Willem for the tip).
Fighting For Survival is a short video about indigenous people in Kenya fighting against the effects of climate change:
Fighting for Survival: Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change in Kenya from CTA on Vimeo.
Brazil Indigenous compete in weeklong sports event is a series of photos from The Sacramento Bee.
The Ashaninka, A Threatened Way of Life is a slideshow from The Atlantic.
I’m looking forward to more suggestions in the comment section…
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You might also want to explore the 475 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
I’ve previously posted about my classroom practice of having students share good things that have happened to them during the week (see Can Having Students Tell About Positive Events In Their Lives Impact The Classroom?). In that post, I shared studies that had documented the positive impact that practice has on people who are in a relationship, and I wrote about how my personal experience led me to believe it could also help other relationships — like the ones in my classroom.
Well, this month a study has been published that shows just that:
…that sharing good news with others increases the perceived value of those events, especially when others respond enthusiastically, and that enthusiastic responses to shared good news promote the development of trust and a prosocial orientation toward the other. These studies found consistent support for these effects across both interactions with strangers and in everyday close relationships.
I also learned that this process is called “capitalization” which, I assume, comes from the idea of this practice building social capital.
Based on this study, one change I will be making is having students ask the partner with whom they’re sharing at least one question. That often happens, anyway, but I think institutionalizing it will make sure it does, and maybe help with communicating some “enthusiasm.”
August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
War Words is an interesting interactive from The Wall Street Journal. It shows “word clouds” to illustrate how U.S. Presidents have spoken about the Iraq War since 2003.
I’m adding it to The Best Web Resources On The Iraq War.
I’m also adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About “Word Clouds” as a good example of how they can be used.
August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
4 Comments
As regular readers know, I am no fan of standardized tests or extensive test prep for them, but they are a reality and I do indeed try to help my students become “test wise” (see My Best Posts On How To Prepare For Standardized Tests (And Why They’re Bad)).
As part of this effort, I’m thinking that one day in the computer lab doing self-correcting tests can’t hurt, and would be a relatively painless way of getting students a little more familiar with them, and, I hope, confident. I’m also thinking that at least some tests in different states might be relatively similar.
So I’ve begun compiling a list of sites that offer free online self-correcting practice tests for state assessments, and I’m hoping that readers can contribute a lot more. As I mentioned, the criteria include:
* being free
* being interactive and self-correcting — in other words, not a PDF of test prep questions
* ideally, no registration is required. However, if it’s a really good site, I’ll overlook that requirement.
* the questions are sample questions from previously released versions of the state tests, or modeled on them
Here are the ones I’ve come up with so far, but I’m hoping that readers can contribute far more:
SOL Practice Tests (Virginia) from the Wise County Alternative Education Center
Virginia State Standards of Learning Practice Tests — Science, Math & Technology
Elementary Test Prep For New York — Oswego School District
High School Test Prep For New York — Oswego School District
Ohio Department Of Education Practice Tests
Texas Education Agency — Released Tests–Interactive Online Versions
California State High School Exit Exam Math Practice (CAHSEE)
Maryland High School Assessment Program
The final site I want to include on this list is the newest. Unfortunately, it’s only available to California students, though teachers in other areas might want to explore it and potentially replicate it in their own communities. The California Community Colleges have developed a phenomenal website to specifically help English Language Learners prepare for the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), the test that all students have to pass in order to receive a high school diploma. It’s interactive with image, text, and audio support, and is very accessible to Intermediate and Advanced English Language Learners.
I’m looking forward to more suggestions in the comment section…
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You might also want to explore the 475 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
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August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Here are the newest additions to The Best Sites For Learning About The Flooding In Pakistan:
Deadly Floods In Pakistan is a Wall Street Journal slideshow.
Flooding In Pakistan Continues is a New York Times slideshow.
MSNBC has a video on the floods.
Pakistan flood deaths top 1,100 is a video from CNN.
August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Tom Barrett, creator of the fabulous “Interesting Ways” series filled with ideas on how to use tech in the classroom, has just begun three new ones.
Contribute to, or just look at, the series on using Google Search, the iPad, and Google Maps at the previous link.
You can see all of the series here, and you can also find the link at The Best Places To Learn Web 2.0 Basics.
August 2, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see back issues of those newsletters here and my previous Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month.
These posts are different from the ones I list under the monthly “Most Popular Blog Posts.” Those are the posts the largest numbers of readers “clicked-on” to read.
This month’s list is longer than usual.
Here are the posts I personally think are the best, and most helpful, ones I’ve written during this past month (not in any order of preference):
“Background Music Can Impair Performance, Cites New Study”
Great New Video on “Marshmallow” Test
This Is What I Wish President Obama Would Say On Thursday
New Article On Making Home Visits
“Common Core” Standards And English Language Learners
What Parent Engagement Posts Did Readers Find Most “Engaging” This Quarter?
What Does The CIA Say About Problem-Based Learning?
Should “Efficiency” Really Be The Driving Force In Hospitals (And Schools)?
“Computers at Home: Educational Hope vs. Teenage Reality”
When & Why Is It Important To Have Silence In The Classroom?
My “Take” On Recent Study Saying Home Computer Usage Can Lead To Lower Test Scores
One Very Disappointing Part Of President Obama’s Speech Today
“Strivney” Looks Like A Great New Site For Beginning Readers
My Most Popular Blog Posts On Parent Engagement (Over The Past Year)
Want To Learn About The Next Generation Of Tests We’ll Be Giving Our Students?
August 1, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Kevin Hodgson has created a brilliant website where he not shows how he teaches students to write “choose your own adventure” stories (which he calls “Threaded Adventures”) and provides examples of stories they have written.
That’s nice, but the brilliant part is that he does so in a “choose your own adventure” form!
I’m adding his site to The Best Places To Read & Write “Choose Your Own Adventure” Stories.
August 1, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
4 Comments
Yesterday, I posted how I am planning to use the creative YouTube video that explains Bloom’s Taxonomy by using clips from Pirates of the Caribbean.
One of the ways is going to have book discussion groups identify examples of how characters in the books they are reading are using the different Bloom’s levels. I’d show them the video clip as an example.
In addition, I’d like to first work with the entire class on doing the same thing with a short story. I’ve certainly learned that modeling is a critical element of any successful lesson.
However, off the top of my head I’m having a hard time coming up with short story examples — either ones that are accessible to English Language Learners or ones for mainstream adolescents — that might work for this kind of analysis. I think it’s relatively easy to identify characters in many popular movies and books that demonstrate the Bloom’s levels, and I’m assuming there are plenty of stories out there that do the same, but I’m drawing a blank. I just haven’t taught that much short fiction.
Can you help me out with some suggestions?
August 1, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
I’ve just written a short post titled “Communities For Excellent Public Schools” at my other blog, Engaging Parents In School.
It’s about a new critique of the Obama Administration’s school “turnaround” policies, and it’s been published by a coalition of community organizing groups.
