December 22, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Here are the newest additions to The Best Sites For Figuring Out What To Do If Delicious Shuts Down:
How to Export Your Delicious Bookmarks and Import Them Into Your Favorite Browser is from Lifehacker.
Here’s a site that lets you export your Delicious links to Google Bookmarks
Trunk.ly looks like another alternative worth considering.
A comparison of bookmarking tools – after Delicious’ shutting down debacle
December 22, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
2 Comments
Most of us realize the importance of making eye contact and focusing entirely on the person with whom we’re speaking….and the impact it can have on that person. And, probably, many of us often forget to do it, or, when you’re a teacher and having to supervise an entire classroom of students, are not able to do it.
At the recommendation of Jim Peterson, a talented vice-principal at our school about whom I’ve previously written, I (and other teachers) try to take a few minutes now and then from our free period and pull students out of their regular classes to try to have these kinds of conversations (after making pre-arrangements with their teacher, of course), and it has worked out quite well.
Michael Ellsberg has written a good post offering advice and techniques to help people remember to make that kind of eye contact and to “be present” with whom you’re speaking. It’s definitely worth a visit.
He uses a short clip of a town hall meeting during the 1992 Presidential campaign as a model, contrasting the styles of George Bush and Bill Clinton. I’m embedding it here, but Ellsberg has a good analysis of it in his post that I’d encourage you to read.
December 22, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
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January 11th is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
I have revised The Best Resources For Learning About Human Trafficking Today.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
1 Comment
I’m a big advocate of creating opportunities for students to choose in the classroom — ways that particular assignments are done, discussing with them the best places for them to sit, even due dates.
The results of some new studies on this topic have just been released and, since I’ve previously written about this idea, I thought it might be useful for readers and for me to bring this information together in sort of a mini “The Best..” list. This will be a short one, but will probably be growing.
Education Week has just published an article on the new studies headlined “Giving Students a Say May Spur Engagement and Achievement.” In the article, one of the researcher says:
“When students were given choices, they reported feeling more interested in their homework, felt more confident about their homework and they scored higher on their unit tests.”
Here are two previous posts I’ve written about the importance of providing students with choices:
“How Taking an Active Role in Learning Enhances Memory”
Feel free to make other suggestions in the comments section.
If you found this post useful, you might want to consider subscribing to this blog for free.
You might also want to explore the nearly 600 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
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With last night’s total lunar eclipse, I thought I’d put together a quick list of related sites.
I’ll also be adding this “The Best….” list to A Collection Of “The Best…” Lists On Space.
Here are my choices for The Best Sites For Learning About A Lunar Eclipse:
What Causes A Lunar Eclipse? is an interactive from MSNBC.
Total Lunar Eclipse: How It Works is an interactive from The Guardian.
Eclipses is an animation from Kids Know It.
Lunar Eclipses Explained is a short video from NASA.
A total eclipse of the moon is a series of amazing photos from MSNBC.
Year’s last lunar eclipse gives heavenly show is an article and video from CNN.
The total lunar eclipse in pictures is from The Telegraph.
Here are more great lunar eclipse photos.
Lunar eclipse coincides with winter solstice is a series of photos from The Sacramento Bee.
Here’s a time lapse video of an eclipse from The Washington Post.
The Denver Post also has eclipse photos.
Here are even more photos from The Huffington Post.
Total Lunar Eclipse is a slideshow from The Wall Street Journal.
A chilly solstice (and lunar eclipse) is from The Big Picture.
In pictures: lunar eclipse is from The BBC.
Lunar eclipse of December 10, 2011 is from The Boston Globe.
Additional suggestions are welcome.
If you found this post useful, you might want to consider subscribing to this blog for free.
You might also want to explore the nearly 600 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
After a week of being back to normal, Feedblitz, which handles email subscriptions to this blog, has begun acting up again, and email subscribers have not been receiving all the posts appearing in this blog.
If you subscribe by email, you’ve missed several important posts, including The Best Websites For English Language Learner Students — 2010.
Until this problem gets resolved, if you subscribe by email, I’d encourage you to periodically come to this blog directly to check-out posts Feedblitz might have missed. Sorry for the inconvenience.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
3 Comments
Personal Learning Networks (PLN) is the phrase often used to describe connections that educators develop with other educators throughout the world by using online social media.
I’ve previously written more specifically about how ESL/EFL teachers can best create this kind of network, but I thought it would be useful to bring together a broader collection of resources that could be used as guides by any educator.
Please feel free to offer additional suggestions in the comments.
Here are my choices for The Best Guides For Helping Teachers Develop Personal Learning Networks:
“PLN Yourself” by Sue Waters
5 Things You Can Do to Begin Developing Your Personal Learning Network at the Innovative Educator
Building your own PLN with Twitter at Teach Me Tech
Build A PLN: A Newbie’s Guide at a Teacher’s Thoughts
The Best Ways ESL/EFL/ELL Teachers Can Develop Personal Learning Networks
A Collection Of “The Best…” Lists On Blogs & Blogging
A Beginning List Of The Best Resources For Learning About Facebook
My Best Posts Related To Twitter
Building your Personal Learning Network is by Silvia Tolisano.
A Great Opportunity To Develop Your Personal Learning Network
Feedback is welcome.
If you found this post useful, you might want to consider subscribing to this blog for free.
You might also want to explore the nearly 600 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
1 Comment
(Barbara at Language Lab Unleashed has posted similar videos from several other countries that I’d recommend you check-out)
A composer in Helsinki made a list of common complaints made by residents, and then turned them into the fun choral work in the below video.
It got me wondering if doing something like this could be turned into a fun English-language learning opportunity for students — maybe we could compile a list and, even though I’m doubtful students would want to sing them, they could make posters or create fun skits using them.
Or maybe I just like this performance and am trying to come up with a rationale for posting it in this blog? 
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Ngrams is a blog that shares different Ngrams that people contribute. You might remember that Google released a new application last week that allows people to compare word usage in books over the past few hundred years.
I’m adding the link to The Best Posts To Help Understand Google’s New “Books Ngram Viewer.”
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Many ESL/EFL teachers know that having students make-up English subtitles to video clips in a language they don’t understand can be a great learning opportunity and loads of fun. I share several sites where students can do this at The Best Ways For Students To Create Online Videos (Using Someone Else’s Content).
Well, teachers can have fun with this type of activity, too, and nobody beats Lindsay Clandfield at making these kinds of videos poking fun at English language teaching.
Be prepared to have a good time while watching his Six subtitled films.
Thanks to Marisa Constantinides for the tip.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Picture Of A is a new site where “all photos are completely free to use and are open source!.”
I’m adding it to The Best Online Sources For Images.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Walled World is a fascinating infographic showing how our world is divided by real walls, income walls, and political walls.
I’m adding it to The Best Sites To Learn About Walls That Separate Us.
Thanks to Jason Flom for the tip.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Evolution of renewable energy is a very useful interactive tracing renewable energy use from 8000 BC to the present.
I’m adding it to The Best Sites To Introduce Environmental Issues Into The Classroom.
Thanks to Understanding Mankind with 30 Awesome Interactive Designs and Tools for the tip.
December 21, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Posterbee is a new web application that basically lets you very easily create your own private social network.
In many ways, I think it’s similar to Posterous’ new “Groups” feature — you can add content to it several ways, including directly or via email.
I think Posterbee has a nicer design though. In addition, when you add a link, it just shows you the key content in the link without anything extraneous, including leaving out the ads.
I’m adding it to Not “The Best,” But “A List” Of Social Network Sites.
December 20, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
I made some slight revisions to a post I previously wrote in this blog, and The Huffington Post has just published it under the title Gates Foundation Minimizing Great Tools For Helping Teachers Improve Their Craft.
Check it out at your convenience….
December 20, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Teachers’ Union Leading School Reform? Impossible! is the title of a blog post by Anthony Cody at Ed Week. It describes the success of schools here in California that have received funds through the California Teachers Association sponsored Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA).
The school where I teacher, Luther Burbank High School, is one of them, and I contributed a paragraph to Anthony’s piece describing the effect those monies have had on us.
Here’s Anthony’s first paragraph, and I hope you’ll go over to his blog to read the rest:
If you listen to mainstream media, you will hear the message repeated daily that our schools are in crisis, and that teacher unions exist to serve the interests of adults, and are obstacles to meaningful school reforms. You probably have NOT heard about a remarkable success story in California. In the year 2006, the California Teachers Association, the legislative arm of the National Education Association, sponsored a law called the Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA). The results are coming in, and are showing that the schools participating in this program are seeing very positive results.
December 20, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Data First is a new website developed by the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Center for Public Education to provide all sorts of…data about schools.
I’m a believer in being “data-informed,” rather than being “data-driven,” so I wish the site had a different name but, nevertheless, it seems pretty useful.
You can read more about it Learning First.
December 20, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
Eduflack is the pen name of Patrick Riccards, who provides genuinely thoughtful commentary on education issues.
He created this hilarious video, and describes it like this:
I Wanna Be offers a tongue-in-cheek look at some of those “experts” in the education space, and what happens when someone wakes up one morning thinking they should opine on education policy and practice.
I’m adding it to A Collection Of The Best “Laugh While You Cry” Videos — Contribute More!
December 20, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
0 comments
The so-called “parent trigger” law has been in the news a lot over the past two weeks.
I’ve been writing about it since October, 2009 at my other blog, Engaging Parents In School. You can find all my posts on the topic here.
You might also want to start with my guest piece last week at The Washington Post — The ‘Parent Trigger’ doesn’t help schools or parents.
December 20, 2010
by Larry Ferlazzo
4 Comments
My “The Best…” lists for 2010 continue, and this latest one focuses on sites that ELL students would use directly.
You might also be interested in previous editions of this list:
The Best Websites For English Language Learner Students — 2009
The Best Internet Sites For English Language Learners — 2008
The Best Internet Sites For English Language Learners — 2007
The Best Web 2.0 Applications for ESL/EFL Learners — 2007
Here are my ranked choices for The Best Websites For English Language Learner Students — 2010:
LATE ADDITION: I’d place this site higher, but learned about it after I had completed this list — Voice of America has had its great Special English section for year, offering accessible news stories for those who are learning English. But I’ve always wondered why they didn’t have more online learning activities — it seemed to me to be a natural extension. Well, it appears that they reached the same conclusion. I’m not sure how long they began their VOA News: The Classroom (it must not have been too long ago, since some of the sections seem light on materials), but they have what looks like the beginning of a nice new site. I especially like their Articles section, which has lots of interactive exercises related to engaging news articles. I’m adding this section to The Best News/Current Events Websites For English Language Learners. Their Activities section looks like it will be a nice feature when they bulk up the interactive resources they have there. I’m less impressed with their Interactive Learning feature, which includes a dictionary and idiom guide that could be more accessible and engaging. But it’s a very nice start!
SECOND LATE ADDITION: As many teachers of English Language Learners know — either through my previous posts or through their own experience — one of the best sites for English Language Learners is the Oxford University Press Student Sites page. They have a large number of sites to support each of their English textbooks, and the activities are free. It’s on a variety of my “The Best…” lists, and specific book sites are also on various lists. Some of the book have more engaging support than others. Not surprisingly, the newer the site is, the better the activities. OUP has a new support site for its Step Ahead series. I haven’t seen the textbook, so can’t say anything about it. However, its website is a real winner and is clearly one of the best sites offering textbook support on the web. I’ve added it to our Intermediate English class blog, and my students will certainly be visiting it often.
Number seventeen: Blurts lets you quickly and easily record thirty second voice recordings with shareable url addresses. You have to register, but all it requires is an email. Students can also use it to create an “audio blog” if they want.
Number sixteen: Jason Renshaw has unveiled his long-awaited “Choose Your Own Adventure” series titled “World Adventure Kids.” It’s a neat interactive video audio book, and there are going to be quite a few of them. They are on YouTube now, and he’s trying to figure out another platform to host them that would not be blocked by many school content filters. I hope he can find one, because I know English Language Learner students (and others) will love them.
Number fifteen: ABC Fast Phonics is a pretty darn impressive site for beginning readers to reinforce their understanding of phonics. I’m not a big fan of explicit phonics instruction being a huge part of a curriculum, but I do make it a part of the curriculum I use with Beginning English Language Learners. I teach it in an inductive way, though, which I describe more thoroughly in my upcoming book, English Language Learners: Teaching Strategies That Work. Sites like ABC Fast Phonics, though, do offer engaging ways students can practice.
Number fourteen: “A Guide For Advisors Of Undocumented Students” is a new excellent website specifically designed for undocumented students who want to attend college in California. A fair amount of the resources would be helpful to students in other states, too.
Number thirteen: Everyday Life is an extraordinary interactive site for ELL’s sponsored by a North Carolina-based organization called GCF Learn Free. It’s on several of my “The Best…” lists. The same organization has just unveiled a new site to teach reading to Beginners. It’s design and navigation is unlike any other reading site on the Web. It has some very good activities, but I’m not sure if the navigation will be too confusing or if users will find it cool and intuitive.
Number twelve: USA Today has begun a “Voices” Project, where the paper poses a question and then people can respond in writing (via Twitter) or video.
Some of the questions have included:
How has the oil spill changed you?
What does freedom mean to you?
Number eleven: Audioboo lets you easily create what is basically a voice blog. After signing-up (which is quite easy), you can make recordings of up to five minutes in length. Not only can your messages appear together on one public page, but you can also choose to embed them. People can leave text comments on the messages, but one negative is that they are not moderated. However, you do have to be registered on the site in order to leave a comment
Number ten: The Associated Press has unveiled the AP Timeline Reader, a visual way to see and read the news.
Number nine: The CBBC Newsround has an separate Accessible Newsreader for much of their content that is attractively designed and provides audio support for the text.
Number eight: The Cultural Orientation Resource Center has put their extraordinary collection of refugee phrasebooks online and free for download. Here’s how they describe this incredibly useful resource:
These phrasebooks are designed to supply refugees with the appropriate English phrases and supplementary vocabulary for use in the daily activities of American life (rather than simply word-to-word translations, as in a dictionary). Phrases contained in the books have been selected for their directness, brevity and relevance to the needs of newly arrived residents of the United States. Among the nineteen units included are sections on “Giving Information About Yourself,” “Recognizing Signs,” “Dealing With Money,” “Health,” “Food,” “Clothing,” “Housing,” and “Jobs.”
Each phrasebook is approximately 140 pages and can be downloaded for free. They are available in these languages: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Cantonese, Czech, Farsi, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Hungarian, Khmer, Lao, Polish, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Number seven: ABRACADABRA is an online reading program created by researchers in Montreal. It has quite a few very accessible stories (with audio support for the test) and reading games.
Number six: Many teachers are familiar with the excellent Professor Garfield site, a joint project of the comic cat and Ball State University. The site recently added The Professor Garfield Toon Book Reader to its extensive list of features. It has a number of books that provides audio support for the text.
Number five: Learning Chocolate is designed for English Language Learners to gain basic vocabulary through many interactive exercises.
Number four: MeeGenius is a new site that provides audio support for the text of books for early readers. In addition, you’re given the option to “personalize” each story.
Number three: goEnglish.me is an online English learning resource from Voice of America. It’s specifically for Chinese and Persian speakers, but it seems to me that all English Language Learners could find it useful. It’s quite interactive, and seems engaging.
Number two: Strivney is a free new site for beginning readers (it has a special section for English Language Learners) with 1,000 interactive exercises and games. You need to register for most beyond the sample exercises, but it’s super easy to do so. The site also has printables you can use to reinforce the online activities.
There is a tie for the number one spot:
Number one: I first read about Qwiki in Newsweek. Qwiki is described very accurately by TechCrunch:
Qwiki is somewhere in between a visual search engine and a highly interactive and entertaining Wikipedia. It assembles information on the fly for millions of topics, bringing together images and text in a truly magical way.
One thing that TechCrunch didn’t mention, and I learned when I snagged an invite, was that the text is not only very accessible, audio support for it is provided, too. Even though it’s not open to the public yet (but will be soon), I’m adding it to The Best Search Engines For ESL/EFL Learners and making it number one on this list. Students are going to love it.
Number one: I’ve posted about the Minnesota Basic Education Site before, but it’s been quite a quite awhile. I was recently pleased to see that they had completely redesigned it, and it looks great! It has a huge amount of resources accessible to ELL’s.
Feedback is welcome.
If you found this post useful, you might want to consider subscribing to this blog for free.
You might also want to explore the nearly 500 other “The Best…” lists I’ve compiled.
