Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Sunday, 25 November 2012
E-learning Goals Reflection
BLOGS
1. This year, students didn't manage their blogs well. Many didn't take responsibility for remembering their passwords, and Blogger was not always reliable - sometimes just wouldn't work - this problem dimming the enthusiasm for students who were having login issues.
2. It may be a problem that blogging isn't new anymore, so students weren't that excited by it.
3. Nevertheless, Fishy and Gaby persisted. The Year 9 classes used blogs for uploading their Noumea journal. Unfortunately, there were organic problems with the Noumea unit this year - we tampered with it, hoping to improve outcomes by placing the Adjectives unit first, thereby allowing students to better describe their hypothetical experience, as well as writing their profile. Sadly, with the short first term, as well as the many interruptions to the classroom time due to extra-curricular activities, there was a lack of continuity that really impacted on student learning and enthusiasm. So the blogs were half-heartedly done.
4. Year 10 classes blogged their Hypochondriac journal and their Region Research task - these were more or less satisfactory, because students were able to redraft, and revisit earlier journal entries in order to extend ideas and grammar. What doesn't work anymore is the online FEEDBACK comment system. Previously, the teacher could look back on comments and see how students had addressed issues and improved drafts.
5. In light of the above problems, Fishy and Gaby are looking into the use of Edmodo - an educational online social networking platform - which may solve the feedback problem. Also, Edmodo should never be blocked by DEECD, as Blogger was at the beginning of the year. Because it's more like Facebook, students may relate to it better. Lastly, there's provision for posting and loading homework assignments and education-related activities.
CHATROOMS
1. We used these with Year 9 to check learning - eg weather terms. They were also able to prepare and practice with their partners for their speaking assessments.
2. In Year 10, similarly, students were placed into chatrooms to converse about organising social occasions and to discuss health issues. We used chats as a formative assessment to monitor their progress in the Unit.
3. Students are required to respond quickly in remembering and using essential vocabulary and expressions.
1. This year, students didn't manage their blogs well. Many didn't take responsibility for remembering their passwords, and Blogger was not always reliable - sometimes just wouldn't work - this problem dimming the enthusiasm for students who were having login issues.
2. It may be a problem that blogging isn't new anymore, so students weren't that excited by it.
3. Nevertheless, Fishy and Gaby persisted. The Year 9 classes used blogs for uploading their Noumea journal. Unfortunately, there were organic problems with the Noumea unit this year - we tampered with it, hoping to improve outcomes by placing the Adjectives unit first, thereby allowing students to better describe their hypothetical experience, as well as writing their profile. Sadly, with the short first term, as well as the many interruptions to the classroom time due to extra-curricular activities, there was a lack of continuity that really impacted on student learning and enthusiasm. So the blogs were half-heartedly done.
4. Year 10 classes blogged their Hypochondriac journal and their Region Research task - these were more or less satisfactory, because students were able to redraft, and revisit earlier journal entries in order to extend ideas and grammar. What doesn't work anymore is the online FEEDBACK comment system. Previously, the teacher could look back on comments and see how students had addressed issues and improved drafts.
5. In light of the above problems, Fishy and Gaby are looking into the use of Edmodo - an educational online social networking platform - which may solve the feedback problem. Also, Edmodo should never be blocked by DEECD, as Blogger was at the beginning of the year. Because it's more like Facebook, students may relate to it better. Lastly, there's provision for posting and loading homework assignments and education-related activities.
CHATROOMS
1. We used these with Year 9 to check learning - eg weather terms. They were also able to prepare and practice with their partners for their speaking assessments.
2. In Year 10, similarly, students were placed into chatrooms to converse about organising social occasions and to discuss health issues. We used chats as a formative assessment to monitor their progress in the Unit.
3. Students are required to respond quickly in remembering and using essential vocabulary and expressions.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Last Speaking Assessment
Students were required to work in pairs to prepare a speaking task in which each introduced their partner to the class. Criteria included content: likes, dislikes, general qualities of the other; and grammar: connectors, adjectives, avoir expressions, and anything from the year's learning. They were given 25 minutes to prepare and then taken into the auditorium, where we all sat in a teardrop formation, so cues on the board could be seen by everyone. Students were not permitted to use notes or any other supporting material - thus showcasing their memorised learning for the year.
The Auditorium was a fabulous space, setting the mood for a performance; it was spacious, relaxing, and students had fun. They were all attentive to each other's performance, and it was great that even the weaker students could understand the presentations - all had arrived at a good level. Everyone had a sense of how far they'd come over the year in being able to speak reasonably fluently with good accuracy on familiar topics without support. There was a real sense of everyone being supportive of each other and being appreciative of each other's efforts. It was a great concluding task, really a celebration of the year.
The Auditorium was a fabulous space, setting the mood for a performance; it was spacious, relaxing, and students had fun. They were all attentive to each other's performance, and it was great that even the weaker students could understand the presentations - all had arrived at a good level. Everyone had a sense of how far they'd come over the year in being able to speak reasonably fluently with good accuracy on familiar topics without support. There was a real sense of everyone being supportive of each other and being appreciative of each other's efforts. It was a great concluding task, really a celebration of the year.
Writing
We decided that the students should spend 5 consecutive periods on building writing skills - they were required to produce 3 texts, 1 draft and 1 final copy of each. Previously we have allowed students to write on computers, but we have become concerned that they are too reliant on Internet resources rather than the learning acquired throughout the year and the judicious use of dictionaries.
The majority of the 5 periods were spent in L7, with access to L6 for typing and printing only. The desks were all very close together, but this proved conducive to them working hard rather than talking. In addition, and most importantly, this allowed Gaby and Fishy to work with all students as required, giving us an overview of the larger class and how all students were faring, providing a kind of unofficial moderation opportunity. Once again, students had the benefit of working with two teachers. A student (native speaker) also joined us and was very useful in giving extra advice to students.
Having done this, Gaby and Fishy wish they had required students to work in this way throughout the year. It was successful from both teacher and student perspectives; students were able to access immediate advice on structure and progress, and we seemed to see more students individually in the time allotted than when we worked with single classes. Why this is, we don't know.
The majority of the 5 periods were spent in L7, with access to L6 for typing and printing only. The desks were all very close together, but this proved conducive to them working hard rather than talking. In addition, and most importantly, this allowed Gaby and Fishy to work with all students as required, giving us an overview of the larger class and how all students were faring, providing a kind of unofficial moderation opportunity. Once again, students had the benefit of working with two teachers. A student (native speaker) also joined us and was very useful in giving extra advice to students.
Having done this, Gaby and Fishy wish they had required students to work in this way throughout the year. It was successful from both teacher and student perspectives; students were able to access immediate advice on structure and progress, and we seemed to see more students individually in the time allotted than when we worked with single classes. Why this is, we don't know.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
The restaurant idea
Un succès fou!
What worked and why?
- Most students were very well prepared for the blind date conversations; several couples spoke fluently for the entire time they were dining.
- For those who weren't as well prepared/as strong, they were forced into making conversation and had the experience of participating to their level in a French speaking environment.
- Students did not speak English! Gaby and Fishy were blown away by this - we actually did not expect this level of collaboration in the task. For most of the year this group has not distinguished itself by hard work or strong motivation, so their achievement was outstanding. As well, the best and hardest-working students genuinely excelled.
- Logistically, it all worked, which can be attributed for the main part to the facilities to which we had access - kitchen, benches, water etc. Gaby & Fishy also spent some time in planning and preparation, individually and together.
What didn't work and why?
- We weren't able to assess the students as formally as we wanted to, due to being involved in food preparation and service.
- We need to charge the students an extra $2 to cover costs.
Student Feedback
- Immediate feedback was extremely positive:
* Good preparation for the students travelling on the France Study Tour or for anyone travelling in future. Students felt competent ordering food in restaurants, and general conversation.
* Studentss felt like they were in an authentic French setting (because they were obliged to speak French - but this was self-motivated since we couldn't actually have forced them.)
* Students were able to evaluate their learning in terms of how they could improve eg 'we needed to develop the waiter's conversation more.' They asked if the exercise could be repeated so they could be more prepared next time.
* The food was well reviewed and appreciated by students.
Gaby & Fishy Feedback
- Well worth the effort because of the high level level of student participation and enjoyment.
- We believe we witnessed the evidence of genuine learning.
- It was a culmination of 3 terms' work, but also what they have learned over nearly four years - bringing it all together in an authentic scenario was what made it so satisfying for us and the students.
What worked and why?
- Most students were very well prepared for the blind date conversations; several couples spoke fluently for the entire time they were dining.
- For those who weren't as well prepared/as strong, they were forced into making conversation and had the experience of participating to their level in a French speaking environment.
- Students did not speak English! Gaby and Fishy were blown away by this - we actually did not expect this level of collaboration in the task. For most of the year this group has not distinguished itself by hard work or strong motivation, so their achievement was outstanding. As well, the best and hardest-working students genuinely excelled.
- Logistically, it all worked, which can be attributed for the main part to the facilities to which we had access - kitchen, benches, water etc. Gaby & Fishy also spent some time in planning and preparation, individually and together.
What didn't work and why?
- We weren't able to assess the students as formally as we wanted to, due to being involved in food preparation and service.
- We need to charge the students an extra $2 to cover costs.
Student Feedback
- Immediate feedback was extremely positive:
* Good preparation for the students travelling on the France Study Tour or for anyone travelling in future. Students felt competent ordering food in restaurants, and general conversation.
* Studentss felt like they were in an authentic French setting (because they were obliged to speak French - but this was self-motivated since we couldn't actually have forced them.)
* Students were able to evaluate their learning in terms of how they could improve eg 'we needed to develop the waiter's conversation more.' They asked if the exercise could be repeated so they could be more prepared next time.
* The food was well reviewed and appreciated by students.
Gaby & Fishy Feedback
- Well worth the effort because of the high level level of student participation and enjoyment.
- We believe we witnessed the evidence of genuine learning.
- It was a culmination of 3 terms' work, but also what they have learned over nearly four years - bringing it all together in an authentic scenario was what made it so satisfying for us and the students.
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Good Idea
How to engage the two classes in a meaningful 'authentic' speaking task about the unit's work?
Gaby and Fishy are setting up a restaurant in L6 next Tuesday during the double. We will pair students randomly in a blind date scenario, so that students may 'present' themselves and have conversations about simple matters such as what they like to do in their spare time, hobbies, films they have seen etc. during the dining experience. Meanwhile, there will be 2 waiters for each table of 2; one waiter will talk about the menu and take the order, the other will bring the food and present it. After one period the teams of diners and waiters will swap experiences. Gaby and Fishy will roam with clipboards, assessing students. Marks will be deducted for talk in English.
This is a mammoth task and requires students to take responsibility for their learning in order to maximise their enjoyment of the task.
Gaby and Fishy are setting up a restaurant in L6 next Tuesday during the double. We will pair students randomly in a blind date scenario, so that students may 'present' themselves and have conversations about simple matters such as what they like to do in their spare time, hobbies, films they have seen etc. during the dining experience. Meanwhile, there will be 2 waiters for each table of 2; one waiter will talk about the menu and take the order, the other will bring the food and present it. After one period the teams of diners and waiters will swap experiences. Gaby and Fishy will roam with clipboards, assessing students. Marks will be deducted for talk in English.
This is a mammoth task and requires students to take responsibility for their learning in order to maximise their enjoyment of the task.
Speaking assessments
This type of task continues to be our most successful in terms of team teaching. Once again, there is the potential for instant feedback, for students in both classes to see and hear what the others are doing, and to measure themselves against the whole cohort. It also enables Gaby and Fishy to moderate on the spot.
Last week we sat the class in an elliptical shape across the two classrooms N10 and N12, we sat next to each other in the ellipse, and the students performed their speaking activities in the middle. Highly successful. It was also very clear to all which students had not prepared and had not learnt.
Previously we have used a speed-dating scenario, ie a long row of desks, students seated on either side to converse with each other, then moving on. Gaby and Fishy participated in this activity, assessing at the same time. We assessed half the class each and then randomly assessed 10 students in common for moderation purposes.
Last week we sat the class in an elliptical shape across the two classrooms N10 and N12, we sat next to each other in the ellipse, and the students performed their speaking activities in the middle. Highly successful. It was also very clear to all which students had not prepared and had not learnt.
Previously we have used a speed-dating scenario, ie a long row of desks, students seated on either side to converse with each other, then moving on. Gaby and Fishy participated in this activity, assessing at the same time. We assessed half the class each and then randomly assessed 10 students in common for moderation purposes.
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