Using Instagram in class

I noticed not many of you use Instagram in class, though it is one of the most popular social media for teens nowadays. It might be hard to see, but there are many different ways you can use Instagram in the EFL classroom!

The Use of Social Media in School

How have you been using social media in the classroom? How does it help as a teacher? How does it help your students learn better? How does it help you interact/ communicate with students?

The infographic below provides great insights on the of social media as an educational tool. We have shared many ideas during In-Service sessions, but I´d like to hear more from you! Do you have a great activity to share? Do you want to see your post here on the blog? So, please get in touch!!! The more we share, the more we learn. And there's no one better than you teachers to share ideas that have been tried out in class! =)


Source: The Use of Social Media in School

Storytelling in EFL classes: Why and how?

Stories have always played a significant role in a child’s life. They help in stimulating imagination and understanding of the world, as well as in developing children's language ability.

Evaluating EdTech Resources

When looking for something new to try out in class, we always come across a thousand apps, websites and possibilities. How can we choose the best one for our students? How to find the right one for that specific class? How can you know if that's a good resource or not? Well, there's no magic, but I'll share here some tips.

Whatsapp?

I guess everybody knows whatsapp and how it works, so I won't waste time here explaining the basics. I'll go straight to ideas on how to use it in class! The main point here is to make activities more interactive and to bring them closer to students’ realities.

Google Forms

Google offers a number of free tools that can help teachers improve interaction, learning and engagement in the classroom. One of my favorite tools is Google Forms. If you’re not familiar with it, think of it as a way to create quick surveys. Now we can think of how to use it in class.

All the data collected is automatically compiled into a Google Spreadsheet, making forms a great way to quickly collect and also share information.

I´ll share some ideas with you now.

1. Google Forms is a great medium to create exit ticket/ wrap-up activities (a means to measure what a student has learned at the end of a lesson). You can ask key and reflective questions about the topics you covered that day.  
2. Needs analysis
3. End-of-topic tests – you can even allow students to use Google Forms to create their own questionnaires about a unit of work. Students can then complete other students' quizzes to make it more fun! Since Google Forms is available online, students can create & answer the quizzes during lesson time or as a homework activity.
4. Debate controversial topics - This is a nice activity to practice oral productive skills and build lexis.Choose a number of controversial topics related questions, the more controversial the better. Learners vote, complete form. Then learners can analyse graphs (quantities and numbers e.g. "just over half of us think", the majority ...", less than a third ..." "X seems more popular/better/more acceptable .. than Y". You can also assign roles - Ss speak for, against and moderate debates in small groups. Maybe then you can re-take vote and analyse changes.
5. Survey & Check-In with Students - Google Forms can be a great way for you to check in with your classes and get individual responses. “How is the pace of the course?” “What has been your favorite lesson/ activity and why?” It also provides a safe place for them to leave meaningful feedback such as what elements of the course are challenging, how they interact with their peers, and best ways to engage them in learning. Responses can be anonymous and forms can be completed at home, so students don’t feel embarrassed to speak their minds.

If you have never used Google Forms, but would like to, this video tutorial will help you build and share your own forms!

ClassDojo

Today we'll talk about an app/ website that will help you with behavior management. ClassDojo helps you keep behavior observations organized. Parent reports can be printed and sent home, so parents can take part in the students progress in class.