Google Tools 101

Why Google? Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration! Oh, did I mention collaboration? Google tools allow students and teachers to collaborate very easily, through a presentation, doc, form, and many other ways.

Here you will find some ideas:

Which other Google Tools do you use in class? Do you use the tools mentioned in different ways? Share your ideas on the comments! =)

*Note: In case you want to use any of the samples used in the presentation, just make a copy to your own Google Drive (File>Make a copy)

Gamification

Gamification refers to the use of game mechanisms in order to solve practical problems or engage a certain audience. It has been used in small and big companies in order to support the achievement of their goals. It is possible to transform different tasks into games, which will trigger motivation, cooperation, engagement and personal satisfaction.

And, of course, gamification has a huge potencial in education. But I'm not only talking about the use of games in class. I'm talking about transfoming different tasks and activities into games, and also having students create games to enhance their learning.

Do you have a great experience with gamification in class you'd like to share? Comment here! =)

I want to share with you an app that you can use to create games. It's called Tiny Tap. Have you ever tried it? You can also find many games created by other teachers to play with your students. What if we created and shared different games? We could build our own library of games! Who's in?

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.