Kahoot!

Have you ever heard of Kahoot? It is just an amazing tool to create fun and engaging games to assess learning at any time in class!

Process Writing with Google Docs

Google Docs has tools that allow students and teacher to work collaborativelly on one file. Process writing is made really easy.
By clicking the blue “share” button in the top right corner, you are able to invite  people to “edit,” “comment,” or “view" your document. There are two ways to share, first by sharing with a gmail account and second with a link.When you share with a link, there's no need to have a gmail account.




So, let's say you want your students to do the Writing Program using google docs. You can ask your students to write their piece on a google doc and share it with you. And you don't have to make changes on the document. To provide feedback, you can use “comments”. To add a comment, highlight the word or section you would like students to change and press the “comment” button. This will open a comment window where you write symbols or feedback.



Students can then make the necessary changes or ask for clarification, with no need to send the document back to you!

Anyone willing to try? I´m looking for teachers who want to try Google with their students! Get in touch! ;)

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.

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. 

Google Search Tips and Tricks

Google Search can help you be efficient with your time in and outside the classroom, allowing you to focus on what’s important – the students’ learning. There are some tips and tricks to help you make your searches even more efficient. They can help you save time and get relevant results according to your needs.

Technology will revolutionize education - or not!

It might seem weird for me to say here on this blog that technology will not revolutionize education, but I'll explain it. 

21 things a 21st century teacher should do

I bet you've heard the term "21st century skills" about a hundred times by now... But how much into it are you? The term relates to the collaborative, creative, and communication skills that teachers should be implementing in class so as to have more engaged learning in class. Many people relate it only to the use of technology in class, but there's much more to it.

Google Basics for Teaching

What do you know about Google? And about its tools for teaching/ learning?

If you are willing to find out more about it, this post is for you! Google has juts launched a pilot program for teachers in  Brazil, India, Philippines and Russia.This is a great opportunity to learn more about Google tools and how to use them in class.

Chatterpix - give photos a voice

This free app will let you give voice to any drawing or photo. Simply take any photo, draw a line to make a mouth, and record your voice. Then share your Pix via email, Facebook, and YouTube. If you’d like to restrict these options, download “ChatterPix Kids” – designed for kids with no sharing features.

10YOUTUBE: video and mp3 downloader

The tip today is not only for your classes! There's a very easy way to download mp3 songs from youtube videos. How? I´ll show you!

Socrative

Socrative is available as a website or app. It allows you to create multiple kinds of activities for students. Students can access the activities on their tablets, smartphones or via website. For any activity prepared, you get instant results and class or student level reports. 

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Quizlet

Create flashcards or use the ones created and shared by others. This app (or website) allows you to create different games and activities using word flashcards (definitions on one side and the word on the other) for students to practice new vocab.