Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Moodle Tutorial



Many teachers use moodle to communicate and do project with their classes. It takes a lot of time and work both by the teacher and the students but I think it is worth it.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Impressions of the TESOL start of the year Symposium


I really don't know where to start... I have been planning to go to Athens for this since Easter!
Going to Athens is always a pleasant experience. It was nice to see and meet friends and collegues as always, but it was also interesting to hear about new things about teaching.
This time's subject of the Symposium was "Literature and Drama in the Classroom"


First speaker, Jeanne Perrett, always in a good mood showing us examples of how to use drama techniques in the classroom. We acted, sang and danced. (we practised role-play, mime, movement, voice, ritual, using props, costumes, naration, singing, dancing and performed in the end). It is always fun to try everything before actually using it in the classroom!
After all "Drama takes us into another world"


Second speaker Dr. Vasilios Zorbas, explainining the Transactional Theory of Reading Literature (sorry if I don't write it correctly) - collaborative Conversations in the EFL Classroom.
The idea was to read literature in groups, taking notes directly on the text, exchanging texts and opinions. A really interactive idea...




Next Speaker Prof. Lianna Sakelliou with Creative writing, showed us the importance in Creativity and how to use and create different kinds of poems in the classroom. Some of the poems were really beautiful and I intend to do a project with my students as well!



The next speaker Michael Onushco talked to us about Fostering Creativity in Children gave us great ideas like word pictures, creating riddles, making books and much more.

Last was Lee Robson with "Theatre games and improvisation" - I am sure that it must have been really interesting but... I would have missed my flight if I stayed!!

Until next time...

Friday, September 24, 2010

SMS and chat language


Just read a really interesting blog about tha language we use when we write an SMS or while chatting.
Abbreviations exist in every language, especially when it comes to young people.
Sometimes I don't even understand what my students want to say, when they are texting me!
So I guess it is sothething that has to be taught!
It can also be a great idea for the lesson
Here is a lesson plan by Express Publishing
Students can also compare how they write messages in their own language.
You can also make your own excersises - games with this. Here are some links:

http://www.abbreviations.com/acronyms/CHAT

http://www.uscash.net/tips/chat.html

http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/Twitter-chat-and-text-messaging-abbreviations

http://www.smsdictionary.co.uk/abbreviations

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Tag der offenen Tür und Europäischer Sprachentag

Just re-posting something that came into my mailbox from Goethe Institut today
A really interesting initiative for teachers, students but parents as well...


Mittwoch, 29.09.2010, 09.30 - 13.30 Uhr
Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki, Vassilissis Olgas 66
+ 30 2310 889610
info@thessaloniki.goethe.org
Wie immer feiern wir Ende September den Europäischen Sprachentag und laden Lehrer mit Ihren Schülern ein, das Goethe-Institut in zwangloser Umgebung kennenzulernen
Vielfältige Aktivitäten sind für den Besuch vorbereitet.

Von 09.30 - 13.30 Uhr: Schulklassenführungen
Nur nach Anmeldung bis 23.09.2010 im Sekretariat Tel.: 2310-889591-2,
täglich von 09.00 - 14.00 Uhr und von 17.00 - 20.00 Uhr.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hμέρα ενημέρωσης και επικοινωνίας και Ευρωπαϊκή Ημέρα των Γλωσσών


Τετάρτη, 29.09.2010, ώρα 09.30 - 13.30
Goethe-Institut Θεσσαλονίκης, Βασιλίσσης Όλγας 66
+ 30 2310 889610
info@thessaloniki.goethe.org
Όπως κάθε χρόνο, έτσι και φέτος γιορτάζουμε τέλη Σεπτεμβρίου την Ευρωπαϊκή Ημέρα των Γλωσσών.
Προσκαλούμε καθηγητές και μαθητές να γνωρίσουν το Goethe-Institut σε χαλαρή ατμόσφαιρα.
Για την επίσκεψη των σχολικών τάξεων προβλέπεται σειρά δραστηριοτήτων.

Από 9.00 – 13.30: Ξενάγηση σχολικών τάξεων
Μόνο μετά από δήλωση συμμετοχής έως τις 23.09.2010 στη Γραμματεία, τηλ.: 2310-889591-2,
που λειτουργεί καθημερινά από τις 9.00 – 14.00 και από τις 17.00 – 20.00.

CRISIS...in education???


I have been thinking a lot these last days - I know that I've said that this blog will remain for new projects and lesson ideas, but this concerns my job although it doesn't have to do with lesson plans.
I don't want to complain about the situation all the time, but I can't keep it to myself anymore...
We're talking about financial crisis in Greece, salary cuts, new taxes, people getting fired, people trying to get by on less and less money...
This has happened in the education field as well...
Parents have stopped investing in learning a second foreign language. For me (as a German teacher) means unemployment.
As an English teacher... well ...
Private Language school owners prefer people with little or no experience just to pay less...
The strange thing is that tuition fees get higher and higher.
I am asking the parents... Do you really know who teaches your children? Do they know what they are doing? Have they studied teaching different ages? Have they practised it?
Of course there are young people with the talent and the will to find out more about teaching and do their best... But from what I see the majority just wants to get some pocket money not caring about YOUR kids...
It is not enough to be kind and friendly to the kids... You have to know what you are doing...
CHEAP is not always the BEST.

Private lessons? School owners claim that these kind of tutors are not always qualified... Sometimes this is true. But some owners hire 19 year olds without even a teaching licence to teach pre-juniors ( which I find one of the most difficult levels BTW)

From what you people can imagine I am out of work... I have 16 years of experience in teaching, trying to be up-to-date all the time. Going to conventions and buying methodology books with my own expenses. Communicating with collegues around the world to exchange ideas. Beacause I want to and not because I am obliged to.

I didn't want to teach at a public school mailny because I would have to move places and this is a high price to pay especially for my family

So I do "steal" students from language schools ! And I am happy to show my qualifications to anyone who wants to see them. - After all I have to make a living somehow...

I know that what I am saying may not be pleasant to hear... But it IS the truth!

Please be careful who you trust with your children!

A re-post in Greek at CELT ATHENS BLOG

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Oktoberfest - Unterrichtsideen






Ende September - die meisten von uns sind wieder in der Klasse oder fange bald an.
Und wir versuchen neue Ideen zu unseren Schülern zu bringen, vielleicht neue Projekte starten, die nicht unbedingt mit unseren Büchern zu tun haben, aber sind sehr wichtig so dass die Kinder ein Stuck vom Kultur Deutschlands erleben.
Aktuell diese Zeit ist natuerlich das Oktoberfest in
München.
Mann könnte das "Kozept" Oktoberfest in allen Niveaus benutzen.


Die Kleinen könnten mit Hilfe des Lehrers typische Fotos finden und ein Poster machen während die älteren suchen nach Informationen über die Geschichte des Oktoberfest, was man alles dort machen könnte, typisches Essen, Trinken, ein Plakat (oder Poster) mit den verschiedenen Biersorten Deutschlands und Kochrezepte mit traditionellem Essen.

Ich habe auch ein Paar Ideen in den Webseiten von Hueber und Klett gefunden und auch ein Paar links mit Infos
über das Fest das Essen und Bier.

PS. Und nicht vergessen - für uns in Thessaloniki gibt es unser Oktoberfesttag in der Deutschen Schule am 25. September

Featured Post

Teaching online through Lockdown

Some months ago, when I wrote a blog on online Teaching for iTDi , I could never imagine that the teaching world would turn digital overn...