Promoting fair assessment for special needs' students

Assessment is a tricky task of teaching but when it comes to students with special educational needs, there is a vast number of aspects that have to be considered. Depending on the disability, a student may have trouble with:

- Holding a pencil

- Hearing a question clearly

- Focusing on a picture

- Recording an answer in time even when he or she knows the answer

- Concentrating on a task in the presence of other people

- Answering a question at the pace needed by the rest of the class

Traditionally, teachers have assumed that all students either have these skills or can learn them with just modest amounts of coaching, encouragement and will power. But that is not really the case for SEN's students.

So, considering the facts above how can teachers find a better assessment?

There are a number of strategies for modifying assessments in ways that attempt to be fair and that at the same time recognise how busy teachers usually are.

These strategies include:

1) Supplementing conventional assignments with portfolios. A portfolio is a collection of a student’s work that demonstrates a student’s development over time. It usually includes some sort of reflective or evaluative comments from the student, the teacher, or both (Carothers & Taylor, 2003; Wesson & King, 1996).

2) Devising a system for observing the student regularly and informally recording notes about the observations.

3) Recruiting help from teacher assistants who are sometimes present to help a student with a disability.

If you have a student with a learning disabilities, talk to your peers and principal to find the best way for assessment. Also, don't hesitate to contact to discuss and share ideas

The Power of Student Engagement in ELT .

Have you ever considered the power of student engagement in your classroom?
If you have, you are on the right track. But have you thought of the impact of greeting your students with a warm 'Hello' as they enter your classroom?
If you haven't.... check out this information:

* accademic engagement increases by 20 points when students are greeted at the door by their teachers.
* disruptive behavior decreases by 9% with greatings.
* on the course of a day, greetings can add 1 hour of learning to students.

Amazing, isn't it?
I wish you all a bunch of warm greetings and lots of engagement.

Reference:
www.edutopia.org
https://twitter.com/edutopia/status/1155494620500918274?s=20

Using whatsapp as a tool for diverse grouping arrangements

Hi fellow colleagues,

You know how hard it is to separate those students who insist on always sitting together. So to give your lesson a more dynamic pace and student-centered interaction as advocated in CLT approach, I will share with you a paper-free and very simple way to group students in different settings.
Preparation before class: make whatsapp groups with your students.
In class give each student a number according to the number of students you have in class.
And now, use your imagination to create the grouping settings and share with your students.
I share below two ideas. One with numbers snd the other using Avengers characters.
I am sure your students will be very engaged and your lesson will be very dynamic .

The X-ray of successful English learners

Hi fellow teachers,

Have you ever considered how the study habits of your students can affect their level of ability and performance?
So on this post, I will share with you relevant research information about it. Researchers have categorized students into 4 different groups:
1) the weekenders: if you belong to this group, you only study on the weekends. So, keep your eyes wide open because this habit may make you lose motivation as you feel you can't learn at the speed you want to. You are probably binge studying and this does no good to your motivation and performance.
2) The 9 to fiver: if you show this study habit, you usually study at work, at those short moments you get some free moments. No good! Studying requires a specific moment of concentration and attention and your work environment is not the best place.
3) Daily students: if you take some minutes every day to study you are on the right path to succeed. You will see more positive results in your performance and that will make you feel more motivated towards learning. Beware that a 15-minute study routime is good enough! Remember, don't binge studying.
4) Daily student at bed time: according to research, students who take 15 minutes studying English at bedtime are the ones who show better performance results. Studying at bedtime is a brain-friendly habit so why not giving it a try?
Check below a graph which contrats your studying habits and your abily.

Where is the WEB driving education?

The question of this post has been o my mind for some years. Fortunately now, some answers have emerged because I have been taking a course on Web Science at the University of Southampton which aims at shedding some light to attendants where the web came from, where it is now and where it may go.

Needless to say that the World Wide Web has changed the ways we communicate, collaborate, and educate. We increasingly live in a Web-dependent society in a Web-dependent world. The Web is also the largest human information construct and it is growing faster than any other system we know about.

As educators, we need to understand the current, evolving, and potential Web so that we can get the most of it in our classes. If we just standstill, things change at the speed of light and our teaching practice may become out of date. It is our role have an awareness of current and emerging research questions for Web Science.

In brief words Web Science is the study of the social behaviours in the Web at the inter-person, inter-organizational and societal level, the technologies that enable and support this behaviour, and the interactions between these technologies and behaviours.

Take some some time and have a look at this dense but cutting edge topic. Feel free to share any comments with me or make any questions if you will.

To start I invite to watch the TED talk :

Tim Berners-Lee: The next web | TED Talk | TED.com

https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_berners_lee_on_the_next_web

Useful Apps for Education

A mobile app is a computer program designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.
Apps are usually available through application distribution platform, which began appearing in 2008 and are typically operated by the owner of the mobile operating system, such as the Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, and BlackBerry App World. The term "app" is a shortening of the term "application software". It has become very popular, and in 2010 was listed as "Word of the Year" by the American Dialect Society
I have been using a number of apps in my classes but I will list below some that are really resourceful for classroom management and general study.

1) Coin Flip full free : Wanna flip a coin for a hard decision? This app let you select your favorite coins and sport backgrounds to try your luck. Beautiful coins from 28 nations and different beautiful backgrounds to choose. Students love it!
2) Random Student Picker: This app is designed for teacher who want to quickly and easily pick students at random to answer questions, complete tasks or join groups. Classes can be added by entering names or copying and pasting. 
3) I love English (English videos): English Conversation Listen" is a helpful app to practice english conversation for everyone. With more than 1 english channels categorized in 6 levels, you can strengthen your english speaking and listening skills perfectly.
4) Too Noisy Lite online:  As the noise level in a classroom increases beyond an acceptable level the noise level meter dynamically indicates the level of noise, and the background graphics within the app change to reflect the noise levels.

What about you? What apps have you been using in class? Share with us!

Giving Positive Feedback- Teaching Positively

A teacher's attitude, behavior, language and teaching style can do a lot to make or break a good student. Best teachers encourage learning, effort, motivation and curiosity   .There is a famous sentence that says " we teach what we are" so we have to nurture a positive atitude towards our students results since the very first classes.  Praising is the best way to get this.The best teachers know that one of the essential elements in encouraging a student to do better is praise. Students, just like all other human beings regardless of age, like to be praised. Publicly praising a student also has the added benefit of encouraging other students to strive. However, if you think that it might have the opposite effect of alienating some students, you can try private praise by calling a student after class and praising him/her for a job well done.  Thinking of that, I share with you below some sentences that you should incorporate to your classroom language so that you can make sure you are praising your students and avoind so many repetitive Very Good! For every achievement, effort, good attitude, your students deserve one praise.Try these ones!

Some Ways To Say "Very Good!"

1. I’m happy to see you working like that.
2. You’ve just about mastered that.
3. I’m proud of the way you worked today.
4. That’s the best you’ve ever done.
5. You’re doing that much better.
6. Couldn’t have done it better myself.
7. Now that’s what I call a fine job
8. You must have been practicing.
9. You’re doing beautifully.
10. Superb!
11. Keep it up!
12. You’ve got it down pat.
13. You certainly did well today.
14. Tremendous!
15. You’re doing fine.
16. Good thinking!
17. You are really learning a lot.
18. Keep on trying.
19. You outdid yourself today.
20. I’ve never seen anyone do it better!
21. Good going!
22. I’m very proud of you.
23. Good job, (individual’s name).
24. You figured that out fast.
25. That’s really nice.
26. It’s a pleasure to teach you when you work like that.
27. Clever!
28. That’s great!
29. Way to go!
30. Now you have the hang of it.
31. Congratulations!
32. You’ve got your brain in gear today!
33. Wonderful!
34. Super!
35. You’re on the right track now.
36. You are very good at that.
37. That’s coming along very nicely!
38. You’re doing a good job.
39. That’s quite an improvement.
40. You are learning fast
41. You make it look easy!
42. You really make my job fun!
43. You’re getting better every day.
44. That’s the way!
45. Nice going
46. Sensational!
47. You haven’t missed a thing!
48. That’s the way to do it!
49. Keep up the good work
50. Nothing can stop you now.
51. That’s better than ever.
52. Outstanding!
53. You did very well!
54. You’re really improving.
55. Right on!
56. You’re on target now.
57. I’m impressed with your progress!
58.  Incredible job!
59.  Awesome job!

- See more at: http://www.incredibleart.org/files/praise.htm#sthash.MAc0O25o.dpuf

NO homework, NO materials, NO pencils...What should I do?

Well, this list of no’s may show your students are demotivated or they are simply taking no responsability for their own learning. Then, your next question may be: how can teachers help them embrace a more pro-active attitude towards learning a foreign language? The first step is to show them that their attitude will shape their results. Teachers need to help them build a sense of autonomy, which is, according to Brown (2007) one of the cognitive principles. Oe good way to achieve this sense of autonomy and responsability is making our students aware of the fact that homework helps students develop mental skills, concentration, organization, problem-solving strategies and independence. And why not share with them some data from scientifical research, so here it goes: “in looking at results across several studies, the average homework-completer had HIGHER unit tests scores than 73% of non-completers” (Cooper, 2006)

"The Hat" Awesome tool to group students!

Students learn best when they are actively engaged in the processing of information.  One way to involve students in active learning is to have them learn from each other in small groups or teams. Research shows that students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught, retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats, and appear more satisfied with their classes (Davis 1993, Barkley, 2005). But then in practice, teachers are faced with difficulties in deciding who should work with whom and there is also the issue that sometimes students tend to like to work with just some of their classmates. This common dilemma has sparked a search for a solution which could be quick, random and if possible computer-based!! It sounds like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE but I managed to find a great tool for choosing students randomly! It’s called THE HAT and  you just have to download and install this free program on your computer. It is only available for PCs. For more info go to: http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/smartboard.php

What is at stake in the "teaching business"?

Day after day, teachers all over the world are faced with classroom situations that demand a great deal of self control and a high ratio in emotional intelligence (not to say "gut"!). This ‘business’ of the typical classroom setting can easily lead to feelings of cognitive overload. Students expectations towards learning have changed and sometimes teachers just cannot see what to do  to make their lesson plan meet this end. Taking a logical approach to course design and lesson plan, as well as interacting with our students is useful but it does not fully make us the teachers we are. It’s well known that students who feel valued and rewarded are more likely to approach their learning tasks with a sense of intrinsic motivation, whereas those who perceive less regard for their autonomy and competence are more likely to exhibit extrinsic motivation or to disengage from the learning process entirely.   True that, by and large, changes in lesson plan may be the key to success but there are a number of situations that will demand a little more from teachers...so I invite you to think whether you are able to teach with your gut and share some hints!

1) share your frustrations and expectations with more experienced teachers. Sometimes a person who sees a situation with the benefit of no emotional involvement may give you nice suggestions. Furthermore, a large factor determining how an individual teacher fares in this “psychoclutter” is amount of experience (Feldon, 2007).

 
2) ask a peer to watch your class. When we are teaching, juggling a myriad of things, we may not see something that is right between the eyes. On the other hand, an observer will manage to see many details and give precious hints.
3) talk to your coordinator or school counselor. Sometimes the situation you are facing with may require support from the parents.
4) research, read and study about the issue. Sometimes it is important to see that we are not alone and other people have been faced with similar situations worldwide.

For more information on the topic follow the link below:

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2011/march-11/teaching-with-your-gut.html

Silent moments in ELT lessons can be golden!

One of the most usual issues in ELT is the amount of teacher talking time (TTT) vs. student talking time (STT). There are a number of strategies to be used in order to enhance students’ production but my point today is to explore why teachers fear so much silent moment in class. My assumption is that in many lessons situations, a high TTT ratio results from teachers’ anxiety and even fear of some seconds or minutes of sheer silent in class. Given that, as teachers we have to take into account that sometimes silence is the best approach. Have you ever seen a TV interview where the interviewer asks a question, lets the interviewee answer, and then says nothing? What happens? There's a pause, maybe even a pregnant pause - and then the interviewee just keeps on talking, very often revealing something s/he never intended to reveal. The thing is:  People just can't stand silence! But in a learning situation, silence can have another truly beneficial effect. They need silence sometimes, to catch up, to reflect, to rest, to process. Those ten seconds of silence, or thirty seconds or two minutes, may be far more valuable to them than yet more TTT! For this reason, I list below 6 tips, written by Thomas Topham for TEFL.net to give the right value for these silent moments:

1. Don’t Echo

Here is a common classroom script:

T: So, what are your ideas, where shall we go?
S1: Bolivia.
T: Bolivia, yes, great, we can go to Bolivia. Where else?
S2: The Marshall Islands.
T: Ooh, the Marshall Islands, yes, we’ll put the Marshall Islands on the list, ok…

Even though the lesson is to some extent interactive, the students have no reason to listen to one another – the teacher is repeating everything that needs to be heard. “But they might not hear each other!” Tell them to speak up. Or better yet, if a student can’t hear, she can ask the other student to speak up.

2. Wait

It takes time for learners to hear and process what you have said, and adding more teacher talk doesn’t help. Shutting up and waiting does.

“So where should we go? (1.5 second pause) Let’s make a list, we’ll write down our ideas here, what do you say guys? (1.5 second pause) How about Tierra del Fuego, is that a good place, should I write that? Yeah, OK…”

The only way for student voices to enter the classroom is by the teacher allowing the space. After you ask a question, wait. Wait a long time, if need be.

3. Don’t Answer Right Away

Chances are one of the students knows the answer, if the teacher

strives to shut up! Compare:

S1: Why is that?
T: Ah, yes, you see here we have the auxiliary, so blah blah blah…

S1: Why is that?T: Mmmm. (pauses, looks around the room, waits…)S2:

I think because, is question…

T: (pointedly shuts up, open body language, waiting…)

S3: Yes, “Do” because it is question, same like in yesterday lesson…

Here not only do we have students speaking and the teacher shutting up, but as an added bonus the students are doing the thinking, and are showing evidence of their learning! Big Win!

4. Groupwork Is Better, Always

Because when the students are working together in groups it is impossible for you to speak. Well, not impossible – resist the urge to interrupt the groupwork for “just a second” to “just explain this one more thing”…

5. Ask Open-Ended Questions

They require more from the students, and therefore require less talk

from you. Compare:

T: Is it a boy, or a girl?
Ss: Girl.
T: Yes, a girl. And what do you think, is she happy?
Ss: Yes.
T: Ooh, yes, she is. Maybe she got a good mark on her test, do you think so?
Ss: Yes.

T: Look. What’s this? (shut up. wait)
S1: A girl.
T: (continuing to shut up)
S2: She is schoolgirl.
S3: She is going to school, she has book bag.
S4: No, she is going home, she is happy. (laughter)

6. Make Use Of Your Written Materials

If the instructions are already there in the coursebook, why are you spending valuable class time blathering on about how to do a gap fill?

Tips and Techniques to get instructions across in your classroom

Teachers use activities in the classroom which can be fairly complex in terms of the way they’re organised, and sometimes, even experienced teachers will claim they got a class totally confused by the way they’ve given instructions. Here are some reflection upon how to give instructions successfully:

1)    How can you make sure that your instructions are as clear and comprehensible as possible? Plan how you’re going to give the instructions before you go into the classroom, and make sure that you can explain them within the limits of the language which the students can understand. Think too about the speed of your speech - slow down slightly if necessary. Don’t start the explanation until you have the students full attention and make sure they have stopped whatever they are doing, are turned towards you and are listening.

2)    How can you make it in a more student-centered manner? There are some techniques that come very handy specially for more complex activities. The idea is simple: the teacher gives the instructions and after the teacher presents on the board the same instructions but without key words students are supposed to complete. Another idea is to put under some of the students’ desks key sentences about the activity and as soon you have finished, you ask them to put the sentences in order according to the instruction you have given. And the last but not the least! My favorite one: take a whistle or any other noisy object to class and every time you make that noise, students will have to repeat the last sentence you said. Of course you are going to choose key sentences and you will see that giving instructions can be a really lively and fun moment in you lesson with lots of students participation.

3)    How can you reduce your teacher talking time (TTT)? The answer to this question overlaps the other. By using some of those techniques you will certainly reduce your TTT. However, it goes without saying you should always check that students have understood your instructions before starting the activity. The question Do you understand? is as good as useless. Students may be too shy to admit that they don’t understand, or may think they understand when they actually don’t . Also you may take the risk to keep on repeating over and over the instructions. Some suggestions: ask them check questions, ask them to repeat back the instruction and role-playing.

Super Challenge Box to handle early-finishers in the classroom

The notion of early finishers suggests that more capable children are whizzing through the work and then left waiting for something to do. I suggest below a technique which attempts to manage early-finishers bearing in mind that a good fast-finisher activity should be:

• useful- that it should imply some kind of extension activity which allows stronger pupils to learn more.
• relevant- that it is connected with the topic being studied or as a revision of something already studied.
• appropriate- that it suits the linguistic, as well as cognitive level of the learners.
• simple- that it does not require complex instructions.
• autonomous- that it can be done without taking up too much teacher-time.
• easy-to-end- that it can be finished quickly and is easy to check.
• discreet- that it does not disturb the rest of the group.
• flexible- that the activity will work for individuals or for pairs.
• fun- that it will not be seen as an onerous "punishment".

Procedure: The early-finisher student gets a card from the Super challenge box and the student works at his own level and pace. The kids love to see if they can 'beat' the challenge by finishing the activity! In my Supper Challenge Box I include activities like:

1) word-search games
2) crosswords
3) vocabulary inspector (students get a dictinary and chooses 5 cool words to teach the group)

4) make a vocabulary chain list ie country (England- Denmark- Korea...)

5) write a to z list of something ie fruit

6) read a fable and make a drawing to ilustrate it.

References:

 sparklebox.co.uk

There is a great set of activities ready to be used at : https://www.blake.com.au/v/vspfiles/downloadables/F13_20TaskCards.pdf

English Metre – A nice technique to combat L1 use in the classroom.

The avoidance of L1 use has always been a controversial issue in ELT. Research has shown that there are positives and negatives but my scope today is the L1 use in groups that are able to have an English-only environment. For students, an entire class in English offers additional opportunities to hear the language. The English used for explanations and instructions represent "real" English because students actively listen how to use a grammar point or vocabulary word, or how to conduct an activity, for example. When they use the new material or complete the activity correctly, this boosts confidence. They can measure comprehension through success. Hence, there is no reason for students to use L1 in class if they are able to do that in English. Having in mind this scenario teacher Fabiane and I came up with a technique called English Metre which favors the reinforcement of positive behavior. The technique is simple. Each student is given a paper ruler and at the end of every lesson they are invited to color it according to their English contribution to the lesson (i.e. a student who had an excellent participation will color three centimetres whereas another student who used more L1 than desired will color just one centimetre). The technique has proven to be very effective so far and students feel very proud of their colored centimeters. The picture above illustrates a suggestion of board. Special thanks to Fabiane for her great board!

Using Socratic Questions to Trans4 minds in your lessons‏!

teologia777.blogspot.com

Socrates was one of the greatest educators who taught by asking questions and thus drawing out answers from his pupils ('ex duco', means to 'lead out', which is the root of 'education'). My experience as a teacher and coordinator has shown me that teachers tend to favour closed-ended questions in their lessons and they often complain that their students do not seem motivated to take part in discussions. What these teachers might not be aware of is that closed-ended questions are a simple way to close down a conversation. Open questions lead to long answers, whilst closed questions lead to short answers, typically one word, such as 'yes' and 'no'. When you are unintentionally forcing your students to give short answers, this legitimizes short comments on your side. This leads to a spiral of brevity that quickly ends the conversation. And this exactly what teachers don't want to take place. So, to make your conversation classes more vivid, beware the way you pose questions to your students. Going back to Socrates, here are the six types of questions he used to ask his pupils. Probably often to their initial annoyance but more often to their ultimate delight. He was a man of remarkable integrity and his story makes for marvelous reading.The overall purpose of Socratic questioning, is to challenge accuracy and completeness of thinking in a way that acts to move people towards their ultimate goal. Have a look and get the most of your conversation classes!

1. Questions for clarification:	Why do you say that? How does this relate to our discussion?
2. Questions that probe assumptions:	What could we assume instead? How can you verify or disapprove that assumption?
3. Questions that probe reasons and evidence:	What would be an example? What is....analogous to? What do you think causes to happen...? Why:?
4. Questions about Viewpoints and Perspectives:	What would be an alternative? What is another way to look at it? Would you explain why it is necessary or beneficial, and who benefits? Why is the best? What are the strengths and weaknesses of...? How are...and ...similar? What is a counterargument for...?
5. Questions that probe implications and consequences:	What generalizations can you make? What are the consequences of that assumption? What are you implying? How does...affect...? How does...tie in with what we learned before?
6. Questions about the question:	What was the point of this question? Why do you think I asked this question? What does...mean? How does...apply to everyday life?

How can classroom management influence student performance?

Have you ever thought why classroom  management  where learning can actually happen is so essential?

In her article on the value of safe learning environments, Lora Desautels, Ph.D., reminds us that during adolescence, the part of the brain that controls emotional responses—the amygdala—develops faster than other centers of the brain while the prefrontal cortex, a center for logical thought and rational response, develops later. Thus, our students are more effectively wired for emotion than logic. Their systems are primed to react to situations with feelings and they have not yet fully developed the ability to apply logical thinking to keep those feelings in check. It follows that the stimuli within and surrounding the learning environment can have great effects on these emotional responses and can serve to either support or impair the learning process.

So what can we as educators do to bring down the levels of stress in our classrooms and make sure that our learning environments are safe places where optimal learning can take place? How can we create spaces that keep the emotional responses as positive and free of stress and anxiety as possible so that we can most effectively engage fresh young minds? Rebecca Alber has a wonderful list of twenty tips to create a safe learning environment. Check them out:

1. Community Build All Year Long.
2. Post Student Work.
3. Have Non-Negotiables.
4. Admit When You Don't Know.
5. Read with Your Students.
6. Remain Calm at All Times.
7. Take Every Opportunity to Model Kindness.
8. Circulate.
9. Address Grudges Early On.
10. Write with Your Students.
11. Model Vulnerability.
12. Follow Through with Consequences.
13. Smile Often.
14. Use Every Opportunity to Model Patience.
15. Give Kids a Chance to Problem Solve on Their Own.
16. Laugh with your Students.
17. Offer Options. 
18. Keep the Vibes Good.
19. Sit with Your Students.
20. Art and Music Feed the Soul.

For more information on each tip go to: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/20-tips-create-safe-
learning-environment-rebecca-alber. I highly recommend reading it in full!