Improving oral proficiency via the Ipads & the Smart Recorder App

Last week my Spanish 3 students utilized the Smart Recorder app to record their 5 minute conversations on a variety of topics in the target language.  Afterwards, they listened to the recording and reflected individually on their oral proficiency, using a proficiency rubric that was created by our world language department.  (The rubric was developed by using the ACTFL guidelines for oral proficiency.)   


The great thing about this activity is that it allowed students to really focus on their speaking abilities and reflect with greater precision.  I will be implementing this activity more in the future to allow students to become more comfortable speaking in the target language,  to help them improve their oral proficiency, and to become better at self reflecting and self correcting.

Adding some culture to Kahoot!

Kahoot is a great game-based classroom response system and students absolutely love it!!


How I use it in my Spanish classes:  I use Kahoot to practice reading in the target language and learn new vocabulary.  I usually write each question/description/definition of a word along with the answers/choices all in Spanish.  Each student enters the game individually or in small groups entering a game specific code @ Kahoot.it.  It is an engaging activity for students completly done in the target language!

To add some culture:  There is an experimental feature in Kahoot that allows you to add a video to automatically play while waiting for students to join the game (See screenshot below!).  To take advantage of this 1-2 minutes of downtime on my most recent Kahoot created game, I included a video tour of Barrio Gótico in Barcelona, Spain. It was a great way to expose students to one of the more famous neighborhoods of Spain, since we are currently studying how neighborhoods differ and how where you live affects daily choices/routines, and further maximize learning in the classroom!  

Google Glass! Wow!

Just saw a demo on Google Glass!  Seriously amazing cutting edge technology!  Will record what you see, take a picture with a wink, speak to make calls, answer your questions, translate, and so much more!  It is just in the trial phase now, but has huge potential for the classroom!  Check it out here!

Google Mini Summit @ UWGB 2014

I am really looking forward to the Google Mini Summit being held at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay today! I am anxious to attend my sessions and also present.  The hashtag for today's summit is #gbgs and the hashtag for my presentation will be #byt2014, if you would like to follow along with the discussion/backchanneling.

Take a look at my presentation here for more info. here!

PCSD Inservice - Screencasting

For the January district inservice, a variety of technology related sessions will be offered to district staff and also led by district staff.  This is always a well-liked day of professional development due to the option of choice involved.  Staff in our district can choose from a variety of topics and zone in on what they are most interested in learning.

I will be presenting on Screencasting today.  Staff in my session will learn how to create instructinal videos via Screencast-O-Matic and SMART.  See below to access my presentation.


 

Model Classroom Professional Development day!!

Our model classroom professional development day was held at the Innovation Room at NWTC in Green Bay, WI.   This room at the tech college was designed to promote collaboration and was outfitted with a variety of technology resources to enhance learning. 

Here is an outline of our day...

1.  Shared what we are excited about...

2. Reflection of how we have changed as educators in the last 3 years.  (Each teacher took a section of the whiteboards and made a list of the different ways.  We then walked around and looked at each other's areas of growth.)  This was a great reflection activity!

3.  Lunch and tour of NWTC campus:  Very neat learning spaces, especially in the cafeteria.  Projectors and pull down screens all over for groups to learn together and collaborate while in a relaxed atmosphere.  

4.  Watched short thought provoking videos on education.  Discussion/brainstorming followed each one.
Links to videos:
Play, Passion, Pupose : Tony Wagner
How to Answer the Yeah, Buts... - Will Richardson

5. Teach me something I don't know:  Sharing of new tools/apps/strategies we're excited about..

6. Exploration of new tool/personalized professional development

My challenge(s) after today.... Need to expand the classroom walls further.  Want to create experiences for students with people from other cultures/other Spanish speakers. Need to brainstorm a list of resources.

Ideas:

• Classroom Twitter Account? / Linked to class blog 
• Skype w/1st grade class in district - career/hero/etc. focus....
• w/Chromebooks/ speaking videos via webcam>upload to drive>share in class folder