Reflections of an iPad classroom 14/2/13

I have made the amazing discovery of the Bitsboard app but need to give it a health warning... The potential of Bitsboard for an alternative way to introduce or practise new vocabulary is tremendous for Modern Languages. I created a departmental account and was able to import the boards I had created at home into the school iPads. Pupils have thoroughly enjoyed playing a host of games created off the back of a core set of flashcards which took me around 10 minutes to make. 

The downside is that it appears to be slightly pernickety. I created a set of Flashcards last night for pets, in preparation for an observation lesson today. For whatever reason, signing in to the account and importing the board didn't work. It was extremely frustrating, especially given the focus and interest other pupils had previously displayed. I'll try again next week, as this is an app potentially worth its weight in gold. 

The meaning of Twitter for my PGCE talk

I tweeted tonight to ask people what Twitter meant to them in advance of my MFL PGCE talk tomorrow. Here's a Wordle of the responses.

#ililc4 Amanda Salt A level and new technologies

Here is my talk from #ililc4 on A level and new technologies:

#ililc4 Amanda Salt Apps R Us

Here is my talk, about apps I use with iPads in the classroom so far:

#ililc4 @valleseco Keynote

From Queen to Sinatra 

Under pressure 

Need for teacher personality, technology shouldn't kill this (The Buggles Video killed the radio star) 

Play Pointless or Family Fortunes 

Pupils will take repeated negative comments from a computer but not a teacher 

Use technology to enhance our skills and activities not replace them

Songsmith to make up songs 

Delicious to bookmark sites 

"I can" statements to assess what kids can do - see Claire's spreadsheet 

I started off making the notes above but then put the iPad down, sat back and let Clare's words flow over me. She was an excellent keynote speaker, capturing the mood and pushing most of us to the point of tears with her concluding song My Way. So that's that, #ililc4 is over and we leave inspired, enthused, full of friendship and love for these friends we only maybe see once or twice a year, or have only met this year for the first time at #ililc4. We stand tall and we move on with the love, humour, support and inspiration of the #mfltwitterati

 

#ililc4 @spanishsam Speaking

Speaking 

Weighting in GCSE 

Prepare them for KS5 and beyond 

Communication vs grammar 

Pupil desire to communicate 

Krashen 

LAD language acquisition device within us

Comprehensible input 

Acquired not learned 

Think about language we want them to acquire eg it's your turn 

Chomsky

Can't just learn by rote 

Importance of grammatical and linguistic competence 

How do we teach languages? 

Grammar - translation 

audio-visual 

Communicative approach 

St Martins 

Accuracy at the same time as fluency - mimes, song, team competitions, visual support, high levels of interaction and classroom routines 

Drip feeding language in routines & team competitions

SOWs developed with full activites in mind

Allow for spontaneous speech James Stubbs

TL as much as you can and as much as they are able 

¿Cómo se dice.. en español / inglés? 

¿Puedo ..?

¿Puedo hablar en inglés? 

Mimes to help them 

Phrases on the board 

Jesús , mentiroso, perdóname por haber llegado tarde

Spontaneous speech helps in the oral exam especially the borderline students 

Encourage and reward TL with team points 

TL OPPORTUNITIES 

Forfeits eg hopping on one leg, conjugate a verb etc 

objective setting 

Asking for stuff

Register

Team points

Homework setting 

Setting up pair work activites

Mimes and actions 

Mime for each word eg sign language thumb and fingers 

Encore une fois 

Colour coding for a reason 

Activities bag 

WC is whole class

Repetition 

Repeat if correct 

Encore une fois - trapdoor 

Pass the telephone 

Mime to practise 

Speed reading 

Songs 

Version with blanks, more blanks each time 

Planning a SOW

End activity

- pupil language

- Interaction language

- Content language 

Drip feed language all the way through

Use the structure do you prefer ..or.. ? I prefer .. because.. 

#ililc4 @lancslassrach Do you flubaroo?

Rachel has a closed Google site, pupils watch video, Google form to fill in and flubaroo marks it. 

Must keep answers short. 

Go to Google Drive 

Create a form

Theme and title 

Question title eg cat

Question type 

Must select required question and then click done 

Add item allows you to add a question 

Must include name 

Share form by emailing 

You must submit a response, call it teacher or your name 

Responses form - insert script

Search for flubaroo, select and install 

Select flubaroo and select 'Grade assignment' 

Assign points 

Select teacher responses as Answer Key

This was such a good session, the buzz was palpable at the potential for this to cut down on marking at the same time as assessing pupil learning and progress. Hurrah!