week 10 - We are here at the end of the course

Time runs away and we should try to use it wisely to maximize the amazing speed. These ten weeks were the most productive and fruitful for me.

 I am given a huge of information about the newest technology tools. There were lots of useful topics and tools, but especially which I will use are: Padlet, www.blogger.com, Using Technology in Teaching Large Classes,(http://www.webquest.org), Process Writing and the Internet: Blogs and Ning Networks in the Classroom  and so many others. I believe I will use them step by step. 

I love teaching English. It's my passion and devotion. I fall in love with my students and make them see that English is lovely and important language.We, the teachers from the world are united love of work and our students. 

Language is a city to the building of which every human being brought a stone. /Emerson/

On August 28 we, the Georgians celebrate ST. Mary's Day(Mariamoba). Wish you St Mary bless you and make you strong in your future life.

Congratulations...

Week 9 - Enjoy Teaching, Enjoy Learning

Enjoy teaching, enjoy learning  - this is our main goal, this  is a breath of fresh air for both us, English teachers and our students. Both desperately seek a better way to learn English and more generally a better way to experience school.

During ten years of teaching I have always tried to make my work more successfully. Contrary my expectations the results were not always encouraging. Even though I was "teaching" a lot, it was unclear how much "learning" was taken. Now I realized that the essence of successful classroom lies in having students do the work while the teacher facilitates. 

If we use variety of approaches, methods and  techniques to cater for a variety of learning styles (e.g.auditory, visual, kinesthetic) we will make teaching more effective.

Week 8 - sharing the first draft project or plan report

This week was full of experiences and news. In this week we shared the first draft  plan or project report each other. Also we had a responsible job, check and give feedback one of  our college. 

Communication begins from us, from teachers, colleges and continuing with our pupils.  If we show  that we have good working relationship among us teachers(which means sharing ideas, give frequent, early, positive feedback) this will be positively affect our students.

Human relations  are the most valuable  and no amount of technology will not be able to replace it.

 

Week 7 --- Learner Autonomy, the One-computer Classroom, and Mobile Devices

This week has been full of innovations, as of last all. I have never thought and even imagined that we could have used mobile phone in our teaching process. I am really into this idea.    After reading the article "Twenty ideas for using mobile phones in the language classroom" by Hayo Reinders, I have explored many useful ideas and I am sharing  this opinion that: "Another benefit is that learners are used to working with them, often more so than with computers".

Most of my students have no means to buy an expensive computer and moreover to establish a connection to the Internet. They can use only college's computer lab. Fortunately for me, almost everyone has own mobile phone and  they are used to working with them. It's easy and enjoyable for them access  to materials and the ability to practice anytime and anywhere. As with any other teaching activity, we have to ask ourselves what we are trying to achieve. 

I particularly liked idea 6: Use the text messaging feature in reinforce vocabulary learning. I am always  amazed when I look at my students how fast they can write and send massages. This is one of the thing in which they are masters. According this we can use their skills and turn in the direction that will lead to the best outcome of the study. They will be fully involved in this process. I am sure their motivation will be maximum. 

I am so happy to explore new technology tool Padlet. It is a great tool for teachers and students. In my opinion it is possible to use it for different purposes: explain  new topic, check homework and so on.

Our students and children always spend much time with computers. In this case spending their time will be fruitful, entertaining and productive. 

 

Week 6 #1: Managing and Engaging Large Classes through Interaction, Implementing Technology Tool

As an EFL college teacher in Georgia my objective is not only to teach from the textbook but also beyond the textbooks and make learning related students life. The main thing is to encourage students to find what their interests are.

Teaching large classes     

In the article "Teaching large classes" by Rick Finnan abd Donna Show brought into the forefront the problematic issues, which represents a large class of the main drawbacks like these are: 

• Lack of interaction with professors
• Lack of structure in lecture 
• Lack of poor discussion
• Inadequacy of classroom facilities and environment
• Lack of frequent testing in graded assignments

Interactive PowerPoint is new technology tool for me and I have never done it before but  I am sure I will use it quite often.

I have read recently a famous Chinese proverb: " Tell me I forget. Show me I remember. Involve me and I understand." 

Since then I keep it in my mind and try to follow it. 

week 5 - WebQuest a Powerful Learning Tool

This week was burdened with the important news.  After reading the articles  and see many sites I believe in that assessments, clear  rubrics and PBL encourage our students to become more autonomous learners.

As we know traditional lesson is teacher fronting which tends to minimize students' active engagement in learning. We are living in the 21-st century and the computer can provide a meaning-focused, communicative learning environment, which serves the purposes of communicative language teaching. 

 One of the main reason why I want to develop the webquest in my class is that, students often dislike learning traditional teaching methods. Using of it students develop autonomy and how-to-learn skills. They are active participants in the process of personal growth. I think that inquiring  learning and use of the Internet might make it more interesting and it places students at the center of their own learning, encouraging and discovering. 

I have already known the main stages of the 

webquest and these are: 

I believe that using  this new tool will be able to help build a solid foundation that prepares our students for the future. Also Web-based project  helps students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills. 

Week 4

EVERY GREAT JOURNEY BEGINS WITH THE FIRST STEP 

After finishing the 4-th week I feel I gained the experience how to better help my students to be provided with good skills to have pleasant learning desire in class.  

I have never used Ning (www.ning.com.) that provides more tools than a blog. 

If you have found a fun, age appropriate game that you believe will do the same thing and the entire class on task is ..

 http://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/elementary/c_pronunciation/ef_stressgame;jsessionid=2CC669A67F35C92684122A1483FEA632?cc=us&selLanguage=en

This is the my class which I am preparing the project. (Now I am  missing them)

 So, I would like to thank the organizers of the course for providing us with so many nice websites and ideas. Especially great thanks to dear Donna who encourages and supports me. Our collaboration helps me feel strong and sure of myself.