Time Saving Tips for Teachers

Time Saving Tips for Teachers:

"At times, teaching can be overwhelming. You have stacks of papers to grade, conferences to attend, grades to calculate, emails to respond to, and, if there is any time left—teach. So much to do, and so little time in which to accomplish it. Included herein are teacher-tested ideas on how to save time without sacrificing the quality of your teaching.

Before instituting a time management plan, however, you need to spend a few days simply observing and reflecting. Keep a notepad nearby; when you find yourself using your time inefficiently jot it down. For example, do you spend a considerable amount of time explaining to students what they need to do in order to make up missed assignments? Is your time taken up by filing, emailing, phone calls, disruptions, copying material, taking attendance, repeating directions? See where your 'time leaks' are and then find a way to plug them. You may be surprised at the activities that are soaking up your valuable time."

EasyTestMaker

EasyTestMaker:

"EasyTestMaker is a FREE online test generator to help you create your tests. With Easy Test Maker you can create multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, short answer and true and false questions all on the same test. You can also insert instructions and divide your test into multiple sections.

EasyTestMaker automatically generates alternate versions entirely randomized and master answer sheets with a single click! Just click the 'Generate Alternate Versions' or 'Print Answer Sheet' link when you are done creating your test. It's that easy!"

The 101 Most Useful Websites on the Internet

The 101 Most Useful Websites on the Internet:

"As we quickly approach the dawn of a new year, here are my picks for the 101 most useful websites of the year 2010.

The list primarily highlights the lesser-known or undiscovered websites and misses out all-time favorites like Google Docs, Wikipedia or IMDB that most of us are already aware of.
Useful Websites Worth a Bookmark!

The sites mentioned below, well most of them, solve at least one problem really well and they all have simple web addresses (URLs) that you can easily learn by heart thus saving you a trip to Google.

In a hurry? Download this list as a PDF eBook and read it anywhere."

The Twelve Cognitive Processes that Underlie Learning

Engines for Education:

"The following cognitive skills are developed gradually over time. This is the stuff that we need to learn how to do in order to function well in the world. . The more proficient you are at these skills, the smarter you appear and the more you can learn:"

Read the whole article here: The Twelve Cognitive Processes that Underlie Learning

Related post: Aprender haciendo y el fracaso de nuestro sistema educativo

100 Seriously Cool Classroom Blogs for Teaching Ideas & Inspiration | Online Classes

100 Seriously Cool Classroom Blogs for Teaching Ideas & Inspiration | Online Classes:

"Life as a teacher, especially one fresh off attending your own classes, can be hard. You have to wake up early, work late and manage a classroom full of kids, each with their own diverse needs and expectations. Luckily, there are numerous teachers out there who are willing to share their expertise and classroom experiments with teachers young and old. Here are some great blogs that offer insights into what classes of kids are doing around the world as well as providing some great advice on everything from dealing with parents to figuring out grades."

The seven secrets behind great teaching - Features - TES Connect

The seven secrets behind great teaching - Features - TES Connect:

"Stephen Covey’s business self-help book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, has sold more than 15 million copies. The book lists seven principles that, if adopted as habits, can help people become truly effective at what they do. But what makes teachers highly effective?"

Interactive White Boards - Technology Integration for Teachers

Interactive White Boards - Technology Integration for Teachers:

"Using Interactive White Boards to Engage Students
Regardless of what brand your school is using, interactive white boards are a really valuable tool to get students up out of their seats and engaged in the learning. Users move objects, words, and text - providing a rich learning experience. The software that is provided with the board allows teachers to create multimedia presentations with templates and visual elements build right in as well as the ability to integrate media from other web resources. In addition, the media and the presentation can be saved and shared with students who need extra reinforcement at home or other teachers who's students are learning the same concepts. If you are new to teaching with IWB or you are an expert, check out this community of educators to find more resources and ideas. You also must check out Jim Hollis's blogand website!"

Official Google Blog: TeachParentsTech.org: keeping tech support a family business

Official Google Blog: TeachParentsTech.org: keeping tech support a family business:
"TeachParentsTech.org lets you select from more than 50 basic how-to videos to send to mom, dad, your old college roommate, your neighbor or anyone else who could use a little help with tech tasks—whether it’s how to copy & paste to how to share a big file. Wrap up your video with a custom email and off it goes! The recipient will receive your message and a link to the video(s) you selected."

Converting Ebooks with Calibre - ProfHacker - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Converting Ebooks with Calibre - ProfHacker - The Chronicle of Higher Education:

"Even if we’re not “Kindling the Classroom,” there are a lot of us out there using ebook readers for our own reading. Here’s the catch: a lot of the materials we want to read don’t come from whatever bookstores might work with our readers. We might want to load journal articles, books from Project Gutenberg, or even our own work onto our readers. We might even want to read a file format that the reader we own doesn’t support. Depending on the reader we own and the format of the item in question, we may be able to just sideload the content—but that might not work for everything.

Enter Calibre."

15-Year-Old Protester Goes Off On British Establishment

15-Year-Old Protester Goes Off On British Establishment (VIDEO):

"British students protesting tuition hike fees at national universities now have a viral video to rally around: a rousing address given by a 15-year-old slamming the nation's government.

The impassioned plea was made at the Coalition of Resistance National Conference in Camden, U.K., on Nov. 27, a youth, students and education workshop."

Madonna Opens Up on Bullying

After the recent tragedies regarding bullying, Madonna is speaking out about her own experience at The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Material Girl by Madonna

Watch Madonna's video:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0FXPqYpt0g

Do the exercises:
http://www.english4all.pro.br/Materialgirl.htm

'Material Girl' by Madonna

Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me
I think they're O.K.
If they don't give me proper credit
I just walk away

They can beg and they can plead
But they can't see the light, that's right
'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash
Is always Mister Right, 'cause we are

Chorus:

Living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl

Some boys romance, some boys slow dance
That's all right with me
If they can't raise my interest then I
Have to let them be

Some boys try and some boys lie but
I don't let them play
Only boys who save their pennies
Make my rainy day, 'cause they are

(chorus)

Living in a material world [material]
Living in a material world
(repeat)

Boys may come and boys may go
And that's all right you see
Experience has made me rich
And now they're after me, 'cause everybody's

(chorus)

A material, a material, a material, a material world

Living in a material world [material]
Living in a material world
(repeat and fade)

Now watch Marilyn's video:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDyqJDJKtFc

and Kylie's version:




Madonna's Website:
http://www.madonna.com/
Material Collection:
http://materialgirlcollection.com/holiday_2010/
Material Girl Blog:
http://blog.materialgirlcollection.com/

30+ Ways to Use Foursquare In Education | Accredited Online Colleges.com

30+ Ways to Use Foursquare In Education | Accredited Online Colleges.com:

"Foursquare is a smartphone app that is quickly becoming one of the most popular and useful geo-networking tools for general social networking and for promoting business. Unlike other social networks, Foursquare encourages people to get out and enjoy their city by sharing check-ins, tips and to-dos while earning points and badges as they explore new venues and favorite hang-outs. Foursquare can also be used in education, though, for online students, lower education teachers, and in campus communities. Read on for great ways to use Foursquare in education."

30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30: Magazine: glamour.com

30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30: Magazine: glamour.com:

"This 1997 Glamour article has become a popular web chain letter, usually titled “Maya Angelou’s Best Poem Ever.” Glamour contributor Pamela Redmond Satran is flattered, but she wrote the list, updating it in 2005."

ESL Holiday Lessons.com: Anti-Bullying Day

ESL Holiday Lessons.com: Anti-Bullying Day:

"Bullying is one of the nastier, darker sides of human nature. We see it everywhere, from our early days at school to our place of work. What is it that makes bullies want to tease, hurt, humiliate and injure others? In many cases, people who are bullied take their own lives. It’s so sad this can happen in today’s society. But it does happen and it’s allowed to happen. Many terrible things happen in school – children are beaten every day. If this happened to an adult on the street, the bully would be called an attacker or mugger and would be arrested. In school it’s called “part of growing up”. The bully gets away with criminal assault; the bullied child suffers long-term physical or emotional damage."

20 sitios para ver v铆deos educativos gratis

20 sitios para ver v铆deos educativos gratis:

"Una de las muchas cosas que podemos encontrar en refseek.com son directorios de recursos interesantes para el 谩mbito acad茅mico.

Aqu铆 os dejo con uno de ellos, una lista de sitios web que pod茅is consultar para encontrar v铆deos educativos de diferentes categor铆as y niveles."

Alice in Wonderland in the Classroom

Alice:

"Chapter 1: Alice falls.

Alice is at a garden party.

Suddenly she sees a rabbit with a watch and follows the strange creature.

She comes to a tree to look for the rabbit, but falls down a hole... down... down... down..."

Videos and Exercises here

To Be Better Teachers, We Need To Be Better Learners. « My Island View

To Be Better Teachers, We Need To Be Better Learners. « My Island View:

"Educators need to get over their fears and give up on this resistance to technology. We need to support more unconferences and the movement that drives them. We need to teach Educators how to know what they don’t know, and learn it. We need them to buy into the concepts and adapt to the tools, for the tools will continually change and develop. We need to connect teachers through their own Personal Learning Networks using social media for professional Development. Collaboration outside of our classrooms will take us beyond our personal limitations and allow us to learn continually and globally. As an added advantage, we will also be able to take our students with us."

Google Cloud Print, imprime desde cualquier lugar

Google Cloud Print, imprime desde cualquier lugar:

"Google Cloud Print ya est谩 disponible para todos, y nos permite imprimir documentos desde cualquier sitio. Para esto tendremos que poseer una impresora espec铆ficamente preparada para ello, o bien una impresora normal conectada a un ordenador con Windows y con Chrome.

Aunque de momento s贸lo funciona desde Chrome y Windows, seguramente tendremos dentro de poco una aplicaci贸n para Android para poder imprimir desde dispositivos m贸viles. En cuanto a la seguridad, dependemos de nuestra cuenta de Google: las impresoras est谩n vinculadas a nuestra cuenta y nadie m谩s puede acceder a no ser que las compartamos."

Hackers Defend WikiLeaks by Attacking PayPal and PostFinance

Hackers Defend WikiLeaks by Attacking PayPal and PostFinance:

"A group of hackers connected to the online imageboard 4chan, often referred to as Anonymous, have retaliated against several sites which have denied service to WikiLeaks shortly after the site started leaking secret embassy cables.

The site of Swiss bank PostFinance, which has closed the account of WikiLeaks (Wikileaks) founder Julian Assange, has been taken down and is still unavailable at the time of this writing. Hackers have also attacked PayPal but have only managed to take down the site’s blog (blog), while the service remained operational."

Free Technology for Teachers: Free Guide - Making Videos on the Web

Free Technology for Teachers: Free Guide - Making Videos on the Web:

"Creating videos is one the activities that my students really enjoy doing. They enjoy it, in large part, because the finished product is something that looks good and can easily be shared with classmates, parents, and other teachers. Often when other people see the videos my students make, they're impressed and wonder how they can do a similar activity in their classrooms. This guide was created for those teachers who would like to have their students make videos but don't have access to editing software and or video equipment. All of the resources in this guide are completely web-based."

Free Technology for Teachers: 12 Ways to Create Videos Without a Camera or Software

Free Technology for Teachers: 12 Ways to Create Videos Without a Camera or Software:

"It wasn't that long ago that creating videos in your classroom meant that you had to have access to cameras and editing software. That is no longer the case. Now with nothing more than a reliable Internet connection you and your students can create all kinds of documentary, entertainment, and how-to videos."

Facebook and social networking | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

Facebook and social networking | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC:
"How many friends have you got on Facebook? What’s the friend limit on Facebook? This lesson takes a look at trends in online social networking. It gives students chance to create an imaginary online 'wall' where they can interact with each other."

Video for the English classroom | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

Video for the English classroom | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC:

"Exactly five years ago this month, the video-sharing site YouTube was officially launched to the public. Since then, the site and others like it have been affecting the world in diverse and unpredictable ways.

For the language teacher, YouTube may be nothing less than one of the best sources of material the classroom has ever seen. In this article, I would like to share 12 clips that I have used in my own classroom. I hope that each clip will be representative of a type of video that may be of particular interest to language teachers."

October 12: Noam Chomsky Appears on Metanomics (Second Life)

October 12: Noam Chomsky Appears on Metanomics |:
"Professor Chomsky needs little introduction. Professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he has written and lectured widely on linguistics, philosophy, intellectual history, contemporary issues, international affairs and U.S. foreign policy.

His work has been at times provocative, always insightful, and has influenced generations. His appearance on Metanomics brings Professor Chomsky into a virtual world where a global community can join in the discussion and represents a highlight event for the Metanomics community.

Join us as Robert Bloomfield hosts this special episode of Metanomics and a wide-ranging conversation with Noam Chomsky.

Join us at 12pm PST on October 12th at 12:00 p.m. PST/SLT in Second Life, or view the show from this Web page (the video will appear above at show time). Please note that this event is being held on a Tuesday."

Three years dossing at university? It's the only way to train for life | David Mitchell | Comment is free | The Observer

Three years dossing at university? It's the only way to train for life | David Mitchell | Comment is free | The Observer:
"School sometimes feels like a big waste of time. I remember resenting the hours that I had to sit in rooms listening to teachers talk when I could have been getting on with all the homework they'd set. 'The facts they tell you are all in the books they make you go home and take notes from anyway,' I thought. 'If I was allowed to get on with that during the day, I could take the evenings off. No wonder I don't have time to get a part-time job, train for swimming badges or join one of those knot-fixated paramilitary groups like Mum and Dad keep suggesting.'"

Homework Hassle (Part one of two) - Philadelphia Education | Examiner.com

Homework Hassle (Part one of two) - Philadelphia Education | Examiner.com:
"In an ideal world, every child would race home, throw open their backpack and easily complete authentic homework assignments. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. How can parents cope with homework hassles?"

27 Tips For Parent Conferences

27 Tips For Parent Conferences:

"Get your papers organized in advance. Assemble your grade book, test papers, samples of the student's work, attendance records and other pertinent data together ahead of time. That way you won't be fumbling through stacks on your desk during the meeting.

Plan ahead. Have in mind a general but flexible outline of what you're going to say, including a survey of student progress, a review of his or her strengths and needs, and a proposed plan of action.

Greet parents near the entrance they'll use. You'll alleviate anxiety and frustration (nothing is more confusing to the uninitiated than wandering around those look-alike school hallways trying to find the right classroom) and makes parents feel more welcome.

Get the name right. Don't assume that Jennifer Peabody's mother is Mrs. Peabody. She could well have been married again since Jennifer was born. Check your records ahead of time to make sure you've got the parents' names right. And don't assume that the wrinkled gray-haired gentleman coming in with Johnny is his grandfather. It could be his father, or an uncle. Politely ask. Try not to talk to the Smiths about their son 'Stan' when their son's name is 'Steve'."

Read the whole article here:
http://www.myteachertools.com/27_tips_for_parent_conferences.php

10 Warm Ups for Lesson Plans - Using Ice Breakers as Warm Ups

10 Warm Ups for Lesson Plans - Using Ice Breakers as Warm Ups:

"Beginning your lesson plans with a five-minute warm up or ice breaker can serve to focus your students on the topic, open up creative thinking, and help them to apply the learning in new ways. The feedback you get from students also gives you an instant reading on where their heads are. Here are ten ice breakers that make great warm ups in lesson plans."

Improve Your Pronunciation

Improve Your Pronunciation:

"Pronouncing every word correctly leads to poor pronunciation! Good pronunciation comes from stressing the right words - this is because English is a time-stressed language."

Education Article :: 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom

Education Article :: 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom:
"Many critics of Twitter believe that the 140-character microblog offered by the ubiquitous social network can do little for the education industry. They are wrong.

K-12 teachers have taken advantage of Twitter’s format to keep their classes engaged and up-to-date on the latest technologies. The following projects provide you and your students with 50 ways to incorporate Twitter into important and lasting lessons."

To pee or not to pee: why urine's great for compost heaps | Life and style | guardian.co.uk

To pee or not to pee: why urine's great for compost heaps | Life and style | guardian.co.uk:
"Have you heard of a 'pee bale'? It's the latest measure adopted at the National Trust property Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire to both save water and ensure efficient composting.

As the name suggests, a 3m-long series of straw bales has been installed alongside the compost heaps in the walled gardens so workers (well the male ones anyway) can relieve themselves. Urine has been long-established as a free compost 'activator' (aka 'liquid gold'), because it's full of nitrogen, but there are other benefits too. Tamzin Phillips, the NT's 'compost doctor' is quoted in the press release as saying: 'What's so great about the pee bale is that it's using a natural solution to help the garden while saving flushing the loo for only when it's really necessary.'"

Education Article :: Quick Guide to Differentiated Instruction

Education Article :: Quick Guide to Differentiated Instruction:

"Good teachers have always understood that they don’t just teach a subject, they teach individual students with different learning skills, backgrounds and abilities. Differentiation connects the content to the students and addresses these varied needs."

For Women, Social Media is More Than "Girl Talk"

For Women, Social Media is More Than "Girl Talk":
"One reason for women’s interest in social media has to do with its symbolic capital, and what it represents in our culture. As language changes often signify underlying social change (think tutoiement in the French Revolution), people adopting emerging forms of communication like social media, are also embracing the consonant social identities. Social media represents an identity that is modern, connected, and a little bit daring. It’s an identity that is understood to be comfortable with a certain amount of transparency, promotes information, and has a global outlook, as technology crosses geographic boundaries. It is participative in nature, and this opportunity to add new layers to their identities is part of what makes social media so attractive to women.

The other reason is more pragmatic: social media offers benefits and improvements to a woman’s quality of life. Whether it’s adding convenience to a work arrangement, harnessing information for decision-making, managing relationships, or juggling a variety of other responsibilities, social tools provide a convenient and efficient way for women to manage the various aspects of their lives. The practical benefits that social media affords, combined with its emotionally fulfilling features make it likely that women will not only continue to engage with social media, but with future related innovations, as well."

Stress Relievers - 25 Stress Relievers to Try

Stress Relievers - 25 Stress Relievers to Try:

"We all experience stress from time to time. When stress gets to be too much, it can take a toll on our health and wellbeing. That's why effective stress relievers are essential in restoring inner peace and physical health. Here is a growing list of stress relievers that can help you feel less affected by stress in your life.

1. Guided Imagery
2. Self-Hypnosis
3. Autogenics
4. Journaling
5. Meditation
6. PMR
7. Yoga
8. Breathing
9. Playing Games
10. Sex
11. Laughter
12. Biofeedback
13. Music Therapy
14. Take a Walk
15. Plant a Garden
16. Time Management
17. Listen To Music
18. Eat a Balanced Diet
19. Learn Assertive Communication Skills
20. Enjoy Aromatherapy
21. Reduce Caffeine Intake
22. Drink in Moderation
23. Don’t Procrastinate
24. Drink Green Tea
25. Sign Up For The Free Weekly Newsletter For Ongoing Stress Relief Support!"

Writing a Five Paragraph Essay


"How to Write a Five Paragraph Essay
1. Before writing:
a) decide on your answer to the question/prompt. What is your topic and what do you want to prove about it? This is your thesis.
b) find three pieces of evidence/support to prove your thesis.
2. Write your introductory paragraph:
a) Begin with an opening “grabber”—why this topic is important.
b) Define any terms.
c) Briefly mention your three pieces of evidence in order of strength (least to most).
d) At the end of this paragraph clearly state your thesis statement—what you are trying to prove.
3. Write the second paragraph—the first paragraph of your body:
a) Opening sentence: restate your thesis, focusing on the support of your first (best) piece of evidence.
b) State your evidence, citing the reliable source.
c) Explain why your evidence proves your thesis.
4. Start your third paragraph with a transitional sentence that focuses on your second piece of evidence, connecting your thesis to this evidence. Again, state your evidence and explain why it proves your thesis.
5. Fourth paragraph: repeat step #4 using your third piece of evidence.
6. Begin your concluding paragraph with a transition restating your thesis. Briefly summarize the three points you’ve used to prove your thesis. Conclude with a statement wrapping it all up.
Tips:
1. Never use I or you (Unless specifically told that it is allowed).
2. Do not use contractions in formal writing."

Apply template themes to existing sites in Google Sites - Official Google Docs Blog

Apply template themes to existing sites in Google Sites - Official Google Docs Blog:
"With new site templates being created every day, there are times when you find the theme you want after you have already created your site. Based on your feedback, we added the ability to apply a site template’s theme to any existing site. To choose from the 100s of themes in the public theme gallery, select Browse the theme gallery from the Themes page (Manage site -> Themes), and start browsing."

Teacher's Guide to Motivating Students

Keeping your students motivated to learn can be challenging. The hardest part is that you have many different types of personalities and learning styles in your classroom that catering to everyone's particular needs is hard for one teacher to accomplish. Even so, there are ways that you can motivate students and keep your classroom a happy place to learn.

Teacher's Guide to Motivating Students

Teacher's Guide to Creating a Homework System

You spend a lot of time preparing homework assignments for your students that compliment the lessons they are being taught. When students do not take the time to complete homework assignments, it can lead to some frustration on your end. Use this guide as a way to help you create a homework system that you can implement immediately. It will help your students be more accountable for their work, and help you organize and manage their homework for optimal benefits.

Teacher's Guide to Creating a Homework System

Teacher's Guide to Avoid Teacher Burnout

As a parent there are many things you will have to go through. However, very few of events that will make you as nervous as your child and one of these is the parent-teacher conference. While this may be a nerve wracking event, there are some quick tips for having a successful parent-teacher conference. When you are preparing for your parent-teacher conference, you will want to make sure you carefully choose your outfit. Even though this seems to be trivial, you will want to dress as if you were going into a job interview. The parent-teacher conference is a very important meeting, so you will want to treat it this way through your apparel.

Teacher's Guide to Avoid Teacher Burnout

How To Have a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference: A Parent's Guide

How To Have a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference: A Parent's Guide

As a parent there are many things you will have to go through. However, very few of events that will make you as nervous as your child and one of these is the parent-teacher conference. While this may be a nerve wracking event, there are some quick tips for having a successful parent-teacher conference. When you are preparing for your parent-teacher conference, you will want to make sure you carefully choose your outfit. Even though this seems to be trivial, you will want to dress as if you were going into a job interview. The parent-teacher conference is a very important meeting, so you will want to treat it this way through your apparel.

Teacher's Guide on 50 Ways to Say "Good Job!"

Teacher's Guide on 50 Ways to Say "Good Job!"

Students thrive on recognition. It makes them want to perform even better when they know they have pleased the teacher. The important thing to remember is that while you want to give your students the proper acknowledgment from you, it should only be done when it is merited. This will truly help students perform their best, and use past works as a guide for their future assignments. Here are 50 ways to say "Good Job!" to your students who deserve that special recognition.

10 Tips for Better Classroom Management

10 Tips for Better Classroom Management

Besides teaching a class of 20 to 30 students, a teacher also needs to have skills in keeping the classroom contained. Classroom management is a big part of a teacher's job, and having tips for maintaining a better classroom environment is key. So, take a look at the 10 tips mentioned below that are geared to help teachers in this way.

Teacher's Guide to Reducing Your Stress Level

Teacher's Guide to Reducing Your Stress Level

According to the British Journal of Educational Psychology (1993 Jun;63 ( Pt 2):261-70), "Results revealed that the majority of teachers sampled, 72.6 percent, were experiencing moderate levels of stress, and 23.2 percent serious levels." What that boils down to is that teaching is a stressful job. It is a rewarding and satisfying job, but nonetheless, stressful. It is important to take care of yourself physically and mentally to be able to deal with the stressors in your life. Not only does stress come from teaching, but juggling your own kids and family as well. Take a look at this guide to reducing your stress level, and see if you can implement even a couple of these ideas to help make you feel more relaxed.

Casting a spell on English | Macmillan

Casting a spell on English | Macmillan

Typographical errors have more than one category. There are miskeyings, such as form instead of from, or hte instead of the. And there are genuine spelling errors such as seperate for separate, which are the result of people actually believing that seperate is correct. Some proprietary word processing software comes with built-in detectors for spotting and correcting items such as abscence and talkign.

The English Blog: British lemonade causes US alcohol row

The English Blog: British lemonade causes US alcohol row

The Daily Telegraph reports that Fentimans, a traditional Victorian lemonade enjoyed by British drinkers for more than a century, has caused a row after an American teenager had a bottle confiscated in school for its tiny alcohol content.

English Listening Skills and Activities-Effective Listening Practice for ESL EFL Learners and Teachers

English Listening Skills and Activities-Effective Listening Practice for ESL EFL Learners and Teachers

Acquiring listening skills is frustrating. This is because successful listening skills are acquired over time and with lots of practice. It's frustrating for students because there are no rules as in grammar teaching. Here is a discussion of the problem and some suggestions to improving listening skills.

Teaching Telephone English - Telephone English Lesson Plan

Teaching Telephone English - Telephone English Lesson Plan

Teaching telephone English can be frustrating as students really need to practice their skill as often as possible in order to improve their comprehension skills. Once they have learned the basic phrases used in telephoning, the main difficulty lies in communicating without visual contact. This lesson plan suggests a few ways to get students to practice their telephoning skills.

Education Article :: 20 Amazing iPad Apps for Educators

Education Article :: 20 Amazing iPad Apps for Educators

Teachers with a love of technology and a passion for nurturing the minds of their students can easily discover creative ways to incorporate the iPad into the daily routine, and some of these great educational and organizational applications are bound to help them get started.

Using Glogster for creating interactive online posters | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

Using Glogster for creating interactive online posters | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

You can create attractive and colourful Glogster posters with your students on many different occasions: for celebrating festivals, for illustrating project work or for presenting a topic.
Create an educational account with Glogster http://edu.glogster.com/ It is free.

Train | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

A selection of free training resources for teachers and teacher trainers.
Train | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC
A new area on TeachingEnglish, and the place to go if you are looking for teacher training materials. For teachers, there are videos and self-access online courses on topics such as teaching grammar, using learning technologies and understanding learner styles. You’ll also find information about face-to-face training courses the British Council runs. For teacher trainers there are downloadable workshop materials, including guidelines on how to use them.

How to Block a Follower in Blogger

I love having followers, but when they start showing pictures of naked women on their profile photos... it's time to block those followers...

Log in into Blogger, in your Dashboard, next to everyone of your blogs, you can see the followers your blogs have. Just click on the icon and you'll get to a page where you can manage your followers. Click on the follower you want to block and it'll take you to their profile. There you can block that unwanted follower.

Learn English with Jokes

This site contains jokes based on useful grammar points in English. Each joke is followed by a grammar explanation and exercises on the  grammar and key vocabulary from the jokes.

This site is currently being updated and when it's completed there will be more than 70 jokes.  (If you don't see any changes, click the "refresh" button on your browser.) I plan to build this site into the number one (and possibly only) collection of jokes for ESL on the internet. 
 http://esljokes.net/index.html

The IATEFL 3rd Annual Pecha Kucha Evening

Good things always come in threes, and this year's IATEFL 3rd annual Pecha Kucha evening is no exception. By now you should know the format: each speaker is allowed a slideshow of 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, giving a total presentation time of six minutes and forty seconds before the next speaker is up.
This year's Pecha Kucha is called "Love of Language" and features several new speakers but the enjoyment will be the same as ever.


The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series, delivers her Commencement Address, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination,” at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.



J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

Video and text here:
http://harvardmagazine.com/commencement/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination

Failing is Essential

The ratio between success and failure remains pretty constant. To succeed means we must fail. And the more often we fail the more we succeed. The key is to fail frequently and fail fast. Then move on and try something else.
That was the message of Tina Seelig who works at the entrepreneurship center at Stanford. The focus of her NAIS talk was “Innovation as an Extreme Sport”.









http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2266

Home

The film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

Watch the film and be ready to talk about it, the environment, recycling, etc.

More information.
Offical website --- http://www.home-2009.com/us/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_%282009_film%29


In this image-filled talk, Yann Arthus-Bertrand displays his three most recent projects on humanity and our habitat -- stunning aerial photographs in his series "The Earth From Above," personal interviews from around the globe featured in his web project "6 billion Others," and his soon-to-be-released movie, "Home," which documents human impact on the environment through breathtaking video.

Interview: Shelly Terrell

Shelly Terrell takes to Andi White and Kirsteen Donaghy about using Web 2.0 with young learners, and their experience of connecting students from Turkey and Germany.

Use Google Docs Template Gallery « Studyology

Use Google Docs Template Gallery « Studyology
One of the lesser known features of Google Docs is the Template Gallery. Thousands of templates for common documents are available or you can create one to share with others.
Google Docs has many advantages for student use. The ability to access your documents wherever you have internet access is one of them.
To use the templates in Google Docs, first choose “Browse template gallery.”

The Consequences of Writing Casually

The Consequences of Writing Casually

Or, how not thinking it through before you stamp “Final” on a draft can bite you in the butt… while your readers are laughing theirs off.
Change of pace today. The following have been culled from real church bulletins. Thank the Lord for typos and best intentions. Enjoy.

St. Patrick's Day — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts

St. Patrick's Day — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts


St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.