webquests

Dodge, B. (1997). Some thoughts about webquests. Retrieved from: http://webquest.sdsu.edu/about webquests.html 7-22-08.

This was a short article that explained the definitions of both short and long term webquests, the short being one to three class periods and the other being anywhere from one week to 4 weeks. It also lists critical attributes of webquests which include; introduction, engaging tasks, information resources, process, guidance, and conclusion. It was helpful for me to look at this short article to have an idea of what a webquest is.

triadic scaffolds

Meskill, C. (2005). Triadic scaffolds: Tools for teaching English language learners with
computers. Language learning & technology. Vol. 9. No. 1. Pp. 46-59.

The article starts by talking about how computers are being used more and more in the classrooms. It explains how technology can aid in teaching language and literacy. It discussed how one teacher used it exclusively to reinforce what she was teaching to English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). Some of the “critical elements of effective literacy instruction” (p. 46), were; “..learner involvement…in community of practice…and overt focusing and scaffolding…(p. 46). These quotes were in reference to the use of computers and language learning. Since this research/study involved English language learning (ELL) they make mention of the number of school children who are entering schools now whose first language is other than English. They discussed the expectations of the schools about the second language learners, how much they are expected to know and also they mention some of the experiences of what ELL go through once they enter school. The article than goes into detail about the study/research that they did on this one ESOL teacher did to teach the ELL with aid of computers. They reported on a transcription they did about the teachers use of computers to instruct her students. They reported on how these students excelled in being engaged in their lessons because of the computer use and about the enthusiasm and interest in learning because of the computer use. They also reported on the interviews they did with the teacher about student responses because of computer use in instruction which they labeled the “triadic scaffolding”. Where three mode’s are used: teacher verbal strategy, contribution of the computer, and what the strategy accomplishes. This method was reported as being successful in aiding language learning because it allowed the students to be engaged and learning.
I enjoyed reading this article about triadic scaffolding. I can see myself using it and trying it in my classroom in aiding me teaching our Yup’ik language. I am a developing learner as far as technology. With what I am learning about technology this past summer, about how technology can aide in language learning, I am excited to see and put into practice the claims of all the readings I have done.

Native American languages and the internet

McHenry, T. (2002). Words as big as the screen: Native American languages and the internet.
Language learning & technology. Vol. 6. No. 2. pp. 102-115.

This article discussed the ways in which Native Americans can use the internet to help in revitalizing and or maintain their Native languages. It started out in discussing how America has basically dismissed the Native American as part of history. It was termed “orientalism”. Meaning that Native Americans only exist in a museum and linguistic grammar. The Native Americans are seen only as things to be studied and preserved, not having a voice in those studies. There was a brief discussion of the terminology used in referring to the diminishing indigenous language use of the Native Americans: language loss, language shift, and language renewal. The author then stated that these types of research studies being done with and move forward and learn from what is being done in to preserve languages by looking and study the successful “…language preservation efforts” (p. 104). The article mentioned three models for teaching language schools; culture and language education, Elders and immersion programs, and Yupik immersion program. Culture and language was criticized for not having real language and interaction between students, the counter was that as long as the students knew the past and knew their traditions and values they were learning their identity and that this would transfer language somehow. The difference between Elders and immersion and immersion is that the Elders and language programs were like the language nests, where the Elder is the Real Teacher, and the teacher is like an assistant to the Elder. While an immersion program is when the student is taught by the teacher who fluent in their Native language and they are taught by hearing only their language in all content areas. It discussed the negative and positive aspects of each program. In discussing the negative aspect of these models it was mentioned that the specialists in these models were non-native. To remedy this situation the author mentioned suggestions made by researchers to have the non-specialist Natives to become educated to carry the research that is from the Natives from those areas. The last portion of the paper discusses the impact of what and how technology can do to help in preserving and facilitate the language revitalization efforts by Native speakers. The article discussed the negative aspects of use of technology, like the web-sites that are supposed to be Native are actually made by non-natives. As a positive the article discussed a web-site based in an Indian reservation in Washington that is made by Native students at an elementary school. It is written all in their Native language, with some English in it.
In reading this article, I was amazed at how fast programs go through changes! Now with the technology as the way of the future, even now, there are efforts to incorporate it into indigenous language programs. As were are doing for SLATE. I can’t wait to read and hear about the efforts of Native educators and Native researchers finding and using technology in different ways, this will probably happen in the next five years!

The laptops are coming article

McFarlane, S. H. (2008). The laptops are coming! What I am learning from my school's

infatuation with computers. Rethinking schools. Vol. 22. No. 4. pp. 22-26.



This author wrote about what happened when her student population received laptops. The author was excited and glad that the students were getting them. What she didn't expect was the amount of work both professional and personal time it would take to get this innovation going. The frusteration for her was the lack of information or expertise they were getting as far as the feasibility of the use of this new technology use in her class. It was trial and error from the beginning. The district kept giving workshops and trainings as they went along to help the teachers. At the end she listed both the negative and positive benefits for her students. And since the computers are part of her program now, she wrote onto the article about where to go from where she is now. The most important aspect she brought up was to make sure in planning a curriculum that it is based on social justice and equality.
In reaction to the article, I'm amazed at how unprepared the teachers were in the amount of work they had to do in doing this. The laptops and computers are in my classroom. I am glad that I don't have to do what the school did, in using the computers in all aspects of the curriculum as they seem to have done in the school mentioned in the article. I am learning as I continue to teach. Slowly and carefully, I am starting to introduce computer use to my 5 and 6 year olds. It is hard to go right into it since they are in Yupik immersion!

reaction to rethinking schools articles

Garcia, A. (2008). Rethinking my space - using social networking tools to connect to students.
Rethinking schools. Vol. 22. No. 4. pp. 27-26.

This article is about one teachers use of myspace to connect with her students. She wrote about why she started doing it. It was to connect with her students in a way they were most comfortable in. Most of the students in her class had knowledge about myspace. She talked about that even when most of her students were from lower socioeconomic situations they always found a way to get onto myspace. She said that sometimes it was the only way for some of her students would get in touch with her, because of absenteeism and other reasons. She used it to let her students know the class assignments, and give them outside activities they wouldn't otherwise know about. She had conversations with her colleagues about myspace, and also mentioned the negative media that it has received. She is using it to have a connection with her students and use it positively for her situation.
If I were a junior high and high school teacher I would use myspace as part of my practice. She convinced me that it can be used to reach all students. The way she explained how she was going to respond to her students was very convincing. That she wasn't using it to "spy" on her students, that she wouldn't go and read their space, etc., was a nice touch.

Thorne article

Thorne, S. L. (2006). New technologies and additional language learning. CALPER working
CALPER working paper no. 7. The Pennsylvania State University

This article discussed the implications of technology use in classrooms of language learners, specifically the internet communication technologies. In the writing, he quoted research after research to let the reader know that the facts were real and true. He started the paper with history of the use of technology in classrooms, then to review and discuss the research on the uses of technology in the language classrooms. The argument that was often mentioned was the argument of non-student contact (social aspect) and interaction. His and other researchers mentioned that there is plenty of interaction going on between students even though it wasn’t “face to face”. There was plenty of research backing to say that the language use and comprehension was higher in those students who were using the new technologies in many modalities. Blog, wiki, podcasting, chatting, and virtual and gaming environment.
My reaction to this article is that this was a very hard text for me to read because of the vocabulary that the author used. I had to stop and think about and reread the text many times to understand what I just read.

What are you taking away from week 1:
excited about the possibilities technology has to offer to my language class. I have never been computer smart, so all the things so far has built my confidence in using my computer. Personally and professionally.
What questions are emerging for you?
implementing technology into my everyday schedule

chapter 1 & 2

Sarieva, I. & Zoran, A. (2008). Calling all foreign language teachers: Computer-assisted
language learning in the classroom. In Tony Erben & Iona Sarieva (Ed). Guiding
principles: Second language acquisition, instructional technology, and the constructivist
framework. (pp. 7-11). New York: Eye on Education, Inc.
Chapter 1:
This is an introduction to what the book is going to be covering and why. It is exciting for me to know that I am going to be doing with the computer. I already am doing things with it that I never intended on doing – WIKI, BLOG, and so on!
Chapter 2:
This chapter discusses the possibilities that a language teacher can accomplish when and if technology is implemented. It stressed the importance of not just using technology as a goal, but by integrating it, the language teacher can empower themselves to enhance learning and provide a platform for achieving standards. The chapter highlighted how using today’s technology how language learning can be accomplished from using all that technology has to offer from “offering modifications of linguistic input” (p. 9), to “acting as a participant in second language tasks” (p. 10). After reading this article, I got excited with the idea of using what I am learning from the readings and class participation. I am excited to work with these technological media with my kindergarten students!

Chapters 8 & 9

Richards, J.C. (2004) Curriculum development in language teaching. The role and design of in-
structional materials. pp. 251-309) Cambridge University Press.
Chapter 8:
This chapter discusses the role and design of instructional materials. The chapter starts by explaining the difference between authentic and created materials and their advantages and disadvantages. An advantage from both mentioned was that; exposure to real language and the other said it is built upon graded syllabus. The disadvantage from both camps mentioned; language difficulty can be too hard, and the other was may not reflect students needs. There was a lot of comparing and contrasting of both the authentic and created materials. What I learned from the reading is that the created materials should be used as a resource by experienced teachers and a guide for the new teacher. The chapter also said that it would be advantages for the language learner if the teacher used a mixture of both.
Chapter 9:
This chapter was a discussion on curriculum evaluation. It explained that there are three types of evaluation: formative; what’s working and what and how to address them. Illuminative; it seeks to understand why and how the teaching and learning is working. Summative; concerned with the effectiveness, efficiency and acceptance of a program. Then the chapter goes on to explain the issues in program evaluation. It talked about the participants of an evaluation process. It was interesting to think about the process or lack of it in our district. In thinking about it, it made sense that the reason we go from one curriculum to another is because the district does not “follow” a proper procedure to ensure that we are going to use a program that the students and teachers can understand and follow, and is successful in raising the test scores they are always talking about every year…making safe harbor or AYP. I have been a teacher at our district for many years and have never seen a memo or anything that asks for volunteers or participants to help in picking or designing a curriculum.

Chapter 5 & 6

Chapters 5 and 6.
Chapter five was a very informative read about planning goals and learning outcomes. It was interesting to find out the difference between aims and objectives. My first thought before reading on was that they were of same meaning. After further reading, it is interesting to learn that one is broad and the other is more specific.
Chapter six contained a lot of information that has to do with course planning and syllabus design. It was good for me to read about both the good points and the faults of each of the types of design and types.
It is going to take a while yet for me to process the information that I have just read, which is a lot! What I realize now is that in developing a curriculum, a good curriculum it’s going to take a lot of collaboration and teamwork with others (local experts, administration, and teachers). I’m
Nervous and excited at the same time now that I have an idea of what it takes to develop and plan for curriculum.

bye-bye summer!

I am so sad to see my summer end! time to read, write, and actually think again! I have a feeling though this is going to be a good and productive quarter!