Pete Sharma Associates

What is ‘augmented reality’? Click on the link below to listen to our latest podcast and find out!

The podcast (created by Pete and Barney as an example of a teacher-produced podcast) is a three-minute clip from a business programme and is based on a forthcoming e-lesson, to be published by Macmillan next month.

This podcast is not meant to be used with students but was just the result of us trialling microphone and editing with Audacity – and to provide a taster of future ELT lesson material! Enjoy listening!

Augmented Reality – podcast

Review copy of Maurice’s new book has just crossed my desk.  No real question as to the two chapters I look forward to most:

The best of both worlds (Implementing blended learning in ELT)

Second Life comes of age (Teaching English in a virtual world)

And the award for the chapter with the most intriguing title? Teaching the language of sex…

MARK POWELL & PETE SHARMA
English UK / Trinity College London
Certificate in International Business English Training
(ENGLISH UK/TRINITY Cert IBET)
28 September – 6 October 2010
at I.L.I. in Budapest – Gödöllő, Hungary
On Mark’s well-established course, there will be one day’s input on technology in business English. For more details, visit: Teacher Training, Hungary

How does anybody ever choose anything to go to at an IATEFL conference? I’m only there for ONE day and already there are too many choices. Only schizophrenics need apply. Session one -should I go to: Teaching the mobile generation – Nicky Hockly (The Consultants-E & Pearson Longman) – iPods, MP3 players, mobile, phones, digital cameras… OR The IWB: A teacher-centred tool; yes or no? Mary Henderson (Embassy CES Brighton, Study Group). Well at least I can answer the question in the title.

Session two: should I go to Teachitworld or Task design in virtual worlds? OR the Dude (move over Jeff Bridges): Attitudes to technology Gavin Dudeney (The Consultants-E) OR Technology without tears – ha, it makes me wanna cry….

Then session three: do I go for: Web 2.0: What’s in it for teachers? Burcu Akyol (ISTEK Schools) OR Second life Dennis Newson. “Second life? I can’t even cope with my first life.” Dennis says it all.

The rest of the day is no easier: IF I go to ‘Before and after Twitter: Personal learning environments’ Graham Stanley (British Council Young Learner Centre, Barcelona) does that mean i don’t have to go to: What students can get out of Twitter – Petra Pointner (RWTH Aachen University)?

I then have to head home and that means I miss over very own Byron Russell on the Macmillan Test Maker – at least I can ask for his notes instead. And just when you are uber-zonked and in need of a giant G & T, IATEFL believe you are ready for the new OALD 8th edition or even just playing games with Kyle: Computer gaming to learn – Kyle Mawer (British Council YL Centre, Bonanova, Barcelona, Spain). Mein Gott – I shall drive home exhausted but strangely exhilarated.

And that’s just day one!! Thanks goodness I’m off to Spain as I cannot face any more choices…..

I am really looking forward to going to this: NETWORKING EVENT

18.30 – 20.45 – Wednesday, 31 March 2010 – Embankment Level, 80 Strand, London, WC2R ORL

It’s for finding out about the variety of options open in the world of ELT in an informal atmosphere ….

People from publishing • teacher training • exam writing • marketing • coursebook writing • commissioning editors • ELT Management • business

For more details contact: Fiona Dunlop fiona@wimbledon-school.ac.uk

Looking forward to the Teacher’s conference in Madrid. I started teaching there nearly 30 years ago!!!! Just about to do the next update for Blended Learning – my bit’s on M-Learning. Easter then the Learning Technology committee meeting at IATEFL, Harrogate. It’s all go…:-)

Pete Sharma and Byron Russell of Pete Sharma Associates have teamed up with experienced ELT project managers and writers, Jill Florent and Des O’Sullivan, to develop a two-day training course for freelance ELT publishing professionals. The aims of the course are to provide a hands-on introduction to interactive whiteboards, podcasts, blogs, wikis, digital materials and learning platforms and to provide a strategic overview of the digital publishing process.

Course title: Demystifying digital: educational technology for ELT publishing professionals

When? 15 and 16 May (9.15–17.30)
Where? The Oxford English Centre, 66 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6PR

For more information, please visit our Courses page.

It was a great conference last weekend and the Garnet bash was beyond fabby. Fotos on Phacebook.

Good to meet David Bish, who used our definition of Blended learning in his ef presentation – getting Blended Teaching from Blended Learning. David wrote the review for CD-ROM: A Teacher’s Handbook, several light years ago.

A lite version of my Power Point presentation (Blended Learning in the UK) is available:

Innovations in technology / Blended Learning

Practical teaching ideas

Many thanks to Macmillan for sponsoring this talk.

Earlier this week a Czech student asked Pete Sharma about traditional education, new super learning and nonsense textbooks during a chat with Pete Sharma in Languagelab.com.  Watch the video to hear his answer.