Pete Sharma Associates

Tweeting: it’s not just for birds

This blog post looks at the Internet phenomenon of Twitter. We’ve all heard of Twitter. But do you tweet? And why would you?

For the rest of this blog entry, please visit the Linguarama blog. http://blog.linguarama.com/

It’s been a good day on the IWB front, for three reasons.

1. I was chatting (through the keyboard) with a colleague with a brief to buy an IWB and I was interested in learning what his choice would be. SMART? Promethean? Hitachi? He went with a Panabord (from Panasonic), mostly for the local support offered (Kalyan works in India) and looking at the info, I think he made a good choice.

Wanna check it out? Click here:

http://panasonic.com.au/Products/Electronic+whiteboards/Interactive+whiteboard/UB-T880/Overview

2 I managed (all on my ownsome) to download Promethean’s ActivInspire software onto my new Mac in advance of the English UK Training day on IWBs. The Wimbledon school of English, the host school, has Promethean boards. First impressions: the interface actually looks much easier than the older version (Active Studio)

3  I even found time to watch half of Barbara Garner’s recent webinar – Cool ideas for IWBs. Isn’t that a great thing about recorded webinars – you can watch them as and when you wish to. Second half tomorrow, yeah. If you are a member of the IATEFL LT SIG, you can watch the webinar for free. If you aren’t, join.

http://ltsig.org.uk/

How are you going with your IWB? Are you in full flow, or is it gathering dust? If it’s the second scenario, there are still places on English UK’s Training Day 11th February in London. For more info, visit: http://www.psa.eu.com/event/getting-the-most-out-your-interactive-whiteboard-approaches-and-pedagogies

I’d love to see you there!

Last Saturday saw the QLS conference, held in Athens. It was great to go back to Greece after so many years – I was  a tourist on the mainland over 20 years ago.

I was startled at the title: ‘Hi Tech, bye teacher?” Luckily, the next line was reassuring: “Any teacher that can be replaced by a computer deserves to be”, so I felt much better.

It was good to meet George Drivas who had kindly sent me a copy of his book: Education, Learning, Training in a Digital Society. George opened the conference with a talk based on his book; it was a good start to the day.

My own session provided 40 practical ideas for using technology in the classroom, although I actually only managed 36! For a graphics-lite version of my talk, please click here:

practical_ideas2

I enjoyed the whole day, including the talk by Anne Leventeris, from Burlington Books. She was showing us activities based on published digital materials, using a SMART board, and it was greta to see the IWB used confidently and competently.

The most spectacular moment of the day was actually realising where I was. We went up to the 8th floor for a wonderful view across Athens, taking in the Acropolis crowned by Parthenon.

We sped up to Patras to arrive at carnival time!

It was good to be in the streets and see everyone enjoying themselves despite the challenging economic climate. TESOL Greece sure know how to provide a fab meal.

Sunday saw TESOL Greece, Patras. The event was live streamed. It was a wonderful day, with great presentations on Art and language teaching, psychology and being popular with students, and materials from Heinle National Geographic (I hope I got that right!).

For a graphics-lite PPT version of my talk on technology, please click here:

plenary-lite-1

For a Handout with some key references, please click here:

References

A great trip. Thanks to everyone. I do hope to return to Greece again.

10 reasons to buy our new book

1. It’s hot off the press. From conception to birth, this book, like a Usain Bolt of lightening, has broken all speed records. And that’s what you need in the fast-moving world of educational technology.

2. It has benefitted from multiple authors. Francis Jones is a trainer for Dragonfly and spent years training UK state school teachers in use of the board. Barney Barrett teaches business English and has given TLC to the PSA Smartboard since its arrival in his school. Teachers from a number of countries have sent in ideas. So throw a kush-ball at your whiteboard – how sexy is that? (Idea number 177)

3. It has benefitted from a crack editorial team. From our managing editor to the whole editorial team, the prose has been slapped around till it fairly hums like electricity on the page. I kid you not.

4. You already have a interactive whiteboard in your school. So – get more ideas for your teachers!

5. You might get an interactive whiteboard in your school. So – make sure the teachers have some  great ideas for using it!

6. You are waiting, before buying, for a huge, f***-off touch-screen monitor. Don’t worry – the will ideas all work with a huge, interactive touch-screen monitor. Oh yes, information will be updated on the web, most likely through free .pdfs on the Macmillan Books for Teachers site.

7. You have no interactive whiteboard at all. Remember that many ideas work with a simple lap-top and data projector set-up.

8. You have no intention of ever using an interactive whiteboard while there is still breath in your body. So, buy a copy and see what you are missing (memorable presentations; better language review; helpful for kinaesthetic learners….)

9. The cover is gorgeous. Sounds like a good enough reason to me! (Love the turbines)

10. There’s a discount at IATEFL for attendees of this Friday’s PCE. Just sashay to the Macmillan stand.

11. “It’s brilliant”. (Quote adapted from ‘Bend it like Beckham’ – originally said about Jasminder’s footballing prowess but equally applicable to our book). Yes, I know, I cannot count.

We THINK the workshop has started well. Scary!

Enjoying leading people into fog (what is a VLE? cuisenaire rods? dogme or DOGMA?) Then pouring light into their lives……ha ha

Three zillion years ago, I started teaching in Madrid with a piece of chalk.

Great to go back to Marid – as ever – and see Graham Stanley run a race between teacher with chalk and a teacher on an IWB!!

I loved popping over to the conference, strutting my stuff in the graveyard session and then disappearing to watch Matt Damon and Emily…sorry, too much information.

Teaching in the Digital Age

thanks so much if you came to this session!

Here are the ‘lite’ versions of the Power Points, as promised:

Part one opening-lite

Part two and three part2-lite

Practical ideas part4-lite

Enjoy!

Looking forward to returning to Madrid for our symposium in May.

I have recently reviewed Teaching Online, by Nicky Hockly with Lindsay Clandfield. I have to say that it was a most enjoyable experience, and it actually left me pining to…. TEACH ONLINE!!

“Increasing numbers of language learners are opting to take online language courses; increasing numbers of teachers are teaching online. For many, (this) is a leap into the unknown……….. The appearance of Teaching Online is therefore both timely and welcome”.

The complete review is available in the ELTJ and can be cited as:

Teaching Online: Tools and Techniques, Options and Opportunities
Pete Sharma
ELT Journal 2011 65: 217-21

Any opportunities out there? Back to bricks and mortar tomorrow……..

Don’t you love caught time at airports. I do. Printing out stuff (sorry, environment) to read on flights is one of my favourite pastimes.

I’ve just printed some of the links from Nik Peachey’s latest Newsletter.

To subscribe, go to the “Technology Newsletter” newsletter where you can also download a copy.

Like Kevin’s future Smartphone, you cannot live without it.

Happy reading…..