Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom:

SSAT Languages Lead Practitioner Seminar

 

Following the success of my SSAT LP seminar on blogging and podcasting in Colchester, I'm delighted to announce a repeat performance at Shireland CLC in the West Midlands this month.

If you are interested in finding out more about the potential of blogging and podcasting to enhance language learning and offer personalised distance learning opportunities to your students, why not download the flyer and apply to attend the course? You won't regret it.

Download Shireland flyer

Here is some of the feedback from Colchester to whet your appetite:

Thanks for an enjoyable day.I had a great day and now feel inspired to use the ideas with my classes. Can't wait to get started. (Steph Rudkin)

Thanks for a really great training day. Have already secured funding for an iriver and a MFL blog! Now just got to get started!! (Melissa Capes)

Many thanks for an excellent day-it was really inspiring and I aim to put all the practical advice to good use right away! We're also going to sort our blog subscription out and get going as soon as we can! (Lorraine Hunt)

Download Feedback_from_Colchester

See you on the 29th!

NUI Galway Modern Languages Symposium

Download New_tools_new_curriculum_new_opportunities_nui_galway.mp3

Download New_tools_new_curriculum_new_opportunities_nui_galway.ppt

Flying to Galway on Thursday last week was exciting for two main reasons. Firstly, it meant I could return to Ireland for another training opportunity and secondly I would at last be able to give my first proper keynote speech after four years of trying. I'm very grateful to Michelle Tooher the organiser of the Modern Languages Symposium for giving me this chance and for making me feel so welcome at NUI Galway.

Another highlight of the trip was meeting Paul Gormley who interviewed me via Skype back in March 2007 for the Modern Languages Comunity of Practice podcast. I'd like to thank Paul and Michelle too for their support promoting The Isle of Wight Conference on the NDLR blog in recent years.  

Speaking in front of university lecturers was somewhat daunting, but my practical, honest approach seemed to go down well and I guess set the tone for the day. The conversation during our 3 course lunch was certainly animated and it was a pleasure to share ideas with like-minded colleagues.

I'd also like to thank all those people on Twitter who replied to my tweet at the start of my talk about personal learning networks (PLNs). Although I ran out of time to share them with delegates on the day, you can see them below in full.

In the afternoon, Paul and I did some hands-on workshops on blogging and podcasting and before leaving I even had a chance to look around the university's recording studio. Very cool.

Staying at The Westwood Hotel was also very memorable what with the luxurious surroundings, fast wifi access and generous breakfasts. Please note the picture below was taken the day before all Irish pork was recalled due to concerns over contamination.

I even had time to fit in the OZ/NZ Flashmeeting on Sunday morning before flying home thanks to the built in webcam on my MSI WInd. Very handy.

Hope you enjoy the keynote as much as I enjoyed my Irish breakfast, not to mention the Guinness or two I had before returning to good old blighty! Sláinte!

Summary

• Introduction
• quoting Kathy Wicksteed quoting Chris Maynard from QCA at Language World 2008
• inviting teachers to be bold when implementing the new KS3 curriculum
• Alec Couros' diagram of the networked teacher
• creating new CPD opportunities using RSS
• how language teachers are creating their own Personal Learning Networks (PLN)
• explaining RSS and how to subscribe in Google Reader
• tailouring materials to personalise learning for students
• finding the RSS feed in your browser
• subscribing to a RSS feed
• celebrating language related events on Flickr
• tagging photos on Flickr so pictures can be shared by different people in the same collection
• embedding Flickr slideshows on to your blog
• uploading videos as well as images to Flickr
• using the video fuction on a still digital camera
• subscribing to the photostreams of other language teachers
• sharing your favourite websites online with social bookmarking
• using email to find out about the latest updates as an alternative to RSS
• adding a del.icio.us tag roll to your blog
• the benefits of being part of an online community (fora/Ning networks)
• having an open or closed network
• micro-blogging with Twitter
• the power of asking questions on Twitter
• twittering at The Isle of Wight Conference 2008
• using Twitter for language learning purposes
• Twitter blending the personal with the professional
• downloading YouTube clips and embedding them into PowerPoint
• creating customised RSS feeds to search for clips by username and tag
• using Skype to make free calls to other users or inexpensive calls to landlines over the internet
• recording and editing Skype calls from a USB stick
• bringing authentic voices into the classroom
• using SkypeOut credit to ring landlines for a few pence
• videoconferencing with Flashmeeting
• using wikis for creative writing, collaborative projects and for hosting multimedia resources
• reasons to start blogging and ideas on promoting your blog
• ideas to start moblogging
• using a UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC)
• the educational value of podcasting
• CILT video case studies on the effective use of ICT
• using podcasting for assessment for learning purposes and distance learning
• using podcasting for global citizenship and eTwinning
• some cool tools for schools (Wordle, Mobus, Tumblr+Kwout, VoiceThread, eBook to Images, Go! Animate)
• how to morph your voice in Audacity
• further reading
• a few final thoughts

Show Notes

SSAT Annual Languages Conference 2008

Kathy Wicksteed at Language World 2008

the new KS3 curriculum

Typical teacher network v the networked teacher

RSS in Plain English

Google Reader in Plain English

Easy ways into RSS

IE7

FireFox

Flickr

European Day of Languages 2008 on Flickr

The Isle of Wight Conference 2007 on Flickr

SSAT Annual Languages Conference 2007 on Flickr

FlickrSLiDR

Video on Flickr

Video VoxPop at Language World 2008 on Flickr

Lisa Stevens' puppets set (lisibo)

Alex Blagona's EDL and LAFTA set (Blaggers)

del.icio.us

My del.icio.us tags

Isabelle Jones' del.icio.us tags

Diigo

Isabelle Jones on Diigo

del.icio.us tag roll

Flashmeeting

MFLresources

TESConnect with RSS

Linguanet Forum

Ning networking

Talkabout Primary MFL Ning

Jo Rhys-Jones

The Isle of Wight Conference Ning

Twitter

Creating your personal learning network with Twitter

Twitter film from IOW Conference 08

The Isle of Wight Conference 2008

Interview with Steve Collis

Quel temps fait-il à Foxford?

Embedding YouTube and Google videos into PowerPoint

Keepvid

Download video clips with Real Player 11

Search YouTube via username with RSS

Subscribe to YouTube video tags via RSS

MFL Karaoke and Role Play Raps

Welcome to Gorseville

GCSE French for Dummies

AuthorStream

Podcast your PowerPoints

Podcasters power up in class

Skype

Recording Skype calls with Pamela

Record and Edit Skype calls from a USB stick

Bucharest eTwinning Conference 2008 and using a USB modem abroad

Audacity Anytime Anyplace Anywhere

Interview with Kathleen Holton

Kathleen Holton at The Isle of Wight Conference

Podcasting and Language Skills

SkypeOut

eTwinning ambassador John Warwick and his email contact

My Flashmeetings

EdTechRoundup

Flashmeeting project for Primary Languages

OZ/NZ Educators

Passionate about podcasting

Live Blogging with Cover It Live

OZ/NZ Educators Ning

Making Use of Blogging, Podcasting and Wikis in the MFL Classroom

Interview with Chris Fuller

Peter Morris and his CILT Wikimania project

CILT Cymru Wetpaint wiki

Making Languages Count: CILT Cymru DVD

MFL Show and Tell 08 wiki

Shozu

Using SkypeOut credit with Utterli

Interview with Chris Holbrook

Liz Kolb at K12 Online

USB modem

Asus Eee PC

MSI Wind

The educational value of podcasting presentation at Jersey e-Learning Conference

Podcasting in Plain English

CILT video case studies on effective use of ICT

Nodehill French Grammar Podcasts

Nodehill French Grammar Podcasts go from strength to strength

Nodehill French Grammar Podcasts now on iTunes

Interview with Adam Sutcliffe

Rate My Mate's Podcast

Chinese Day at Nodehill

Interview with Joe Molloy

Spread the IOW Conference Wordle

Blog on a mobile

Tumblr + Kwout for simple tumbleblogging

Learning languages with VoiceThread

Mobile revision with eBook to images

Go! Animate your lessons

Morph your voice in Audacity

Morph your Voki in Audacity

Posts on blogging, podcasting, moblogging and mobile phones

Twhirl for Twitter

Blogging and podcasting in Colchester

Today as part of my SSAT Languages Lead Practitioner work, I was in Colchester showing six keen MFL teachers how to blog and podcast with TypePad and Audacity. It was a great experience and the atmosphere was buzzing throughout the day. Each delegate even got to take home their own Logitech microphone headset so they could carry on practicing at home which was a nice touch.

Having a small group worked really well as it meant everyone could ask as many questions as they wanted and I had the time to answer them all in full and without hesitation. The day seemed to whizz by and before I knew it everyone had created their own podcast and blog and were looking forward to spreading the word to their respective departments.

Three of the charming delegates agreed to share their thoughts at the end and you can hear what they said by clicking on the link below.

Download Feedback_from_Colchester

A special thanks to Lorraine Hunt for her support and help in promoting the event locally, the ICT department at St Benedict's College for ensuring everything ran smoothly on the day and the great caterers for providing us with a lovely spread, particularly the warm bacon butties this morning. A personal highlight!

Of course the proof of the pudding will be if delegates build on what they've learnt and continue to collaborate with each other in the future. Judging by the positive reaction today, I have every confidence this is exactly what will happen and that this is only the beginning of an exciting journey for teachers and pupils in Colchester. Job done and fingers crossed!

 

Thinking outside the classroom box

Languages Lead Practitioners, Louise Crossley and Chris Fuller have slidecasted the presentation they did last week at The Annual Languages Conference on blogging, podcasting and mobile phones.

Well worth a look.

Check out too the other PowerPoint presentations that have already been uploaded on to the SSAT site. I would particularly recommend those of Andrew Balaam, Francisco Villatoro and Rachel Hawkes if you are interested in ICT in MFL ideas.

SSAT Annual Languages Conference 2008

As promised, here is the slidecast of the talk I gave on Friday at The SSAT Annual Languages Conference 2008 called New tools, new curriculum, new opportunities. It is intended to encourage colleagues to be bold when faced by the demands of planning for the new KS3 curriculum and offer suggestions on how new technologies such as blogging and podcasting can enhance their pupils' learning.

Using Alec Couros' excellent diagram of what a 'networked teacher' can look like in the 21st century as a guide, I drew on materials already created by different language teachers around the country and proposed how others could follow their example. Whether this happens is another question all together, but I do hope that those who attended do at least now start to take advantage of the power of RSS and use the delivery system to connect with like-minded colleagues around the world.

It was great that none of the sessions on using technology at the conference overlapped too much and in many ways they complimented each other dealing with topics such as using virtual learning environments, interactive self-authoring exercises and moblogging. I was glad to see that both Chris Fuller and Frankie Villatorro were extolling the virtues of the Flip video camera as a quick and easy way of shooting and uploading video to the web. I can see this tool having a similar impact as it has already had in the states.

Another highlight was seeing how Andrew Balaam is using Moodle to record the individual scores that his pupils are achieving when completing Hot Potatoes exercises both in and out of school. This was impressive particularly as both tools are free to use for educational purposes.

Hope you find my presentation as useful and get in touch if you need any help. Don't forget "Be bold!"

Download new_tools_new_curriculum_new_opportunities.mp3

Summary

• Introduction
• seeing Kathy Wicksteed at Language World 2008
• Kathy and Chris Maynard from QCA inviting teachers to be bold when implementing the new KS3 curriculum
• Alec Couros' diagram of the networked teacher
• how language teachers are creating their own Personal Learning Networks (PLN)
• explaining RSS and how to subscribe in Google Reader
• being able to skim the titles of hundreds of blog posts in a matter of minutes
• the value of having a PLN for your continuing professional development (CPD)
• sharing ideas with other teachers from around the world
• finding the RSS feed in your browser
• subscribing to a RSS feed
• celebrating language related events on Flickr
• tagging photos on Flickr so pictures can be shared by different people in the same collection
• embedding Flickr slideshows on to your blog
• uploading videos as well as images to Flickr
• using the video fuction on a still digital camera
• subscribing to the photostreams of other language teachers
• sharing your favourite websites online with social bookmarking
• using email to find out about the latest updates as an alternative to RSS
• adding a del.icio.us tag roll to your blog
• the benefits of being part of an online community (fora/Ning networks)
• having an open or closed network
• micro-blogging with Twitter
• the power of asking questions on Twitter
• sharing not just taking
• using Twitter for language learning purposes
• downloading YouTube clips and embedding them into PowerPoint
• creating customised RSS feeds to search for clips by username and tag
• using Skype to make free calls to other users or inexpensive calls to landlines over the internet
• recording and editing Skype calls from a USB stick
• bringing authentic voices into the classroom
• using SkypeOut credit to ring landlines for a few pence
• videoconferencing with Flashmeeting
• using wikis for creative writing, collaborative projects and for hosting multimedia resources
• reasons to start blogging and ideas on promoting your blog
• ideas to start moblogging
• the educational value of podcasting
• CILT video case studies on the effective use of ICT
• creating the Nodehill french Grammar Podcasts and putting them on iTunes
• using podcasting for assessment for learning purposes and distance learning
• using podcasting for global citizenship and eTwinning
• how to morph your voice in Audacity
• some cool tools for schools (Wordle, Mobus, Tumblr+Kwout, VoiceThread, eBook to Images, Go! Animate)
• further reading
• a few final thoughts

Show Notes

Kathy Wicksteed at Language World 2008

the new KS3 curriculum

Typical teacher network v the networked teacher

RSS in Plain English

Google Reader in Plain English

Easy ways into RSS

IE7

FireFox

Flickr

European Day of Languages 2008 on Flickr

The Isle of Wight Conference 2007 on Flickr

SSAT Annual Languages Conference 2007 on Flickr

FlickrSLiDR

Video on Flickr

Video VoxPop at Language World 2008 on Flickr

Lisa Stevens' puppets set (lisibo)

Alex Blagona's EDL and LAFTA set (Blaggers)

del.icio.us

My del.icio.us tags

Isabelle Jones' del.icio.us tags

Diigo

Isabelle Jones on Diigo

del.icio.us tag roll

Flashmeeting

MFLresources

TESConnect with RSS

Linguanet Forum

Ning networking

Talkabout Primary MFL Ning

Jo Rhys-Jones

The Isle of Wight Conference Ning

Twitter

Creating your personal learning network with Twitter

Tweeting from Leamington Spa

Asking about PLNs using your PLN (murcha, spookingdorf, nwinton, cwebbtech, digtalmaverick, paulawhite, tricias, mberry, lisibo

Tweeting about my presentation for the SSAT Conference

Interview with Steve Collis

Quel temps fait-il à Foxford?

Embedding YouTube and Google videos into PowerPoint

Keepvid

Download video clips with Real Player 11

Search YouTube via username with RSS

Subscribe to YouTube video tags via RSS

MFL Karaoke and Role Play Raps

Welcome to Gorseville

GCSE French for Dummies

AuthorStream

Podcast your PowerPoints

Podcasters power up in class

Skype

Recording Skype calls with Pamela

Record and Edit Skype calls from a USB stick

Bucharest eTwinning Conference 2008 and using a USB modem abroad

Audacity Anytime Anyplace Anywhere

Interview with Kathleen Holton

Podcasting and Language Skills

SkypeOut

eTwinning ambassador John Warwick and his email contact

My Flashmeetings

EdTechRoundup

Flashmeeting project for Primary Languages

OZ/NZ Educators

Passionate about podcasting

Live Blogging with Cover It Live

OZ/NZ Educators Ning

Making Use of Blogging, Podcasting and Wikis in the MFL Classroom

Interview with Chris Fuller

Peter Morris and his CILT Wikimania project

CILT Cymru Wetpaint wiki

Making Languages Count: CILT Cymru DVD

MFL Show and Tell 08 wiki

Shozu

Using SkypeOut credit with Utterli

Interview with Chris Holbrook

Liz Kolb at K12 Online

USB modem

Asus Eee PC

MSI Wind

The educational value of podcasting presentation at Jersey e-Learning Conference

Podcasting in Plain English

CILT video case studies on effective use of ICT

Nodehill French Grammar Podcasts

Nodehill French Grammar Podcasts go from strength to strength

Nodehill French Grammar Podcasts now on iTunes

Interview with Adam Sutcliffe

Rate My Mate's Podcast

Chinese Day at Nodehill

Interview with Joe Molloy

Morph your voice in Audacity

Morph your Voki in Audacity

Spread the IOW Conference Wordle

Blog on a mobile

Tumblr + Kwout for simple tumbleblogging

Learning languages with VoiceThread

Mobile revision with eBook to images

Go! Animate your lessons

Posts on blogging, podcasting, moblogging and mobile phones

Book now for The Isle of Wight Conference 2008

Book now for The Isle of Wight Conference!

The news you've all been waiting for! Registration for the Isle of Wight Conference 2008 is finally underway. Thanks to everyone for your patience and support. As you will see from the brochure below, this year's event has greatly expanded and now offers two whole days of outstanding CPD delivered by top speakers from around the UK.

Be amazed by the range and quality of sessions and consider for a moment the networking opportunities of spending just a couple of days on the Isle of Wight in October for your future career.

Hope the brochure provides you with all the information you need and a special thank you must go to my wife for all her support in helping me put this and previous programmes together. I couldn't have done it without you, dear! 

Now spread the word!

Download Isle_of_Wight_Conference_Brochure_2008.pdf

Download isle_of_wight_conference_travel_&_accommodation_2008.pdf

Download booking_form_08.doc

Isle of Wight Conference 2007 - The film!

One of the great things about the summer break is you have time to catch up on jobs you've been meaning to do all year. A classic example for me, would be finally sorting out all the video footage and stills that were taken at last year's Isle of Wight Conference by the Nodehill film crew Richard Lashley and Robin Chubb and make them into a film. Well thanks to Richard's and Robin's editing skills and my directorial input, we now have the finished results!

Hope you enjoy it and it encourages you to come to this year's event on 25th-26th October described by one of the speakers Jo Rhys-Jones as Fantastic peer-to-peer CPD

John Bald who wrote about last year's conference in The Guardian has also suggested in light of the key points identified to improve provision and outcomes in the recent Ofsted summary of language inspections from 2002-07 that:

"A start would be for each school concerned about languages to send a teacher to the two-day conference on the Isle of Wight this October, with a clear brief of what to look for."

The MFLE and British Council have kindly advertised the event too as well as bloggers, Lisa Stevens and Paul Harrington.

Booking will be starting very soon so hopefully this will whet your appetite for starters.

Pushing the 'Pull Media Environment'

Before setting off for a week in Brittany, I attended the Lead Practitioner Induction Day at the Emirates Stadium and met up with the languages team for 2008/09 including new LP Chris Fuller. The atmosphere was very positive and colleagues enthusiastically shared ideas about their forthcoming seminars.

During one of the breakout sessions, I had the pleasure of listening to Alex Savage, LP coordinator for ICT talking about effective ways of using technology to build a learning network and maximise a training event.

Download Effective_uses_of_ICT_to_enhance_LP_Work.mp3

In just under fifteen minutes, Alex gave us his top tips for enhancing an LP seminar using ICT and ideas on how teachers can best network in the 21st century. First he talked of a three step process of organising a successful event e.g.

• Find or create a network
• Make your event as enticing as possible
• Give delegates the opportunity for feedback to inform you for future events

He then went on to suggest that to meet their training needs, teachers need to adopt the Pull Media approach favoured by many of today's young people where they select content they want to access when and where they want rather than Push Media which is delivered at a given time in a given place.

Alex referred to Alec Couros' diagrams for The Typical Teacher Network v The Networked Teacher to exemplify the Push/Pull Models.

The tools which Alex highlighted as facilitating this process are:

• iGoogle - Google Bookmarks, Gmail, Sticky Notes (personalise your desktop and keep in touch with your network using keywords instead of group email)
• Edublogs - CommunICTy blog (post articles of interest for your target audience, let people leave comments, create a newsletter on a blog)
• Wikispaces - CommunICTy wiki (a place to share and develop ideas collaboratively prior or after the event)
• Ning - ICTnet Ning (open or closed social networking site for you to upload resources and create fora for delegates to access after the event and extend discussions)

For more information, visit CommunICTy.org or contact Alex here.

It's a blogger's life

Newly appointed SSAT Languages Lead Practitioner, Chris Fuller has published his presentation from a recent training session for PGCE students at The University of Exeter called a It's a blogger's life. Well done Chris for this great overview.

Taking the lead at Chelsea

Last Thursday, as part of his SSAT Languages Lead Practitioner interview at Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club, Spanish teacher and Liverpool fan Chris Fuller gave an impassioned speech on the power of Web 2.0 tools and creating genuine, cross-curricular learning opportunities.

Putting the theory into practice, Chris has published his presentation as a slidecast so you can enjoy it too.

Well done, Chris and fingers crossed.

Takes me back!