Zoom

Teaching is going online and one of the favorite tools is Zoom.  I am going to post here things I have learned about Zoom.

Individual White Boards

I am researching ways to use mini whiteboards with my upcoming beginning ESL class.  Here are some thoughts.
One board/one student:

• T says/writes present tense          Ss write past tense
• T spells word                               Ss write 
• Ss see scrambled sentence           Ss write corrected order sentence
• T dictates words/sentences          Ss write words/sentences
• Simulated Twitter chat.               Ss see topic such as What did you do yesterday?" or
                                                      "Describe  members of your family." 
• T asks question with do/does       Ss write "Yes s/he does. Yes, I do" etc.
•  

One board/2-3 students:

• Ss get situation task card such as "You got home late." Together they create a skit.

Iphone Subbing for Computer

In teaching ESL I have become accustomed to using many tools on the computer for teaching and learning purposes.  Now, however, I am going to be teaching a f2f class where the only technology possibly available to students will be a smartphone.  So I am now doing research to answer the following questions regarding smartphones:
1.  Can you blog?  If so, can people record comments?
Yes, it looks as if you can blog and upload media to your blog.  so I have started a new blog ESL Webtools on Word Press.  Although I am more familiar with Blogger, I couldn't find any smart phone app.
2.  Can you tweet? If so, can you insert pix and voice?  Can people comment?
Ok.  I can access my Twitter account with a Twitter app, but now I need to create a new twitter account just for teaching purposes.  Can I have two?

3.  What games are available?  Are there versions for all brands of smartphones?

4.  Can I create Quizlet games for my students to use on their smartphones?  All phones?

As I find the answers to some of these questions, I will post them.

Digging Out

I just spent 3 hours shoveling snow, but still have a lot more to do.  The problem is that there is so much snow that there is no where to put it!  You fill your shovel and then have to walk quite a way to find somewhere to heave it up on top of a growing mound of snow.  When that one gets too high, everyone looks for another spot.

Included in this post is a short audio recording I made with Audioboom.

AudioPal Widget

AudioPal Widget

AudioPal Widget

I am trying out a audio recording tool called AudioPal.  This recording I made on my iPhone.  I would like to try out other ways of recording as well soon.

AudioPal Widget

Playing with Powtoon

The Powtoon site has a lot of potential for creating motivational presentations.