Everywhere you see the students in your school texting on their cell phones or listening to their Ipods. Administrators are beginning to ask you how you use computers in your classroom. They have given you gadgets galore you have no idea how to use.

I hear educators daily express their concerns on how to achieve high test scores with the new technologies they are given with very little training on how to use them. This reason is probably the number one reason several educators fear technology and are even a bit angry at having to use technology. However, plenty of educators in the same situation have provided resources to help through various types of learning communities. Here are a few of my favorite learning communities! Joining any of these is free!

BLOGS

These provide innovative lesson plans for any technology. Educators can easily submit their email addresses to receive their favorite blogs through email. You can decide to follow blogs specific to one technology or you can choose to read a blog that deals with many different types of technology like Teacher Reboot Camp.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

Educators can now discover best practices for using any technology and even ask for help with technology nightmares by joining online educational groups. Do you want your class to interact with a class around the world? Just post a question in any of these forums.

• Nings: These are websites that host various tools for groups to interact with each other. Educators can post videos, join discussions, or share files! I recommend the Educator Professional Learning Network ning group.
• Twitter: Thousands of educators exchange links, answer questions, and debate educational issues daily on Twitter. You can easily follow a list of educators or follow ones specific to your field. This website will provide you with several resources to get you started.
• YouTube: Did you know you can subscribe to educational Youtube channels? If you subscribe to the Learn to Be the Difference channel, you will find video tutorials, inspiring educational videos, and more!

No need to fear the technology monster, because other educators are willing to exchange ideas, lesson plans, and support! This movement of educators establishing learning communities is exciting and will continue to flourish, because we are all stronger when we put our minds together.

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a technology teacher trainer, English language teacher, and consultant for various language institutes, online schools, and educational institutes in Nepal, the US, Germany, and Italy. Explore her Teacher Reboot Camp blog for tips on professional development and integrating technology effectively into the classroom. She can be reached via Twitter: @shellterrell. Check out her articles on building a PLN with Twitter and a further explanation of social networks.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

Fourteen years ago, a student at my college asked to use ‘the computer’. His next question stumped me. “How do you turn it on?” I failed in my attempts to help him. How was I to know the power button on the Apple Mac was on the keyboard? I was an EFL teacher! I made lessons for students in my neatest handwriting with my pencil. No need for technology.

Today, I am webmaster of six websites. I have two podcasts, RSS feeds, and a Twitter account. I blog, glog, ning, and create mp3 files, HTML and Flash exercises for class. I use Google docs, digital storytelling, voice threads, wikis and a whole lot more. No need for pencils.

My students love their laptops. They carry them around like Charlie Brown’s pal Linus clings to his blanket. It’s astonishing how many of my class come equipped with their computer and charger but totally forget their pencil and coursebook. Thankfully, the latter is the digital version so I can display it on my Smart Board. My students really get down to work when lessons are computer based. When pencil-equipped, they can get down to some serious doodling.

My students are not familiar with the term Web 2.0. To them, it is simply “stuff we do (all day) every day. They don’t see it as innovation nor experience any manifestation of “new technology” phobia. Ducks to water, pretty much. Same with my two small children (six and eight).

Now, some teachers I know have a reluctance to use these “new technologies”. This is rather peculiar. Laptop computers are two decades old. Smart boards have been around for a decade. We all use e-mail, visit blogs and make stuff on the computer. Web 2.0 is really no longer a term that describes innovation. It’s wholly mainstream. Neither is Web 2.0 stuff new technology – it’s simply ‘stuff’. The myriad of amazing new online things to use in class are just tools. Same as a pencil.

I understand the reticence of teachers who fear dipping their toe in and using these tools. My initial thought when trying another one is “here we go again”. I encounter a small obstacle in thinking it’s a pain to once again register, log in, and then figure out how it all works. Luckily, most of the Web 2.0 stuff out there today is more intuitive to use than my school’s Apple Mac was to turn on way back when.

What I have learned in my very interesting journey from pencil to digital tools is how great the rewards are of engaging students’ interest with computer-based and online materials. In addition, I fully understand that getting over the hurdle of spending a little time to get to grips with the latest tool is definitely worthwhile. I feel happier as a teacher being equipped with all the mainstream tools such as pencils, podcasts and even plurks.

Of course students still need their pencils and notebooks. A healthy balance of traditional tools (pens, pencils, paper) and mainstream tools (digital stuff) is required.

But innovation is now also mainstream, not something we expect future teachers will introduce into the classroom. We should use what the students use. In teaching ESL/EFL, we can easily incorporate new tools while helping students with digital and traditional literacy. They need to know the vocabulary of social media and Web 2.0 tools as much as they need ‘parts of the body’ vocab from Unit Three.

IMHO, there is more hands-on, authentic language and reality on all of the digital tools mentioned above than in coursebooks. Technology integration provides great language practice and motivation. It’s also collaborative, exciting, interesting, and mainstream.

Sean Banville is the webmaster for various ESL materials websites and has plans for many more. He has a Master’s degree in TEFL/TESL from Birmingham University, and spent thirteen years teaching in Japan before relocating to the UAE in 2006. He recently became an enthusiastic member of the Twitter community, and is gearing up to enter the world of blogging. His web-based projects include the following:

• Breaking News English (previously reviewed here on Lesson Mag)
• ESL Discussions
• Famous People Lessons
• ESL Holiday Lessons
• News English Lessons
• Listen a Minute

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

Tired of the groaning whenever you settle in for a topic review in class? Here are some ideas to use when getting ready for a big test, and also some strategies to keep the material fresh all year long. Bonus? Many of these ideas can be used as team activities, or as sponge activities when it’s time for transition.

Chalkboard Relay.

This is particularly great for math questions. Divide the class into two teams, and have the front person from each team at the board for each question, racing to see who can get the correct answer first. Keep score with tally marks on the chalkboard to see which team finishes in first place. This could also work with spelling word reviews, or reading off definitions to see who can come up with the correct term fastest.

In the Bag.

This was covered in depth in a previous shoestring teaching post. Basically, you can save any spelling word cards, study cards from previous class units, etc. For an impromptu review, have one student select a card with a spelling word on it and hold it so the rest of the class can’t see. Then let them call on a student to spell the word correctly and use it in a sentence. The class members swap out once a correct answer is provided.

Topic Riddles.

This is sort of a reverse “Twenty Questions” type of thing. Have several clues for each word, concept or answer. Then ask who / what / where am I based on the answer you need to receive. You could be going for a character in history, a type of biological plan, an astronomical phenomenon, etc.

Lining Up.

This is more of a time to do the review, rather than the activity itself. Each student can line up when they answer the question, or if you are already lined up as a group and they are waiting to get dismissed, let them leave the room if they answer the question and go to the back of the line if they mis it. I like to only send them back one time so it stays fun and keeps things on track time wise.

Roll the Dice.

I saw this my first year teaching at a workshop and it has served me well at multiple grade levels. Basically, you have kids divided into 3-4 teams with a few people (6 or less) in each team. You ask the question and every team confers together for the answer for an allowed amount of time. Then, whatever team’s turn it is waits for you to roll the dice. Each member of the team is assigned a number, so when the number on the dice comes up, they know which team member will need to answer the question. If that person gets it wrong, the question goes to the next team to try to answer it, with the dice getting rolled again. What I like about this is every team has to review the material for each review question, and within each team, every member HAS to be included because they never know who will get called on. Everybody has to stay focused on the activity and material if they want a chance to get points. This is another one of those ideas that can be used from early primary through high school, adult education, or even at the university level if you were so inclined.

Random Trivia.

Quotes from book characters or historical figures, math questions, spelling, riddles, all kinds of ideas would work here. You can use the strategy in a relay, with line up or dismissal transitions.

Review Puzzle as Learning Centers.

This is great for an extra time activity when students are finished with their seatwork. Use the page protector classroom strategy to save on consumable resources.

There you have it. Seven simple ways to provide solid, attention – grabbing content reviews in the classroom. Got a slamming suggestion of your own? Sound off in the comment section and share the love.

Photo Credit: Editor B.