About "My Teaching Blog"

Marco has just opened a new blog to share resources useful for teaching English, and I loved one of the sites he recommended. Eventhough at the beginning the link that he posted didn't work, I was able to copy the URL and got to the site.

His blog is original, and reflect his personality, wrm and funny. It also offers good resources and suggestions.

It is called ZuiTube, and it has songs, videos, and funny cartoons for kids. I thought it would be very childish, but I think I can use it for my 7th and even 8th grade students. The link to the site is http://video.kidzui.com/

There is a video I found very funny I'm also posting the link so you can judge for yourselves:

http://video.kidzui.com/videos/1310713?related[channel]=funniest-videos

Hope you enjoy it!

A blog for women runners

Every year, a 5 km race and walk takes place on the month of March. It is different from other races because it is open to women of all ages, completly free.

It is a space for women to cellebrate life, and their families and friends to come and support them. There are plenty of prizes, raffles, music and lot's of clean good fun.

More information can be found in the following link:

If you like to run or walk, I invite you to get involved. And if you would like to help in some way, please contact Marta, the organizer.

Importance of incorporating technology to teaching methodologies

When trying to learn a second language while in a non-native context, students encounter a series of difficulties which range from insufficient exposure to authentic language to lack of interest due to methodologies that do not take sufficiently into consideration the students´ context, in order to make the learning meaningful and memorable to them.

There are not enough resources available to EFL teachers in Costa Rica that respond to the various types of intelligences students have (and use) in the acquisition of the English language.

Both, in private and public schools where English is taught, the curriculum approaches the learning of the language in a fragmented way, often separating grammar from reading, speaking, and writing.

The strong emphasis placed on teaching students the rules of language, doesn’t necessarily result in the learners capacity to use the language effectively to communicate with other English speakers. That's why it is important to contribute to expand the resources available for language acquisition, and support the necessary shift towards the use of methodologies that respond to more current trends in teaching, and our global information society

My favorite passtime

I was born by the ocean,
and I have loved it all my life.

My favorite activity is to walk on the beach,
sit under a tree and contemplate the water,
swim,
and snorkle or dive for as long as I can.

Since it is not likely
that I'll be able to travel to another planet,
this is the closest I'll probably get to explore another world.

Podcasts, another "new" tool for teaching

Podcasts may not be new to you, but they were totally unknown to me a short few weeks ago. Then, we started to explore them, and their potential for improving both listening and speaking skills.

Here is one idea:

Literature Lesson Plan for EFL 7th grade students

Original podcast site: http://www.learnoutloud.com/Podcast-Directory/Literature

Specific literature / poetry site: http://www.learnoutloud.com/Podcast-Directory/Literature/Poetry/Poem-of-the-Day-Podcast/20139#3

Class time: 50 mi

Objective: to help students acquire poetry reading skills, and to familiarize them with the concepts of rhyme and rhythm.

Strategies:
Listening comprehension, reading comprehension, inferring, and retelling.

Activities:

1. Students listen to podcast 2 times (5 mi)
2. Students discuss what the poem is about, and how it made them feel (15 mi)
3. Students listen to podcast a third time with the written words in front of them
4. Students are asked to listen for words that sound the same (rhyming words), and to highlight them on the sheet of paper with the words of the poem. (5 mi)
5. Teacher checks answers with students, and comments on rhyme (10 mi)
6. Students are asked to listen again to the poem, without any paper, and to clap their hands according to the rhythm they feel the poem has. The activity is repeated until all students are clapping at the same time. Teacher comments on the concept of rhythm in a poem. (10 mi)
7. Students are asked to write a short poem incorporating the concepts of rhythm and rhyme, to be corrected in the next class period.