Active Learning - Infinite Scrabble

Here's another one I've just recently started using again and I really like it for Key Stage 4.

This one is really simple and takes next to no preparation, another reason that I love it!

Give out a grid like the one above to pairs or trios of pupils, depending on how they're sat. The grid should be empty apart from random number in some of the squares, just like the one above. Pupils play against each other in a scrabble-like game.

Allocate a topic (this week mine have been descriptions and holidays-not at the same time, combined with connectives/opinions) and it works like this; pupil 1 starts in the middle of the square by writing a word in the TL, pupil 2 then writes another word that has to connect in some way to the first word and so on. Points are scored when a word goes through one of the squares with a number in it and that square can earn points every time a word goes through it.  You can make is as easy or hard as you want by allowing words horizontally, vertically, diagonally and sometimes backwards. I then had double point scores for letters that had accents on. The games could have lasted the whole lesson, if I'd allowed it!

I didn't know how competitive my pupils could get!

My next task is to work out how it can be less wasteful on paper, maybe laminate grids and use mini whiteboard pens...

Little update on how I'm using Infinite Scrabble to ensure more engagement (although there's already lots there!). I give rewards not only to the winner in each pair / trio and have also started to reward the highest scoring team a reward as well, so not only are they playing against each other but also against the others in the class. Who know that there could be scores of over 100! I also no longer need to explain, just hand out and the buzz starts straights away.

Active Learning - Follow Me Cards

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is a hot topic at our school at the moment, since Ofsted told us that there were too many "passive learners".  In fact, Active Learning was the topic of our INSET on Tuesday.

Fortunately, I am a huge fan of Active Learning. I hate that feeling (and I have it way too often) when I'm doing an activity and I'm aware that only about 5 of the class are actually working hard, whilst the rest just sit back and let them.  I try to build in as much active learning as I can (although I'm sure some of my pupils would disagree) and luckily, Languages has loads of activities that we do as a matter of course, which are classes as "active learning".

Going back to the INSET on Tuesday, I think you can measure the success of any training session by what you can take away and use immediately.  Tuesday was one of those occasions.

I am an enormous fan of the TARSIA software, which I was introduced to by Clare Seccombe who has blogged about it here for example, and often use it for creating Dominoes and Jigsaws to introduce new language and to get pupils acquiring and using new language independently. I've also created "Human Dominoes"  sets, although both times have been a disaster (I think I must be doing something wrong).  I'd never, however, used the Follow Me cards as they *should* have been used, preferring instead to use them to create sets of dominoes or questions and answers.  On Tuesday our AHT responsible for Teaching and Learning explained how she used the Follow Me cards in Maths and I decided to have a go on Wednesday morning as follows:

I created a set of (larger than normal) dominoes as normal, with French phrases to match to English, with a variety of known language, cognate rich text and new structures.

Instead of asking pupils to to match them together on table, pupils had to stand up and read out their French phrase, then the person with the corresponding English phrase on it would stand up and say their English meaning, followed by their French phrase and so on...

It worked really well! All pupils spoke some French, all listening to and read some French and they all had to concentrate to make sure that they stood up for the correct phrases. What's more, they wanted to do it again and beat their original time...and wanted to make sure I did it with my other class to see who was the quickest!! AND they want to do it again another lesson!

I've done it with 3 different classes so far and it has been successful...it took me an age to think up 20+ phrases that were on topic, but it was worth it and I've got them now for other years!

ps. You can download Tarsia here (go on, it's great!)

Lingo Bingo

I always presume that activities I do to practice vocabulary are old hat and everyone already knows about them. Therefore I often don't tell people about activities I do, or don't expain them.

Lingo Bingo is one such activity. I know that many people do play this game in their classrooms already (because otherwise how would I know about it), however I also know many others have never heard of it before or struggled to understand my garbled tweets trying to fit an explanation in to 140 characters on Twitter the other day. I'm also pretty sure that it could be use in subjects other than Languages.

Anyway, for those of you who don't know how to play it here it is:

1. Give out plain paper - it doesn't have to be plain.


2. Pupils split the paper in half and draw a 6 / 8 / 9 square grid on each piece of paper - I'm thinking of making a ready made grid and sticking it in the back of pupils books or even laminating it, in order to save paper.


3. Number each box (1-6, 1-8, 1-9 depending on number of squares) on each grid but make sure there is still enough space to write in the squares.


4. Now put one of the grids to one side so that you are just working with 1 grid.


5. On the grid you are working with write 6 / 8 / 9 phrases - 1 in each box. I do it in TL but could also be in English, depending on skills you want to practise. This week I worked with connectives other than et and mais and opinions other than A mon avis.


6. Tear / cut up that grid so that you have 6 /8 / 9 little cards with individual phrases / words on them now.

With me so far?

Good ;-)

Now pupils work in pairs 1 partner will say a number (in the TL of course) and the other partner asks "Comment dit-on ....en anglais" (or similar). If they get it right they can place that card onto the corresponding number on their grid. The aim is to get 3 or even more touching squares for a full house. They can then swap and then move round the classroom playing other class memebers ad inifinitum...

The nice thing about this activity is that pupils get to experience a wide range of vocabulary and structures, including ones they wouldn't never have thought of using before. In addition, they can differentiate for one another. Allowing use of books if they feel their partner needs support or removing and hiding books, if they are feeling very mean! They get very competitive and are much stricter than I am! They can even switch and ask for the TL phrases as extension.

Of course at the end of the lesson you're left with lots of little bits of paper so don't forget to remind them to put them into the recycling as they leave...

L'histoire du poussin

Last night, as I was looking for inspiration to make the Perfect Tense with être more interesting, Kath Holton pointed me in the direction of L'histoire du poussin. It's a lovely little story about the short life of a little chicken, using the MRS VAN DE TRAMP verbs.

My classes liked it today maybe yours will too...

L'histoire du poussin

As for the QR Code. QR Codes are cool, they're what I do now!

Linoit vs Wallwisher

I am a keen advocate of Wallwisher as it it an excellent tool for pupils to use both inside and outside of the classroom both for collaborative work and showing me what they have learned and enjoyed. However, since September I haev found it to be more and more unreliable, particularly in the early evening when most of my pupils would be doing homework (I hope). I therefore stopped giving Wallwwisher activities as homework for some time.

Feeling that my pupils were missing out on an opportunity to share their work quickly and easily I set about finding an alternative. Someone from my Twitter PLN (I'm afraid I can't remember who now, sorry!) suggested I try Linoit. I did and found it really user friendly too. I have used it a few times recently both with pupils as plenaries/homework and for crowdsourcing ideas for a CPD session I ran on Web tools to use in MFL.

How do the two tools compare? Well, I really like Wallwisher as I can set moderation, which I like to do if setting homework (cough...wasn't working ealier!!)...it means that all of the pupils don't just then copy the first person's piece of work as I can moderate it all once the homework deadline has passed, it also means if anythere inappropriate were to be posted it wouldn't appear at all. Linoit on the other hand doesn't appear to have a moderation feature (unless I'm missing something). Therefore, I'm loath to set it for homework. I love it in class for plenaries etc..., but am not sure whether it would be quite as good for homeowords.  However, I do really like that you can lovely brighly coloured stickies on Linoit and also easily add images. There also seems to be more space

Whichever tool I decided to go for, one thing is for sure...my pupils really like both and love that they can give me feedback...or just say "hi"!!

What do you think?

Have you used either?

Have you used both?

Have you discovered a good way to moderate Linoit?

Let me know...and maybe we can learn together!

 

Top Tools for Digital Creativity in MFL: St. Robert of Newminster, Washington

Today I was very lucky to attend a CPD session that was run by the Catholic Partnership South for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Co-ordinated by Sara Crawshaw, the Catholic Partnership runs CPD sessions, enrichment activities and a whole host of other things for staff and pupils who work or attend Catholic School in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. This particular event was for Heads of MFL and MFL teachers from the region.

In the morning we focussed on Ofsted and improving teaching of MFL, with a particular emphasis on independence. Sarah Brough and Sarah Sharpe both from County Durham LA inspired us with great ideas that work to help improve our pupils' indepence, particularly at KS4.

In the afternoon I was invited to run a "short" session on digital creativity in MFL. Below you can find my presentation that gives a whistle-stop tour of my current favourites in no particular order. I've also added links  mentioned in the presentation below that incase you can't access them from the slideshow. I know some people asked about having the powerpoint available to show their departments. You can do this either by downloading from the Slideshare site or it you're not sure about doing that follow this link to  be able to download the file from my Langwitch Language Resources Wiki.

Last night in preparation for the presentation, I asked MFLers on Twitter what their favourite Web 2.0 tools for MFL were and they posted their responses on a linoit, which you can view here (I'm unable to embed it, unfortunately but there is also an image of it at the top of this post). Favourite Web 2.0 Tools for MFL

I hope everyone found the session useful and many more find it useful viewing here.

Top tools for Digital Creativity in MFL

View more presentations from Helena Butterfield.

Websites that were mentioned:

For word clouds

• Wordle: http://wordle.net


• Image chef: http://imagechef.com


• Tagxedo: http://tagxedo.com

For making language walls

• Wallwisher: http://wallwisher.com


• Linoit: http://linoit.com

Voice recordings and collaboration

• Voicethread: http://voicethread.com


• Voki: http://voki.com


• Xtranormal: http://xtranormal.com

Cartoon makers

• Toondoo: http://toondoo.com


• Go animate: http://goanimate.com and http://domo.goanimate.com

Story telling

• Storybird: http://storybird.com


• For MFL Storybirds: http://mfl-storybirds.wikispaces.com

I'll add more when I remember them. If there are anythat I've missed please let me know and I will add them.

If you'd like some examples of how I have used some of these tools, please feel free to look around my school blogs and wikis:

Langwitch (blog that I ran at my last school)

Langwitch @ St. Michael's

Langwitch Wiki

LinkedUp

At the end of September I was approached by Zahida Hammond to work with her on an application for one of the new LinkedUp grants that are being funded around the UK, to promote language learning. The idea was to continue to build on work that local 14-19 MFL Networks had begun last year, creating resources and activities for KS4 and KS5 that use new technologies and  develop pupils independence.

After much hard work from Zahida, we learnt in November that the application had been successful and now it's full steam ahead. We have 3 14-19 Networks working together on the project-Stockton, Middlesbrough and Whitley Bay with about 10 members across the network. We will all work on different aspects of the resources and they will all be shared together at the end. The idea is that we will use some technologies that will be new to some colleagues in the groups and also develop activities that encourage pupils to become independent language learners.

I'm very excited about this project and am looking forward to being able to use the resources created through the Networks and also to adapting the activities we create to being used in other topic areas and in other year groups too.

Wie hilfst du im Haushalt with Learning Zone Broadband Class Clips

As a keen member of the MFL Resources group, which is a "must join" for all MFL teachers, I regularly find several extremely useful tips and resources to use with my classes. The other day whilst checking some of the back posts, I came across a message from Helen Meyers who is Assistant Head at the Ashcomb School in Surrey, linking to the BBC Learning Zone's Broadband Class Clips. They're available for Primary and Secondary levels and for most subject areas. I was really pleased to find something a bit different that I could use in the classroom. What I particularly like is that next to the video, you get a brief synopsis of the clip (most of which last 3-5 mins) plus key language so that you know which class would be most suited for their use. I also like the ideas given for use (always helpful when lacking motivation!) .

Wanting to try it out straight away I thought about classes and topics that I was doing and came across this clip about household tasks.

It was ideal to introduce the topic of jobs around the home to my top set, without doing a Powerpoint or using some of my great drawings etc...

I showed the clip (pointing out how naff it was with the hair and the dancing and music etc, etc....) and class had to note down the new vocabulary that appears on the screen, adding the English. I also warned them about the song and asked them to just note down the family members and pets (just for an extra bit of listening, really)

It has to be said that they really liked it...specially the dancing for some reason! It was great for them to able to hear real German spoken whilst also getting the new words at a slower pace.

I will definitely be using these Broadband Class Clips again.

If you're not a member of MFL Resources why not join now - it's free!!

Click to join mflresources

A very busy week

I think the the next few days will be full of blog posts from me, as I seem to have done so much in a very short space of time. I've done so much, met so many people and had such a great time that I really don't know where to begin. I think maybe, I'll just go for it and apologise in advance for poor spelling and typing (no surprises there, then) and some rather mixed up time-lines. In no particular order I'm intending to blog about:

• my all new Ning that I set up last Wednesday and changed the name of yesterday
• the Isle of Wight Conference (of course)...hopefully individual posts about various aspects and how much I learnt etc..
• a chance encounter with a trainee life coach (aahhh...bet no-one expected that one - least of all me!)
• going to train MFL PGCE students at Durham University last week and the hazards that brought with it.

So, I'm now going to go and get busy...I even have emails to answer, somewhere!

Diigo vs Delicious

I've seen many blog posts recently about jumping on bandwaggons and how useful various tools are and the perceived "dangers" of blogging from a teaching professional's point of view.
All of this is certainly food for thought and made me consider a number of things.
Firstly, I decided to have a look at Diigo and transfered my bookmarks from Delicious, not really knowing why, I'm afraid.
Then I began to think about the "dangers" of having links that could provide pupils with access to "dodgey" sites (or sites seen as such by parents / colleagues etc...) and this made me think about my Delicious links which, as well as having resources for my pupils also has resources for me and others about Second Life, to my videos I like on You Tube (not always languages relatedbut also no dodgey, it must be said...mainly some Matt Redman stuff- can't get enough of his wonderful, inspirational music -, but personal to me nonetheless) and realised that Diigo could be a way round this. So I currently have my Delicious bookmarks (modified and reduced) on my pupil blog and Diigo on here. A bit cumbersome I know, but at the end of the day, what's an extra mouse click when adding something to both. My husband always tells me that I'm indecisive, well, I wouldn't know about that, but at least I'm happy (for about 30 mins anyway!)

New Key Stage 3 Curriculum

We had an LEA CPD Day today, part of which was dedicated to introducing us to the new KS3 Curriculum for September. I'd hear whisperings about it - generally negative, it must be said! However, having had it presented properly I must say that I'm buzzing with excitement. How great to be able to do topic-based, cross-curricular projects, without the constraints of a prescriptive Programme of Study! It's what I've wanted to be able to do most of my career, I think :o)
My friend and I couldn't stop with our ideas of topic based projects that could have cross-curricular links. Just one of ideas was a topic of (say) lifestyles...on a basic level this could include stuff aobut houses etc... but then Daily Routine could involve links with Geography to talk about the routine of a child in the 3rd World (also, in our school's case link in with our Lesotho Link that we have) and then to work in that past tense it could also be linked with History to discuss lifestyles of the Victorians (for example). They could have a "portfolio" of work..something written, something spoken etc... and Assessment opportunities built in, together with usual AfL and Thinking Skills activities...but how much more motivating for out pupils, instead of working through the text book!!!
I must admit that I'm a little concerned that other colleagues might not be as enthusiastic but I really feel that this is an amazing opportunity and we need to be sure that we don't let it slip away from us or be watered down in someway!My goodness, the ideas keep flowing but I'm going to keep them to myself (don't want to give away all my good ideas...only joking)...I don't want to get carried away and then be disappointed!
Oh, I also hear that there was a wonderful workshop on eTwinning given by someone called Helena Butterfield...can't imagine it myself somehow (she sounds rubbish to me!). All information and links on my Langwitch Wiki in the Teacher's Corner :o)

Taboo and other fun stuff

It being Christmas and everything I thought I'd let my Year 11 class have a bit of fun yesterday. Firstly we did the Wise Guys' "Schlag mich Baby noch Einmal" from the Sunderland School's webiste (can't find it nowon the website), using their YouTube video. It's so funny when you give out the work sheet and the think "oh yes, another dodgy German song"" then some begin to realise what it is and then the video starts and the penny really starts to drop. The first time through very little blanks got filled in, as they stared in disbelief at the screen :o)
They must have enjoyed it as they asked on of my colleagues to put it on again when she had them in a science cover today!
Next we played Taboo. I made up some game cards with their words on plus "verbotene Worte" and then "wichtige Vokabeln". That too seemed to go down well...my group a brilliant boys were still playing when I wanted to move on. I must admit I was worried about how it would go, as sometimes these things fall flat don't they?
One day to go can't wait...