Fabulous Use Of Student Cell Phones in ANY Classroom:)

Well, after a fabulous vacation, we are back in the classroom fully energized and ready to continue to build an enthusiasm for learning within our students:)

Students love technology so what better place than that to start off the new year!  After all, the BYOD movement (Bring Your Own Device) is radically transforming the classroom to one where almost every student can access the internet through a wide variety of tools.  With this as the focus of this newsletter, we will explore a site that is building quite a strong following among educators and it is FREE!  That site is INFUSED LEARNING.

We will start off with a quick introduction through a video.   Immediate feedback to the teacher is crucial so that strugglers can be quickly identified and supported.  This site also allows different ways for students to demonstrate mastery.  Students may draw responses for example.  For English learners especially this choice opens up a chance to demonstrate grasp of a concept without being hampered by a language that they may not yet be very familiar with.  For classes not involving language development, being able to draw would allow these students to transfer knowledge from their home language to the teacher with ease (think math for example).  After all, a picture is worth 1,000 words they say.  For older students who are literate in their home languages, they may use a translation tool on the site.  For such students, this site permits them to earn the grades they deserve-grades based on actual content knowledge and not on full understanding of English. 

Here are some simple guidelines to get started:

1. Teachers need to set up a class.  Teachers can manually input all the names or use some tips from this site on using a Microsoft Excel template. 

2.  Types of assessments are varied.  We have the traditional such as True/False and Multiple Choice as well as short answer, sort and order, drawing, numeric, and likert scales.  Let us look at how to create a quiz for students first. 

3.  Interactive tools video lays out the process for using all of the interactives in any class setting.

4.  Quick assessments can now be easily interwoven throughout any lesson so teachers can keep a finger on the pulse with a snap.

I intend to kick the new year off with this since I believe that cell phones can serve a higher purpose.  After all, students will bring them so I might as well put them to good use:)

Happy New Year!

Denise, Marnie, and Cheryl

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Have Students Who Need More Support in Math (and more)? This Site Might Help:)

Keeping to the theme of "test prep", this post will cover an easy to navigate website that allows students to review math from basic arithmetic through calculus.  It consists of number problems-no word problems.   This makes it possible for ELLs especially to review the math without struggling with the many language issues that arise in solving math word problems.  This site is a quick assessment of a student's grasp of key concepts.  Students may also retake the quizzes as often as they like.   

Since basic math is part of the site, even students as young as elementary school age would benefit from it.  Computers have infinite patience so those kids who need more time to master the process will have all the time they need.  Further, since the site is free (though you have to register), parents could continue to help them at home.  Since language is not an issue, parents who don't know English but who understand math, would be able to support their children  in honing their math skills at home.  Grades 6-8 (middle school) would have access to pre-algebra and algebra.  Again, the focus here is on computing answers to mathematical equations minus the language.  Once ELLs (and others) understand the layout and purpose of the equation, they are ready (with assistance) to start working on word problems through careful guidance on the part of the teacher and through carefully orchestrated small group OR partner learning activities.  Last, there is high school.  Every level of math from algebra through calculus is here.  Students can monitor their progress through immediate feedback.  If they did poorly, they will have enough specific feedback from the quizzes to know where they need more support from teacher. 

This site also has a few other areas students can assess themselves in as well:
Languages--English, German, French, and Spanish
Geography--Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe
Science--Cells, anatomy, elements, and conversion.
These activities are not as in depth as the math, but still serve as a quick overview review of major concepts covered in class.

THAT QUIZ

Hope your students benefit from the site's offerings:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS