TEFL Practicum Course - Workshop 1

Integrating technology into the EFL syllabus

Mr. George Drivas, Mr. Dimitris Primalis, Ms. ChryssantheSotiriou and Ms. Nancy Tasiopoulou  (Doukas School, 17^th October 2015, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. AND 7^th November 2015, 10:00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.)

The workshop focuses on how various learning tools/applications and techniques can be employed to serve the learning goals of the EFL class. Integrated seamlessly in the lesson, technology can help learners boost their receptive and productive skills and motivate them to immerse themselves into L2 culture. It can also be used to facilitate the development of critical and creative thinking skills and support communication and collaboration between students or classes.

The workshop aims at helping attendees gain insight in the field of digital learning tools with emphasis given on the practical aspects of ICT integration in every day teaching such as selecting suitable tools and applications, safety and applicability issues. It will also focus on the latest applied methodology and current trends in ELT (flipped classroom, gamification, personalized learning) in order to exploit in the best possible way the potential offered by technology.  The presenters will also share the school’s experience from integrating and implementing innovative practices in the last 7 years.

 The attendees will be involved in designing lessons that cater to the learners’ needs and goals with the aid of technology.  This is a hands-on workshop that requires students to bring their own device (tablet/netbook/laptop or smart phone).

At the end of the course, the students will be asked to hand in a lesson plan that will use technology to facilitate the achievement of class objectives defined by the class profile and needs. The lesson plan will be accompanied by a written rationale explaining in detail the reasons why the specific tools/apps, activities and forms of interaction were selected.

It consists of the following four sessions which will be held in two days (6 hours per day)

1. Exploiting Learning Infrastructure in Class (Interactive Whiteboards, LMS, giving feedback)
2. Developing speaking and writing skills (puppet pals, book creator, simple minds, linoit )
3. Developing research and academic skills through Project Based Learning                          ( Web quests, games)
4. Teaching literature (Edmodo, Twitter, School on the Cloud, Flipped classroom)

All the sessions will be held at Doukas school (151 Messogeion Street, Maroussi, Athens) www.doukas.gr

1. I can select and use ICT materials and activities in the classroom which are appropriate for my learners.

During the workshop in Doukas’ school, I was shown many interesting websites and applications which can make the lesson more effective and the students more enthusiastic. However, when selecting a specific web tool to use inside the classroom,I need to have some criteria in mind. The application should be safe, in the first place, as there are many dangers for children in the web. It should not expose them to any threats or post any of their information online. I also learnt to use different applications according to the students’ English level and age and take into consideration any special education needs they may have. Through the workshop I understood that applications are games that distract children but game-activities that promote collaboration and develop the critical thinking of students.

2. I can use various ICT resources (email, web sites, computer programmes etc.)

In each session of the workshop, I came across many different websites and online tools that can create a wonderful atmosphere in my lesson while students learn. The first one is Linoit, a website absolutely suitable for every teacher. It allows me to create an online space(canvas) for each of my classrooms and there my students can post writing tasks, short stories or homework, whereasI can post an announcement or a homework task. Another application that is available through android or iOSoperating systems is Puppet Pals. With this tool, learners of English may take the role of a character (such as Obama or Batman) and create conversations with the use of mobile phones or tablets. It is a great way to encourage speaking and also helps children that are shy and cannot speak easily because of the “disguise” that is created.I believe that I still need to learn how to use the interactive whiteboard when I introduce web sites and programmes to my students.

3. I can plan specific learning objectives for individual lessons and/or for a period of teaching.

In the workshop, I was introduced to lesson planning for the first time. I learnt that a complete lesson plan is composed of learning objectives that the students must achieve by the end of the lesson. I learnt to set specific learning objectives according to the needs of all my students. Then, I am able to create stages and activities that are all in correspondence with the learning objectives that were stated at the beginning of my lesson plans. I understand that learning objectives function as a guide for my lessons and must be fulfilled at all costs throughout the lesson. I still have to learn how many objectives are considered to be standard for each lesson as I do not want to set neither insufficient nor excessive objectives. I believe that I will comprehend that properly when I take my practicum course in the next semester.

4. I can identify time needed for specific topics and activities and plan accordingly.

During the workshop,I learnt how to design a lessonwhich also includes organizing the time of the lesson appropriately. I am able to divide my lesson into stages that consist of various activities and skills taught. I assign specific time for every stage taking into consideration the needs of my students both individually and as a group (age, level, abilities and specific learning difficulties). I learnt to devote a little time for warm up at the beginning of the lesson as well as a little time for remedial work at the end of it. I also learnt that speaking, writing and reading tasks require a lot of time, especially in classrooms with a lot of students.

5. I can evaluate and select tasks most suited to be carried out by learners at home.

At the end of a lesson plan, I was educated to assign tasks that correspond to the learning objectives that were covered throughout my lesson. However, these tasks’ role is not only to revise on the last lesson’s aims but also give the students an opportunity to push themselves and discover something new. They are motivated to search for books, articles, interviews of different topics and create an original work of their own. This way, not only they revise what we have said on the lesson but also, they explore new things concerning English and topics from all around the world.