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iEARN
ONLINE Teaching Foreign & Second Languages
COURSE
**This
course is in English and requires working knowledge of English Language
in order to participate
'I've
always wanted to have my students working on a big project....now they
have a chance to produce something they know can bring long lasting
results .Also, I'm sure they are working with something real, which
is great. They will be cooperating and will integrate English with other
subjects. They have the chance to use Internet and other kinds of technology
more effectively and with a clear purpose. I'm glad my students have
a chance to use English and be in contact with native speakers. -
Isabel Teixeira, Brazil
Overview
of the Course
The Internet and
the tools available through it have become an extraordinary resource
which is there to be used by classroom teachers around the world.
The ESL/EFL area
is perhaps the one that gets the most benefits from using the Internet,
as it brings an international community together. Using iEARN in your
ESL/EFL Classroom will allow you to experiment with the power of doing
collaborative online projects while your students practice language
skills. Students will be using the language for real communication,
with a real audience of international peers around the world.
During this hands-on
course you will learn how to analyze and choose an iEARN project that
suits your students' level of language skills and interests. You will
actually join that project and experiment with your students. By doing
this you will learn how to organize your class for cooperative learning.
You will also be sharing insights with your colleagues, as well as the
instructor, via the iEARN Forums.
Objectives
- To examine the
use of ICTs in second/ foreign language learning to create richer
learning environments
- To revise communicative
language learning theories to be able to analyze the underlying theories
when getting involved in collaborative online projects
- To be able to
assess the communicative value of online work with classes around
the world
- To familiarize
participants with examples of iEARN supported projects for the teaching
and learning of ESL/EFL.
- To implement
an online project with your students. Plan the integration of a long-term
iEARN project.
Course
Highlights:
- Review of iEARN
telecommunications projects which involve students from across the
globe in interactive, technology enhanced activities to consider how
your students might participate in those projects to practice language
skills.
- Participation
in electronic discussions of course assignments with your colleagues
and instructor, utilizing the iEARN Forums.
- Participation
in an iEARN project which fits your ESL/EFL curriculum
- Access to external
resources such as websites and references to ESL/EFL materials and
projects.
Current
Course Facilitators:
Section 1 - Cornelia
Platon & Gladys Baya
Section 2 - Doris
Wu & Silvana Carnicero
Cornelia
Platon
I live in Dej, a small town in the north west of Transylvania,
Romania. I have been teaching English in a high school for 13 years
now, and I like my job very much. I love children
and I consider that this is a very important quality a teacher should
have.
I have been involved
in iEARN since 1996 and I may say that my entire life and work style
have changed ever since. Since 1997 I have been the iEARN coordinator
for Romania, and my iEARN activity can be seen on iEARN Romania's web
page: www.iearn.dej.ro Using the
computer in my classes and integrating the collaborative projects in
the curriculum, made my lessons more interesting and motivated a lot
my students to learn English language. I have also participated in many
of the European Schoolnet projects, which also gave me a lot of experience
and satisfaction. You are welcome to visit my activity in this regard
at
http://www.papiu.dej.ro/projects/projects.html
I have also been a participant of the online course.
I have taken the Creative Writing/Language Arts course and the ESL course!
Thanks to iEARN
and these experiences I have now a lot of friends all over the world,
which makes me very happy and proud.
Gladys
Baya
I am a teacher of English as a Foreign Language. I was
born in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, and have always
lived here. However, as I’m married to a Uruguayan (who also has
some relatives in the province of Entre Ríos, a bit to the north
of my country), so I feel as if I had lived in other places too!
I have been teaching
English for eighteen years now. I have worked with students all ages
(from 5-year-olds to a few seniors) and in a wide range of contexts
(one-to-one lessons, private language schools, school/training college).At
present, I teach a couple of courses at a language school and also work
at two Teachers’ Training Colleges, introducing English teachers-to-be
to different tools for the teaching of EFL, including ICT and the kind
of work we do at iEARN. I first heard about iEARN two years ago, from
a friend who opened my eyes to this wonderful community, and I was a
participant to the ESL Online course in 2003! My involvement with iEARN
has certainly changed my life in all aspects, and I hope it does the
same for you!
Silvana
Carnicero
I have been working
as an EFL teacher for about fourteen years. For the first
six years in my teaching career, I worked at a hospital teaching both
medical and general English to physicians. In 1998, I started
working with adolescents and I really enjoy it. I got an interest in
ICT in 2001 when I attended an important conference in Argentina where
I live. From that moment onwards, I started trying the different possibilities
computers had to improve my lessons.
After I took IEARN course two years ago, my participation in telecollaborative
projects began. I took part in two IEARN projects: "The year 1945"
and "AIDS beyond my own backyard". Both my students and me
learn a lot through these two experiences. Therefore, I would like other
teachers to have a try. Nowadays, I am working at a high school and
coordinating a school of English. I am also facilitating TELAR online
course which is similar to the ESL course but for Spanish speakers.
I hope to go on learning a lot about this interesting field.
Doris
Wu
I live in Kaohsiung,in the southern part of Taiwan.
I have 18 years of teaching English as a Foreign Language, including
7 years in junior high and 11 years in senior high school. In spite
of so many years of teaching, I never feel bored about teaching because
I truly believe it is worthwhile helping students to explore the world
with my guidance in English learning.
To my great joy, many of my students also enjoy their English learning
very much in my class. Making sense to my students' learning is my teaching
philosophy. With this belief, I find it very important to have my students
connect to the world, knowing how to use ICT to improve their learning
and from that knowing how to communicate with the world in a positive
way. Luckily, iEARN has widened the scope of learning for my students
and me.
When I first attended 2001 iEARN Conference in Moscow,
I was thrilled to know my teaching quality can be improved!! The warm,
understanding and safe learning environment provided in iEARN allows
my students to keep in touch with those outside Taiwan. The achievement
and growth of my students in the past three years convinces me of my
correct decision.
I have participated in several iEARN projects, including Laws of Life,
Aqua-Century Project, Teddy Bear project, Year of 1945, and more.
Since 2002, I have
also worked as the Country Coordinator of iEARN Taiwan. In my job, I
learn more about how to work collaboratively with teachers around the
world and also form a team with my fellow teachers to support our students
in ICT and language learning. Now it is my great pleasure to invite
you to join my wonderful journey in iEARN.
Course
Developers: Rosy Aguila, Adriana Vilela, Violeta Tsoneva
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