Calm Down!

Last Saturday, I took my students to the M.A.L.L. (Multimedia Access to Language Learning), so they could use the blog and practice the structure learned, which was the future form. They were supposed to talk about their plans for their vacation. Reading their posts made me write to you. When assigning a writing task in which students are supposed to practice a certain grammar point or new vocabulary, make sure they remember to use the structure suggested. Only then will they practice and be able to use it at all times. Tell them to try not to let their native language interfere in their writing. We know they want to sound spontaneous by using their own words, but using the structure suggested is the perfect way to practice what they learned in class. Once, a student told me that he didn´t use the structure suggested because he felt like he was copying my words or the words from the book and he didn´t want to do that, he wanted to be original. Be it as it may, a grammar point or new vocabulary, students should use it as much as possible. At first, yes, it will sound mechanical and artificial, but later it will come out naturally because they´ll be used to it. The more they use it, the better.

Calm Down!

Last Saturday, I took my students to the M.A.L.L. (Multimedia Access to Language Learning), so they could use the blog and practice the structure learned, which was the future form. They were supposed to talk about their plans for their vacation. Reading their posts made me write to you. When assigning a writing task in which students are supposed to practice a certain grammar point or new vocabulary, make sure they remember to use the structure suggested. Only then will they practice and be able to use it at all times. Tell them to try not to let their native language interfere in their writing. We know they want to sound spontaneous by using their own words, but using the structure suggested is the perfect way to practice what they learned in class. Once, a student told me that he didn´t use the structure suggested because he felt like he was copying my words or the words from the book and he didn´t want to do that, he wanted to be original. Be it as it may, a grammar point or new vocabulary, students should use it as much as possible. At first, yes, it will sound mechanical and artificial, but later it will come out naturally because they´ll be used to it. The more they use it, the better.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I haven´t posted anything lately because I´ve been up to my eyes in work. But soon, I´ll be updating the blog.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I haven´t posted anything lately because I´ve been up to my eyes in work. But soon, I´ll be updating the blog.

One small step after another

I had the courage to create two blogs, one for my advanced level group and other for my basic level group, and present them to my students. I took them to the computer lab and explained what I expected from them. They commented on the posts and posted them successfully. Of all my students, only one shared he didn´t think it was important and that we could be doing other things rather than writing for a blog, but the others enjoyed it very much, although I admit they were a little reluctant at first. Some are not used to expressing themselves and others claimed not to be creative enough, but I managed to convince them otherwise. Check it out:
writingloungeforstudents.blogspot.com and writingloungeforstudents1b2.blogspot.com.

One small step after another

I had the courage to create two blogs, one for my advanced level group and other for my basic level group, and present them to my students. I took them to the computer lab and explained what I expected from them. They commented on the posts and posted them successfully. Of all my students, only one shared he didn´t think it was important and that we could be doing other things rather than writing for a blog, but the others enjoyed it very much, although I admit they were a little reluctant at first. Some are not used to expressing themselves and others claimed not to be creative enough, but I managed to convince them otherwise. Check it out:
writingloungeforstudents.blogspot.com and writingloungeforstudents1b2.blogspot.com.

Students´ blog

Well, it´s been 15 days since I started this blog and I was wondering when it would be the right time for me to have a students blog. I asked Carla Arena, an expert in digital communication, if it was the right time to do that because I didn´t want to start something before I was ready. Anyway, I decided to try and created a blog for my advanced students. I want to see what their response will be and whether I can engage them into writing regularly.Let´s see...

Students´ blog

Well, it´s been 15 days since I started this blog and I was wondering when it would be the right time for me to have a students blog. I asked Carla Arena, an expert in digital communication, if it was the right time to do that because I didn´t want to start something before I was ready. Anyway, I decided to try and created a blog for my advanced students. I want to see what their response will be and whether I can engage them into writing regularly.Let´s see...

Fun writing

For those who already know about these activities, good for you. For those who don´t, enjoy. For those who know about them but do not use them, give them a chance, will you?

Fun writing

For those who already know about these activities, good for you. For those who don´t, enjoy. For those who know about them but do not use them, give them a chance, will you?

What the hell...?

Have you ever struggled to figure out what your teacher was saying?

What the hell...?

Have you ever struggled to figure out what your teacher was saying?

Writing Rules

Writing Rules

Beautiful and Meaningful

Beautiful and Meaningful

Writing is fun!

What does this picture say to you? Do you agree with the tittle? Why? Why not?

Writing is fun!

What does this picture say to you? Do you agree with the tittle? Why? Why not?

"Now" is the time

"The past is history, the future is a mistery and now is a gift. That´s why it´s called present."(ancient saying).I don´t know why I remembered this saying. I remember hearing that in the film Kung Fu Panda by Disney. It just popped into my head. I was wondering if I could relate it to this blog somehow. After having started this blog, just now I realize that no matter what you did in the past with your students regarding writing, it´s never too late to change, to reinvent, to explore the unknown. We also can not predict what results we will get, whether they will enjoy the task or not or whether they will be able to do it or not. All we have to rely on is the present, make a move, dare to try something new now, not to wait for the next semester, or a more appropriate time because maybe then, we´ll be more likely to succeed. Now is the time.

"Now" is the time

"The past is history, the future is a mistery and now is a gift. That´s why it´s called present."(ancient saying).I don´t know why I remembered this saying. I remember hearing that in the film Kung Fu Panda by Disney. It just popped into my head. I was wondering if I could relate it to this blog somehow. After having started this blog, just now I realize that no matter what you did in the past with your students regarding writing, it´s never too late to change, to reinvent, to explore the unknown. We also can not predict what results we will get, whether they will enjoy the task or not or whether they will be able to do it or not. All we have to rely on is the present, make a move, dare to try something new now, not to wait for the next semester, or a more appropriate time because maybe then, we´ll be more likely to succeed. Now is the time.

Techniques that work

Feel free to comment here on the writing techniques you use in class.

Techniques that work

Feel free to comment here on the writing techniques you use in class.

CALVIN

CALVIN

Why are you making that face?

Assigning a guided writing activity in class is a painful task. The faces they make and their sighs, the "I hate it" attitude towards the assignment is something dreadful. As if I am dragging them to be hanged. Despite of the pain and the ugly faces, the task is accomplished and for my surprise, some of them do a pretty good job. Although it is a guided task, some are creative enough to add new ideas to their pieces of writing, keeping the flow. I am proud of some and worried about others. A mixture of feelings that I believe every teacher goes through one day or another.

Why are you making that face?

Assigning a guided writing activity in class is a painful task. The faces they make and their sighs, the "I hate it" attitude towards the assignment is something dreadful. As if I am dragging them to be hanged. Despite of the pain and the ugly faces, the task is accomplished and for my surprise, some of them do a pretty good job. Although it is a guided task, some are creative enough to add new ideas to their pieces of writing, keeping the flow. I am proud of some and worried about others. A mixture of feelings that I believe every teacher goes through one day or another.

OMG!!!!

Food for thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zguzAtKxU98

OMG!!!!

Food for thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zguzAtKxU98

Why not writing?

Writing is one of the skills we learn when we are in school. Unfortunately, not many students are very fond of it. Consequently, they have difficulty in expressing themselves through writing. Others don´t even know how to start. I remember that when I was a high school student, I enjoyed my writing classes. I would spend hours trying to find the right words for every story that I wrote. That´s right, I was very careful when writing. I would make use of my dictionary everytime I was not sure about a word. I remember getting excellent grades on my papers, too. All the effort paid off. I´m not afraid of writing and I´m not a lazy writer either. For this reason, I am worried sometimes when I see that my students don´t want or don´t like to write. Whenever I assign homework, the exercises that require crossing out or checking, or making an X or filling in the blanks are all done but the ones that require writing are not. Why is that? There is something I have learned during all these years. We only learn to do something by doing it. If students don´t write, they will never learn to write. Of course I´m talking about formal writing, compositions, contextualized sentences , etc... Students do write, they write emails to friends, they text messages on their cell phones, that´s true, but what about school? I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that someday my students enjoy writing as much as I do. I also hope that this blog thing helps me to achieve that.

Why not writing?

Writing is one of the skills we learn when we are in school. Unfortunately, not many students are very fond of it. Consequently, they have difficulty in expressing themselves through writing. Others don´t even know how to start. I remember that when I was a high school student, I enjoyed my writing classes. I would spend hours trying to find the right words for every story that I wrote. That´s right, I was very careful when writing. I would make use of my dictionary everytime I was not sure about a word. I remember getting excellent grades on my papers, too. All the effort paid off. I´m not afraid of writing and I´m not a lazy writer either. For this reason, I am worried sometimes when I see that my students don´t want or don´t like to write. Whenever I assign homework, the exercises that require crossing out or checking, or making an X or filling in the blanks are all done but the ones that require writing are not. Why is that? There is something I have learned during all these years. We only learn to do something by doing it. If students don´t write, they will never learn to write. Of course I´m talking about formal writing, compositions, contextualized sentences , etc... Students do write, they write emails to friends, they text messages on their cell phones, that´s true, but what about school? I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that someday my students enjoy writing as much as I do. I also hope that this blog thing helps me to achieve that.

Here I am!!!!

I don´t know where I´m supposed to go from here, but it´s been exciting to have come this far!!!!

Here I am!!!!

I don´t know where I´m supposed to go from here, but it´s been exciting to have come this far!!!!