Final Grades

Final grades have been calculated and have been submitted to the university via ASAP. You should be able to check your grade there shortly. The Grade Book on Blackboard won't be updated, as I copied all the information from there into Excel and then used Excel to calculate the total points. But if you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me and I'll be happy to provide with a breakdown of your grade.

I greatly enjoyed our class together, and was deeply impressed with all of your work. I can honestly say that looking through your blogs and projects is the most enjoyable grading experience I think I've ever had. Your blogs are fantastic ePortfolios showing how much you have learned this past semester, from summarizing and critically reflecting on theories and practice in CALL, to demonstrating your skills with a wide range of tools and programs -- blogs, wikis, rss feeds, Google Docs, Voice Thread, Inspiration, Hot Potatoes, HTML, digital video, Windows Movie Maker, and Glogster, and more.

Now that the semester is over, you can decide what to do with your blog. You can delete it if you like, or better yet, keep revising and adding to it, or at least let it stand as is, and keep it as a resource to go back to.

Blogger allows you to create as many blogs as you like under your same account. So I hope you'll take advantage of your new skills to create new blogs for your classes you'll teach, and/or for yourself to blog about your passions you started to address on your class blogs.

Good luck! I hope to have all you in another class! Have a great summer.

A Vision of K-12 Students Today

I stole this from Suzanne's blog, as it's a great summation of the importance of the course you have just completed. Good luck with your teaching of ELL digital natives! I hope this course has made you feel more prepared to meet their needs!

Video Podcasts

Thanks everyone for your hard work on your video podcasts. I have posted them all below. You all did a fantastic job with them. Very creative. I know the children will enjoy them very much!

I have also began reviewing your blogs. I am so impressed by what I see. Your blogs provide great evidence of your learning and hard work this past semester. I hope you'll not only keep your blogs, but will add to them, or create new ones for yourselves, and for use with your current or future students.

Remember, all remaining projects and blog postings are due Saturday night. I'll start reviewing them Sunday morning. Please check the Grade Book on Blackboard for your total points and final grade. I hope to finish grading and have everything posted there by Wednesday next week.

I greatly enjoyed having all of you in the class. Have a great summer!

Video Podcast - The Yellow House

Here is Ling and Xiaoling's Video Podcast

This video accompanies the book, The Yellow House, by Blake Morrison and Helen Craig

Video Podcast - Tar Beach

Here is James, Haifa, and Manal's Video Podcast:

This video accompanies the book, Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold

Video Podcast - I Am the Peach

Here is Fanyi and Jia's Video Podcast:

This video accompanies the book, I Am the Peach, by Louisa de Noriega

Video Podcast - My Family

Here is Chris, Josh, and Scott's Video Podcast:

The video accompanies the book, In My Family, by Carmen Lomas Garza

Video Podcast - Three Questions

Here is Alison, Diana, and Suzanne's Video Podcast:

This video accompanies the book, The Three Questions, by Jon J. Muth

Video Podcast - Bluebonnet

Here is Hugo, Norma, and Patti's Video Podcast:

This podcast accompanies the book, The Legend of the Bluebonnet, by Tomie dePaola

Problem with use of Classroom computer lab tonight -- OPEN Lab Available

Due to today being an official Student Study Day, I have been informed by the Dean's office that we may not make use of our regular classroom lab tonight for you to finish up your final video podcast project.

However, everyone is allowed to use the COEHD Open Computer Lab, which is one floor above our classroom in MB 1.410. This lab has the same software we've been using. Also, you should be able to access any files you have saved in our shared class folder on the college server.

I will be present in the lab at 5:30 to provide any help or assistance needed. I'll also be happy to look over any finished projects. As a reminder, your attendance is not required.

See the post below for instructions on how to save your movie and where to save it.

As a reminder, the video podcast project, and any outstanding projects you are working one, are due Saturday, May 1st by 8:30 p.m.

If you have any questions, send me an e-mail.

Saving your Video Podcast

Hi Everyone! Looking forward to seeing your final podcasts tonight.

If your group has not yet saved the final movie, here are the instructions for doing so:

1. In Movie Maker, under 3. Finish Move, select "Save to My Computer"

2. Type the name for your file.

3. Be sure to set our shared folder as the place where your movie file will be saved

4. Click on link to "show more choices"

5. Select "Other Settings"

6. Select "Video for Boadband 512"

7. Click next.

It may take 5 to 10 minutes or longer to save your video file. When it is finished, you can double click on the movie file in your folder, and you should be able to view it with Windows Media Player

Once your files are saved in our shared folder, I will upload them to my YouTube channel. You are welcome to upload them to you own site as well if you have one. Once I have all the videos uploaded, I will add them to our blog.

From there, you can find your video on YouTube and get the link. You can then add the video to your Glog, and then add your glog to your blog. (You can also add the video directly to your blog if you like.

Grades Updated and other Announcements

The end of the semester is quickly approaching! Here are some announcements and reminders:

1. I have finally caught with the grading, and apologize for falling behind. Please check My Grades on Blackboard to make sure you've been given proper credit for everything. Attendance is updated to April 9, and Reading Prompts are updated to Prompt #11, and all HTML exercises submitted by April 8th have been checked.

2. On the reading prompts, if you only have 1 point, it probably means you are missing a response to classmate's posting on their blog. Its possible I missed some. If so, just e-mail me and tell me which prompt #, and who you responses too.

3. HTML Exercises. I added the Assignment turn-ins for HTML Ch. 10, Ch. 13, Ch. 16, and CD01. I apologize for being late in setting the first two. Please note for CD01, this is the short "Designing for Usability" chapter available on the book's CD. There are no exercises or files to change or upload. So you'll just respond with a short answer to the question I posted under the assignment. Do not worry about exercises being late. I only count up the total number you did. And remember, you don't need to do all of them to receive the full 5 points. So its not too late to go back and do some if you got behind.

4. Next week we learn Glogster. It would save time if you can visit the site before class and create your free account (www.glogster.com). Be sure write down your username and password! Also, you may want to have some photos ready related to your book that you can include in you Glog.

5. On April 22nd, Dr. Carmen Fries will give us a Demo of Second life.

6. Our last class meeting will be on April 29. We will use that time to view and comment on each others's podcasts. We only need the last hour to present, so you'll have the first two hours, if needed, to prepare them. However, if each group is ready to go, we can finish early. The College has open labs on the first floor of the Main Building which are open 7 days a week, including space for group work. Windows Movie Maker is available in the lab.

7. You will have until May 1st to complete all other work for this class. This includes your software evaluation, and all the things needed for your blog. If you need access to the lab on that day to complete your work, please let me know.

Reading Prompt #12

Our Final Reading Prompt!

*Ockey, G. J. (2009). Developments and Challenges in the Use of
Computer-Based Testing for Assessing Second Language Ability.
Modern Language Journal, 93(Focus Issue), 836-847.
*Cummins, P. W. & Davesne, C. L. (2009). Using Electronic Portfolios
for Second Language Assessment. Modern Language Journal, 93(Focus
Issue), 848-867.

Ockey argues that Computer based testing has failed to realize its anticipated potential. Describe and discuss on his reasons for his view, and tell why you either agree or disagree with him.

Cummins & Davesne offer an alternative to CBT with electronic portfolios. Comment on some of the ideas from this article that you'd be interested in trying out in your own classroom.

My Video Podcast Plan

The Alamo - San Antonio, TX

The Alamo - San Antonio, TX
Originally uploaded by fisherbray

I love to visit the Alamo here in San Antonio.

New Language Course App for the iPad Will Open the Next Frontier for Language Learning

(see http://www.1888pressrelease.com/new-language-course-app-for-the-ipad-will-open-the-next-fron-pr-198033.html for full article)

April 02, 2010 - Hello-Hello, a market leading language learning company, announced the launch of their iPad app that is available immediately in the iTunes Store. Apple has approved Hello-Hello's language learning app for the Grand Opening of the iPad App Store. The Hello-Hello iPad app is priced at $4.99 initially and features Hello-Hello's complete Spanish course developed in collaboration with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The Hello-Hello Spanish language course app is available immediately for the iPad's release and apps for other languages will be launched in the coming weeks. Future iPad apps from Hello-Hello will include social networking features that will allow language learners to interact with native speakers of the language they are learning. You can to find the Hello-Hello app in the iTunes Store using the following link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hello-hello-spanish/id364902587?mt=8

Hello-Hello Spanish includes 30 conversational lessons and hundreds of flashcards with words and sentences to practice vocabulary. The course follows ACTFL's research-based approach to teaching languages; all lessons are based on realistic situations, rather than a collection of out-of-context words and phrases. All the content is stored in the app so that users will experience rapid response time when they are ready to learn a language. Users do not need to be connected to Wi-Fi or 3G networks to run the app.

Sarah Gontijo, CEO & Founder of Hello-Hello, believes that the iPad and other large-format mobile devices will revolutionize language learning. "The iPad offers interactivity, connectivity and portability that can take language learning to the next level. Our app provides a new solution for students, business travelers or vacationers who would like to spend some of their down time wisely. Learners will experience rapid response time with all content loaded on their iPad and without the need of Internet connection. They will be able to do the lessons while sitting in a train, waiting in line, at the beach, or on their way to their vacation destination. In other words, users will be able to literally learn a new language on-the-go, anytime and anywhere," Gontijo said.

ACTFL's Executive Director, Bret Lovejoy, stated that Hello-Hello's content follows ACTFL's research-based approach to language learning used by educational institutions around the world. "Delivering this language learning content on the iPad will provide learners with the convenience to learn anywhere, anytime. Providing the social networking aspects of the Hello-Hello website on the iPad in future apps will allow learners to experience immersion language learning by communicating directly with native speakers," he said

Hello-Hello.com is a free language learning website that allows members to:

LEARN a new language anytime, anywhere with online lessons that develop all the skills they need.

TEACH other members their language and learn from native speakers by providing feedback on one another's oral and written exercises.

COMMUNICATE with native speakers through audio, video and text with live Chat to practice the language and make friends all over the world.

The website launched in August 2009 and has members in more than 70 countries. Teachers across the U.S. have been using Hello-Hello's lessons as homework assignments and as a tool to connect students with native speakers around the world. Hello-Hello.com has training modules for English, French, Portuguese and Spanish, and will be adding more languages, including German, Italian and Mandarin Chinese in the next few weeks.

About Hello-Hello
Hello-Hello is a language learning company that offers online and mobile courses. Hello-Hello's website couples social networking with language learning which allows users to interact with native speakers around the world. Our courses were developed in collaboration with The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

For more information please visit: www.hello-hello.com

About ACTFL
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), is the largest association of teachers and administrators of all languages at all levels with more than 12,000 members. Schools, major corporations and the U.S. government use ACTFL's tests and guidelines to teach and determine language proficiency. For more information, please visit www.actfl.org

Reading Prompt #11

RICHARDSON Ch. 6. The Social Web: Learning Together

BLACKBOARD - Warschauer, M., Knobel, M., & Stone, L. (2004).

Technology and equity in schooling: Deconstructing the Digital Divide. Educational Policy, 18(4), 562-588.

Share an idea of two about how you could use the ideas from Richardson with ESL students.

What is the "digital divide?' And why do Warschauer et al argue that this term may longer be applicable. What are the issues they found regarding differences in technology use with ELLs and other low socioeconomic students. What are some ways you could address this in your own schools or programs?

Khmer Books in Long Beach Library

IMG_0053
Originally uploaded by Wayne E. Wright

I love the Mark Twain Library which is near my old elementary school in Long Beach, California. It is in the heart of the Cambodian community in Long Beach, and has the largest collection of Khmer language materials than any public library in the United States! They also have a large Spanish collection. Always good to see a public library being responsive to the language diversity of the communities they serve.

Reading Prompt #10

*RICHARDSON Ch. 7. Fun with Flickr: Creating, Publishing, and Using Images Online
*BLACKBOARD - Kern, R. (2006). Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching languages. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 183-210.

After reading Richardson, what ideas do you have for using images and programs such as Flickr in the language learning classroom?

Kern gives a broad overview of issues in CALL, with specific examples from three areas and implications for teaching and research. Select and share your own thoughts and opinions on one or more issues that Kern raises.

Compleat Lexical Tutor

Here is the link to the Compleat Lexical Tutor, which contains some cool corpus tools we'll be playing with on Thursday.

http://www.lextutor.ca/

And while we won't have to time explore some others, here's a nice link list of a wide range of corpus tools on-line courtesy of Ohio State University:

http://www.ling.ohio-state.edu/~dickinso/corpus.html

Hope you all had a great Spring Break! Looking forward to seeing all of you in class!

Video Podcast Groups

Here are our Video Podcast Groups. Be sure you have the contact information for your group members as you'll need to work closely with other between now and the end of the semester

Group #1 - Jia & Fan-Yi

Group #2 - Chris, Josh, & Scott

Group #3 - James, Manal, & Haifa

Group #4 - Diana, Alison, & Suzanne

Group #5 - Xiaoling & Ling

Group #6 - Patti & Norma

Hugo - Please let me know if you'd like to join Group 1, 5, or 6

Reading Prompt #9

 BLACKBOARD - Barbierie, F. (2005). What is Corpus Linguistics?

Essential Teacher (Compleat Links).

 BLACKBOARD - Conrad, S. (2000). Will Corpus Linguistics

Revolutionize Grammar Teaching in the 21st Century? TESOL Quarterly, 34(3), 548-560.

What is Corpus Linguistics? And why are some language teachers so excited about it? What applications can you envision for your current or future classroom?

Reading Prompt #8

*Levy – Ch. 4 Computer Mediated Communication

*BLACKBOARD – Sauro, S. (2009). Computer-Mediated Corrective Feedback and the Development of L2 Grammar. Language Learning & Technology, 13(1), 96-120.

What are some of the technologies used for CMC? What are some of the promising features of CMC for language learning. Comment on any of your uses of these technologies, in particular if you have used any of them for language learning or practice purposes. Finally, comment on the findings of Dr. Sauro's research, and what the implications may be for future practice.

Bring Headphones to Class

Hey everyone, I recommend you bring some headphones to class tonight. We'll be working with audio files, and you may find it easier to listen to via your own headphones.

I recommend you start bringing them to class week for the rest of the semester as we'll begin work on our video podcasts soon as well.

Not required but highly recommended!

Reading Prompt #7 (for 3/4/10)

[NOTE: The numbering of the Reading Prompts got slightly off as I incorporated Prompt #5 into your Wiki project. Last week's prompt (2/25/10) should have been labeled Prompt #6. Thus, the prompt for this week, as indicated in course schedule, is Prompt #7. Sorry for the confusion!]

Reading Prompt #7

*LEVY – Ch. 7 Practice

*BLACKBOARD - Grgurović, M. & Hegelheimer, V. (2007). Help

Options and Multimedia Listening: Students' Use of Subtitles and the Transcript. Language Learning & Technology, 11(1), 45-66.

What did Grgurović & Hegelheimer find with regards to using subtitles and transcripts to help ESL students develop listening skills in English? What are some of the implications for instruction?

From your reading of Levy, comment on one or more of the issues related to the practice dimension of CALL what you would want to take into consideration for your own classroom.

Gradebook Updated on Blackboard

I've updated the grade book on Blackboard with everything up the what was due before today. So this does not include Prompt #5, HTML #5, or the wiki and voicethread stuff that is due today.

I'll be checking these things starting tomorrow, so please have them all posted by tonight if you didn't get them posted by the start of class time.

Reading Prompt #5

• RICHARDSON Ch. 8. Podcasting, Video and Screencasting, Live Streaming: Multimedia Publishing for the Masses
• BLACKBOARD - McQuillan, J. (2006). iPods in Education: The Potential for Language Acquisition
• BLACKBOARD – Stansbury, M. (2009). iPods help ESL Students Achieve Success. eSchool News (May 11).

Do you have an iPod or another type of .mp3 player? If so, have you used it or anything other than listening to your own music, such as downloading and listening to podcasts? Note some of the points McQuillan made about how podcasting can support second language learning. Which of the ideas from the readings would you be interested in trying out in your own classroom?

Reading Prompt #4

* LEVY – Ch. 2. Design

* RICHARDSON Ch. 5. RSS: The New Killer App for Educators

Comment one one or two issues raised by Levy and Stockwell CALL educators must think about when it comes to the design of CALL products. Then, comment on what types of RSS feeds you might be interested in using with students or following yourself.

A touch of tech enhances math class | Yakima Herald-Republic Online

A Washington elementary school is having students blog about math via iPod Touches! Click on the headline to read the whole story.

Do you think this is a good idea, or do you think this is a little too much for young elementary school kids? Post your thoughts below!

-Dr. Wright

A touch of tech enhances math class | Yakima Herald-Republic Online

SUNNYSIDE, Wash. -- Jennifer Garcia and Jalisa Lopez need help with math. So, the fifth-grade girls get out their iPods and start texting.

OMG!

Teacher Jessica Schenck does not take the gadgets away or send the girls to the principal's office. In fact, nearly every kid in Schenck's Chief Kamiakin Elementary School class punches diligently on the screens.

"I need 2 read the question twice and check my work twice," Garcia types into the virtual keypad of the iPod Touch.

Voice-to-Text Demonstration

Hey everyone, my e-mail with my voice-to-text finally came through on my e-mail. See below to see how it turned out. Notice too that it was still recording after I thought it had stopped! :-)

"Voice recognition(?) technology has a lot of potential to help English language learners learn English. I'm very anxious to try that out in our class. Stop, and if I played it back."

Education Technology News: China Gets ESL Material via Mobile Phone, Thanks to Pearson, Nokia

We'll be talking later in the course about standalone technology for language learning, but here's a recent news story on that topic:

China Gets ESL Material via Mobile Phone, Thanks to Pearson, Nokia

Publishing group Pearson and phone maker Nokia know a good opportunity when they see it. They're partnering to sell English-language learning materials to mobile phone users in China, the country with more English learners than in any other country, according to Reuters.

Full Story:

Education Technology News: China Gets ESL Material via Mobile Phone, Thanks to Pearson, Nokia

Reading Prompt #3

*LEVY – Ch. 8. Technology

*BLACKBOARD - Soares, D. d.A. (2008). Understanding class blogs as a tool for language development. Language Teaching Research, 12(4), 517–533.

What challenges did Soares face when using blogs with her ESL students, and what lessons did she learn? How does she feel about using blogs with students in the future? Levy describes several types of technologies Choose one of them and describe how you might want to use it (or have used it), and discuss some of considerations that need to be taken when using this technology with ESL students

HTML Exercises Clarification - Ch. 2

The last section of Ch. 2 in the HTML book tells you to upload a file to Web Server. We don't have one set up for this class.

Instead, you will use the Assignment turn-in tool on Blackboard. Just click on HTML Exercises, and then chapter 2, and use the tools there to attach and upload the file index.htm that you modified as part of Chapter 2.

I'll provide greater clarification in class about what to turn in each week.

See you in class tomorrow! And please, I still need the blog urls for several of you (see names in posting below)

School Book Purge is Ill-fated

There is a major debate and controversy in Texas right now over the state's social studies/history standards, which are used to dictate what kids are to study, and usually influence what gets covered in textbooks sold to the schools. At issue is the State Board of Education's decision to remove a number of Latino historical figures that have contributed to the building of Texas and the United States.

Victor Landa, a columnist for the San Antonio Express News, made some poignant observations about how technology--the kinds of technology we have been discussing in this class--is providing a means around these attempts of the majority to dictate what constitutes sanctioned knowledge and what can be taught in schools. Below is part of his column. Click here to read the full column. I'd love to know your thoughts about this issue!

But what they can no longer do is control knowledge. Not in the 21st century, not in the age of the digital, electronic “press.”

The State Board of Education doesn't want the work of César Chávez in the books? Start a Wiki on the Internet with his accomplishments and a study guide and curriculum, and use that in the classrooms.

The conservatives of the state board want to include items in the texts that extol the accomplishments of Newt Gingrich and the Moral Majority? Build a Web site accessible to teachers and students that speaks of the works of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

What can they do? Take a teacher to court as if this were 1920's Tennessee?

Apparently the majority of the Texas State Board of Education hasn't noticed the revolution in their midst. The power of the press is no longer private and corporate. The power of media is now grass-roots, collaborative and accessible.

Let them burn books and think they're accomplishing something. We can always build an Internet portal and share the link.

SAISD upgrades technology

An article in today's San Antonio Express News describes efforts underway in the San Antonio Unified School District to upgrade its technology. The article notes the benefits of technology, but also describes why its so important for the district to do this -- most kids are poor and have little access to computers at home. This relates to the Digital Divide we'll be reading more about in this course. A link to the article is below. I'd love to know what you think about it!

SAISD Upgrade Technology

by Lindsay Kastner

More than half of the 30,000 computers in the San Antonio Independent School District are considered obsolete, and the district is in the midst of a massive plan to replace its outdated technology resources.

“Those units, they're good for using electricity and generating heat,” said Chief Information Officer Marcos Zarola.

To remedy the situation, the district boosted its annual technology spending by $2.5 million at the start of this fiscal year, bringing the total dedicated funds to $3 million.

Schools are getting new, specially designed laptops with rugged exteriors, extra-long battery life and anti-microbial keypads. The new laptops are housed on carts to create a mobile computer lab.

Read the rest of the Article at http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/SAISD_upgrades_technology.html#

Video - How to Create a Blog with Blogger

Here's a good quick overview of how to create your own blog with Blogger!

Reading Prompt #2

Prompt #2

*BLACKBOARD – Egbert, J. (2005). CALL Essentials: Principals and Practices in CALL Classrooms.—Ch. 1. Introduction: Principles of CALL.

*RICHARDSON Ch. 3. Weblogs: Getting Started

Egbert describes the optimal conditions for classroom language learning. Discuss how blogs and blogging can be a tool for achieving these conditions with ELL students. Finally, describe your own experience creating your blog this week. What topic or topics do you plan to blog about?

Software Evaluation Guidelines

The Software Evaluation Guidelines are now available on Google Docs via the link below. A link has also been added on the side under "Course Documents"

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfj9393x_86c4cgms7n

Blog Assignment and Content Guidelines

Guidelines outlining the blog assignment and the required contents are available on Google Docs at the link below. A link has also been posted to the side under "Course Documents"

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfj9393x_49h5t8rcq9

Presentation Schedule

The Presentation Schedule is now available on Google Docs. Click the link below to access it

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfj9393x_84fjxc2bd8

Please check to make sure i have you down for the correct dates and titles for your Quickshare and Reading presentations.

I'll also post a link to the side.

Beginning HTML (XHTML) Tutorial

Suzanne found a great intro tutorial to HTML. This 30 minute video covers several of the chapters in our HTML book, but this is an excellent overview for you visual learners out there!

Reading Prompt #1

*LEVY – Ch. 3 Evaluation
*RICHARDSON Ch. 1. The Read/Write Web.
*RICHARDSON Ch. 2. Weblogs: Pedagogy & Practice

What has been your experience with blogs prior to this class? Are there any blogs you regularly visit? Do you have your own blog? Richardson describes the many potential uses of weblogs for classroom pedagogy and practice. What are some ways blogs could be used effectively with ELL students?

Levy described many different types and methods of evaluation of CALL software programs or websites. As an ESL teacher, describe at least one component you would want to see in an evaluation that would help you decided whether or not to use it.

Wright (2010) - Technology

Chapelle (2001) Presentation

Welcome to the ESL 5073 course blog!

Greetings!

This blog is for our course, ESL 5073 Computer Assisted Language Learning, Spring 2010, at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The blog will be used for course announcements, information on assignments, weekly reading prompts, highlighting your work, and posting other relevant information.

I am excited about the course and look forward to all the wonderful projects you'll be undertaking!