Comments on: The (spring) semester begins http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/ It's Not Your 8th grade Language Lab Anymore! Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:48:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Language Lab Unleashed! - it’s not your middle school language lab… » Teaching cultural literacies with social software http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-576 Language Lab Unleashed! - it’s not your middle school language lab… » Teaching cultural literacies with social software Tue, 27 Mar 2007 02:46:21 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-576 [...] We need to liberate ourselves from the notion that all learning has to happen in the classroom, with a textbook and with the teacher at the helm. When I did the deep learning exercise with my students, we came to remarkable conclusion: most of their most memorable learning experiences happened outside of the formal academic structure. [...] [...] We need to liberate ourselves from the notion that all learning has to happen in the classroom, with a textbook and with the teacher at the helm. When I did the deep learning exercise with my students, we came to remarkable conclusion: most of their most memorable learning experiences happened outside of the formal academic structure. [...]

]]> By: David http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-575 David Fri, 16 Mar 2007 05:41:35 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-575 Hi Babara, Sorry for my badly written question. Yes, you interpreted it right and thanks for your answer. David Hi Babara,

Sorry for my badly written question. Yes, you interpreted it right and thanks for your answer.

David

]]> By: Barbara http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-574 Barbara Sun, 04 Mar 2007 04:11:22 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-574 Hi David: I don't think I understand your question. Are you asking whether the skype language exchanges are more effective than group conversations/ small group conversations/ classroom work? If that is the question, then my answer would be no. I want my students to use Skype as a means of augmenting what we might be doing in class, but not in place of it. Some students take to skype conversations like fish to water, but most students find such conversations incredibly hard. Ne'ertheless, having the knowledge that the person on the other end is less-than-perfect in your native language as you struggle in his/her helps a great deal too Let me know if I did not interpret your question properly... Barbara Hi David:

I don’t think I understand your question. Are you asking whether the skype language exchanges are more effective than group conversations/ small group conversations/ classroom work?

If that is the question, then my answer would be no. I want my students to use Skype as a means of augmenting what we might be doing in class, but not in place of it.

Some students take to skype conversations like fish to water, but most students find such conversations incredibly hard. Ne’ertheless, having the knowledge that the person on the other end is less-than-perfect in your native language as you struggle in his/her helps a great deal too

Let me know if I did not interpret your question properly…

Barbara

]]> By: David http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-573 David Tue, 27 Feb 2007 06:16:56 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-573 Just curious, based on your observation or feedback from the students, is it more effective to have one-on-one "swop" practice to have a group conversations even more non-native speakers? Just curious, based on your observation or feedback from the students, is it more effective to have one-on-one “swop” practice to have a group conversations even more non-native speakers?

]]> By: Barbara http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-572 Barbara Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:00:37 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-572 No actually they are having one on one conversations with native Spanish-language speakers. We are partnering with a group in Spain and one in Colombia right now...the students in the Spanish speaking countries are learning English so we plan to "swop" language practice. And as you will read in the Feb 22 post, my students also have contacts abroad and are eager to connect with them. It is incredible to listen to the level of engagement this tool provides. --B No actually they are having one on one conversations with native Spanish-language speakers.

We are partnering with a group in Spain and one in Colombia right now…the students in the Spanish speaking countries are learning English so we plan to “swop” language practice.

And as you will read in the Feb 22 post, my students also have contacts abroad and are eager to connect with them. It is incredible to listen to the level of engagement this tool provides.

–B

]]> By: David http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-571 David Thu, 22 Feb 2007 05:20:25 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-571 Hi Barbara, I'm very curious about your course offering that uses Skype as one of the means for students to acquire the spoken skills. Are you going to let your students practice in the group conversation setting at Skypecast? Hi Barbara,

I’m very curious about your course offering that uses Skype as one of the means for students to acquire the spoken skills. Are you going to let your students practice in the group conversation setting at Skypecast?

]]> By: Barbara http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-570 Barbara Thu, 22 Feb 2007 01:40:46 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-570 His name is Petey (named after Pedro Martí­nez, once of the Red Sox, now the Mets) and he is a springer spaniel we rescued from the pound about 3 years ago. He was our 25th rescue dog, and destined to be adopted just like the 24 that preceded him, but my husband declared that this would not be so. And so we have three dogs, all springers. The mantra I chant every morning is "my life is rich and full..." Petey has us humans figured out and lives quite comfortably. He has figured out how to open cabinets and cupboards (and eaten them clean too). Don't let the face fool you. He just <em>looks </em> pathethic, but he is quite fat and happy here at my feet right now! ;-) His name is Petey (named after Pedro Martí­nez, once of the Red Sox, now the Mets) and he is a springer spaniel we rescued from the pound about 3 years ago. He was our 25th rescue dog, and destined to be adopted just like the 24 that preceded him, but my husband declared that this would not be so. And so we have three dogs, all springers. The mantra I chant every morning is “my life is rich and full…”

Petey has us humans figured out and lives quite comfortably. He has figured out how to open cabinets and cupboards (and eaten them clean too). Don’t let the face fool you. He just looks pathethic, but he is quite fat and happy here at my feet right now! ;-)

]]> By: Sam Jackson http://languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-569 Sam Jackson Wed, 21 Feb 2007 15:11:07 +0000 http://www.languagelabunleashed.org/2007/02/21/the-spring-semester-begins/#comment-569 Whose dog is that? Looks completely adorable, if a little unhappy about the cold! :) Whose dog is that? Looks completely adorable, if a little unhappy about the cold! :)

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