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TESOL statement on 2018 budget:

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TESOL Statement on the Proposed U.S. Federal FY 2018 Budget

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National Geographic site for ELLs:

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elementary infant primary secondary education

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National Geographic Learning - ELT & PreK-12 Education

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National Geographic Learning has global learning programs for English Language Teaching and learning (ELT/EFL/ESL) and complete Pre K-12 Education resources.

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Tutorial for using Padlet collaboratively in the classroom:

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Padlet for Collaboration in the Classroom

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Example of virtual tour:

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Cultural exchange programs and cultural field trips are an essential part of language learning. Beyond practicing merely within the walls of a classroom, with pen and paper, these experiences allow students to live the language; negotiating their knowledge and fluency with how to represent themselves and function in a culture different than their own. Indeed, the goal of language education is more than knowing how to speak/read/write in another language, but how to live, and hopefully contribute, to a different linguistic/cultural society that may have different values and “ways of knowing” than the student’s first language. As stated by Lemke (2002), “human sense making relies not only on the formal linguistic sign system, but also sociocultural material artifacts and sociohistorical experiential events” (as cited by Zheng, 2012, p. 544). Language learning is an essential step towards collaborating, understanding and exchanging ideas with people of different backgrounds in order to explore the world, encourage understanding to build peaceful relationships, and expand the extent of our knowledge as the human race. These experiences may be regarded much like the role of the arts in Greene’s (1978) Towards wide-awakeness; providing conscious engagement with the world and the human experience, being “awake”, in which a quest for meaning counters the ease of automatization available in schools. Cultural exchange and abroad experiences require students to apply their language knowledge within the context of the cultural/linguistic of the society they are in; an important skill requiring more than mere linguistic knowledge.

While the benefits of cultural exchange and abroad field trips are numerous, there are obstacles in organizing them. For many students and teachers, the greatest challenge are the cuts in educational funding. As referenced through the TESOL International Association, the proposed 2018 federal budget severely limits funding for cultural and educational exchange programs through the Department of State (Cutler, 2017). For public school students, funding cuts made to such programs are especially impactful, eliminating opportunities they may not otherwise have to travel abroad and experience the different ways of knowing and living in the world. It is doubtful these cuts will be subject to change for some time. In light of this, educators may turn to using technology to provide these important language experiences, as an alternative to physical travel.

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Socrative

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Login or sign up for free on Socrative - your assessment partner for real-time assessments and instant insights.

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Google Docs/Sheets/Forms

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Create and collaborate on online documents in real-time and from any device.

Seamless collaboration, from anywhere

Edit together in real-time with easy sharing, and use comments, suggestions, and action items to keep things moving. Or use @-mentions to pull relevant people, files, and events into your online Docs for rich collaboration.

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Assistive features like Smart Compose help you write faster with fewer errors, so you can focus on ideas. And save time with spelling and grammar suggestions, voice typing, and quick document translation.

Seamlessly connect to your other Google apps

Docs is thoughtfully connected to other Google apps you love, saving you time. Reply to comments directly from Gmail, embed charts from Google Sheets, and easily share via Google Meet. You can even search the web and Google Drive for relevant content and images, directly from Docs.

Bring collaboration and intelligence to other file types

Easily edit Microsoft Word files online without converting them, and layer on Docs' enhanced collaborative and assistive features like action items and Smart Compose. You can also import PDFs, making them instantly editable.

Do more with add-ons

Access a variety of third-party applications, right from Docs. Whether it's an e-signature app or project management tool, open it from Docs to work faster.

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With Docs, everyone's working on the latest version of a document. And with edits automatically saved in version history, it's easy to track or undo changes.

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Google Docs: Online Document Editor | Google Workspace

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Use Google Docs to create, and collaborate on online documents. Edit together with secure sharing in real-time and from any device.

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Kahoot!

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn – any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

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In light of funding cuts made to cultural exchange programs and field trips, opportunities for linguistic and cultural educational experiences are being limited. These changes are especially relevant for students in public schools, particularly populations likely found in urban settings like immigrants, ELLs and those from low-income backgrounds. These are groups who may often find themselves excluded or alienated from educational programs because of differences in culture and language expectations. Nonetheless, cultural opportunities abroad should not be limited to those who can afford it. “These programs serve a vital role in public diplomacy and help support English language teaching and learning in many countries. Given the increased importance of intercultural understanding and diplomacy in today’s world, these suggested cuts are steps in precisely the wrong direction.” (Cutler, 2017).

The problem, then, is how do teachers create authentic cultural exchange opportunities for their students in order for them to practice language and experience different ways of living, all in the face of heavy budget cuts? The answer may rely on technology, increasingly made available in the educational sphere.

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Grade: 5th grade Social Studies classroom (also interdisciplinary)

Student population: Primarily composed of ELLs, evenly mixed males/females

School: A public school, urban setting, USA

Proficiency level: Ranging from Emerging to Commanding

L1 backgrounds: Any; homogenous or mixed

Age: 10 – 12

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This project incorporates multiple technology software and programs for students to plan and “experience” a trip abroad to a country where English is an official language, without ever leaving their classroom. Inspired by the Zheng’s (2012) study of students learning Chinese through Second Life simulation gaming, this project approaches knowledge from a constructivist, inquiry-based teaching perspective; where “learners should generate their own knowledge through experiences, while teachers serve only as facilitators” (Roblyer, 2016, p. 35). From this view, it is acknowledged that people learn best when they are able to create their own meaningful connections to the content through project-based learning. In the constructivist approach, students are in command of their own learning, and teachers act as a guide. Walker and Soltis (2009) define the role of the teacher in “the project method” as guiding students through purposing, planning, executing and judging the elements of their project (p. 50). This perspective attempts to channel prior knowledge, interest and choice, leading to high levels of motivation and engagement, into authentic, project-based tasks that require students to incorporate a variety of skills and disciplines commonly experienced in the “real world”. In this way, the curriculum is negotiated between the students and the teacher; meaning, the teachers are “deliberately planning to invite students to contribute to and modify the educational program, so that they will have real investment in both the learning journey and in the outcomes” (Boomer, Ch.1, p.11).

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For this project, students will plan a virtual class trip to a destination of their choice. Initially, students will do online research to find countries where English is spoken as an official language. The teacher will guide them to sites they may use, such as the CIA World Fact Book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/) and National Geographic (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/). Students will propose countries they may wish to virtually visit on a class Padlet, along with their reasoning, and then on Socrative, where they will then individually vote. Once the country has been selected, students will form research groups, each tasked with a different objective. Objectives may address planning:

-       How the class gets to the country (using English websites, like Expedia, to compare flight prices, researching time zones, finding the closest airports, arranging transportation and choosing the best flight dependent on numerous factors like budget, length of voyage etc.)

-       The itinerary (researching online via English websites like  Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet books etc.)

-       Health concerns (What kinds of vaccines students may need, do students need to bring malaria pills, is the water potable etc.)

-       Where to stay and how to navigate transportation there (comparing hotel prices and value with the proposed budget, what kind of transportation is available and what is the best choice)

-       Budget/length of stay etc.

-       What to pack (researching weather, activities, cultural dress expectations etc.)

-       Basic cultural/linguistic background of country of interest (brief history, food, holidays, tourist sites, natural resources, traditional clothes, language/culture differences etc.)

-       How the class should prepare for the trip (what books to read, videos to watch etc. to have background on the country before visiting).

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This project has been created as a virtual “travel abroad experience”, designed for a 5th grade Social Studies class consisting of English Language Learners (ELLs). However, it may be adapted for a range of ages, from Kindergarten through 12th grade and adult education. The proposed project is intended for students who are living in the United States, either immigrants or from linguistic communities where they were raised speaking another language other than English. The rationale here is that these students should not be made to limit their language knowledge according to their current country of residence (the USA), but would greatly benefit from traveling and learning about other countries where English is also spoken as an official language. This project may easily be adapted for students in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Indeed, this project has been proposed from the perspective of the USA as a response to the recent funding cuts made to the Department of Education to limit cultural exchange programs, to inspire the teachers who work in such circumstances. It may be applied in other cultural/linguistic contexts according to the opportunities made available and needs of the students.

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Although this project will take place during the Social Studies period, it is interdisciplinary and requires students to use a range of skills and knowledge. Some technology tools students will have to use and become familiar with can include:

-       Google Earth

-       Google Docs/Sheets (Using word processors and spreadsheets)

-       Kahoot!

-       Google Forms

-       Socrative

-       Prezi/Powerpoint

-       Padlet

Students will combine their findings on a class Padlet in order to make communal decisions for their trip. Voting will take place using Socrative, and information will be combined and organized between group members using Google docs/sheets. All groups will need to do online research, accessing a variety of websites, both on their own and some suggested by the teacher. In groups, students will present their findings to the rest of the class via Prezi and the completed, voted-upon, final proposal will be documented through the class Padlet. The culminating activity will involve a virtual “trip”, where the class period will be devoted to listening to traditional music from the country, eating traditional food and participating in a virtual field trip to one or several points of interest (for virtual field trips, students may use The Google Art Project or research virtual field trips available through museums and other tourist sites for the destination). The elements of this final “trip” day will be conducted by the students themselves, along with help from the teacher.

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Aw snap! Google Earth isn't supported on your browser. You may need to update your browser or use a different browser. Please see our system requirements for more information. Chrome is a great choice and you can download it here. Or if you're feeling adventurous, you can try Earth anyway by choosing an option below.

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Barab, S., Gresalif, M. and Arici,    A. (2009). Why educators should care about games. Educational Leadership (Teaching for the 21 st century), 67(1), 76-80.

Boomer, G. (1992). Negotiating the curriculum. In G. Boomer, N. Lester, C. Onore & J. Cook (Eds.), Negotiating the curriculum: Educating for the 21 st century (pp.4-14). Washington DC: Falmer Press.

Castañeda, M. (2013). “I am proud that I did it and it’s a piece of me”: Digital storytelling in the foreign language classroom. CALICO Journal, 30 (1), 44-62.

Cutler, D. (2017, May). TESOL Statement on the Proposed US Federal FY 2018 Budget. Retrieved from:

http://www.tesol.org/news-landing-page/2017/05/25/tesol-statement-on-the-proposed-fy-2018-budget

Greene, M. (1978). Towards wide-awakeness: An argument for the arts and humanities in education. In Landscapes of learning (pp. 161-167). New York: Teachers College Press.

Roblyer, M. D. (2016). Integrating educational technology into teaching. USA: Pearson.

Walker, D. and Soltis, J. (2009). Curriculum and aims. New York: Teachers College Press.

Zheng, D. (2012). Caring in the dynamics of design and languaging: Exploring second language learning in 3D virtual spaces. Language Sciences, 34, 543-558.

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Throughout the project, the teacher will use a variety of methods to assess student work. Formative assessment will be made through informal observations, participation in group work, and self and peer feedback forms. Summative assessment will be made via a teacher/student negotiated rubric for final Prezi presentations and class Padlet contribution, as well as an assessment of their content knowledge via Google Forms.

Content knowledge assessed:

-       In the process of completing this project, students will come into contact with and use a variety of English geography related terms, relevant to the standards appropriate for their grade. Examples may include: Cape, Prime Meridian, Bay, Plateau, Climate, Landform, Equator, Region, Hemisphere etc. Additional social studies related ideas that can be assessed at the end of the unit via Google Forms include important facts or knowledge on the country of study. For example: main religions, languages spoken, location on a map, brief history, important historical sites, government, and important cultural/linguistic knowledge or terms like “kilt” for Scotland or the use of “mate” to address others in Australia.

-       In addition, there will be a variety of interdisciplinary content that a teacher may choose to assess. For instance; Math (budgeting, comparing flight prices etc.), English (different literacies required i.e. reading travel brochures, digital literacy, navigating Trip Advisor etc.), Science (different landforms, weather/climate and how that may affect the trip) etc.

Language knowledge assessed:

-  Modals (should, will etc.)

- Tenses (Past (history), Present and Future)

-  Comparatives/Superlatives    - Reading/Speaking/
Listening/Writing skills, such as identifying key information and summarizing.

(Students should already be familiar with these language concepts before the start of the unit. However, mini lessons will take place in order to reinforce their pre-existing knowledge. If needed, larger lessons may take place in English class for re-occurring errors that impede communication. Language knowledge will be assessed within the content: the relevant vocabulary and language needed for geography.)

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Prezi

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Open Canvas

Create, organize, and move freely on an open canvas. Create seamless presentations without the restrictions of linear slides.

Ready-made asset libraries

Choose from millions of images, stickers, GIFs, and icons from Unsplash and Giphy.

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Presentations and videos with engaging visuals for hybrid teams | Prezi Present

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Welcome to Prezi, the presentation software that uses motion, zoom, and spatial relationships to bring your ideas to life and make you a great presenter.

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It will be the responsibility of the teacher to assess and incorporate the knowledge and skills of the students regarding the use of technology in this project. The technology proposed is by no means an exhaustive list of possible resources, however, it should be used as a guide for the kinds of activities students will be expected to partake in. If students have their own ideas for how to present information, this should be negotiated with the teacher and placed into the curriculum. For instance, social media students may be familiar with, like Instagram or Facebook, could be ways to share pictures or comments about student research, and could be incorporated into the project. The current proposed technology is aimed at the foundational core of the assignment: facilitating the exchange of student ideas and building of knowledge through a cooperative learning process (such as collaborative documents and spreadsheets). The function of technology in this project follow the same principles of tech games in Barab, Gresalif and Arici’s(2009) study: “1) To transform a person from a passive recipient to an empowered actor, 2) To transform content into something remember to a tool the learner can use to accomplish desired ends, and 3) To transform context into reality that responds to the learner’s actions” (p. 78). For instance, students may research what hotel they can afford, what kinds of sites they will be able to see with the time given, etc. Students will have to make choices based on context, as they would do if they were planning a real trip.

It should not be expected that all students will be familiar with the technology proposed. Rather, students should have an active role in choosing their research groups they would like to be a part of, thereby selecting the kinds of technology they wish to use. The teacher must incorporate class tutorials of the communal technology programs, such as Google Docs and Prezi, that all students will use. Students who explore their own technology only used for their groups, like online programs such as Expedia, may be given time to explain the function of these sites and how they discovered to best use them via mini lessons for the class. The role of technology in this project is secondary to content, similar to that expressed in Castaneda’s (2013) study on digital storytelling. The intent here, like in the study, is for students to engage in interacting with and learning multiple literacies with multimodal technology.

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The proposed unit project may take place over the course of several weeks or several months, depending on the scope of the project and the teaching/learning context. By the end of the project, all students should have an understanding of the kind of work involved in planning a trip – budgeting, researching, comparing etc., as well as the kind of language they need to do so. In addition, students will learn in depth about an English-speaking country in regard to its history, culture, traditions and geography. Students will complete the unit having gained a variety of valuable skills and knowledge in research and technology tools, academic and functional language, and geography/cultural studies of a different part of the world. This is all in the effort of creating personal meaning, collaborative relationships and seeking understanding through cross-cultural communication, respecting differences and problem-solving in authentic “real life” ways and tasks of the world.