Here´s to my PLN, a thank you toss.

A couple of weeks ago several of my Argentinian teachers of English friends shared this article (in original Spanish version, sorry!) via different social media.  It shows the result of a survey stating that Argentinians scored the best results in a certain English proficiency exam.  Somehow the ones sharing it felt and shared the pride of a job well done.  It came as no surprise to me.  I am from Argentina.  I´ve been shaped by and learned from Argentinian teachers.  I have worked with them and I am lucky to have many EFL teacher friends.  I witness how hard they work daily to share their passion for the English language.   As I was reading the post I remembered the many other language teachers I met face to face in the three congresses I attended in my country this year.  I heard their stories, all different yet fascinating.

     I also met other Latin American colleagues face to face and online and I am looking forward to meeting more and hear about what they are up to, their challenges, and achievements.  And I don´t need any article to tell me that they are doing the best that they can with what they have.

     If today I can read books, watch films and interact in English it is thanks to a teachers who helped me at different points of my life.  I am also lucky to be a native born Spanish speaker.  When a student asked me to teach him Spanish this year, I came to appreciate those souls who decide to teach Spanish as a foreign language. (ELA: Español como Lengua Extranjera) This one proved to be another path to grow as an educator, by acknowledging my own language.  It was also a humbling experience, my admiration goes to those who decide to swim the waters of the Spanish grammar.

One must love a language a lot in order to decide to become a teacher of that language withou being born a native speaker.

My toss  this last month of the year goes to those whose job is to spread their passion for a language and in so doing assume as their mission to ignite the fire in others.

Thank you so much native, nonNESTs, ELA, ESL, EFL and all of you passionate educators out there from whom I get my daily inspiration, encouragement, insights, knowledge.

Salud! Cheers! 

Artesol, Jujuy, Argentina May 9-10, 2014

Here are some pictures


Now that things have come to some kind of normality around the house and at work, I sit down to write a few thoughts on what has been my second experience with the people of Artesol here in my country.  

Getting there and back from home was an entire adventure to me, due to the lack of connectivity by land among our provinces.  I live in the capital of the province of Santa Fe, in the center of the country and I had to travel to a province which borders Chile and Bolivia, and in order to do so I had to change three buses and the whole trip (1100 km) lasted 18 hours.  All this because I refused to go to Buenos Aires and take a plane to Jujuy from there, which would have been the most sensible thing to do considering the hard time I had on my trip to and from the conference venue.

The reason I attended this conference was to present about the TESOL EVO Sessions, which I had been my greatest source of inspiration and learning the past two years.  Apart from presenting I attended several workshops and presentations from teachers interested in sharing things they consider important.  I am afraid I will not be able to share links, apart from my material, since the presenters handed out paper copies of material which I don´t plan to scan.

In the conference I met enthusiastic teachers who reminded me of the reason why I keep going to conferences: to meet like minded educators.  I got some new classroom ideas, such as the use of famous self portraits to include in a lesson based on Selfies, by Mathilde Verilleaut.  I also reviewed some of my practices, such as personalizing material,  in the light of the Taxonomy of language learning strategies (from Rebecca Oxford´s,  Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Boston, Heinle and Heinle, 1990) provided by the presenters Mariana Lloberas and Silvana Irusta.  

I drank from the enthusiasm of some teachers like Mónica Rodríguez Salvo, who presented on 21st Century Skills,and also Susana Company and Maria Soledad Loutayf whose demonstration called Digital Literacy for Dummies: ELT in the 21st Century was packed with teachers eager to know more about what they had to say.  These teachers I hope to keep in contact with.  In a way I feel that we “speak the same language” when it comes to language teaching.

However, I´m afraid, connectivity  is still absent from the conferences workshops, plenaries, or presentations.   I found myself exchanging facebook names, twitter handles, email addresses in the hope of changing this for future conferences. I am aware that in my country there are teachers with poor internet access who are finding it difficult even to open their email boxes daily. (one of my workshop attendees told me she had to wait for 3 hours for her email account to open)

I have experienced learning with other teachers, some of them were not teachers of English, but we are in the field of education and we have many things in common.  My wish is that one day those teachers from geographically isolated places join me in the fun of learning together with the world and by so doing making this a better place for our children.

Meanwhile I will share today with you what I went to present up North and I really hope you find it useful.  

Artesol annual convention, Introducing TESOL EVO Sessions from Maria Colussa

TESOL Electronic Village Online

Your Passport to Professional Development.

Abstract

In an age of rapid change and innovation professional development is a must.  Tesol EVO (Electronic Village Online) is a yearly opportunity for us to get updated as regards the latest methodologies as well as an opportunity for networking with other teachers in our field of interest.  Come to see how to get the most of this amazing opportunity!

Summary

These sessions are held during a period of 5 weeks prior to the TESOL Convention, generally by the end of January and beginning of February. They are free of charge and they are moderated by outstanding educators.  After attending my second one this year I want to share my learning journey.  Each one of us has a different scenario and how we decide to pursue our own professional development will be strongly dependent on what we want to achieve in our classrooms.  The EVO sessions have multiple opportunities for further develop our professional skills, and also provides a space for reflection on our practice together with other teachers from all over the world.

The participants in this workshop will leave with an idea of what the EVO sessions are, how to choose the best option according to their particular situation and also what are the tools to get acquainted with beforehand to make the most of this experience.

EVO Sessions are the future of professional development, a virtual space to share, grow and learn with other teachers who are looking for the same things we are:  becoming better language teaching professionals.

Maria del Carmen Colussa, a graduate from Alte Brown Teacher Training Institute, Santa Fe.  Over twenty years of experience as a teacher at the VIP Institute Santo Tomé, Liceo Municipal Santo Tomé.  Currently teaching freelance mostly to adults and in my journey to become an online teacher. http://mariacolussa.blogspot.com.ar/

EVO Sessions  

The ideal starting place for a beginner's journey on their road to tech integration and pd.

Why?

Free: perfect for economically disadvantaged teachers

We learn TOGETHER, which is  essential to ease every beginner's anxiety, moderators are available and willing to help.

It's custom made: everyone chooses their own level of commitment by submitting work/deciding how much to participate.

Online, we can do it from the comfort of our own coach/sofa/(in Argentina) under a parasol by the swimming pool!

It fosters networking: helps us build our PLN if we are here it's because we want the same things, the general tone of the sessions is one of celebrating learning no one is competing for any prize!

Moderators carefully plan each session by gradually leading participants into the themes, but at the same time they challenge participants to take risks, the question is: Why not, rather than Why?

Online also means everyone has access to the material, which is convenient for geographically isolated teachers with limited wifi, even if there are live sessions in your chosen session, everything is recorded and can be accessed asynchronously.  This is also convenient if you cannot follow a fixed timetable (my case!).

Characteristics

Collaborative, Connectivist great to start building your PLN

Self paced, no rush.  Keep calm and carry on!/Sign up for EVO

Chaotic, it's the way we learn these days!  However it´s up to you to find a way to organize your learning.

Varied: There's one session for you, no matter where you teach you will surely find something of interest.

USEFUL TIPS

1.Study the sessions' proposals by reading the summary, the mods bio, the platform where they will be held, the tools that will be used.

It will probably be a good idea to familiarise yourself with: Edmodo, WIKI pages, Google Plus (and the fabulous Google tools like Google Hangouts, Gmail, Google groups/docs, Blogger).  These days there are tutorials available on you tube for virtually every tool you want to learn how to use.

It would be a good idea to choose a session based on tools which you feel comfortable with.    However, don't discard a session too soon.  In my case the first year I was absolutely terrified by sound files, so I signed up for the podcasting session, and I never regretted that decision since then I have felt more confident to try out new things, just because I had already experimented knowing that there was a safety net of teachers who would gladly answer any questions I might have.

2. One session at a time please! Resist the temptation to sign up to more than 1 session.  Next year there will surely be another chance for you to do it.  Besides you can always browse the materials and tasks of the rest of the sessions as a visitor.  You can also attend live sessions too.  Concentrating on just one session will help you focus on what you need to learn today, however sporadically visiting other sessions will probably give you an idea of things you might like to explore in the future.  Have a notebook and pencil nearby every time you attend a live session you will have to write down many things!

3.Timetables: yes, they exist and they're there for organization purposes, however  no one dies if we fail to submit an assigned task in due time and form.  We could always join in the discussion forums/threads, and listen to what people who were lucky enough to squeeze the task into their busy schedules  have to say about  it.  Even if you find no time to follow a week´s task, join the group discussions anyway, or read what others have posted and respond contributing to the discussion, not just praising and agreeing, this really adds value to the group content.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED AT EVO

It's ok not to know. ASK QUESTIONS, there will always be someone there to give answers.

Learning is serendipitous, you never know what you're going to learn, and sometimes you don't even know what you are learning!

Be patient with yourself.

Above all ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

It´s ok to lurk, Go Lurkers! Our brains need time to adjust to new things, just be patient with yourself.

Week 5 EVO Sessions: Becoming a Business English Teacher

Task 1
Branding, What is it?
For me branding is  My personal set of beliefs as a teacher.  In other words where I stand professionally as an educator.

Task 2
What is your story?

These are my notes on the material posted on the Wiki.
Reflections based on Seth Godin´s interview.
As regards someone´s personal story people will remember our stories rather than facts about ourselves.  Noone owes you their attention or money.  People (or rather our students) will tell their friends interesting things as regards you.  We have to put ourselves in our students shoes and ask ourselves the question: why should they choose me and not the other professionals in my area?

Interviews with entrepreneurs.
Alexandre Inneco, Brazilian musician.
"Necessity is what makes the frog leap." Brazilian saying.
Alexandre is generous, started small and suggests that our product should be fun as well as interesting. He also promotes himself by using his own name.
Henrick Oprea, Brazilian teacher of English.
We both learned English from scratch without travels or native speaker teachers and share our high motivation levels.  We worked in institutions such as language schools.  I agree with him in that we should earn people´s trust by being professional in what we do ie. know your subject, what you are talking about when it comes to language learning/teaching.  You have to tell the truth and believe in what you are saying.  I also believe in the power of networking with inspiring educators, if you receive you should in turn give as well.  Coaching students so that they become gradually independent is also my goal.  I also experienced the power of blogging as a tool to reflect on what you are doing and share your work.  It´s a way of validating what you are doing and keep a record of your professional practice.
Envision,  a language school based in Brazil.
Teachers should empathize with her students and identify their strengths to build from there, to make the L2 your own. There are different approaches to achieve this.  Hands on experience and professional development sessions are sources of professional growth.


My personal story

I told my personal story here in a presentation I did for a workshop at the Argentine Conference of Teachers of English.
In a nutshell:
After having worked for 15 years as a teacher I thought I had lost the magic and I decided to quit to become a photographer.  Then I discovered that the computer was a tool that could be used to connect to knowledge and  other professionals from different parts of the world.  And I re-discovered my vocation. Every day I learn something new by sharing and collaborating with teachers and students, not only mine (who are actually a small number) but other teachers`.  I take advantage of each opportunity for PD offered online for free and give for free as well if I can.  My students benefit from this, since everything I learn is reflected in my practice.  I continually ask myself: how can I use it with my students?  I am in the process of becoming an online teacher, gradually and at my own pace, I experiment and try out new things with my lovely students or with other teachers´students sometimes, or members of my family.   Above all I am having fun!

Crafting the E-Perfect E-Textbook

Here´s my work for Week 2 of this session

Presentation of Design Elements, Outline and Discussion questions

EVO Sessions, Developing Business English Teachers

Week 2 Task 1
Needs Analysis

 I will go on to reflect one experience with a student after reading the material outlined for this chapter.
Last September, Marcela called me with a very specific request.  She had recently started a job as a secretary at the Import/Export department in a car spare parts factory.  She wanted to have weekly one to one lessons to refresh her knowledge of the language because their German clients would arrive in December and she would have to deal with them.  Speaking and listening were the skills she said she needed more practice in since she had plenty of experience corresponding with clients and suppliers.  The classes would be held in my studio where I usually teach and have access to technology. (one pc with internet connection) and material. (books!)

I usually have an initial interview where I ask general questions about the kind of background of my student,  Where/when did you start learning English?; What do you usually use English for at work?; apart from work, What are you passionate about?  I now feel a bit shy to say this, but this is what I have actually been doing with her and with every student that came to me for help.  Up to now.  I liked the proposed chart by Charles Rei.  It would help both of us focus and evaluate tasks by displaying it visually.
A systematic approach to needs analysis could also provide an overview of the course objectives.  It will certainly help me stay stuned.

The Communicative Event, Charles Rei

 

EVO Sessions, 2014.

This is my list of favourite links I will probably use a LOT in the near future.  They come from my involvement in three sessions of the current EVO.  I have also included my responses to assigned tasks.

EVO Crafting the Perfect E-book Session

Creative Commons Resources

This is my creative commons license

This is the E-Book I need

The E-book I need to create is an interactive online book for my adult students with resources for them to practice English.  Ideally it could be something that they can have access to from home if they feel like practising what we have done in class or it could also be used as a flipped class material bank.  (ie. I could assign a task for them to pre-view/listen/read BEFORE we meet face to face).  However since IDEAL seldom happens, it can also serve as an online "place" for them to make comments, add content, etc when they are unable to attend the class.  (something that happens very frequently at least in my case!)




EVO Developing Business English Teachers Session
Tasks for Week 1

Former teachers who motivated me and what was so special about them that they inspired me


During my 20 (OMG!) year old career I´ve been inspired by many teachers I was lucky enough to come across.
Two of them during my trainning years (unfortunatelly both have passed away) María Isabel Recamán, my phonetics/diction teacher, Daniel Fernández, my methodology/applied linguistics teacher.
After I graduated I did an Adscription to Language II at the Teacher Training College and Adriana Diaz was the teacher there.
Lately I have come across so many AMAZING educators that I can´t begin to name them: Vance Stevens(https://twitter.com/VanceS), Elizabeth Anne (https://twitter.com/eannegrenoble), Anne Mirtschin( https://twitter.com/murcha) and all the people from Hello Little World Teachers Skypers http://hlwskypers.pbworks.com/w/page/36437388/HLWSkypers%20wiki.

Why was I inspired by them? What is special about them?  

Basically their enthusiasm about what they do for a living, what Sir Ken Robinson describes as having found their element, and a feeling I have when I come across these kind of individuals that in spite of being VERY good at what they do, they just don´t brag about their accomplishments, but seek to share what they know.  Another common quality is having a sense of humour, I have laughed a lot when I was in contact with them.  Their capacity to work a lot and stay calm when faced with problems, such as technical ones is also something I also admire in them.

Motivating the Unmotivated, By Jeremy Harmer
My reactions to this article.
Building a successful rapport with my students is KEY for any learning to take place in the classroom.  I have been concentrating on teaching adults lately and take it as a rule to find out what it is that they are passionate about, what their background is, as well as where they hope to or are required to use the language.  Once in the classroom I take special care to choose material that has the right level of challenge and praise their accomplishments.  I am always looking for opportunities for them to do things with the language in a meaningful way.

Roy, talking about reflection in Language Teaching

I was intruduced to the concept of reflection on our practice by Vance Stevens, but before that I was encouraged to write in a blog by Miguel Mendoza and his crew of the Podcasting EVO session in 2013.  Before that I thought I had nothing to reflect about!
Visiting Sonya´s ( https://twitter.com/vanschaijik )blog where she reflected on her learning using the SAMAR model was an eye opener.  I later applied it to my own pathway from a zero beginner in IT to whatever it is that I am now.  Reflection lets you know where you are and where you want to go.  It also helps you focus as Roy very clearly stated in the video.

Two Statements on Reflective Practice, By Roy

Reflecting in Action
Too many times I found myself wondering: Why are you doing this task which is obviously NOT relevant?!  Simply because it was in the coursebook! And the institution I worked in mandated that I should follow the book. The funny thing is that my poor students endured the tasks stoically!   When I started working freelance I noticed this and raised my filters to prevent this from happening.  It was difficult for me at first to question things on coursebooks (that was not a thing I was taught to do in the teacher training college!), until I started to trust my teacher instinct: there was simply no point in doing certain things just because they were there.

Reflecting on Action
Once I had the opportunity to pair up one of my adult students with three adolescents in a skype session.  Skyping with native speakers had proved on many occations to be  a very powerful tool to boost my students´confidence and add a little spice to our classes.    My student would benefit from the interaction and I assumed that she would enjoy the talk being a mother of a 12 year old boy.  However she later expressed that she felt more comfortable talking to adults.  I took notice and nobody died!  I mean: well, I made certain assumptions, took the risk, did the task, evaluated it and will later on take her preferences into account before scheduling another session.  That´s it!  We had enough confience to talk to each other in order to make things better.
We should strive to create in our classrooms an atmosphere of trust where our students know that we are all learning, and that learning is a complex process, could be chaotic but the teacher will be there for them, learning too.

Feedback and Motivation

One thing I have realised after reading about student´s feedback is that I don´t like it!  Why?  Well, it could be because I stopped having it the minute I left the teacher training college.  I am simply not used to having it!  Once you go freelance if a student`s feedback is not taken into account, he simply doesn´t come any more, so I am constantly asking for feedback from my students because not acknowledging my student`s views would mean that I´m not doing things right.

ManinEVO

Well, what to say about this session.  It´s like being born again and live my childhood this time with computers!!  Lost and brand newbie in the land of Second Life I had a brief experience in an online tour before my computer crashed or something,  however I REALLY enjoyed the ride to Renaissance Island.  So funny to wait until the world is loaded (the WORLD!) and my clothes are downloaded!  Several of us are waiting for Carol, our moderator to teletransport us! OMG, this is so much fun! And we have barely started!

Why you should register for the TESOL Electronic Village Online (EVO) 2014 today!

Last year I was a complete ignorant of all the benefits of online PD opportunities available on the web.  I don´t remember how I came across the TESOL EVO sessions, I just remember that I registered for attending right on the day of the start of the course.  I followed my instincts and signed up for four sessions, something I strongly recommend NOT to do, but to focus on only one and take advantage of the many opportunities for learning offered that that one, which is what I ended up doing.  However, I also profited from the sessions I just lurked or got lost trying to catch up with.  I lost my fear of  audio files as I was patiently tutored by the Podcasting for the ESL/EFL Classroom moderators, I met my friend Vance Stevens from the Multimooc session, I heard the great Gabriel Diaz Maggioli giving a talk during the Mentoring Session and had the fortune of meeting him in person later in Buenos Aires for the FAAPI conference of Argentinian teachers of English.  All this happened during the course of four weeks of hard work since I had to figure out how to navigate wikis, tutorials, web tools, etc.  However the memories of the kind help of the EVO moderators and the other participants made me look forward to the next one.  Registration begins today.  Please consider signing up.  Be a lurker.  Get involved as much as you can.  You will never regret it!
See you there!

You will have a dilema, though: Which session to attend, they are all SO interesting!

TESOL EVO Sessions, 2014. Everything you need to know is here!