Getting students to use Spanish when they're working on online tasks

This is one I've been knocking my head against ever since I got interested in using ICT in my classes. The students get so engaged in what they're doing that they automatically switch back to their first language - and you as the teacher end up sounding like a record stuck in the same groove; reminding them to talk in English.

Here's an idea that I've tried out recently and which seems to have had positive results: get them to talk in Spanish.

Set a time limit of, say, 15 minutes and tell them to get on with the task and talk in Spanish, but to note down the phrases they use while they're working.

At the end of the 15 minutes get them to take turns writing their phrases on the IWB and getting other students to help them translate them into English. In this way they build up a really great bank of useful English which they can draw from.

I follow this up with a flipchart meter which I constantly update while students are working on the computers so that they're aware that I'm listening to and taking account of what they're saying.

If you want to do more work on computer vocabulary here's a site which provides basic vocabulary with images and quizzes.

Have fun!

Making online comics

Here's a very teacher and student friendly site for making online comics with suggestions of how you can exploit them in class.

The inimitable Ken Robinson on changing education paradigms

Food for thought!

Writing is fun (specially when help is provided)

Writingfun is the name of a website that provides a range of interactive templates of common written forms e.g. reports, reviews, articles. Each writing genre comes with examples that students can use as models and show a range from low to quite high levels.

Here's a tutorial from Russel Stannard that runs through the site's features.

For more really helpful tutorials by the same guy here's his site TeacherTrainingVideos.

Top tips for creating flipcharts

Some simple easy ideas - plus a video showing how to implement them - for creating attractive flipcharts from José Picardo's Box of Tricks. Enjoy!

The top 10 learning tools

Here's a great list of web tools for you and your students to use. Worth a look!