Final Reaction

So far, the most useful resource for me has been the online video resources. As a language teacher, it used to be difficult to find authentic materials for the students to use. With the technology today, students can see commercials, movie clips, news broadcasts, and music in the target language. It makes learning a second language more "real" and exciting for them. I want my students to hear other francophone speakers in order to hear the various dialects and help them improve their listening skills and overall comprehension of the language.

I believe that I will also use my delicious account, as well as begin more blogging as a way to communicate with my students, and facilitate discussion outside of the classroom.

Wikis

I really like the idea of kids being able to post their work and have their peers evaluate and reflect upon one another's work. When first starting out, I think we'll have to have a very candid dialogue about what is appropriate and what is not and how to offer constructive criticism. I think it gives the kids a chance to put themselves out there, and feel a bit safer doing so. This is wonderful preparation for college, and while in "real world".

Video sharing sights - Thoughts

Hi -
I checked out the following online video resource sights for teachers, and here are my thoughts:

Teacher Tube - I have used this in the past, and some of the stuff is really good. However - there are also some videos that are not as good. What I found is that you have to be very specific in searching what you are looking for. This will save time and increase the chance that you will find something you can use.

School Tube - I was not as interested in this one. It seemed as if all the videos were of other teacher's students making presentations. This would be good if you found a good exemplar that you wanted to show kids for your own projects.

You tube - I use this site all the time. I have also received videos from colleagues who found something they thought I could use in class. What I like is that there are a lot of options for language teachers, and students are able to hear the language by native speakers from around the world. You do have to watch for appropriateness however.

Movie Clips - Great concept! Unfortunately - not a lot that I can use in my classroom as a LOTE Teacher. I will keep this in mind in case more french language films are added to the list. I think it's a fantastic idea though! It would allow the teacher to show just a short clip to demonstrate vocabulary, grammar, or cultural concepts.

Thoughts on Classroom Blogging

I think that classroom blogging is very beneficial. It enables students to share their thoughts, while thinking about the class and discussing various topics outside of the classroom setting. I'm hoping to use blogging as a tool to encourage students to explore their own personal thoughts about an issue in the Francophone world, where they may normally hold back their thoughts because of a fear of not being able to express their thoughts correctly. Unfortunately, students are afraid to "mess up" when speaking French, and many students feel more comfortable with their writing ability in French. This would allow them to write freely, and open up to their classmates.

The French Corner

http://www.thefrenchcorner.net/

French Language Blog

http://french.about.com/b/

100 Best Blogs for Teachers

http://www.clearvieweducation.com/blog/2009/100-best-blogs-for-teachers-of-the-future/