Filed Under German, High School, Photos, WLL, testing
The World Language Lab is participating in the Lab Schools’ pilot program for collaborative software tools this fall.
Here, Frau Zemil leads her German 5 class in a discussion about the Bauhaus. The group is creating a document in German recording the result of their individual research, taking control of the shared computer to copy and paste their section into a single file. The group can then review the grammar and content together, and make changes quickly.
Group work in the Language Lab
Filed Under Uncategorized
Welcome back to the language lab! The 2010-2011 school year has just gotten underway and the lab is in full swing. Colin and Katie will be working hard this year to enrich teachers’ use of the language lab and to communicate new technologies that have applications for language pedagogy. The lab has brand new iMac computers, a new collaborative system called “Team Spot” in the project area, and many new textbook recordings for the DILL library. Familiar favorites such as the DILL voice recording program, Linguascope and Yabla are also all back this year. Language teachers will also explore and share new technologies during monthly departmental meetings, and a number of teachers are also getting their feet wet using new Promethean interactive whiteboards in the classroom. Teachers and students are enthusiastic about continuing to make the lab an integral component of language classes. Colin and Katie are here to help and wish you a productive, enlightening and enjoyable time in the lab this year!
Students using DiLL in the Lab
Filed Under Chinese
From Jing Chang, one of our Chinese Teachers:
In Lower School Chinese classes, students learn Chinese through singing, dancing, playing fun games and making crafts. Let’s look at some activities we have been doing in Chinese class.
Filed Under Uncategorized
Katie Hundley and Becky López present @ ACTFL in November 2009
On Saturday, November 21, 2009, Spanish teachers Becky López and Katie Hundley presented a session titled “Talking Back: Popular Technologies in Motivating Conversation in Spanish” at the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Conference in San Diego, CA. In their presentation, Becky and Katie demonstrated how they integrate specific Spanish curricular objectives with three widely accessible technologies (You Tube videos, Flip Cameras and the iLife suite, and Keynote). Themes of the student-generated videos that were showcased at the session included: ”Mi barrio de Hyde Park”; “Un día en la vida del dinosaurio Bob” (featuring popular venues in Hyde Park); “Yo amo a mi mamá porque…”; and “Monstruos”. Becky and Katie shared details with an interested audience regarding the projects students created as well as lesson plans and resources. Presentation handouts are available. Please contact us!
Filed Under Uncategorized
Señora Ramos’ sixth grade Spanish students have been busily preparing for their test on the grammatical construction IR + A + INFINITIVE, which is tomorrow! As part of their final review, Sra. Ramos had her students log in to YABLA. Students practiced comprehension by listening to a Spanish rock song by the band “Liquits” and by playing a game. ¡Buena suerte, estudiantes!
Filed Under High School, WLL
French Teacher Steven Farver answers parent questions at H.S. Open House
The World Language Lab offers guests a chance to play with DILL during High School Open House on Sunday, Oct. 25th. DILL is a powerful listening and recording software that provides World Language students (Chinese, French, German, Latin, and Spanish) with a wealth of opportunities to hone their language skills.
World Language Chair Steven Farver discussed the High School Program of Studies with prospective parents and students. Spanish/French teacher Susan Joseph and Spanish teacher Becky López were also present to help answer questions.
Filed Under Photos, Spanish
In the lab, Señora Lopez’s 8th grade Spanish students practice identifying reflexive verbs through paintings by famous Hispanic artists, such as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Fernando Botero, Diego Velázquez, Salvador Dalí, among others. To play the game, students look at works (and biographical info about artists) displayed in a Power Point presentation and use DILL to ring in with the reflexive verbs they can identify in each of the paintings. First student to ring in, wins a point! Software used: Power Point, DILL, and overhead projector.
Game: Hispanic Artists and Reflexive Verbs
Filed Under French, Photos
Mme. Collet’s students have spent time working together in the lab to make short presentations about French society and culture.
Collecting visual materials from the internet and writing short descriptions about what they found, student groups worked for several classes to create their presentations in Keynote. They finished the process by recording a narration of the contents . Students shared their presentations with each other in class later.
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Students working on Keynote presentations
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Mme Collet consults with students about their presentation
Filed Under French, Photos, Spanish
Welcome the World Language Lab’s 2009-2010 school year! We’ve had plenty of changes to mark the new year, not the least a new lab coordinator (me, Colin Warren)…
As the new lab coordinator, I’m pleased to announce the lab is up to date with the latest version of DiLL and many other software packages and we have new headsets throughout the lab. We will also be available for reservation during all periods of the day, starting this week. Please check the schedule (easily available through the Yuperstar blog page) and sign up when available.
If you have any questions about using the lab or our software, please feel free to sign up for an appointment, or send an email to me (cvwarren@ucls.uchicago.edu).
We’ve already had several classes in the lab, and are looking forward to watching everyone learn!
Mme. Schneider presenting to her French class
Sra. Hundley working on reflexive verbs
- Colin
Filed Under YuperStars
As many of my colleagues and friends know, I have accepted a new position as Language Coordinator in the Hispanic Studies department at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL. I will be doing many of the same things I’ve done been doing here at Lab (managing a lab space, training faculty, helping students, etc.), but I’ll also be teaching Spanish classes, working with student tutors, and supporting adjunct instructors. It’ll be great!
My time at Lab has been extremely fulfilling and I am grateful to all of the faculty in the World Language Department as well as the staff in Information Systems who have supported me professionally and personally. You’ve been so good to me.
As a final note, I’d like to say how grateful I am for this blog, for this means of communication. By committing to write every school day, this blog has helped me to stay on track. “What will I tell my blog readers? What success is happening or can I make happen that will be blog-worthy? What new technology should I share on the blog?” It’s a simple thing, but this blog really has been a motivating factor for me. I think blogs can be that for anybody in their life. It has been a wonderful medium for Mme Schneider during her year off. In my own personal life, I write songs in Garage Band *just so* I can post them on the blog. It makes me feel good, however feeble my efforts, to have created something original, even if it’s unpolished, unfinished, imperfect.
So, as my parting advice to students, teachers, and people everywhere: Just make something. Make something yours. Make something original. Daily if you can. Make it yourself, even if it’s small. And do it regularly, at least once a week. I believe a lot of good results from honoring our creative powers in small ways, whenever we can. Suspend judgment and get into the zone. You’ll feel better about life if you do.
Teachers, whenever possible, allow students to tap into their own creative powers as they learn new materials. It will make for deeper and more meaningful learning experiences.
Look for new blog entries by a new Technology Integration Specialist in coming months. I’m confident that whoever replaces me will have many success stories to share as well.
Thanks again to all and have a great summer!
-Allison
Filed Under World Languages
I invoke upon all of you seniors a wonderful life. Be good. Be true. Do right. Love.
Filed Under World Languages, YuperStars
As you may or may not know, Mme Jackson has been the “Lab Liaison” since I started working here in the summer of 2007. First of all, you should know what a joy and privilege it is to work with this woman. She is upbeat, kind, thoughtful, and really sharp. It’s just been awesome working with her. I know that the department really appreciates her help and enthusiasm. Not only has she reached out to faculty and given them one-on-one help, but she’s also helped to troubleshoot potential conflicts and made sure that the lab was being used in the best way possible.
Here’s a picture of Mme Jackson, looking smart…
Mme Jackson will be taking some time off next year to have a beautiful baby boy and we’ll miss her terribly while she’s gone, but Sra López will be stepping in and I know that she will be a great asset to the lab as well. Sra López has an abiding interest in project-based learning and technology implementation. I’m sure that her enthusiasm will rub off and that the department will continue to try new and improved ways of using technology and the Lab.
Here’s a picture of Sra López, looking busy…
So basically, stay tuned because next year is gonna rock!
Filed Under Best Bytes
A ton of tongue twisters for Tuesday.
“Poquito a poquito Paquito empaca poquitas copitas en pocos paquetes.”
“¡Qué triste estás, Tristán, con tan tétrica trama teatral!”
“Bene memini pantomimi minimi et amantium mimi.”
“Tilia sub tilia filat subtilia fila.”
“Ob er über Oberammergau, oder aber über Unterammergau, oder ob er überhaupt noch kommt, ist ungewiß!”
“Una cactrepa trepa tiene tres cacatrepitos.”
“Je les vends six sous, six sous ci, six sous ça, six sous ces six saucisses-là.”
“¡Esmerílemelo!”
“Cane decane, cane! Non de cane, cane decane cane; decano, cane decane cane.”
“Wenn mancher Mann wüsste, was mancher Mann wär, gäb mancher Mann manchem Mann manchmal mehr Ehr’.”
“Die Katzen kratzen im Katzenkasten, im Katzenkasten kratzen Katzen.”
“In Ulm, um Ulm, um Ulm herum.”
“Pepe puso un peso en el piso del pozo. En el piso del pozo Pepe puso un peso.”
“Es klapperten die Klapperschlangen, bis ihre Klappern schlapper klangen.”
“Ñoño Yañez come ñame en las mañanas con el niño.”
“Amore, more, ore, re, probantur amicitiae.”
“Babette a fait bombance à bord du bateau de Bob.”
“Paulus Paulam amat, sed Paula alium amat.”
“Bonjour Madame la saucissière, combien vendez-vous ces six saucisses-là?”
“Quamvis sint sub aqua, sub aqua maledicere temptant.”
“As-tu vu le tutu de tulle de Lili d’Honolulu?”
“As-tu étè à Tahiti?”
“Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten.”
“Der Zweck hat den Zweck den Zweck zu bezwecken, und wenn der Zweck den Zweck nicht bezweckt, dann hat der Zweck überhaupt keinen Zweck.”
“Der Schweizer Schweißer schwitzt und schweißt. Der Schweizer Schwitzer schweißt und schwitzt. Schwitzend schweißt der Schweizer Schweißer.”
“Selten ess ich Essig.”
“Zwischen zwei Zwetschgenbäumen zwitschern zwei Schwalben.”
“Bonum nomen, bonum omen.”
“Malo malo malo malo.”
“Zehn Ziegen zogen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo, zum Zoo zogen zehn Ziegen zehn Zentner Zucker.”
“Mater mae sus est mala.”
“Sator arepo tenet opera rotas”
SATOR
AREPO
TENET
OPERA
ROTAS
“Ah! pourquoi Pépit sans répis m’épies-tu, dans le puits Pépita pourquoi te tapis-tu? Tu m’épies sans pitié, c’est pieteux de m’épier, de m’épier Pépita ne peux-tu te passer?”
“Summergimurne?”
“Âne et vers et taupe ont-ils os? Âne a os, vers non, taupe si.”
“Te tero Roma manu nuda date tela latete.”
Filed Under Best Bytes
Don’t ever let me catch you singing like that again, without enthusiasm. You’re nothing if you aren’t excited by what you’re doing.
—Frank Sinatra to his son, Frank Jr.
Filed Under Best Bytes
Visual dictionary might be used to start a conversation and give students the vocabulary they need just in time to continue a class discussion.
http://www.infovisual.info/index_es.html (SPANISH)
http://www.infovisual.info/index_fr.html (FRENCH)
Filed Under Best Bytes, World Languages
Come to Judd 126 to see amazing May Projects by our graduating seniors. Andrew Zich and Peter Zich have created a proof-of-concept rubric tool that is way cool. They will be demonstrating the tool regularly between 7 and 9 pm in the World Language Lab (UH207).
Check out example uses of the tool on our wiki!
Filed Under Best Bytes
I learned about a new site at IALLT that allows teachers to quickly find native speakers in many languages to either speak with or correct the writing of second language learners. I haven’t used this yet myself, but I’m looking forward to it. This kind of a real-time access to real language is exactly what language learners need, and lots of it!
Filed Under Best Bytes
A quick reflection on the IALLT conference.
I was really impressed with the congeniality and originality coming out of this year’s IALLT sessions. These are instructional technology professionals who are consistently hunting for that “sweet spot” where technology and pedagogy enhance one another. Most of the suggestions I heard from fellow IALLTers were both practical and helpful. They are also a good-humored bunch. =)
I would highly recommend that language teachers who enjoy the challenge of integrating technology go to IALLT. They are sure to come away with some great ideas.
Highlights from Saturday’s session included how to better manage a language center, using Adobe Connect for professional development regional conferences, and how to track usage of computers and applications utilized in a language lab environment. I liked this page at Oberlin, which gives an instant snapshot of which machines in the lab are being used. Sehr kool.
Filed Under Quotes
In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.
—Eric Hoffer
Filed Under Best Bytes
This morning, I attended a great workshop about an experimental distance learning language class that was simulated around starting a non-profit to serve the local immigrant hispanic community. Great ideas and very inspiring! I love the idea of creating entire syllabi around meaningful, longer-term projects.
Then I saw some wonderful videos produced collaboratively by Lower School and college language learners that are just gorgeous. Must take time now to watch a few of these videos based on the topic of fairy tales (all made in iMovie HD).
In the afternoon, attended a great presentation about Professional Development and ideas for making it more effective.
And finally, watched BYU’s presenation on designing learning spaces that reflect a more student-centered pedagogy. Great stuff.
You can read more about what is happening at IALLT ’09 by checking out the #iallt09 Twitter stream.
