http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll salvete • 欢 迎 • bienvenue • willkommen • bienvenido Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:07:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en 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 ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/12/fare-thee-well/ I invoke upon all of you seniors a wonderful life. Be good. Be true. Do right. Love. http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/11/convocation/ 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. ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/10/passing-the-bato/ 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 ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/09/tongue-twisters/ 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. http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/08/quote-of-the-week-78/ 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) http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/05/visual-dictionary-in-spanish-and-french/ 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 ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/04/may-project-exhibition-tonight/ 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 ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/03/mixxer/ 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 ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/02/iallt-day-4/ 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 http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/06/01/quote-of-the-week-77/ 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 ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/29/iallt-day-3/ The DiLL presentation went great today. One of my big take-aways was the idea that language labs/learning spaces, just like classrooms, are moving away from being teacher-centered professional development corners to being student-centered. The Language Center will be a Language Resource Center where STUDENTS can come and get the resources ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/28/iallt-day-2/ This morning, we had a great discussion with six other language lab coordinators about various language resource center designs. It was great to see how different schools have approached this problem working withing their own unique constraints. I wish I could post some of the photos, layouts, and materials I ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/27/iallt-workshops-language-lab-desig-camtasia/ I will be gone from the lab this week presenting at the IALLT 2009 conference in Atlanta Georgia with the "DiLL dudes", as I affectionately call them. Should be a great opportunity to learn new things and meet new people. I'll try to post pictures and comments throughout the week. Charting ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/26/im-off-to-iallt/ Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave.—Muhammad http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/25/quote-of-the-week-76/ Here is the result of our Flip camera footage taken at last week's Faculty Development meeting. Thanks to all of the teachers who were able to participate and share their thoughts. And double thanks to everyone in the department for their valiant efforts to consistently innovate and renovate how they use ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/22/technology-in-the-language-classroom/ Mr. Sun and his High School Chinese 1 class made several movie posters last week. They will be up on display in the lab with English translations in the Welcome Area. View a pdf version of the posters here. http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/21/chinese-movie-posters/ A few of the senior Support Associates in IS are working with me to design a rubric-based evaluation tool during the next couple of weeks. We're pretty excited about this tool. It will allow multiple students to evaluate a single student giving a presentation and offer that student insight into ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/20/may-project-in-process/ The department has created a new blog that will serve as a centralized repository for language immersion opportunities, including those offered by the department. Check it out! http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/l2 http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/19/new-blog-for-language-immersion-opportunities/ Who are you upsetting? Who are you connecting? Who are you leading?—Seth Godin (in recent TED talk) http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/18/quote-of-the-week-75/ Frau Zemil and her 4th graders have been working on MediaBlender projects to design the layout of a room. This simple program allows students to quickly draw and link images together. The projects can also be easily published online, like we've done here: Arbeitzimmer Arbeitzimmer 2 Garten Garten 2 Keller Kueche Schlafzimmer Schlafzimmer 2 Wohnzimmer Wohnzimmer 2 http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/15/mediablender-in-4th-grade-german/ Sra. Ramos has started a new wave of interest in the department in blabberize.com as a fun and simple way for students to demonstrate proficiency in first person narrative and presentational styles of speaking. She was able to create one login and password that all of the students could use ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/14/blabberize-enjoys-second-round/ Becky López and and Katie Hundley have been accepted to present at the upcoming ACTFL conference in San Diego this November. The title of their presentation, "Talking back: popular technologies in motivating conversation in Spanish" will feature methods for using popular technologies for motivating conversation practice in young students of ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/13/sras-lopez-and-hundley-to-present-at-actfl/ Yesterday, the department met to discuss various departmental things and we decided to take video of teachers answering three questions: 1. What motivates me to learn technology? 2. How does technology motivate students to learn language? 3. What is one positive experience I've had with technology in the classroom? So now I have probably ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/12/techvideo/ Shared joy is double joy, and shared sorrow is half-sorrow.—Swedish proverb http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/11/quote-of-the-week-74/ Today, I'll be popping in and out of Second Life for the SLanguages 2009 Conference. I haven't completely given up on the idea of language learning in virtual worlds, although the students I talk to seem to think that it's a really bad* idea. I like the idea of learning ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/08/slanguages-2009/ There are a ton of sites out there where you can list your favorite books, books you'd like to read, books you are reading, books you have read, etc. etc. For now, I'm going simple with the google books option. Their search is fast and easy. Here's my online compilation ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/07/google-books/ It's my birthday today (woo hoo!) and I feel like Spring has come to celebrate. The courtyard looks lovely in green and the stage for this year's Rites of May production is coming together nicely. If you're in the area, don't miss the High School production of Alice in Wonderland, ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/06/spring-at-last/ AP Exams continue this morning. This year, we have about 14 students taking the French AP, 10 taking the Spanish AP, and 2 taking the German AP. Each exam is about 3-4 hours long, but teachers break it up with a nice snack in the middle. Students have prepared all year ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/05/ap-exams-this-week/ I pretend ivry man is honest, and I believe non iv them ar-re. In that way I keep me friends an' save me money.—Finley Peter Dunne http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/04/quote-of-the-week-73/ Please join Information Systems for Basement Bash II this TODAY (Friday, May 1), from 2:30-4:00 PM. Not only will IS kick off the Garage Sale, where we will have details, documents, and display models available of the desktop and laptop computers for sale, but you'll also have a chance to play ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/05/01/basement-bash-ii/ Personally, I go in and out of using twitter, depending on how busy I am. Other people I know thrive on it; they love to be the first to know what's up, what's hot, what's not. I usually just surf for interesting links. I am less inclined to track people's ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/30/twitter-reaches-critical-mass/ Lab owes a big thank you to Wayne Brasler and the myriad students who have helped him write and publish the Midway through the years. The maroon-bound volumes of Midways gone by, currently stored in Judd 014, are probably our single best source of Lab's history. I found a photograph ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/29/the-past-revisited/ Flicker has some great sequences that are only 5 photos long, which could be used for telling stories and generating conversation. Another site has made it easy for users to design their own sequence of five cards from creative commons photos. http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/28/flickr-stories/ I found a site that might help our language students preparing for the AP exams next week. These tips on cramming might be particularly appropriate. ;) http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/27/test-taking-tips/ Don't be too worthwhile. Always keep a few character defects handy. People love to talk about your frailties. If you must be noble, keep it to yourself.—Edward D. Stone http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/27/quote-of-the-week-72/ Today, 5th graders are celebrating the languages and cultures they study with games, song, dance, and good food! I had the pleasure of accompanying a group of about 60 5th grade students to Little Village (26th street), where we practiced reading, writing, and speaking Spanish. We read signs, bought bread, ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/24/world-language-day/ Mr. Farver is the first teacher in our department to use EtherPad in the classroom. He checked out the iCarts and had students tell stories about an alien in the imperfect and perfect paste tenses. You can see the end result here, warts 'n all: The students started out by goofing ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/23/etherpad-in-the-classroom/ This just in from the LLTI listserv. I know our teachers are always looking for rights-free images, so this site should be a big help. Another place to look is in the Creative Commons area in Flickr. CAPL (Culturally Authentic Pictorial Lexicon) is a "free, online, non-commercial visual glossary comprised of ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/22/capl/ A small team of Spanish teachers are getting together today and May 29th to take a fresh look at the language skills they want students to develop for each grade level, particularly in the Lower and Middle Schools. This is not an easy task and it's wonderful that they are ... http://blogs.ucls.uchicago.edu/wll/2009/04/21/spanish-curriculum-development/