I’m thinking about getting a small netbook for use in the cl...

Hey there Alex,

I never used a laptop/netbook (just for the reason of it having too much, and distractions are a pain). But I do bring with me a 10’ Tablet. To my classes I bring a Galaxy 10.1 for an aid. Running Android you would be surprised just how many programs are out there made for teaching English! On top of that you would be even further shocked to see almost all of them are free. Everything from flash cards to translators, animated children’s clips to youtube.

I thought I’d pass the idea of a tablet to you, just because it is so easy, light, you can pass it around, battery lasts days, ext...

Good luck mate,
Falken Norman N/S

Hello Alex,

I think it is more important to have the right hardware. Make sure you have the video out connections to connect to various projectors and TV’s. I suggest an HMDI, S-Video and VGA connector will give you flexibility to connect to any projector or TV.

Create a separate user for the students to use and limit the access they have.

i have many other ideas. email me if you want to know mroe.

Ron

I just read Falken’s response. I have a 7 inch tablet, an Acer 100A. it has an HDMI output and I can connect to a TV or projector. Also smaller and easy to carry. it runs android.
I downloaded an excellent Chinese - English dictionary which allows input of Chinese characters.

Ron

I have been teaching in China and had a colleague who was using a computer in teaching room
I found it miserable
even if you teach subject, if you have prepared your class, you have minimum time free, and if you have time free, please get introducing what has been developed in preceding classes
computer usage in class often reveals unpreparation

Good thinking towards having an expansion of resources for you and the students. I would not allow to many kids to use the computer because there is always a number of them with tendencies to break things. All you need is one kids prone to being clumsy and its no longer functioning. If you gain a few computers dedicated for the students that is fine. You may need your laptop to pull together ideas on your own behalf.

Great ideas Ron. I would give those suggestions too. My 3rd grade Niece uses Starfall.com, elementary kids in my old school district have used pbskids.com and funbrain.com

Hello Alex,
I found these sites useful for teacher-friendly power points, learning game links, and subject video clips.

All Subjects Power Points
http://www.mrdonn.org/powerpoints.html

Video clips for all subjects
http://videoclips.mrdonn.org/index.html

U.S. History Power Points
http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/powerpoints.html

Hi Alex

i have just read an article from Busyteacher website about sites that provide tools that can be utilised to provide students with speaking and listening homework, instead of the usual reading and writing conventional homework activities.

Here is the link withj information about these websites.

http://busyteacher.org/11960-english-homework-listening-speaking.html

Good luck

Two sites I’ve found helpful are the Kahn Academy and "http://www.brainpop.com/". The well known Kahn Academy lends itself to assigning video’s for the kids to see at home or at an internet cafe (covering the ’lesson’) then you can do individual worksheets or exercises in class. You can circulate & be sure they’ve "got it" or push the better students into new areas. I’ve also let the kids, in ones or twos, work on spreadsheets or word documents on their own. You could try having them listen to a brief oral presentation, record their own, and play it back to hear how they sound compared to you or the original clip. There is an advanced application for Moodle for doing computer programming allowing them to run their own programs in a "jailhouse server" so that they can’t damage anyone else’s stuff. You might expand the facilities there if your technically savvy. You can also pass out material on a circulating thumb drive or hang it off a school web site it that is available. When the kids are older there are some other things which also work well. Good luck.

Alex and everyone there is a site called TES that specifically accumulates information on this topic and other topics re teaching and common core. The beauty of it is the fact that similarly to this site the tools and strategies are all from teachers on the front lines and not from academic inclusion.
I agree with everyone’s point of view in that there is a time and place for all of these factors however we all know by now that anyone can learn any and everything on the internet and what is missing is the humanistic dialogue between teacher and student that drives real motivation in any subject

I use an iPad and it works much better than a laptop which I have also used. I can use my I phone to remotely control my iPad ant there are a huge amount of software programs available. You get a discount from Apple too.

Dr. Scott

I use an I pad, mac pro, Dell whatever works best at the time.
Thank you all for all of your efforts!
George Goetschel
8 degrees certificates and endorsments
Soon to add a doctorate

I would suggest a program called: "Zoodles" for younger students.
The program seems to be compatible with iOS, Android and Windows. The basic program is free, contains numerous activities such as: Reading, Comprehension, Art, Games & Videos.
I have used it in Kindergarten and Primary years.
The program also has great parental controls and provides a weekly report of the user’s activities.
I hope this info helps!
KC

Hi Alex,

My name is Robert.

I personally found that a classroom computer is dependent upon the age group you are teaching.

If you are teaching younger students, you can probably find simpler games (like Monopoly, Scrabble, Operation, etc) online and download them for your students’ sake.

If you are teaching older students, I would recommend looking into specifics that might help. If you have a large screen, to accompany your computer, I would suggest something akin to Jeopardy (using Powerpoint). You can also find other games that are appropriate for your students.

I’m sure you can find other games that are related to your students’ interest, what you are teaching, and other things.

Other programs that I would put on your computer also depends on your operating system of your computer. I’m sure you’ll find stuff if you look. Additionally, I would consider investing in a tracer font (I recommend Print Dashed, Google that!) and use it for your students for writing practice.

Hope that helps,

Robert

Careful my friend,,,,everything you do they will steal. 99% of all Chinese texts are made up from plagiarized lesson plans submitted by foreign teachers. Not sure how you will keep it safe but good luck.
PS
I found the old fashioned way works from "speed speeches" to constantly putting them on the spot by answer philosophy questions and having them establish a set (ten or whatever) of beliefs then teaching them the Socratic method of questioning and have them re examine their beliefs (a kind of lesson with-in a lesson) My best lesson plans were done out of the classroom with the Egg Drop lesson where they had to be in teams, design a plan to save an egg dropped 9 floors, write it up, do a presentation then prove it as we dropped their eggs (air plans and other exercise also) I also had them do what I call the Wolf (actually had them howling and feeling like a predator as they stalked their prey. then learn how to master small talk skills then at lunch go to the schools largest cafeteria and they have to get a meal, spot the best looking boy or girl that they don’t know and sit beside them, start a conversation, get specific information, fight their fear of approaching strangers and report back. I went along in case they go in trouble but stayed visible but not by them (Networking 101)

And a thousand other ways but out of the class in stress inducing situations so they learn the skills in the same context that they will actually use them.

Good luck

PPS

Had them singing a song or a poem (rap style with loud music), dancing on the tables we used to make a make shift dance floor etc. When the Dean popped his head in to tell us to be more quite I collected all 8 classes, nearly 400 students and did a version of New York New York right in front of his office. Strange he never again came near me.

Hello i been working in china 2 year now. i would say good but show video on it not work in high school there to much student in kinder to young they will think it a toy and break it but in some school you can hook up by there USB to big screen just please keep your eyes on your laptop Asian student are smarter than western student

I USE MY LAPTOP ALL THE TIME FAST WAY LOOK AT YOUR LESSON AND KEEP YOUR HAND FREE

Greetings!
I don’t know what grade level you teach, but I encourage my students to use three websites for research. The Library of Congress www.loc.gov, The National Endowment for Humanities www.neh.gov, and EDSITEment has a special student search engine and interactive resources www.edsitement.neh.gov
Hope this helps! Have a great school year!

Hi Alex, I use Mr. Nussbuam, It has all subjects and lots of hands on to keep them occupied. For younger ones, beginning English, Starfall, Dave’s ESL Cafe has alot of stuff too! Have fun enjoy the adventure.
Barbara

Alex: manythings.org is a great site. Also Azars grammar. Another site that can offer much support is "Petes powerpoint station" can be very helpful with great powerpoints to support. The powerpoint game called "Bombs away" is great speaking practice.

The school I am currently teaching at in Mianyang, Sichuan China, had LCD Projectors and drop down screens installed in the classrooms and amplified speakers.

I use a Netbook PC with VGA hook up, and plug in 3.5mm jack into earphone socket for the sound. Many of the Junior 2 (Grade 8) Students that I teach, don’t understand a lot of English. Showing pictures and videos, helps get the message across better.

I also help the with words to Songs by finding a Karoake version with on screen lyrics (some with Chinese translation also).

I bought GENKI English so my granddaughter could practice her English whilst I am away teaching in China. She will be three on 19th March and has grown up a lot in the 5+ months since I was away. No longer a ’baby’ but a little girl who you can now have a conversation with.

She was so exited and enthusiastic with that GENKI English. I bought her a cheap Chinese Android Tablet (US$50) to play the .swf Files. The kids cope very well with the touch screen interface.

It has WiFi for connecting to the internet, but if the school does not have WiFi in the classrooms, they wont/can’t go connecting to websites. You can install only what is useful and education to the Students.

Richard Grahem, who developed Genki English, offers a PC at the front of his Class, for students to play the Genki Games on. Fellow students shout advice and give encouragement. It is fun and they enjoy ot and quickly shows if they know the vocabulary for that Theme Lesson. All learning is done through Song!

I am keen to try ’Genki English’ with Primary and Kindergarten students, judging by how well my granddaughter Anzhelica too to it.

Hello, You can try these web sites. A lots of stuffs www.turtlediary.com www.starfall.com http://kizschool.com good luck and enjoy your teaching Gaetan

I've been reading through the threads regarding the use of computer and programs in the classroom. I use them all the time as part of the supplemental activities to assess my students knowledge. In addition to following the regular annual plan, I use various youtube short films to illustrate a point: for example: a short flick on Forces, Multiplication, during my humanities lessons, youtube flicks are perfect. For homework our school uses two websites to assign task: literacyplanet.com, and conquermath.com. These are both wonderful online tools for students to use at home. Technology in the classroom is popular and many schools use it. In many cases, it is the poorly prepared teacher who doesn't understand its value or how to integrated into their lessons.