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Dear teachers,
Welcome to a new issue of The Great Teacher. In the blink of an eye, April is nearly coming to an end and by the end of the month; the first school term will be over. Make sure your students stay engaged in your lessons, just as the first day. Do you want to know how? Use a "wow" activity in every class. Read The Tip, for some ideas.
Summer is also coming to an end, but as it is still warm, you can take advantage of this and use it as a topic for your lessons, so do not miss our Ideas that Inspire for some summer time activities.
Assessment is a topic teachers always show an interest in. This month we bring you some theoretical background as to how and why assessment is an essential part of teaching. Read this in the Academic Corner. And if you would like to know about the latest news about the ELT world, do not miss the What's Happening?section.
Technology and Education; something teachers are always asking us about. This month we bring you information on an easy way to solve this issue with very little effort. Read the Hot off the Press section and find out and if you would like to know how technology can really change the way we teach and learn, do not miss the Techno Teachersection.
Happy reading!
Cecilia Rodríguez Jadrosich
Learning Solutions Coordinator
Pearson
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ACADEMIC CORNER
Is there a "magic wand" to assess our students' performance in the classroom?
When I was a student of English "some" time ago, I usually wondered the way my performance was assessed in class, and used to see my teachers taking notes and giving me "their opinions" over my performance although it was easier for me to grasp the way they used to assess my exams/tests. Today as a teacher, I know that what was behind those "note-takings" and "opinions" is called assessment which contains "Rubrics".
In this article I would like to share with you some of the theories which support assessment and the way rubrics are thought carefully to give our students fair grades to accomplish our teaching goals, and their learning expectations.
Assessment, rubric, the criteria behind, indicators and the reasons for standardizing leads us to achieve goals. As teachers we can analyze and interpret this feedback and know how well students' learning processes match our expectations. We can improve both our teaching and our students' learning processes.
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IDEAS THAT INSPIRE
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Summer is the favorite season of the year for most children, not only because it brings heat and extended daylight but also because they can wear loose clothing and go to the beach or the pool. Keep your students from losing all the knowledge and skills you taught during the 2012 by integrating the study of summer into your summer school curriculum. Use these activities to combat "summer slide" and prevent summer brain drain!
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WHAT'S HAPPENING?
PAST EVENTS
February 7th to 9th INSPIRING TEACHERS FOR PROFESSIONAL NEW YEAR´S RESOLUTIONS
PeruTec organized its Second Binational ELT Conference in Piura. With participants coming from different parts of Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, and with the participation of international speakers, it gathered around 300 teachers who were inspired by the different plenaries, round tables and workshops that took place at Universidad de Piura campus with the Regional English Language Office, U.S Embassy and Pearson as gold sponsors.
February 13th to 20th Pearson Back to School Workshops
Over 300 teachers in Lima participated in our 2013 edition of the Pearson Back to School Training Program. Speakers Katia Adrianzen from Universidad de Piura and Ralph Grayson from Idiomas Catolica shared really interesting tips and tricks on "Motivating your Students from the first Day", "Cute Projects for the Language Classroom" and "Ready, steady, go! Lead the Cross-curricular Teaching Race!" We would like to thank Colegio Rita Castro Ramos and Universidad Ricardo Palma for hosting these seminars and of course, our special gratitude to all of you who attended and had the chance to take useful techniques with you to use in your classes this year.
February 26th Technology and Education around the Globe
Jorge Sette, international campaign manager for Pearson had the change to meet coordinators from different institutions in Peru to share experiences in the use of technology and education around the world. Here with some teachers from Idiomas Católica.
Jorge also visited Britanico for internal training. He had the chance to meet around 300 enthusiastic teachers.
March 7th Online Tools in Education by Christopher Morris, Pearson International Consultant
The demand for using technology in the classroom is increasing by the day, but it is not an issue that all teachers like to do, as it implies continuous training and hours and hours spent becoming familiar with complex tools. Chris Morris, Pearson International consultant brought fantastic news to all of us. Technology as a tool, needs to save teachers time, not complicate their lives. He shared interesting information on the latest educational tools you could use in order to engage your students and, what is best, everything is already done for you. If you would like to have more information about this, please visit
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 31st and June 1st: ELT Horizons
This year´s ICPNA's ELT Horizons International Conference will take place at Centro de Convenciones Daniel Alcides Carrion in Miraflores. Andy Curtis, Christine Coombe, Mary Lou McCloskey, Jim Scrivener, Joan Shin, Susan Hillyard, among other professionals will be sharing their knowledge and experience with you, as well as other speakers from different countries. For more information, you can visit:
Keep posted!
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| TECHNO TEACHER |
How can technology change the way we teach?
There is no doubt technology is here to stay and so far it has changed the way (s) in which we live, communicate, learn and relax. Educators use technology in different ways, but which are the tools that can really change the way we teach (and learn)? And which are at the same time, easy to use? Here is a list of 5 tools which can help you get started with technology.
Interactive Books: Today's books do not only come in paper. Many have web-related sites which offer animations, assessment, additional activities, videos and other material to make learning fun or provide a more meaningful context. Many others offer cd roms with the whole content of the book in interactive format so that students can click on an activity and listen to the corresponding audio or access the relate video. At last teachers can assign listening homework or video-based projects which are entirely correlated to the knowledge or skills learn in class.
Sharing files: Doing group projects no longer involves being physically on the same place. Check Google Drive for documents which you can upload, edit and change in real time with classmates or colleagues. You can send a group of students the beginning of a story and tell them to write one sentence each to complete it. All members of the group can see changes being made "like magic" when someone else is working with the document.
Mobile technology: Many students now have access to a smartphone. Did you know they can use free online dictionaries? Yes! This is a tool that could be exploited in the classroom and contribute to autonomous learning.
Going for a "virtual" walk in London: Taking a walk down Picadilly Circus in 3D is now easy with Google maps. Just select a place, type it, drag the little man on the left of the map to the desired location and enjoy this free trip. Love it!
Interactive whiteboard software: Are you tired of scanning all the pages in your book, and inserting them in a Power Point presentation? This is the answer. Many books nowadays include a digital version of all the pages, plus audio, plus videos and resources for teachers. Great tool!
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NEED ANYTHING?
Pearson
3. Sales Cordinator Lima - ELT: Hugo Céspedes
4. Lima Centro: Jorge Revilla 98900-2840/ jorge.revilla@pearson.com 5. Lima Norte: Luis Aguero Aguero
Angelica Arriola
8. Lima Oeste: Jorge Revilla
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CONTRIBUTIONS
To be considered for publication, contributions may be sent by the 15th of every month. If you'd like to include photographs you should send them in separate files and in jpg format. Send your contributions to cecilia.rodriguez@pearson.com
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A WOW activity in every lesson!
When working with children, it is very important to keep them motivated and engrossed in the classes. One interesting way to do this is by having a WOW activity in every lesson. Make this activity as regular as possible so it becomes like a ritual. You can begin this activity every time by saying "And now, young ladies and gentlemen, the moment you have been waiting for". Make sure you plan this activity carefully and in advance. However, these activities do not have to be complicated or brand new. They can be activities that your students have enjoyed in the past; and that you consider successful. Just make sure to adapt these wow activities to the topic that you are currently teaching.
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Jose Luis Morales, English Adventure Teacher's Edition 5
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The Quote:
I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework. ~Lily Tomlin as "Edith Ann"
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