Paddy on Podcast

Have a look - have a listen!

http://paddy.podomatic.com

Paddy

PS: There are more here: http://www.podOmatic.com/search/top

What is podOmatic?
podOmatic is a site that makes it easy to create, promote, and track your podcast. All you need to bring to the table is a topic and some motivation-- we take care of the technical stuff. Have a look around! You'll see what people are doing on podOmatic!

IH Portugal Training Day - Questions for Reflection

You may not be able to answer all these questions to your satisfaction today, but you can start now and always come back to them later! They'll be here!!

1. What are the advantages or disadvantages of doing activities on a blog (most you could do in class, traditionally)?
2. Would this appeal to your sts? Who? Why? Ages? Levels?
3. Any immediate ideas on how you could do activities differently?
4. What questions is blogging throwing up in your mind?
5. What other uses can you see for blogs as we go along?
6. How do you feel about making what you write on a blog public?
7. What format of blog do you see working best with which group of students or for which type of activity:

• Teacher-student blog - Teacher posts for students to follow instructions or 'comment'
• Class blog - where sts all post to the same group blog
• Individual blogs - where each students has their very own blog
• WIKI - webpage where anybody can access & edit the original post - not just 'comment' on it - eg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

IH Portugal Training Day - Blog Links

Here are some links we'll be looking at during the session today - you might like to keep this window open at all times:

1. The Session: http://paddygreenleaf.blogspot.com/2006/01/ih-training-day-coimbra-jan-28-2006_19.html
2. Questions for reflecting on blogs in EFL: http://paddygreenleaf.blogspot.com/2006/01/ih-portugal-training-day-questions-for.html
   
3. Other blogs and class examples:
   Grade Xb (nearly FCE) - Gil on his home town: http://comciencia.blogspot.com/2005/03/having-trouble-finding-home-upgrade.html and Joana on Viseu: http://blackcat12.blogspot.com/2005/03/if-youve-got-any-doubts-you-must-come.html
   Grade V (Pre-Int 11-12 yr olds) - Guess who my partner is? (& present simple pratice!) http://mitzsubitz.blogspot.com or http://lobowoman.blogspot.com/ or http://franciscoalmeida.blogspot.com/
   Grade IV - Vocab records: http://crazithing.blogspot.com/2005/03/all-sports_10.html or http://dj7.blogspot.com/2005/06/computers-internet.html or Xb vocab: http://comciencia.blogspot.com/2005/03/friend-ish-adjectives.html
   Grade V - see problem letters - http://gradev.blogspot.com/
   Grade 3 grammar: comparatives - http://c3viseu.blogspot.com/2005/03/comparatively-grade-3.html and superlatives - http://c3viseu.blogspot.com/2005/04/superlatively-us.html
   Grade 2 writing: http://paddygreenleaf.blogspot.com/2005/01/grade-23-elementary-kids-jan-2005.html#comments & http://c3viseu.blogspot.com/2006/01/end-of-grade-2-writing-task-3.html
   and II poems http://c3viseu.blogspot.com/2006/01/our-family-poems.html
   
4. What Viseu teachers said:
   http://paddygreenleaf.blogspot.com/2005/04/brainstorming-on-blogs-experiment.html
   and http://paddygreenleaf.blogspot.com/2005/04/first-time-on-blog-ih-viseu-teachers.html
   and http://paddygreenleaf.blogspot.com/2005/04/blogging-session-viseu-friday-april.html

IH Portugal Training Day - Blog Brainstorm

Brainstorming on a Blog?! Can it be done? Let's do an experiment to find out then...

1. Hit 'comments' and write down any ideas you have on activities you could do on a blog for EFL... - don't waste time thinking too much and don't worry about doubling up on other people's ideas, this is a generating ideas stage...
2. Publish after every couple of ideas
3. Read what the others are saying...
4. Add more of your own ideas however similar they are to the others.
5. Get going...! Hit that comments button and type, type, type away like there's no tomorrow!
   Next stop the bar! (but not yet...)
   
6. Read the final product by clicking on the title and skimming down all the comments which should now be on one page.
   
7. What did you think of Brainstroming on blogs? I also like to brainstrom in chat programmes - but that's for another day...

IH Portugal Training Day - Coimbra, Jan 28, 2006 - BLOGS, The Session!

GOOD EVENING BLOGGERS!

Hi! and welcome to an introduction to blogging in the EFL classroom...

This may well be your first time on a blog... so, er.... well...

this IS a blog...

Before I say any more about blogging, I'd like to give you the chance to experience a blog first hand. So, could you please:

1. Read the following text:
   From the moment you read this you can consider yourself a Blogger - but don't go too bloggers about it - you have been blogged, covered in thick blog and are now all bloggy! But don't worry, blog cleans off nice and easy... with the right soap!
   BTW: How many parts of speech can you form from the word 'blog' - don't forget: if it's at all bloggable, 'blog it'!
   
   Honestly though, I give you my solemn promise Blogging will not make you seriously ill...
   
   
2. Write down your first impressions about blogging. These could be based on your initial reaction to what you've heard this morning already, a question you'd like to ask, your ideas on blogging before today, what you expect from the rest of the session - have a quick look up and down this page if you like - and react to this.... anything just to get you going.
   Click on 'comments' below and get writing...
   No more than 50 words. You've got 2 minutes - GO!
   
   
3. And just to keep you on the ball throughout the session...
   
   As we blog along together, I'd like you to think of your answers to these questions - I'll give you time at several intervals to comment on any of the following questions:
   
   During the session use these questions to help you write about your ideas on using blogs - hit 'comments' at the bottom of this message to write your thoughts or maybe you'd prefer to open a Word document in another window to write on during the session and copy and paste to the blog at the end.
   
   Here are the questions:
   1. What are the advantages or disadvantages of doing activities on a blog (most you
   could do in class, traditionally)?
   2. Would this appeal to your sts? Who? Why? Ages? Levels?
   3. Any immediate ideas on how you could do activities differently?
   4. What questions is blogging throwing up in your mind?
   5. What other uses can you see for blogs as we go along?
   6. How do you feel about making what you write on a blog public?
   
   

Blogs on the Guardian...

How blogs can make the link

Interesting article in The Guardian about how blogs are affecting students and communication outside and between schools.


and see this one (click there!)