Education World's Best Idea Ever feature highlights a favorite teacher-tested idea designed to help you teach a lesson, manage a classroom, communicate with parents, impress colleagues and administrators—and amaze them all with your energy and creativity!
I teach ESL and one thing I like to do with students who need to learn computer skills as well as improve their language proficiency is to help them develop e-mail journals. I've done this project with college kids, as well as with high school, middle-school, and upper-elementary students.
I start them off with an initial question: "Tell me about your home country. What do you miss most? What has been the biggest surprise in coming here?" (You'll want to choose a topic you think students will be interested in.) Then I simply respond to their initial e-mails in a way that encourages continuing communication. You can do it too. Just keep the following tips in mind:
What happens is that you create a conversation stream with each student. That's extremely important, because it means you're connecting regularly with each student -- something that can be difficult to do in a classroom. You get to make each student feel special -- not a small return on your investment of a few moments of time.
You also have provided yourself with the opportunity to use the computer not just as a tool you teach with, but also as a tool through which you teach. For example,
Finally, you can use the computer to improve your own skills and resources. Check out Amazon.com for books that give teachers ideas for using the Internet. And, if you're not already a member, consider joining TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), the largest organization of ESL/ESOL teachers in the United States. They have many linksand links to links to links.. Also, check out Lessonplanet.com.
Submitted by: Michael Peter Alemn, kindergarten teacher, International School of Kuala Lumpur
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