You didn't see they had a whole section about me in the paper this week?!!
Now I think this websites pretty cool! Go to http://photofunia.com/ and have some fun creating!
I think this tool can be incorporated creatively into a lesson, using familiar faces of people on the school or city, famous figures etc...
You've got to know the technology you are dealing with. The Innovative Educator gives us some tips on how to properly use various free educational programs in the classroom. You cannot just bring and put the kids to work. A teacher bust be fully aware of the program's instructional design and learning objectives. How exactly will the program be incorporated? What will the teacher's involvement in the student learning look like? These are among many things that must not be overlooked when bringing computer programs into the classroom.
Thanksgiving is around the corner. Though not so commonly celebrated in Israel (though you will find some holiday turkeys here and there, in the US its a big one. Free Technology for Teachers, brings some useful websites with ideas for making the holiday part of the English lessons. I didn't take to much interest in the ideas given there, but it definitely reminded me of the obvious - current holidays are perfect topics for use in English classes!
Hey, Sara. Thank you for pointing me to PhotoFunia. I have never done anything with Photoshop, but this looks like it's got endless possibilities, and perhaps will even be easy to use! (I love the photo you include in your blog. I've got to put some in my blog to make it more interesting...) I can't wait to play around with it.
ReplyDeleteI also saw the Thanksgiving ideas on FT4T. It's probably much more relevant for schoolteachers in the US, but on the other hand, if someone has a high level EFL class and is teaching about history and holidays in the USA, it could be useful.
I loved this one too!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am also glad you pointed out the fact that a teacher should know the technology he is dealing with. He should plan every step and know exactly what he is about to do. By the way it is true for any kind of teaching and using any kind of material!
Hi, Sara.
ReplyDeleteI really loved the use of photos in this site. I think students can enter into a whole wide world of possibilities with what they can do with it. especially on mother's day.
I definitely agree that a teacher should know how to use a program before they bring it to the classroom. I think the being well versed in a program can help the lesson to go over much smoother. I also really like photofunia. I tried to use it but my computer isnt up-to-date. However I still think that it can be a lot of fun and a cool way to bring pictures into the classroom.
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ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right about the need of teacher's to master the material they are using. Technology also has a lot of advantages over old teaching methods , so knowing the tools we use can benefit us and the students during the lesson.
Hey Sara!
ReplyDeleteSince everyone already commented on how great Photofunia is, I wanted to point out how loved that you brought up talking about American holidays. I believe that part of learning a language is also learning about it's culture. I don't really think we should talk about all the English holidays, but Thanksgiving is definitely a very cultural holiday that even American Jews celebrate today. I personally know families that have made Aliyah and celebrate it here in Israel. I'm sure that it could be a very fun and interesting opportunity.
What happened with your picture? I am not able to visualize it...
ReplyDeleteIs someone else having the same problem?
I wanted to see the picture you uploaded but fro some reason it it doesn't download. It might be my computer though....
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