Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY
From The Archives: “Cultivating a Positive Environment for Students”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m highlighting an excerpt from one of my books that appeared in Education Week Teacher over a year ago. It was titled Cultivating a Positive Environment for Students. Here’s an excerpt:
This Week’s “Links I Should Have Posted About, But Didn’t” — January (Part Two)
I have a huge backlog of resources that I’ve been planning to post about in this blog but, just because of time constraints, have not gotten around to doing. Instead of letting that backlog grow bigger, I regularly grab a few and list them here with a minimal description. It forces me to look through these older links, and help me organize them for my own use. I hope others will find them helpful
Special Edition Of Weekly “Round-Up” Of Good Posts On Education Policy Issues
Usually, I just do one round-up each week of useful education policy posts, but I’m even more behind than usual. So here’s a special edition: When, How and With Whom to Battle the Common Core? is by Nancy Flanagan. I’m adding it to The Best Articles Sharing Concerns About Common Core Standards. Teachers in Lee, MA, Return Merit Pay is from Diane Ravitch’s blog. I’m adding it to The Best Resources
Two Good Resources On “Grit”
Here are two new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About The Importance Of “Grit”: True Grit: The Best Measure of Success and How to Teach It is by Vicki Davis. Grit – motivating students is from teflreflections.
Excellent History Question For Students: “What Are History’s Biggest Turning-Point Years?”
What Are History’s Biggest Turning-Point Years? is a very interesting headline in a Slate article which, in turn, is based on this research based on a review of 120 years worth of dissertation titles. Here’s what they concluded: Unexpectedly for me, 1763, the year the Seven Years’ War ended and also a key date in the run-up to the American Revolution, turns out to be the year that most exceeds ex
Useful Resources On Grading Practices
Here are some new additions to The Best Resources On Grading Practices (you might also be interested in A Collection Of “The Best” Lists On Assessment). They are all from Frank Noschese: The Spirit of SBG is by Frank Noschese. RT @nancyflanagan: Frm @fnoschese. The problem with traditional grading: : pic.twitter.com/9BYAldD27U — Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) December 31, 2013 RT @fnoschese: @Ri
From The Archives: “Cultivating Student Leadership”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m featuring an article I wrote for Education Week Teacher two years ago titled Cultivating Student Leadership. Here’s an excerpt:
Groundhog Day Resources
Groundhog Day is every February 2nd. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Groundhog Day.
Research Studies Of The Week
I often write about research studies from various fields and how they can be applied to the classroom. I write individual posts about ones that I think are especially significant, and will continue to do so. However, so many studies are published that it’s hard to keep up. So I’ve started writing a “round-up” of some of them each week or every other week as a regular feature. By the way, you mi
African-American History Resources
February is Black History Month in the United States. You might be interested in The Best Websites To Teach & Learn About African-American History.
This Week In Web 2.0
In yet another attempt to get at the enormous backlog I have of sites worth , I’ve recently begin a regular feature called “The Week In Web 2.0.” (you might also be interested in The Best Web 2.0 Applications For Education In 2013): Biteslide looks like a fairly easy tool to create slideshow-like presentations. It’s worth a look. I’m adding it to The Best Ways To Create Online Slideshows.’ School
“Parent Engagement Requires ‘Trust, Not Blame’”
Parent Engagement Requires ‘Trust, Not Blame’ is Part Two in my Education Week Teacher series on…parent engagement. Jane Baskwill, Julia Thompson and Bryon V. Garrett share their thoughts. Here are some excerpts:
My Best Posts On The Harlem Children’s Zone & Other “Promise Zones”
, President Obama announced grants to five communities designated at “Promise Zones” that are planned to replicate — more or less — the Harlem Children’s Zone. I’ve published many posts about the Harlem Children’s Zone — both positive and less than positive — including concerns about parent engagement and how they relate to local institutions. Though I don’t know all the specifics of these five ne
JAN 08
“Universal preschool may help parents more than children — and that’s okay”
I think the evidence is more clearly positive in favor of the advantages of pre-school education for children than the author of the Reuters piece, Universal preschool may help parents more than children — and that’s okay, suggests. And, I’m not entirely comfortable with his somewhat condescending attitude towards poor parents. Nevertheless, I think he does make a good point that we proponents of
JAN 07
“Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts”
Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts is my latest Education Week Teacher post. This is the first post in a three-part series on parent engagement. Today, Katy Ridnouer, Janice Fialka, and Joe Mazza provide their guest responses
The Best Articles Questioning The View That Single Parents Are A Problem
As most people know, there is a common narrative suggesting that single-parent households can be a cause of many problems affecting children — in and out of school. I’ve previously posted some articles questioning that view, and a new study has just been published. I thought it would be worthwhile to put them all in one post: Marriage Promotion Has Failed to Stem Poverty Among Single Moms has just
Under Political Pressure, D.C. Schools Chancellor Invites Parent Input — Sorta’
Before creating plan to improve D.C. middle schools, chancellor wants community input is a Washington Post article discussing the D.C. Chancellors efforts at parent involvement — only after receiving substantial political heat to do so. But it doesn’t sound like her heart is really in it: Maury Elementary parent Joe Weedon, who has been active in efforts to improve Eliot-Hine Middle School, said i
Interesting: “Calif. Charter Caters to Home-Schooled Students”
Calif. Charter Caters to Home-Schooled Students is an article in Education Week that offers a “take” on family involvement with schools that you don’t often hear about: It’s a truism that a child’s most important teacher is his or her parent, but one charter school here uses that mantra literally, as a blueprint to reconnect one group of families that have become disengaged from public schools: ho
“Special Education Toolkit: Resources”
Special Education Toolkit: Resources is from the National PTA and it has a lot of…resources related to special education. I’m adding it to The Best Resources To Help Engage Parents Of Children With Special Needs – Help Me Find More.
JAN 03
“How Teachers and Parents Work Together for Student Success”
How Teachers and Parents Work Together for Student Success is a useful article from NEA Today. Here’s an excerpt: If you show a willingness to learn more about your students from their parents, then they’ll be more willing to work with you throughout the school year. Show an interest in them, and they’ll return the favor. Mellanay Auman, a middle school language arts teacher, uses the beginning of
“Avoiding the Midwinter ‘Back to School’ Slump”
Avoiding the Midwinter ‘Back to School’ Slump offers good advice to both parents and teachers, and couldn’t be more timely! It’s by Jessica Lahey, and appears in The Mother Lode blog at The New York Times.
“Parents and Relationships “
Parents and Relationships is the title of a very good post by Steve Vessey, Superintendent of the Beaver Dam Unified School District. I’m adding it to The Best Sources Of Parent Engagement Advice For Teachers.
JAN 01
“Is Parental Input the Key to Healthy Student Eating Habits?”
Is Parental Input the Key to Healthy Student Eating Habits? is a good explanation and analysis of a recent study that showed sending home “report cards” on student lunch eating habits caused them to eat healthier. I just wonder, though, if instead of that, or “twinned” with such a report, some non-preachy lessons on the impact of good nutrition might be a less “behaviorist” way of improving studen
“New Schools Chancellor Stresses ‘Fun’ and Parent Communication”
The New York City public schools have had a long history of problems engaging parents. The new Chancellor, however, promises to change that. Here’s an excerpt from The New York Post’s article, New Schools Chancellor Stresses ‘Fun’ and Parent Communication: Ms. Fariña emphasized the need to treat parents as partners, not adversaries–a frequent critique of the outgoing Bloomberg administration. She
January’s Infographics & Interactives Galore – Part Two
There are just so many good infographics and interactives out there that I’ve begun a new semi-regular feature called “Infographics & Interactives Galore.” You can see others at A Collection Of “The Best…” Lists On Infographics and by searching “infographics” on this blog. I’ll still be publishing separate posts to individually highlight especially useful infographics and interactives, but you
YESTERDAY
The Best Sites For Learning About The International Space Station
With this week’s decision by the Obama Administration to extend the life of the International Space Station until 2024, I figured it was time for me to create a “Best” list on the facility. It’s a quick one for now, and I’ll be adding more over the coming weeks. Of course, I invite readers suggestions, too! Here they are: Deconstructing The ISS is a neat interactive about the International Space
From The Archives: “Shortcuts, School Reform and Private Foundations”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m featuring a piece I wrote for The Huffington Post three years ago titled Shortcuts, School Reform and Private Foundations. Here’s an excerpt:
Here’s What I’m Having My ELL U.S. History Students Do As Their Semester “Final”
I’ve previously posted Here’s What I’m Having My ELL Geography Students Do As Their Semester “Final” and thought readers might find it useful to see what I’m having my ELL U.S. History student do for theirs next week. The final will be a simple reading followed by a prompt. They’ll be reading Why is studying history important?, followed by this prompt: According to the author, why is important to
Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
I’ve started a somewhat regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention: Homework is from the British Council, and offers some very good ideas for ELL teachers. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About Homework Issues. Motivation Revisited is by David Deubelbeiss. I’m adding it to
JAN 09
“My Best Posts On The Harlem Children’s Zone & Other ‘Promise Zones’”
My Best Posts On The Harlem Children’s Zone & Other “Promise Zones” is a new post over at my other blog, Engaging Parents In School. Today, President Obama announced grants to five communities designated at “Promise Zones” that are planned to replicate — more or less — the Harlem Children’s Zone, so I thought this “The Best…” list would be timely.
Video You’ve Probably Seen Already: “Thank You, Mom — Pick Them Back Up”
You’ve probably already seem this commercial that I’m adding to The Best Sites For Learning About The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games:
This Is Not Good: After Basically Forcing People To Join Google+, Now Everyone Else On It Can Send You An Email
Over the next few days: Google will soon allow people to send anyone an email, even if they do not have the person’s email address, as long as both people have a Gmail and Google Plus account. You can read more about it at the previous link (a NY Times article) and at this piece in Slate, Google Is About to Let Total Strangers Email You. Here’s How to Opt Out. Google says they’ll be sending an em
From The Archives: “Get Organized Around Assets”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m highlighting an article I wrote for ASCD Educational Leadership a couple of years ago about teaching English Language Learners. It’s called Get Organized Around Assets. Here’s an excerpt:
Gates Foundation Makes Its Move In California — And It Looks Like Somebody Is Giving Them Good Advice
The Gates Foundation, for the first time in many years, is making a major move in California by funding substantial professional development efforts in two school districts and suggesting that they’ll making similar grants in the coming months. According to the post in Ed Source by John Fensterwald, Gates is giving several million to the Fresno and Long Beach districts to develop this professiona
This Week’s Round-Up Of Good Posts & Articles On Education Policy
Here are some recent useful posts on educational policy issues: A Bold New World: A Guide to the Local Control Funding Formula is from Ed Source, and is a “everything you want to know” guide to California’s new and, I hope, trendsetting law on school funding. LA Unified staff received free iPad before contract is from Southern California Public Radio. I’m adding it to A Very Beginning List Of The
January’s Best Tweets – Part Two
Every month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. I’ve already shared in earlier posts several new resources I found on Twitter — and where I gave credit to those from whom I learned about them. Those are not included again in this post. If you don’t use Twitter, yo
JAN 08
From The Archives: “Why schools should not grade character traits”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. I wrote Why schools should not grade character traits for The Washington Post nearly three years ago. Here’s an excerpt:
JAN 07
Starting Off The New Year With Even More Excellent Classroom Advice
A few days ago, I some excellent classroom advice from Marvin Marshall for the New Year. Here are a couple of more posts from him that are definitely worth reading: 3 Ways to Promote Responsibility 3 Practices that Enhance Learning
Pandas, Pandas, Pandas!
Here are some new additions to The Best Sites To Learn About Pandas: National Zoo Panda Cub Makes Her Adorable Media Debut is a TIME slideshow. I don’t think this next short video of the panda at the Toronto Zoo can be seen in an RSS Reader but, believe me, it’s worth clicking through to watch: Post by The Toronto Zoo.
Anyone Teaching A Class In Africa Where Students Would Like To Answer Our Questions?
I’ve previously posted about the series of videos my English Language Learner Geography class has been creating with questions for English classes in countries we’ve been studying. So far, we’ve done this short-and-simple process (we create a video, post them on our class blog, and then the other class creates videos responding to them — of course, we’re also open to answering questions ourselves
From The Archives: “Five Questions That Will Improve Your Teaching”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. I wrote Five Questions That Will Improve Your Teaching for Education Week Teacher nearly three years ago. Here’s an excerpt:
Infographics About The World’s Different Cultures
Here are new additions to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures: Are you middle class? Defining the middle class around the world is from The Christian Science Monitor. by Lemon.ly. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.
“Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts”
Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts is my latest Education Week Teacher post. This is the first post in a three-part series on parent engagement. Today, Katy Ridnouer, Janice Fialka, and Joe Mazza provide their guest responses
JAN 06
“The Best Articles Questioning The View That Single Parents Are A Problem”
The Best Articles Questioning The View That Single Parents Are A Problem is my latest “The Best…” list over at my other blog, Engaging Parents in School. You can see all my parent engagement “Best” lists here.
Must-Read Article About A Must-Read Study: “Can Upward Mobility Cost You Your Health?”
As regular readers of this blog, and as readers of my books, know, I’m a big believer in helping my students develop Social Emotional Learning skills like self-control and perseverance. For many reasons, though, I’m concerned about it being over-sold as a panacea for many of the challenges we face in schools, and have written about it fairly extensively in The Best Articles About The Study Showin
Pretty Amazing Video: “World War II in Europe: Every Day”
I’m adding this video to The Best Online Resources For Teaching & Learning About World War II (Part Two):
Video: How Bullies Are Made….
I don’t think I’d use this with students, but, as Greg Toppo said when he shared this on Twitter, it seems like a “spot-on take on bullying.” Because of that, I’m adding it to A Very, Very Beginning List Of The Best Resources On Bullying.
From The Archives: “Involvement Or Engagement?”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m highlighting an article I wrote for ASCD Educational Leadership on parent engagement that built on work I wrote about in one of my books. It was published in 2009, and was titled Involvement Or Engag
The Best Posts & Videos On “Hope” — Help Me Find More
Recently, there been some public attention paid to the idea of helping students develop “hope” and also being able to measure it. I don’t know if I’m entirely convinced that it makes sense to treat this idea as a separate and distinct part of Social Emotional Learning (obviously, it’s part of so many other SEL elements), but I’ve got an open mind and am just beginning to look into it. I thought I
Excellent “60 Minutes” Video: “Volcanoes: Nature’s ticking time bombs”
60 Minutes did an excellent segment last night titled Volcanoes: Nature’s ticking time bombs. I’ve embedded the video below, and it has additional resources at its website, including a transcript. I’m adding it to The Best Sites For Learning About Volcanoes.
Learning About Tamales, Holiday Food Traditions & Three Kings Day
ELLs learn about tamales, holiday food traditions and Three Kings Day at my latest New York Times Learning Network post. It includes a student interactive and teaching ideas. I’m adding it to The Best Places To Learn About Christmas, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa, which also includes more info on Three Kings Day (which is today). You can see all my New York Times posts here.
JAN 05
Interesting Infographic: “The Most Important Developments In Human History”
Have students create their own list, along with their justifications, might be a useful project…. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.
Chinese New Year Resources
Chinese New Year will begin on January 31st, 2014 and marks the start of the Year of the Horse. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Chinese New Year.
From The Archives: “The Michigan Fish Test and school reform”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Today, I’m highlighting a piece I wrote for The Washington Post about three years ago titled The Michigan Fish Test and school reform. Here’s an excerpt:
Special Edition: This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Good Posts & Articles On Education Policy
Here are some recent useful posts and articles on education policy issues (usually, I just post one of these collections each week, but several good ones have appeared since I published a “round-up” a few days ago): Arguing Vergara on Twitter is a summary of a Twitter discussion on a pending court case that could end teacher seniority protections here in California. John Thompson has written a pi
This Week’s “Links I Should Have Posted About, But Didn’t” — January (Part One)
I have a huge backlog of resources that I’ve been planning to post about in this blog but, just because of time constraints, have not gotten around to doing. Instead of letting that backlog grow bigger, I regularly grab a few and list them here with a minimal description. It forces me to look through these older links, and help me organize them for my own use. I hope others will find them helpful
37th ELT Blog Carnival Just Published!
Andrea Wade has just published the 36th ELT Blog Carnival (formerly known as the ESL/EFL/ELL Blog Carnival) and it’s a great one on “Resolutions.” Teachers from around the world have contributed posts. The next edition will be hosted by Anita Jankovic and its about “Blogging With Your ClassSubmit your entries by Jan. 30th. You can see all the previous Blog Carnivals here. And you can express you
“‘Failure Is A Critical Part Of Learning’: An Interview With Art Markman”
‘Failure Is A Critical Part Of Learning’: An Interview With Art Markman is my latest post at Education Week Teacher. Art Markman, PhD is a professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of Smart Thinking (Perigee Books), which he discussed at a post at my Ed Wk blog last year. His latest book is titled Smart Change: Five Tools To Create New and Sustainable Habits I
JAN 04
From The Archives: “Eight Things Skilled Teachers Think, Say, and Do”
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Eight Things Skilled Teachers Think, Say, and Do is an article I wrote for ASCD Educational Leadership in October, 2012. ASCD stopped listing their most popular articles in September of last year, but for the e
January’s Infographics & Interactives Galore – Part One
There are just so many good infographics and interactives out there that I’ve begun a new semi-regular feature called “Infographics & Interactives Galore.” You can see others at A Collection Of “The Best…” Lists On Infographics and by searching “infographics” on this blog. I’ll still be publishing separate posts to individually highlight especially useful infographics and interactives, but you
Here’s What I’m Having My ELL Geography Students Do As Their Semester “Final”
Our Winter Break ends on Monday, and our first semester comes to an end in two weeks. As regular readers know, one of my classes is a Geography class for Intermediate English Language Learners, and I thought I’d share with readers what I plan on having them do as a “final.” This final obviously builds on what we’ve studied in class, including all the work we’ve done with “sister classes” around t
From The Archives: The Best Post I’ve Ever Written…
I’ve recently re-started an effort I’ve tried to do previously by regularly highlighting previous posts and articles I’ve shared in previous years that I think might be worth a second look. Videotaping teachers the right way (not the Gates way) is a piece I wrote for The Washington Post, and I continue to believe it’s the best thing I’ve ever written. Let me know what you think… Here’s an excerpt:
Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
I’ve started a somewhat regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention: The Common Core Is Tough on Kids Who Are Still Learning English is from The Atlantic. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About Common Core Standards & English Language Learners. Common Core Standards for E
Study: “How Stories Get Into Your Brain”
A new study reinforces previous ones that have found the cognitive and emotional impacts reading can have on us — besides just the literacy and content knowledge we gain. You can read about those previous studies at The Best Resources On “Becoming What We Read.” This new study showed — through brain scans — how reading makes our brain feel like we are part of the story: ‘The neural changes that w
More On New Year’s Resolutions
Here are even more additions to The Best Ways To Help Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Succeed: How To Keep Your Resolutions is from The New York Times. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.