Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Week
Resources On The Iraq Crisis
© 2014 Gwydion M. Williams, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Here are new additions to The Best Web Resources On The Iraq War: Maps: Crisis in Iraq is from CNN. The Iraq-ISIS Conflict in Maps, Photos and Video is from The New York Times.
Important Study: “Expecting to teach enhances learning, recall”
I’m a big proponent of students teaching their classmates using presentations, “jigsaws,” creating learning objects like clozes and sequencing activities, and many online tools to create materials for authentic audiences. You can read more about these ideas at The Best Posts On Helping Students Teach Their Classmates. Now, new research finds what we teachers who have been making this kind of an a
Six Good Ed Tech Links
© 2013 DoDEA, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Here are some recent useful articles on ed tech-related issues: Why Some Schools Are Selling All Their iPads is from The Atlantic. I’m adding it to The Best Resources On “One-To-One” Laptop/Tablet Programs. Why a New Jersey school district decided giving laptops to students is a terrible idea is from The Hechinger Report. I’m adding it to the same list. How
Even More Resources On The Unaccompanied Minor Refugee Crisis
© 2008 Frederick Dennstedt, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio Here are new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About The Children Refugee Crisis At The U.S. Southern Border: Schools brace for up to 50,000 migrant kids is from USA Today. With Uncertainty, Schools Prepare for New Arrivals is from The Texas Tribune. The Wilson Quarterly has a really impressive interactive. Hope Dwindles for Hon
Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
© 2010 Sistak, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio 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: New York City Libraries Struggle to Meet Demand for English-Language Classes is from The New York Times. Humanising Language Teaching is my favorite ESL/ELT journal, and the lates
August’s (2014) Best Tweets — Part One
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 post. If you don’t use Twitter, you can
AUG 07
All My Ed Week Posts On Teaching ELLs — In One Place!
My latest Ed Week post brings together all my pieces from the past three years on teaching English Language Learners — in one place! Here’s an excerpt:
Video: Jimmy Fallon Plays Pictionary
Most people, including ESL/ELT teachers, are familiar with the game Pictionary. It’s a great language-learning activity. If you ever want to show other teachers or students a video modeling the activity, Jimmy Fallon has you covered: I’m adding this to The Best Ideas For Using Games In The ESL/EFL/ELL Classroom.
In Honor Of John Venn’s Birthday (A Little Late), Here Are Some Fun Venn Diagrams
© 2012 mararie, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio I was traveling earlier this week, and missed John Venn’s 180th birthday. He, of course, introduced the Venn Diagram to the world. Here are some fun Venn Diagrams that join other interesting ones at The Best Multimedia Resources For Introducing Students To The Advantages Of Charts, Graphs & Infographics: Google placed an interactive Venn Diagram it
Good Classroom Management Advice: “The Person Who Asks The Questions Controls The Conversation”
© 1944 National Library of Australia, Flickr | PD | via Wylio If a student an I are having a bad day — a fortunately rare coincidence, but one that nevertheless still happens — sometimes our conversation can denigrate into one that is not helpful to anyone. Marvin Marshall, who writes a lot about positive classroom management techniques, offers some good advice in that situation: The Person Who As
AUG 06
This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Useful Posts & Articles On Education Policy
© 2008 William Murphy, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio Here are some recent important posts and articles on education policy issues: Social Capital Matters As Much As Human Capital – A Message To Skeptics is from The Shanker Blog. Gary Ravani has written a great post that appeared in The Washington Post titled School reforms that actually work. StudentsFirst Vice President Eric Lerum and I Debate Ac
This Looks Like A Great Deal: The NY Times Offers Free Online Classroom Subscriptions
The New York Times is now offering free online classroom subscriptions to “The New York Times Replica Edition” which, I believe, is an online edition of the complete print edition. In other words, it won’t included the extra resources available on the Times website. It’s still a great deal and it’s open to K-12 classrooms anywhere in the United States. Students can access it from home or from sch
August’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
Fun Video For ELLs: “Sneaking Lion Cub Gives Dog Fright”
I have a fun collection of videos titled The Best Video Clips Of Sneaky Critters. They’re great to have English Language Learners watch and then describe — both verbally and in writing — what they saw. Here’s a new one I’m adding to that list:
Today Is The Anniversary Of The Atomic Bombing Of Hiroshima – Here Are Related Resources
© 2010 Jordan Emery, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Today is the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Learning About The Atomic Bombings Of Japan.
‘Digital Leadership’: An Interview With Eric Sheninger
‘Digital Leadership’: An Interview With Eric Sheninger is my latest Education Week Teacher post. For today’s author interview, Eric Sheninger offered to answer a few questions about his book, Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms For Changing Times. Here are a couple of excerpts:
Mental Imagery, Olympians, “Pickles” & Student Success
© 2009 Karola Riegler, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio I’ve written a lot about using visualization techniques with students (see My Best Posts On Helping Students “Visualize Success”) and even have a chapter about it in my book, Self-Driven Learning. Here are some resources I’m adding to that “The Best” list. I had been meaning to add the NY Times articles for awhile, but was prompted to finally do
The Best Resources For Learning About The Rosetta Mission
© 2014 DLR German Aerospace Center, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio The European Rosetta spacecraft has just arrived at its comet destination. Here are some interactive resources on the mission: European Spacecraft Pulls Alongside Comet is from The New York Times. Rosetta spacecraft closes in on comet – interactive is from The Guardian. ‘We’re in orbit!’ Rosetta becomes first spacecraft to orbit comet
Just Published! 41st ELT Blog Carnival: Teaching With Humor
Carissa Peck has just published the 41st edition of the ELT Blog Carnival (formerly known as the ESL/EFL/ELL Blog Carnival) and it’s a great one on teaching with humor. Teachers from all around the world have contributed their ideas! You can see all the previous Blog Carnivals here. And you can express your interest in hosting a future edition of one here.
Resources: Advice For New Teachers
© 2014 Ilmicrofono Oggiono, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio It’s that time of year again! Readers might be particularly interested in two “The Best” lists: The Best Advice For New Teachers The Best Resources For Planning The First Days Of School
AUG 03
“Detentions make no difference, pupils claim”
As any regular reader of this blog or my books knows, I’m not a big fan of using punishment in the classroom (you can see many of my previous posts on the topic here). I know they have their role in very serious offenses, but I’ve been fortunate enough in my teaching career to be able to “cut off at the pass” most of those serious offenses before they’ve become a reality. I’m no saint, however, a
Infographic: “Funeral Ceremonies and Cultural Diversity”
There seems to be a problem with the embedding function of the infographic. If you can’t see it all, then go to the direct link to see it. I’m adding this infographic to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures: Thanks to Cargo Collective
World War One Began On This Day One-Hundred Years Ago – Here Are Related Resources
© 2008 Nationaal Archief, Flickr | PD | via Wylio World War I began on August 4, 1914 — one hundred years ago today. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Learning About World War I.
Videos: Nice Slow-Motion Scenes From Movies Good For English Language Learners
© 2011 weegeebored, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio These two compilation videos would be great for English Language Learners — they’re entertaining and in slow motion, so neither they or the teacher has to worry about it going to fast. Students can easily describe what they are seeing. I think they’re all appropriate for classroom use though have to admit I didn’t get a chance to watch all of eithe
Great Poster: “If Great Scientists Had Logos”
RT @GlimmerGuy: RT @jeffweiner: If top scientists throughout history had their own logos pic.twitter.com/ZoQItD8XHC via @markburgess_osl — Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) August 3, 2014
Warsaw Uprising Anniversary Resources
“The Warsaw Uprising began on August 1, 1944. For the next 63 days, Poland’s army fought the Nazis, trying to liberate their capital.” You might find The Best Resources For Learning About The Warsaw Uprising useful. I’m adding this powerful video to it:
How Useful Is The LinkedIn Publishing Platform & LinkedIn Generally?
© 2011 Sheila Scarborough, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio LinkedIn has now opened up its publishing platform to 15 million people. In other words, if you’re a LinkedIn member, you can now blog with it. I have no idea how important or useful that is, and hope that readers will enlighten me. In fact, though I’m a LinkedIn member and connect back to anyone who requests one — as long as they have some rel
Image: Useful List Of Questions
© 2005 cesar bojorquez, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio I’m adding this tweet to The Best Posts & Articles About Asking Good Questions — Help Me Find More: Love it! Good questions to keep on hand. MT “@Primary_Ed: 20 Reflective Qs to Help Ss Respond pic.twitter.com/C8Q2vEsaUM”#edchat #sunchat” — Kelley Kolpitcke (@Kelley123063) August 3, 2014
“How To Build A Better Teacher” — Praise & Minor Critique
A week after an excerpt from Elizabeth Green’s new book, Building A Better Teacher, appeared in The New York Times (Why Do Americans Stink at Math?), another excerpt was the cover story of Parade Magazine — How To Build A Better Teacher. In it, she lists what she says education researchers have found to be five things “great teachers do differently.” She makes some great points, along with a coupl
More Good Resources On Race & Racism
© 2013 Daniel Lobo, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Here are new additions to A Collection Of Useful Posts, Articles & Videos On Race & Racism: 10 Quotes That Perfectly Explain Racism To People Who Claim They’re Colorblind is from The Atlanta Black Star. NEA Report: Lack of Teacher Diversity Jeopardizes Student Achievement is from NEA Today. My son has been suspended five times. He’s 3. is from
Nice Wash. Post Interactive: “100 years of change in Europe”
100 years of change in Europe is a nice Washington Post interactive tracking political changes on a…European map over the last one hundred years. It includes accessible explanations. I’m adding it to The Best Websites For Teaching & Learning About World History.
AUG 02
Tons Of New Resources On Child Refugee Crisis At The Border
© 2009 Simon Allardice, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Here are many new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About The Children Refugee Crisis At The U.S. Southern Border: Our Fear of Immigrants is from The Pacific Standard. Fastest Growing Group of Migrants Arriving at Border: Children Under 12 is from Education Week. The Immigrant Kids Have Health Issues — But Not The Ones You’d Think is fr
The Best Resources For Teaching & Learning About The “Helper’s High”
© 2011 Quinn Dombrowski, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio I recently learned about research behind the “helper’s high” — strong feelings people experience from helping others — and am considering preparing a lesson about it. I’ve gathered some resources here, and would love for people to make additional suggestions: The Science of Good Deeds: The ‘helper’s high’ could help you live a longer, healthie
Do We Really Want Our Schools To Be Like Those In South Korea?
An Assault Upon Our Children: South Korea’s Education System Hurts Students is an op-ed in today’s New York Times. Here’s an excerpt, and contrast it with the following excerpt from a speech U.S. Education Secretary Duncan gave earlier this year: I’m adding this info to The Best Sites For Getting Some Perspective On International Test Comparison Demagoguery.
All My Ed Week Posts On Starting A New School Year Well — In One Place!
Q & A Collections: Best Ways To Begin & End The School Year brings together all my Ed Week posts on how to start a new school year well. Here’s an excerpt from one of them: I’m adding the post to The Best Resources For Planning The First Days Of School.
Several More Interactives On Ebola Crisis
© 2014 European Commission DG ECHO, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio Here are some more interactives I’m adding to The Best Resources For Learning About The Ebola Virus: Deadly Ebola virus on the move in Africa is a Washington Post infographic. Infographic: Ebola By the Numbers is an infographic from TIME. What You Need to Know About the Ebola Outbreak is from The New York Times. Mapping the world’s
International Day Of The World’s Indigenous People Is Aug. 9th — Here Are Related Resources
The United Nations has declared August 9th to be The International Day Of The World’s Indigenous People. You might be interested in The Best Sites For International Day Of The World’s Indigenous People.
Rhee Becomes Chair Of Local Charter Schools — Will Have Less Time To Damage Rest Of Us
© 2013 Commonwealth Club, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Michelle Rhee has just been named board chairwoman of St. Hope Schools, the small group of Sacramento charter schools begun by Mayor Kevin Johnson, her husband. With luck, this means she’ll have less time to damage public education elsewhere. Her national organization, StudentsFirst, has also just pulled out of five states. Perhaps the headline
