Thursday, 27 February 2020

apps to learn english

This blog has looked at lots of learning apps over the years - for example:
Jay Doubleyou: voice tube: videos to help language learning
Jay Doubleyou: free pronunciation app from adrian underhill

Here are some more lists:
Download free English pronunciation software
15 Best Free Language Learning Websites and Apps
94 English Grammar Resources for Effective Learning and Fun | grammar apps

Here are some other sites to try:
English Irregular Verbs - Android Apps on Google Play
Color Verbs- English Irregular Verbs App - Download for Free on Mobango.com

And:

Sounds: The Pronunciation App
Sounds: Pronunciation App FREE - Apps on Google Play
‎Sounds: The Pronunciation App FREE on the App Store
And:
VoiceTube: Learn English through videos!
VoiceTube | AngelList

Plus of course:
Google Translate - A Personal Interpreter on Your Phone or Computer
Google Translate - Apps on Google Play
‎Google Translate on the App Store

And then we have Duolingo which makes learning languages like a game on your mobile: Duolingo: Learn Spanish, French and other languages for free with some reviews here DUOLINGO Review - What is Duolingo and what do I think about it? - YouTube and here: Learning the Duolingo - how an app is speaking volumes | Business | The Guardian

If you want to spend some money:
Learn Spanish, French or Other Languages Online - Babbel.com

Finally, here are some not-so-fine apps:
Jay Doubleyou: high-tech surveillance in the classroom: 'to capture every word, action, and interaction, for potential analysis'
Jay Doubleyou: teaching machines: behaviour management apps in the classroom
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Saturday, 22 February 2020

differentiation in the classroom

We can teach different levels at the same time:

Differentiating Instruction: It’s Not as Hard as You Think

With more here:
Differentiated instruction | en.wikipedia.org

However:

Differentiation is out. Mastery is the new classroom buzzword

A dose of eastern-inspired mastery has entered schools. Roy Blatchford discusses the new approach and how could it affect learning

...

But recently a dose of an eastern-inspired “mastery” has entered our schools, with the impact in maths being measured by an Education Endowment Foundation report. It’s caught the attention of policymakers, and earlier this year the Department for Education flew in teachers from Shanghai to raise standards with their “mastery” style. The Oxford University Press has also produced a paper exploring mastery in maths and how it can raise achievement. The national curriculum frameworks for English and maths are now rooted in it.

At the heart of the Chinese classroom is the teacher’s unshakeable belief that all children are capable of learning anything if that learning is presented in the right way. The idea works on the basis that understanding is the result of high intention, sincere effort and intelligent execution, and that difficulty is pleasurable.

In lessons where mastery is practised, teachers ensure that at least once or twice in a session the students are in awe of the teacher’s own scholarship. Pupils are encouraged to wonder how the teacher worked out a conundrum. The idea is that their interest will be piqued and they will want to be able to do it too.

The teacher – like a seasoned stand-up comic judging how long to keep his audience on hold – will then share an inventive clue, comment or question to enable the pupils to reveal their own knowledge and skills.The penny drops. The pleasure on their faces is clear.

One benefit of this approach is that it avoids the negative potential of differentiation which, if we are not careful, can lead to depressed expectations of what “less able” pupils can achieve. Activities can be oversimplified; the challenge for deeper learning removed. The completion of the task at a lower level is the learner’s modest prize.

Mastery also allows teachers to really challenge students. Many teachers in our risk-averse culture are wary of pushing students intellectually in the classroom.

A great teacher I know says that when the 10-year-olds in her class make a maths error, she asserts an instant “wrong”. The brighter the child, the sharper her “wrong” will be. At times she is moved to say “wise mistake” – but that’s as complimentary as it gets. Years of inspirational primary practice have taught her that children don’t want to hear false praise or be asked to talk in pairs when they make a number error. The child wants to work it out, get a similar question right next time and the time after that.

It’s a similar mindset to the world of elite sport. For example, the Olympic runner Mo Farah has said flatly that he can – and must – become better, run faster. He said it when he was unknown, and he’ll probably say it after his best season. He is pursuing mastery, in the knowledge that he’ll never reach it. It will always hover beyond his grasp.

For most mortals anywhere in the world, acquiring a new skill is a mix of perspiration, repetition, frustration, humour and light-bulb moments. Mastery attracts precisely because it also eludes. As the school year unfolds, it will be interesting to see what teachers and students make of the new buzzword.

Differentiation is out. Mastery is the new classroom buzzword | theguardian.com.
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Saturday, 25 January 2020

expressions, idioms and slang

A great website with nice little pieces on everyday language is 'ConvoEnglish':
convoenglish.co/category/expressions-idioms-and-slang

For example:

You can say that again. – Expressions, Idioms, and Slang

"You can say that again."
Meaning: I completely agree
When do we use it?
Simply, we can use this sentence any time that we completely agree with something a person or group says.
Some similar sentences would be:

I completely agree.
I couldn't agree more.
I agree with you 100%.

How do we use it?
This sentence is almost always used on its own. We can use it to agree with good things or bad things. Take a look at these example English conversations.

A) This is the best show on TV.
B) You can say that again.

A) Taxes are too high.
B) You can say that again.

A) English grammar is annoying.
B) You can say that again!

A) We need a better education system for our children.
B) You can say that again.

A) Climate change is the most important issue facing humanity today.
B) You can say that again!

It is important that you know English expressions and idioms if you want to have fluent English conversations with native English speakers or other advanced English speakers. Do not try to learn many expressions and idioms at one time. Instead, study a few of these free English lessons each week and learn English expressions and words well. This will help your English vocabulary improve steadily, and you will start speaking English like a native speaker.

convoenglish.co/expressions-idioms-and-slang-you-can-say-that-again
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Thursday, 9 January 2020

'learning by objectives' vs 'process-based learning' vs 'open-ended learning'

'Learning by objectives' is largely how we go about teaching today:
Jay Doubleyou: behaviourism >>> and learning objectives >>> and the common european framework

Which has rather dark roots:
Jay Doubleyou: taylorism >>> and education

And so not everyone is happy with this approach:
Jay Doubleyou: a critique of learning objectives

It's all about setting targets:
Outcome-based education | wikipedia

There are alternatives:

Process based learning (Collis and Lacey, 1996; Hewett and Nind, 1998; Nind and Hewett, 2001; Hewett, 2006; Imray et al, 2010) is a holistic approach where the process of teaching becomes the objective.
The entire process of learning is taken as a whole, as opposed to teaching to specific individualised targets. Intensive Interaction (Nind and Hewett, 1994) is perhaps the best example of process based learning (and teaching). In this example, it is not the outcome of the task that is important, but the interactive process that drives the task that is the focus – this is termed 'tasklessness'.

Process based teaching and learning

Process-based learning: Teachers as Facilitators

It's very much connected to 'problem-solving':
Teaching students to use process-based learning and problem solving strategies in mainstream classes Problem-based learning | wikipedia

Project-based learning | wikipedia

Finally, there is 'open-ended learning':
What is an Open Ended Question? How to help children think through problems on their own | YouTube

OPEN-ENDED VS. CLOSED LEARNING SYSTEMS
When a child is engaged in open-ended learning, he or she is not bound by rules or instructions. There is no right or wrong way. There is no set end to a project. On the other hand, a closed learning system has parameters and rules. There are set right and wrong answers.
A set of wood blocks is a good example of open ended learning. Blocks can be played with in a multitude of ways. They might be used for building any type of structure or for symbolizing another object in imaginative play situations. There is no wrong way to play with the blocks.
Puzzles are an example of closed system learning. There is just one way to put together a puzzle. There is a definite right and wrong way. Memorizing multiplication tables is, also, a closed system of learning.
Both open-ended and closed learning are necessary in the education process. However, we need to be able to move beyond memorizing and being able to follow rules and directions – closed learning. We need the benefits of open-ended learning to understand how the world works, make the rules, and find the answers.

OPEN ENDED LEARNING: WHAT, WHY, AND HOW | homeschoolscientist.com

Here are some practical activities:

Open-Endedness | possibilitiesforlearning.com

Open-Ended and Parallel Learning Tasks for Instruction | vimeo

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