13.12.12

World Book reference - feature review

A collection of powerful research tools

http://www.worldbookonline.com/training/classroom/html/classroom_4.htm

"World Book reference databases are a collection of powerful research tools that include encyclopedic, multimedia, e-book, and primary source content. They are designed for diverse ages, reading levels, and styles, and offer teacher resources, standards, correlations, and useful classroom research tools.

Review the features of each level of World Book using the links below:

(The menu bar along the top of each page introduces all of the features, with a labelled screenshot.)

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Nancie Atwell - The Reading Zone

Nancie Atwell - Scholastic Author TalkAbout video interviews

In this "TalkAbout" video clip series Nancie Atwell, answers questions about reading comprehension, and shares advice on creating successful reading and writing workshops as well how to create passionate readers.

The Reading Zone (4:26). What core conditions are necessary for students to enter, and stay inside, the reading zone?

Comprehension (5:27). How do you know whether your students are understanding what they're reading?

Student Choice (4:19). Why is allowing students to choose their own books and topics fundamental to their success as readers and writers?

Reading & Writing Workshops (4:48). What is the best preparation for teachers who wish to teach reading and writing workshop-style?

ª Advice and Encouragement for New Teachers (3:30). Nancie shares advice based on her 30 years of teaching experience.

Creating Passionate Readers (4:27). Nancie tells about the childhood experience that helped her become a fluent, avid reader.

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Jeff Wilhelm & Inquiry Based Learning

Jeff Wilhelm & Inquiry Based Learning

Inquiry-Based Instruction: (video clip) (4:19) Are teachers using inquiry in classrooms now, or do they even know about it?

Using Inquiry in Language Arts.(video clip) (3:13). How does inquiry and the use of questions promote reading and understanding in language arts?

"Engaging readers & writers with inquiry" [LINK to record at DRC]

PDF sample.

http://www.scholasticdealer.com/prodimages/sample/957413.pdf

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The role of children's literature in the classroom

Video interviews with Carol Fuhler and Maria Walther

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/media.jsp?id=793

These two authors discuss the importance of using quality literature in the classroom. Video clips address the following:

The role of children's literature
Quality literature in curriculum
How children's books help writers
Recognizing a good book
Managing a busy teaching day
Advice to new teachers

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Get the Most out of your Smartboard

Whiteboards for Dummies | Scholastic.com

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3757695

This article addresses some of the challenges in implementing Smartboards in the classroom. There are also some links to a useful blog and a Notebook repository.

"At their best, interactive whiteboards can get students out of their seats to lead their own learning. But, like all technology, the boards are only as good as the people using them. And the people using them are only as good as their training. There are ways to ensure that you're giving your staff the tools they need to make the most out of your district's investment."

12 Days of Christmas [LINK] (courtesy Mr Smart Trainer)

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12.12.12

Joahua Foer "How I learned a language in 22 hours"

A web app that can help anyone memorise anything

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/nov/09/learn-language-in-three-months#start-of-comments

Joshua Foer learns basic Lingala in a few weeks, using the Memrise application. (In fact the website challenges you to learn to read a Chinese menu!)

"Memrise encourages you to create a mnemonic, which it calls a "mem", for every word you want to learn. A mem could be a rhyme, an image, a video or just a note about the word's etymology, or something striking about its pronunciation. In the case of languages such as French and Chinese, where there are thousands of people learning it at any one time, you can browse through a catalogue of mems created by other members of the Memrise community. This is especially fun for Chinese, where users have uploaded videos of various logographic characters morphing into cartoons of the words they represent.