Infonews n°310 from 23/09/2007
Paris-London in 2 hours
Animal rights advocates continue to question the use of live animal mascots
All the Basics
For lower secondary school
For upper secondary school
Beaut Ideas from Australia
How Cyberbullying works
City Sound Guides
Pathé News Reels on the net
Videos about multicultural behaviour
EU Reform: A New Treaty or an Old Constitution? (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Engineering : Design a Bicycle Helmet (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Biology : Human Genome Project Education Resources (from The Scout Report September
14th)
Art, Design : Design News (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Geography : My Wonderful World (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Art, Painting : Vancouver Art Gallery: Emily Carr (from The Scout Report September
14th)
Evaluating oral production
Niveau A2 au DNB
Colloque Cyber-Langues
Building Homes of Our Own is an interactive teaching tool for the middle
and high school classrooms. The simulation presents a macro view of the entire
home building process from site selection to final sale. Students collect
information, solve problems and make choices as they build a 3D home against
a budget, then review credit applications and sell to the buyer of their
choice.
The new program is part of the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB)
ongoing educational outreach initiative, in partnership with the National Housing
Endowment, Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters and Freddie Mac.
If you want to use "Building Homes" on your school's network, you
can order a FREE version 2.0 CD-ROM program. Please tell your colleagues at
other schools about "Building Homes" so they can order their free
copy as well!
http://www.HomesofOurOwn.org
[ for those who study technology, sciences and building techniques, and all
those interested in building homes.]
Paris-London in 2 hours
Students interested in technology but with a low level in English will enjoy
this lesson about Eurostar :
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0709/070906-eurostar.html
Our colleague Sean Banville, who prepares a new lesson for us almost every
day, offers here as usual a short text with the audio file and several activities
around it, including a fill in the blank listening exercise. Remember to bookmark
this address and go there when you need a short text with activities on a specific
topic:
current articles
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/index.html
archives
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0703-0706.html
Animal rights advocates continue to question the use of live animal mascots
Read this special report from The Scout project, read the related articles
and explore the links : maybe you can link it to some mascots in football
or rugby matches, or do we no longer do it in France? This is a basis for
a class discussion...
http://scout.wisc.edu/Reports/ScoutReport/Current/inthenews.php
All the Basics
Michelle Henry and Daniel Becker from Nancy-Metz have put together all the
links possible to teach the basics in primary school. And the topics are
presented in the same terms as the CECRL (reference framework) : "tell
what you like or don't like", "giving thanks", "counting
up to.."
and so on. Then you find links to other useful sites like Enchanted Learning.
Remember to bookmark this page!
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/primaire/primaire.htm
For lower secondary school
Our colleague Chloe Thivin from collège Pablo Picasso in Echirolles (Isère)
wants to share with you those 8 webquests she has created for students in lower
secondary school. Some can also be used in upper secondary school. For each
webquest, the students can access a page with questions and links to find the
answers, and they can also download a Word worksheet to write down their findings.
They deal with : Harry Potter, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Ecology, Peace,
Literature, Sports.
http://webquests.cthivin.free.fr/
For upper secondary school
Have a look at this selection of webquests by educators from New Zealand
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/links/resource_query.html?type=Individual+Webquests&sitearea=Classroom
Some are around a novel, an author or a film ( Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein,
Roal Dahl, Dr Seuss, the crucible), some are about acting out an idiom or solving
problems of teenagers in gangs, some others about cultural events like New
year or cultural issues like the influence of propaganda (advertising), an
many and about writing and rewriting ( Wuthering Heights or Romeo and Juliet
in the present period, a modern version of a traditional tale, etc.). Here
is my favourite:
http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webquests/authors/
Beaut Ideas from Australia
beaut (adj) = excellent in New Zealand and Australia (from the Webster).
Discover here lots of interesting activities in all fields : writing, discussing,
drama, poetry, etc. It's called "Teaching ideas and units" and it
is really a page to bookmark:
http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/english/ideas.htm
I liked this page of ideas to "Write from the News"
http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/english/collection.htm
How Cyberbullying works
How stuff works features new pages about this problem, with a two page article
and lots of useful links. This could be a good topic for a discussion in
class, where you will also help your students if they have already suffered
from such attacks.
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cyberbullying1.htm
City Sound Guides
Our colleague Rodolphe Maurel has prepared for his students those excellent
pages of city guides : you find several fill-in-the-blank comprehension exercises
with videos or audio files presenting : San Francisco, Miami, New York, Boston,
Seattle, Washington, New Orleans and Santa Fe.
Students from intermediate level and above can work autonomously on those exercises,
in the computer lab, in the school library or at home.
You can also show them to the class with an overhead projector.
http://www.soundguideweb.com/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=52
Pathé News Reels on the net
Our colleague Laurence Bernard recommends this site full of historical videos.
http://www.britishpathe.com/
You can enter a word and get the news related, or choose among from the lists
suggested on the theme pages.
http://www.britishpathe.com/themes.html
" Here you can preview items from the entire <http://www.britishpathe.com/product_display.php?searchword=*>3500
hour British Pathe Film Archive which covers <http://www.britishpathe.com/product_display.php?searchword=*>news,
sport, social history and entertainment from 1896 to 1970. You can also license
higher resolution copies of the same items for Presentations, Web Publishing
or Private Use. All content is free of charge for use by UK Maintained Schools
in the classroom. Requests for other rights or formats should be addressed
to customerservice@itnsource.com>customerservice@itnsource.com .".(from
the website)
Videos about multicultural behaviour
On e-teach, Fabienne Guérin recommends this site about multicultural or crosscultural
behaviour. The videos are often just showing the speaker, but the sound is
good and easy to understand for intermediates upwards. The topics there are
mainly about etiquette, manners, body language or what to wear and not to wear,
and there are frequent references to PC (Politically Correct). Pick your own:
http://www.videojug.com/tag/multicultural-manners
On e-teach, someone asked for links about this film and idea to study it
in class. Here is what we have found:
Michelle Henry prepared this page with a trailer, a study guide and lots of
information about the novel and the film:
http://www.ac-nancy-metz.fr/enseign/anglais/Henry/cinema2.htm#cry
Monique Mirza recommends this poster:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bd/Cry_freedom_movie_poster.jpg
And I also found those two very comprehensive sites from Australia, offering
a complet guide of the film and hits on how to show it, with a detailled presentation
of teh different themes it deals with:
http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/english/freedom.htm
http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/english/integrate.htm
Here is a teaching unit from a US junior high school teacher with the goal "To
teach students how internal pressures and international sanctions helped change
the system of apartheid in South Africa.". There is a full guide to the
film with lots of ready-to-use questions:
http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/stc/service/Jr%20High/10.pdf
Sarah Rapnouih also recommends this site to complement the study
http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/supplements/issue1/index.html
and you can also use the resources on this very comprehensive page about South
Africa by our colleagues from Paris:
http://lve.scola.ac-paris.fr/anglais/southafrica.php
EU Reform: A New Treaty or an Old Constitution? (from The Scout Report September 14th)
The future of Europe is a subject that has intrigued scholars, policymakers,
and politicians since long before the Treaty of Westphalia, and this working
paper is an interesting reflection on that subject. Released in July 2007,
the paper was authored by Vaughne Miller on behalf of the British Parliament's
House of Commons. Miller's work takes a critical look at the
failure of the European Union (EU) to effectively ratify the 2004 "Treaty
Establishing a Constitution For Europe". The report begins with a brief
summary, and then goes on to discuss the viewpoints offered by different EU
institutions, member states, and the general public. It's definitely worth
a look, as it offers both incisive analysis and commentary on the political
economy of the EU. [KMG]
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2007/rp07-064.pdf
[ an excellent paper for advanced business and economy students.]
Engineering : Design a Bicycle Helmet (from The Scout Report September 14th)
The process of designing a bicycle helmet can quite taxing, but this helpful
and fun instructional activity offered by the TeachEngineering website makes
it all a bit more accessible for both instructors and students. The site
begins by offering up a summary of the project's goals and its connections
to the field and practice of engineering. After that, it dives right into
the learning objective and the list of materials that will be required to complete
this project. Additionally, the site includes a set of bicycle helmet design
slides, along with several worksheets. [KMG]
http://www.teachengineering.com/view_activity.php?url=http://www.teachengineering.com/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_bicycle_helmet/bicycle_helmet_activity.xm[
very useful for students studying technology (Sections STI, BTSI et TPE en
1ère SSI) ]
Biology : Human Genome Project Education Resources (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Exploring the world of the human genome project can be quite an undertaking
for students new to the subject. Fortunately, the U.S Human Genome Project
website contains a veritable cornucopia of accessible and age-appropriate
educational materials for use in the classroom. First-time visitors may wish
to start on the left-hand side of the page, which includes a FAQ area, a
glossary, and a basic overview of genetics, appropriately titled "Genetics
101". After that, visitors may wish to look through the primary resources,
which are organized into sections that include "Posters", "Presentations", "Online
Educational Modules", and "Downloadable Teaching Aids". There
are over several hundred resources contained within the site, and visitors
can also make use of the search engine embedded on the homepage to look for
specific resources. [KMG]
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/education/education.shtml
Art, Design : Design News (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Learning about the world of design can be rather fun, and for persons interested
in entering this industry, it can be essential to stay on top of ongoing
developments. Design Week launched their site in November 2006, and as the
publication is based in Britain, the coverage of design events and trends
is primarily focused on the British and Continental scenes. Visitors can
take a look at the recent news postings of their homepage, and they can also
look through the "Design Disciplines" area, which includes important
stories related design trends in furniture, graphics, interiors, and packaging.
From those thinking about looking for a new job in the field, the site also
contains job postings and suggestions for those going on the job market.
The site is rounded out by a place where visitors can also sign up to receive
news alerts via email. [KMG]
http://www.designweek.co.uk/Home/Default.aspx
Geography : My Wonderful World (from The Scout Report September 14th)
National Geographic has been keeping tabs on the geographic literacy of Americans
young and old for decades. Some of their findings are a bit depressing, but
they've always believed in well-thought out outreach programs, and this website
is just one such program. The "My Wonderful World" site is intended
for young people, but anyone will benefit from the
numerous interactive activities, quizzes, and such offered here. Visitors can
start by taking the National Geographic Roper Survey, and then take a look
through the "Games & Cool Stuff"
area. Here, they can take a look through the world of map "mashups",
learn about wayfaring, and even take an aural trip around the globe. Additionally,
there are sections designed specifically for parents, educators, and teens.
Overall, it's a delight and for those yet unconverted to the importance of
geography, this site will likely win over a new cadre of budding geographers.
[KMG]
http://www.mywonderfulworld.org
[ resources for to teach geography in English at all levels : many maps, interactive
or to download, and in "Tools for adventure" find several games involving
map reading like : "Use a map to go on a family adventure"
http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/toolsforadventure/games/family.html ]
Art, Painting : Vancouver Art Gallery: Emily Carr (from The Scout Report September 14th)
Created by the Vancouver Art Gallery (with a little help from the Virtual
Museum of Canada), this is possibly the largest, most comprehensive web site
devoted to the works of Canada's beloved artist, Emily Carr. The site includes
a featured works section, where, using Flash, visitors can view Carr's works
arranged on a timeline and zoom in for more information. There is also an
extensive biography of Carr, outlining all the phases of her varied career,
such as her work as an artist, documenting the First Nations cultures of
British Columbia using Native American motifs, painting magical forests and
totems, as well as creating crafts such as bowls and rugs. Carr is also known
as an author of books such as "Klee Wyck", Carr's tales of First
Nations communities, and for her literary depictions of nineteenth-century
Victoria. The search function of the web site searches all 1,688 works by
Carr held by the Vancouver Art Gallery, and will retrieve digital images
of Carr's paintings, drawings, crafts, and sketchbooks, many accompanied
by captions, for example, Haida Totems, 1912 with a quote from Klee Wyck
describing the totem's setting at Cha-atl on Queen Charlotte Island. [DS]
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/EmilyCarr/
[ this site is in French and in English and includes several ready to use lesson
plans for ESL teachers.]
Evaluating oral production
Sylvie Marc offers this example of an oral evaluation worksheet for lower
secondary school. What I especially like is how she managed to put in a nutshell
the main differences between each level :
http://pedago.over-blog.org/article-7117845.html
In the documents on e-teach, you can find all the assessment and evaluation
sheets that the members accepted to share. Either you choose one of them, or
you read them all and write your own!
http://teachers.domainepublic.net/shared/Oral/
Niveau A2 au DNB
Dans le dossier Langues Vivantes du café
pédagogique vous pouvez retrouver la circulaire de rentrée, et en particulier
les infos sur la certification niveau A2 dans une langue vivantes au brevet
des collèges. Notez que l'élève est libre de choisir sa langue, ce n'est pas
obligatoirement la LV1 enseignée dans son collège.
http://www.cafepedagogique.net/lesdossiers/Pages/2007/r2007_langues_circulairederentr%C3%A9e2007.aspx
Mais ce ne sont que les informations officielles dont on dispose à ce jour.
On peut penser que comme pour le bac STG l'an dernier, des instructions plus
précises sur la mise en oeuvre vont parvenir dans le courant de l'année. Théoriquement,
il devrait y avoir des évaluations dans les 5 compétences : CO, PO, interaction,
CE, PE, qui se dérouleront à partir de Févrir ou pâques, dans les établissements.
L'an dernier, certains établissements avaient fait des
évaluations orales de tous les élèves de 3ème en interaction sur 3 ou 4 thèmes
préparés : parler de sa famille, etc. selon les grilles du niveau A2. Si il
faut faire des prédictions, je tablerais donc sur une épreuve écrite (CE +
PE) et une épreuve orale (individuelle d'environ 10 mn, avec ou sans préparation)
qui se déroulera dans l'établissement et sera évaluée par des profs d'une autre
classe du même établissement.
mais il faut attendre les instructions officielles....Wait and see!
Colloque Cyber-Langues
Le colloque s'est déroulé cet été à l'Université
de Perpignan Via Domitia les 21, 22 et 23 août avec le soutien du Conseil Régional
et du Conseil Général des P.O. Il a été organisé par l'association Cyber-Langues,
qui regroupe des enseignants impliqués dans l'utilisation de l'outil informatique
et des nouvelles technologies pour l'enseignement des langues, et une dynamique équipe
locale coordonnée par Yvan Baptiste, professeur d'anglais au Lycée Jean Lurçat.
Deux cents enseignants du secondaire et du supérieur ont quitté leur lieu de
vacances pour participer à ces journées. Des enseignants qui, très conscients
des évolutions des technologies de la communication, se sont lancés depuis
un certain temps dans l'utilisation des outils numériques et dans la recherche
et l'expérimentation pédagogique.
Les enseignants français ont eu le plaisir d'échanger avec des collègues en
provenance du Brésil, du Portugal, du Liban, de Belgique, d'Espagne, du Maroc,
d'Italie, d'Allemagne, d'Uruguay. Les interventions ont principalement porté sur
des pratiques de classes : l'utilisation ou le détournement à fins pédagogiques
des lecteurs mp3 ou des I-pods si prisés par les jeunes, des blogs, des podcasts,
ces derniers outils favorisant la créativité des
élèves. Voici quelques thèmes d'intervention : utiliser un cahier de textes
en ligne, créer un blog au service des élèves, enregistrer et
évaluer un devoir d'expression orale sur un lecteur MP3, établir des échanges
internationaux par "chats", créer des sites internet ouverts à
une classe, adapter un jeu de rôle en ligne, etc.
Le cadre agréable et estival du campus a favorisé
les discussions entre participants et la présence d'un espace forum ouvert à tous
a permis des
échanges fructueux et conviviaux. En outre, les enseignants présents ont profité de
leur présence pour découvrir les produits locaux et la ville de Perpignan.
Vous pourrez trouver les actes du colloque en ligne sur le site de l'association
:
http://www.cyber-langues.asso.fr/
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lycée Blaise Pascal, Rouen, France
E-Mail: Christine.Reymond@ac-rouen.fr
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