tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303956342024-02-20T17:07:15.796+00:00Alex BlagonaAlex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-75815980236048193032016-09-10T16:26:00.000+00:002016-09-10T16:26:31.376+00:00Come on MFL teachers, it's time for change, but our time is now.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been an interesting summer, one of great change, with Brexit, a new PM, a new Education Secretary, and the potential return of grammar schools. It's also been a personal summer of change, as I moved to a new school after 13 years of running a specialist language college, and am charged with helping to raise the profile of languages in front of a new bunch of pupils. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've also had another summer where the exam grade boundaries went up, where pupils who previously thought they would get that C grade, now didn't make it. This is also the year where we start teaching the new GCSE courses in MFL, with the translations, the literature, the grammar, and of course the end of controlled assessment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the education sector, English, maths and science continue to be the top priorities for schools, followed supposedly by the other EBacc subjects - humanities and MFL. Some schools of course take this seriously, others however do not, with the number of pupils attaining the EBacc in England in 2015 standing at just 23%, a figure that has barely changed in 3 years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's at this point that I asked myself whether there was actually any point in teaching languages anymore. We appear to be living in a more divided society, where hate and fear sadly take precedence over tolerance and love. We are told by some quarters of the media to distrust foreigners, migrants, asylum seekers, anyone that doesn't speak English. We are warned <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/09/britons-may-have-to-apply-to-visit-europe-under-eu-visa-scheme" target="_blank">that travelling to Europe may cost us more</a>, and that <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/deutsche-bank-mulls-leaving-uk-on-eu-exit-10359019" target="_blank">businesses may move out of the UK</a>, and we are told that EU citizens currently living in the UK <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/eu-citizens-leave-uk-brexit-8347301" target="_blank">do not as yet have their rights to stay assured</a>. So surely the time is right to move on from teaching MFL?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I say that in fact the opposite is now true - that the vote to remain in the EU was what the young people of this country wanted, and that the reality is that teaching our young people a foreign language has now never been more important. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a duty as language teachers to not only explain the finer points of the conditional tense, but to educate children in tolerance, understanding, and to convince them that being able to communicate with people from other countries is a hugely important skill for the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the pressures we are under to attain our GCSE targets, we need to encourage pupils to learn a language as a life skill, as a way to broaden our minds, and expand our horizons, and to prove to them through our examples that culture and society isn't the same in every country, and that no, not everybody speaks English, no matter how loudly you shout. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new GCSEs give us an opportunity to revamp how we teach, to actually teach for the love of the language, to take the time to explain where words come from, to take the time to explain the cultural and social nuances that shape our partners in Europe, to dispel the lazy stereotypes that certain parts of the media use to label the French, Germans and Spanish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's true that these things we all do as language teachers already, but the fight to keep the profile of the role of MFL (or even raise it) is truly on, be it with the pupils themselves, their parents, or even our own school leadership teams. The numbers taking languages at A-level have been in sharp decline, so we need to play the long game to renew enthusiasm and desire. Create a love of languages for your pupils, engage them, entertain them, inspire them, and eventually we can win them over. So many of us have become despondent and demotivated over time, but it's now time to work towards the bigger picture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We owe it to the generation of young people who will be denied the right to easily study and work abroad, who will find their career choices limited to opportunities based in the UK, the generation that one day will hold power in this country, and will possibly one day look back to the day Brexit came with regret.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So let's keep at it, use the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23mfltwitterati" target="_blank">#mfltwitterati</a> to support, help, advise, and listen to you, and let's do this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a great year!</span></div>
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<br />Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-36492401064136132882016-03-31T21:11:00.000+00:002016-03-31T21:11:04.763+00:00My way, your way, anything goes...but am I wrong?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm a keen follower on Twitter. I used to love the feeling of camaraderie, and sharing resources, and sharing good ideas, and the fact that it became a one stop shop for ideas, support and advice. Then came in a change of government, a change of ethos, and a change of direction in terms of education. Along with that came the inevitable range of experts, offering us 'research' and 'evidence' that suggested what we were doing in the classroom was wrong and that there's this book we've got to read to make sure we are doing the right thing and teaching the right way, because any other way is wrong.</div>
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Now I'm not in denial when it comes to educational research, but I like to pick and choose what I read, and not have it forced down my Twitter feed by these 'experts'. The thing a lot of these 'experts' have in common is a relative lack of actual teaching experience, a couple of years here and there, a book publishing, and then a day or so a week in a school to keep their hand in, or to give credence to what they write about. </div>
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My real issue is this. I teach French, and am now in my 20th year of doing so. The methods I've used to attain grades have evolved and been reinvented, have been tinkered with and adapted over the years, though my own self-reflection and advice of those I work with. I teach in a comprehensive school, where languages are compulsory, so deal with a number of pupils each year who have to learn a language but don't want to, and I'm judged by my results. I use ICT and iPads, because the pupils enjoy it, and it adds relevance to what we study, I get them to design posters and leaflets, we do role plays, we are creative. I also do learning by rote, memory tests, grammar drills because I feel it's necessary. What is consistent is that I get good results, and have a decentish career of results to back up my methods. Furthermore my methods are not too different from thousands of other teachers across the country who are sensible enough not to listen to those that pontificate in 140 characters, because quite frankly they don't have the time or the energy. </div>
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In this new era of acadamisation, where schools are supposedly given new freedoms to deviate away from the national curriculum, teachers should be able to plan engaging lessons as they wish to. Personalised learning? I like it. "But the research says it's wrong." In my classroom, with my students, in my subject and in my circumstances it works. </div>
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So let's get back to sharing ideas and good practice, let's cut down on the preaching, and if your methods work, then stick to your guns.</div>
Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-58542272357955834762011-12-10T11:20:00.001+00:002011-12-10T13:01:35.576+00:00By the sea at Margate - Kent Transformation Network<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning in Margate</td></tr>
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It was a privilege to have been asked to present at the Kent Transformation Network on behalf of <a href="http://cilt.org.uk/home.aspx" target="_blank">CILT </a>and the <a href="http://www.cfbt.com/" target="_blank">CfBT </a>this last Wednesday in a cold and blustery Margate. Despite the wind outside, that nearly swept many of us away, the buzz inside the wonderful <a href="http://www.turnercontemporary.org/" target="_blank">Turner Contemporary Gallery</a> was really good. Forty teachers from across Kent attended a number of workshops - my colleague from Suffolk Lara Townsend talked about ideas for providing a motivating and engaging Y9 curriculum. There was Jenny Carpenter, the languages adviser from Barking and Dagenham, presenting a session on how to create more autonomous language learners, Sharon Czudak on alternative forms of accreditation, Pete Spain looked at better use of listening resources in lessons, whilst Irene Wilkie ran a session on grammar, and Sue Short delivered a presentation on 'Developing a desire to read in the foreign language'. I was asked to provide a run down of useful websites and tools that can spice up MFL lessons. Trying to get though 30 or so ideas in 45 minutes was always a big ask, but I think I managed to just about pull it off. <br />
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Such a wide range of talks meant that there was enough to cater for everyone's interest, and it was great to catch up with some of the <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23mfltwitterati" target="_blank">#mfltwitterati</a> - the ever-growing band of Modern Language teachers who on twitter - they seem to be everywhere now!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turner Contemporary</td></tr>
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In the current climate where CPD opportunities are under financial pressure, and where schools are more reluctant to let staff have time off school, these sort of events are excellent methods of getting more information, meeting new colleagues and sharing new ideas with like minded people.<br />
<br />Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-8967141434534565192011-12-08T11:02:00.001+00:002011-12-08T11:40:56.520+00:00Exam boards still don't pass the test...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/comedynose/3571102858/" target="_blank">comedy_nose</a></td></tr>
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The recent allegations regarding examiners 'giving away' key information has provoked another outpouring of annoyance from many in the teaching profession. I seriously consider the examination system in this country to be discredited, mostly unaccountable, and more interested in making profit than trying to get the best out of our students, and upholding standards.</div>
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For one, does the country need so many different exam boards? The idea has, I suppose always been about choice. If we don't like what one board does, well we can switch to another. We changed boards a few years ago, feeling that our students would do better under a different organisation. Not that the discussion was not entirely around teaching and learning, but about which board would be fairer (and easier) for our students. In all honestly, these are not the sort of discussions schools should be having, but in the chase for the A*-C percentage, then it is only logical to weigh up one's options.</div>
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If we bemoan the standards that our students achieve, and their apparent lack of skills upon leaving school, I feel you can point the finger at teachers. Yep, it's our fault. It's our fault because we teach the students what they need to know to pass the exams, and have no time in the curriculum for anything else. Until the assessment changes, then this will carry on. How students can achieve A* or A at GCSE in a modern language, and yet still lack the grammatical understanding for AS Level is an outrage.</div>
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Of course, to help train (rather than teach) students to pass their exams, there are a number of useful strategies. First of all you invest in your course resources. A good text book is a start. It helps if you buy the text book that is "exclusively endorsed" by the exam board that your students are following. You can also attend the CPD workshops run by the exam board, for which schools have to pay, but then it's really important that we know all the hints and tips that the chief examiners can offer, isn't it? The fact of the matter is that the exams business is just that - a business, and there is money to be made from it - but is profit coming before standards? Maybe someone else can answer that question.</div>
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If we expect the best from our students, then surely we should have the same expectations of the examination bodies that assess them. As teachers we work hard, and at times under extreme pressure to prepare students for the GCSEs and A Levels, and we have a right to expect that the exams are marked fairly and consistently. The rise in the number of remarks (for which schools have to pay) would indicate that consistency is not being applied as it should. Why not? In modern languages I have been stunned by the differences between the marking in French and Spanish, often taught and moderated by the same teachers. Then you only have to look at exam papers that have errors on them. That is a disgrace which should never, ever happen. </div>
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I'm not a massive fan of Mr Gove's policies, but I welcome any review he orders into the awarding bodies, in the hope they get their house in order.</div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-62620347074893441882011-11-01T00:27:00.004+00:002011-11-26T13:41:58.589+00:00Is the 'reality' as bad as that?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_ocdLiB9qgtnmaFgwY6-2JdjXo-wWLmra2Yx4t2Q_XPSOSdnFe8tPCl0MjRA40INYvvmq9egLL5AKfgu8rnImTDO_NhdKC8tfAzmVxYVEKCNlW_Pvp227oTbOPSVbUz2ft3jgQ/s1600/EDUCATING+ESSEX+38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_ocdLiB9qgtnmaFgwY6-2JdjXo-wWLmra2Yx4t2Q_XPSOSdnFe8tPCl0MjRA40INYvvmq9egLL5AKfgu8rnImTDO_NhdKC8tfAzmVxYVEKCNlW_Pvp227oTbOPSVbUz2ft3jgQ/s400/EDUCATING+ESSEX+38.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Over the weekend I was drawn by Chris Harte's post on twitter to John Bald's <a href="http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2011/10/mossbourne-academy-v-passmores-academy-.html" target="_blank">post</a> on ConservativeHome.com in which he draws comparisons between Passmores Academy in Harlow and the Mossbourne Academy in Hackney. Frankly, I was stunned by both the tone of the article and the level of ignorance it portrays regarding modern comprehensive schooling. I'm not one to jump to knee-jerk reactions, so have waited a while to formulate a response. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Channel 4 programme Educating Essex, considered by some to be either a reality show, or documentary, depending on your viewpoint, aims to give an insight into the lives of selected students at Passmores. Since the series started, it has been a conversation topic both in my staffroom, and at times in my classroom. The general consensus amongst my colleagues and my students is of how realistic it is, and how well it reflects the situations and problems faced by many students these days. It is very much filmed in an attempt to give a balanced portrayal of the difficult lives of teenagers, and the dedication, frustration, patience and endeavour shown by their teachers. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The point of the programme seems to have passed John Bald by. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><i>"The pupils’ work rate in lessons we’ve seen has been far too slow, and their lack of commitment to or interest in their work pretty much constant."</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">In each episode, only a limited amount of time is spent actually in the lessons themselves, with the programme concentrating more on the story or issue of the student that features predominantly in that week's show. Bearing in mind that filming went on for a prolonged period of time, and that images of students working quietly in neat rows doesn't actually make for good television, I believe Mr Bald's comment to be ill-informed and naive with regards to how the media works.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">the head sets a poor example with his slack tie, crumpled collar and occasional designer stubble."</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Does a good teacher become a poor teacher depending on their choice of wardrobe? Should a teacher with tattoos be overlooked for a position in a school because they may be perceived by some to set a poor example?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">The tables are part of the problem. A pupil’s attention should be on his or her work or on the teacher – this does not happen if they raise their head and see another pupil opposite them, as this invites interaction between pupils rather than work."</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Agreed. Pupils should concentrate in lessons. Pupils should also learn to work in groups, interact with each other, learn collaboratively, and learn with and from each other. My students sit in rows. They also sit in a horseshoe, in clusters of tables, or any way I see fit to challenge their learning and to promote interaction. Again, Mr Bald, you saw a snapshot of what was going on and made a huge assumption of the state of the pupils learning.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Three per cent of Passmores pupils reached the Ebac standard last year."</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">This is compared to 0% of pupils at Eton or Harrow. I appreciate that Eton study the IGCSE, but these don't count for the EBacc either.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Most of the pupils at Passmores do not hate school or education, or even dislike them. They are just indifferent, and see school work an interference with their social life, which revolves around cliques."</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Considering that the programme focuses on Year 11 pupils, and at best we come face to face with 20 of them, using the term 'most' is a huge sweeping generalisation. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">Ofsted failed Passmores pupils by rating this school as outstanding, despite evidence of significant weaknesses in the demands made by teachers..."</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">The Ofsted inspection of Passmores says "...students' enjoyment of school is outstanding, <b><u>confirmed by what parents and students told inspectors</u></b>..." Whilst Mr Bald believes that the inspectors are missing failings in the school, the views of the major stakeholders would tend to counteract this claim. Ofsted go on to say that "...there are <b><u>high expectations</u></b> of what most students will achieve...questions asked by teachers are of an <b><u>unusually high quality</u></b>..."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">So not only does John Bald disagree with the management style and teaching that goes on at Passmores Academy, he also finds fault with the inspectors that graded the school as outstanding. Teaching has moved on, standing at the front of the class and talking at pupils might work for some, but won't work for the majority. I won't argue the fact that there are significant failings in the education system, but I dismiss his cynical view of a school based on at most 5 hours viewing. That's even less time than an inspector would spend in a school. Today's teachers are more caring, patient, sympathetic than they have ever been. It's not my job to defend Passmores, but more to stand up against a generalisation and lack of balance that would shame my A-Level students. I wonder what the Ofsted inspection was like for Waterloo Road.</span></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-81684797798030126132011-10-03T18:25:00.001+00:002011-10-03T18:25:56.769+00:00ILILC2 - Preparing for the learners of the future!<br />Still filled with the great buzz that was last week's MFL Show and Tell at Cramlington Learning Village, it's already time to start thinking about another big languages event, taking place in Southampton in the New Year (25-26 February to be precise). Organised by Languages South East, ILILC aims to bring together modern languages teachers from across the UK and give them the opportunity to learn, share, get to know other MFL teachers, sample new resources, and get hands on training on the latest technological advances that can enhance pupils learning experience. The first get together (I won't use the word conference - it certainly felt a lot more informal and sociable than that!) was last February, and that event saw the University of Southampton full of delegates who were keen to develop. Technology in MFL seems to polarise opinion at present, where many colleagues' fear of Web 2.0, and a reluctance to break beyond the confines of PowerPoint are leading to many teachers reverting to 'old school' resource building and preparation. Contrast that with the next generation of teacher coming in the profession, who are already blogging, have a full presence on social media platforms, and for whom Web 2.0 is now the norm. This event promises to offer something new for teachers at all levels, from the seasoned pro to the technofool, and again, unlike other events, delegates will be able to participate fully in the sessions, ask lots of questions, and in many cases get to actually have a go (and a play) with much of what comes their way. <br /><br />So as opportunities like this don't come around to often, I suggest you check out the website and book <a target="_blank" href="http://www.languagessoutheast.ac.uk/events/ict-and-languages-conference-ililc-2012">yourself a place!</a><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-4232410200346822092011-09-25T08:40:00.001+00:002011-09-25T21:03:16.989+00:00Showing and telling in the north east!This weekend saw the a very northern show and tell event organised at Cramlington Learning Village in the north east of England - a town even further north than Newcastle. <br /><br />Organised by Chris Harte, this unconference brought together lots of teachers from not just the north-east, but across the country to share ideas and tips to help in our teaching, and also the pupils experience in learning a language.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/25/323.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/25/s_323.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The format of the day allowed willing volunteers to step forward for up to 10 minutes to talk about a teaching and learning idea, a resource, or a useful hint or tip. This was the first one I had been to, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last. <br /><br />In addition to the quick fire presentations, there were 'Genius Bar' sessions where people could literally pop along and ask questions about a range of tools, teaching ideas, and ICT hints. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/09/25/3465.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/09/25/s_3465.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />There was a good turn out, and I for one felt that I left the day having learned lots of new things, and met lots of new people, who share a passion for teaching languages. In the current climate, with schools having to tighten their budgets, CPD provision has to change to be effective, and events like this, where teachers give up their time for free are outstanding ways of sharing good practice. <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cramlington&z=10'>Cramlington</a></p>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-78533182954014357782011-07-21T18:03:00.000+00:002011-07-21T18:03:41.678+00:00Meeting the need for training<div><object style="height: 297px; width: 420px;"><param name="movie" value="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v1/IssuuViewer.swf?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&documentId=110721122943-78949e32b14e49708382b9a3c07859ae&docName=northgate_cpd_booklet&username=northgatemfl&loadingInfoText=Northgate%20High%20School%20MFL%20CPD&et=1311271182958&er=5" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="menu" value="false"/><embed src="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v1/IssuuViewer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" menu="false" style="width:420px;height:297px" flashvars="mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&documentId=110721122943-78949e32b14e49708382b9a3c07859ae&docName=northgate_cpd_booklet&username=northgatemfl&loadingInfoText=Northgate%20High%20School%20MFL%20CPD&et=1311271182958&er=5" /></object><br />
<div style="text-align: left; width: 420px;"><a href="http://issuu.com/northgatemfl/docs/northgate_cpd_booklet?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true" target="_blank">Open publication</a><br />
<br />
This is the brochure for the range of courses that my school will be offering in MFL for the next academic year. If you are interested in coming along - do get in touch!</div></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-50038098660695402952011-02-15T13:22:00.001+00:002011-02-15T15:12:26.536+00:00The INSET is excellent, but where's the impact?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thinkgerman.org.uk/public_scripts/resizer.php?file=../domains/thinkgerman.org.uk/local/media/images/medium/links_into_languages_logo.JPG&preset=" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://www.thinkgerman.org.uk/public_scripts/resizer.php?file=../domains/thinkgerman.org.uk/local/media/images/medium/links_into_languages_logo.JPG&preset=" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Schools spend lots of money and teachers give up a lot of time to get involved and go to training events. Our performance management process involve an opportunity for us as teachers to request training and support in areas that we (or others) feel needs developing. The right course or conference is important, as one should go in with questions or dilemmas, and yet come out with answers, and a sense of enthusiasm, motivation, and after a tiring winter term a rejuvenated determination. We often attend CPD events seeking inspiration, which is more often than not forthcoming, but how often are we met with a numbing realisation that the wonderful things we hear people doing are the same things that are not actually ever going to happen in our school?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having just come back from the <a href="http://www.linksintolanguages.ac.uk/news/2402">ICT Links into Languages Conference</a> in Southampton, I did ask myself that very question. Innovative, thought provoking sessions, stimulating conversation and much sharing of ideas. A definite feeling that, whether you are in a forward thinking school, or in an old fashioned establishment, whether you are in a big department, or on your own, a networked community has been established full of languages teachers who are practising what they preach, and changing how we teach our youngsters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Joe Dale opened the conference with a <a href="http://coursecast.soton.ac.uk/Panopto/Pages/Viewer/Default.aspx?id=7ecef624-e5ba-430c-a394-6012cea29947">talk recounting the evolution of technology in modern language teaching</a>, and made it clear that he believed that we were at tipping point regarding the acceptance and implementation of technology in MFL teaching. Whilst I agree with this to a point, I also have experienced schools and departments that hold on to their overhead projectors like some overheating security blanket. I have given presentations myself extolling the virtues of this application, or that piece of software, only then to be told that using powerpoint still causes nightmares. So whilst the number of teachers who are embracing technology steadily rises, I am also enormously encouraged by the numbers of trainee teachers who are entering the profession clued up about Web 2.0, many of whom were in Southampton, and as time progresses, the emphasis will no doubt shift away from telling teachers what exists to how we can best use the tools to enhance the learning experience of students.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The difference about this conference compared to others was the fact that there was a 'reality' about the presentations - the sense that people were talking about tried and tested methods, that those who attended sessions were encouraged to offer their own suggestions, and that everyone was sharing, and not being talked/preached at. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since returning home, I have taken the time to go through some of the presentations and talks that have been made available. Isabelle Jones' presentation on <a href="http://isabellejones.blogspot.com/2011/02/ict-links-into-languages-saturday-12th.html">developing the use of ICT in an MFL department</a> struck me as a great starting point for someone trying to make an impact in their school. I have also watched online <a href="http://coursecast.soton.ac.uk/Panopto/Pages/Viewer/Default.aspx?id=2475984b-8967-4332-9459-152657b18609">Chris Harte's presentation</a> on his ideas for the future of language teaching, and in the next few days I shall pour over the other sessions so that I don't feel that I missed anything!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The emphasis now moves on to impact, and how you measure the success of such an event. The low cost of the event, the vast variety of speakers, the number of delegates, the people I met and the conversations and laughs we had contributed to the impact of the training. The feeling of positivity was there for all to see. My personal challenge is to try and implement some of the things I learned.<br />
<br />
Even if you didn't attend, seek out the presentations that are (or soon will be) available online. <br />
<br />
Take some of the ideas and try to get them into your teaching, because they do work.<br />
<br />
Don't be discouraged.<br />
<br />
Persevere.<br />
<br />
Talk to colleagues, both real and virtual!<br />
<br />
Get on twitter!<br />
<br />
It took me 7 years to work on my own department, so I know the pitfalls that exist, but I also know hundreds of people in the same boat as me, who have made it work, who have made a difference, and who are always just an email (or a tweet) away.</div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-90645747966105106452010-10-12T23:46:00.002+00:002010-10-12T23:48:18.911+00:00Using Flickr to bring languages to life.<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The defining moment of my A-Level language studies was the fall of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 and the subsequent reunification of Germany in 1990. As a 17 year old, it was the reason why I was studying German, and why my interest in languages really took off. (Despite me being much better at French!) During this exciting period, I was desperate for news surrounding the events in Berlin, and the nearest we ever got to hearing first hand what was happening came from friends of friends who knew somebody who lived somewhere in East Germany. There was a rush to buy newspapers, catching the main highlights of the BBC Six O'Clock News, and a general sense of excitement and a huge surge of interest in all things German.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/antaldaniel/2912118873/" title="The Fall of the Berlin Wall by antaldaniel, on Flickr"><img alt="The Fall of the Berlin Wall" height="300" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/2912118873_62e0dd3f19.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/antaldaniel/2912118873/" title="The Fall of the Berlin Wall by antaldaniel, on Flickr"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Photo by </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/antaldaniel/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">antaldaniel</span></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fast forward twenty years, internet is everywhere, news is instant, and it is seemingly straightforward to get involved with the news stories of the day. One of the most moving ways we have used the internet for this purpose at school is through the use of </span><a href="http://www%2Cflickr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Flickr</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, the photo hosting website. In September, it was reported by Flickr that the site now hosted in the region of 5 billion images. With thousands of photos being uploaded daily, it's easy to search for a photo of a major event that has just happened. We've done this with our A Level students to search for news items that are going on in the French/German/Spanish speaking world. Where </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Flickr </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">has enabled us to be more inventive has been the ease with which we have been able to get in touch with the actual photographers - the people behind each of the photos who have been on the whole willing to share with words what they were prepared to share with their images. I've had students get in touch with people who have taken photos of riots, protests, images that have stirred emotions, and images that provoke reaction. Yet unlike in 1990, we can instantly get in touch to find out more about what is happening in the world around us. Students have been really engaged and motivated by getting in touch with a range of people, who in turn have been inspired by the fact that a group of people have taken such an interest in their work. It has brought to life some of the contemporary topics that we teach, it has made languages relevant, interesting and so important to understanding what is going on in the world.</span></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-21389541628225373232010-09-14T16:57:00.002+00:002010-09-14T16:59:41.743+00:00A desire to lead?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/36/116220689_438039ddb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/36/116220689_438039ddb3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After nearly a year, I am reaching the end of my senior management - 'Leadership Pathways' training programme. I completed the Leading from the Middle programme a couple of years ago and found it a really valuable experience, which really opened my eyes as to how I would do things differently in a number of given situations.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leadership Pathways has been much different - far more reading and educational theory behind it - lots of online units, lots of time taken to read though the relevant information, answer many a hypothetical question, and lots of self evaluation and reflection. Obviously some aspects of the programme have engaged me more than others, and I'd be interested to know how many senior leaders already in place have attempted this sort of programme. I've found that I learn much more from face to face contact, I guess I'm very inquisitive in nature, and having the opportunity to ask questions and bounce ideas around has been very important to me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My leadership focus, if that is the apt phrase has also developed enormously since I started on this course. I was charged by the school to set up a Virtual Learning environment, and opted to choose that as I thought it would be a straightforward task to carry out. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What has happened, however, is that the scope of the task has developed and undergone a metamorphosis which has become much greater, and equally much more of a challenge than I'd first considered. It has taken me a while, but I've realised the challenge is not in the setting up of the platform, but how to bring out the change necessary in the learning culture of the school that would make it work. There are lots of schools with lots of VLEs that sit dormant, or that are only used by a select few. I made it my challenge to get the learners to make it a part of their learning process in school, and more importantly out of school. For me building a digital platform would enable the students to access the bespoke resources we create for them at a time that suits, and in a location that's comfortable. It's not necessarily been about e-portfolios and buying in expensive looking software packages, but it's been a journey of finding out how students like to work, tapping in to the learning needs and styles of the 'Facebook' generation, and trying to bring out a shift in the learning culture that has operated for so long in schools. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've learned about how key people, and sometimes not-so-key people can resist any scent of change, no matter how subtle, and how I've had to use what I've learned to try and develop strategies in overcoming the problems, with varying levels of success. I've sought out allies, colleagues who I trust and respect, and have bounced ideas around, and I've gone back to the drawing board several times. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I've discovered on this course has opened my eyes just a tiny amount to what it takes to move into positions of leadership in a school. Things that I've not encountered before, experiences I've not been prepared for, and a self-imposed pressure and desire to succeed have made it a worthwhile experience. Of course, any advice of getting people to use the VLE are always welcome!</span></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-8697919990455417452010-07-03T10:23:00.002+00:002010-07-03T10:29:11.096+00:00Innovation's the name of the game.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2A2sH1JPo-2JJFYVO2aEU5gRCUmudmzdlUbBzcbAo_Wf-zGjHvPKh001gGnDkrpNjDjIh_0J8wBaOdeCTzOg8m2HFq9nl5a_Plqy80G7UYgDquBlX5lsZLqKhvbpeSyggvfxGQ/s1600/3036254720_052d0020cc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2A2sH1JPo-2JJFYVO2aEU5gRCUmudmzdlUbBzcbAo_Wf-zGjHvPKh001gGnDkrpNjDjIh_0J8wBaOdeCTzOg8m2HFq9nl5a_Plqy80G7UYgDquBlX5lsZLqKhvbpeSyggvfxGQ/s320/3036254720_052d0020cc.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of my school's commitment as a specialist language college, we have to find ways of promoting the work that we do across the region. One of the best ways we have found to do that is to work in partnership with the local authority and almost sub-contract training and CPD to the experts that work at county level. With this in mind, we decided to set up an 'Innovation Group' where some of the most forward thinking language teachers would get together and create resources and devise strategies that would enable other professionals to try different things in lessons that could engage learners. A group of us then met yesterday at my school and spent the day creating either 'enquiry-based' sequences of lessons, or 'dilemma-based' scenarios for students to solve. The key elements in planning these lessons involved making effective use of the Personal Learning and Thinking Skills and at the same time ensuring that the lessons could have a cross-curricular theme. We worked in smaller groups of two or three, each looking at a project for differing year groups, which we would try and deliver to our own classes before disseminating to other schools. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My group were working on a project that would be used for KS4, and which could be adapted for KS5. We looked at the potential dilemma faced by an unemployed Belgian faced with moving to the Flemish part of the country in order to get work. Dealing with the language of jobs, daily routine, family, transport, it also deals with the issues surrounding the vast cultural and linguistic differences in a country which many people actually know very little about. It covers a bit about the geography of the country as well as some of the history and background of the issues that currently affect Belgium. When looking to adapt the project for A-Level French, we looked into the idea of changing Belgium for Quebec, and looking at the issues there instead.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm planning on delivering this sequence of lessons in September, when my Y10 students come back from their work experience and start Y11. I'm even toying with the idea of filming the lessons, but I might just chicken out of that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The great thing about days and projects like this is that it gets you out of the classroom, gets you looking at how you teach, and gets you working with people you wouldn't ordinarily get the time to work with. It allows us to be creative and look at things differently. If we are about engaging students, and revising the curriculum to be more relevant than these sort of days are brilliant.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zetson/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">zetson</span></a></span></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So in leaving school, I drove down to London, then ditched the car for the tube to Green Park, and the magnificent surroundings of the <a href="http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/">Embassy of Japan</a>. Having been worried about getting there late (anyone who knows me well, realises that punctuality is not one of my great strengths!) I actually was one of the first to arrive. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ceremony started promptly, with Kim Woodruff of the J<a href="http://www.jpf.org.uk/">apan Foundation</a> doing a sterling job as host for the evening. We then heard from Takashi Ishida, the director of the Japan Foundation in London, who expressed and reflected our delight at the quality and quantity of entries into the competition, and to award the 'People's Vote' award. <a href="http://godzillasden.blogspot.com/">Bearsden Primary School</a> scooped that award, and we heard from one of the their teachers, and a very eloquent pupil, Adam, who explained to the gathered audience all about the website in a really captivating way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was then up to present the Design Prize to <a href="http://vle.thw.coventry.sch.uk/digital_signage/images/stories/jpn/">Tile Hill Wood School</a> in Coventry who through their Japanese teacher Dan Thompson, and IT technician Jamie Lee created a truely funky website - including a great link to their project with famous pop star <a href="http://www.office-augusta.com/suga/">Suga Shikao</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After yet another award for Bearsden (Runners-Up) and one for <a href="http://www.japanese-at-southwolds.org.uk/">South Wolds Community School</a>, presented by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Satonobu Matsunaga from the Embassy of Japan. W</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e were then introduced to the overall winners of the competition, awarded by Tamzin Caffrey from <a href="http://www.cilt.org.uk/">CILT</a>. <a href="http://www.ballyclareps.co.uk/japan/">Ballyclare Primary School</a>'s website was a unanimous and very popular winner, a website which clearly demonstrated how Japanese language and culture has had an impact on the whole school, how a link with a <a href="http://www.toumei-e.imizu.ed.jp/">partner school in Japan</a> has made the school more environmentally aware, and the delight on the faces of the pupils at winning the prize was for me, a really humbling experience.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"> Designing a webpage for a competition is one thing, but designing one that forms an integral part of a much wider, whole school project made me realise how seriously this event was taken by the participating schools. </span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">The representatives from each winning school were then given the opportunity to talk the audience through their own websites, and and then to answer questions from those in attendance. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">So, then followed the reception, where the winners got the chance to meet and greet the assembled guests, and have a few nibbles and to take another closer look at the websites and those who put them all together.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">It was a brilliant evening, and I left inspired by the effort, creativity and dedication of who those who took the time to enter the competition. It has really strengthened my resolve to set up a Japanese club at my school, and to try and tap into just some of the enthusiasm shown by the worthy winners of this year's competition.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">ファンタスティック!</span></span></span></div><br />
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</div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-13851674544315464232010-05-11T21:32:00.005+00:002010-05-11T22:24:33.782+00:00A problem aired is a problem shared...<div><object style="height: 594px; width: 420px;"><param name="movie" value="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v1/IssuuViewer.swf?mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&documentId=100511155241-1780193ef25a42c5a165f3600006e910&docName=tablecloth_idea&username=northgatemfl&loadingInfoText=Improving%20Teaching%20and%20Learning%20-%20Looking%20for%20Ideas&et=1273613365747&er=25" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="menu" value="false"/><embed src="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v1/IssuuViewer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" menu="false" style="width:420px;height:594px" flashvars="mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&documentId=100511155241-1780193ef25a42c5a165f3600006e910&docName=tablecloth_idea&username=northgatemfl&loadingInfoText=Improving%20Teaching%20and%20Learning%20-%20Looking%20for%20Ideas&et=1273613365747&er=25" /></object><br />
<div style="text-align: left; width: 420px;"><a href="http://issuu.com/northgatemfl/docs/tablecloth_idea?mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true" target="_blank">Open publication</a> - Free <a href="http://issuu.com/" target="_blank">publishing</a> - <a href="http://issuu.com/search?q=mfl" target="_blank">More mfl</a></div></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">At our last department meeting, our Head of French asked colleagues to think of a question they want answered, or to open up a problem they want solving. The questions were all written down, and then passed around each other so that each colleague could try and answer each question. Of course the great thing with this is that we can all contribute to solving problems, and there's always the chance that someone has the critical answer that you've been looking for. With my team's permission, I have uploaded the questions, and some of our suggested answers. I'm sorry that some of them are side-on - I hope you can still read them! We'd be delighted if you felt you could contribute to our sheets? I've written the questions we asked <a href="http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/ngate1">on our WallWisher page</a>. Please help!</div><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-61862504646357691872010-05-09T23:01:00.001+00:002010-05-09T23:04:30.618+00:00Cast your vote in the Japan Web Page Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGrDaaHnWGijtbygm9ZXPhKaOkvpkKbRlVhrIVNKa8ZEFXX1PPOVjghiWw94N68ftMisa0urAP-jHDSXPfAu8RmlfJEmibs6djHugCBBe00_qYKkNfEz_vFo_8AAOAqLnePBW7g/s1600/japan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGrDaaHnWGijtbygm9ZXPhKaOkvpkKbRlVhrIVNKa8ZEFXX1PPOVjghiWw94N68ftMisa0urAP-jHDSXPfAu8RmlfJEmibs6djHugCBBe00_qYKkNfEz_vFo_8AAOAqLnePBW7g/s400/japan.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">With just under a week to go, the <a href="http://www.japanwebpagecontest.org.uk/index.php">Japan Web Page Contest</a>, run by the <a href="http://www.jpf.org.uk/">Japan Foundation</a>, is really hotting up. I was delighted to have been asked to take part in the judging, and have spent a good deal of time this weekend getting myself familiarised with the 10 finalists. The standard of web pages created has been fantastic - and with <a href="http://www.japanwebpagecontest.org.uk/judging.php">each entry being judged</a> on breadth and quality of content, originality, and design, as well as on ease of use, picking a winner will not be easy. The judges are also looking at how each website showcases what each school are doing to promote Japanese language and culture, and how each website can serve to raise awareness as well. If you haven't already done so, check out the competition page, and <a href="http://www.japanwebpagecontest.org.uk/vote/">vote for your favourite</a>!</div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-32687577416894048322010-04-14T18:14:00.001+00:002010-04-14T18:16:25.180+00:00Coming to terms with Twitter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTYkfcOynuR4NcNyQc97pQS9c_xVlJAGO2mrA1AMiuP6AVAZa2i1khEYdfbAAV7ymPgZjyz3fZ1ae3bGwGHaBuJxe4ifNEhvWI7AXcG_J4o2AXrBBF_uCbH4K4r4lQ4w0A_xe4Q/s1600/twit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTYkfcOynuR4NcNyQc97pQS9c_xVlJAGO2mrA1AMiuP6AVAZa2i1khEYdfbAAV7ymPgZjyz3fZ1ae3bGwGHaBuJxe4ifNEhvWI7AXcG_J4o2AXrBBF_uCbH4K4r4lQ4w0A_xe4Q/s400/twit.png" width="400" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I never really bought into Twitter at first, I'll be honest. I dabbled, and then left, only to rejoin about a year later. Now it's a integral part of my job, and yet when I speak to colleagues at school about it, many of them still give me that look. It's the look that says, "I thought you were alright, but now I reckon you're a bit geeky." </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This blog post should explain why I stuck with it, and how it has had an actual impact on the performance, opportunities and development of staff, how it has been used effectively and how school inspectors, still very much in the dark on Web 2.0 opportunities for students, can be impressed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'd heard a lot about Twitter through other language teachers I'd met on courses. A few teachers had Twitter accounts, and were singing the praises regarding how they could get in touch with each other, share ideas, and give advice. My first real experience of using it was merely to ask other teachers to point me in the direction of resources for a topic I was teaching. I was being very lazy, yet knew that if I asked, there was a good chance that someone would reply with an idea. I was right, and they did. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In working at a Specialist Language College, I also felt a professional obligation to try and keep up to date with what was going on in language teaching across the country. What started as a few language teachers 'tweeting' about what they were doing has become well over 100 from around the world. It's quite hard to comprehend having a virtual staffroom of that many people with good ideas and opinions. It has led to teachers publicising articles on their blogs which ordinarily I wouldn't have seen, I find out about events for professional development that I wouldn't have known about, and it has, without doubt put me into contact with some very influential educationalists who have taken time to give me guidance and advice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Ofsted came to inspect our school last year, I knew the lesson that was going to be observed. So by planning the lesson on a wiki, I asked for suggestions and constructive criticism on my lesson plan and resources. I got more than a dozen replies and messages, all of which made a difference to the lesson I delivered. I have also gone back to Twitter when delivering presentations, looking for things that I may have missed, or things that might be of relevance to someone else. I have found that the virtual audience can be both more supportive and more constructive than a real one! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In recent months there have been a number of articles and blog posts - about why teachers should use Twitter, but uptake amongst us is still slow. I'm of the belief now that most ideas that I would pick up from a CPD course, I could also pick up from talking to the right person on Twitter. However some people have found Twitter too focused on the educational technology side of teaching, but I would argue that it's a case of getting in touch with the right people. Edtech is high on the twittering teacher's agenda, for obvious reasons, but there are plenty of people who just want to share good practice, talk about ideas, strategies and methodology. From experience, the connections I have made on Twitter have enabled to try out new ideas in the classroom, to get new, different resources and have seriously inspired me to take risks in the classroom to further students learning. Sharing the ideas I get from the people I follow on Twitter has also been rewarding, and it is amazing to see someone's reaction when you tell them that that great lesson idea came from a colleague on Twitter. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Thinking Skills to Primary Languages, and from assessment to subject leadership, I am now fortunate to be in touch with so many experts, across the whole educational spectrum. It is true that the more people you follow, the more you can get out of the experience - most people you follow are courteous enough to follow you back - and for your information; no, I don't follow Jonathan Ross. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The articles below will definitely help you in setting out on Twitter - </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Related Articles:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6012335">TES - Chirping about Twitter</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://lauradoggett.com/2009/03/nine-great-reasons-why-teachers-should-use-twitter/">Laura Doggett - Nine great reasons why teachers should use Twitter</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_one_teacher_uses_twitter_in_the_classroom.php">Marshall Kirkpatrick - How one teacher uses Twitter in the classroom</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/a-teachers-guide-to-twitter/">Kate Klingensmith - A teacher's guide to Twitter</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://c4lpt.co.uk/connexions/">Jane Hart's Directory of Learning Professionals Online</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2010/04/mustering-the-mfl-twitterati.html">Joe Dale - Mustering the MFL Twitterati</a><br />
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</div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-10868467896935841492010-04-04T12:25:00.003+00:002010-04-14T16:58:14.259+00:00It's not the kids we need to educate, it's society.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJVPLbakcdrr-_vkgrRacHFhDfgu9WQqnPiM3vGpPPOyLJ2Eac0PV5C2hCJfH9KAA_XMj93oD2q5MWYOuJltH29AU3Zih72lhlI25HWBaXEOv7vW1aI_su1EnvdsiRYLzgOQ_jg/s1600/teacher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJVPLbakcdrr-_vkgrRacHFhDfgu9WQqnPiM3vGpPPOyLJ2Eac0PV5C2hCJfH9KAA_XMj93oD2q5MWYOuJltH29AU3Zih72lhlI25HWBaXEOv7vW1aI_su1EnvdsiRYLzgOQ_jg/s400/teacher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm enjoying the first few days of my holiday. Two weeks off, and plenty of things to be getting on with. Many of my non-teaching friends have made a few jokey comments, telling me that I'm in a part-time job, and that as I finish at 3.10 everyday, my life must just be one big holiday. For the most part I laugh these sort of comments off, because most of my friends understand what I do, and how much time I dedicate to doing it. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course now, with it being the season for the teaching union conferences, there is the talk of industrial action in the air, and with that comes the reactionary comment from people about how teachers have it easy, and that we're lucky to have so much free time, and it is this attitude from a large proportion of society that I find insulting. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the recent cold spell, many schools obviously closed due to snow and ice, but newspapers ran articles citing parents complaining that they had to take a day off to look after their children, and that the schools were over-reacting. Case made. Never mind the safety aspects of having children playing in icy conditions, forget the fact that teachers have to drive whatever distances to get to work, some parents were publicly complaining because the 'child-minders' weren't at work. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">People who have been teaching a lot longer than I claim to remember the days when the teaching profession was held in much higher regard. When being a teacher was a respected position in society, something that I'm now only reminded of when it comes to signing someone's passport form for them! What has happened in society to make teachers out to be lazy, militant individuals, who come into the job for the long holidays? Are we really perceived to be the surrogate parents for the children in our care? The phrase '<i>in loco parentis</i>' is one that never seems to be used in schools anymore. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I actually love my job, and just to inform some of you, who may not fully understand what we do for our salaries; Teaching requires a degree; at one time, any degree, but soon it may well be the case that a lower second class degree won't cut it anymore. For most people, a degree means debt, so most teachers enter the profession already owing thousands of pounds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then there is the actual day itself. For many of my office-based colleagues, the idea of standing up, and convincing 30 teenagers that irregular French verbs are the key to life is a scary thought. But we do that, sometimes, 4 or 5 times a day. I might come into contact with over 100 students a day, each one with a different impression of what I may or may not have said. It might surprise some people to know that I actually have to plan what I may or may not say to students, for fear of being misunderstood, in any number of ways. This planning takes time, and not just the hour and a half we have without classes before the end of the traditional working day. In many of today's newspapers, there are stories about teaching unions voting to take industrial action regarding SATs, or workload or working conditions, depending on which paper you read. In the Independent, it is reported that according to a TUC survey, teachers work an average of 18.7 hours a week of unpaid overtime. I know some who do far more than that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then I spend time correcting and marking, and setting targets for each individual student I teach, so that they are aware of what they have to do to attain their potential. This too takes time, and because teenagers are complex characters, they don't always attain their potential, which teachers are held accountable for, even though we have little idea what goes on in their lives outside of school. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have meetings, where the latest government initiatives are discussed and implemented, and because teachers are flexible and open to new methods, we are then given more and more of these initiatives to undertake. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are expected to offer students extra-curricular activities, so I will run trips abroad, which are fraught with risk and stress, but from which the students benefit enormously. I will run workshops at weekends and revision classes in the holidays so that students can continue their learning. I set up online learning programmes, so that the students can work on things from home. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So it comes round to 10.30pm, and I'm typing up minutes from another meeting, whilst planning worksheets for my GCSE, having just finished marking my Year 9 books, before I email my partner school in France to confirm arrangements for the next trip.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not militant, and have never voted for strike action in my life, but if it would convince the greater majority of society of the status of teachers, and make some people actually think about what we do, and have to go through each day, then I am in favour. Unfortunately I feel that whoever wins the next election will try to squeeze more out of us than the last. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So for now, I'm going to enjoy my holiday.</div><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-9327489673860923812010-03-30T22:12:00.001+00:002010-03-30T22:13:25.347+00:00Stop the Clock!<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<div id="__ss_3597658" style="width: 425px;"><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=thedangersofonlinetranslatorsnew-100330165531-phpapp01&stripped_title=the-dangers-of-online-translators-new" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=thedangersofonlinetranslatorsnew-100330165531-phpapp01&stripped_title=the-dangers-of-online-translators-new" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br />
<div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/blaggers">Alex Blagona</a>.</div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our school have been working hard to embed Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) into cross-curricular projects so far this year, with the highlights being the organisation of "Stop the Clock" days for our Year 7 students. We had one last term, where all the Year 7 lessons on a particular day were planned and delivered on the same theme. Last term's theme was 'Creativity and Critical Thinking' and this term we focussed on 'New Technology and Media'. My view of PLTS is that there still isn't an awful lot of awareness about them in many schools. When I have given presentations on using thinking skills in the teaching of MFL, it is quickly made apparent that the implementation of PLTS is still growing. That said, it was great fun to see the students enjoying the different challenges and the engagement that these sort of day provide for them. From code-breaking in Maths, to puzzle-solving in a specially created Business/Psychology lesson, and from using internet translators in MFL to the role of technology in Islam, the students have had a real eye-opening day. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This was augmented still further by the fantastic job done by both staff and PGCE students at lunchtime, in organising a 'Thinking Skills Bazaar' in the Lower School common room, where the pupils had the opportunity to solve puzzles and riddles by visiting the different stalls in the centre. </span></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-62064747475690388002010-03-11T22:06:00.001+00:002010-03-11T22:06:34.775+00:00Moblogging the modern way<br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/03/11/916.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/10/03/11/s_916.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I have been attempting to blog whilst on school trips away for a few years now, with varying levels of success. At first I set up my blog with Blogger, and was able to text blog updates and photos to a number that would do the trick, then I learnt how to email using my phone to update the blog from abroad, which didn't cost all that much, and now that I have swapped my Sony Ericcson for the iPhone, the process has become so much easier.<br /><br />I bought and downloaded the BlogPress app, which lets me choose any one of my blogs, and add photos, set location, and is the most user friendly app I've come across. Obviously in gaining my iPhone knowledge I've fallen foul of the data roaming charges that O2 stick on us (£3 per MB) but I'm now becoming adept at finding little pockets of free WiFi, a task which is easier to do abroad than in the UK at times. <br /><br />As well as using our blog - www.northgatemfl.co.uk - for in school activities, I believe that keeping parents and other students updated with what happens on trips and exchanges forms an important way of sharing in the experience. Photos taken and then immediately uploaded, views of students and general updates raise the profile of a foreign visit and can also serve to highlight a trip's importance in extending the curriculum and making it an experience to remember. <br /><br />Just don't forget about the roaming charges. <br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cours%20Fauriel,St%20%C3%89tienne,France%4045.427755%2C4.400184&z=10'>Cours Fauriel,St Étienne,France</a></p>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-49440677406808350702010-01-14T00:45:00.004+00:002010-01-14T01:16:55.702+00:00Talking ICT and MFL at UEA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnFZhQzIxHs95lQiXMddkaRMTcgdZ_Ux0E75xo4mjeho4v_-B2hQYt8p7kC4Zkiv5_v2TrTHxTiPTE7d2JYGKhUyWL_lZNFGkBl2VkpD55q7sK0RDLC_24BAasZPCSZFkhoiKNg/s1600-h/2918843860_13c999290d.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnFZhQzIxHs95lQiXMddkaRMTcgdZ_Ux0E75xo4mjeho4v_-B2hQYt8p7kC4Zkiv5_v2TrTHxTiPTE7d2JYGKhUyWL_lZNFGkBl2VkpD55q7sK0RDLC_24BAasZPCSZFkhoiKNg/s400/2918843860_13c999290d.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426398236164573970" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was delighted to be invited back to the <a href="http://www.uea.ac.uk/edu">School of Education and Lifelong Learning</a> at the <a href="http://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> in Norwich today. In the 90s I was a student there myself, and have nothing but fantastic memories of the place, and consequently I always look forward to going back. It's changed a lot since I was there, but still possesses the same friendly atmosphere and vibe which made it such a great place to study.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was invited to spend the afternoon with this year's cohort of MFL PGCE students, sharing ideas on using ICT in lessons, and a few thoughts about its use in the classroom. I'm continually inspired by the enthusiasm and motivation shown by these students; and being a PGCE mentor, I reckon that what is required of students wanting to enter the profession these days is greater than when I was studying for it back in 1996. You may disagree, but with the theory, teaching load, lesson preparation, assignments, observations, late nights, and no proper social life, the lot of the modern PGCE student is not an easy one. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nevertheless, I spoke at length today about the various Web 2.0 resources out there, in a similar vein to my presentation earlier this year at The Language Show, and we also discussed wikis and blogs as well. I was also really keen to demonstrate the power of <a href="http://twitter.com/blagona">Twitter</a> and in particular the vast number of <a href="http://twitter.com/#/list/blagona/mfl-teachers">MFL teachers that are active participants</a>. I think many of the students were surprised at how many language teachers make use of Twitter to share ideas and resources and to help each other, and I'm really grateful to my colleagues who took the time to chip in and offer their advice to the students. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/">Leo Reynolds</a></span></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-4235684331108563042009-10-30T13:00:00.002+00:002009-11-02T10:07:57.855+00:00The A-Z of ICT in MFL - The Language Show 2009<div id="__ss_2380381" style="WIDTH: 425px; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a title="A Z Of Ict" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 12px 0px 3px; FONT: 14px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: center; TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://www.slideshare.net/blaggers/a-z-of-ict">A Z Of Ict</a><object style="MARGIN: 0px" height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=a-zofict-091029203710-phpapp01&stripped_title=a-z-of-ict"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=a-zofict-091029203710-phpapp01&stripped_title=a-z-of-ict" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="FONT-SIZE: 11px; PADDING-TOP: 2px; FONT-FAMILY: tahoma,arial; HEIGHT: 26px">View more <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://www.slideshare.net/blaggers">Alex Blagona</a>.</div></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">It was an honour to be asked back to the <a href="http://www.thelanguageshow.co.uk/">Language Show</a> following on from my presentation last year on <a href="http://northgatemfl.blogspot.com/2008/11/teachers-overcome-your-technophobia.html">Blogs and Wikis</a>. This year, I've gone a bit back to basics and produced a list, with some timely help from <a href="http://joedale.typepad.com/">Joe Dale</a>, <a href="http://www.boxoftricks.net/">Jose Picardo</a>, <a href="http://www.lisibo.blogspot.com/">Lisa Stevens</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/suzibewell">Suzi Bewell</a> and a few others from my twitter network, of an A-Z of useful ICT based resources that can be used by teachers of MFL. I hope that you will have heard of a few of them, and that you may have even used some of them. I also hope that there are a few here that you might not have heard of and that you would consider having a go at using. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch!</div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-70773446478062318382009-10-24T12:47:00.002+00:002009-11-02T10:06:46.460+00:00Exchange and Smart?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sIVFWJkFic20ajhvrnU6h85b43XRGakEHTNuExQ9lvHy_iqttw71kUpze8RBCcPa6pn52qj3SSjmf1o9XdRLQYlCeggR9rVbl4I-uaY5fQWycePuRhxaT-w7DlNCodXuMp4_kQ/s1600-h/lo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396325269449058370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 311px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sIVFWJkFic20ajhvrnU6h85b43XRGakEHTNuExQ9lvHy_iqttw71kUpze8RBCcPa6pn52qj3SSjmf1o9XdRLQYlCeggR9rVbl4I-uaY5fQWycePuRhxaT-w7DlNCodXuMp4_kQ/s400/lo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I've been teaching 12 years, and in that time I've been on countless foreign trips, visits and exchanges. Viewed all too often by my non-MFL colleagues as 'jollies' or holidays, these trips, while priceless in the experiences that can be gained by the students, as any teacher who has run such a trip will testify, can be a nightmare in terms of stress and worry.<br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br />The cause of this stress is not to do with the conduct and behaviour of the children. I'm very fortunate in that respect. The cause of my personal stress has more to do with the numerous health and safety issues and child protection issues that we have to remember and be constantly aware of.<br /><br />I'm not trying to belittle the risks that are ever present, but the situation in UK schools appears so restrictive compared to our European neighbours, who don't seem shackled by the same chains that we are.<br /><br />As many of you may be aware, I've just come back from Spain, where one of our days out included a visit to a beach. The Spanish students, effectively unsupervised, were allowed to dive into the sea and enjoy the full benefits of the hot weather. Our students on the other hand were not even allowed to get their feet wet, as we had not managed to pack a trained lifeguard with us.<br /><br />I'm also aware that we're not allowed to give paracetemol to students with headaches, or apply plasters to children for fear of 'assulting' them.<br /><br />I know it's not just teachers. I know that in many other walks of life, a common sense approach, and a reliance and respect for a professional judgement call have been replaced by a higher authority who have no faith in trained adults being able to make their own decisions.<br /><br />If a train driver crashes his train he faces the consequences, but train crashes are rare because those that drive them are trained to do so. Teachers are trained for the job. It seems a bit ironic to me that the councillors and politicians who play the 'protecting our children' card are in careers that actually have no training.<br /><br />We are now so submerged in a nanny state that it is impossible to get back out again. CCTV cameras everywhere, professionals being dictated to by here-today gone-tomorrow politicians. Many of my colleagues, working in a sector that traditionally leans to the left politically, are now unfortunately moving to the right in the hope that we can bring some common sense back to the job.<br /><br />In France, Spain and Germany, teachers laugh off the concept of running criminal background checks on families who host students in exchanges. Why? Because it's stupid and impractical. The politicians claim they have to protect people, but in 12 years, and over 20 exchanges, I have had to move one student who I had serious concerns about. Can't we be trusted any longer to make these decisions?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/darwinbell/">Darwin Bell</a></span> </div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-66861810556251754502009-10-08T14:16:00.002+00:002009-10-08T14:28:19.137+00:00At the Language College Conference...<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm been fortunate enough to have been allowed to attend the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) Language College conferences for a few years, since I started work at my current school. This year, being held at The Belfry, the home of a fantastic (ly expensive) golf course not too far from Birmingham. For the uninitiated, the two day conference gives teachers from the various Language Colleges around the country to meet up and have a nose at what everybody else is doing. The SSAT has a list of Lead Practioners, Language teachers who are chosen by the SSAT to deliver training to other teachers, and they are all here, with most doing a session of some kind. <br /><br />I really enjoy coming here, seeing some familiar faces, and meeting new ones, but again I'm struck by the size of the event compared to previous years. Having also attended Language World many times as well, it would seem that the recession has had an effect on the exhibition. Maybe I'm wrong, but it would just appear that way. <br /><br />So far today, I've heard Dr Lid King update us on the state of MFL at the moment, and have also seen Neil Jones deliver a very rapid presentation full of creative ideas for language lessons. One to download from the SSAT site when it gets uploaded. (Next week, apparently). Sara Sullivan is also doing a session worth going to, and I might pop along to Louise Royd's session on blogging, just to see how another school do it.<br /></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-42072343602979329842009-06-22T09:00:00.001+00:002009-06-22T09:00:24.778+00:00How can I podcast, when I can't powerpoint?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUPYwy6qDhqDT1e8vfU6A2bT7lp9h51Eha1NvbdhKg-OxiOQTuFJ6W7vxZQkMDaECu3P6Otr0s0kjPNaMqmkqJPAD3Esgb-bfTPzVCzctr0jvj1W49q_Y0NeACJFcVxfGs1eZ8g/s1600-h/Picture1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUPYwy6qDhqDT1e8vfU6A2bT7lp9h51Eha1NvbdhKg-OxiOQTuFJ6W7vxZQkMDaECu3P6Otr0s0kjPNaMqmkqJPAD3Esgb-bfTPzVCzctr0jvj1W49q_Y0NeACJFcVxfGs1eZ8g/s400/Picture1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349566175624023938" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Seriously. As I was doing some training this week at another local school, having just spent about an hour on looking at podcasting for linguists, one of the teachers there uttered that kind of soul-crushing phrase that tech-savvy teachers like me just hate to hear.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"What you've said is really interesting, but in all honesty, how can you expect me to be able to make a podcast, when I can't even use powerpoint properly?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Oh."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Frustrated humour aside, this teacher raised a real issue, which I think many of us tend to ignore as we look for the latest Web2.0 feature, or as we find out what other teachers are doing to tech up their teaching. I'm quite keen to try and find an answer for this, and have come up with some sensible (and some not so sensible) solutions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Firstly, you can categorise many teachers into a number of categories.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Technophobe</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The teacher who still insists on writing <del>all their reports</del> everything. They don't send emails, and certainly won't reply when you send them one (or even read it). They won't use interactive whiteboards, and still have a years' worth of lessons on overhead transparencies. Nicola Woolcock of The Times wrote an <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article3142536.ece">article</a> highlighting the fact that despite UK schools investing millions of pounds in new IT systems, infrastructures and software, much of it goes unused by technophobic teachers. How much of a percentage of staff in your school would you place into this category? In reality, what is there that we can do for this genre of teacher other than let the technology continue to evolve around them?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Forward-Looking-But-Fearful</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">These are the teachers who are keen to make the effort to use the tools of new techologies, but are truely fearful of either getting stuck at the first hurdle, or of just breaking their laptop into small pieces when the computer won't read their mind in terms of what they want it to do. ("Why won't the text just appear where I want it to?") . We can work with these people, we can be patient, and get them working efficiently with a few Web2.0 bits and pieces. However, it is the teachers who fall into this category that we can really use to shape how our schools approach effective ICT use that benefits the students. I have often listened to fantastic teachers who are truly at the cutting edge of how to use technology in their teaching, teachers who create phenomenal resources, and teachers who are just bloody good teachers, and who don't need a computer to inspire and motivate students.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So as schools rightly look to the future, setting up VLEs and creating the necessary e-portfolios, many of these same establishments are lacking in knowledgable staff to use them effectively. It would sometimes seem that the technology learning curve has almost skipped a generation. My experience with training PGCE students and NQTs reveals a greater, more indepth knowledge of new technologies, but this is not in evidence in the here and now. Will those at the front of the high speed educational IT train stop at any point to look behind them and see who is actually on board. I don't think so. It's a case of 'you snooze, you lose'. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what happens next? Staffroom dinosaurs remain in the dark, with traditional approaches becoming increasingly frowned upon by colleagues? ("What? You mean he made them <i>write </i>it down?)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't know who is in charge of all this, but I wouldn't mind a bit of a comfort break.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">P</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">h</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">b</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">y</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23777693@N08/" title="" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration: none; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: rgb(0, 99, 220); background-position: initial initial; "><b>photographies libres</b></a></span></span></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30395634.post-79477525484925652242009-06-18T21:22:00.007+00:002009-06-18T21:46:03.063+00:00Using Twitpic and Evernote for Peer Assessment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqOuoprcTrDInsGbinNvxtcfZntCTOn3tBky1YLdzGp10SE2ZDGvMZEK8v8nwm9k9fVUHeadw7XhSrjX5BUKpAk0Gb_tUVh5zsfdE7kxg1EDC9KhpaRbaPI5fjJjOCILP2gZfUg/s1600-h/laura-2.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqOuoprcTrDInsGbinNvxtcfZntCTOn3tBky1YLdzGp10SE2ZDGvMZEK8v8nwm9k9fVUHeadw7XhSrjX5BUKpAk0Gb_tUVh5zsfdE7kxg1EDC9KhpaRbaPI5fjJjOCILP2gZfUg/s400/laura-2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348787127907595186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Wow. It kind of came to me by accident, yet it was just so obvious. My Year 9 class had to create an email for their homework, asking for information from the tourist office. If you're a languages teacher, you know exactly the exercise I'm talking about. Of course not all of the students emailed their work in. For some the internet 'unbelievably failed', others got my email address wrong, and so on and so forth. A couple of students wrote the homework down into their books, and handed that in. Hmm, I thought, that's not really what I was after. But then I had an idea, which seems so obvious, I'm sure that other teachers have done the same. I took a picture of Laura's work (above) with my iPhone, and uploaded it to my <a href="http://www.evernote.com/">Evernote</a> page. I then logged on to Evernote and had Laura's work up on the screen for all to see. I then thought - I've two <a href="http://twitter.com/">twitter</a> accounts - <a href="http://twitter.com/blagona">@blagona</a> for me, and <a href="http://twitter.com/northgatemfl">@northgatemfl</a> for my department. Why not use the my department's twitter account to take pictures of students' work, send them to <a href="http://twitpic.com/">twitpic</a>, and get students to log on and comment. It's simple! You can keep things anonymous if need be, and for those of us with iPhones, you can instantly take a picture of a student's piece of work and within seconds, with no USB pens or memory cards have the work on display on your interactive whiteboard. It formed a key part of my lesson today, and it only came to me because Laura's computer had crashed at home. There just has to be someone somewhere who has done this already...please get in touch if you have!<br /></div>Alex Blagonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10282684360386791465noreply@blogger.com3