Beyond the Pier

@spanishsam has collected together Wordle word cloud ideas for MFL in this post:

An online MFL meeting to discuss the following:

1. Post election Languages update
2. How are the MYLO trials going?
3. Reflections on The Linguascope Conference
4. Have you heard about the ICT Links into Languages Conference?
5. Hard to Teach Teachers TV Programme – Secondary Modern Foreign Languages Using ICT
6. MFL Show and Tell developments – Devon, Nottingham, London and beyond!
7. European Day of Languages – How’s your planning going?
8. A.O.B

Attendees already confirmed:

1. Joe Dale, Independent ICT/MFL Consultant Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom
2. Dominic McGladdery , 2nd in MFL, English Martyrs School, Hartlepool.
3. José Picardo Head of MFL at Nottingham High School (@josepicardo ) (be nice to me, it’s my birthday!)
4. Alejandra Puerto , NQT.
5. Rosemary Hicks , Head of MFL Northfield School (MHA) Billingham.
6. James Padvis, Foxford School, Coventry
7. Valerie McIntyre, Wells Blue School,
8. Alice Ayel, Thuringia International School, Weimar, Germany
9. Helena Butterfield , International Co-ordinator, Ian Ramsey C of E School, Stockton (@langwitch – might be late s)
10. Isabelle Jones, Head of Languages, The Radclyffe School, Oldham, @icpjones My Languages: http://isabellejones.blogspot.com
11. Teresa MacKinnon @tmack63 Language Centre University of Warwick
12. Clare Seccombe @valleseco Sunderland LA Primary Languages bod
13. Samantha Lunn @spanishsam Head of MFL, Arnold School, Blackpool, LanguagesResources.co.uk

Here is a link to an excellent, comprehensive list of useful online language learning sites compiled by Graham Davies and distributed through the Linguanet email forum:

http://www.camsoftpartners.co.uk/websites.htm

The following document is full to the brim of innovative uses of ICT in MFL.  Great to see so many contributors sharing their good practice, successes and ideas.

Technology in Modern Foreign Languages – A Practitioner’s Perspective

Isabelle Jones has done a great job of collating together the rather patchy information on the government’s new language programme Mylo mentioned in a previous post. Go to her blog for info.

I have been using the extremely useful Google Maps service personally for some time now and recently had success in integrating it into teaching French.  During a Year 10 (14-15 year olds) topic on describing cities and making your way around town, I projected maps.google.fr (use .fr for extra exposure to French in the Google menus and directions) and Google Streetview screendumps to complement and add some interest to the work we had already done on giving directions and using prepositions of place to describe the layout of the town.

By using the local London area, the students were keen to spot our school/landmarks/shops etc that they were familiar with and even argue about how to get where and best.  This also let students consolidate shops/places having only the English on screen as it won’t say “supermarché” on shop signs, which would be a giveaway had we gone directly to France.  Admittedly, going to France would add an excellent cultural element and this could be developed in future lessons.

Using screendumps from Streetview of a nearby shopping street gave a chance to practise the prepositions of place in a more engaging and familiar context: Utilisez les prépositions de lieu pour décrire les images: e.g. la pharmacie est à côté de la banque

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In another activity, the newly added Google Maps functionality of viewing Streetview and the traditional aerial map view simultaneously came in very useful.  I pretended I was a tourist standing in front of the school and students had to give me directions - Excusez-moi, pour aller à la bibliothèque s’il vous plaît?.  I then followed their instructions accurately in real time on Streetview and Google Maps to check if I would end up where I’m meant to.  The map view allowed phrases like “deuxième rue à gauche” to be produced while the streetview allowed prepositions to be exploited (et c’est au coin, à côté de la pharmacie) This forced students to flesh out their directions and be much more precise with prepositions etc.

View Larger Map

Simon Howells has taken the use of Google Maps a step further, intergating it into an ICT based project.  See his excellent video below and finished product for details and ideas.

The world’s largest educational technology event takes place next week from the 13-16 Jan at the London Olympia.  There’ll be a rich plethora of Edtech talks, innovations, stalls and more.  Register on their site and follow updates on twitter @bett2010

In relation to Modern Foreign languages, of particular interest will be the unveiling of parts of the MYLO project by Joe Dale. MYLO is a government funded project that encourages young learners (initially Key Stage 3) to learn languages through a wide range of online activities, such as designing an international football kit or producing a TV advert.

Typical story: a blog starts of well with enthusiasm and then life (more specifically a busy PGCE schedule) gets in the way.  A bit of a re-think means I’ll plan to post shorter posts and focus especially on useful resources and links.

With this in mind, I’d like to draw attention to the fact that free tickets are available for the Languages Show 2009 in London’s Olympia on the 30th Oct – 1st Nov.  Simply register for free via their website and print out your tickets.

The show is ” For language learners,l anguage teachers, linguists and everyone who loves language”and features seminars,  exhibitors, intensive and taster language courses and much more besides.  It is sure to be a valuable and inspirational event for anyone with a passion for, or working with language.

Another useful organisation for language teachers, and a sponsor of The Language Show, is ALL – The Assossciation for Language Learning.  Check out their program for lots of interesting and useful events.