Seminars on Language Development and Intercultural Teaching March

Seminars on Language Development and Intercultural Teaching March 2, 2007 UT English Programs Developing Pedagogic tools Presented by Jennifer Uhler University of Tartu • Tartu, Estonia

Overview l l Icebreaker Types of Pedagogic Tools l l l Handouts Power. Point Presentations Technology A closer look at your materials Creating effective handout

Icebreaker: Teaching gifts l l Able to explain so many students understand, Able to encourage weak students to try again, Able to find instructional materials that many students appreciate, Able to help colleagues use technology, etc.

Think, discuss, report (Preferably, but not necessarily, involving the use of pedagogic tools or technology) l l Think about at least one way in which you are a good teacher in the classroom. Think about at least one way in which you are a good teacher outside the classroom. Think of one way someone else is a good teacher – and you are in the classroom. Think of one way someone else is a good teacher outside the classroom: guiding, interacting, assigning, … Adapted from http: //tltgroup. org

Brainstorm l What are some pedagogic tools you use as an instructor, have used as a student or are generally aware of?

Pedagogic Tools “Old School” “New School” l l l

Some points to consider… l l People tend to forget 90% of everything that it said to them in 24 hours. The mind process information at different speeds: Speakers speak at 120 -180 wpm Readers read at 250 -1, 000 wpm People think at 1, 200 – 18, 000 wpm

Handouts l give information l provide an opportunity for activity

Handouts as Information l Full lecture notes Handouts summarizing key points, learning outcomes, or key points of a lecture l Partial lecture notes Handouts provide additional material Some PROS and CONS

Handouts as activity Not neutral elements in classroom! l Comprehensive vs. skeletal handout l Orientation and expectations l Note-taking, attention, confidence l Concentration l As tools that allow you freedom l Disruptive or intrusive distribution

Types of handouts for activity GAPPED HANDOUTS l l Spaces for definitions/formulas Incomplete definitions/formulas Word Part of speech Related words Meaning Gap Noun Gapped (adj. ), An empty to fill a gap space Use To refer to missing information, i. e. “gapped text”

Handouts for Activity l l l Spaces for lists with headings Spaces for graphs, diagrams, maps, flow charts, etc. Incomplete or unlabelled processes or sequences Why use handouts? Pros Cons

Types of handouts for activity 1. Gapped texts

Learning/Teaching cycle Fill in the spaces with the following terms. Draw more arrows if necessary: Evaluating Activating knowledge Providing input Experimenting Asking questions

Interactive Handouts l l l l Job aids Worksheets Checklists Pathfinders/guides Decision trees Flow charts Diagram and tables Action plans

Design considerations l l l l Sufficient white space, margins, and gaps Structured by headings and sub-headings Relevant graphics Number of pages Font size and type Paper Your contact information

Other considerations l l l Error-free Consistent Citation of primary sources Electronic copies Distribution and class management

Power. Point Observe and note 1. Effective PP qualities 2. Ineffective or distracting PP qualities

Mock Power. Point Presentation: UNRWA Prepared by John Q. Public EAPP 430 28 September 2004

Introduction • EDUCATION: The Palestine refugee community has traditionally placed great emphasis on education as the key to a better future. Despite often difficult circumstances, Palestinians are one of the most highly educated groups in the Middle East. This achievement has been made possible in large part by the contribution of UNRWA in educating three generations of refugees.

UNRWA • UNRWA operates one of the largest school systems in the Middle East and has been the main provider of basic education to Palestine refugees for nearly five decades. The Agency provides primary and junior secondary schooling free of charge for all Palestine refugee children in the area of operations. Vocational and technical training courses are given in the eight UNRWA vocational training centres. The Agency also runs an extensive teacher-training programme, and offers university scholarships to qualified refugee youth.

UNRWA's ACHIEVEMENTS • Access to free elementary and preparatory education for all Palestine refugee children; • A school system with low repetition rates, low drop-out rates and high levels of academic achievement; • Full gender equity since the 1960 s, with 50. 2 per cent of pupils being females in 2001/2002;

UNRWA graduates Total: 77, 000 graduates

Schooling disrupted During the intifadah (uprising) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (1987 -1993), children lost up to 45 days of schooling in a year because of curfews, strikes or confrontations with the Israeli authorities. In Lebanon, children lost months and some even more than a year of schooling because of the prolonged civil conflict and the 1982 Israeli invasion, which saw the destruction of a number of UNRWA schools. The Agency responded by prolonging the school year when allowed to do so by the authorities or by providing extra classes to compensate for lost instruction time. However, such lengthy disruptions have had a negative influence on the quality of education.

Schooling disrupted

HOW UNRWA IS FUNDED?

UNRWA HEADQUARTERS & LIAISON OFFICES • UNRWA Liaison Office, New York Chief, Liaison Office - Maher Nasser One United Nations Plaza, Room DC 1 -1265, New York, NY 10017, USA Telephone: (+ 1 212) 963 2255, (00 1 212) 963 1234 Facsimile: (+ 1 212) 935 7899 • http: //www. un. org/unrwa/index. html

6 Tips for Power. Point NUMBER ONE: Don’t give Power. Point center stage Your visual aids ARE NOT the focus

6 Tips for Power. Point NUMBER TWO: Create a logical flow Not a collection of bulleted lists

NUMBER THREE Make your presentation readable l Use at least 30 point font l Use appropriate fonts l Avoid paragraphs or long blocks of text l Avoid “title capitalization” l Avoid detailed reports

6 Tips for Power. Point NUMBER FOUR: Remember less is more l l KISS: Keep it simple, stupid! Avoid too many fancy transitions Avoid sound effects Cut down on the number of slides

6 Tips for Power. Point NUMBER FIVE: Distribute a handout Good for note-taking & Back-up plan for tech failures

6 Tips for Power. Point NUMBER SIX: Practice! your presentation and using your slides

Technology l What kinds of technology do you use inside of your classroom? l What kinds of technology do you use outside your classroom?

Technological tools

Technology: Discussion What experiences do you have with the following in educational settings? l Email and the internet l Audio podcasts l Discussion boards l Educational platforms (i. e. Moodle) l Wikis l Google documents and groups

Over to you… l A closer look at your materials

Creating an effective handout l l l If you were to receive a handout for this seminar, what might you like, as a learner, to include? Take a minute to sketch an outline of a handout about pedagogic tools… take into consideration our discussions and the tips you were given above. Give a copy to Jennifer to distribute via email.