Dealing with large Multi-level Classes though Blogging, EFL Blogging School Moldova, Final Conference. Svetlana Lungu

1. EFL Blogging School
Project
Conference

2. Dealing with Large
Multi-Level Classes through
Blogs

3. What’s the difference between the
pictures?

4. Brainstorming
How are students
different from each
other?

5. Our students have different:
• Background
• Interests
• Age
• Gender
• Personality
• Motivation
• Cognitive abilities
• Learning styles

6. Benefits
• Enough students for interaction
• A rich variety of human resources
• The teacher is not the only educator
• We are never bored
• Professional development occurs
naturally

7. What challenges do we face
teaching in such classes?

8. Challenges/Problems:
• Choosing the suitable material
• What pace to use
• What level of difficulty
• How to reach individuals with different
learning styles
• How to reach students’ needs
• What language to use while explaining
• Discipline
• Grouping the students

9. Suggestions
•Keep students motivated
-Variation / differentiate teaching
-Interest

10. Reaching the individual
• Collaboration (group & pair work, peer review, brainstorming, community
projects, group posters)
• Individualization (portfolio projects, poster reports, book reviews, blogs)
• Personalization
Choice and open-endedness
Setting up routines

11. Useful techniques
• Magazines/Newspapers
• Pictures
• Projects
• Peer tutoring
• Drama
• Movies
• Card games
• Buddy reading
• Peer editing
• Jigsaw reading
• Pair share

12. Integrating Online Tools
Why?
• Technology is motivating (many of them are using Web 2.0
tools already : social networking, YouTube, blogging for daily
activities)
• Technology gives them freedom to create
• Web 2.0 tools provide students with a variety of ways to
interact with print and images and offer the possibility to
become the creators of knowledge.

13. Online Tools To Be Used
Voicethread
Animoto
Photopeach
Vocaroo
Movenote
Powtoon
Storybird
Glogster

14. Learning Styles
• Verbal-Linguistic
These learners enjoy learning through speaking, writing, reading, and listening. In the
classroom setting these students shine when given tasks such as taking notes,
researching, listening, reading for information, and writing.
Websites to encourage learning for Verbal-Linguistic students:
• wordle.net - Allow students to express themselves creatively with words
• ed.voicethread.com - Capture student voices with audio, text, pictures, and video
• zoho.com - A free online word processor, and presentation tool
• gcast.com- Students can podcast (voice recording) online.
• kerpoof.com – Students can create stories or mini-movies
• www2.shidonni.com- Students create animated stories
• tickatok.com - Students can create stories and turn them into a book
• pbskids.org/wordworld - A world where words come alive
• readwritethink.org - 52 interactive activities related to reading, writing, and speaking
• speakaboos.com - Students can read stories online, record their own story and play
literacy games

15. • Logical-Mathematical
These learners love numbers, reasoning, and problem solving. These students enjoy measuring,
calculating, and organizing data. In the classroom students will shine when given tasks such as
collecting data, conducting experiments, solving problems, predicting, classifying, and sequencing.
Websites to encourage learning for Logical-Mathematical students:
• zoho.com- Spreadsheet and data collection tools
• ed.voicethread.com - Capture a sequence of events in an experiment or during problem solving
• emeraldisland.com - A virtual world where students can experiment and problem solve
• sciencecomics.uwe.ac.uk/index.php - Comics about science experiments, and problem solving
games
• toytheater.com/index.php - Math, reading, music and art puzzles
• sciencemuseum.org.uk/launchpad/launchball - Logic puzzle games
• mathplayground.com - Students practice math skills and engage in logic games
• mathtv.org - Students watch a series of video word problems for math, watch a step-by-step
video solution and work on follow up problems
• iknowthat.com- Games that make students think: science, language arts, math, and thinking
games
• enlightenme.com/enlightenme/superthinkers - A site the encourages critical thinking and
problem solving
• knowitall.org/hobbyshop - A hobby shop full of logical-mathematical activities
• mrsp.com- A storybook site that celebrates reading and books

16. • Visual-Spatial
These learners learn best visually and organize their thinking spatially. They
are drawn to information that is presented visually. These students love to
illustrate projects, color-code, and create visuals for projects.
Websites to encourage learning for Visual-Spatial students:
• kerpoof.com -Students can draw and create picture stories
• www2.shidonni.com- Students create a character and illustrate a world
• xtranormal.com- Students create and direct their own movies
• knowitall.org/artopia Students interact with online painting, media arts,
sculpture, and theater
• doink.com Students can create animations to illustrate a concept or story
• eyeplorer.com- Shows information visually on a color wheel to help
students discover relations in any topic
• flickr.com - A picture sharing website
• picnik.com – Edit photos add effects, fonts, shapes, and frames
• arkive.org - Students can view photos of thousands of animals
• animoto.com/business/education - Create videos with pictures
• glogster.com/edu - Create online posters to visually display knowledge

17. • Bodily-Kinesthetic
These learners benefit from physical activity, hands-on tasks, and
constructing things. These students are able to express ideas through
movement. They like to act, manipulate objects, operate the mouse,
take pictures, and be involved physically in a project.
Websites to encourage learning for Bodily-Kinesthetic students:
• play.ekoloko.com- A virtual world that taps into mouse
manipulation, typing, and manipulating objects on the screen
• emeraldisland.com- A virtual world that requires mouse
manipulation, typing, and manipulating objects on the screen
• secretbuilders.com - An enchanting virtual world where students
can interact with historical figures
• arsights.com - Augmented reality site that lets students manipulate
Google Earth objects by using a web cam and print out. As students
move the paper, the virtual model on the screen adjusts accordingly
• ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid - Another augmented reality site
that shows students a digital hologram of smart grid technology

18. • Musical/Rhythmic
These learners learn best through auditory experiences.
They enjoy making songs, rhythms, and patterns. These
students will appreciate displaying knowledge with audio
and video recorders.
Websites to encourage learning for Musical/Rhythmic
students:
• gcast.com- Students can create podcasts
• toytheater.com - Students interact with music, sounds,
and patterns
• viddler.com - Record video with a webcam
• playmusic.org - Students explore and interact with music
• kids.audible.com - Download and listen to audiobooks
• capzles.com - Create timelines with audio and video

19. • Interpersonal
These learners enjoy interacting with other students. They enjoy discussions, cooperative work, and
social activities. These students will love web 2.0 tools that allow them to interact with others on
projects.
Websites to encourage learning for Interpersonal students:
• play.ekoloko.com- A virtual world that allows students to interact and work on solving problems
together
• emeraldisland.com- A virtual world that encourages students interaction for the common goal of
saving Emerald Island from PiRats who want to take over the green world.
• secretbuilders.com - An enchanting virtual world where students can interact with historical
figures
• tutpup.com - A site that lets students practice spelling, and math facts against other students from
around the world in real time
• ed.voicethread.com - Students can use Voicethread to complete projects together. It also provides
the ability for students to interact and comment on other student’s Voicethread projects.
• twitter.com - Create a personal learning community within your classroom, encourage students to
share learning experiences and new information.
• glogster.com/edu - A web 2.0 tool that allows students to create together and comment on other
students Glogs.
• www2.shidonni.com - Students create an imaginary world and interact with other classmates
virtually. They can create worlds and stories together.
• think.com - Students can work on projects together, interact with other students and view other
student’s learning space

20. • Intrapersonal
These learners learn best through meta-cognitive practices. They
enjoy thinking about their thinking and reflecting on learning.
Allow these students to think about what they are learning with
reflective tools such as blogs and wikis that can be shared with
others later.
Websites to encourage learning for Intrapersonal students:
• think.com - Students can blog about their learning
• wetpaint.com - A wiki where students can reflect on their learning
• pbwiki.com - A wiki where students can create and reflect on their
learning
• eyeplorer.com- Students can search a topic of interest and take
notes about their learning right
• kerpoof.com - Students can record and think about learning
through story creation

21. • Naturalist
These learners learn from interactions with the environment they enjoy field trips that
involve observation of the world around them. These students will enjoy activities that
incorporate nature.
Websites to encourage learning for Naturalist students:
• earth.google.com- Students can explore the earth with satellite imagery, maps, terrain,
and 3D buildings.
• google.com/sky- Students can explore the universe including the solar system,
constellations, galaxies, and the moon.
• kbears.com - Students explore nature, animals, and the earth through a fun interface.
• arkive.org - Students learn about thousands of animals and their habitats
• switcharoozoo.com - Students create animals, build habitats and learn about wildlife
• play.ekoloko.com - A virtual world that puts students in charge of their own
environment
• emeraldisland.com - A virtual world that encourages students interaction with a virtual
environment where they keep the planet green.
• nationalzoo.si.edu - Students can view live video of animals, view photo galleries, and
visit exhibits
• wdl.org/en - Students can take a virtual field trip around the world and through time
• vistazoo.com - Students can create virtual tours of the world by combining pictures,
video, audio, and objects in 3-D

22. How do blogs help us dealing with
large multilevel classes?
• Promote open dialogue and encourage
community building
• Non stop access to the material
• Help identify the learning needs
• Build confidence

23. “A metaphor of a mixed ability class which works for me is
to think of the class as a lift (elevator). Everyone needs to get
into the lift to start with. Some students will run into the lift,
some will have to be dragged in. Some students will travel
right to the top of the building, some may stop at the third
floor and some may only reach the first floor, but everyone
will have travelled somewhere successfully. At the end of a
class, every student can leave the room feeling that they
have been challenged and that they have achieved
something.”
Jim Rose

24. Thank you !