SUMMER 2016: WEEK THREE
Hobbies/ Free Time
GOOGLE RESOURCES
Not sure what it all means? Here's a nice little reference on Google Apps Terminology from the Free Technology for Teachers website.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Don't forget our friend Quizlet! Here is a link to flashcard sets for hobbies. Students can use them old-style for memorization, or you can create tests, play games- it's great! Why not take your class to the computer lab for a few minutes and have them use one of these?
Quizlet- Hobbies
Quizlet also has a Facebook page here: Facebook: Quizlet
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Did you know that Betty Azar has a Facebook page? Check it out here: FB: AzarGrammar.com
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Interested in the Olympics for your students? Here are some resources:
14 Web Resources to Learn About the OlympicsBoggles World Olympics Worksheets
Scholastic.com Get Ready for the Olympics
NBC Live Stream Schedule
Official Rio 2016 Website
Interactive Map of Issues Surrounding the Games
ESL Flow: Olympics Lesson Plans
Spelling City Online Practice
Larry Ferlazzo List-of-the-best-resources-on-the-2016-rio-olympics
Larry Ferlazzo- Even More Resources on the Olympics
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USING TECHNOLOGY
Summer Tip Week 3
For this week, we challenge you to try Duolingo out yourself :)
Go to Duolingo.com (or download the App to your phone).Once your username and password is set up, you can practice on your computer or phone.
Set "Site Language" to: English
Then choose which language you would like to learn (choose from 20 languages).
Create a Profile (username - most names will be taken add numbers or an unusal name)
email and password. (You don't have to give your full name).
Set a daily goal (from 5 min a day to 20 min a day)
Start!
If you do it every day, you'll be on a 'streak' (Duolingo counts).
For progress, you earn 'lingots' - Duolingo currency. You can go shopping with your lingots - in the 'Lingot Store! (Buy a 'streak freeze', a quiz or other things).
Duolingo will show you your 'streak,' as well as the fluency % of your language.
If you have any questions, please email Elke: elkestappert@nypl.org
NEXT WEEK, we'll have a short student guide you can give to your students about how to set up Duolingo and practice during the break :)
Duolingo Con: It works with translation and is not available for all languages.
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 10 Questions for…Angela M. Thompson
Angela teaches Level 3-4 at Muhlenberg and Hamilton Fish and level 5-6 at Tompkins Square. She has been with our program since Fall 2015.
BACKGROUND
I am a New Yorker! I was as they say
“born and bred” in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and I live in Brooklyn. I remember
a long time ago when people used to mention the word Brooklyn in a bad way.
Now, it’s one of the hottest and coolest destination places in New York. To
me, Brooklyn was and will always be cool! Where else in the world can you get
on a bus like the B8 and travel through at least five very culturally
diverse, highly dynamic, and different neighborhoods? I dare to say Brooklyn is even more
popular than Manhattan! Many people only think about the downtown area
however Brooklyn is very big! We have people here from just about every part
of the world. I love living in Brooklyn. While I know with certainty I can
live just about anywhere in the world, my heart belongs to Brooklyn. I will
always return.
My mother is a retired
elementary schoolteacher so I guess you could say that in some way, teaching
is in my blood. Just about every position I had prior to teaching involved
some form of training and helping others. I would say that the catalyst came
in 2008 when my father and I went on a really big trip. We took a 30 day
cruise that stopped at 24 ports of call and encompassed three continents
(South America, Africa, and Northern Europe). At almost every port, many
locals that I met said they were studying English and would ask me to talk
with them more so they could practice with me since I am a native English
speaker. The conversations with them were engaging. I was learning more about
their country and their lives, and they were learning and practicing English.
I truly enjoy learning as well as being around others who want to learn. This
is one major reason why I decided to become an ESOL/Adult Literacy teacher.
3. Have you ever taught in another country? How has that shaped you
as a person and as a teacher?
Not yet! However I would
like to live and teach in another country to really be a part of another
culture. I would like to teach in a Spanish speaking country so that I can
finally become fluent. My mother emigrated from Belize to the U.S. and both
Spanish and English are spoken there. It would be great for me to immerse
myself in the language while helping through teaching at the same time.
TEACHING
For me, the biggest
challenge is preparing the lesson plan for the class. Every class is
different and every student is different so I try to make sure there’s
something for everyone. However, no matter how well you plan for every
scenario in class, something will ALWAYS come up that throws you a curve ball.
This is challenging and rewarding at the same time. Challenging because I
always have to force myself to remember to keep explanations simple as well
as allow students to come up with solutions too. Rewarding because I usually
remember to do just that and it empowers the learners to take risks and make
their voices heard as they learn more about our crazy language.
All of the classes are
great. Each student brings something unique to the table. One student who
stands out is Elvia. She’s taken several classes at NYPL with several
teachers. When I first met her I noticed how quiet she was but I could tell
she was listening and focused. She’s reserved, determined, and listens
attentively. Over the course of time, she has blossomed and participates in
discussions quite frequently. Last week, she became a U.S. Citizen! So proud
of her and all of her accomplishments. Other instructors at NYPL did the bulk
of the work with her however I am happy to have contributed in a small part
of the journey with her. She’s amazing!
I would like to get into
teaching Business English and Literacy classes so that I can become a well-rounded
teacher. I’ve always wanted to teach Civics classes and got the great
opportunity to do say at NYPL this past spring.
 For one of the lessons, I was
allowed to enrich the lesson plan by inviting my father, Johnny Thompson, to
come and speak to the class about his experiences while growing up in
Madison, Georgia which was segregated. I think the learners really
appreciated hearing a first hand account about the Civil Rights Movement as
well as them being able to ask questions to someone who lived through it.
In
a second class about Civil Rights, my good friend Carol Becker joined my dad
to talk about her work with the NAACP. In that class, students were able to
hear from two perspectives about the movement (Carol is white, Johnny is
black) Living history in action.
CLASSROOM TIPS
7.
How do you encourage
students to practice English outside of class?
Once in a while, I like
giving a homework assignment where the learner has to go into a bank and ask
questions about opening up a bank account or go into a store to ask questions
about something they are interested in buying. Depending on the topic that
week, I try to figure out what would be the right “real world” scenario
learners can practice outside of class. Each group is different so the
activity is scaled to that audience.
WHAT NOBODY KNEW…
8.
What do you like to do in
your free time? Do you have a Black Belt in Karate? A secret recipe or
amazing pet? Won an award?
When given the chance to
travel, count me in! So much to see and do everywhere! I also like to write
and take photographs (think Vivian Maier style). I’m usually taking them and am
not in them. Haha. Escape games like Riddle Me Out, cooking, going to the
theater, plays, and shows, watching movies, exploring new areas….I like all
of that too! I especially love getting dressed up and having a great night in
the city. I’ve also been working on my written bucket list for the past few
years. There are 106 items on the list. #28..travel from state to state until
I visit them all. Working on that now. Last month on June 24th, I completed
#68…create my own holiday and celebrate it every year.
9.
What are your favorite
places in NYC?
I’m a New Yorker so I
love something about every borough. Now that it’s summertime, I would have to
say that one of my absolute favorite places is Governors Island.
It is so
beautiful and peaceful there. It’s like a beach vacation, with a man made
beach, in the heart of Manhattan. And it only costs two bucks to get there.
Since there are no cars on the island, you can safely ride a bike without
fear of getting struck down. I also take snacks and my writing book and enjoy
the views of Lady Liberty in one of the red Adirondack chairs scattered all
over the Island.
For me, Independence Day means
taking a ride on the F Train to the last stop...Surf and Stillwell Avenues. At noon you can watch the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating
Contest. Men and women from all over the world compete to see who can eat the
most hot dogs in ten minutes. Can you eat 70 hot dogs and buns in ten
minutes??? I don’t think so! Me neither. This year marks the 100th
Anniversary for Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs. In celebration for the day,
Nathan’s rolled back the price of a dog back to the original rate of five
cents!!! I couldn’t resist
getting in on the action.
10.
What projects are you
currently working on?
My father and I are in
the process of writing about our travel adventures together. Our last
adventure was visiting Australia and New Zealand. We have both visited every
continent except Antarctica. Every time I wanted to travel someplace, I would
ask others but there were always excuses. When I would ask my dad, he would
say yes! So, anytime one of us wanted to travel we would check in to see if
the other could go. I would say it worked out well over the years! It’s
amazing how two people can be on the same trip and have very different
experiences, perspectives, and revelations. On every trip we both journelled.
We definitely have a unique travel portfolio and decided to work on sharing
our father/daughter adventures. We envision more than one book. It’s going to happen soon. We’re
working on it!
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Have a great week and a great summer!!!
Elizabeth & Elke
elizabethschade@nypl.org
elkestappert@nypl.org
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