Tabasco Teachers Try Out Tasks, Technology and TOEFL

Twelve English teachers from the Insituto Tecnologico Superior de Centla in Frontera, Tabasco participated in a 25-hour workshop (from February 25th-29th, 2008) on Motivating Teachers and Learners, TOEFL Preparation Strategies, Authentic Tasks and Materials, Integrating Skills, Cooperative Learning and Fun Web Tasks. Participants were very enthusiastic (100% of them liked the topics, activities and explanations). During the workshop they took TOEFL practice tests, developed picture stories, created blogs, perfomed role plays and cooperated in a reading jigsaw.
According to the workshop evaluations, the favorite parts of the workshop and the topics they will use most in their teaching are: Cooperative Learning and Authentic Tasks. A comment from an email since the workshop proves it's true too. “I have practiced with my students about cooperative learning. I prepare my classes with authentic material, it really works!!! It´s funny and amazing to work in this way!!!!! Thanks for your teaching.” To let me know how this workshop has affected your teaching please fill in my Workshop Follow Up Survey. Thanks.

Some of the other participants' comments were as follows: “Sincerely was the first time I talked to a native speaker. For me was so wonderful”. “It’s my first participation in a workshop like this. I gonna apply cooperative learning in my English class”. “It was fantastic, we had a great time”. If you'd like to see more photos and the participants' blogs please click on ELT Workshop ITSCE . The workshop was very well organized by Citlalli Garcia Albores.

Citlalli at the Centla swamps.

Teachers and Trainers at the UNAM's Facultad de Estudios Superiores in Acatlan Develop Communicative Competence

Thirteen English teachers and trainers from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) Acatlan campus gathered together from February 11th- 15th, 2008 to learn more about: Task-based Cooperative Learning, Developing Projects for Mixed Ability Classes, Developing Oral Fluency, Developing Writing Fluency and Motivation.

Although small, the group's enthusiasm, dedication to teaching and experience made for interesting discussions and productive collaborations. According to the online workshop evaluation 100 % of the participants liked the topics, activities and explanations in the workshop (Wow!!). The participants favorite parts were the activities( particularly the oral fluency ones) and the opportunity to share ideas with colleagues. They will use the cooperative and writing activities most in their own teaching and for future workshops they'd like to learn about reflective teaching and authentic materials. Thank you Erika for organizing the event. It was so much fun getting to know all of you. Keep in touch.

Moving Past Milestones at the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo

From Jan. 30th - Feb. 1st, 2008, 35 English professors and trainers participated in the fellow's workshop on the following topics: Rubrics and Formative Assessment, Lesson Planning, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Specific Objectives, Task-based Collaborative Learning, Cooperative Learning Structures. The group's lively discussions and peer evaluations made the experience a fruitful one for both the facilitator and the participants. According to the workshop evaluations the parts of the workshop most of the participants will apply to their own teaching are "rubrics" and "lesson planning". The favorite parts of the workshop were: "lesson planning", "collaborative task-based learning" and the interaction with other teachers. Please let me know the effect of this workshop on your teaching by filling out my Workshop Follow Up Survey. Thanks so much.Teachers said they'd like to learn more about "rubrics and assessment" and "task-based collaborative learning". Thanks are due to Bertha Paredes and Hilda Hidalgo for organizing the event.

Also thank you Bertha and Norma for your hospitality!

Latin American Fellows Unite in Costa Rica

Beautiful Costa Rican flora

In January 2008, Latin American English Language Fellows, Regional English Language Officers (Kay Davis in Mexico City and Kitty Johnson in Lima Peru), their assistants Jose Manuel Villafuerte and Marcela Raffo and Fellow program administrators Catherine Williamson and Christa Hansen got together for the midyear conference at the Apartotel Cristina in San Jose, Costa Rica. The thirteen fellows each presented on some aspect of their fellowship for 45 minutes. According to the conference evaluation, fellows unanimously found this midyear conference very helpful. The responses to the question "What impact, if any, do you think this conference will have on the rest of your fellowship?" are as follows:
1. Nice to see everyone again and hear what they are up to.
2. Collecting project descriptions and resources for future ELFs.
3. I feel that I can use much of what I gained here in the next five months. I feel that I am doing and will do a good job for the remainder of my time.
4. I will network more with the Western hemisphere and communicate more with them to see if they have resources I need.
5. It makes me feel part of a community - and reminded me of what a great resource this community is for me. This conference has motivated me and given me access to resources for my projects. Definitely think they're an very important part of the fellowship that should be included every year!
6. I have a number of solutions to emotional/psychological problems that will really help!
7. Thanks to time spent with other fellows I have a better sense of where I'm at or rather how my personal expectations of my work fit into realistic expectations. Better balance.
8. Unsure, but I may be more assertive in relations with host.
9. Right now, I feel very motivated and far more prepared to be successful,. I also feel better about the problems I've faced. This has made all the difference in the world.
10. -Helps me with directions and focus. -Inspiration to create better balance
11. A greater sense of positive energy, more acceptance, of things I can't change.
12. A great influence. Showed me what I should be/could be doing! Gave me strength and renewed energy to reapproach my project!
The favorite of the fellow presentations was Wendy Senft's "What about your social life?" which addressed the personal side of the fellow experience, although, overall, people found hearing about each other's professional experiences interesting too.

The fellows agreed that the midyear conference should be part of the fellow experience every year.

In addition to the fellows conference, the Latin American fellows also presented at the local National Conference for Teachers of English "Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders" at the Centro Cultural Costarricense from Jan. 23-25th. To view the array of interesting presentations at the conference click here for the program . One of my favorite speakers was featured Beninese storyteller and educator Raouf Mama.

Fellows (from left to right):

Brigitte Miller, Michele Gordon, Erin Lowry, Tara Zahler and Allyson Kellum

It was a real pleasure catching up with you!

Chihuahua teachers share resources, knowledge and good cheer!

In December 2007, from the 10th-14th, twenty-six high school teachers participated in a 30-hour workshop, organized by Betty Ramirez and Ramiro Bojorquez from the SEC, at Maestros Mexicanos high school, Chihuahua. The workshop was intended as both a follow up to last year's workshop with some of the same teachers and an opportunity for other teachers to experience an in-service teacher training. The group consisted of diverse linguistic and educational backgrounds but none-the-less managed to work well together. There was a wide range of topics including: Classroom management, Lesson planning, Bloom's Taxonomy (we used it to help write objectives and then design tasks), Integrating Skills with Cooperative Learning, Authentic Tasks and Materials for Integrating Skills, Fun Web Tasks where participants created their own blogs (please see our blog to view pictures and participants' blog addresses) , Rubrics and Performance Assessment.

According to the workshop evaluation the group found the topics very interesting and most people also really liked the activities. The evaluation results also indicate that the topics which participants will use in their classes are mainly "Assessment" and "Lesson Planning".

The participants' favorite parts of the workshop were: "Internet and blogs", "interacting with other teachers" and "lesson planning". The participants would like to learn more about "Motivation" and "Internet links".

Please let me know how this workshop has affected your teaching by filling out my Workshop Follow Up survey. Thanks so much!!
In addition to writing specific objectives participants devised some really creative christmas "picture stories". Other memorable moments were: Martin's wonderful "Jeopardy" demo, Paty's demonstration of the state of the art computer lab we were using and Toni singing at our end-of--workshop posada.

Martin setting up "Jeopardy". Watch out Alex Trebeck!


Paty showing us "Tell Me More" software.


Toni singing.

It was a nice opportunity to meet some enthusiastic new teachers and catch up with some friendly faces from last year.

Some familiar faces...

Who says teachers can't have a good time? Happy Holidays Y'All!

Best of luck in 2008!

Durango CBTIS "Gets Real" with Authentic Tasks

Thirty-four English teachers from the CBTIS 130 in Durango participated in a 30-hour workshop on: Multiple Intelligences, Differentiating Instruction, Authentic Tasks for Authentic Communication, Fun Web Tasks, Authentic Film for the EFL Classroom and Motivating Teachers and Learners. On the last day all the participants made their own blogs which, whose links you can view here. The workshop was coordinated by the amazingly energetic duo of Ricardo Hagen and Guille Gonzalez.

The diverse expertise of the participants, ranging from medical doctors and food scientists to psychologists and engineers, definitely enriched our discussions. According to the workshop evaluations the majority of the participants found "Authentic Materials" and "Multiple Intelligences" to be the most useful topics. However, "Internet Tasks", "Blogs", and "Authentic Film" were their favorites topics. The greatest challenge was "task-based learning". Topics they would like to learn more about are: "Authentic Tasks", "Motivation" and "Working with large groups".

Please let me know how the workshop has affected your teaching by filling out my Workshop Follow Up Survey by clicking here. Thanks for your hospitality and enthusiasm!

After an intense week of making role plays, watching authentic films, creating blogs and devising tasks, Anabella, Alicia and I went for a picnic in relaxing Nombre de Dios to eat Durango's delicious gorditas ... mmmm.

MEXTESOL 2007 in Boca del Rio

For those of you who didn't attend MEXTESOL 2007 in Boca del Rio, Veracruz from Nov. 8-11th, it was a blast! With characteristic festivities and informative presentations, this national conference of Mexican English teachers was a wonderful opportunity to learn new ideas and meet up with colleagues from all over Mexico. It also gave me a chance to catch up with people who work nearby like the TOEFL team from IIE, James and Jesus (pictured above in the exhibitor's hall). Click here to view Neil Anderson's plenary presentation "From Egg Crate to Omelet" or Click here to see Humberto Roman's blog (MEXTESOL Aguascalientes) on TOEFL tips (which I found very useful). I was especially amazed to see the Durango contingent led by Guille Gonzalez who travelled by bus to attend. That's dedication! For me, it was great to see all of you once again.

Teachers and Coordinators at Relaciones Culturales in Monterrey Get Motivated

Ten teacher coordinators and trainers at Relaciones Culturales in Monterrey worked together with the Fellow from Monday to Friday Oct. 22-26th, 2007 in a workshop entitled "Developing Oral Proficiency in the Communicative Classroom". They reviewed new techniques for developing oral fluency, accuracy and assessment in addition trying out some strategies for effectively using authentic film in the classroom. Results from the workshop evaluation indicate that they preferred the Collaborative Routines and Lesson Planning sessions and that they would like to learn more about Collaborative Learning and Rubrics. Please let me know if the workshop was useful to you by filling out my Workshop Follow-Up Survey here.

On Friday afternoon 73 of Relaciones Culturales' teachers attended the Fellow's presentation "Taking Over the Reins: Motivating Teachers and Learners" and participated heartily with their thought-provoking questions.

The Fellow's visit ended in a conga line around the school at the "Jurassic Party" with the quick-witted, fun loving staff of Relaciones Culturales.

Thanks to all of you for your hospitality and enthusiasm but especially to Tere who put it all together! See you soon!