COURSE ORIENTATION

This is a distance learning course, concentrating on uses of the Internet for teaching, learning and professional development. It also is intended to give you enough web sites and leads-in to more web sites to be a continuously useful resource for your learning and doing.

This is a PASS/FAIL course. Therefore, SELECT and BASE YOUR WORK on those areas that best match your current interests. You can return any time to areas that match future concerns and changing interests--one of the many advantages of on-line learning

Assessment is based on work you produce in series of essays/listings for each Essential Question or topic you "connect with," and with an annotated lists of sites supporting your views and reflecting your web work. Note the Rubric for Course Portfolio Assessment.

For instance, you might write “The site XXXX [http://www.xxx.com] gave me a different perspective on how to help students learn _____. It also cleared up for me something I was confused about, and that is what educators mean by __________.” Certainly you would want to elaborate more.

This work may be emailed to me at ozpk@earthlink.com, or snail-mailed to me at Chad C. Osborne 923 W. Mission St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. If you email the work, you may wish to put it in a Zip file, which compresses text and makes it easier to send over the 'Net.

TEACHING & LEARNING SPANISH MORE EFFECTIVELY

An Online Course: Producing Project work of Ideas & Resources with Discussion Board Interaction

Be sure to read the COURSE POLICY

  • *1*FreeTranslation.com -- Free translation of web sites and text for Spanish, French, and German to English and English to Spanish! AMAZING!!

    Because of the extensive number of links, the most important are signified with a *1* sign. These also cover the widest array of Certification Standards. Be sure your course work reflects your having learned from these sites.

    Use Individual Brainstorming to list at least five items, each indicating both content and strategy. Try to "think outside the box" in your ideas, and then * star what you regard as the best idea(s) for each section.]

    ESSENTIAL QUESTION 1, Part 1: HOW DO THE NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING STANDARDS COMPARE TO THE MASS. CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS for FOREIGN LANGUAGES, and WHAT EMPHASES DO THEY SUGGEST?

    Study these two documents to answer this question. Pay particular attention to what besides language study is called for.
  • National Foreign Language Learning Standards
  • *1* Curriculum Frameworks for Foreign Languages (Massachusetts)
  • *1* SELECTIONS from the Massachusetts FOREIGN LANGUAGE FRAMEWORKS

    Write a letter to the classes you will have next year. Make it a kind of "pep talk" to take the challenge to care about their learning in this class--about international understanding and the advantages of knowing other languages and cultures. Put this in your Portfolio.

    Question 1, Part 2: The Frameworks do not reflect either an up-to-date view of Multiple Intelligences or of what we have learned about the Heart.

    1. What IS the HEART? Most of us have "learned" it is basically a pump, a kind of organic machine. Neurocardiology, a recent medical specialty, is developing a far different picture of the human heart. The current scientific view is aligning more with poets, with conventional and "metaphorical" sense of the word, and with Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences of intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence.

    2. A good summary of recent findings on "Heart Intelligence" is in an Interview With Joseph Chilton Pearce. Reprint, read and respond to this interview in Part 2 of your Project/Notebook.

    3. What is Heart Intelligence?, Heart Intelligence , and HeartMath are three fascinating sites showing educational work being done based on "heart intelligence."

      What implications do you see for learning in general and your teaching in particular? Reflect on your thoughts in Part 2 of Question 1.

    Teachers with HEART also realize how central the issue of *1* DEPTH vs. COVERAGE becomes in light of the extent of standards and the climate of high-stakes testing. Take particular note of the counter-intuitive idea in the DEPTH vs. COVERAGE link that wide coverage does NOT produce higher scores. Write about this idea and in Question 1, Part 2 of your Project Notebook, as well.

    ESSENTIAL QUESTION 2: WHAT CAN I LEARN FROM and HOW MIGHT I USE ON-LINE SPANISH LESSONS?

    Here are five Web sites that teach Spanish. Notice what they cover and how they do it.

    1. BBC Education - Spanish An amazing series of interactive resources for learning the Spanish Language! Use the "gauge" to find out how much Spanish you know, and then choose the resources you need to learn more!.
    2. *1* The Spanish Tutorial -- A great Spanish learning site! This comprehensive site has over 70 interactive lessons from introductory to advanced Spanish grammar, usage and vocabulary, plus cultural information, travel notes, and idiom help! An absolute must for anyone looking to learn Spanish online!.
    3. Spanish I & II Online -- A series of lessons on Spanish vocabulary, grammar and usage online - including the following topics: Grammar Terms, Spanish Adjectives, Spanish Alphabet, Spanish Cognates, Spanish Numbers, Spanish Prepositions, Spanish Pronunciation, Spanish Questions, Spanish Readings, Spanish Verb Conjugation, Spanish Verb Lists, Spanish Verb Tenses, Spanish Word Lists.
    4. On-line Spanish Verb Conjugation Trainer
    5. *1* Web Spanish Lessons -- From the site: "Each lesson is loosely organized around a central theme. New words, sample sentences, pronunciation guides, grammar explanations, and self-tests are included in most of the lessons. In addition, each lesson contains audio of that lesson's new words being spoken to help with pronunciation.

    If you have a web site for students and their families, would you want to put some sites like this on it?

    Consider these sites and tools for doing such a project:

    1. *1* Teacher Tools Page -- On-line tools for making quizzes, puzzles, rubrics, webquests, and more.
    2. Custom Classroom -- Free tools
    3. SchoolNotes.com FREE! Easily develop homework assignments and class information, posting it on the Web!
    4. Machu Pichu Spanish School -- Learn Spanish in Peru!
    Here are a number of additional sites to consider using, as well as to use in your curriculum.
    1. Spanish - Cool! -- A great ThinkQuest site! "A multimedia Internet course for english-speakers to learn basic Spanish, i. e. how to comunicate the basic needs and have an intelligent conversation on a wide variety of subjects.
    2. Dr. Rix Spanish Trix -- A collection of lessons, interactive activities and exercises that explore many facets of the Spanish Language. The site is humorous, entertaining and well-organized!
    3. Learn2 Speak Spanish -- A neat collection of lessons in conversational Spanish, from the great folks at Learn2.com!
    4. Basic Spanish for the Virtual Student Some basic guidance for beginning students.
    5. BHSC Spanish Page -- A series of introductory Spanish lessons, including: First Year Spanish Supplementary Drills with RealAudio, First Year Spanish Supplementary Readings, Spanish Vocabulary List, Spanish Grammar Exercises.
    6. Spanish Made Easy -- From the site: "Do you want to learn Spanish? Its one of the world's fastest growing languages, and is widely spoken throughout many countries - especially in South America. It will teach you the basics, including common phrases and vocabulary that travelers should learn, and basic use of verbs. Its simple, easy, and free.
    7. Spanish for Beginners -- A series of 12 lessons for learning basic Spanish!

    ESSENTIAL QUESTION #3: HOW MIGHT I USE THE WEB AND OTHER RESOURCES TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE THE CULTURE STRAND IN MY CURRICULUM?

    Review the Curriculum Frameworks for Foreign Languages
    Cultures Strand: Pages 37-44

    Using the following fifteen sites, select resources you can use to augment and expand your curriculum's CULTURE Strand.

    1. El Nacional
      A popular newspaper out of Mexico City.
    2. El Heraldo
      A Colombian newspaper.
    3. *1* Tecla
      Tecla is a text-only magazine written for learners and teachers of Spanish. It is produced weekly, and provides short readings, vocabulary lists (Spanish-English), and exercises.
    4. Latin America/Spanish Speaking Countries Page
      Links to Spanish language documents throughout Mexico and Latin America
    5. La Ciudad de Cordoba
      A multimedia city guide to Cordoba
    6. Recursos Internet en España
      A clickable map of Spain linked to WWW servers throughout España
    7. *1* Mexico, Arte y Cultura
      This is a tremendous resource for Mexican music, art and culture.
    8. WWW del Peru
      The WWW del Peru includes a clickable map, and lots of images, history and information on Peru.
    9. *1* The Cervantes Project Online -- From the site: "Welcome to the Cervantes Project 2001 Home Page, a comprehensive reference and research site dedicated to the study of Cervantes' works and life." The site is also available en Español!
    10. *1* Spanish Literature -- A site dedicated to the interpretation and enjoyment of Spanish Literature. Includes sub-pages in the following categories: Classic Literature, Drama, Poetry, Short Stories, Bibliography, In The News, Links, Updates/Events
    11. Comedia Texts Online -- Online texts from noted Spanish authors, including Belmonte Bermúdez, Calderón de la Barca, Caro de Mallén, Castro y Bellvis, Cervantes Saavedra, González de Bustos, Hurtado de Mendoza, Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mira de Amescua, Moreto, and several others! The entire site es en Español!
    12. Spanish Poetry Online -- Over 1000 poems from dozens of authors! The entire site es en Español!
    13. *1* Golden Age Sonnets -- From the site: "This is an ongoing project … to provide good verse translations of Golden Age Spanish sonnets to English-speaking readers. I hope that it may also serve to provide an online forum for the discussion of these works."
    14. *1* Si', Spain -- From the site: "This interactive service promotes free exchange of information on Spanish current affairs and its historical, linguistic and cultural development."
    15. Encarta - Spanish Language --An encyclopedia entry on the history and development of the Spanish language.

      ESSENTIAL QUESTION #4: HOW MIGHT I USE THE WEB AND OTHER RESOURCES TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF LANGUAGE?

      Review the Curriculum Frameworks for Foreign Languages
      Comparisons Strand: Pages 45-52
      Then investigate these sites that compare Spanish with English and other languages and dialects. Collect sites and ideas for your Notebook.

      1. *1* Teaching Strategies for All Subjects
      2. Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) -- A Communicative Approach to Language Learning
      3. iLoveLanguages: THE HUMAN LANGUAGES PAGE
      4. *1* Spanish-English Cognates -- From the site: "Cognates are words that "look alike" or "sound alike" from one language to another. The following endings represent word-groups that are transferrable from English to Spanish (and vice versa), to create words understandable in the other language. Please note that THIS DOES NOT WORK for every single word in each language. There are exceptions to every rule."
      5. *1* Spanish-English False Cognates -- From the site: "Spanish and English have literally thousands of cognates, words that are basically the same in both languages, and which have similar meanings. But combinations such as decepción and "deception" are false cognates - word pairs which look like they might mean the same thing but don't."
      6. Spanish Abbreviations (Abreviaturas) -- A list of common Spanish abbreviations and the terms they represent (en Español).
      7. *1* Spanish Conjugation Trainer -- From the site: "With the Conjugation Trainer you can practice different Spanish verb groups and verb forms." Includes lessons on: Present Tense, Basic Verbs, Present Tense, Irregular Verbs, Preterite, Basic Verbs, Preterite, Irregular Verbs, Imperfect, Basic Verbs, Present Subjunctive, Basic Verbs, Present Subjunctive, Irregular Verbs.
      8. Conjugue -- From the site: "This JAVA applet will display the conjugated forms of Spanish verbs that you type in."
      9. *1* Preterite and Imperfect -- From the site: "The preterite and the imperfect are two aspects or characteristics of the simple past tense in the indicative mood of the Spanish verb system. Since both the preterite and the imperfect refer to a past time, the choice of one over the other is governed by the nature of the remembrance of the action/state/event of the verb." Learn much more about this subject at this site!
      10. *1* Irregular Verbs and Conjugations -- From the site: "The chart below lists all the common irregular verbs in Spanish and most of the uncommon ones. Simply click on the name of the verb to find out either its conjugation or the conjugation of a verb that follows the same pattern."
      11. Spanish Grammar Exercises -- A fabulous collection of online activities to improve your Spanish grammar skills!
      12. *1* Webspañol -- A huge collection of online activities to improve your Spanish grammar and vocabulary skills.
      13. Quia! Spanish Vocabulary Games -- Lots of Java-enabled games to improve your Spanish vocabulary!
      14. Spanish Language Exercises -- From the site: "Welcome to the Spanish Language Exercises web page, hosted by Ursinus College. This site presents a series of language exercises for the purpose of facilitating the learning and teaching of Spanish in the Internet environment."
      15. Spanish Language Flashcards -- From the site: "These exercises provide drills for Spanish to English translation of vocabulary words, drills for verb conjugations, and other grammar drills." Exercises available include: verb conjugations, use of correct tenses, verb-preposition combinations, translation of prepositional phrases.
      16. Spanish Language Drills -- A series of flashcard games to improve your Spanish vocabulary skills!
      17. Spanish-English Translation Quizzes
      18. *1* English-Spanish Translation Quizzes -- 200 quizzes on translating between Spanish and English vocabulary words!

      Advanced Level Challenge:

      Based on links from any single or combination of sections of course work, develop a WEB QUEST you can use with your classes. My web page, *1* QUESTING the WEB: Web Quests as Essential Questions, gives further examples of this format.

      Since a Web Quest is a series of linked web pages, you may want to begin with HOW TO CREATE WEB PAGES. Also take note of the *1* Examples of Student-Produced Web Quests, and especially, *1* Think Quest projects for your subject area!

      *1* Project Based Learning: What Works -- Check out Foreign Language Projects on this page!

      ESSENTIAL QUESTION #5: HOW MIGHT I USE THE WEB AND OTHER RESOURCES TO FURTHER IMPROVE STUDENTS' COMMUNICATING IN SPANISH?

      From the following sites and other resources you find, look for projects and activities to help learners practice their skills.
      1. *1* Learning to Communicate in the Real World
      2. *1* Intercultural E-Mail Classroom Connections -- A great project resource for all levels
      3. Learn Spanish -- Check out these great exercises and lessons designed to improve your written and conversational Spanish skills! Over 50 great exercises and resources, ranging from personality adjectives, to Soccer terms, to how to use Spanish characters on word processing software! Spanish Vocabulary Help -- From the site: "The Vocabulary Builder will help you to increase your Spanish Vocabulary." Categories of vocabulary words include Foods, Transportation, Sports, Animals.
      4. *1* Online Spanish/English Dictionaries -- Instant translations to and from Spanish and English!
      5. The Spanish Sign Language Page -- The Spanish Sign Language alphabet!
      6. Spanish Reading Practice -- From the site: "Welcome to the reading practice page! I have provided an English translation after each Spanish sentence. You will probably learn more Spanish by not scrolling down to the translation until you have done your best to translate the Spanish yourself."
      7. Spanish Level Test -- A 90-question test that will help you to evaluate where you stand in terms of your Spanish knowledge!.
      8. Spanish-English Idioms -- A cool resource that helps students understand the meanings of Spanish idioms.

      ESSENTIAL QUESTION #6: HOW MIGHT I ASSESS LEARNERS IN SPANISH, in ways that ENCOURAGE THEM and TEACH THEM TO SELF-ASSESS?

      Note this Spanish course's use of *1* Rubrics and this set of *1* High School Foreign Language Rubrics. Rubrics are a key method for making assessment criteria clear to students, and to enable them to self evaluate in meaningful ways.

      *1* Types of Assessment will help you develop a balanced approach to assessment.
      *1* Work out your views on assessment in a brief paper, written as a Draft Proposal to your department. Include this in your notebook.

      Essential Question 7:

      Considering the following "EXTRA TOPICS" sites, how might you make your teaching more relevant and reach more students? Particularly, through a) working with parents and families, b)using alternative assessment to help students learn more, c) confronting the dilemma of depth vs. coverage. d) teaching the gifted and talented, the learning disabled, and English Language learners likely to be in your classes via "inclusion", e) coping with challenges of (beginning) teaching, including mastering the dynamics of questioning, and f) helping students with career planning and transition to life after high school.

      1. Working With Parents: What Parents Should Do, What Is the Teacher's Role
      2. Teacher Web.com -- A fast and easy way to create a great connection to students and parents. You can use many of the links you find in this course!
      3. **Rubrics! Great site to help you evaluate students most fairly and to help them learn to self-evaluate in all subjects!
      4. Depth vs. Coverage in Teaching and Preparing Students for Standardized Tests
      5. Teaching Gifted and Talented Students
      6. Teaching Strategies and Techniques -- Matched to types of diabilities students may have
      7. Free Translation.com -- A site that can be used to translate handouts, tests, and texts into Spanish and several other languages
      8. Teaching English Language Learners
      9. Guides for New (And Not So New) Teachers
      10. *1*TEACHERS ON TEACHING Discussions by classroom teachers on what they wish they'd known when they started.
      11. *1*My Hero: Teacher Heroes Inspiring!
      12. *1*Teacher Tools Page -- On-line tools for making quizzes, puzzles, rubrics, webquests, and more.
      13. Custom Classroom -- Free tools
      14. SchoolNotes.com FREE! Easily develop homework assignments and class information, posting it on the Web!

        *1***Consider, too, the importance of WAIT TIME. Most teachers ask questions at an extremely rapid rate, and average only one second of wait time after each question and after each student answer.

        When teachers increase wait time by 5 seconds, the following results occur:

        1) Longer student answers;
        2) More appropriate answers;
        3) More frequent student responses;
        4) More answers on the analysis and synthesis levels;
        5) More questions and responses from slow learners; and
        6) More confidence by students in their answers.

        An excellent site to inquire further into the dynamics of questioning and wait-time is *1*Changing the Questions.

      15. Careers.org -- Resources for Job Seekers and links to numerous career information sites.
      16. Exploring Careers
      17. Career Paths Online

        FINAL TASK

        *1* Go through your Project work. Make an annotated Table of Contents for each section, and **star the sites you want to be sure to make reference to in teaching Spanish.

        *1* Describe in a brief essay what you intend to do to use the Internet as an instructional/learning tool.

        *1* Finally, compose an imaginary letter to a friend who has written, asking you about teaching. Tell the friend about one class based on ideas from this online course—the kinds of students you have, the work they’ve done, how you’ve evaluated them, and what you want to try to add next year.

        Mail your completed Project work to:

        Chad C. Osborne
        923 West Mission St.
        Santa Barbara, CA 93101