Cross-Cultural Understanding Through ePals

If I were teaching English abroad in China, I would use global communication tools, like ePals, to connect my students with Chinese language learners of the same age in English-speaking countries. I like how ePals provides students from different cultures and parts of the word with opportunities to engage in authentic cross-cultural communication and collaborate on discovery-based learning projects. Global communication tools not only facilitate the language development of all of the parties involved, but they also cultivate a sense of cultural awareness and tolerance that, in turn, promotes both academic and personal growth. I like how global communication tools allow students from different cultural backgrounds to relate to one another, as well as develop a sense of empathy for one another during the language-learning process. In a world where globalization and technology are bringing different cultures closer together, it is fundamental that younger generations learn to appreciate the unique cultural differences that make the world such a dynamic place in which to live.

"Show Me The Photos!"

I used Stupeflix to create a photo show about my trip to Egypt. As a future ESL teacher, I would use phto show tools such as Stupeflix to introduce particular content area topics to my students at the beginning of a new unit. Using a photo show for such a purpose is similar to doing a picture walk with students to familiarize them with what they will be learning in a particular lesson, day, or week. Photo shows allow teachers to provide their students with the comprehensible input necessary to develop complex concepts through language. Students can also use photo shows as a medium for creating presentations on particular topics as well. For example, students can use photo shows to create a presentation about an experiment that they conducted in Science class. On each slide, students can add a picture and corresponding text detailing each stage of their experiment according to the Scientific Method. These are just a few ways in which photo shows can be used in the classroom.

It's All Greek To Me!

Photo by: infrogmation
As a future ESL teacher, I would use my story, "It's All Greek to Me," as an example of a time when I had to adjust to living in a new place and culture. My students will most likely be from other places and cultures, and may have gone through similar experiences when they moved to the United States. It would be an opportunity for me, as a teacher, to relate to my students and have them, in turn, relate to me. I would also have them create digital stories of their own, describing the differences between their native country and the United States. I would have my students present their stories to the class. By presenting their experiences of adjusting to a new culture, as well as listening to the experiences of their peers, students will feel a sense of solidarity when confronted with the challenges of learning a new language and living in a new place. My objectives for this lesson would be:
1. Students will use bookr to write digital narratives
2. Students will orally present their digital narratives to the class
3. Students will listen to the presentations of their peers
4. Students will take part in a class discussion on culture shock

Flickr

Photo by: Rosana Prada

The site,  “The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling,” defines digital storytelling as, “the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories.” Through digital storytelling, teachers and students can add images, audio, and video to create a story about virtually everything. L2 Teachers can use digital storytelling to provide their students with the comprehensible input necessary for their students to understand particular concepts in any of the content areas. For example, ESL teachers can create a digital story as part of a social studies content lesson on the Civil War. By adding photographs of the Battle of Gettysburg and audio recordings of former slaves describing their lives, ESL teachers can use digital stories to bring the Civil War to life for their students. Due to the limitless number of possibilities that digital story telling brings to the L2 classroom, it is important that L2 instructors provide their students with specific criteria and explicit instructions regarding the creation of their stories.