WEEK 3, AN INSPIRING ONE!!!

The most interesting thing I learned this week comes from task in which I had to read and discuss a past sample model project. I think all model projects are very good and present really innovative ways to use technology in teaching. However, my favorite is the “Project Report for Graduate Students at the Jesuit University of Philosophy and Education "Ignatianum" in Cracow, Poland. written by Joanna Zubel.


The project aimed at proving new technological tools to solve the problem related to the lack of opportunities students had to practice the target language outside the classroom and to reduce the student’s use of L1, Polish, instead of English.

To achieve this goal the author implemented the use of Blackboard virtual learning environment, which is an application that makes use of Internet technology to provide a platform for teaching via the web. With the implementation of Blackboard, her students had more chances to develop their communicative skills by being exposed to English outside the classroom.

I liked her project very much because it reflects the teacher’s hard effort to overcome all the problems related to the lack of technological tools in order to help her students learn English. She really inspired me to make changes in my classes.

This week I also read the article "Developing Listening Skills with Authentic Materials" by Lindsay Miller which talks about the importance of the listening skills in a foreign or second language acquisition. It also presents the methodology that has to be used to teach this skill, which has three stages: pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening.

Finally, this week I also created my own page on Delicious.com. I’ve only saved 3 bookmarks related to listening and reading so far, but the list will increase during this course.