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MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING
Mobile technology is inescapable in the present day and a necessity in day-to-day life. Therefore, mobiles are owned by everyone and are very popular with children and teenagers in terms of online platforms and e-tools they use mainly for entertainment. Here is some advice on how to utilize them for educational purposes i.e. in the classroom.
YouTube
Juniors are in favor of gaming, YouTube videos and also children’s ear-worm songs. Therefore, give them an opportunity to have a blast learning English in correlation with other subjects throughout these platforms. Thus, they may Google quizzes and have fun guessing hidden words or individuals related to history, science or literature; or you can teach them math making use of games and puzzles using these apps: https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com and https://www.abcya.com.
As for catchy songs, children rejoice in animated shorts by great presenter, actor and animator Steve, accompanied by Maggie, both teaching English and entertaining young students with collaborative efforts. Visit the site and YouTube channel: Stories for Kids by Wow English TV – Steve and Maggie, and play amusing videos that cover all topics children are taught in lower school /grades.
Platforms such as Twitter and Instagram can be useful for senior students to collect more information about diverse topics and discuss them in class. Twitter is not an easy feat compared to Instagram since it puts harder topics on display: harassment, politics, riots wars, pandemics, etc. Obviously, the mentioned topics are thought-provoking and require a wide scope of vocabulary to comment on them and more maturity to reflect on them.
So, students, individually may Google the content and talk about a particular theme. They may also debate each theme and possibly make a heated atmosphere, which is more vibrant than individual speeches. In this way, teachers stimulate students to enhance their speaking and communication skills and simultaneously develop their social skills. Furthermore, they may learn a lot from one another as debates and discussions could be very informative and feed them with new updates.
Instagram is an engaging app used for gags or binge-watching by students who can also benefit from this in respect of vocabulary extension and practicing their English in class. On a lighter note, Instagram is applicable to both secondary school students and primary school students aged 12-14 because it presents topics such as: food, sport, celebrities, showbiz, places to go, fashion, etc. So, let your students Google their most favorite topics and talk or write about them. This is a great chance notably for primary school students to break the ice and exercise their presentation skills, as well by giving a speech about a certain section or writing an article about it for a joint project or magazine.
Besides, this is highly recommended for secondary school students, since they should be hard at work on writing, which proves draining and demanding for digital generations. Since writing is regarded as the hardest language skill for all students, this is to inspire and urge them to put their thoughts onto paper with no difficulty.
TedEd Talks
TedEd Talks is a range of educational shorts on different areas of life and is worthwhile for both teachers and students. This is not only for English teachers, but also for other subject teachers concerning it tackles various interesting topics based on science. For instance, Sleep Deprivation, A Science of Skin Color, The Life Cycle of Plastic Bottles, How playing an instrument benefits your brain, etc. are some of the eye-catching captions.
In order to introduce yourself to the specifics, visit https://www.ted.com/watch/ted-ed, keep yourselves up-to-date and make your lessons more illustrative and vivid and eventually, your students will appreciate it. Moreover, students may search for the most gripping titles, play these videos and spring onto a spontaneous discussion.
Overall, a plethora of e-tools, websites and platforms are available on the mobiles and do a great job if people use them properly. In this case, ‘people’ are students and teachers using them in the classroom, and the final outcome is a blend of education and entertainment. Finally, new technologies put a new twist on teaching and help students find new ways of learning.
Tamara Petrovic, MA English teacher and IB/Cambridge specialist
I studied English language and literature and did my Master’s thesis in A New Methodology of Teaching English to ESL Students. Shortly afterwards, I continued my professional development in the UK. I have completed a great deal of teacher trainings and run courses across England. I have participated in educational programmes such as: Advanced Methodology for Teachers, Teaching Unplugged, The Authentic British Language with History and Culture, IELTS courses, etc. I also attained ESL and IGCSE/IB licences, which makes me a certified Cambridge and IB specialist.
Moreover, as an international educator I have taken the role of speaker in many international conferences in order to showcase my inventiveness and upgrade the existing techniques in education. Hence, I have given my contribution to the educational world with great success for over a decade. Generally, I implement the new methods of teaching I constantly learn and research. As I am always determined to expand my horizons, I deal with various age-groups and bring a new twist to teaching. I also have a different approach to students due to my complete awareness of their diversity, which is another challenge to tackle. What helps me sail in teaching is my excellent interaction with both juniors and seniors alongside the utmost professionalism and enthusiasm at work.
In a nutshell, my major idea of teaching is teaching from the life, teaching English in correlation with other subjects and aspects of life. In the essence, my students come to knowledge by leaps and bounds since I apply inquiry-based and student-centred activities to enhance their academic and social skills. I also use state-of the-art digital tools as well as classical materials since the concoction of the two proves effective and valuable. Finally, what makes me fit for any educational institution is that I am infatuated with teaching and I find my vocation a great chance to handle either international or ESL curriculum and pursue innovations in the system of education.
