Why is it increasingly important for today’s students to be able to differentiate fact from opinion and exam data for underlying meaning and bias? This is a pre-COVID question. The example of “myth-information” presented by Crockett et al. stressed the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide (2011). In 2022, this example feels quaint and charmingly harmless. WeContinue reading “Chapter 5: Facts and Opinions”
Author Archives: Pat W
Chapter 4: Applying the 6 Ds
What challenge or problem could you apply the 6 Ds to in your life right now? I want to apply the 6 Ds to the problem of helping my students score well on their Cambridge AS General Paper exam, specifically the argumentative essay section. Standardized tests may not be the most effective assessments of 21st-centuryContinue reading “Chapter 4: Applying the 6 Ds”
Three Audio-Only Let’s Plays
I love audio-only Let’s Plays. There’s something comforting about hearing people play games I know. It can also be hilarious and infuriating when the players are bad. I have no desire to watch Let’s Play videos, but because I haven’t been able to find a decent list of audio-only versions I am making my own.Continue reading “Three Audio-Only Let’s Plays”
Chapter 3: Additional Skills for the 21st Century
What additional skills can you think of, above and beyond those mentioned in this chapter, students will need to succeed in the 21st century? The most important skill students will need is flexibility and the ability to retrain. The world has changed a lot since Literacy is Not Enough was published in 2011. The numberContinue reading “Chapter 3: Additional Skills for the 21st Century”
The Role of Technology in Language Class
ChatGPT has been in the news. School districts around the world are scrambling to handle a massive shift in education. Students can now use ChatGPT and similar software to instantly produce believable and competently written essays. ChatGPT is not the focus of this post, however. Instead, I want to hone in on simpler translation appsContinue reading “The Role of Technology in Language Class”
What’s Your Teaching Style?
While learning styles may not be as important as many people believe, at least they’re out there. Much less known (at least I hadn’t heard of them until recently) are teaching styles. As educators, we often focus so much on our students we forget to self-reflect. “Know thyself” has been the first step towards bettermentContinue reading “What’s Your Teaching Style?”
Chapter 2: Digital literacy compared to fluency
What is the primary difference between literacy and fluency and why is it important to consider in regard to our children’s educational structuring? Literacy is knowing how to do something while fluency is being able to do that something automatically. I first encountered this idea in Stephen Krashen’s Principles and Practice in Second Language AcquisitionContinue reading “Chapter 2: Digital literacy compared to fluency”
Establishing Classroom Routines
Classroom routines are effective tools for classroom management. Routines comfort students by providing a stable environment where everyone knows the procedure. Routines also help teachers reduce discipline problems. Finally, routines have positive effects on student achievement. Repeated routines help students spend less time thinking about procedures so they can focus on the lesson’s content. RoutinesContinue reading “Establishing Classroom Routines”
Wine and Cheese Punk Rock
“Profane and prophetic verses about sex, death, revolution and America by the great icon of Beat poetry.” This is the attract blurb on the back of Penguin Modern 02 – Television Was a Baby Crawling Toward that Deathchamber. I had never heard of Allen Ginsberg before finding the book. I had no idea what toContinue reading “Wine and Cheese Punk Rock”
Chapter 1: Demonstrating Preparedness
What must our children do to measurably demonstrate their preparation and readiness to leave school and go into the world to work, live and play? Before students do anything, society and educators need to clarify what skills are necessary to succeed in the real world. I have defined the skills that I think are theContinue reading “Chapter 1: Demonstrating Preparedness”
The Keasy Depot 