TESOL’s Electronic Village Online An Introduction John Allan

Free, online TESL courses at the Electronic Village Brief: TESOL International operates a number of online courses, certifications and discussions throughout the year. Each January and February, TESOL's Electronic Village Online offer a variety of five week online courses. These range from teaching ESL with drama to teaching ESL in a virtual world. This session introduces TESL Ontario members to the EVO. It also provides guidance on how to participate and tips on how to succeed. It is also a great way to meet ESL teachers from across the globe!

overview What is the EVO? How to participate 2011courses Tips for success courses

EVO Electronic Village Online a preview to the TESOL Convention since 2000 a set of online discussions and workshops mid-January to mid-February range from discussions to virtual hands-on workshops discussion of issues in the field of teaching language, or experiments with and pedagogy of new technology tools, techniques and approaches

Benefits? legacy online sessions / resources pre-discuss papers for Academic Sessions carry on a discussion of topics important to your member group provides an invaluable service to teachers all over the globe, convention to those who cannot travel over a thousand participants each year

Can I join? The sessions are free and open to all interested parties. You do not need to be a TESOL member to participate.

Who Sessions are organized by TESOL's CALL Interest Section and run by volunteers who have donated their time to the profession. CALL Interest Section

Time Frame Call for Moderators - July-August Deadline for proposals - September Call for Participants - December EVO Sessions - January-February TESOL Convention – March

EVO courses require coordinator course advisers moderator (co-moderators are preferred) sponsor: TESOL Interest Section, Forum, E-Group, Affiliate, or other TESOL entity participants

Mentor Training moderators spend 5 weeks in October-November learning how to run a course maintain a healthy and productive discussion or workshop create an explanatory course syllabus foster an online learning community using Web 2.0 tools training in how to be effective online moderators successful completion of the training is of great personal benefit to the moderators and can lead to other opportunities in online teaching

Example Courses Teaching ESL with Drama Conflict Resolution ePortfolios Library for ESL students Digital Story Telling Internet for Young Learners Personal Learning Networks Creating Vocabulary activities Podcasts for ESL Classrooms Images for Education Becoming a WebHead Online Games for ESL

Becoming a Webhead Webheads in Action is a long-standing community of practice of language teachers worldwide explore Web communication tools share the best ways of using them in our teaching practices engage with students in virtual classes collaborate in projects participate in conferences as audience & presenters

Re-playing Process Drama A PART II (continued from previous year) approach process drama from a practical perspective of activities and conventions discuss utilization of these in different contexts techniques & strategies forming a process drama Participants contribute examples of application

Digital Material Preparation Enhance materials production skills for TESOL professionals in the areas of: text document production image editing the Internet as a toolkit screen capturing converting media audio production

Digital Storytelling Can adding stories to activities raise student interest? help learners develop 21st century multiliteracy skills through stories introduced to various online tools explore images, music, slideshows and web tools used in educational settings for storytelling. participants will have the chance to develop a digital storytelling plan

PLEs and PLNs for Lifelong Learning Competencies Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) enable learners to have greater control over their own learning experience This session will take a look at the current situation by clarifying the concepts of personal learning environments and networks (PLNs) Participants will learn by doing, creating their own Personal Learning Environment and adding tools relevant to their individual needs

Creating Vocabulary Activities introduce instructors to simple tools and techniques to produce professional, functional and recyclable resources for teaching vocabulary participants will be given the opportunity to share their experience with these tools.

Multiliteracies for social networking and collaborative learning environments Multiliterate individuals are aware of this course seeks to heighten awareness of the pitfalls inherent in technology for multiliterate individuals It hopes to enable participants to explore ways of dealing with them in professional and interpersonal development as well as work with students.

Village - Second Life virtual worlds like Second as a tool for synchronous oral communication opportunities for interactive, immersive language learning through “new kinds of social encounters, new kinds of communities, and new kinds of learning environments’’ develop basic SL skills which are appropriate for and relevant to teaching and learning foreign languages through language learning scenarios in SL.

Mentoring TESOL mentoring skills such as coaching, counseling, consulting, and peer dialoguing for ESL teachers through discussion, case studies, and role play we will share our ideas and hone our skills guest experts will guide discussion as we identify and share our own mentoring strengths and possibilities creating an ongoing TESOL mentor-support community, encouraging others to join us in this important aspect of all teachers' lives.

Podcasting for the ESF/EFL Classroom providing basic proficiency inproduction and publishing of digital media files (podcasts) implementation in the language classroom to enhance communication in speaking and listening skills

Reflection and Practice on the Integration of Virtual and Physical Classrooms foster a reflection process on the integration of virtual and physical classrooms through the use of different technological tools and strategies that will give participants some ideas on how to deal with such integration

Technologies Yahoo Groups TappedIn chat (community) Moodle Second Life Adobe Connect Elluminate

Tips for success Budget time Only take one course Sign up on the first day Complete any activities assigned each week Lurk the first year Do not be shy about quitting - (Come back next year for another go!)

Tips for success Printing tasks sometimes helps Get involved in the discussion Be ready to get referenced resources (web addresses) Learn how to access the discussion transcripts Do not get emotional during discussions (misunderstandings)

2012 Offerings

Questions?