UT English Programs

1. Seminars on Language Development and Intercultural Teaching March 2, 2007 UT English Programs Developing Pedagogic tools Presented by Jennifer Uhler University of Tartu • Tartu, Estonia

2. Overview • Icebreaker • Types of Pedagogic Tools • Handouts • PowerPoint Presentations • Technology • A closer look at your materials • Creating effective handout

3. Icebreaker: Teaching gifts • Able to explain so many students understand, • Able to encourage weak students to try again, • Able to find instructional materials that many students appreciate, • Able to help colleagues use technology, etc.

4. Think, discuss, report (Preferably, but not necessarily, involving the use of pedagogic tools or technology) • Think about at least one way in which you are a good teacher in the classroom. • Think about at least one way in which you are a good teacher outside the classroom. • Think of one way someone else is a good teacher – and you are in the classroom. • Think of one way someone else is a good teacher outside the classroom: guiding, interacting, assigning, … Adapted from http://tltgroup.org

5. Brainstorm • What are some pedagogic tools you use as an instructor, have used as a student or are generally aware of?

6. “Old School” “New School” Pedagogic Tools

7. Some points to consider… • People tend to forget 90% of everything that it said to them in 24 hours. • The mind process information at different speeds: Speakers speak at 120 -180 wpm Readers read at 250 -1,000 wpm People think at 1,200 – 18,000 wpm

9. Handouts • give information • provide an opportunity for activity

10. Full lecture notes Handouts summarizing key points, learning outcomes, or key points of a lecture Partial lecture notes Handouts provide additional material Some PROS and CONS Handouts as Information

11. Handouts as activity Not neutral elements in classroom! • Comprehensive vs. skeletal handout • Orientation and expectations • Note-taking, attention, confidence • Concentration • As tools that allow you freedom • Disruptive or intrusive distribution

12. Types of handouts for activity GAPPED HANDOUTS • Spaces for definitions/formulas • Incomplete definitions/formulas

13. Spaces for lists with headings Spaces for graphs, diagrams, maps, flow charts, etc. Incomplete or unlabelled processes or sequences Why use handouts? Pros Cons Handouts for Activity

15. Learning/Teaching cycle Fill in the spaces with the following terms. Draw more arrows if necessary: Evaluating Activating knowledge Providing input Experimenting Asking questions

16. Interactive Handouts • Job aids • Worksheets • Checklists • Pathfinders/guides • Decision trees • Flow charts • Diagram and tables • Action plans

17. Design considerations • Sufficient white space, margins, and gaps • Structured by headings and sub-headings • Relevant graphics • Number of pages • Font size and type • Paper • Your contact information

18. Other considerations • Error-free • Consistent • Citation of primary sources • Electronic copies • Distribution and class management

19. Observe and note 1. Effective PP qualities 2. Ineffective or distracting PP qualities PowerPoint

20. Mock PowerPoint Presentation: UNRWA Prepared by John Q. Public EAPP 430 28 September 2004

21. Introduction • EDUCATION: The Palestine refugee community has traditionally placed great emphasis on education as the key to a better future. Despite often difficult circumstances, Palestinians are one of the most highly educated groups in the Middle East. This achievement has been made possible in large part by the contribution of UNRWA in educating three generations of refugees.

22. UNRWA • UNRWA operates one of the largest school systems in the Middle East and has been the main provider of basic education to Palestine refugees for nearly five decades. The Agency provides primary and junior secondary schooling free of charge for all Palestine refugee children in the area of operations. Vocational and technical training courses are given in the eight UNRWA vocational training centres. The Agency also runs an extensive teacher-training programme, and offers university scholarships to qualified refugee youth.

23. UNRWA's ACHIEVEMENTS • Access to free elementary and preparatory education for all Palestine refugee children; • A school system with low repetition rates, low drop-out rates and high levels of academic achievement; • Full gender equity since the 1960s, with 50.2 per cent of pupils being females in 2001/2002;

24. UNRWA graduates Total: 77,000 graduates

25. Schooling disrupted During the intifadah (uprising) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (1987-1993), children lost up to 45 days of schooling in a year because of curfews, strikes or confrontations with the Israeli authorities. In Lebanon, children lost months and some even more than a year of schooling because of the prolonged civil conflict and the 1982 Israeli invasion, which saw the destruction of a number of UNRWA schools. The Agency responded by prolonging the school year when allowed to do so by the authorities or by providing extra classes to compensate for lost instruction time. However, such lengthy disruptions have had a negative influence on the quality of education.

26. Schooling disrupted

27. HOW UNRWA IS FUNDED?

28. UNRWA HEADQUARTERS & LIAISON OFFICES • UNRWA Liaison Office, New YorkChief, Liaison Office - Maher Nasser One United Nations Plaza, Room DC1-1265, New York, NY 10017, USA Telephone: (+ 1 212) 963 2255, (00 1 212) 963 1234 Facsimile: (+ 1 212) 935 7899 • http://www.un.org/unrwa/index.html

29. 6 Tips for PowerPoint NUMBER ONE: Don’t give PowerPoint center stage Your visual aids ARE NOT the focus

30. 6 Tips for PowerPoint NUMBER TWO: Create a logical flow Not a collection of bulleted lists

31. Use at least 30 point font Avoid paragraphs or long blocks of text Avoid detailed reports Use appropriate fonts Avoid “title capitalization” NUMBER THREEMake your presentation readable

32. 6 Tips for PowerPoint NUMBER FOUR: Remember less is more • KISS: Keep it simple, stupid! • Avoid too many fancy transitions • Avoid sound effects • Cut down on the number of slides

33. 6 Tips for PowerPoint NUMBER FIVE: Distribute a handout Good for note-taking & Back-up plan for tech failures

34. 6 Tips for PowerPoint NUMBER SIX: Practice! your presentation and using your slides

36. Technology • What kinds of technology do you use inside of your classroom? • What kinds of technology do you use outside your classroom?

37. Technological tools

38. Technology: Discussion What experiences do you have with the following in educational settings? • Email and the internet • Audio podcasts • Discussion boards • Educational platforms (i.e. Moodle) • Wikis • Google documents and groups

39. Over to you… • A closer look at your materials

40. Creating an effective handout • If you were to receive a handout for this seminar, what might you like, as a learner, to include? • Take a minute to sketch an outline of a handout about pedagogic tools… take into consideration our discussions and the tips you were given above. • Give a copy to Jennifer to distribute via email.