|
Project News
New Resources from New Language Solutions
The following courses will be released this November. When they are available, announcements will be made in the Avenue teachers' forum, the Learnit2teach portal and in the project Twitter feed.
- English Pronunciation Training - Preview course
Teachers who attended the October 17 webinar, Introducing the English Pronunciation Course on Avenue, will be automatically enrolled in this course, which allows teachers to preview the contents. Others who want access to this course can fill out this form.
- English Pronunciation Course - Instructor Training course
Teachers will be required to complete this short training to facilitate the English Pronunciation Training course with their learners. Anyone with access to the English Pronunciation Training - Preview course will be simultaneously enrolled in this instructor training course.
- Avenue Basics for Supply Teachers course
This course will be used to prepare temporary teachers to facilitate other instructors' Avenue courses. It includes basic course editing training, such as showing and hiding course content, managing some activities and accessing learners' ePortfolios.
- Orientation to Moodle course
This course will be used to introduce Avenue.ca to stakeholders, TESL students and TESL professionals not eligible for the Avenue-LearnIT2teach training.
New PBLA-compatible Module Available
A new module for CLB 7-8, Understanding and Giving Presentations about Workplace Safety, was released on Avenue on October 21. It can be previewed in the PBLA Sample Modules course. Instructors should contact their mentor if they'd like this module added to their course.
Web News
Study: Canadians are more supportive of immigration than ever
The Environics Institute of Canada, in partnership with the Century Initiative, has released survey data on Canadian’s opinions on immigration. … The overall finding of the survey is that more Canadians than ever are in favour of increased immigration. Nearly 70% of Canadians were found to disagree or strongly disagree when asked if Canada’s immigration levels were too high. …
https://www.cicnews.com/2022/10/study-canadians-are-more-supportive-of-immigration-than-ever-1031664.html#gs.gopczw
We need to get online learning right before the next crisis hits
Classrooms this month feel more like the days before the COVID-19 pandemic. … The prevailing idea that online learning was a temporary and inadequate facade of the real thing to help us get through the COVID-19 pandemic jeopardizes this powerful approach to education. As a researcher who has been studying online learning for nearly two decades, and as an educator with more than 10 years of online teaching experience, I also find it alarming and short-sighted …
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-we-need-to-get-online-learning-right-before-the-next-crisis-hits/
Using AI to Translate Speech For a Primarily Oral Language
Meta AI built the first speech translator that works for languages that are primarily spoken rather than written. We're open sourcing this so people can use it for more languages. … The translation system is part of our Universal Speech Translator project, which is developing new AI methods that we hope will eventually allow real-time speech-to-speech translation across many languages. …
https://about.fb.com/news/2022/10/hokkien-ai-speech-translation/
Did you know Alexa is bilingual? Here's why it matters
When I added an Echo Dot to our home to see how it would compare with my HomePod Mini, I was pleasantly surprised right from setup by a feature Alexa had that Siri did not: a multilingual mode for both Spanish and English. This makes it possible for the Echo device to not only understand commands in both English and Spanish, but to also respond in each language accordingly … And it's not limited to Spanish -- Amazon has embraced bilingualism to include languages such as German, Japanese, Italian, French, Portuguese, and Hindi.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/did-you-know-alexa-is-bilingual-heres-why-it-matters/
Google demos two new text-to-video AI systems, focusing on quality and length
Last week, Facebook’s parent company Meta shared a new AI model that turns text prompts into short, soundless videos. But it turns out Google has been working on the same problem, and recently released two new AI text-to-video systems, one of which focuses on image quality while the other prioritizes the creation of longer clips. Let’s a take a look …
https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/6/23390607/ai-text-to-video-google-imagen-phenaki-new-research
Blogs
H5P Authoring Options
As the pandemic approached and lingered, teaching moved to fully online emergency remote teaching … Educators desperately searched for digital resources … In order to create customized learning objects, instructors were left to their own devices. …H5P, a contemporary, open-source online eLearning authoring tool was a realistic and timely option that allowed instructors to create active learning events.
http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolcallis/issues/2022-09-15/3.html
8 Small Wins Left Over From Remote Learning
As we slowly exit an era of great challenges and imperfect stopgaps, processing the silver lining solutions may help. … These tools have supported remote learning and family engagement from a distance, and they may be worthwhile to add to your permanent stockpile of EdTech tools. …
https://elearningindustry.com/small-wins-left-over-from-remote-learning
Can EdTech Replace Classroom Teaching?
… The world of education has been transformed by the onslaught of technology. eLearning is a form of online learning. It can be used to provide distance education, or it can be used to supplement classroom teaching. It's a great way to enhance the effectiveness of your classroom, but it also has its downfalls: …
https://elearningindustry.com/can-edtech-replace-classroom-teaching
Student Journaling as a Tool for Teaching English Language Learners
Journaling has become a staple in many classrooms, giving students additional writing practice to help them sharpen their skills. While writing can be daunting for any student, it can be distinctly challenging for English language learners (ELs/ELLs). When teaching English as a second language (ESL), journaling can be an effective tool for developing skills and building confidence…There are many benefits to making journaling a routine in your classroom: …
https://www.continentalpress.com/blog/take-a-look-at-student-journaling/
How and Why to Use Asynchronous Videos in Your Online Courses
While Zoom was the “it” word during the pivot to online learning throughout COVID-19, it is high time to consider alternatives to synchronous online classes that benefit student learning. After all, “Zoom fatigue” has real effects on cognitive processing (Waldbieser, 2021). While people will still be Zooming for some time, taking time to create, produce, and implement asynchronous videos or asynchronous video assignments for your online class can yield multiple benefits. … videos provide a sense of intimacy in the classroom which leads to increased instructor presence. …
https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-course-delivery-and-instruction/how-and-why-to-use-asynchronous-videos-in-your-online-courses/
Professional Development
New in LearnIT2teach Annotated Bibliography: Building ESL Learners’ Digital Literacy Skills Using Internet Memes
How can language teachers plan for remote teaching during a crisis such as that we have all experienced during Covid-19? This article offers an overview of the key components of planning for online teaching in normal circumstances and a useful roadmap for planning, design, and implementation when teachers must adapt quickly to changed circumstances.
http://bib.learnit2teach.ca/blog/building-esl-learners-digital-literacy-skills-using-internet-memes/
Online teaching triggers a different response in the body
Numerous studies have shown that people relate to online teaching in a different way than to in-person classes. Now researchers have explored whether the body also experiences a difference.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220817104031.htm
Jobs
LINC Instructor
…Burnaby School District is seeking LINC Instructors for face-to-face evening and daytime classes. The LINC instructor is responsible for preparing and teaching settlement-related English as a Second Language to newcomers and refugees . …
https://www.bcteal.org/current_news/linc-instructor-2/
Online English Tutor: What Is It? And How To Become One?
…We live in a world where you don't have to leave your house to educate yourself. … Online teaching has become a popular avenue for teachers to make money while enjoying the freedom to work from home. … If you want to become an online English tutor, it's not mandatory to have a certification. But having a certificate will put you ahead of the competition …
https://elearningindustry.com/online-english-tutor-what-is-it-and-how-to-become-one
e-Resource Corner
English Media Lab
Exercises for All English Learners- Online Grammar Exercises, Vocabulary Videos, Pronunciation Exercises, Interactive Quizzes for Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced Level English Learners ...
https://www.englishmedialab.com/
The Compleat Lexical Tutor
This Canadian website offers a free concordancer, vocabulary profiler, exercise maker, interactive exercises, and much more.
https://lextutor.ca
------------------
New Language Solutions is based in Ottawa, Ontario. We acknowledge that our head office is on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People. Beyond Ottawa, we have staff working in locations across Canada. New Language Solutions is grateful to have the opportunity to work as a guest in communities and territories across the country, and we honour the stewardship of the many Indigenous peoples who have resided on and cared for these lands since time immemorial.
We make our acknowledgement as a sign of respect for all Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, past and present. We accept the true impact of the past and the pain suffered by generations of Indigenous Peoples. As an agency that works to support the integration of newcomers into Canadian society and cultures, we express our commitment to support activities that are inclusive of Indigenous Peoples. We resolve to address a history of injustice to First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples.
|
