SCRIPT ALERT!! AUTOCRAT!

Hey guys, I just finished making my first successful mail merge with autoCrat. autoCrat is another script or add on by Andrew Stillman that lets you merge results from a spreadsheet of a Form survey with a document template to mass produce individual returns or feedback from the submitted Form. Sound confusing? It's really not so once you have ran a couple of them yourself.

For example, this week I did a flipped class assignment and had my students give a YouTube Video Review on the assigned topic of Perfect Tenses of English. After filling out the form, I wanted to send my students an e mail confirmation resulting in a mail merge product. 

In their class blog, I pasted a link to a Google Form for reviewing a video (see below). Once the students completed the Form, I went to the response spreadsheet of that same Form and inserted Autocrat from the scripts gallery option.  Previously, I had created a shared document in Google Docs (see below) featuring carrots <<>> of where I wanted the information from the response spreadsheet to appear in their future mail merged confirmation. I also had to create folder for the final destniation storage of the final mail merged documents. After I ran Autocrat,  I checked my destination folder in Google Drive and found a mail merged copy of responses and the document I created for each Form submission by the student. Perfect!! Next, I emailed each student a copy their own individualized  email merged confirmation document.

I honestly feel that this script is probably more effective for administraation purposes versus classroom. I also understand that certain features that were available in the old Google spreadsheets, like automatically triggering return responses, are not available in the new Google spreadsheets so you will have to use an old sheets version if you want to have Google email the final mail merged documents to students without you having to do so.  To find out how to create your own mail merged document using autoCrat, check out this link to a video by Jesse Thorstad! http://youtu.be/xeRhzz4RuCA

Best,
#mrford#techsavvyteacher

My YouTube Video Review Form made in Google Forms

Shared document I created in Google Docs for mail merge

Final mail merged product via Autocrat

Top 10 uses for the smartphone in the ESL Classroom for an ESL Instructor

Top 10 uses for the smartphone in the ESL Classroom for an ESL Instructor

1. Dictionary/Thesaurus- This is so obvious, but necessary for anyone working with international students. Apps like Dictionary.com and Oxford Dictionary of English are among the most commonly used.
2. Attendance- Apps like Foursquare an even FB are awesome for check in.  My favorite app however is Eval Safety Attendance which creates a specific QR Code for each student as you scan their phone to take attendance.
3. Quizzes- Using Google Forms is a great way to deliver quizzes to your students on their devices. Use a script/extension like Flubaroo to grade them and email scores to students.
4. Platforms for sharing-Whatsapp, Viber, Line, and even FB Messenger. These platforms are a great way to share pages, videos, photos, documents, etc.
5. Video conferences-Google Hangouts can be installed on both Android and Apple devices and is the best video conference sharing app on the market. Have up to 10 people in one conference.
6. Paper scanner- This is great not only for scanning pages of school books with very limited supply, but I can't tell you how many times students have asked to use the facility scanning machines to send something to their embassy.
7. ESL Podcasts-Podcasts are a great way to help lower level learners increase their vocabulary and listening comprehension skills.
8. Gradebooks- Engrade is a great way to enter grades while you are on the go and not in front of a laptop or desktop. Other apps like QuickGrader are just as good.
9. Scorative- Socrative is a killer app that makes your classroom more interactive for learning.  Assign  your quizzes as a team race game and watch how students get excited as their team scores and their rockets move forward in a 'Space Race".
10. Note Card Maker- There are several versions of note card makers available on the Android and Apple market. Have your students make note cards of their vocabulary words to help them study for their tests. Just remember to have them put away their phones during a test to ensure no cheating.

Best,

#mrford#techsavvyteacher

APP ALERT!! NOTE TO GDOCS

     Confession; if you have read a lot of my posts here or on FB, you can tell that I'm not really that great of a typer based upon my spelling. I mean, in H.S. I totally sucked in typing class and to be honest, I still look at the keyboard when I type and still make simple mistakes in spelling. Transferring those skills to a smartphone keyboard is even worse for me.  It blurts my mind to see how some people can use a swipe keyboard or how kids today can text a paragraph on their smartphones with one hand. It makes me yearn for the good old days, when pen met paper, and excellent penmanship was more valuable than typing wpm.

      So with the S Pen for Samsung's Galaxy Note2, writing has returned.  Using it in The Google Search option is perfect for me and anyone else who can scribble twice as fast as they can type for very short messages, searches, or notes.  It also does a great job distinguishing my plain hand and cursive penmanship. The option on Google is very responsive and I usually don't have to write more than three to four letters on the search pad before my correct search request pops up in the search window. 

     But what about jotting down quick notes and storing them? Samsung provides a great note option installed on the Galaxy Note2, and it's very UI friendly! Easy to access as soon as you pull the pen from its port behind the phone, but it's a Samsung note, not really effective for me if I want to use it later on in Google Drive where I can share it with others or print my notes from a cloud.  So for a while, I felt I was stuck in a one sided dilemma until recent app developer, SmokyBob, fixed that for me! (Yes, SmokyBob is his real name.)

     Note to GDocs is fast, simple, and does exactly what it was created for; click, write, and close. I use it for what it is really. I share and print quick notes, lists, or even ideas with my students via Google.  Now remember folks, it is a note app, so don't expect to write a book with this thing or create fancy artwork. Like I said, it does what it is created for, and that's taking down quick notes, lists, or ideas that you can share on the fly with anyone you wish. 
    
     My only hang up with this app is that you can't name your note. It is just based off the date and time.  So if you write a bunch of notes in one day, you have to list through them to find the one you are searching for. 
    
     Download the app today in Google Playstore and see if it works for you!

Best,
#mr.ford

APP ALERT!!! Cloud Print My Gmail

     Want to print from your students' assignments from your Smart phone? Check out Cloud Print My Gmail from Google Play and see how easy it is to print messages and attachments in your Gmail account from your Samsung S3 or Note2. Though there are already a few Cloud Ready to Print printers available, you don't necessarily have to own one to print from your phone. Check the video below and try it yourself! 

Best,
#mr.ford

A Black Single Mom Abroad by Rakysha Raysor

 

 

As a single mom, I get so many surprised looks when I tell people that I taught English in Spain last year and I actually brought my  two children along with me. As soon as they hear about my experience I always get the same two questions:

 

First, why would I leave a pretty stable life to do something like this? It was the right time in my life, my kids were at a great age(11 and 9) and I had a career that I could come back to, so I decided to go for it.  However, I think the most important deciding factor was that we all really wanted it. I have always wanted to live abroad and my kids were up for the adventure.

 

Secondly, how did I do it?. To start, I simply Googled “single mom teaching English abroad” and went from there. I had to weed  through a lot dead-ends and roadblocks but I just kept going. I finally found a program through the Ministry of Education in Spain that didn't restrict bringing children along. However,  they didn't provide any additional assistance for bringing children and I had to do all the visa paperwork,  register my kids in school  and find housing myself, so it was a lot of work. Also, I had to have all of my custody papers and agreements in order, that is a dealbreaker, you can't get a visa without it.

 

Despite all the challenges, I can say without a doubt, it was worth it. I loved teaching and working with the kids there. It was an amazing life changing experience.  We traveled all over Europe and got to see life from a different point of view. My kids got to see firsthand that different doesn't equal wrong, for that alone, I would do it again in minute.

 

To any parents who are interested in teaching abroad, having kids does not mean the end of your dream; if anything bringing them a long will only enhance it. Don't be discouraged by the logistics. If it's something you're passionate about, go for it!

 

 

 

TEFL Scams

    

     If you've been in the TEFL game long enough, chances are you've either been scammed or ran across a scam at least once in your career. Truth is, scams for TEFL are just as common as with anyother online industry. 

    So how do you know if your dream job is a scam or not? Well, first of all, if it sounds to good to be true it probably is.  I once had a job offer in England to privately teach an engineer and his family in exchange for free housing, a NICE salary, and a car of my own to drive.  I was so hungry for work, I didn't think things through clearly and almost lost $1,200 in a scam had it not been for my loving cousin who checked the resources of my offer.  Remember, if it sounds to good to be true than it most definatley is.

    Second, if a possible employee asks for any kinds of money up front beware!  Many scamsters will ask for money during your interview process. For me, after sending copies of my passport, visa, and a contract reimbursement document, my interviewer asked for $1,200 that would be given back to me upon arrival to prove to the governemnt that I would not be a 'burden' on it's society if I became jobless.  Remember, you are going there to make money, NOT give it away.


     Thirdly, never trust an employer who only contacts you solely via email.  Some scammers are very shy when confornting their scammees that they refuse to speak via phone.   If you can't even hear a voice, why would you trust them with your financial well being?

    Do your homework on the company and check their website, or Google them.  A great source of  reliable information for legit TEFL companies is available at Daves ESL Cafe. Also, Craigslist is a good source for international jobs, but beware that there are several scam artists lurking in it's corners as well.  Jobs usually posted on Craigslist are for teachers already in that country who already have a working class visa.  Jobs on Craigslist usually don't do visa sponsprships of any kind. I hope this helps.

Best,
#mr.ford

APP ALERT!! Verbal Reasoning Questions

    

 

 

     It seems like everytime I share a newly discovered app with one particular student of mine, she grows tired of it within a week because she either finds the content too easy or she just gets bored of it all together.  With this in mind, I decided to search Google Play for any kind of reasoning apps and came across a few good ones, but one in particular stood out; Verbal Reasoning Questions. VRQ seeks to improve problem solving skills by focusing on logical reasoning questions, because learning ESL is more than just vocabulary flashcards and grammar apps.  Verbal Reasoning Questions puts into test what a student has already or should have already learned in grammar before entering more intermediate levels of ESL.  This app is appropriate for ESL learner levels 4 and up based on its content.

 

     With 15 catergories of Englsih grammar to cover, this app has it all, including; Spotting Errors, Completing Statements, Idioms and Phrases, Spelling, Sentence Correction, Change of Voice (Active to Passive), and Antonyms. I mean, I like this app so much I actually rated it in Google Play!

 

     The only real downsides to this app other than the annoying adds are, one; you do not have the option  to actually choose the correct answer on your phone or tablet. You have to just guess it aloud or write it down.  This kind of takes a little fun out the app.  And two;  if played on your smartphone, you have to scroll up the entire side of your phone to view all the questions because of the large font. So, this is definately better on your tablet.

 

  I personally like the Ordering of Words catergory the best because too often my students ask me a question in the form of a declarative. This helps them see what I am talking about when I correct them in class.  Downlaod and share!

 

Best,

#mr.ford

 



Do you have to speak another language to teach EFL?

      One of the first questions people ask me when I tell them I used to teach EFL is, "So like, do you have to speak any other languages to teach that?" To be honest, I asked myself  the same question when I left for Shanghai, China on New Year's Day back in 2009.  It's a valid question. The awnser is no. I don't speak any other language than English.  To be totally honest, if you do decide to teach abroad, your employers prefer you not to speak the native language in the classroom. Not only that, but the entire interview is in English. Often times youwill  speak better English than your employer.   Along with that, most of your fellow Americans,  international peers and  native coworkers will have a GREAT handle on speaking English.To be blunt, the fact that you American will put you in a higher pay and social bracket of the natives you will teach.  But rest assure that being able to speak another langauge is a BIG plus for you in explaing things to your students to make certain they understand what is being spoken to them. The only handi cap is that the teacher may sometimes rely almost completely on her second language to teach their class because they feel that now they are better connected to the students.   Speaking the right foreign language will also help you navigate through shops, bars, taxis, and police stations (been there a couple of times).

     So how can you get away with teaching students and adults al foreign language when you can't communicate in any other than your own? The truth is that English is the largest language in the world. 90% of all computer programs in in English before translated into a foreign language. English is the 2nd most spoken language on earth, only behind China because it has 3 billion people.  In a large number of countries and continents, EFL is a means out of poverty and into a business market.  In China, students learn Englsih for an hour in school and spend three to four hours after school at a private English Learning Center you may be teaching at.  Since Communism in China recognizes no religion, the people have not a reason to take a day off of work and send thier children to up to nine hours a weekend at the learning center you may be employed at.  All that is to say that a lot of foreign countries are investing in English as a Foreign Language. So to work in EFL or ESL, you need not speak another language. I hope this helps out.


Best,
#mr.ford

APP ALERT!! PDF to Speech

     I downloaded this app yesterday because it sinks with your gmail account in seconds so all your documents on Google Drive are ready to be listened to.

     It doesn't do abbreviations very well and like all speech to pdf apps,  it trips over difficult words.  I would not strongly suggest it for ESL students, but I would for ESL teachers because our ears are naturally trained to listen for mistakes in grammar. The read along as it goes ability is really great.  So it's a great tool for editing students' essays in the car, on the bus, or on a break between classes.  Yes, it's not perfect, but it's FREE and it does what it says.  Download it yourself from Google Play and share.

Best,
#mr.ford

DiGix 7-inch Tablet for $100 at RADIO SHACK

DiGix 7-inch Tablet for $100 at RADIO SHACK





    So I went to get my haircut a week ago and my barber told me there would be a thirty minute wait. I decided to wander around the mall and see if there were an early X-mas specials laying around. I wandered into the LAST place on earth I ever thought I would go in a public mall...RadioShack.  As I looked at some of the smartphones, I asked the saleswoman if she had any tablets.  She was totally clueless to what a tablet is (who hires these people?).  We walked over to the check out counter and I noticed a kindle fire and a few other tablets in the glass display case.  Scanning the prices, I noticed there was a tablet for $99.  Now, if you know anything about #mr.ford, you know I am very...frugal when it comes to money and technology, but $100 for a 7-inch tablet? I had to see if it was real. I purchased the thing and took it home with me! 

 

    I really do a lot of work from my smartphone and latop, so I really wasn't sure if  I needed  a tablet at all at first. But for a hundred dollars, why not, eh?  And compared to the already super low priced Nexus 7 tablet, this was a steal.   I'm not big (right now) on storage and all that other technical jargon. Just give me something that does what it says.  I was able to download all my free and paid apps via Google Play and they worked fine. There is no dual sided camera, but I'm cool with that. The screen is smooth and the entire tablet fits in my pants' pocket.  I will admit that the return to screen button is a little loud when you push it, but other than that this is a KILLER buy for an ESL educator.  On a side note, since I have been using my new tablet, I will admit, my phone screen does look a lot smaller now.  Check below for all that technical jargon you might want to examine before you buy.

 

Best,

#mr.ford

 

 

 

DiGix



www.digixmedia.com 

 



 

 

Detail

model number Tab-730 Marketing Spec. Processor ALL WINNER A10 Cortex A8 1.2G CPU Mhz Cortex A8 1.2G Display 7''Capacitive touch panel (800x480) OS Android 4.0 Nand Flash 4G-32G RAM 512M-1G Micro SD Card up to 32G Front Camera 0.3 Mega Pixel Back Camera NO 3G NO GPS support BLUE TOOTH NO Wireless Wireless Lan 802.11 b/g/n Mini-HDMI Yes Accelerometer G-sensor I/O Port Micro SD Slot, ,Earphone Jack,Mini USB(OTG) ,Mini-HDMI Battery and power 3.7 v 3000MAH ,Watch Video 3 hours Dimension 198mmx126mmx10.5mm Audio Playback MP3/WMA/WAV/AAC/AAC+ Video Playback AVI（H.264、DIVX、DIVX、XVID）, rm，rmvb， MKV（H.264、DIVX、DIVX、XVID），WMV，MOV，MP4（.H.264、MPEG、DIVX、XVID），DAT（VCD），VOB（DVD），PMP,MPEG，.MPG,， FLV（H.263，H.264），ASF ，TS， TP，3GP，MPG WEIGHT 　 Accessories USB Charger Yes USB Cable Yes Leather sheath Yes (Option) Stylus Yes (Option) earphone Yes (Option) User Manual Yes Warranty Card Yes Function and preload APP Browser Yes VIDEO PLAYER Yes Music Player Yes Camera Yes email Yes Kindle for Android Yes Calculator Yes WIFI SETTING Yes Settings Yes qiuickpic Yes APK Manager Yes Amazone Market Yes Alarm clock Yes CALENDAR Yes Documents to Go Yes Facebook Yes Adobe Reader Yes YouTube Yes skype Yes Twitter Yes 1 MOBILE Yes 1MOBILE GAME Yes Netflix Yes Download Yes Google Search Yes Google Player Yes

 

 

 

 

 

Myths about m-Learning

     So it's no big secret that I support m-Learning. Ask me, and it's the best thing since sliced bread.  But, trying to convince my fellow ESL teachers isn't so easy.  Many ESL educators are reluctant to touch a laptop in their classroom, let alone try sending students a test over their phone.   Recently, I did a presentation to a group of ESL teachers at an ESL institute in Atlanta and found that the educators there were very much against using technology in their classroom.  My mouth dropped to the floor. I just couldn't believe it. m-Learning is AWESOME! After my presntation, however, I soon discovered that there are a few myths going around about m-Learning. 

     Myth #1-If they can learn English on a computer then why would they need us? Especially if they can learn it all form a website.
    Fact: LOL! Sorry, there is NO such website that can teach someone to read, write, listen, and speak English as a Second Language.  If there is, then I'll eat my hat.  As a teacher, you are a facilitator of ESL.  Students look to you for the answers, not  a computer. 

    Myth#2-I don't have time to sit there and sign up for all that computer stuff.
    Fact:  It takes three minutes or less to register for any web based learning and it only takes two minutes to download an app to your smartphone or tablet.  


    Myth #3-If students use their phones in class, then they will be distracted from learning.
    Fact: If a student is not interested in what the teacher is teaching then they will cause distractions. It has been my experience that often the most disruptive students finish their work very fast and get bored easily. If you show students how to use their phones as educational devices, I guarantee that they will be less distracted from learning and more into it.

     Myth#4-It's too difficult to learn how to use m-Learning.
     Fact: There is a plethora of free resources online. Check out youtube videos. That's what I did.

    Myth#5-m-Learning is too expensive.
   Fact: Websites are FREE and so are most apps.
    
     There are manymore myths about m-Learning out there. But no matter what perceptions educators have about m-Learning; one should never be afraid to find new and innovative ways to teach.

Best,
#mr.ford