ESL SUPERBLOG / bsblogging

We have talked about Second Life many times before on this site, but thanks to Doug (via Twitter) I have learned about languagelab.com out of the UK that meshes language learning and SL together. According to their FAQ: Languagelab is built on a virtual platform called Second Life that has substantial computer requirements. During the registration process [...]

It’s October, and while some of the LLU contributors’ thoughts turn to college football or Oktoberfest (or both), this LLU contributor is obsessed, yes, with the MLB Playoffs. We all heard the story of Mark Cuban (yes I know it’s that other sport…basketball) being fined for not only what he did on the field [...]

Alas, our guest for the 10/4 show has not resurfaced from her academic leave, so there will be no show this week. Do you have a suggestion for topic in the area of language learning and technology that we could all get excited about? Please leave a comment here and let us know!

With thanks to Jeff Samuels for sending me this gem. I am thinking we should have every first year language class do one of these as part of a final. Hmmmm… I wonder what the “One-Semester-of-Chinese” Chinese Love Song would sound like…. any suggestions?

Here’s the Topic: Languages Across the Curriculum: Examining case studies from different schools while trying to figure out how it could work in your own school. Turn to your partner and discuss. You have five minutes. You may begin. The recent MLA recommendations outline the importance of teaching language and [...]

(thanks to Jennifer Lawson for the image) (goodness me, two posts in one night?…is it a full moon?) Okay, I will be frank. The configuration of this site is bugging me. We have some great stuff in here but, much like my harddrive (Erin: no comment) you can’t find stuff. Or there is stuff [...]

The semester is off and running. We must be at the three week mark because I actually got to sit down and work on something for 4 hours and had only 2 interruptions. During the first 2 weeks of class, no one sat down. See Lab Director run! See the Educational [...]

Seems the NYTimes has figured it out…. as a TimesSelect customer I was able to search for old articles etc. …but for price… Now…everyone can search to their heart’s content and do so for free. From the NYT: Why the change? Since we launched TimesSelect, the Web has evolved into an increasingly open environment. Readers find more [...]

September 6, 8 p.m. EDT LLU #21: Language Learners and Anxiety: Elaine Horwitz, University of Texas-Austin, on anxiety and second language learning as well as her recent book “Becoming a Language Teacher:A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching” Dr Horwitz’ work was recently highlighted in Inside Higher Ed as well as [...]

Spiderwebs seem to be in the news, or at least seem to be a featured addition on NPR these days. Last night I heard a story about the massive spiderweb being created at the Lake Tawonki State Park in Texas. Scientists believe this massive web (at last check it was close to 200 [...]

So I was in the office on a Saturday trying to get caught up on stuff from the week before (note to Pete: not only did it rain last week…we got 10 inches of rain in two days and oh boy it has not been pretty in my basement for about a week now) [...]

Upcoming Shows! (dates may change and if they do they will be noted here) September 6: LLU #21: Language learners and Anxiety: Elaine Horwitz, University of Texas-Austin, on anxiety and second language learning as well as her recent book “Becoming a Language Teacher:A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching” Dr Horwitz’ [...]

Thank you to all of you who posted here about your use of Skype in the Language Classroom…the article in the CSM is now in print. But let’s be clear here…Let’s not be seduced by the tools…we still need F2F classroom experiences to make the Skype experiences meaningful… Thanks to all who helped out!

This show has been postponed (see this post for more details) Please join us on August 16 at 8 p.m. EDT: Elaine Horwitz, University of Texas-Austin, on anxiety and second language learning as well as her recent book “Becoming a Language Teacher:A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching” Dr Horwitz’ work was recently [...]

I would be really interested to know how many other edubloggers got this email sometime in the past few months… Dear XXXXX, I’m contacting you on behalf of Sky Radio Network, the nation’s leading inflight media company, in regards to our upcoming “Innovation in Education” talk radio show airing worldwide on American Airlines during January 2008. This special [...]

I have been contacted by the Christian Science Monitor about a story they want to do on using Skype in the language classroom. They need to know that this is not a passing fad and that many US colleges/universities/highschools are using this tool for meaningful classroom exchanges. Of particular interest to the CSM [...]

Don’t we all love the new web? Whether you call it web 2.0 or social networking, it’s great because usually it’s easy, interactive, collaborative, and creative. Usually you don’t have to even download anything. Best of all, it’s free. Well, it’s common wisdom that nothing is really free. Or at least not once it has left [...]

The NY Times is looking for a few good essays from college students about the college experience. Students are enmcouraged to read this essay by Rick Perlstein and then respond with a 1200 word essay. The grand prize is that your essay will be published in the NYTimes. You have to be [...]

Okay so I have been smitten by this little thing called Twitter (thank you, I think, bg and geekymom and the folks at The Faculty Academy for starting me down this slippery path) And now that I see that I can integrate my “twitterings” into my Skype mood messages and Growl, and [...]

We’ve been looking for a good karaoke solution here at our college for a while. In our language dorm students have sung songs with native speakers in their free time, and responses have been very positive. The use of music in language learning has been documented quite well, and advantages are numerous. But that’s not [...]