| Visual and Active Method of Teaching See also: VisualAndActive.com |
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| This research finding shows why you should support the CAMPAIGN for Visual and Active Classrooms |
| This research finding shows why you should support the CAMPAIGN for Visual and Active Classrooms |
| How do students see the Visual and Active Method? The letter >>>>>>>>>>>> shows what a student did after experiencing a "Steve" classroom... he wrote a letter to Vera in Germany, an advocate of visual teaching methods. From: heinz liener <heinz.liener@hotmail.com> To: s2314@tmail.com Subject: home-page from vera birkenbihl (brain-training) Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 hi Steve, we talked about vera. She kwnows a lot about the brain and has been writting several books for learning people and also teachers. here you'll find the homepage-----> > www.birkenbihl-insider.de/ greetings Henry |
| See some other web pages Vera's page A group of pages: www.learningTechnologies.com Dear Vera Birkenbihl, I visited 2 years ago one of your Speeches in Switzerland. I worked before just with Mind map and after I worked a lot with ABC and very often in combination with Mind map. I’m a really ABC-fan! I'm really a fan of ABC I'm a real fan of ABC I visited one of your speeches two years ago in Switzerland. In September of last year I had the big challenge in my life. I had to rethink my job and my position. So I had to redefine my live-goals and all the thinking-tools were very helpful. I decided to make a sabbatical and to begin a new job accompanied with a study. For the sabbatical I decided to go two months to Fort Lauderdale (Florida) with my family (my wife and my 2 kids – 3 and 5 years old) and refresh my English-skills. Actually I’m in the end-time of my stay in Florida. Since 2 weeks I have a new Teacher. For the past two weeks I have had a new teacher. For two weeks I’ve had a new teacher. Since January 29, I have had a new teacher His Name is Steve McCrea and he works with a very uncommon Still style, who makes me remember on your explications!! Which reminds me of your explanations. For example – we work with his free-WebPages with live speeches, texts and questions for after checking the understanding - see http://www.freeenglishlessons.com -> ESL-LAB.com. We work with getting Points => You get points when you call the Teacher on his Cell phone; when you write him an email; when you interview a person in or outside the school and many more. So we work also a lot with the camera and put it in the internet – very interesting. We learned and worked with several new homepages. One Day I had the possibility to ride with Steve to Orlando and visit some of his friends. In this 8h-ride we had a lot time to talk. So I spoke about my experiences who I made with your tools my experiences which I made with your tools (ABC, NLLS, incidental learning, Points for teaching..) and your fight against the normal school system. Steve has also a lot of same theories and works in very interesting school projects – he teaches kids with a lot of interactive materials – he visits his kids with the students (us) and brings them together. The Students who are from all over the world talk to the kids and show them interesting things about their countries. This gives a relation between the students and the kids. The kids have a lot of questions and give a lot of information about their lives, the city and the country. Now, my student-project is to bring you and Steve together and this in English! And I want to do this in English! I think, it’s an amazing chance for you both to come together. You have so much to discus about your experiences, your works, projects and visions. I believe that it can grow up a very interesting work ship very interesting work partnership or a real relationship! In your work for a learning-available-school-system it is a MUST to met meet Steve. Steve’s email-address is S2314@tmail.com or his Cell phone is 1-954-646-8246 or I hope to wake up your interest in Steve and see very hopeful forward to hear about your both activities. I really look forward to hearing about both of your activities. I really look forward to hearing about your joint activities I really look forward to hearing about you and Steve working together. And do remember – If you can chance the Learning-System – speak about my letter! Best regards, Heinz Liener Wiesenstrasse 8 CH-3612 Steffisburg Below you'll find my ABC about Steve.... A Aufregend, amazing, Aufgaben, Action B Bewegung, Bewegt Students C Creativ D DVD, drive E Erfinder, Explosiv, entwickelt F friendly, fieberhaft, fuehrt, Fragensteller, Freelessons G Geballte Kraft H Hilfreich, Hirnhaelften, hot stuff I Ideenreich J K Konfus wirkend, Klar, Kompetent L Lustig M Motivierend, Multitasking,motivating N Never Sprachlos O Optimist P Points, Projects, pushed Q Quantensprung R Real, regt an S Studio (nicht Klassenzimmer) spannend T taeglich NEU U Unstrukturiert, Unterstuetzt Ideen/Projekte, Ueberraschend V Verbindend W Wiederverwenden, Wissen X xtrem, cross Y Z Ziele&Visionen, Zuhoerer |
| Steve's reaction: Heinz is an example of why I become a teacher of English. His positive attitude inspires me to look again, dig deeper to find a new way to find the "SWISS CHEESE ENGLISH" inside my students. Find the gaps, find the holes in their English. ... and I learn along the way... Thank you, Heinz! Steve |
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| What did I do that made Heinz so happy? Here are the "Rules" for a Visual and Active Teacher of English 1. Never answer a student's question ... until you ask another student to give an answer. 2. Always wait at least 5 seconds for an answer from a student... be patient and wait. 3. Remember Brain research: hunters and gatherers. Women like to talk, usually. Women like to write, usually. Many men prefer to talk instead of writing. 4. Offer a visual test, too. Only a few students need a written test. There are at least four types of learners VISUAL AUDIO SOCIAL and the students who learn by READING AND WRITING. Give a written test to the studnts who like reading and writing. The other students can do an ORAL test and explain their answers by speaking. An easy visual test is "Watch this program and tell me what you saw." Most Visual and Audio learners don't spell well or don't like writing. they prefer to say something... For many of them, writing slows down the process of language learning. 5. Give points for work and when students earn 9 points, give a stuffed animal! 6. MAKING CORRECTIONS. When there is a drill, correct the mistakes immediately. When a student is telling a story, write the mistakes and review them with the student AFTER the story is completed. 7. When possible, move. most men need movement to remain alert. We're hunters. 8. Asking a guy to do something is difficult for him. Use your arms when possible. 9. Teach through their interests. Most people will learn more when they are interested in the subject. FOR MATH CLASS (especially for middle school) 1. Ask girls to work together. 2. Use colored pens. Let the students use colored pens. 3. Use a different color for each mistake. 4. Let the students see you hesitate. (From Alison Gropnik's work at Berkeley) It's okay to make mistakes as a teacher. 5. Smile. 6. Find math everywhere. Remind people that math is secondary to every subject and some schools don't teach a math class. 7. Ask students from an ESOL class to teach part of the math class. Kids might learn how math is taught in Brazil. During English Class Everybody can grab a volume of the encyclopedia. Read me a word that is new to you and you get a point. Everyone with more than 4 points gets a prize! |
| REPLY from Steve Thank you, Heinz, for your kinds words. I am going to write to Vera soon! I hope to meet her some day! |
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| A suggestion to PARENTS and Schools Why not invite a group of International Visitors to come into your children's classrooms? Objective: Expose your children to accents and attitudes of another culture. Procedure: International students bring a map of their country and four photos from the Internet showing items of their country. Students in the school ask questions, the international visitors answer. International Visitors can help students with their homework, too. |
| Where are you from? How do you divide big numbers in your coutnry? Did you like math in your school? Cna you show me how to find the diagonal of a square that is 4 inches on each side? How do you convert 4 miles into kilometers? Where is a good place to visit in your country? What is the best time of year to visit your country? why? What is a typical dish in your country? |
| Another benefit of being an ESOL teacher is getting to read the letters that my students write. I asked a Korean man to write a letter to his future child... Here is the text of the letter by Sung Jin Typing by Isabella from Brazil -----Original Message----- To Dear my child in the future. Hi! my child. You are not born now. So I don’t know whether you are a son or a daughter.That’s not an important matter. (That doesn’t matter.) I just hope you will be born with good health (born healthy). Here are some requests to you. First of all, I want you to be polite to old people. I think that’s a courtesy. And if the people who are poorer and weaker than you need help, please give them a hand, as much as you can. And I want you to get along with your friends. Sometimes there is a possibility of fighting with your friends. I know that’s a difficult situation, but you have to cope with that, wisely. And don’t tell a lie. I hope you will be honest. Most of all, always do your best. If you do your best, you won’t regret it, even though you fail. Those are important things for your life. Also, I’ll do my best for you. Anyway, I want you to be a good person. Waiting for your birth. From your Father |