Evaluating websites and apps for effective online teaching.

Wednesday 3rd May, 2023 at 11:00 AM – Egypt Time

Presented by Penny Tzanni

Educators nowadays have access to numerous websites and applications that can be used in the teaching and learning process and improve students’ experience and performance. The abundance of technology can prove confusing and lead to adopting tools that contribute little to the classroom. This workshop will present a framework for choosing the most suitable applications for your context and how to implement those effectively.  Another area that will be explored is the practical aspect of implementing digital tools in the classroom and how day-to-day challenges that hinder the adoption of those tools can be dealt with effectively. Finally, the presenter will show several tools that she has found useful during her teaching career.

Pedagogical  translanguaging in Arabic-speaking context: Standard Arabic and other languages

Thursday 4th May, 2023 at 04:00 PM – Egypt Time

Presented by Wafa (Soubeika) Bahri

Translanguaging approach to language or content-based instruction is often challenged by monolingual ideology advocates (Garcia &Vogel, 2017). In an Arabic-speaking context, such as North African and Middle East translanguaging, the situation is no different (Azaz & Abourehab, 2021).  Teachers’ beliefs about translanguaging practices continue to be highly influenced by the monolingual ideology and hold to the traditional understating of diglossia. Referring to prior studies and experiences of using translanguaging in L2 language teaching or content – based courses, the webinar will attempt to show how this pedagogical practice assists in the negotiation of linguistic knowledge in target languages learning, including Standard Arabic and/or facilitates meaning-making process in a content-based instruction.  The webinar talk will propose the acceptance and inclusion of translanguaging in classrooms in Arabic-speaking contexts and calls for new perspectives in approaching the status of standard varieties as the main focus diglossic languages. The webinar presentation will end with showing examples of how to apply translanguaging practices in and make sure of the learners ‘full linguistic toolkit to make meaning and communicate effectively while English a foreign language or Standard Arabic as a Second language.

Highly Engaging Activities for Online and Hybrid Adult Ed English Classes.

Saturday 6th May, 2023 at 11:00 AM – Egypt Time

Presented by Hind Elyas

Student engagement is the glue that binds teaching and learning. In Post pandemic classrooms, educators must find ways to move forward with optimism and reignite their students’ passion for learning. In this session, the presenter will shed light on strategies to equip students with the necessary tools to thrive in a hybrid classroom. The participants will leave with new Strategies to improve engagement in their classes.

Adapting 5 Popular Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) for the Online Classroom.

Tuesday 09th May, 2023 at 03:00 PM – EGYPT Time.

Presented by Dr. Fatima Aldajani

In a campus classroom, students’ faces reveal a great deal. Eye contact, nodding heads, and furrowed brows reveal comprehension and attentiveness. In an online environment, however, those cues frequently are missing. Despite the lack of face-to-face contact in online teaching, faculty can use proven Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) to gauge student understanding of material, concepts, and salient points.

This webinar will introduce five proven student-centered techniques to gauge learning and comprehension. The webinar will explain the five CATs and shows how to apply them to different classroom situations, including synchronous and asynchronous online classes. The practical and creative tips will help teachers optimize their favorite CATs for the online space.

Creativity in the Classroom

Wednesday 17th May, 2023 at 04:00 PM – Egypt Time

Presented by Daragh McMunn

This talk presents the importance of creativity in learning. It explains how combining curriculum and learning outcomes with creativity can enhance the learning process for students. Creativity is viewed as a skill, and many teachers may be intimidated by the lack of it. However, creativity is better understood as a mindset, which enables greater possibilities and a multitude of ways for students to present their learning. The talk goes on to detail the importance of creativity, the ways in which it can be implemented, and provides evidence of its use.

Targeting transparency: A framework for effective assignment design

Wednesday 24th May, 2023 at 04:00 PM – Egypt Time

Presented by Prof. Ilka Kostka

Transparent teaching methods ensure that learning activities are made explicit to students so they know exactly what they need to do, how and why they need to do it, and how their work will be evaluated (Winkelmes et al., 2019). What results is enhanced learning experiences, increased student confidence, and a higher likelihood of student success (TILT Higher Ed, n.d.). This webinar will be divided into three sections. First, I will briefly describe the notion of transparency, focusing on task, purpose, and criteria in assignments (Winklemes et al., 2019). I will then show examples of how I have revised assignments in my own academic English courses to increase their transparency. Finally, I will conclude with tips for teachers, a summary of key takeaways, and resources for further exploration.

For One and for All: Free Online Reading Sites

Sunday 28th May, 2023 at 02:00 PM – Egypt Time

Presented by Judith Otterburn-Martinez

There is no doubt the power of reading. Reading is key to acquiring information and the foundation for being a strong writer. However, ascertaining reading materials that are of high quality, diverse and affordable is a challenge to many people throughout the world. Thankfully, there is now a plethora of free reading based resources giving high quality materials to everyone.

This demonstration style presentation will showcase three such web based reading sites: Newsela, Actively Learn and Common Lit. An overview and demonstration will be given and the benefits will be shared for each site. Focus will be on the rich content of fiction and nonfiction, in addition to scaffolded reading support. Such support includes: topic introduction, level alterations, guided questions, vocabulary support, translation help and shared notes between students and teacher, and keeping track of student use.

Participants are encouraged to use a computer and not a smartphone to see the capabilities. Questions are encouraged.