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Saturday, August 31, 2013

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 8-31-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF


Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY



Video: “The March”
I’m adding this new PBS video, “The March,” to The Best Resources About The March On Washington:
Two Excellent Resources On Syria
Here are two new excellent additions to The Best Resources For Learning About What’s Happening In Syria: A Broader Look at the War Across Syria is a multimedia feature from The New York Times. Syria: The very, very basics is from The Washington Post. You might also be interested in The Best Resources On Chemical Weapons.
Unique Time Lapse Video Is Super-Cool Idea, Though Not Too Visually Appealing
Sixty years ago, thirty years ago, and this summer the BBC took a video of a train ride through some not too appealing scenery. Then they put them all together in a bit of a mind-bending timelapse video that’s embedded below. If it showed things that were a little more interesting, it could be a great video to show English Language Learners and then periodically stop it to have them compare the th
More Resources On Labor Day
Here are new additions to The Best Websites For Learning About Labor Day: Labor Day Past and Present is from Middleweb. Fast Company has an impressive infographic on Labor Day. This Labor Day, What’s the State of the Unions? is from Bill Moyers. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. Explore more infographics like this one
Free Monthly Email Newsletter Just Sent-Out
I’ve just sent out my free monthly email newsletter to 2,000 subscribers. You can subscribe to it here.
August’s “The Best…” Lists — There Are Now 1,170 Of Them
Here’s my monthly round-up of new “The Best…” lists I posted this month (you can see all 1,170 of them categorized here): The Best Resources For Learning About The Fire Near Yosemite Valley The Best Resources About The March On Washington The Best Articles About The Study Showing Social Emotional Learning Isn’t Enough All My Education Week Teachers Posts From Past Two Years In One Place The Best
Earth-Picker Is A New Online Geography Game
Earth-Picker is a new online geography games that’s somewhat similar to other ones using Google Street View that can be found on The Best Online Geography Games list. You’re shown a location and have to identify on a map where you think it is in the world. You’re told how close you are, and how your guess compares to the ones made by other players. I’m adding it to that games list.
The Best Articles About The Study Showing Social Emotional Learning Isn’t Enough
Earlier today, I posted about a new study showing that social emotional learning isn’t enough — that poverty causes a lack of self-control and perseverance and it’s not the other way around. Since that time, several other articles have come out on the same research, and I thought I’d collect them here: I’ll start off with my piece, Social Emotional Learning Can Help, But More Research Shows It’s
August’s Best Posts From This Blog
I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see older Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month (more recent lists can be found here). Here are some of the posts I personally think are the best, and most helpful, ones I’ve written during this past
Another Guest Commentary On New Theory Of Knowledge Guide
I’ve been publishing commentaries on the new IB Theory of Knowledge Teaching Guide: first, my own; then, from Canadian TOK teacher Brad Ovenell-Carter; next-up came an extended one by Richard van de Lagemaat, author of the most popular TOK textbook used around the world. The last one was by Chris Coey, my talented teaching colleague at Luther Burbank High School, shared his thoughts. I’ve compiled
Two Days Left To Contribute A Post To The ESL/EFL/ELL Blog Carnival!
There are only two days left to contribute a post to the 34th edition of the ESL/EFL/ELL Blog Carnival (also called the ELT Blog Carnival). The theme for this month is pronunciation. Carissa Peck has announced the hosting it. Read her post to learn the details, including on how to contribute a post. You can also send your post here, as well as express interest in hosting a future carnival. You can

AUG 29

Social Emotional Learning Can Help, But More Research Shows It’s Not Enough
Obviously, I’m a big supporter of helping students develop intrinsic motivation and a great capacity for self-control and “grit.” In fact, I’ve written two books on how educators can do just that…. However, it’s not enough. I’ve previously written a popular post titled New Research Shows Why Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Character Education Are Not Enough. It showed that: …the chain of causa
August’s (2013) Best Tweets — Part Five
Every month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I shared through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. I’ve already shared in earlier posts several new resources I found on Twitter — and where I gave credit to those from whom I learned about them. Those are not included again in this post. If you don’t use Twit
Two Infographics On Nutrition
I’m adding these infographics to The Best Sites For Learning About Nutrition & Food Safety: by Whoisshih. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.
Infographic: “U.S. Health Care Vs. The World”
I’m adding this infographic to The Best Online Resources For Learning About Health Care Reform: Brought to you by: The George Washington University’s Online Masters in Public Health
Hurricane Katrina Hit Eight Years Ago Today; Here Are Related Resources
Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans eight years ago today. You can find related resources at The Best Websites For Teaching & Learning About New Orleans.
Many Important Additions To March On Washington Resource List
Here are more additions to The Best Resources About The March On Washington: Here’s a Wordle of “Obama speech at March on Washington, Aug. 28, 2013” 50th Anniversary of the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech is an Associated Press interactive. Voices for Equality is a video selection from The New York Times of “A selection of speeches since Martin Luther King Jr.’s address at the Lincoln Monument on Aug. 28

AUG 28

Infographic: “What’s Happening to Biodiversity?”
Here’s an impressive infographic from the World Bank. You can get a larger version here. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For World Biodiversity Day (& Endangered Species Day):
Quote Of The Day: Creating Stability In Communities
The New York Times published a number of responses to the article I highlighted earlier this week on teacher “churn” in charter schools (see An Eye-Opening Article On Charter School Teacher Turnover). Carol Burris’ response is phenomenal. Here’s an excerpt:
Video: Musical Black Holes
Here’s the newest video by Symphony of Science — learning about black holes has never been so interesting!
More On The Yosemite Fire
Here are new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About The Fire Near Yosemite Valley: The Associated Press has an interactive on the fire. Here’s a timelapse of the fire: Deep Dive on the Yosemite Wildfire with the Interactive ‘Rim Fire Perspectives’ Map is from TIME.
Video & Transcript Of President Obama’s March On Washington Anniversary Speech
Here’s a video of President Obama’s speech today on the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington. You can read a transcript here. I’m adding it to The Best Resources About The March On Washington.
“Building a Community of Self-Motivated Learners” Is Title Of My Next Book
Building a Community of Self-Motivated Learners:Strategies for Teaching Resilience, Respect, and Responsibility is the tentative title of my next book. It will be the third in my student motivation “trilogy” . Routledge, which recently purchased Eye On Education, will be the publisher. You can find free resources from my previous five books here. In addition, Education Week will be publishing a
Tons More Resources Related To The March On Washington
Here are more additions to The Best Resources About The March On Washington: Martin Luther King: ‘I have a dream’ revisited is a cool interactive from the BBC. We Are Still Marching is an even cooler interactive that allows you to hear and record King’s speech. The Guardian has a neat interactive on King’s speech, too. March on Washington Inspires Educators, 50 Years Later is from Education Week.
All My Education Week Teachers Posts From Past Two Years In One Place
Q & A Collections: All Of Them In One Place! is my newest collection of Education Week Teacher posts. They’re all organized by category. That marks the final thematic compilation post of the summer, and I’ll begin a new “season” on Sunday of fifty “questions of the week.”

AUG 27

This Week’s Round-Up Of Good Posts On Education Policy
Here’s a collection of recent good posts and articles on education policy issues: Human Capital: The Formula That Makes Finland’s Schools So Good is from World Crunch. I’m adding it to The Best Resources To Learn About Finland’s Education System. I’m not thrilled with his headline, but Walt Gardner has a good piece in Education Week about Tennessee’s plan to yank the teaching credential of educat
Quote Of The Day: “Educators On What Standardized Testing Means”
NPR interviews several educators, including Rafe Esquith, at More Than A Number? Educators On What Standardized Testing Means. By the way, look for a very interesting interview I did with Rafe that will appear in my column at Education Week Teacher on Sunday. Here’s an excerpt from the NPR interview: I’m adding this post to The Best Articles Providing An “Overall” Perspective On Education Policy.
Many More Resources About The March On Washington
Here are new additions to The Best Resources About The March On Washington: Teaching the Movement, Beyond Four Famous Words is from Teaching Tolerance. The relationship between Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King, Jr. is by the President of the United Farm Workers Union. 50 years after King, hidden racism lives on is from CNN. This Is the Day: Historic March On Washington – in pictures is from Th
Edcanvas Changes Name To Blendspace
Ordinarily, I don’t write a post about a relatively unimportant issue as a tool’s name change. However, since I’ve written so positively about Edcanvas in the past, I wanted readers to know that they’ve just changed their name to Blendspace (though the tool itself is the same).
Infographic: “How Giant Panda Cubs Grow”
I’m adding this infographic to The Best Sites To Learn About Pandas:
The Best Resources For Learning About The Fire Near Yosemite Valley
I’m sure most people have been hearing about the terrible fire here in California’s Central Valley near Yosemite. Since school starts in a few days, and we start with a unit on Natural Disasters, it unfortunately provides a timely tragedy to study. I’ll be adding to this list in the future. You might also be interested in The Best Sites For Learning About Forest Fires. I’m adding this list to A C