NewsletterNo. 3
Brains at school.Knowledge is power!
Reference number: 2015-1-PL01-KA219-016735
ICT TOOLS at schoolWe all use computers. That's the fact that nobody can deny. But is it
possible to use it effectively in teaching and learning? Are the websites
and web tools useful or is it only a waste of time?
In this part of our newsletter you'll find some tools that we find very
interesting and creative.
This part of our newsletter was prepared
thanks to this wonderful tool. It's very easy
to use and what is the most important
thing you can prepare almost every type
of document you need. An amazing
presentation, diplomas for your students
or a nice poster to your classroom is not a
problem anymore.
www.canva.com
www.quizlet.comIt's an interesting tool for those of you who
like learnig with flashcards. You can easily
prepare a set of English words with their
translation, a bunch of dates or a list of the
most important chemical substances. You
can also add some picture and Ivona will
read everything to you. You can also use
ready made sets available free.
www.classtools.net
At first you can think it's only for teachers. But if
you want to impress your classmates or prepare
something absolutely great, it's a great source
full of buzzworthy ideas to make your lessons
interactive. It's also easy to use even if your
English is not the best. Let's take a closer look
at some tools.
Random Name Picker lets us pick the
students who should answer our question
or do the given task in a more exciting
way. You just need to put the names of
your students (you can save the list) and
you are ready to try the students' luck.
Crossword Generator is a nice
and easy way to create a nice
looking crossword with the material
that needs to be revised. When the
crossword is ready, you can print it
in pdf version.
Development of visual perception and artistic creation
To perceive is to gain information about the world through our senses .
Particularly our eyes transmit to the brain the visual stimuli that here are
selected , arranged and rearranged to allow us to understand what we
are observing .
An important aspect that helps us in this process of identification and
recognition concerns the memory , what we already know , what we have
already stored from previous visual experiences .
Rarely the image that imposes itself in our eyes consists of a single
figure placed on a neutral and compact background , the visions are
usually much more complex and some details attract our attention more
than others, standing out against a background . This means that we are
not able to perceive an image as a whole and , at the same time , in its
most minimum details . It is like having different actions that are
performed at different times . As for the artistic images we should be
aware of the difference between seeing , watch, observe and read ( from
global view to the analytic view ) .
"Seeing " is not equivalent to a simple registration of shapes ,
lights and colors , as in a photographic reproduction , but
results in the activation of memories , emotions, suggestions
that make the very act of seeing a particular form of
knowledge , which leads towards a natural internalization and
memorization of the subject observed . The artistic activity is
to move from the perception to the expression . The
sensitivity and vision are learned , are improved and refined by
the exercise as when we learn to use a tool or to play a
musical instrument. The eyes should be trained to read very
special clues that are meaningless to most people . The skills
acquired in the vision and in the memory process of storing
them play a key role in the creative process and the
perception both of the artist and of the user of a work of art .
Get in touch with the visual memory in our mind is not a
theoretical gesture, but practical . The photo memory resides
at the top left of our brain . When we try to recall to our minds
a picture or an image in fact we tend to look at the top left .
We try to stimulate it , trying to remember something ,
visualizing it right at the top left of our brain .
Exercise visual memory
1. We can take an image of any kind, observe it for about
ten seconds and then put that apart and write as much
detail as we can remember. Now we need to repeat the
same exercise decreasing the viewing time to increase the
difficulty; gradually over time we will always remember
multiple items and subsequently even the smallest detail will
hit our attention.
2. We can do the same exercise even with a deck of playing
cards of any kind. Just pick up a deck of cards and place
them in three rows, the precise number is not important, it
will be enough to start with twelve; Once placed on a flat
surface observe them for a few seconds trying to memorize
the precise order; Turn away your eyes after a few seconds
and reproduce on a sheet the order in which you remember
they are laid. As you progress through the exercise
increase the number of cards to remember, varying also the
form in which they are arranged.
MODERN STRATEGIES OFINTERPRETING THE LITERARY
TEXT
Using interactive teaching learning methods in didactic activity helps
improve the quality of the instructive educational process, having an
activeparticipative character and a real activeformative value upon
student's personality.
The brain works like a computer, the latter has been designed and
modeled after the brain working structure. For a computer to begin
operations we must press the ”power” button. If learning is "passive",
the "starting " button of our brain is activated. A computer needs to
be running the appropriate software to interpret the input and our
brain needs to make some connections with anchor ideas already
known. When learning is "passive", the brain does not make these
connections. A computer retain the information processed only if we
press the "save" button. Our brain must test information or explain it
to someone else to store it.
Teachers flood their students with their own deep and well organized
thoughts. Teachers often resort to explanations and demonstrations
like "let meshow youhowtodo". Of course, the presentation may
have an immediate impression on the brain, but in the absence of
exceptional memory, students can not memorize too much for a long
period of time. A teacher, no matter how brilliant orator would
be,cannot be a substitute for the students brain and therefore cannot
do the work that takes place in the mind of each individual.
Students themselves must organize what they heard and saw in an
orderly and meaningful way. If students do not get the opportunity of
discussion, investigation, action and possibly teaching, learning does
not take place.
1. THE METHOD OF THE CUBE is used when it is desired to
explore a subject / a situation from multiple perspectives – it offers
the opportunity to develop skills necessary for a complex and
integrative approach.
THE STAGES OF THE METHOD:
• Make a cube on whose sides note the words: DESCRIBE,
COMPARE, ANALYZE, ASSOCIATE, APPLY, ARGUE (or others
depending on the resources, not necessarily on all sides of the cube).
• Announce the theme / subject in discussion.
• Divide the group into six subgroups, each subgroup solving one of
the requirements listed on the faces of the cube.
• Give the whole group the final form of writing.
• The final work form can be carried on board or on the A3 white
sheets.
2. THINKING HATS METHOD
This method stimulates the participants creativity which is based on
interpretation of roles depending on the chosen hat. There are 6
thinking hats, each with a different color: white, red, yellow,
green,blue and black. The group members choose their hats and
thus will perform a precise role, as they consider is best. The roles
can reverse, participants are free to say what they think, but to be
consistent with the role they play.
The color of the hat is the one that defines the role.
White hat
• Provides an objective view over the information.
• It is neutral.
• It is focused on objective facts and clear images.
• It defines the objective thinking.
Red Hat:
• Gives free rein to imagination and feelings.
• Provides an emotional perspective on events.
• Red can mean anger or rage.
• Unlocks emotional states.
Black Hat:
• Expresses caution, care, warning, judgment.
• Provides dark, sad, bleak insight on the situation in question.
• It is the perspective of negative, pessimistic thinking.
Yellow hat:
• Gives a positive and constructive perspective on the situation.
• Yellow symbolizes sunshine, brightness, optimism.
• It is the optimistic, constructive thinking on logical basis.
Green hat:
• Expresses new ideas, stimulating creative thinking.
• It is the freshness of green grass, of vegetation, of
abundance.
• It is the symbol of fertility, production of new , innovative
ideas.
Blue hat:
• Expresses the control of thinking process.
• Blue is cold it is the color of the sky above us, allseeing and
allknowing.
• Oversees and directs the smooth running of the business.
• It is the concern to control and organize.
Participants must know very well the meaning of each color and
represent each hat, thinking from its perspective. Not the hat
itself matters, but what it means, what induces each color:
blue hat CLARIFIES
white hat INFORMS
green hat GENERATES NEW IDEAS
yellow hat BRINGS BENEFITS
black hat IDENTIFIES FAULTS
red hat SAYS WHAT IT FEELS ABOUT ...
3. ”THE SEAT OF THE INTERVIEWED "
It is a method that fits very well in language lessons, especially after
reading the new lesson and explaining new words and new phrases,
instead of the questions asked by the teacher.
This method can also be used at the end of the lesson, for feedback.
In practice, a student sits on a chair in front of the class and will play
the role chosen by himself , by the teacher or students.The
collegues will play the role of "reporters" and will ask questions about
the lesson.
It should be addressed questions that need argumentative answers.
The questions which have yes or no answers should not be avoided.
This method gives students the opportunity to develop ability to ask
questions about a given problem.
4. "QUINTET"
Quintet is a short poem of five lines which summarize the
content of ideas. It is an assessment tool of understanding the
text and expression of creativity in students. Writing the
quintet requires a reflection based on nuanced understanding
of the meaning of the chosen subject. Activity could be
individual or in pairs .
STRUCTURE: has a title;
• The first verse is one key word (noun);
• The second line consists of two adjective describing
something;
• The third line consists of three verbs (usually gerund);
• The fourth line consists of four words and expresses
opinions, feelings about the matter;
• The fifth verse is a word that expresses the essence of the
problem.