Hi. I am the happy new owner of a laptop. I’m now looking for some interesting ways to use it for my high school and junior high classroom. The classrooms have a projector.
You could use it to show English language TV shows or movies, preferably those that Taiwan doesn’t get.
Make power point presentations.
Read text together.
Write together (typing as you go).
Save any sort of pattern practices you make and visually show pattern substitutions. It’s much more effective using a projector than writing and erasing on a white board.
If you’re reviewing or doing an exercise as a class then get one of the students to type the answers or examples. Change students regularly.
Use TV ads as the subject of compositions, especially narratives. They’re better than scenes from movies because they are self-contained and usually have a message. Plus the students usually haven’t seen them, and won’t be distracted by what they ‘know’ about the movie.
Play mellow music videos, especially live in concert in the background while they’re doing classwork. Cultural exposure to Elvis, outdoor music festivals (I have a great Woodstock excerpt.), anything to broaden their horizons, is always good.
Thanks for the ideas. TV commercials are a good idea. Ive used a few movies and cartoons but it just turns into… Let’s sit back and watch a movie… Rather than a class. Thanks for the input.
If the students aren’t able to type yet, you can ask them to tell you what to type. I can type almost as fast as they can speak, so it is good, and they can see the words on the screen so they’re improving their listening ability. Same for English subtitles on movies or ads.
Or turn down the volume and have some students do overdubs. They could be serious or funny, depending on the mood.
Make a Jeopardy game.
Everyone in the community will call you “Sir”.
You can also use it as an instant translator if you know pinyin or, God forbid, you can read Mandarin.
Use it between classes to veg out with forumosa.
Retired my big, hairy. . .