Teaching Languages to the Blind and Visually Impaired

Donely, Philip Redwine. "Teaching languages to the blind and visually impaired". Canadian Modern Language Review 2002: 302-305.

This article states the difficulties that visually impaired students face in learning a foreign language and how to overcome these difficulties. Donely mentions that students with impaired vision may miss the non-verbal context in learning languages such as body language and gestures. He compares the input that visually impaired students receive in language courses as less comprehensible than to the sighted students. In addition, the visually impaired students will find it difficult to receive linguistic input by reading the print materials that are traditionally offered in language courses. He thinks that class activities are not designed for visually impaired students, as well as teachers and students are not used to work with students who are visually impaired. Students with visual problems will find themselves left out of the class activities or they might feel being marginalized and isolated from the class community.
Donely suggests that using technology will solve some of the problems that visually impaired students face in learning a foreign language. Here are some of his suggestions in detail:
Accommodating every individual with visual problem in special learning environment according to their needs.
Using types of listening support such advance organizers.
Using certain types of photocopiers to create larger versions of text book materials.
Seek out printed materials designed for blind or visually impaired.
Tape-record class sessions for review purposes.
Tape- record text books in order to be used as audio books.
Use computer programs that convert printed pages, web pages and CD-ROMs into synthesized speech.
Prepare written assignments in which students could use a Braille key board.
Pencil-and-paper tests are not practical; assess students’ progress by analyzing a portfolio of tape-recorded work and periodically interview students in the target language.
Students with disabilities such as visually impaired students are in need of technology tools and methods that will help them access the content of the subject matter. Technology will expand the opportunities for those individuals. I do support Mr. Donely in his practical suggestions to assist visually impaired students in learning a foreign language.


Philip Redwine Donley (PhD, University of Texas, 1997) is the co-author of three introductory college Spanish texts and has taught Spanish at the University of Texas, Southwestern University, and Austin Community College.

iPods and Cellphones

Greifner, L (2007).iPods and cellphones. Education Week's Digital Directions.

Laura Greifner states that college professors started using podcasts in teaching and learning before K-12 teachers. She also claims that the use of iPods and cellphones in K-12 classroom is sporadic. In addition, she says foreign- language instruction uses iPods more often than any other school subject.
The author gave some examples of using iPods and cellphones in teaching and learning:
Students can use iPods to listen to the teacher speak in the target language ,as well as recording themselves speaking.
Students can listen to stories recorded by their teacher.
Students hear test questions, spoken to them as they read questions on paper.
Students hook up their iPods to speakers and project the lyrics of favorite songs onto screen during a unit on poetry.
Teachers use podcasts to offer students audio study guides for tests that students can listen to at home.
The article raises educators’ concerns and worries about the use of cellphones to cheat on tests. Prensky describes “open- phone tests” as open-book tests. In open- phone tests, students use resources available to them on the cellphones to answer test questions.
Laura concludes that the use of iPods and cellphones in classrooms is limited. She thinks that some educators do not know how to use iPods and cellphones effectively.
As a foreign language teacher I used iPod in my lessons. Our school provided all faculty members and students with iPods. I recorded listening materials from different sources for class and homework. However, I did not try to use cellphones in the classroom. I think one of the difficulties that public school teachers’ face is that; not every student has a cellphone. Even the ones who have cellphones their phones do not have the required technical features. Schools need to train teachers in using iPods and cellphones. They also need to work on solving the problem of cheating by using cellphones. They also need to include cellphones and iPods in their technology plan budget.
Laura Greifner is a reporter-researcher for Education Week.

Friends and Flags

Karen, Eini (2005).Friends and flags. Educational Leadership. 63 no 4, 68-69.

Eini, teaches college-level English at Rubin Institute for Higher Education. She used to work as a ninth grade English teacher in Israel when she created her project “Friends and Flags”. Eini designed the “Friends and Flags” online project for her ninth grade students to use communication technology in order to bridge cultural barriers. Students interact in English through e-mails, blogs, discussion boards, electronic mailing lists, and a project Web site. The project connects classrooms around the world in the international learning teams; made up of many countries around the globe. Students can create packages of authentic print materials and items representing their culture and then send them to their partners through the Web site.
The article states that about 30,000 students from 50 countries participated in the program. The writer believes that this program has prompted equal learning opportunities for diverse students, as well as gaining valuable cultural communication skills while practicing their English. Friends and Flags also fostered opportunities for collaboration among Jewish and Arab educators and learners within Israel. The article concludes that students have increased their active English vocabularies, improved their reading comprehension skills in English and developed their writing skills as they communicate with diverse audiences.
I think the “Friends and Flags” project has a very strong message. It will have a positive impact on the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It will pave the road for peace in that region. I do agree with the author that the project will develop the learners’ communication and socialization skills. The embedded message is that it teaches students to have respect for themselves and for others.

Preparing Teachers for the 21st Century Classroom

McEwen, Beryl C. (2008).Preparing teachers for the 21st century classroom. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. 50, 1-3.



Beryl C. McEwen is a college professor, who teaches teacher candidates. He blames college educators for not preparing their students to meet the needs of the 21st century.
College educators train teachers, write the standards, serve in the state curriculum committees, and help in designing the assessments. Therefore, they are responsible for the teacher quality which is an essential variable in the whole learning process. So, they are challenged to prepare teachers for a new type of classroom which is completely different than the one in which they were educated. This new era is characterized by e-mail, e-pals, e-tutors, e-books, e-shops, e-commerce, e-subscriptions, e-payments, e-entertainments, e-classified, e-files, e-cards, journals, e-museums, e- zoos, e-paper, e-spaces, e-travel, e-delivery, e-notebooks, e-banking e-libraries, e-photos, e-courses, and e-learning. Hence, teacher educators must prepare their teacher candidates use these types of technologies in order to reach whoever they are going to teach after graduation. Teacher candidates must be ready to use technology as effective educational tools. They should know how to:
· Design and maintain Web sites that support the courses they will teach.
· Use presentation software and other multimedia products.
· Set up series of Power Point slides of teaching notes.
· Do voice over Power Point.
Some benefits of e-learning:
E-learning environments provide links to current literature, such as e-books, e-journals, and e-newspapers.
Lectures can be presented in writing, supported with electronic slides, voice and video clips.
E-learning facilitates group discussions, electronic group meetings, virtual chats, and file sharing. In addition to, enhancing teacher/student interaction, as well as strengthening the social lives of the students.
I am an old generation teacher. I started teaching in 1981. However, I started using the computer only two years ago when I joined the DLI. Fortunately our institute offers a lot technology training classes for its employees. Now I feel confident in using these technology tools and I am experiencing the e-learning at this moment as I am writing this paper for an online class,

It Takes a Village to Raise a Writer: Making the Teaching of Writing a Schoolwide Focus

McCarthy, Edmund (2008).It takes a village to raise a writer: Making the teaching of writing a schoolwide focus. Independent School. 67, 74,76-8.

The author raised some questions for school administrators and authority figures about teaching writing in their schools. The primary goal of teaching writing is to prepare students to think critically and creatively and to express themselves clearly and thoughtfully.
Some schools have comprehensive programs and require their students to write often in all classes at all levels. However, other schools are too satisfied with writing curricula that views the English teacher as the school’s sole expert and sole instructor of writing, which is completely wrong, because there are some subjects the English teacher does not understand well, such chemistry, math biology etc… Therefore, it is not practical for English teachers to be the ringmasters of writing instructions. Nowadays students use different technological devices to communicate such as computer, cell phones etc… Texting by using technology tools increases students’ fluency, but deteriorates their understanding of grammar, usage and spelling. Instant messaging and emails invite abbreviated meanings and gross-rule breaking which result in poor writing. To improve writing in high schools the article suggests moving the writing support outside the classroom setting. Schools need to develop writing centers for conducting workshops on writing, special events such as poetry slams, drama nights, music events etc…
Writing is a means of communication and it is a difficult skill because the writer is not present when the communication takes place. Therefore, accuracy is very essential in order to reflect our message. I think that the author neglected the role of the professional development programs for teachers in order to improve their performance and to enhance their learners' writing skills.’