Student portfolios for Language Learning: What They Are and How to Use Them

August 10, 2010

The use of student portfolios is increasing in education, as asset-based approaches to evaluation and assessment become more popular. When it comes to demonstrations of learning, student portfolios are gaining popularity at a rapid pace. They are collaborative efforts between students and teachers that provide clear demonstrations of students progress and achievements. Students are guided by their teachers to develop their own portfolios over time. Student portfolios contain demonstrations of their knowledge and authentic language use, such as:

  • Written work. These demonstrate the students use of vocabulary, knowledge of grammar and writing structures.
  • Digital and multimedia projects. These demonstrate their oral and listening competencies.
  • Reflections from students and teachers. This feedback replaces traditional grading. The intent is for the teacher and the student to engage in a kind of dialogue about the student’s progress. This also empowers the student to become self aware as a learner.

Whether they are traditional or electronic, portfolios are being used in classrooms across the globe at an increasing rate.  The beauty of the student portfolio is that the student owns it, not the teacher. Students carry their portfolios forward from grade to grade, taking responsibility for their learning as they go.

Here are some resources on the topic of student portfolios you may find useful:

Barrett, Helen.  February 18, 2009. ISTE Webinar. http://sites.google.com/site/eportfolios/iste

Barrett, Helen (2004). Professional Development for Implementing Electronic Portfolios. Retrieved from http://electronicportfolios.org/teachers/profdev.html

Barrett, Helen. (n.d.) http://electronicportfolios.org/index.html

Brownell, Wendy. Linguafolio and Portfolios. (n.d.) http://wendybrownell.wikispaces.com/Linguafolio+and+Portfolios

Dominguez, Juan. E-portfolios: Del PLN al Aprendizaje Retrieved 26 May, 2011 from http://juandomingofarnos.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/e-portafolios-del-pln-al-aprendizaje/

Grace. (1992). The Portfolio and Its Use: Developmentally Appropriate Assessment of Young Children.  Retrieved from http://www.tcdsb.org/academic_it/ntip/Assessment%20Files/PDF%20Format%20V5/4a-%20Assessment%20-%20Portfolio%20Assessment.pdf

North Carolina Regional Educational Laboratory. (n.d.). Portfolios.   Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/earlycld/ea5l143.htm

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

When I become a teacher

August 9, 2010

Here’s some food for thought on why we become teachers, or perhaps more importantly, why we should (or should not) become teachers.

The original video, plus the video responses to the original are, in my opinion, excellent tools for discussion and reflection for teachers. Whether you are an experienced teacher or a student teacher, these videos give pause and make us think about why we entered this profession.

If you happen to be in the position of being an instructor at a teacher’s college or faculty of education, these would make great classroom resources for your teachers-in training.

Provocative and engaging, these videos are also an excellent example of how one video can inspire others to tap into their own values, vision and creativity to respond.

Here’s the original satire, “When I become a teacher”

Here’s one response. It’s called “When I become a teacher – The Remix”. It echoes in style and presentation, the original.

Here’s another response, that’s even more creative. It’s also called “When I become a teacher”.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Learning means growing your heart and soul

August 6, 2010

My neighbor is an outstanding gardener. She’s gone away for a few days and asked me to water her plants while she’s away. After returning home from lunch with a friend today, I went as feeling inspired as I was watering my neighbour’s beautiful flowers. The vibrant colours of her garden inspired this metaphor:

“Learning is about growing your heart and soul. The fertilizer is passion. The result is a blossoming mind and a character rich with color.”

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Social Media Workshop for Language Educators – LARC, SDSU

August 4, 2010

Calling all Language Educators!

The Language Acquisition Resource Center at San Diego State University is organizing

Social Media Workshop
Date: August 9 – 13, 2010
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (Pacific Time Zone)
 – 10:00 – 17:00 (Calgary / Mountain Time Zone)

This is an online event, open to all educators at no cost.

I was thrilled when they contacted me and invited me to do a presentation on using Skype in the Second and Foreign Language Classroom. So if you missed the first Skype webinar, this one may be of interest, as it will cover much of the same material.

But forget my session, check out all the other great sessions. Here are just a few that will be offered:

  • Michelle Olah & Catalina Bohorquez – Social Media Tools for Collaboration
  • Glenn Cake – Online Class and Digital Story Telling through PhotoStory 3
  • Ronnie Burt – Using Blogs To Enhance Student Learning
  • Evan Rubin – Mobile Devices, Social Media, and Language Learning Dicsussion
  • Chris Brown – Classroom Narrative: Twitter in a Spanish 3 Class

I’m looking forward to learning all I can about using social media in foreign language teaching. Come join me?

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Why we should stop worrying about putting “bums in seats”

August 3, 2010

Remember that moment when you were so enthralled with what you were learning it seemed like time stopped? Your worries melted away and you were in that space somewhere in between reality and potential. It’s a little like being in a dream state isn’t it? You feel your untapped potential surging forward, about to launch you into a new space, where you had abilities you’d only previously dreamed about.

I remember a time like that when I was learning Spanish. It was the moment when I was so into a conversation that drudgery of memorizing verbs and vocabulary melted away. It was the moment – ever so fleeting that first time – when I was so into the moment that my lack of confidence vanished and I just spoke. It was the moment when my heart filled with joy because I realized that moment had been a dream for me – and it was coming true.

Having the ability not only to speak – but actually to engage with someone else in a meaningful conversation – was something I hadn’t been capable of in Spanish up to that point. Once I’d passed the threshold, I knew I could do it again. Knowing that spurred me on to keep learning.

Ever had a moment like that? Sure you have.

If you didn’t, you wouldn’t believe in the power of knowing other languages.

Your students have those moments, too. Or at least, they crave them. Learners crave breakthroughs; breakthroughs make a challenge worth the effort.

What are you offering your students to help them achieve those “ah ha!” moments? How are you challenging them to reach within themselves to tap into their potential? How are you making their dreams of fluency and sincere connections with others, enabled by their language learning experiences, come true?

When it comes to marketing your ESL, second language, literacy and other educational programs, keep your goals worthy and your sights firmly set on why we do what we do.

Stop worrying about how to put bums in seats.

Always worry about how to empower your students.

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

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