Teaching Physics to ESL learners

All subject teachers are language teachers!

I had always heard and read about this in the IB documents , but implementing it to the core in the context of China. My recent experience of taking WUIS , China through their IB DP Authorization had suddenly thrown a different insight into unpacking the IB documents as compared to my stint with the evaluation phase in India. The Language policy and its implementation seems to be the prime focus in the school in relevance to China. Being a new school, it caters to chinese students from the national board who have very limited grasp over English as a language of instruction as compared to my previous students in India. Here what is suprising is that both Indians and Chinese are ESL students.

The manner in which teaching and learning is happening in the DP physics classroom here is so different from  the classrooms in India where I had native or near native english speakers. Just reflecting on how my first unit is being taught here , where the development of language is so very imortant.

Integration of language in Physics, is a four-step process:

1)    activating background knowledge

2)    scaffolding for new learning input

3)    acquisition of new learning through practice

4)    demonstrating proficiency.

Today's lesson was hinted on identifying , reading and analyzing graphs- a basic introduction. I used desmos platform, my all time favourite to act as a platform and tool to nurture critical thinking. 

Activity 1: Students where given a function , y=2x and ask to generate a graph and describe the same in groups. What came out from the oral exercise was that the student cohort was weak in basic science vocabalary and the same was identified and posted on the wall..

Words like origin, intersection, gradient, y-intercept were not known or used by the students in English. This activity helped in activating background knowledge.

Activity 2

Next more equations where given on desmos and students where asked to compare and contrast between: y=2x. y=5x, y=-5x and so on. As they compared and elaborated their descriptions in sets of five sentences, they started using the identified and highlighted vocabalary with use.This activity helped students to scaffold for new learning input.

Blended Learning Model

Should we shift back to blackboard?

It has been over three months now since I have last blogged. This was probably a retrospective time for me. A time where I was questioning my existing teaching pedagogy, experimenting and still waiting for enough evidences to support my hypothesis for learning in the classroom. Well, would be soon blogging about all the hypothesis, experimentation and the theories behind learning that are developing in my classroom.

Recently between 21st to 23rd March ,2013, the IB Asia Pacific Conference was held at Kuala Lumpur. As usual like the last year , waited this year to follow all the excitement and learning  behind the conversations at the twitter hashtags. By now it is an established and justified fact that twitter has been till now the most influential learning platform for me. Since I am not still in a position where I could deserve a seat at the conference, nevertheless my own learning model proves once again that learning can take place even virtually from miles far away. I guess if it can happen for me, it would also happen for my students.

Thanks to all the twitter addicts and bloggers who generously shared thoughts , resources about the IBAP and also blogged about the same. One such blogger who was present there blogged about his whole learning and experience even before his return flight landed back to Australia. This is referring to Warrick who blogs at https://learningau.wordpress.com/about-2/. A special thanks to him as I came to know about so many important presentations, their content and impact on the IB Community. This is referring to the blog that he has written on Face to face or online learning? The case for blended learning? Reading this triggered an ever existing question in my mind , that is to understand the impact of the use of technology in the classroom, which/what is more important? The content that I teach, how I teach OR how the brain learns the content that I teach.

Reading the blog took me to reading further about Neuroscience and rewiring of the brain, where the book  "The Shallows, What the internet is doing to our brain?" by Nicholas Carr is referred to. The same book was also mentioned during the presentation at IBAP. In this book Carr argues the way Plato once argued that the technology of writing would destroy the art of remembering.

Carr argues that modern neuroscience, which has revealed the "plasticity" of the human brain, shows that our habitual practices can actually change our neuronal structures. The brains of illiterate people, for example, are structurally different from those of people who can read. So if the technology of printing – and its concomitant requirement to learn to read – could shape human brains, then surely it's logical to assume that our addiction to networking technology will do something similar?

In the article several critics, neurobiologists , psychiatrists, futurologists , neuroscientists , writers and novelists give their point of view, which amalgamating leads to a common conclusion that the changing pattern of communication is having a huge impact in shaping how the mind thinks and works. Sometimes this is so apt when I connect it to my own pattern of learning. Concentrating on the newspaper has become so very difficult as I tend to shift to the online versions of newspapers, rss and twitter feeds, flipcards and so on, on my smartphone. Reading e-books is always a better option than the hard copies which I hardly carry anymore. And I agree to the panel in their saying that my brain can respond more to small articles than concentrate on a larger one. Perhaps the wiring of the brain is actually changing. 

Connecting this to the discussion in the session at IBAP....the question under scrutiny was that should we as teachers move to blackboard, the old traditional method of study. This was the discussion by Metty Antony from Canadian International School, who mentioned the importance of development of a blended learning model where there is a remarkable balance between the traditional bricks and mortar system and the online learning. Quoting from Warrick's blog " This presentation will cover the impact of the Internet and its tools on learners, the different approaches and models of Blended learning, how the IB is leaning towards a blended learning environment and practical insights into what makes it work". 

With statistics revealed that by May 2013, 97% of the checking of IB answerscripts are going to happen online and forthcoming MYP batches to have on screen assesments, my belief in this transition period has all the more been confirmed. But I liked the blended learning model and reflecting on my hypothesis that with internet and remote learning the self learning increases, I think I now need to put some boundary conditions too. 

Mobile phones as data loggers in the IB classroom (Part 2)

Is the presence of mobile phones in the classroom empowering you as a teacher and your students...

Video analysis using mobile phone and logger pro...

As a sequel to my last blog post, this one goes to the benefits of another tool in the mobile phones that can be used as a wonderful aid to reinforce physics concepts and get some good Physics labs . A simple video of a motion and then inserting it into logger pro and going for a video analysis.

Recently my DP students have been learning projectile motion. When it comes to this topic they are always excited as the first thing that they can relate to with this is kicking a football. How desperate they become to test the theory on the field. But till now I was not using any strong mechanism to test this theory on the field as motion sensors were not fit for this.

This time we just had an exciting physics class on the field when all the students got a chance to give a football shot. The shot was recorded on their mobile phone and an analysis of the video on logger pro revealed the height of the shot, the range , the initial velocity of the kick and the angle of kick. When they analyzed the motion at different points then their concepts about projectile motion got strengthened. They were amazed to see how the horizontal component of the velocity remained the same throughout.

Analyzing a motion using this feature has actually provoked their thought process and now I can see lot of innovative ideas coming up , especially in design labs. Moreover they can just think out of the box now as analyzing any kind of motion has become so easy.


Waiting to see what wonderful ideas come up next from them.

Mobile phones as data loggers in IB classroom Part 1

How fast is technology changing and is the change useful at all....?

Well this is a question which is nowadays in everybody's mind and between the juggle that goes on sometimes the winner is probably the side which tries to go with the system that has been existent for so many years. But the mind needs to accept that expertise in explaining a concept seems to be slowly moving from the voice of the teacher in the classroom to the gadgets in use with the advanced technology. I have worked with sensors and interfaces in my previous schools , but in my current school I got the chance to get my hands on the new interface on sensors, Labquest 2 and a first rendezvous with it was just a WOW....

In IBDP Physics use of ICT in labs is mandatory and it is split into 5 catagories :

1.  Data logging
2. Spreadsheets
3. Graph Plotting software
4. Database
5. Computer model or simulations

All these requirements have to be fulfilled atleast once and hence teachers have to use sensors as a part of data logging. Sensors are a useful method of collecting data with precision and accuracy and a direct data analysis can be obtained by connecting the sensor to the laptop. We use a logger pro software for handling the data and graphs. What I found new was these Logger Pro installation CDs had a special version for Mac laptops. The Labquest Interface helps to connect the sensor to the laptop. 

The revolutionary change made in this interface is that it is wifi enabled. Hence data collection and analysis is not limited to the one interface but can be obtained in all the laptops and hangon....also on all the ANDROID and APPLE phones in class. The sole requirement is that all of them need to be connected to the same Wi Fi. The interface generates a unique URL with an IP. address, which helps everyone to connect to the page on data collection. So when you press the keep button on the interface everyone can get the data in their device. And being available on the mobile phones makes it so easy for data collection outside labs. So now technology makes data accesible and available to everyone at the same instant.

Thus as technology is changing rapidly, so are the manufacturers, who understand the need for the change. The way this new interface has been developed, data collection happens so instantly in the classroom, whatever be the student strength.

As the students in my present school have a variety of supplementary gadgets starting from tablets to mobile phones, they really get more engaged and enthralled when they see their tiny devices getting converted to data logging instruments. So those who have not tried it, I advice , go ahead and try it and feel the change in the physics classroom.

Skype Connectivity in the classroom

Connecting the previous passouts to the present batch students...

It has been a long time since I wanted to use the skype in my classrooms and really turn the class into a flatclassroom. So that learning was not just limited and confined to the walls of the room. I believe by now that a lot can be achieved by connectivity and so the best way to start off the same was to connect my previous batch students to the present ones. The interactive discussion would benefit both, I felt. The passed out batch could feel what it is like to be mentors and develop leadership skills. The present ones definitely would gain motivation from the previous ones.

Amit connected through skype...

As I had moved from Choithram International , my previous batch of physics students were not known to the present ones. This year in the exam of 2012, Amit Singhi had topped the school results and secured a 43, and thus is on his way to the London School of Economics. Second to him was Hemant Pankaj Pandit who is already in UK to join the University of Warwick. I am glad that they both accepted my invitation to connect and came LIVE into my classroom. 

Amit shared his experiences of being an IB student and how he had actually prepared for the exams, his TOK essay and EE. He emphasized on the following:

1. Reading the textbooks thoroughly, even between the lines
2. Referring to lot of web resources especially MIT lectures and other videos
3. Reading the newspapers and get used to the terninology used currently in BM and ECO
4. Writing a good personal statement 
5. Getting good letter of recommendation for the subject courses applied
6. Targeting a high predicted grade from teachers and working diligently towards it

Amit's score of 43 and his inspiring story really motivated the students .

Hemant engaged in a heart to heart chat with the students..

With Hemant next on board , joining us from UK , the interaction was a totally different kind. He highlighted that keeping a balance between having a good life and getting good scores in IB was possible and this gave our present students some respite. He said that if they are really looking forward to partying harder they should concentrate on their studies now, seriously getting good scores . The serious problem that he felt being an IB student was being motivated all the time inspite of all the pressure. The discussions were then open to clear individual queries.

I felt that the students could connect to Amit and Hemant as they had just passed through the stage that they were passing through.So what have the students gained from this interaction? Are you breaking barriers and connecting to the world. Soon will blog more about skype connectivity for my subject.....

Web 2.0 tools in my Classroom at OIS..

So does the use of technology in class increase or decrease the productive time of interaction between the teacher and students..?

Well , many a number of times I have introduced the discussion of using technology in class amongst educators whom I come across face to face or over the net. These educators are the ones who are not actively involved and connected using the twitter or for whom the mere concept of learning from social networking sites just DOES NOT HAPPEN. I am not criticizing them but trying to explain the sitiuation in which they are because till a few months back I was also in such a state. So this post is to motivate all those educators TO JUST MAKE A START SOMEWHERE.

Although its just been a little less than a year that I have started using twitter and getting connected to the good practices by other educators all around the world, I can already feel the tremendous impact that this has had on the way I use and integrate technology in my class. The best comment I got as of now from my students in my new school is "How do you do all of this at once Miss?". Well I just answer back that by using technology. In this post of mine I will share some of the multiple uses of Web 2.0 tools that I use in my class.

At first I would list why I use the tools?

• To save time in class
• To engage students using the laptops/ipads
• To make knowledge and information available at their finger tips by using their secondary devices such as phone
• To save loads of paper from getting printed and piling on my table
• To ease my work DEFINITELY
• To pass on updated content of my subject
• To ignite critical thinking and make students active learners
• To incorporate personalized learning in class

Using Edmodo...

As in one of my previous posts I had written that mu work of infusing technology at OIS started from using EDMODO in the classroom. Edmodo is a specially made secured platform for teachers, students and teachers. I have already made several groups for my DP and IGCSE physics students. So the first thing they do is log into the edmodo in class. This helps me to

1.  pass important documents to individual groups
2. paste web urls for them to open immediately
3. Paste questions open for ideas 
4. open up the process of peer review on thoughts
5. develop interest for the visual learners
6. post an assignment with a due date without printing it
7. let the student submit or turn the assignment
8. collect answers on edmodo and use the best ones on the active inspire interactive whitebloard flipcharts
9. above all to engage the digital generation in a facebook kind of ambiance without its nuisances

The above screenshot is of the answers of students from edmodo that I just put up on the flipchart. This motivates the kinaesthetic learners. And yes they do google for the difficult ones.

I feel that this process is actually keeping them mentally alert, involving them more in the content than compared to the process of me speaking and they listening or just opening the textbooks.

Using Edmodo during design labs for DP students:

I have often used Edmodo in my DP Physics classes during the days the students plan for a Design Lab. In such class there is actually no sound in my class and the whole class interacts with me just on Edmodo. Benefits are threefolded:

1. The thought process of each student is not disturbed by any sound
2. Still students can go on clarifying their individual doubts by posting on edmodo
3. A peep into what the other student is thinking by looking at their queries posted, the variables chosen by all tend to absolutely different .Hence a branched thought process is induced.

Using Google docs and dropbox in my DP Physics classes:

Google docs is another all time favorite of mine as it lets me in control of the class from my desk itself , letting me know which of my students are working and which are not. I usually create individual student folders in my google drive and in those folders individual word file is created and shared with the particular student with editing rights. 

Hence again on the days of planning a design lab or writing about a TOK connection with physics, I can exactly keep a record of the work and the rate of work of all students from the tabs. At the same time again write individual comments on the word files as the work is in progress. This saves a lot of time. Once the work is completed,the students just drop their labs in the dropbox folders which is again individually made for them and shared with each one seperately.

And obviously edmodo, drive and dropbox all have apps for android. So all the work is available at my fingertip for checking with my S pen of Galaxy Note. This makes my life a lot easier and simpler making more room for muti-tasking. 

Using Wikispaces and ISSUU...

Since I have been maintaining a wiki for my physics classes , my students never feel the lack of availability of resources. Every single resource that I use in class is available on the wiki for them for future refernce. Moreover this year onwards, all my class notes on active inspire flipcharts are being converted to e books and uploaded on my ISSUU shelf for students. This makes the students utillize the class time effectively and productively in solving quality questions rather than copying notes.

So please feel free to share what you are doing in your classroom.Is it challenging enough for the digital generation????

Making ebooks with ipads

An amazing way to use technology to enhance your classroom engagement and contribution

Well now I have not yet bought any apple product , but that has not stopped me from venturing out the possibilities that they have to offer. In this academic term, the grade 6 students in our school are studying through their ipads and books have been done away with. So I needed to know how to make ebooks with ipads.

I honestly took an ipad from a student for an hour to experiment what I can do with it. So the student had already got this app Book Creator for iPad. So I just had to give it few minutes. It was really easy. I took pics and info from the web and constructed my own ebook of 3 to 4 pages and mailed it to myself. But then wait I have a laptop and an Android phone, and this file was not opening in both. 

Finally after some googling got a solution for it. 

In the Chrome web store I got an app called MagicScroll which I just added to Chrome. I downloaded the .epub file of the book that I had mailed to myself. In MagicScroll I just had to add the book from my hard drive to the library and I could read it.

There was my ebook on nuclear reactors. 

Next was to solve the problem for my android phone. So I followed the following steps

1. Uploaded the new book.epub file to my wikispace page. 
2. Downloaded the book from the wiki on my android phone
3. Got the epub reader app from the Android store
4. Openned the epub reader and imported the book from the option Import from SD. The book was in the download folder.
5. Read the book in my android phone too.

Well amalgamation of laptop, iPads and Android....thats how I would put it.

Educating through apps

Recently after a long inner dilemma,to choose between apple and android, I finally bought myself a Samsung Galaxy Note. Every moment it seems to delight me with all that it can do. Right now blogging from it but without typing. I am simply writing with my s-pen on the screen.
It is so much fun. My entry into the world of smartphones and the App market has just started. Every now and then I am experimenting all the things that I can do with this small magic tool.
As of now writing questions in your own handwriting and mailing it to students just happens in a few seconds. Options available are s-memo, Skitch and even drawing using Polaris office word doc.
The few apps with which I started off immediately are...

1. Annotating student's work happens in no time with iannotate Lite. You can check and annotate any pdf as you would do normally, a hard copy,  with the S-pen and mail it immediately.
2. Another interesting app that I used to teach and clear doubts to my IBDP student was "whatsapp". Though this app is for free Sms to people all over the woold, the way me and my student used it was amazing.

My student had a doubt in one of the questions of a past paper. He took a screenshot and sent me at whatsapp. I solved the question on S-Memo, attached a 30 sec video explanation and sent it. Then he attached an audio file asking his douibt. The ONLINE free chat session with all these facilities really made it so very, easy.
Wait for the posts about other apps that I am going to use from my Samsung Galaxy Note.

Global Collaboration with Twitter

What does it take for a person in USA to know about my intentions?....well just my tweets.........

My tweets got published in the story by Vicki Davis
"Conversations about Global Collaboration"
Are you ready to be a part of a story or build one of your own?

21st Century Education.....My new form of teaching

Do I have to be on twitter to be a 21st Century Educator? 

Well it is your choice. The kind of learning I have had due to networking on twitter would not have been  possible in any other form. Even if it happened it would have taken ages. But the method of twitter Personal Learning Network (PLN) does come with a big Registration Cost....Your Comittment and Passion to learn.
Now siting in a remote city in India Twitter seems to act as my virtual staff room. "I have to learn so much..........". That is the feeling that I get every day. So many hastags and so many conversations going on with too many resources to catch up. Recently I had been to an Apple Education Leadership Tour.
A two hours hands on work on an Apple Ipad 2 completely changed the way I looked at my learning process and the same that is happening with my students who have such devices in their hands in my class. I made interactive books, edited videos , made my own videos, podcasts and what not. There, I listened to some amazing Apple Distinguished Educators and what goes in their classrooms in their schools. After listening to them when I came back I felt all my Unit Planners should be discarded and I needed to think on all of them again.

The effect of such exposure was evident in my next IB DP Physics class itself which was structured in such a way that it would force my students to think, do and learn on their own with my role being as just showing them the way to the think in the right direction. (maybe as I am still experimenting with my new method of teaching).

I simply designed my lesson plan by making a glog , a Scoop and using an ebook.
The glog was something like this.....(full glog at 


The next day the class had my scoop ....


From resources from Scoop which did not bore them as Powerpoints, I guess...they made their own CCD, in the virtual lab,learnt transfer of charge from a transfer of water in bucket simulation (in scoop). And the results were amazing. I could see and feel the students going through a journey while they were learning Charge Coupled Devices from Digital Technology and that too all on their own. I had to do very little explanation for that. I got energized further by an email from a  student stating"I think you should get more of such glogs...they actually made me question myself over wat we learnt n not jst accept the class blindly!  ". ..Devansh.
So now I feel I have a lot to do to implement all the same content of physics in such a manner where students need to do all the learning and thinking.

All these thoughts of mine got reinforced by a sudden entry in one of the hashtags #21clhk, today in my virtual staff room , twitter.There I stood virtually with all the participants of the 21st Century Learning Conference, sharing all their learning from the keynote speakers of the conference and the amazing resources . Amidst those resources came to know about Education Scientist Sugata Mitra (about whom I had already heard in my Apple Workshop), in details and the influence he had on so many educators.Have a look at this  video......So A New Journey Has Begun Today........Self Organized Education...........