Sunday, October 9, 2016

It’s a Small World After All…Right?

It’s a Small World After All…Right?


Do you remember that song when you were a kid? “It’s a small world after all…” The world is vast and massive though. I didn’t really understand what this common nursery song meant at such a young age, but thinking about it as an adult, the message it was trying to convey is that we have many similarities and diversities, but we still can connect with one another regardless because of our humanity. As educators, with the knowledge that we are all affected by each other globally, developing collaborated avenues with learners worldwide can offer a multitude of opportunities to better understand one another. Organizations like ePals can provide us with the platform of global collaborations through project-based learning.

The network website, ePals has so many features that facilitate educators around the world to connect their students with other learners world-wide. I’ve fallen in love with this site!  Educators can sign up and create a profile of who they are, a description of their students, and what they are interested in (e.g. language learning, sharing holiday traditions, etc.). They can explore connections (i.e. find similar educators/leaners) or explore experiences (i.e. lessons and projects). It also has a feature called “global challenges,” bringing learners together through competitions and projects. Additionally, they have an another program called In2Books that pairs mentors and learners to develop students’ literacy and thinking skills.



Being an EFL teacher abroad, this would be a great platform for my learners to connect with native English speakers and practice their oral skills and writing with them through collaborative projects. Since I love international cuisine, the “Taste of Culture” lesson appealed to me. Food always brings people together in my view and this project-based learning experience would be a memorable one for my learners. I hope I can organize something this school year and will post my reflections on how it goes.  
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