- Publications
"Thousand Words" - Etai Forum Summer 2007 by Ora
Baumgarten
I presented my projects site, my model for project work and its relevance to the
curriculum through an example project , "A Thousand Words".
Project work involves these elements:
Relevancy
Topics for research should be authentic issues, relevant and curriculum based.
Activities include the different domains of the curriculum.
Searching
Activities require investigation, not description. Information must be processed
and not simply presented. Pupils can improve their research and problem-solving
skills
Ownership
Students decide on a topic under a main heading provided by the teacher. For
example in "A Thousand Words", each pupil chooses a picture or photograph of
his choice and does his project around that picture. Students take responsibility,
assume ownership and build on their prior knowledge. Students organize their own
work and manage their time. Teachers guide, advise rather than direct and
manage.
Creativity
Pupils present orally, in writing and using creative methods.
Pupils can investigate diverse aspects of one single topic.
Pupils may use various modes of communication
Sharing
Pupils connect by sharing their oral and written presentations in an oral group
activity.
Effective Learning
Topics are meaningful to the pupils because they affect them. Different learning
styles and intelligences are accommodated in project work.
Enjoyment
Pupils learn by doing and not by being passive listeners.
Pupils have the space to choose something that affects them personally.
Teachers have fun too!
What does My First Name Mean?By Ora Baumgarten
Etai Forum, English Teachers' Association of Israel, Vol. IX No. 3,
Summer, 2006
Project Site:
http://kidspace.kidlink.org/start.php?HoldNode=11173
I have always been interested in the connection between the meaning of first names
and the character of the person bearing that name. I have often wondered whether
people "grow into" the meaning of their first names, or whether there is some sort of
mystical force that guides parents when naming their babies at birth.
During the summer of 2003 I wrote a project on my school's site http://ziv.jerusalem.muni.
il/engnames.html which was noticed by someone at Kidlink. They suggested I submit it to
Kidlink, which I did after making a few adaptations.
The project has been running for a couple of years. The first school to join was John
Wesley, a Methodist primary school for Zulu children in Durban, South Africa. Some of
the first names posted there were Bonga, meaning "thankful", Spumelelo, meaning
"successful". Since then, schools from the following cities have joined: Arizona, New
Jersey, Jerusalem and Suzzara, Italy. The exciting part about it is the multicultural aspect
- the children are actually interacting and commenting on each others' names and
drawings.
An interesting sociological observation is the realization that, while the Zulu and Israeli
kids know the basic meaning of their first names without having to do much research,
the American and Italian children don't really know what their first names mean. In
general, the latter report that their parents gave them their names because they
"sounded right" with their surnames, and not because of their meanings.
Description:
In this project students research the meaning of their own first names and consider
whether the meaning actually fits their character. Participants will answer the following
questions about their first names:
• What is your first name?
• What language is it in?
• What does it mean?
• Is there anything interesting or unusual about your first name?
• What city/country do you live in?
• How many people do you know who have the same first name as you?
• Does the meaning of your first name suit your character?
• Do you like your name? What other name would you choose?
After answering the questions participants write or draw their name in a way that
illustrates its meaning.
Target Age Group:
This project is for any age group. It is suitable for EFL students at the intermediate level.
Objectives:
• to give students an opportunity to investigate the meaning of their own first names
and consider how that meaning fits their character.
• to participate in a multi-cultural and global collaborative environment.
• to be aware of cultural and language differences and similarities
• to share interesting facts about their first names with other students.
• to access online information while researching their first names meanings
• to interact with other students online
• to use English in an authentic way.
• to engage in simple research, writing, reading and creating through involvement in
an interesting activity
How to Join the Project:
Send the following information to
Ora Baumgarten orabaum@hotmail.com
Teacher's name, Teacher's email, School, City/country, Number of students
Teaching Tips:
1. Discussion:
Hold an opening discussion with students about first names. Leading questions can be:
• How do parents decide on names for their children? (in some cultures babies are
named after live relatives, in others, babies are named after dead relatives, sometimes
babies are named after important people or events, etc)
• Do first names mean something about the person who bear them?
• Do people have prejudices about people bearing certain names?
• Do your first names suit your character?
• Can you imagine having another name?
• What language is your name in?
• What names are popular?
• Why do people have nicknames?
2. Researching
Some students may feel that they already know the meaning and language of their first
names. Encourage them to do the research on the internet in order to get additional
information about what they already know. Explain that names can sometimes have
other meanings than the ones they know about from their parents.
Basically the students should be looking out for the meaning (or meanings) of their first
names and the language of that name.
Here are a few sites that can be helpful:
Simply access these sites on the internet and then type the student's first name in the
search box.
Andy's Name Meanings http://www.andythenamebender.com/name-meanings/
Boys and Girls First Names http://tools.oxygen.com/babynamer/babyblurbs.cfm
Hebrew First Names http://www.tricityjcc.org/resources/parenting/babynames/
Search for Your Name http://www.zelo.com/firstnames/search.asp
Names From Many Countries http://www.behindthename.com
Students can also access a search engine like Google and type "meaning of the name
[first name]" to get additional resources for their research. For example, in Google, type
Meaning of the name Jonathan
Or
Origin of the name Jonathan
3. Creative Work:
Students should write their first names, expressing the underlying meaning of their first
names in an artistic and decorative way:
For example, someone whose first name means "gift" could decorate the letters of
his/her name with packages and presents.
Students can draw, find graphic images on the internet, or use WordArt to do this part of
the project.
Students should scan their work and save the file as a jpg or gif file. They may then submit
these images together with their answers to the questions about their first names
4. Responding:
Encourage the students to respond to each others' work and to read the others'
responses to their work. Students can write messages to other students having the same
names or name meanings as them.
Project Moderators:
Ora Baumgarten – Israel orabaum@hotmail.com
Joy Boehm – USA boehmj@evesham.k12.nj.us
| © Ora Baumgarten 2008 |
Baumgartenet
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There's not enough time, given all the other work we have to do with them before the final exam. |
The solution: a short, intensive project in three stages incorporating all the domains of the curriculum. |
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Plagiarism – copying off the internet |
The solution: Teaching summarizing skills. Warning them beforehand and discussing the issue of plagiarism |
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Assessment |
The solution: Clear structure and assessment for each section. |
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Not enough time for all of the pupils to present orally |
The solution: Group oral reports which are less embarrassing and save classroom time. |
Model for Project work:
This can be used for any general topic:
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DOMAIN |
Home |
Class |
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Choose a topic
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X |
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Write a composition (presentation, appreciation of language)
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Presentation Appreciation of Language |
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30 |
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Research (access to information)
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Access to Information |
30 |
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Oral Presentation (presentation and social interaction) |
Social Interaction |
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30 |
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Putting it together (presentation) |
Presentation |
10 |
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