Papers by Anthony G Lavigne
Unit 1: Why Explore? Unit 2: Success and Failure Unit 3: Power Shifts Unit 4: Creative Sparks Uni... more Unit 1: Why Explore? Unit 2: Success and Failure Unit 3: Power Shifts Unit 4: Creative Sparks Unit 5: Hope and Equality Unit 6: Backing Up History Unit 7: Food for All Unit 8: Future Jobs Unit 9: How We Learn Unit 10: A Brighter Tomorrow
TESOL Journal, 2014
TED (Technology Entertainment Design), a collection of regularly updated talks, offers a web-base... more TED (Technology Entertainment Design), a collection of regularly updated talks, offers a web-based platform that is easily accessible. This platform affords language learners across multiple proficiency levels an opportunity to develop autonomy and critical thinking skills alongside their second language (L2) development. With an international community of TED presenters proffering diverse and progressive ideas, learners gain access to authentic language settings and valuable exposure to World Englishes. This will serve learners as they become members of an increasingly global community. By adapting literature circles into the context of blended learning, this article illustrates how such a learning platform can offer students a meaningful and interactive (language) learning experience. This article also contributes to ongoing discussions regarding technology and second language acquisition, and how these intersect to provide effective and relevant social media-based lessons that serve the demands of L2 learners in the digital age.
English has rapidly become the global lingua franca. Through acquiring it, students can gain acce... more English has rapidly become the global lingua franca. Through acquiring it, students can gain access to cultural exchanges with people around the world. This burgeoning global community presents an opportunity for dynamic understanding of worldwide issues and provides a chance to cooperatively seek solutions for them. One challenge facing teachers in Japan has been to discover new ways to introduce global issues into university classrooms. In recent years, however, TED. com has been creating authentic videos by leaders in their respective fields on a wide range of timely themes. These videos can be used in new and interesting ways to increase awareness while improving language skills of Japanese university students. The authors present a variety of ways in which TED.com can be used as a learning tool to assist students in ultimately becoming more cooperative, globally-minded citizens.
English has rapidly become the global lingua franca. Through acquiring it, students can gain acce... more English has rapidly become the global lingua franca. Through acquiring it, students can gain access to cultural exchanges with people around the world. This burgeoning global community presents an opportunity for dynamic understanding of worldwide issues and provides a chance to cooperatively seek solutions for them. One challenge facing teachers in Japan has been to discover new ways to introduce global issues into university classrooms. In recent years, however, TED. com has been creating authentic videos by leaders in their respective fields on a wide range of timely themes. These videos can be used in new and interesting ways to increase awareness while improving language skills of Japanese university students. The authors present a variety of ways in which TED.com can be used as a learning tool to assist students in ultimately becoming more cooperative, globally-minded citizens.
TESOL Journal, Jun 2014
TED.com affords language learners across multiple proficiency levels an opportunity to develop au... more TED.com affords language learners across multiple proficiency levels an opportunity to develop autonomy and critical thinking skills alongside their L2 development. With an international community of TED presenters, learners gain access to authentic language settings and valuable exposure to World Englishes. The authors also present comments from learners who have experience in this context. These comments provide a perspective into viewing how students interpret their role as learners in relation to the methodology presented here. By adapting literature circles into the context of blended learning, this paper illustrates how such a learning platform can offer students a meaningful and interactive language learning experience.
Global Issues in Language Education (GILE), Aug 2013
How can educators bring modern, authentic ideas into the language classroom and have it be meanin... more How can educators bring modern, authentic ideas into the language classroom and have it be meaningful for a variety of students? Through years of practice, the author has refined a method that creates an empowering learning experience for all students. Adapted for English learners of lower proficiency levels, TED Lite uses speech content from TED.com and calls on students to interpret and present on this content. Multiple skills are improved through a well-received lesson that promotes student autonomy, critical thinking, and awareness of global issues. The result is a modern learning paradigm which adequately prepares students for an uncertain future.
Conference Presentations by Anthony G Lavigne
How can educators provide an enriching setting for local and international students to speak cand... more How can educators provide an enriching setting for local and international students to speak candidly with each other outside of the sterile confines of a text or curriculum? This presentation outlines TED.com--a collection of enlightening talks on the human condition--in practice and how it has energized a Japanese and international undergraduate community and encouraged critical thinking. The presenters transplanted an originally successful formula used with EFL students and expanded it to include their foreign exchange peers. A format that elicits fruitful, cross-cultural discussion will be examined. In addition, student feedback will be shared and potential pitfalls will be considered. Participants leave the presentation with the tools to establish this dynamic conversation at their own institutions.
TED.com features speeches from people around the world who are making a difference. Topics on thi... more TED.com features speeches from people around the world who are making a difference. Topics on this website combine social issues and global English, and can help bring students' communicative skills to the next level through eliciting critical analysis and discussion. The presenters demonstrated how teachers can efficiently utilize this website to marry language, culture, and global issues, all within the context of teacher-directed, student-centered learning. In addition to sharing student feedback, sample handouts and lesson ideas spanning all levels of proficiency outlined how students are able to improve their critical thinking skills, become autonomous learners, increase awareness of current global issues, and improve their language fluency, as well as autonomously acquire new ideas from TED.com and their peers. By giving students access to TED.com, the progressive minds that are making a difference in today’s world have an avenue to inspire the leaders of tomorrow to go out and contribute to humanity’s development.
This presentation was taking a look at various methods of observation that occur in the classroom... more This presentation was taking a look at various methods of observation that occur in the classroom and examining their efficacy for overall improvement of teaching skills. Observation methods have been overly abstract, judgmentally toned, and demotivating when not carried out properly. Presenters spoke of research in the observation field and presented a model for carrying out constructive teacher observation in which details of the teacher’s speech and actions could be recorded and analyzed, and the summation of this observation could be presented in a clear and logical format in order to provide detailed, constructive feedback to the teacher. This would help to lower the affective filter that many teachers feel with observation, and prove to highlight specific strengths that the teacher has, as well as outline detailed areas for improvement. A standardized rubric was presented from which teachers could alter, depending on the purpose of their observation and the needs of their educational institution.
The traditional model of the academic curriculum was examined, along with national standards for ... more The traditional model of the academic curriculum was examined, along with national standards for students and educational institutions. Proposed were revisions to the curriculum in order to include environmental topics that would familiarize students with the current state of our world and societal needs for our future. These environmental themes could be inserted into any number of subjects, thereby modernizing an antiquated curriculum model to include relevant themes for tomorrow’s leaders. This could benefit teachers in that they would increase student interest and involvement by teaching about concepts that are less abstract and more relevant, and this could benefit students in that they could more easily imagine real-life applications for the class material. A detailed examination of various state standards was presented, along with environmental topics befitting said standards.
Books by Anthony G Lavigne
Mr. Lavigne contributed to the development of this collaborative series between National Geograph... more Mr. Lavigne contributed to the development of this collaborative series between National Geographic, Cengage, and TED. The book series combines current, innovative topics with language development skills to inspire critical thinking and introduce students to a global narrative.
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Papers by Anthony G Lavigne
Conference Presentations by Anthony G Lavigne
Books by Anthony G Lavigne