There was a pause this week as academics participated in the well-publicized #scholarstrike, two days to reflect and recognize the work that is taking place to combat systemic racism and campaign against police brutality. Many chose to honor these times with a collective learn-in and not only published links and resources, but took time in class to talk and share an experience.
While some may see the protests as an American issue, it is clear talking with international students and those based overseas that the protests have made them reflect on the nature of racism in their own countries or how civil unrest is handled by authorities and those in positions of power. Language is not neutral in this respect, and it is clear that we all need to think critically about the words that are used, whether in a news headline, online discussion, or interview to codify or condone systemic racism.
This week we have reflections on the first week and how to talk about difficult subjects in class. Tools for collaboration and sharing, and links to stories and news from around the world. If you would like to comment on the content or have something to share then we invite your contributions and responses either by hitting reply and sending us an email or through our social media channels Instagram and Twitter.
Culver City, USA - student follows an online lesson at a specialized centre. A lawsuit brought by the Orange County board of education seeking to compel the state to reopen public schools was shot down by the California supreme court
Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images seen at The Guardian.
People, Places, and Things
With many of us adopting this new normal and with much uncertainly ahead, it’s interesting to reflect just on how tough these first weeks have been - Is this College? Students and Professors Reflect on a "Weird" First Week of Classes as part of the EdSurge Podcast.
We created a page of resources and discussion points in support of #scholarstrike and published it as an open page on Canvas Commons, please feel free to share and use as you would like.
The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (membership needed) is launching a 14-day writing challenge. As someone who has benefited from the many videos and resources of the NCFDD and currently enrolled in their buddy system, and who has found it challenging to maintain a disciplined writing regime during the pandemic this is timely and much needed.
This isn't the first time that I've read about this during lockdown, but as many families hunker down and find ways to supplement learning or teach from home this interesting story about Asian families learning heritage languages during quarantine seems like a positive way to go.
Following on from the #scholarstrike and the encouragement to talk through recent events you may want to refer to CMU's Eberly Centre for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation shares advice on how to handle difficult moments with respect and sensitivity.
Tools and Resources
You may not have even noticed this feature in your google apps - but many educators are using Jamboards as a virtual wipe board in remote sessions. Here are a great tutorial and another with tips on how to share jamboards with your students and get them working collaboratively.
Another useful tool that is gaining popularity is Classroom Screen which helps you create a browser-based sharable screen and include useful widgets such as timers, text, and traffic lights. This last feature is really useful, especially in large classes and you might be used to the paper cup version where students choose a colour red/amber/green to signal whether they are managing or struggling with a particular concept. Digitidea has a good tutorial on Classroom Screen, it's free to use and you can sign up with your Google account.
Usually, July means binge-watching cycling on tv (see below), so it's strange to watch the tour in August - Lumni.fr has a host of useful french language videos for all ages and levels including a great introduction to the Tour de France.
Spectators cheer France’s Nans Peters and Ilnur Zakarin of Russia as they climb Port de Bales pass. Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP from The Guardian
Thank you for reading, we really appreciate your support and would love to hear more about what you like and what you've seen that might be useful to share. If you have anything you'd like to include in future issues, let us know.
This newsletter is produced by The Askwith Kenner Global Languages & Cultures Room, in the Modern Languages Department, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University.
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