Visit learning site

Resources, News, Events

Wayside News - October 2020

10-07-2020  All News, Heritage Language Learners, Remote Teaching, Teacher Resources, Learning Site, The Wayside Way, Assessment

 

  Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter

Including Tips for Your Virtual Open House!
 
 

Proficiency Insider

Bold ideas and practical resources for your language classroom

 

Hi educators,

 

Welcome to the fall edition of the Proficiency Insider, your go-to source for taking language instruction to the next level. Join us as we dive into virtual back-to-school nights, remote feedback and assessment tools, and online Hispanic Heritage Month resources. In this issue::

 

  • READ – yesterday’s blog on virtual back-to-school nights
  • WATCH – our videos on remote assessment resources
  • EXPLORE – online Hispanic Heritage Month resources from University of Oregon and UT Austin
  • REQUEST – Wayside's instant 30-day full content review

 

What would help you this school year? We would love to hear from you!

 

Happy Teaching!

 

The Wayside Publishing Team
 

Four Ideas for Parents Night, Pandemic Style

New on the Blog: We are all familiar with back-to-school nights at the start of the year. Typically, they are opportunities to share basic information about our classes and meet our students’ families. This year, just like everything else, it is going to look a bit different. Here are four ideas to help make your virtual event as engaging as possible.
Read
 

Featured Videos - Remote Assessment Resources

Top 4 Reasons to Use Performance Assessments - Performance assessments promote continued learning and self-reflection. While a test may be an efficient way to gather evidence about what learners know, a performance assessment is a better tool for gathering evidence about what learners can do with their knowledge. In this video, Wayside Instructional Strategist Deborah Espitia takes a look at why performance assessments are critical for world language proficiency, and how learners can take charge of their learning.
Watch

Assessment and Feedback that Lead to Continued Learning - For Learning Site educators, Wayside's Instructional Strategists Cristin Blees and Michelle Olah present this webinar on delivering performance based assessments through the Learning Site in a virtual environment. Emphasis is placed on giving targeted feedback through performance-based tasks. Step-by-step instructions, with visual examples live in the Learning Site, should support you in following along within your own Explorer course.
Watch

Learning Site Distance Learning - In this tailored walk through of the Learning Site, Wayside's Jen Cornell highlights the distance learning tools that will support you in providing equitable, engaging experiences to distance learners.
Watch
 

Artwork by Celestino Deleyto Alcalá, 2012

Online Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

Empowering Learners of Spanish is an open educational resource developed by University of Oregon faculty, including Director of Language Instruction Robert Davis, who co-authored Wayside’s own EntreCulturas 1. Certified by UT Austin’s COERLL, Empowering Learners of Spanish offers a variety of resources for heritage learners, as well as students learning Spanish as a second language.
Lessons

Hispanic Heritage belongs in EVERY month. COERLL at UT Austin is hopefully a resource known to educators of Spanish, but we wanted to give a shout out this month specifically to their team for their continued efforts behind the COERLL newsletter that delivers new professional development options and resources, year-round.
COERLL
 

Free Test Drive! Request a Complimentary Digital Review

It could not be any easier. Just select your textbook interests, answer a few quick questions, and Boom! - you will receive an 30-day full content review!
Review Form
 
Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter

A Propos - September 2020

French Newsletter
09-23-2020  A Propos - French Newsletter, All News, Remote Teaching, Teacher Resources, Learning Site, Grading

Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter

Up your tech tool game!
 
 

A propos

Bold ideas and practical resources for your French classroom

 

Hi educators,

 

As you continue to find the most efficient and learner-centric way to teach French in a changed environment, we have compiled some resources to support you.

 

  • Explore exclusive remote learning & teaching tools

  • Binge watch the three custom video playlists for French educators

  • Read our brand new blog post - 5 technology tools to try in the 2020-2021 school year

  • Learn about our latest Learning Site® enhancements and improvements

 

We would be remiss not to give a congratulatory shout out to our winners of last month’s French Proficiency Library Giveaway: Claudia McGuigan, Erica Boston, and Denise Miller. We hope to offer a similar giveaway later this school year. What would be your dream prize? We would love to hear from you!

 

Bon cours,

 

The Wayside Publishing Team
 

Exclusive Remote Learning & Teaching Tools

Relax and read: Videos and articles to remind you to breath, and a collection of free resources you can download and utilize in lessons next week!
 

Our top recommendations from the Wayside YouTube Channel

They are like potato chips, bet you can't eat just one! We’ve compiled three video playlists for binge-watching at your convenience.

EntreCultures Playlist –Demos for French educators of how to use every section of the program, including Learning Site® tools connected to EntreCultures features.
 

Best Practices in Proficiency Playlist – In just one hour, this collection of brief point-by-point videos provide a primer on some of the most important proficiency principles.

Learning Site  Knowledge Base Playlist – Let’s talk tech! Browse a playlist of tips and tutorials curated for educators that will help you maximize your Learning Site® experience.
 

5 technology tools to try in the 2020-2021 school year

New on the Blog: Many teachers are beginning the year with some or all of their students participating in class virtually. What are some technology tools that can help teachers create virtual tasks for students that will provide them with the best experience possible this year?
 

Your Feedback at Work!

We are always evolving our Learning Site® tools based on the feedback we receive through the “feedback” tool in the Learning Site®. Recently, our Gradebook is getting the bulk of the attention, with ongoing enhancements we think you’ll love like indications of which student attempts require grading when a student has submitted multiple attempts on one activity, the ability to drag and drop OR double click to select assignments, and more. More to come! Want to influence future features and releases? Submit your feedback and the #edtech you are dreaming about using the feedback tool in the Learning Site®!
 
Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter

 

Learning Site Newsletter

September 2020
09-09-2020  Remote Teaching, Learning Site

Your Home for Digital Resources                                                       Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter
Wayside Publishing Logo

Learning Site Newsletter

Use our powerful digital tools for your best experience

The Learning Site® bridges gaps between technology, pedagogy, content and training. It is the home of FlexText®, an online textbook that connects seamlessly to your Explorer® course. Explorer® contains digital tools like flexible assigning and grading, student portfolios, authentic resources, and more.
 
 
Log In
 
Try for free
 
 

You'll love these popular features

Check out our latest and greatest!
Information security

Remote Learning and Teaching

Woohoo! Here's your place to find tips and tools, free webinars, professional development resources, and bring on the free stuff!

READ MORE

Get the Learning Site® iOS App!

It's free, and it offers: Superior audio and recording, improved navigation and display, & integration of the Learning Site® course with your school's technology.

READ MORE
Mobile app
 

New Tools in the Learning Site®

Over 100 activities were added into an "Instructional Strategies Toolkit" for Learning Site® educators. Once you log in, click Learning Tools, and open the Instructional Strategies Toolkit. Use the filters in the toolkit to navigate by mode of communication, proficiency level, learning style, and more.
 
 

Trusted by over 3,000 schools
 

Wayside Publishing, 2 Stonewood Drive | Freeport ME 04032

© 2020 Wayside Publishing. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter

 

A Propos - August 2020

French Newsletter
08-15-2020  A Propos - French Newsletter, All News, Remote Teaching
5 kick offs to an untraditional school year. Declutter your everything. Make a friend. Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter


A propos

Bold ideas and practical resources for your French classroom


Hi educators,
 

As you gear up for an unusual school year, we are right there with you offering new ideas to help you along the way.  

  • 5 strategies to kick off a non-traditional school year in a mindful way
  • Declutter your curriculum with resources to channel your inner Kondo
  • Connect on Facebook with EntreCultures educators
What would help you this school year? We'd love to hear from you!

Bon cours,



5 ways to kick off a non-traditional school year 

In the latest blog post on Proficiency Talks, Elena Spathis brings you five easy but mindful ways to build a community in your classroom, introduce yourself to your students, and more!

Why we love it? This quick read offers room to adapt ideas into what makes the most sense for you.

Declutter your mind, declutter your curriculum


Who needs Marie Kondo when you could have Jen Carson and Michelle Olah? Our decluttering duo used classroom experiences, research, and insights from teachers like you to create sanity restoration resources that you can read or view.

Relax and read : In a two-part blog, Michelle and Jen bring you a treasure-trove of ideas for simplifying, staying present, and prioritizing what's important.



Unwind with a webinar : Jen and Michelle recently walked through several scenarios that might require a little decluttering! Special thanks to educators Chris Hayes, Teacher (Upper Arlington) and Christi Gilliland, District Supervisor (Williamson County Schools) for lending their voices to the panel.

Make a new (FaceBook) Friend

Profs de Entre Cultures de Wayside is a FaceBook community started and moderated by teachers who use EntreCultures. It's a great place to share ideas and questions. Many Wayside authors and staff have joined the community and are even known to chime in on conversations now and then!

Thank you to Profs de Entre Cultures moderators for allowing us to spread the news about this grassroots group!




Proficiency Talks is a Facebook community open to educators of all languages and levels. Wade into discussions around pedagogical thinking, interculturality, advocacy, and leadership. Exchange and read resources on self-care and daily issues impacting world language teachers. Nearly 1,000 educators nationwide have joined the conversation, moderated by Wayside's Instructional Development team.
Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter



Learning Site Newsletter

July 2020
07-06-2020  Remote Teaching, Learning Site
Sign up for a free webinar on designing online learning experiences and find out about our latest digital tools on the Learning Site. Subscribe to a Wayside newsletter


What's new on the Learning Site

Digital tools and resources for your classroom

 

Dear educators,

We have been working hard all summer to make improvements to the Learning Site! We are excited to show off the digital tools we created for your classroom to help empower your students, make grading a breeze, and create a fun learning and teaching environment on- and offline. 

You have access to all of these features through your Learning Site account. If you do not have an account yet, you can request a sample to give them a test drive. 

Enhanced gradebook

Our new and improved gradebook gives you the tools you need to make grading easy and your feedback effective. We have improved how you navigate between student pages, added indicators to show assignments ready to be graded, and more! 



Instructional Strategies Toolkit

Easily accessible from the Learning Site main menu under Learning Tools, these research-based instructional strategies help students stay engaged as they process and produce language. You can browse strategies by mode of communication, skill, proficiency level, or activity type. 



Language Portfolio

Connected to ACTFL-aligned communicative and intercultural Can-Do statements, our Language Portfolio allows students to self-reflect, self-assess, and set goals on their path to proficiency.  The Language Portfolio provides a private, safe space for students to discover what they can do with the language and receive specific feedback about their progress.



Vocabulary Progression

If you are using Triángulo APreciado in your classroom, make sure to take a look at Vocabulary Progression. This new online activity allows students to practice their language skills, gain proficiency, and receive more comprehensible input as they move through the progression.  



Google Classroom, Schoology, and more

We make it easy for you to get the most out of the Learning Site by providing integrations with Google Classroom, Schoology, and more!  



Visit our website to learn more and to stay up to date on our latest Learning Site news!

How to design engaging online learning experiences 

Catch the last installment of our summer Poolside Proficiency webinar series! 

Using a Learning Management System to design online learning experiences
Thursday, July 23, 3:00 ET

A Learning Management System can enable classrooms to transform what students and teachers can do with instruction. These platforms can help increase student engagement and allow for differentiation as we look to bridge gaps between content, pedagogy, technology, and training. In this webinar, we will discuss how using a Learning Management System can expand your classroom and open new doors of opportunity for learning. Our panel will include Wayside Publishing's Digital Specialist for Innovation & Instructional Technology and a district coordinator for Instructional Technology.

 
Subscribe to a Wayside newslette



Archive