The Effective use of technology to support learning
One of my favourite moments in education is going to visit a classroom of an Outstanding teacher to see exceptional learning. At Twynham we are fortunate to have many excellent teachers and one of the very best is Helene Tulodzieck who is an AST working in the French department. There are so many things I like about visiting her lessons but perhaps the two things that strike me most are the atmosphere and the use of technology. I think each classroom of an experienced teacher has an atmosphere you can some up in one word as you walk in. Whenever I go to a french lesson to see Helene and her students that word is learning. Everything that happens in her lessons is centred on deep and meaningful learning and the students love it.
Helene Tulodzieck winning the South West Teacher of the Year Award 2009
This is of course the same with other teachers but the thing which impresses me even more about these lessons is the use of technology. Many of us have made the mistake of creating resources using technology where the technology becomes the driving factor or the centerpiece of the process. In Helene’s lessons learning is always at the centre of the experience and technology simply aids and enriches the learning by adding greater pace, challenge or reflection. Watching learning taking place using technology which is both seamless and invisible is for me exactly how the use of technology should occur- as an invisible and yet dynamic aid.
Another major strength of Helene’s practice is the use of pod casting. In many ways pod casting is now very much mainstream but the variety, range and depth of resources produced by Helene and the French department for our students is staggering.
Twynham School French Pod casting Site
Twynham School French MP3 Library
