Developing Innovation in English as a Second or Other Language
The DIESOL Podcast is focused on helping ESOL instructors find the best ways to integrate technology into the classroom. With a focus on research-based pedagogy and best practices, Ixchell Reyes and Brent Warner explore different possibilities for engaging students in their language learning journey.
EdTech in ESL
When it comes to TESOL, EdTech is still severely underrepresented, with many teachers continuing to focus on using old methodologies that may not appeal to the modern student. DIESOL aims to help teachers understand ways to appeal to their students through sharing modern technology, apps, and services that are highly engaging, and hopefully have a relatively low learning curve for the teacher.
Research-Based Best Practices for Tech Integration in the classroom
DIESOL focuses suggestions for best practices in the classroom on research-based pedagogy. It’s not sufficient to simply say “this worked in my class,” but to get into the reasons why something worked to have better chances to make the work scalable across many different classroom settings.
DIESOL’s best practices focus on converting the research into the classroom in modern and fun ways that students and teachers can all get behind.
Ixchell & Brent
Ixchell
Ixchell currently teaches English for Specific Purposes. She is an active force in the professional development world, and encourages all future and current professionals to find the challenges in adapting to changing technology in education, and work through them rather than retreat and simply say, “I’m an old-school teacher.” She’s been recognized for her efforts by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) as an emerging leader, and by CATESOL as a Professional Development awardee. She has taught at California State University San Bernardino, University of California Riverside, and at the University of Southern California. She enjoys training teachers, reading about Generation Z, watching True Crime streamers, and running daily.
Brent
Brent is a professor of English as a Second Language at Irvine Valley College in southern California. He is a regular presenter on EdTech integration in the classroom, helping teachers better understand how to support students’ learning through apps, websites, services, and other digital mechanisms. He also co-hosts another podcast, The HigherEdTech Podcast, focusing on helping professors in colleges and universities understand what is available to them in the ever-expanding world of Educational Technology.