Google Classroom

Hello everyone!

      Today I will write about an application that has been very useful to me. I was introduce to Google Classroom when I was in my third year of the English Program, and I found it very helpful and better than the application offered by the University. As always, let's start by a brief description of this tool. 

DESCRIPTION

     Google Classroom is a platform that works as an online class, is completely free, and it can be used by anyone. First of all, you need to have a Gmail account in order to sign up to different classes. Once this process is finished, you are good to go and check the materials uploaded by your teachers. These materials can be videos, articles, and even assignments which have specific deadlines. Moreover, you can download this application in your cell-phone which is very useful if you have a bad memory. Every time you need to submit your work, your cell-phone will show you a message reminding you about the homework. As a teacher, this application is quite useful in organizing your students' assignments and providing them material that they can check before coming to classes. Thus, you can definitely implement a flipped classroom methodology.

     Here below, I will leave pictures that will explain even better the usage of this tool. 

Sign up using your Gmail account. 

As a student you can join to different classes.

You can check material uploaded by your teachers. 

LANGUAGE LEARNING

     As I said before, Google Classroom allows your students to check the materials before coming to classes. Of that way, you can implement the flipped classroom methodology. According to Laurie Harrison (2013) the flipped classroom can be defined as "delivering instruction to students at home through self-study materials". The idea then, is to create a class that is focused on students' questions about the materials and some difficulties that they might have had while doing the activities or checking some new content. This is a very good way of helping students to develop autonomous work, responsibility, and being well-organized with their time. Surely, a commitment needs to be done in order to get the most from this ICT. In terms of the English language, you can try to upload materials that can help students to familiarize with the L2. For example, TED talks that are related to their personal interests. Furthermore, different abilities (listening, writing, speaking, reading) can be developed since you are free to upload any kind of material. Finally, Google Classroom can be used with students from all ages. The only thing that will be different is the material updated depending on the students' ages, and personal preferences. 

LIMITATIONS

     As always, Internet is one of the limitations, If students do not have a connection to it from their home or cell-phones, he/she will not be able to see the content. The second limitation has to do with the way students are used to work. When I was introduced to Google Classroom, I found it wonderful since the application that the University had was awful. However, it was really difficult to accustom to it. Most of the time, I forgot to read things and then in classes I was pretty much lost. You might think autonomous work is easy to do but it takes some time to develop. For that reason, I believe that you need to teach the importance of it to your students in order to create a true commitment. 

     I really hope this short explanation was useful to all of you. I truly believe that Google Classroom is an awesome way to teach not just English, but important values that we all should have.

REFERENCES

      Harrison, L. (2013). The Flipped Classroom in ELT | ELTjam. ELTjam. Retrieved 2 July 2017, from https://eltjam.com/the-flipped-classroom-in-ELT/