Etherpad has been a great tool for my Span102 and Span201 classes this semester. It took awhile for the students to get used to using it, but once everyone learned the URL, it has really enhanced their learning and our efficient use of class time. Every day I assign a student to come to class with a short story (“Hora de cuentos”). They paste the text of their short story on the class Etherpad and read it to the class. Then we work together to refine it, correct errors, and discuss the subject matter. By writing my comments and corrections right there, students are able to vicariously correct their own writing, every day.
Etherpad has also been a great tool for quickly writing up new vocabularly that arises during class conversation. I love that when I type it, I can get it up there faster than using a dry erase marker AND it stays. Students can always go back to review it later.
Same with grammar. Every day in class, I have students presenting examples of the grammar point for that day in front of the class. They often type their notes into EtherPad so that other students can review them later. It’s a great thing!
I use ============ equal signs to break up the different sections on the pad. You can check out our pads in progress here and here.
