This document discusses how Twitter can help teachers by allowing them to build a global personal learning network. It provides tips for setting up a Twitter account, including choosing a username, photo, and bio, as well as suggestions for who to follow and how to organize information. The document emphasizes that Twitter allows ongoing access to teaching resources, ideas, and conversations with other educators around the world.

1. Can Make You a Better Children’s Teacher?

2. I asked the teachers in my Twitter Network:

3. They answered . . . U.K. U.S. U.A.E. Australia Norway Thailand

4. . . . and answered . . . Canada U.K. Denmark Turkey Germany Japan Brazil

5. . . . and answered! S. Korea U.S. U.S. Australia U.K. Japan Twitter is like having a 24 hour, global personal learning network. U.K.

6. Baby Steps If you can text, you can tweet!

7. Create a free account at twitter.com Choose a short username Never share your password

8. Unless you use Gmail, Yahoo, or AOL, skip this step

9. Skip Twitter’s suggestions too. You can do better.

10. Create your profile Use a real photo

11. Tell people about yourself—write a short bio Include key words like ‘teacher’ ‘teach’ ‘children’ ‘EFL’ and ‘Japan’ You’ll meet more people if you don’t protect your tweets

12. How do you find people to follow?

13. Use a Twitter directory like http://wefollow.com Enter ‘JALT’ or ‘EFL’ here

14. Find someone you know, and see who they follow.

15. Ready to start?

16. Check your followers. Block anyone who looks suspicious--0 followers, 0 tweets, following 1000 people. (No one knows if you block them.) The Internet is forever. If you wouldn’t want your mother to read it, don’t post it. Protect yourself from spam. --Avoid Twitter games and activities that ask for your password. --Never click on links in direct messages. (unless you know and trust the person)

17. Learn the local language RT=Retweet When a tweet is good enough that you want to share it with your network. # + tag Hashtags are like labels. They help you search by keywords and join conversations. Short links. You only get 140 characters. Total. 2 types of tweets @barbsaka (a public message or reply—everyone sees it) D barbsaka (a “direct” message—only I see it)

18. NOW you’re ready to go! What can you do on Twitter, anyway?

19. Find teaching resources

20. Practice other languages

21. Get lesson ideas

22. Find pictures for flash cards

23. Find new ideas for teaching

24. Discover interesting blogs . . . . . . and know when they have been updated.

25. What about tags? How do they help?

26. Find a community of EFL teachers #EFL

27. Join a weekly discussion with teachers from around the world. #edchat

28. Follow your professional organization, or follow a conference. #jaltorg #jalt2009

29. Organization is the key Filter information coming in Tag information going out

30. Use tools like Twitter lists or Tweetdeck to organize messages. One column? Not so useful. Lists? Better.

31. Groups make it easy to filter information Use the button to create groups

32. Tags make it easy to organize your bookmarks, and to find them again later.

33. Social bookmarks are online instead of on your computer. Social = Shared Bookmarks = Links Online = Always available

35. tools, websites, blogs, and articles come with personal recommendations

36. collaboration and sharing made simple

37. like having a teaching conference at your fingertipsCome on, join the conversation!

39. get links to the websites mentioned

40. get more information about developing a personal learning network