Language Learning MAGEs

One of the great ways that technology can help with language learning is through the use of Mini-Applied Game Environments (MAGEs)! Basically, these are technology tools that provide reusable (randomly generated) resources for games that language educators can then play with their students. Here are several examples:

Adivina - This MAGE is a multipurpose guessing game (similar to Guess Who?). You choose your category (e.g. animals, foods, movie characters, etc.) and how many options you want displayed, and Adivina generates a set of options for you. Secretly pick one of the options, then have your students ask you questions until they can figure out which option you are thinking of. Then you can generate a new set of options!

Where is it? - This MAGE provides a randomly arranged set of images of classroom items. You secretly pick one of the items, then have students ask you questions about its location (e.g. is it above the table?) to try and guess which item you are thinking of.

Maze Master - For this MAGE, have one student at the controls who cannot see the screen. The rest of the class can see they screen. They yell instructions to the player telling them which way to turn, to go, to stop, etc. Their goal is to get the player through the maze. It can be fun to time them and see who can do it the quickest!

Ser vs. Estar

What is the difference between ser and estar?

This is a very common question! This is actually one of those tricky points for English speakers, because we don't make this distinction in English in the same way.

Unfortunately, I am not aware of any good resources for this topic. There are probably some out there, but most of them are at least partially incorrect. (The most common error is to say that ser is permanent and estar is temporary. This is quite often wrong.)

Let me see if I can help. First, remember that there are some uses that can only be used by one or the other:

Ser
- telling time (son las ocho)
- saying where someone is from (soy de Iowa)
- saying what something is made of (es de oro)
- identifying (x = y) (es mi amigo)
- stating the location of an event (la fiesta es en el parque)
- stating an occupation (soy profesor)

Estar
- stating the location of anything physical (ella está en la biblioteca)
- stating feelings (estoy cansado)
- identifying civil status (estoy casado)
- used in compound verb forms (estoy hablando)

Among others.

So, the problem usually arises because they can both be used with adjectives / descriptions (at least those not already covered in the list). The difference is:

Ser indicates that the speaker perceives the description to be the normal state. (Es gordo. He is fat. He is a fat person. That is the kind of person is he.)
Estar indicates that the speaker perceives the description to be a deviation from the normal state. (Está gordo. He has put on weight. He is normally not that fat. What happened to him anyway?)

Because this difference is based on the speaker's perception, it is almost always possible to use ser or estar in the same sentence! They are both (usually) grammatically correct, the difference is in the inflection the speaker puts on the adjective. That is why in the grammar game I make a distinction between (norm) and (deviation).

Now, just to make the situation a bit more complicated, there are a few other things we can throw in the mix. For example, there are some adjectives that can only be used with one or the other (e.g. embarazada can only be used with estar). And there are some adjectives that change their translation in English depending on whether they are used with one or the other (e.g. estoy aburrido means I am bored, while soy aburrido means I am boring.)

Okay, that was a long winded answer, sorry. To summarize: You need to memorize which uses are unique to each verb, and remember that, with adjectives, ser is used when the speaker thinks they are describing the norm, while estar is used when the speaker thinks they are describing a deviation.

The ser - estar distinction takes a long time to fully internalize. (At least a couple years of regular Spanish practice.) So do not expect to dominate it quickly (e.g. in a semester). Like most things in this introductory Spanish classes, our purpose isn't to make you fluent in it, our purpose is to help you understand enough so that you can then go on and know what to look for while practicing Spanish in the real world. So, what I want you to be able to do is understand that there is a difference and be able to put that difference into practice when you are carefully analyzing Spanish. So, please do not worry too much about this! For the time being, just do your best and move on. :)

Recording in Zoom

How to Record a Conversation

Here is a video showing you how to do this assignment. Detailed written instructions are also provided below.

Step 1: Email each other to find a day and time that works for everyone to meet via Zoom. Decide who will be the host.
Step 2: At the agreed time, the host should do the following:
     - Go to nsuok.zoom.us
     - Click on the green "Host" button
     - Click on the "Open Zoom Meetings" popup button
     - Click on "Join with Computer Audio"
     - Click on "Invite" on the bottom of the screen
     - Copy the meeting ID (e.g. 123-456-789) located at the top of the popup
     - Email the meeting ID to the other students
Step 3: The rest of the group should do the following once they receive the email with the meeting ID:
     - Copy the meeting ID from the email
     - Go to nsuok.zoom.us
     - Click on the green "Join" button
     - Paste the meeting ID and click "Join"
     - Now everyone should be in the same Zoom meeting together.
Step 4: Watch the initial video below by Dr. Wendorf, and make a note of what your task is.

Step 5: When everyone is ready, everyone should click on "Record" on the bottom of the screen, then on "Record on this Computer".  (Here are instructions on how the Host gives your group mates recording privileges.)
Step 6: Have your conversation in Spanish.
Step 7: When you are done, close the Zoom session. The video will automatically start to download and process. It will ask you where to save it. Be sure to make a note of where you save it!
Step 8: After it finishes processing, make sure it worked. Open the video and watch it. If you're feeling ambitious, you are allowed to trim the video.
Step 9: Upload your video to your Google Drive or YouTube. Copy the sharing link and submit it to this Blackboard assignment.

How to Record a Presentation

Here is an excellent video walk-through of how to use Zoom to record a presentation.