1. Strengthen Connections with
Colleagues:
Build Your Own Personal Learning
Network
Lea Graner Kennedy
Stonington Public
Schools
Twitter: @LeaGK

2. Objectives of workshop
• As we meet dynamic colleagues at COLT, learn
how to start or improve your use of Twitter to
foster rich dialogues with professionals who
provide inspiration to improve instruction &
curriculum beyond our days together at COLT.
• Participants will have opportunities to
brainstorm names of thought leaders they
follow in various categories.

3. So many ways to build your PLN
• Today’s short workshop will
focus just on the use of Twitter

4. World Language Teachers love to
network and share resources!
• Barbara Lindsey of CT @LindseyBP
• Kevin Gaugler of NY @Gaugler
• Toni Theisen of CO @ToniTheisen
• Silvia Tolisano of U.S. @Langwitches
• Tom Sauer of KY @

5. Build Your PLN!

6. However, most networking for
language teachers has been done in
live time only.
• District workshops for WL teachers
• COLT, NECTFL, ACTFL conferences
• Collaboration for trips
…All of these are scheduled on specific dates,
require release time, money and often a sub.

7. Twitter can fill many roles:
asynchronous, real time, tagging, sharing

8. Online Networks allow you to jump
into the conversation & collaborate
at any convenient time.

9. Signing Up for Twitter

10. Getting Started

11. Finding People and groups
• What are your interests?
• With whom do you wish you had more time to
collaborate?
• Who inspires you when you go to conferences,
workshops and read online?

12. Add to your Network- People that you
like to collaborate with have a list of
people/organizations who they follow.

13. In 140 Characters-
Post an interesting idea, link or question

14. What’s happening? Using # to help
others searching for topics

15. Don’t waste your 140 characters-
Shorten a longgggg URL

16. Post to all or send a Direct Message

17. Directing a reply @ someone

18. Citing other colleagues- Retweet

19. Streamline your networks: Brizzly.com
combines Twitter & Facebook

20. Twitter is like a professional
cocktail party.
• Feel free to share an idea or learn about a
new idea when you have time.
• Don’t try to catch up on all the
conversations you missed.
• Acknowledge other people’s contributions
to the conversation.

21. Use your PLN to improve
instruction of the 5 C’s
Let’s share resource! @LeaGK