In White Plains today and tomorrow is a gathering of 600 instructors whose job it is to teach the quirky and perplexing language that is English. The New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages is holding its annual conference at the Crowne Plaza and trading ideas about using technology in class. Blogs, iPods and fancy software are apparently finding great utility in ESL instruction for adults and children. There’s a presentation today on “Fluency Through Film” and one tomorrow on “ethnographic research collected from ELLs who play video games.”

But it’s not all about high-tech gizmos. A teacher from Syracuse University just explained how she uses disposable cameras as a way to generate essays and conversation. Immigrant students are asked to take photos of whatever catches their eye, and write about that moment. The photos inevitably lead to discussions about life in America.

Maryanne Patulski shared some of these “snapshots of culture” — photos of Starbucks, a Wal-Mart, political rallies, an Interstate sign pointing the way to Utica. A student from China photographs an American flag flying, and describes the complex emotions of being grateful to be in the United States while also missing home. Another student ruminates on why she never feels alone at Starbucks. Another student submits “Picture of me the first time to drive my car,” followed by “Picture of our cars bumping.” The essay begins, “Today I learned a lesson while I parked my car …”

One writer photographs the sky and remembers her mother telling a story on why it was blue: it was a reflection of the sea. The student has since learned a scientific explanation, but such memories “made me have a beautiful dream in the bottom of my heart.”

The cameras function as a personal notebook and generate far more original ideas than a standard essay assignment, Patulski said. “It’s actively looking around,” she said. “It’s actively making sense of the world, and maybe a culture that’s different from mine.”

Next up is the star speaker, Dave Sperling of the web site Dave’s ESL Cafe.