Here is a link to my first ever voice thread. It is a poem I have enjoyed from childhood entitled A Fence or An Ambulance by Joseph Malins.
voicethread.com/share/2381285/
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Technology in the Classroom
Technology in the Classroom
There are many lessons for all elementary grades that could make use of podcasts. I reviewed many on voice thread and it seemed that, for the most part, the children were eager to use this technology. Podcasts can be used to relay information. I saw one school use a voice thread to produce an informative video about bullying. They used video clips that they had created of scenarios that included bullying behavior, then provided information on what one should do in that situation. I also saw another school use voice thread to present their weather poetry and pictures. Each student presented their art and read aloud the poem they had created about specific weather. It covered many different prescribed learning outcomes. The range of what could be produced with this technology is as endless as lesson plans that can be created from picture books.
Technology can be used to enhance classroom learning, it just has to be used with care. I believe that children are spending a considerable amount of their time already on computers and other screen activities, so to add more to that must be taking time away from other non-screen activities. This is probably why I would be more inclined to do podcasts than voice threads or video posts. Podcasts need only "a digital audio recorder that can create an MP3 file, space on a server to host the file, a blog , and something to say "(Chris Tougus). Podcasts engage children and create an enthusiastic environment for learning language arts. They are not only using their oracy skills (speaking and listening) but also writing and representing and possibly reading and viewing depending on the project. Due to their simplicity, podcasts do not take much time to set up or upload. As podcasts use only children's voices, there is a lower security risk and perhaps more parents would be willing to allow their children to participate.
It is important for teachers to remember that not all children will want to do podcasts and provide another way of participating for children reluctant to record their voices, perhaps they could direct the podcast or provide sound effects. Also children that are not fluent in their speech may or may not benefit from hearing their voice recorded. Teachers must be sensitive to these matters and could benefit by first having a good knowledge of his/her students before introducing podcasting.
I think I would like to introduce grade 4-5 students to the Orsen Wells radio play War of the worlds that scared people in 1938 and talk about what kind of event would lead to people being scared like that now and perhaps try to do our own version of War of the worlds. I also like the idea of presenting poetry and art together as a class presentation. I think creating a Peter and the Wolf sound piece would be interesting too. Perhaps initially have the students listen to an original Peter and the Wolf recording and make up our own telling or create another story where each character has their own sound or phrase to announce their arrival. Another way I would consider using podcasts is to ask the students what they would like to create with the technology. Perhaps I would just introduce a book and let the class decide how we use podcasts to further our understanding of the material. Students really are a wealth of ideas and I think I would be pleasantly surprised by their thoughts on the matter.
There are many lessons for all elementary grades that could make use of podcasts. I reviewed many on voice thread and it seemed that, for the most part, the children were eager to use this technology. Podcasts can be used to relay information. I saw one school use a voice thread to produce an informative video about bullying. They used video clips that they had created of scenarios that included bullying behavior, then provided information on what one should do in that situation. I also saw another school use voice thread to present their weather poetry and pictures. Each student presented their art and read aloud the poem they had created about specific weather. It covered many different prescribed learning outcomes. The range of what could be produced with this technology is as endless as lesson plans that can be created from picture books.
Technology can be used to enhance classroom learning, it just has to be used with care. I believe that children are spending a considerable amount of their time already on computers and other screen activities, so to add more to that must be taking time away from other non-screen activities. This is probably why I would be more inclined to do podcasts than voice threads or video posts. Podcasts need only "a digital audio recorder that can create an MP3 file, space on a server to host the file, a blog , and something to say "(Chris Tougus). Podcasts engage children and create an enthusiastic environment for learning language arts. They are not only using their oracy skills (speaking and listening) but also writing and representing and possibly reading and viewing depending on the project. Due to their simplicity, podcasts do not take much time to set up or upload. As podcasts use only children's voices, there is a lower security risk and perhaps more parents would be willing to allow their children to participate.
It is important for teachers to remember that not all children will want to do podcasts and provide another way of participating for children reluctant to record their voices, perhaps they could direct the podcast or provide sound effects. Also children that are not fluent in their speech may or may not benefit from hearing their voice recorded. Teachers must be sensitive to these matters and could benefit by first having a good knowledge of his/her students before introducing podcasting.
I think I would like to introduce grade 4-5 students to the Orsen Wells radio play War of the worlds that scared people in 1938 and talk about what kind of event would lead to people being scared like that now and perhaps try to do our own version of War of the worlds. I also like the idea of presenting poetry and art together as a class presentation. I think creating a Peter and the Wolf sound piece would be interesting too. Perhaps initially have the students listen to an original Peter and the Wolf recording and make up our own telling or create another story where each character has their own sound or phrase to announce their arrival. Another way I would consider using podcasts is to ask the students what they would like to create with the technology. Perhaps I would just introduce a book and let the class decide how we use podcasts to further our understanding of the material. Students really are a wealth of ideas and I think I would be pleasantly surprised by their thoughts on the matter.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Learning how to Teach ELA to Elementary students
My name is Rhonda and this is my first blog that I have ever posted. I am a University of Victoria student studying to be an elementary teacher and this blog is going to be about literacy in the classroom. I hope to post my thoughts on learning how to teach English Language arts to elementary school students.
I expect that English Language arts classes will vary greatly by grade and vary moderately by school. I would like English language arts in any grade to be colourful, somewhat noisily enthusiastic, inclusive of all students regardless of ability, and fun!
I think that English language arts in Kindergarten will be fun and include lots of story time and games. There will be many emergent literacy games and activities. I think that lessons will be short and tailored to the shorter attention span common to this age. Lessons should include an element of play and be able to be structured to include the highly diverse needs of the kindergarten students. Some students may be able to sit and focus on a task for long periods of time, some may not be able to sit for more than a few minutes. Some students may be able to read words or short sentences and some may not know the alphabet.As children progress through the grades their literacy skills will be included in more and more kinds of lessons. Thus children will be using and improving their literacy not only in English language arts classes, but also science, social studies, art and perhaps even mathematics.
These days English language arts not only encompass the world of storytelling, reading and writing, there is also the world of email, blogging, google, facebook and texting to consider. These technologies need to find their place in the classroom as well. Many children are using these technologies in their day to day lives and they need to feel that the lessons taught in class are relevant to their lives.
I would like English language arts to be a fun dynamic part of an elementary school class. I would like to have learners engage in activities such as having pen pals via email from exotic locations, write their own fairy tales and perform them, and participate in story of the week where one student choses a story to share each week and explains their choice. All these ideas can be used in varying forms for any elementary class (I hope?!)I would like to try them out and learn from the outcomes.
I expect that English Language arts classes will vary greatly by grade and vary moderately by school. I would like English language arts in any grade to be colourful, somewhat noisily enthusiastic, inclusive of all students regardless of ability, and fun!
I think that English language arts in Kindergarten will be fun and include lots of story time and games. There will be many emergent literacy games and activities. I think that lessons will be short and tailored to the shorter attention span common to this age. Lessons should include an element of play and be able to be structured to include the highly diverse needs of the kindergarten students. Some students may be able to sit and focus on a task for long periods of time, some may not be able to sit for more than a few minutes. Some students may be able to read words or short sentences and some may not know the alphabet.As children progress through the grades their literacy skills will be included in more and more kinds of lessons. Thus children will be using and improving their literacy not only in English language arts classes, but also science, social studies, art and perhaps even mathematics.
These days English language arts not only encompass the world of storytelling, reading and writing, there is also the world of email, blogging, google, facebook and texting to consider. These technologies need to find their place in the classroom as well. Many children are using these technologies in their day to day lives and they need to feel that the lessons taught in class are relevant to their lives.
I would like English language arts to be a fun dynamic part of an elementary school class. I would like to have learners engage in activities such as having pen pals via email from exotic locations, write their own fairy tales and perform them, and participate in story of the week where one student choses a story to share each week and explains their choice. All these ideas can be used in varying forms for any elementary class (I hope?!)I would like to try them out and learn from the outcomes.
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