ACT I: An invitation to participate in one of America's finest summer events--A Watermelon Eating Contest!
Scene: Summer 2006--HOT, oppressive JULY 95 degree+ heat in Northern VA.
Actors: 100 tired and hot ESL students
While the students went teeth first into pink wedges bigger than their heads, I took about 1000 digital pictures to document their bold entry into the cultural phenomenon. First it was just 6 students, then it was 10--finally 15 students soaked themselves in pink pulp and buried their feet in green rinds...and I got it all on record.
What would I DO with these pictures? The students HAD to have them for their MySpace pages (well, it was still cool in 2006). I used a free download of MS Photo Story and made a DVD, layered with an OutKast "He Ya" soundtrack. After handing them out a few weeks later, the students MOBBED me to find out how I'd done it. They wanted to make their own Photo Stories, which take still photos and turn out something which feels like a movie. Even more, it allows for music, photo-editing, captions, and personal voice recordings!
Hmm...when the students come to you, you MUST take advantage of their eagerness!
ACT II: The Set-Up
As an educator, I have a curriculum to follow.
As an ESL teacher, I have language based learning objectives.
As a classroom manager, I learn about my students and value their talents and personalities.
As a human, I am creative (and want students to feel creative).
Weaving it all together can be a challenge, but I (silver platter from the students, really) found a way with another fun tech tool...PHOTO STORIES!
Scene: Technology Elective ESL class
Actors: 16 Intermediate to Low Advanced ESL students
- The students were tasked with choosing an emotion (i.e. Hate, Love, Sadness, Jealousy, Admiration, Anxiety, Joy, Calm).
- Then, in class we conducted a Google Image search and grabbed photos to represent the chosen emotion. These were then saved into a folder on student flash-drives. I required 20 photos.
- At home, students then searched Quote databases for 20 corresponding quotes/proverbs/expressions to be layered on the photos in the Photo Stories. This ended up being a very challenging, but excellent task for reading, vocabulary, and implied main idea practice. The students commented later that this was their favorite part of the set-up process because they read far more quotes than they needed, and felt a real sense of accomplishment for having deciphered so much English!
- Finally, they downloaded MS Photo Story for FREE. We used desktops in class, but if you don't have such a classroom you could use a lab or conduct a BYOL (Bring Your Own Laptop) day and students can share.
ACT III: Creativity UNLEASHED! Teacher overwhelmed by students' passion for the product, while slyly noting the massive uprising of English application in the process!
Once students participate in a teacher-led demo (Step-by-EASY-Sep) of the simple to use, Point-and-Click software, and how to SAVE the work in progress...THEY JUMP RIGHT IN!
Bing, Bang, BOOM! The students are talking, asking questions, helping one another, laughing, pointing, clicking, editing, recording their voices (I required that they record themselves reading the quote for each frame), listening to one another's recordings, advising, and CREATING!
Let's check that list again:
As an educator, I have a curriculum to follow. CHECK!
As an ESL teacher, I have language based learning objectives. CHECK!
As a classroom manager, I learn about my students and value their talents and personalities. CHECK!
As a human, I am creative (and want students to feel creative). CHECK!
Conclusion:
Here is a real example from this class, with permission from the student to share with you!
Note the language skills tasked here, and how the tech tool assists her in practicing and applying her improvements in English. I think she deserves a STANDING OVATION!
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