Web2.0 tools for languages teaching

(writing)

Kristyn Paul Project Manager Languages R-12

Kristyn.Paul@sa.gov.au

Teaching & Learning Services4th FloorEducation Centre31 Flinders StreetAdelaide SA 5000

What this presentation will cover …

Web 2.0 tools for the languages classroomWriting tools:

Xtranormal

Storybird

StoryJumper

Fun with written texts: Wondersay/Newspaper clipping generator

Xtranormal: http://www.xtranormal.com

The website claims “If you can type, you can make movies…”

Students select the characters, setting and language for the digitised speech (male & female voices) and then type the text (or cut and paste from a pre-prepared Word document).

They then select the camera angles and put in actions.

The finished movie can be embedded in a website or uploaded to uTube.

Unfortunately it now costs “points” to publish movies. New subscribers get 300 points free

Storybird: http://storybird.com/

Storybirds are short, visual stories that you make to share.

About Storybird: http://storybird.com/books/about-us-a-peek-inside-storybird/

Look at some Storybirds that have been written already in a range of languages: http://mfl-storybirds.wikispaces.com/

StoryJumper: http://www.storyjumper.com/ Storyjumper is another story making site.

It is popular with users because they have control over many of the visual elements. Stories can include:a range of supplied backgrounds, clip art imagesThe writer’s own photos or drawings

The help pages have support for teachers and the create link has a useful step by step guide to writing your first story.

Wondersay: http://www.wondersay.com/

With Wondersay, you can animate any type of sentence.

Wondersayings are easy to create, customise and share.

There are no software programs to download and no sign-up required.

Have a brief chat with people at your site to discuss uses of Wondersay in the languages classroom.

Newspaper clipping generator: http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp

• At this website students can write an authentic looking newspaper article in the target language.

• Once they've generated the clipping they can download it as a jpeg file to insert in a document.

Where to from here? Try out some of the tools in the time remaining in this PL session:

Go to Kris Paul’s wiki and click on CENTRA presentations http://web2-4languageteachers.wikispaces.com/

Enrol in the DECS Web2 tools Moodles:Go to http://dlb.sa.edu.au/csmoodleClick on Languages. You will then be prompted for your

user name & password (or register if you haven’t done so already).

Click on the second of the ICT courses –Web 2 tools for Languages Teaching. You will be prompted for an enrolment key. This is web2tools2 – lower case, no spaces.

Work through the course at your own pace, completing the activities as you go along. The writing tools in this presentation are outlined in topics 5 and 6.

Next CENTRA event

Further CENTRA sessions are planned for later this term:Web 2.0 tools that support students in

listening and tools that assist with developing vocabulary.

These and additional sessions will be offered again in term 1 2012.

Your Language Centre Key Teacher will invite you to attend some of these sessions.