Discover the potential of the
Internet to engage your students in the
writing process (RASA
presentation) by Fiona Beal
http://schoolnetsa.blogspot.com
Introducing myself…
• Have taught Grades 1 - 7 and was then appointed as Computer teacher at a local primary school where I made writing the hub of the computer room. Now working for SchoolNet SA in professional development in technology-integration. Am a Web 2 fanatic for FREE sites!
• Writing is my passion – I am a textbook and story writer, a blogger, a creator of technology integration courses, etc.
Background to this
presentation (this is an explanation of
learners not being keen on
writing in general and the
importance of good
pedagogy in writing
lessons)
The importance of pedagogy in writing
– they must WANT to write
Our digital learners start young
these days http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_zzPBbXjWs
The Internet is the
teacher’s friend!
Learn from the multitude of resource wikis available http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/Writing+Tools
Start a
Scoop.it
http://www.scoop.it/t/r
eading-and-writing-
in-primary-school
The Internet is full of
amazing templates for
writing
Poetry templates that
also give an
explanation of the
type of poem being
written
Poetry idea engine http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/flash_pie.htm
Diamante Poems http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/diamante/
Write a Haiku http://www.pbs.org/parents/creativity/ideas/haiku.html
Vocabulary templates
to aid writing
The Internet can be
used to encourage all
sorts of writing
Book reviews and
book trailers
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/sandwich.asp
http://www.booktrailersforreaders.com/Home+Student+Book+
Trailers
10 technology driven alternatives to book reports
http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/8529-10-technology-enhanced-alternatives-to-book-reports
There are so many of these
template-type sites available
Talking avatars where
you write the text and
the avatar speaks
Story starter sites to
aid writing
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/storystarters/storystarter1.htm
Using photos in
conjunction with
writing
Older classes like to
use fake Facebook
and Twitter templates
Fake book http://www.classtools.net/fb/98/i8F3Kf
There are a number of
ways to write
newspapers and then
publish them
http://www.youblisher.com/p/118644-Global-newspaper-March-2011/
Some of Microsoft’s
free tools can help you
produce fabulous
writing from your
learners
Microsoft’s free ‘Songsmith’ – the learners write
the lyrics and Songsmith creates music for them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oGFogwcx-E
The learners could create autocollages and then write poems
about their pictures. This was done by an 8 year old at a school in
Johannesburg.
Microsoft’s free ‘Autocollage’
Windows MovieMaker can be used in so many ways using the writing process http://techblog.stcyprians.net/index/category/Innovative%20Students
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hOOFik-nxnE
Grade 8 Science students were asked to create an HIV Aids
Awareness campaign using Microsoft Movie Maker. One of the
outstanding submissions was entitled 'Nandi's Story' and it tells the
heartbreaking story of a teenage girl diagnosed with HIV Aids.
Grade 4 students create their own stories with Windows Movie Maker
http://techblog.stcyprians.net/index/grade-4-students-create-their-own-stories-with-moviemaker
Our Grade 4 students have been hard at work creating, illustrating and narrating
their own stories using Microsoft MovieMaker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_PlSRH34RMM
Creating video projects involves
plenty of writing
Other sites that can
induce writing
Voicethreads
Glogsters http://www.sanandres.esc.edu.ar/olivosp/e
xtranet2009/6to/glogster6to/index.htm
• Backchannelling using TodaysMeet when starting something new
The Internet is full of
amazing free story
writing sites
Storyjumper http://www.storyjumper.com
This is flip-page book with artwork
attached. You can enter a whole class to have these e-books
A sample from Tamsyn in Grade 5
http://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/572294/4c68afedee407
A sample from Tamsyn in Grade 5
This is a free online writing
programme where you start with
the pictures and get the story from the pictures
Storybird http://www.storybird.com
http://fionabeal.edublogs.org/2011/05/25/fun-using-storybird/
Storybird
Little Bird Tales http://littlebirdtales.com/
http://fionabeal.edublogs.org/2011/05/10/we-loved-
using-little-bird-tales-today/
This is a free online writing programme which has a place for the learners to either draw or add their own illustrations to their story, and also to narrate it their story so that one reads and listen at the same time.
http://www.littlebirdtales.com/tales/view/story_id/22625/ /
Story Maker http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/make-your-own/story-maker?page=3
My Storymaker http://www.carnegielibrary.org/kids/storymaker/embed.cfm
Friendly letter creator http://www.abcya.com/friendly_letter_maker.htm
Storyboard generator http://generator.acmi.net.au/storyboard/interactive
Character scrapbook
The Internet is a great
place for collaborative
writing and creating
e-books
We sent codes from school to
school (http://primarypad.com/)
PART 2: THE TREASURE CHEST
Part 1: Kirdup and Geocro in South Africa Part 2: Brandon in Canada Part 3: Alan, Jero and Nico in Argentina
The Tooth Fairy A collaborative story between three nations
Part 1: The Loose Tooth
One day a little girl was playing in the garden. Her name was Taylor and she was playing with her cousin Kirsty. You see, Taylor had a wiggly tooth, and it was really bothering her, a lot. All of a sudden, POP! Out came the wiggly tooth!! "Hooray!" said Kirsty. "At last your tooth has come out. You will have to put it under your pillow so that the tooth fairy can come and get it and leave you some money.“ "Oh really?" said Taylor clapping her hands with excitement.
Our stories with sound project http://fionabeal.edublogs.org/our-stories-with-sound-project/
Blogs have an
incredible potential for
encouraging writing
Think about starting a classroom blog or
a subject blog
Think about starting a classroom
blog or a subject blog
Use a blog to write book reports http://josephr4.edublogs.org/2010/07/19/my-report/
Further down in the same blog
http://5bwrites.blogspot.com/
St Cyprians Gr 10 blogging project http://techblog.stcyprians.net/index/grade-10-english-blog-assignment
The reading project that they set up involved groups of three students selecting novels with a common theme and then blogging about these books as they read them, with each member of the group paying specific attention to plot, character or theme. The resulting blogs show how the students have engaged with the books and reflected on their interpretations of the novels. The questions and answers in the discussion threads show that the blogs have become a virtual book club in which students can ask one another questions and agree or disagree with one another’s interpretations in a non-threatening environment. At the end of this project, students were expected to have one-on-one discussions with their English teacher about their books, a task accomplished with more flair and confidence after having sustained a conversation virtually on the blog. Examples of student blogs: The Color Purple
Romeo & Juliet
Engelby
Rumours
A million little pieces
Romeo and Juliet http://meinpopularity.edublogs.org/
Writing about slavery http://shelleywright.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/life-in-an-inquiry-driven-technology-
embedded-connected-classroom-english
My students decided to create Common Craft-styled videos to educate viewers about slavery. First, students needed to distill all of their “fact” knowledge into a compelling story. Then they needed to write the script, create paper characters, and finally begin to practice moving their papers on the whiteboard. In the end, it took hours to coordinate movement with script, film & then edit our videos.
As part of this project, my students have also Skyped into classrooms to teach what they have learned, so that other students can begin this enormously important discussion in their own communities. This is the connected part.
Smuggling Zereda http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uj1-IBBO6YY
Price list for the various types of books
http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook
Wikis have an
incredible potential for
encouraging writing
http://graystonprep-grade6-english.wikispaces.com/The+Write+Stuff
Writing a class novel using a wiki http://yrps5m.wikispaces.com/Welcome
http://barnowlstories.wikispaces.com
You can use a wiki to display all your class’s
pieces of writing in e-book format
Grade 6 stories put into Youblisher.com
http://elk-grade6-stories.wikispaces.com – Karen Stadler’s project
Projects and global
projects with other
schools have
incredible potential for
encouraging writing
Flat Stanley travel buddies
Reading the diary as a podcast for
the classroom blog
The Internet can be an
inspiring place for a
teacher…find out what
others are doing
http://thegloballunchtable.wikispaces.com/
Join a global project
Find out about cell phone projects - Teacher from
the Leap School starts publishing house (Fundza) and includes three mobi stories via Mxit per month
Find out about the ‘Flipped class’ approach http://shelleywright.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/life-in-an-inquiry-driven-technology-embedded-connected-classroom-english
“My teaching . . . then and now
• Before the technology/constructivist shift in my classroom, I would have taught all of this quite traditionally. We’d read books, answer questions, and then address those questions in class. I’d lecture a lot, with supplemental grammar lessons here and there, and I’d include some type of artistic project to achieve viewing and representing objectives. The whole design would have been extremely teacher centered. And at the end of it all, I’d hope they learned something about writing and thinking.
• Instead, inquiry and technology are a natural part of our English classes. It’s what my students have come to expect and have started to design themselves. Instead, of saying, “hand in your assignments,” I say, “publish your assignments and send me the link.” They think about connecting and sharing their learning in the larger world.
• That’s the 21st century difference.”
Enter competitions that encourage
writing advertised on the Internet http://e-classroom.co.za/
Thinkquest competition example
So much is happening in the teaching
world via the Internet. Share your
experiences with other
• Twitter – sharing ideas and resources
• Tablets – are they next? Are they the answer?
• Join in TeachMeets around the country
• Join a local Twitterchat for teachers http://edchatsa.co.za
• Share a Scoop.it (as mentioned earlier)
CONNECT ON THE INTERNET
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