discover the potential of the internet to engage your students in the writing process

Discover the potential of the

Internet to engage your students in the

writing process (RASA

presentation) by Fiona Beal

fionabeal@schoolnet.org.za

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

http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/50+Ways

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

http://www.piclit.com

http://www.piclit.com

http://www.tagxeedo.com

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

http://www.voki.com/

Story starter sites to

aid writing

Use a programme like http://www.wallwisher.com

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/storystarters/storystarter1.htm

http://www.thestorystarter.com/jr.htm

http://www.creativewritingprompts.com/#

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

http://www.myfakewall.com/

http://faketweetbuilder.com/

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/

Skype in the classroom competition http://education.skype.com/

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