Week6

1. The first tool that I can envision using in my teaching is MakeBeliefsComix Printables. These printable, partially blank comic templates have a variety of prompts and pictures with spaces for students to add their own text. These would work well for beginners in English because there is not an intimidating amount of blank space, and each comic square has pictures that can get the student thinking about what they want to write. The printables are organized into categories or themes, which makes them easily browsable for use in a variety of different units or to address a variety of topics. There also seem to be prompts for students of different levels: from connect-the-dots for younger students to story-telling prompts for older students. I would love to use these, particularly as a pre-writing, brainstorming tool in preparation for a more formal work, or as a tool for reflecting on a text and connecting it to their own experiences.

2. I can also definitely imagine using Spelling Bee in class. I like that the voice recordings are very clear, the texts are not too long, and there are different passages for different grades. There are only three levels for each grade, but even some of the lower grades have difficult words for non-native speakers, so perhaps the students could start at a younger grade than they are actually in as a sort of warm-up while they are learning how to use the website. This same website also has other interactives on "elements of a story," "historical and cultural," and "literature," which I could certainly imagine using with sixth graders. There is also a unit on "cinema," and there are several history units. Even if there is not time to cover all of the elements in these units, passages could be excerpted from them and used as reading passages or supplementary materials for teaching basic "Western Civ."

3. I am quite keen on the BBC Skillswise website, particularly the section on common letter patterns! These fact sheets that they have about words with the same letters making different sounds and, vice-versa, different letters making the same sound are terrific. Even if they are not an exhaustive list of every example, they provide a very clear introduction to one of the tricky aspects of English spelling and can help contribute to the student's bank of sight words. The letter pattern crossword puzzles and word finds are great, not ideal for a whole lesson, of course, but a nice way to review.

4. I can definitely see my students getting a kick out of the ReadWriteThink Printing Press. At the school where I am volunteering, there are a fair number of native or near-native speakers of English, because one or both of their parents come from an English-speaking country. The kids and their parents alike have expressed that a weakness for them is in English writing, and I would LOVE to use this tool to create a monthly newsletter (in English) about what goes on at the school. The templates are straightforward, and it looks like the products that come out of it are very polished.

5. Finally, this StoryJumper program is ADORABLE!! I love the clear instructional video on how to use it, how many character and prop options there are, and the fact that you can upload your own photos to personalize the story! I can totally picture how much the students will love doing this, and how stunning and potentially hilarious the stories they come up with will be when they are done! It's an amazing way to let their creativity inspire them while also incorporating useful language and ICT skills in their project! I am so looking forward to using StoryJumper!