WOW!!
Those tools are just endless!! It's
hard to keep up with all these amazing new tools!!
First of all, the Voice thread
was really exciting for me, it was simply FUN!!
All the tools I have looked at
are just great for improving either writing, reading and speaking skills. I am
relating to 5 effective tools which are great for studying at school as well as
at home.
1.
Skype: can be used as a platform to conduct lessons, share
presentations, provide tutoring and support, and more. I am also a
student of special education needs and I think Skype allows the special education classroom to incorporate
students of all ages and abilities into the conversation, and it works equally
well as both a remote and a local tool.
2. http://www.learner.org/interactives/spelling/index.html
spelling bee: Not only is it very useful for self –studying but in class
students can work in pairs. Teacher decides what story all students work with, (after
adjusting the right level), then students pair up, listen to the story together
using earphones, write on their notebooks the missing word (try hard to spell
it correctly) and then share and check together by typing the word inside the
story (in the computer). The students practice listening comprehensive as well.
http://www.spellingcity.com/taking-a-spelling-test.html:
amazing, amazing, amazing!!! What I loved the most is that it provides a full
sentence for any word I type. Teacher can ask students to type any word they
like and then spell the full sentence they hear (about the word they type) correctly.
3. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/10/free-customizable-e-books-from-make.html?m=1
it's excellent because kids (and adults) are very attractive about commix. In fact,
students (all ages) will be excited creating their own story, using pictures
they like and share with friends…I had an idea of preparing one long story by
all students. Every two students prepare one part of the story and then all
class can watch it together. I am sure that very funny pictures and writings
will come out…
4. http://www.protagonize.com/author/Ronit-Breslaw I am a participant of a course called: "Creative
Writing". The teacher Laura has created a group for all the participants
in the group called:" Creative Writing Herzog 2015-2016". That way we
can share our poems in a very nice site and still keep our group separated from
the other members of this website. Same thing can be done for high school
students for their creative writings, stories, poems...
5. Printing press: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/Printing_Press/
unbelievable!!!! I love it for myself and it will be fun for students to create
their own brochure, newspaper report or flier. What I like the most about it is
that it's very clear… there are not too many options so it makes it easy to
choose… in class, students can work in small groups creating a brochure for any
event they like to share. Students practice writing, spelling and enriching
vocabulary. I think that students will work hard to prepare a professional brochure
since they share it with the whole class. http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp
creating a newspaper is a very authentic way to encourage writing…. The fact
that it's written in a newspaper format, makes the students feel important in a
way that what they write is so important that it should be published!!
I still did not fully understand how skype can be used effectively in the classroom?! Besides for just learning with learners in other classrooms,,what benefits does it have? How would you incorporate it into a lesson plan?
השבמחקI liked the Interactives website too, and I think your idea of having a reading comprehension/listening activity with a story from the site is a great one. I think it's important for the students to hear other voices besides their teacher's speaking English. I also had fun playing around with Printing Press. In the year 2000, I taught a class where the students had to make up a newspaper. Two of my students who were really good at computers managed to do it on desktop publishing software, but this tool makes it easy! I generated a cute news page with photos about what my kids are doing for fun these days (for the grandparents to enjoy). Thanks for your ideas!
השבמחקI like the combination of listening and spelling on the Interactive website! I'm not sure I'd have the students do it in pairs though (unless you don't have enough computers), because I think it's more of a challenge to do it alone.
השבמחקNomi
השבמחקI think the skyp tool is amazing and it can help the teacher involve students who cannot make it to class. If a teacher would do that she has to think about a few questions- does she mute the voice of the student from the other side? Does she let him also ask questions from home? How won't it distract the other students? Etc.
Hi,
השבמחקI think the printing press idea is wonderful. The teacher could even have a weekly newspaper where the students fill in things like current events or recipes for Shabbat. I also think that the font can motivate students to write more.
Hi Ronit.
השבמחקI love your idea of Protagonize.
A lot of students are very creative and can learn a lot from writing stories and poems in English..
Shira
While reading about your last two tools I got this feeling of a very empowering in your atmosphere amongst the students. Having this group on protagonize and in your own words, "makes the students feel important in a way that what they write is so important that it should be published" these things could create a powerful thinking group
השבמחקpowerful upbeat blog posts generate many reactions - as you can see. Well done
השבמחקA couple of times when my rabbi was sick we had a class on skype. He was at home and we were in class as usual.
השבמחק