Digital Communication for Young Leaners

Digital Communication Project Web2.0 and EFL young learners

Cleide Nascimento and Dani Lyra

“I'm not a fan of technology.

I'm a fan of pedagogy, of understanding how people learn and the most effective learning methods. But technology enables some exciting changes.”

(Donald A. Norman)

Technology allows exciting changes

It’s never been so easy to: Plan lessons; Invest in professional development; Supplement material; Create content; Personalize content; Review content; Extend content; Establish authentic audience; Assess content.

Digital Communication Project What is it?

This project is about personalizing student’s production by using web applications systematically.

Students work is shared with families and friends promoting school/family connection.

Why implement the project

Learning comes to a higher level as students start to care about what they are saying and writing, improving their language output. Students might learn how to use some tools and sharpen their digital skills.

The Networked Teacher

Nowadays a teacher is exposed to many resources on the web to enhance learning opportunities.

The Overwhelmed Teacher

How to make the most of the tools available, and not get stressed out!

How to plan a lesson Working with a course book: (study the unit - theme and linguistic content).

Plan final task (to be carried out at the end of the unit) and how to deliver it to the families.

Choose and test a web tool.

Plan the process: Determine communication and enabling tasks that will lead to the final outcome.

Select/adapt/produce appropriate material and sequence them.

A Framework for Task-based Learning.

Jane Willis.

Some of the webtools available

Choosing a webtool Checklist

 Child friendly  Safe  Downloadable  Adds value to your plan  Easy to use

Establishing school/family connection Start a class blog or wiki.

(Choose an url that can be used with other groups).

Send parents an invitation to follow the blog. Start posting students’ work. Send e-mails to parents regularly, letting them know there is a new post. Put a counter on your blog. Show students the blog and post links to extra class learning opportunities that appeal to students.

Unit 1 Lesson overview Students have just finished unit 1, which deals with there to be (affirmative, negative, singular and plural forms) to talk about objects and where they are in a room.

Final outcome Students write a visual quiz about their bedrooms. The teacher uses Photo Peach to publish the students´ work and sends it to the students´ families.

Resources

Students´ Work

Unit 2 Lesson overview The second unit provides students with the opportunity for using the language learned (the present tense) and describing animals to play a digital guessing game.

Final outcome Each student uses the language learned in the unit to write their own page for the game. The teacher uses Issuu to publish the game the students made and sends it to their families.

Resources

Students´work Our Favorite Animals

Written by Elementary 3 class C5 students Illustrated by Elementary 3 class C5 students

Unit 3 Lesson overview In unit 3, students have the opportunity to use this, that, these and those. They illustrate a gift for their moms and write a sentence expanding on the language pattern.

This is a _______.It´s a good gift for mom because she´s_______.

These are _______. They´re a good gift for mom because she´s _______.

Final outcome Each student uses the language learned in the unit to write about their own gift for mom. The teacher uses Kizoa to publish their work and sends it to their families.

Resources

Students´work

Unit 4 Lesson overview The language learned in this unit is the present tense to describe people and write about someone you love.

Final outcome Students write about a person/people they love (members of the family).The teacher uses Voicethread to record the students and sends it to their families.

Resources It’s just Great to Be Different!

Written by Dani Lyra Illustrated by Cleide Frazão

Students´ work

Feedback A Parent “Querida Daniela, gostaria de parabenizá-la e a Casa Thomas Jefferson pela brilhante iniciativa de agregar escola e família na caminhada de nossos filhos no aprendizado do Inglês.

Sua diligência, dedicação, gentileza e companheirismo foram decisivos neste processo inovador. Muito obrigada!”

(Márcia Nabut)

Feedback An Observer “It was a pleasure to observe such well-planned and conducted class.

The students had a fun, profitable time, since the teacher’s lesson plan allowed them to optimize their participation during the whole period. I must add that all the visual aids were great support for the plan and made the class dynamic and appealing to everyone.”

(Claudio Azevedo)

Feedback A Student

“Eu amei o blog, cheio de jogos e atividades super legais. Com todos os desenhos e atividades da gente é muito bom.”

Join us Our wiki

www.tellingstoriesinclass.pbworks.com

Th@nks