Digital Story Telling

(Assignment sept 28-Oct 4)

This project was completed by French Level A students.
I posted images in voicethread and invited students to make comments using their new vocabulary & previous knowledge of French.

upgrades

(Assignment sept. 21-27)

Three years ago, I created a video model for a project on weather description. I used the images that I had from books, cliparts and low quality photos.



Last year, students started to use creative common images for this same project. We encouraged students to find images that represented the weather and activities in that season.
Here is the new version of our project.



I no longer use my video as the model for the project, but use some of the students' to show how to find relevant, interesting images, and give credit for their sources.

Visual Literacy (course 3-blog 2)

A picture is worth a thousand word.

Using images to illustrate new vocabulary is not something new to modern language educators. We use visuals to catch students' attention and the image help them construct meaning.

However, finding relevant and interesting images to get a message across in the target language is much more powerful. Until recently, and before I knew any better, I have always been a fervent user of clip-arts (top left image) to help support a lesson presented in the target language.

Today, the web 2.0 is giving us access to unlimited resources of images with tools like creative commons. We can now use richer images, but we must not forget to give credit for those who took the pictures. Wondering how to use creative commons? Check out the cc help form I created for my class. (I would welcome your feedback)

This year, my goal is for myself and students to find more relevant pictures to use in the context of French classes. I used this picture to record descriptions of the weather in a French A project on voicethread. The image doesn't limit itself to weather expressions "il pleut" ou " il y a de la pluie".
Students can get much more creative with their description of the image.

Photo: : http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhussein/3564634131/

ON N'ARRETE PLUS LE PROGRES

In French, we say that progress can't be stopped. Progress is good, but knowing how to use it well and appropriately can sometimes bring new challenges.

I feel that as I get stronger in using technology in my classroom, I loose focus on my teaching: French as a modern language. I need to take a step back, and follow Shirleyville's advise : "As I adapt my own practice, I take the ideas that can deepen the meaning for my students, and put on hold the ideas that don’t."

Yet, it's so hard to hold back on creativity. New attractive tools are coming out so often and so fast, that it's hard not to want to try them. I get new ideas for teacher or students' projects every week.

At the end of the 2008-2009 school year, my last blog post presented some of the web 2.0 tools that I started to explore in my French classes.

This year, we are only (already) 2 months in, and already I have tried 3 new tools in my classroom.
1) Glogster.com : interactive poster
2) slideshare.net: upload your power-point presentation and share it with the world.
3) Student French portfolio:
In may, I was still searching for an ideal tool for students' portfolio. I want to get away from the paper portfolio that get stacked in the back of my classroom at the end of every school year and find a creative tool for students to show off their French.
This school year, our middle school students have all created their individual school blog account.
We will use those blogs as our French portfolio. It allows us to post pictures, journal entries, presentations, movies, etc. Time consuming? YES! But it looks promising. Again, because technology changes so fast, I am worried, but hopeful that we will keep the students' blog longer than a year (unlike other tools like myisb).

You can see students' blogs/portfolio through my classroom pages
http://inside.isb.ac.th/chenriotfrenchintro/
http://inside.isb.ac.th/chenriotfrencha/
http://inside.isb.ac.th/chenriotfrenchb/

How has my teaching changed? It hasn't stopped evolving and improving. Does it make my teaching better? Do students communicate better in French?
Let's reflect...

Wed 2.0: Where am I & where am I going?

Every august, at the beginning of the school year, I go back to my French curriculum folders to start planning for units. I use those folders to keep copies of my classes' activities, ideas, and samples of work. They are meant to guide my planning and teaching along the year. Unfortunately, every year, I have to start new folders because I can never redo "exactly" what I did the year before. Students never move at the same pace, the lessons gear us in different directions, and, there are usually always new ideas for how to improve the units. Basically, my folders have been multiplying on the shelves over the past 4 years.

Things I have been working on in the past few (4) years:
1) Getting away from poster presentations
2) Finding creative ways for students to use the French they have learned

Tools I have been dabbling with in my classes:
-Panthernet: I am in the process of uploading the files from my curr. Folders onto panthernet online.
-Blogging: monjournalenfrancais.
-voicethread: see final project blog entry on Language Exchange
-Windows moviemaker: It's been a great tool for oral presentations but allow minimal spontaneous oral communication
-Audacity: I have created many (podcast) recordings in order to improve listening skills. (i.e. the vocabulary for INTRO is recorded and posted on Panthernet where students can go listen and practice)
-Photostory 3 for Windows: easier to use than movie maker, but less flexibility
-Myisb (our school's social network): I am trying it out as a potential portfolio for my students.
-podcast: a great way to find authentic material
-Youtube: another great source for authentic material (movie, music…)
-msn messenger & facebook: Spontaneous chatting with students in the target language

Tools I will be trying to use in the near future
-Skype: I am hoping to use it soon to connect with other French classes around the world
-Wiki: in the next few weeks, I am going to venture in the world of WIKI with my French B class. I will let you know soon about this project. I know I will be seeking the help of Kim, Jeff and anyone who has used a wiki before.

At the end of this class, I am still looking for a few ideas/suggestions:
-From 6th to 8th grade, my French students create a variety of "projects" that contribute to their portfolio. It can be anything from a journal entry, a poster, a power point presentation, a photostory or movie making video presentation. I am still searching for a tool that would allow my students to post their work in one location.
Ideally:
-Students would be able to use the portfolio to post and back up their work in French class.
-Students (parents & teacher) would be able to see for themselves how much progress they have made in French over 3 years.
-Students would be able to take their portfolio with them if/when they leave ISB.
-The portfolio would be aesthetically pleasing.

If anyone out there has any suggestion for what tool could work best for me, send me your suggestions.

Did I leave the Coetail class overwhelmed? Yes, but with tons of ideas.

Old things in New Ways!

In his article "Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom", Prensky writes that "the only way to move forward effectively is to combine what they (the students) know about technology with what we (the teachers) know and require about education."
Here is a sample of a project my French B students did last year presenting their daily routine. They combined their passion for music, applied what they had learned in French class, and created this awesome music video clip using microsoft movie maker.

Moving forward...

Reflection on Final Project : Collaboration-Connection-Commitment

3 language teachers (Spanish-French, Elementary-Middle school) from our school connected today to share ideas and collaborate on a common project. Our students will use the target language to actively communicate with other students around the world using voicethread. We will challenge students to "virtually" step outside of the classroom and apply what they know to connect with another person.

I valued our work together: we shared our previous experiences, brainstormed for ideas, and ultimately learned from each other. I would like to spend more time in conversation and follow up on the progress of our students. It will be interesting to go through the experience together and reflect on our failures and successes.