Using ePals to bridge classrooms around the world

     The website ePals is an excellent online resource for teachers looking to broaden the scope of their classroom instruction and connect with students across the globe. The primary goal of ePals is to help teachers find a classroom abroad with whom their own class can exchange messages, like pen pals. The site offers a very easy to navigate search engine that can be altered based on language, country, age, etc. It is also a wealth of information on other relevant materials, such as connecting the Common Core Learning Standards to support teaching and learning and offering numerous forums on anything from technology to mentoring.

     One resource I found to be particularly interesting is the online field trip option offered through the Smithsonian on ePals site. There are many topics from the museum that are covered in depth through a virtual "field trip" for students. The multimedia aspect of this resource is excellent for helping students build context through the use of visuals while simultaneously exercising aural comprehension skills. I know I will certainly be taking advantage of this website's wide array of invaluable information for use in my future classroom!

Comic Strip Strategies for Education

My comic strip, entitled Knock Knock, depicts two characters on a deserted island. Within this simple dialogue students are given a glimpse into the humor of something that is unique to English humor, known as the knock knock joke. Although, small and seemingly trivial, it is a part of our culture that assumes and expected response that is unknown to an English language learner. This comic puts the joke into context and helps learners understand its purpose as a communicative device. Comics in general can be used in the classroom for clips like this to promote sociocultural competence through linguistic play. This is highly beneficial for ELLs who must not only understand the content of language but also its value within context.

Photo Stories as Classroom Tools

When first asked to create a photo story for my classroom, I was concerned that my lack of technological skill would leave me struggling to create something I could use with students. As it turns out, this was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in this course so far.

I chose to create a first day of school video about classroom rules using photos from my preschool class last year. Of course with this age group it would be important to read the captions aloud, but this is just meant to serve as an example of how this could be used as a fun introduction to school. It was simple to navigate the production process by using Stupeflix and allows for anyone to make a video either for instructional purposes or as a learning tool. This could be used for vocabulary review with visuals to add context or an end of year graduation type video. 

The Impact of Digital Storytelling

In the modern age we are given the opportunity to share ourselves with the world through many different mediums. We can Instagram our lunches, Tweet at celebrities, video ourselves for Vine, update our status on Facebook, promote our professionalism on LinkedIn and so on and so forth. The list goes on with so many pieces of our social media puzzle it can be hard to keep track. One method that streamlines all these resources into one powerful medium is through digital storytelling. Educause defines this term as “the practice of combining narrative with digi­tal content, including images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component.” In other words, we can create a “story” to define ourselves using a multimedia source of output.

Within a classroom of culturally and linguistically diverse students defining one’s own identity in the classroom is an integral part of the learning process. It can be challenging for a student who is not yet proficient in English when the teacher asks them to write a personal narrative and expect that the student will feel capable of accurately sharing him or herself within the constraints of a limited language ability. Digital storytelling offers a fresh perspective on learning about how our students define themselves. A student may not yet be able to share stories from their home country but instead could post simple captions over photos that speak a thousand words. They may also feel more comfortable with an oral narration rather than a written assignment which focuses heavily on mechanics and can be quite daunting. One example is taken from a list provided by the Center for Digital Storytelling of a series of stories by refugees, the first told by Iftin Iftin about his experience as a refugee from Somalia in the United States. His powerful story is enhanced by his use of maps and images that all evoke an emotional response from the viewer. Providing ESL students with this outlet for their stories is both empowering and engaging and builds classroom community by giving them the opportunity to share their identity with their teacher and peers.