Learning to Speak & Listen

We’re often told that using our voice is one of our most powerful qualities. We are taught to be careful with our words, to problem solve with our words, and to even express our emotions with our words so, needless to say, learning to speak clearly and with intention is an important educational focus. Oral communication skills are an essential aspect of any student’s education because of how our words shape our identity and influence how others perceive us.

 

The Kids Should See This

As teachers, we’re always looking for video content to show our students that is both engaging and reflects the curriculum, which is why I want to introduce you to a fantastic resource called The Kids Should See This. Founder and editor Rion Nakaya, describes the site as a library of videos not made for kids, but perfect for them. Teachers will appreciate how organized, accessible, and just plain interesting these videos are.  

Learning to Listen

Incorporating videos into your classroom is a great way to inform students on a number of topics in a way they prefer or enjoy most. Asking students to listen to videos is an excellent opportunity for them to practice their active listening skills. The Ontario curriculum expects students to be able to “listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes” (119). There are many opportunities for students to practice their active listening skills throughout the day, incorporating video content is just another option for teachers.

Before introducing video content it’s important for teachers to understand how to introduce media in a way that engages students, not distracts. Below are suggestions to keep in mind so students can effectively practice their active listening skills:

Tips to encourage active listening:

·         Have a list of questions for students to answer while/after watching the video (provide and review questions beforehand)

·         Stop, pause, and rewind the video at important points to remind students to listen

·         Accessible - provide the link for students who wish to rewatch at home or on their own device

·         Videos should be short and interactive if possible

Learning to Speak

Active listening skills are just one half of a student’s oral communication skills. Teachers are also expected to foster effective verbal communication skills in their students. Videos and podcasts are perfect opportunities for teachers to expose their students to powerful and engaging speakers and presenters. Under the oral communication strand, the Ontario curriculum expects that students will be able to “use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes” (119). TedTalks is another excellent video resource for teacher to use as well. These videos are both informative but also great ways to model presentation and speaking skills.

 

If you’re looking for ways to use videos to support the development of your students’ speaking skills, check out the suggestions below:

Tips to help improve speaking skills*:

·         Choose videos that could be the foundation of a debate topic

·         For videos without dialogue have students write a script and record their voices

·         Show videos of effective and ineffective speakers, have students discuss what makes an effective, engaging speaker

 

*As always, these lists are in no way comprehensive. I invite you to carry on the conversation in the comments section to share your own tips and tricks.

 

References:

Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Language. Ontario: Queen’s
Printer, 2005. Web.

Apps to Help Teach Writing

These days it’s not a question of if technology should be used, but more specifically, how technology should be used in our classrooms.

The conversation around technology has shifted from “should we do it?” to “how should we do it?”. Fortunately for teachers today, online teaching resources are everywhere. Most educators understand technology’s role in the classroom is to supplement lessons (and not be the lesson), however, it's the process of effectively incorporating technology into lessons that is sometimes tricky.

Writing is of course an essential skill our students need to learn, and with most new skills, practice is often what leads to success. Using tablets and apps in the classroom is a relatively new concept, so naturally we’re faced with some new challenges and lots of questions. The appropriate use of educational apps and their place in the classroom is new conversation surrounding technology in the classroom.

Many of the apps for writing nicely support Ontario curriculum expectations, a huge bonus for educators of course. Ideally, if we're going to incorporate the use of apps in our classroom they should support our learning goals and expectations.

Using Apps to Teach Writing

Skeptics might be questioning the shift from pen-to-paper writing exercises to online writing lessons. After all, online writing birthed the notorious misspelling of “ur” and “gonna”. But I promise you there is hope. Young learners can benefit greatly from spending time practicing their spelling and grammar online.

Here are 3 examples of apps that do just that:

Toontastic—provides students with a set story arc or narrative from which then can choose characters, create dialogue, and add images.

GrammarJammer—teaches grammar skills in a game format. The usefulness of this app is pretty straightforward, we know that proper grammar is essential to developing good writing skills. Below is a short tutorial video of the GrammarJammer app (see, grammar is fun!).

SuperDuper StoryMaker—Students can craft their own stories using text, images, and sounds.

Each of these apps support the four curriculum expectations for language in Ontario. These apps require students to generate ideas, revise their writing, and write using a variety of stylistic forms for a specific purpose or audience, which is a direct reflection of Ontario's curriculum.

Strategies and Tips for Effective Use

Now that I've (hopefully) convinced you that apps do have a place in your classroom, let’s take a look at some practical ways you use integrate them into your lessons.

Tips & Tricks:

·         Allow students permission to use a tablet or iPad during downtime or if they’ve completed a test or assignment early

·         Set up rotating stations – break the class up into groups, have them rotate between stations (each station focuses on a minor writing task, have one station use the ipads)

·          Have students take turns "testing" certain apps and report their findings to a the class or small groups 

Of course, the above recommendations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to online writing resources. My hope is that I’ve offered a jumping off point for those of you unfamiliar with using apps for teaching purposes. I encourage you put these methods to test in your own classrooms in order to see what works best with your students and classroom dynamics. As well, feel free to pass along this list to parents looking for ways to practice with their children at home.

If you have any further questions, or suggestions, I invite you to leave a comment below!