A beginners’ guide to using ICT creatively in MFL Helena Butterfield www.langwitchchronicles.blogspot.com

What we will do today What is a blog? Why use blogs in education? Some useful blogs How to set up a blog Using audacity What to do with your soundfile

What is a blog?

Why use blogs in education?

Some useful blogs

How to set up a blog

Using audacity

What to do with your soundfile

What is a blog? A website that can be easily and frequently updated without using complicated software. They contain: Fresh content; many are updated daily Personal content; many blogs are public diaries, journals of everyday events

A website that can be easily and frequently updated without using complicated software.

They contain:

Fresh content; many are updated daily

Personal content; many blogs are public diaries, journals of everyday events

Why blog? Communication With pupils, with parents, with other teachers Presentation of pupils’ work Motivation AfL

Communication

With pupils, with parents, with other teachers

Presentation of pupils’ work

Motivation

AfL

Blogs for pupils Langwitch http://langwitch.org Edgehill Spanish http://edgehillspanish.typepad.com Sans Problèmes http://mmeperkins.typepad.com MFL@Northgate-the Blog http://northgatemfl.blogspot.com

Langwitch http://langwitch.org

Edgehill Spanish http://edgehillspanish.typepad.com

Sans Problèmes http://mmeperkins.typepad.com

MFL@Northgate-the Blog http://northgatemfl.blogspot.com

Blogs for teachers The Langwitch Chronicles http://langwitchchronicles.blogspot.com Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom http://joedale.typepad.com Box of Tricks http://boxoftricks.net My Languages http://isabellejones.blogspot.com Vámanos http://lisibo.blogspot.com Languages and Learning http:// amandasalt.blogspot.com

The Langwitch Chronicles http://langwitchchronicles.blogspot.com

Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom

http://joedale.typepad.com

Box of Tricks http://boxoftricks.net

My Languages http://isabellejones.blogspot.com

Vámanos http://lisibo.blogspot.com

Languages and Learning http:// amandasalt.blogspot.com

How to create a blog Choose a blogging platform Typepad ($49.50 a year) Blogger (Free) Edublogs (Free) Register That’s it!

Choose a blogging platform

Typepad ($49.50 a year)

Blogger (Free)

Edublogs (Free)

Register

That’s it!

Before you start Purpose: Why are you blogging? (Interaction between you and your students? Information?) Audience : For whom are you blogging? (Your students? Your colleagues? Anyone who is interested?) Content: About what are you blogging? (Is it a diary?Is it for enrichment?Is it to motivate your pupils?)

Purpose: Why are you blogging? (Interaction between you and your students? Information?)

Audience : For whom are you blogging? (Your students? Your colleagues? Anyone who is interested?)

Content: About what are you blogging? (Is it a diary?Is it for enrichment?Is it to motivate your pupils?)

Also consider… URL and Name Make the URL easy to remember and spell Make the name something easy to remember

URL and Name

Make the URL easy to remember and spell

Make the name something easy to remember

Using Audacity You will need: Audacity on your machines and a LAME encoder (this converts your sound file into mp3 format) Microphone / headphones / speakers A script

You will need:

Audacity on your machines and a LAME encoder (this converts your sound file into mp3 format)

Microphone / headphones / speakers

A script

To make your recording Plug your headphones into the FRONT of your computer, making sure that you match the colours correctly Check that the sound levels are set correctly and that you have the “microphone” set properly Click the red record button to record your voice. You know it’s recording when you see the blue soundwaves.

Plug your headphones into the FRONT of your computer, making sure that you match the colours correctly

Check that the sound levels are set correctly and that you have the “microphone” set properly

Click the red record button to record your voice. You know it’s recording when you see the blue soundwaves.

Saving your work Go to “file” and then go down to “export project as mp3”. This will mean that you can use it however you want afterwards.

Go to “file” and then go down to “export project as mp3”. This will mean that you can use it however you want afterwards.

What can you do with it now? Get pupils to save it onto their mp3 players / iPods Upload it to your newly created blog for pupils to access Upload it to a “podcasting platform” (like a blogging platform) such as Podomatic www.podomatic.com Make Vokis www.voki.com

Get pupils to save it onto their mp3 players / iPods

Upload it to your newly created blog for pupils to access

Upload it to a “podcasting platform” (like a blogging platform) such as Podomatic www.podomatic.com

Make Vokis www.voki.com

Further information http:// langwitchchronicles.blogspot.com http://langwitch.wikispaces.com (Teachers’ Corner) Durham Tees Valley MFL http:// stocktonmfl.ning.com

http:// langwitchchronicles.blogspot.com

http://langwitch.wikispaces.com (Teachers’ Corner)

Durham Tees Valley MFL http:// stocktonmfl.ning.com