Digital storytelling involves using computer tools like images, recorded narration and music to tell personal stories. The presenter shares her experience creating digital stories with English language learners over one month. Students worked on writing, speaking, listening and other language skills to develop short, meaningful digital stories that were screened for classmates. While technology presented challenges, students were highly engaged and gained digital literacy. The presenter recommends adequate support for students' technology skills and making the process collaborative.

1. Adventures in Digital Storytelling with ELSA Learners ELSANet Conference Workshop – October 17, 2011 Presenter: Sara Yuen

2. M.Ed (TESL) U of C practicum component – ELSA program at Collingwood Neighbourhood House technology & language learning; exploring identity through expressivist writing Why? share my experiences with creating digital stories with ELSA 3 learners explore potential uses of digital storytelling with ESL learners

3. What is Digital Storytelling? “the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories” (University of Houston) text, images, recorded narration, music, video clips personal stories that we want to share using our own voice, thoughtful & expressive story creation Talk to your neighboursand share your thoughts about what digital storytelling is (might be, could be….). Come up with a group definition! If you’ve made a digital story (personally or with your class), please talk about that, too!

4. Digital Stories… are short (2 to 4 minutes long) are interesting & meaningful to the storyteller are clearly narrated have interesting pictures that match the story are ‘from the heart’ “What’s your story?”

5. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples: http://www.l2digitalstorytelling.blogspot.com/

6. How? Timeline: one month Monthly theme: Housing Sponsor teacher + as many volunteers as possible Equipment: laptop(s), projector, internet access, scanner, digital voice recorders, microphones, powerpoint and handouts 12 visits, ~27 contact hours with the students (including the screening party) 13 students (of a class of 16) completed individual digital stories

7. www.cnhelsadsp.weebly.com

8. Within that month… sessions7 - 12 sessions 3 - 7 first 2 sessions

9. Steps to Making a Digital Story

10. A clear end point as motivation? When the digital stories are done, we will have a ‘screening party’ and watch our videos as a whole group!

11. Digital Storytelling = Project-based Language Learning Writing: brainstorming, outlining, drafting Expressivist writing: finding YOUR (English) voice Speaking Listening Pronunciation Vocabulary Editing: peer/self/instructor Purposeful language use, with an audience in mind

12. Trust & Openness ‘my meaningful item’ activity 5 senses writing trigger my own digital story ‘what’s my story’ – brainstorming + choice in deciding a topic/what to write about self-assessment checklists, peer feedback “Who am I/who are you?” “These stories are too personal.” “Does personal = meaningful?”

13. “What’s Your Story?” my life in Vancouver stinky tofu my son/daughter/children a place in my hometown my plans for the future a memorable day

14. The biggest headache… Enough equipment? The right tools? Space? PC? Mac? Both? Ss’ digital literacy skills Copyright issues www.creativecommons.org …technology!

15. Make sure… you have enough support in the classroom depending on your Ss’ technological skill level (thank you, volunteers!) shorter stories = an easier (to make) digital story (see KirstyMcGeoch’s ‘1-minute stories) the equipment you need is available and plentiful, and that you’re comfortable using it. create a digital story as a whole class make your own digital story use your tech-savvy Ss as helpers/resources

16. Project Highlights high level of student engagement collaboration tangible achievement meaningful opportunities for language learning/practice digital literacy skills development: “I can do this!”

17. Lessons Learned ratio of instructors – students: the higher, the better! know which Ss are tech-savvy and could help others in the group find ways to get the learners involved in the overall project: set-up for the movie screening, etc. time for Ss to get acquainted with software & equipment beforehand

18. How else can digital storytelling be used with ESL learners? narrow the focus/topic: an end of term project (‘what I’ve learned this term’), whole class or small groups: create a digital story based on a common experience (party/celebration, field trip) students can create a ‘commercial’ to advertise a product, or their class…(see the VCC ELSA Youth coffee commercial!) using written journal entries as a springboard to a digital story

19. syuen@vcc.caTwitter: TESOLTech(pdf of the ‘student workbook’ and powerpoint presentation have been uploaded to www.sarayuen.weebly.com )

21. participating

22. sharing!!Please feel free to stay and play with iMovie & recording equipment Questions? Comments?

23. Resource/Reference List Centre for Digital Storytelling: www.storycenter.org University of Houston. The Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling. http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/ KirstyMcGeoch’s blog: http://www.l2digitalstorytelling.blogspot.com/ The site for the CNH ELSA 3 Digital Storytelling Project: www.cnhelsadsp.weebly.com My e-portfolio (project PPTs, lesson plans, some materials): www.sarayuen.weebly.com BBC – A Guide to Digital Storytelling: http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/audiovideo/sites/yourvideo/pdf/aguidetodigitalstorytelling-bbc.pdf Skinner, E. N., & Hagood, M. C. (2008). Developing literate identities with English language learners through digital storytelling. The Reading Matrix, 8(2), 12-38. Retrieved from http://www.readingmatrix.com/archives/archives_vol8_no2.html

24. Image Credits headache: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheffieldmickey/504565963/