Digital storytelling provides students an opportunity to develop language skills and confidence. When creating digital stories, students practice acquiring new vocabulary, language structures, and sharing their unique points of view. By writing, directing, producing and editing their own short films, students' self-esteem is transformed as they learn they can write and their skills grow from creating movies. However, teachers must ensure digital storytelling is embedded within a language-rich curriculum where students have varied opportunities to practice language, and the goal is for students to showcase their language skills rather than just producing the digital stories themselves.

1. Digital Storytelling

2. According to Joe Lambert, founder of CDS, good digital stories have:

3. Point of view

4. A dramatic question

5. Emotional Content

6. Voice

7. Soundtrack

8. Economy and Pacing

9. … It resonated with my approach as a "writer's workshop" elementary school teacher, where reading one's work aloud to a circle of peers was an essential part of the process of writing. Negotiating the content of digital story scripts in a group situation gives authenticity to the editing process.… Fred Mindlin

11. When students begin to feel the power they have, using their writing to give literal voice to their unique points of view, and then get credit as the writer/director/producer/editor of a short film, it's not just an "elevation" of self-esteem but a real transformation, from a fixed mindset—I can't write—to a growth mindset—I made a movie!… Fred Mindlin

14. “Digital stories are most effective for language learning when they are embedded in a language-rich curriculum that provides varied and abundant opportunities for learners to acquire new vocabulary and structures. Indeed, there is a danger in the use of this fascinating technology: Teachers must remember that the production of a digital story itself is not the goal but only one of several vehicles through which students can practice language and showcase what they can do with it.”Rance–Roney, Judith. 2008. "Digital Storytelling for Language and Culture Learning." Essential Teacher 5 (1): 29–31.

15. Assignment (Your Choice)Write for seven minutes to respond to one of these questions:What does it mean to be a good citizen? (Expository, Social Studies)What is the single most important word in your favorite poem? Why? (Response to Literature, Persuasion, Language Arts)Write a process explaining how to solve a math problem or perform a science project. (Write a technical document, Math or Science)