Storybird is an online literacy tool that allows students to create and share short stories inspired by images. It encourages reading, writing, collaboration, and helps students engage with concepts. Teachers report that Storybird helps reluctant readers, supports project-based learning and meets common core standards. It also develops creativity, communication skills, and allows students to work at their own pace. Resources and tutorials are available to help teachers incorporate Storybird into their classrooms.
Today’s students live their lives through technology and are using a vast range of online tools and devices to access learning materials on the go. With this in mind, The Language Centre at Queen’s has created a number of microsites using free tools available online, to support students enrolled on IWLP Level 1 language classes.
As language learning is an accumulative process, the aim of our approach is not only to support, but also encourage interaction with our language course content in between weekly classes. Our students can now listen to audio files, watch animated videos and practice reading aloud short phrases to get more familiar with the language and to reinforce what is learned in class each week. As technology lends itself very well to personalised and independent learning outside the classroom, students now work at their own pace to revise course content, making our weekly language classes more relevant, engaging and accessible to all.
Taking advantage of a range of free online tools embedded in one site, we are now able to support language learning in a more widely accessible and user friendly way than ever before. In this parallel session, we would like to share our development experiences and demonstrate just how easy it is for others to accomplish something similar, using free tools available online to everyone.
Technology is in all walks of our lives and young people are often defined as the web-generation. It has now become a challenge to embed technology into the modern teaching and learning of foreign language classrooms and harness students’ enthusiasm in ICT.
Research has indicated that technology benefits those who use it as a pedagogical vehicle of productive tasks. (Michael Evans, 2009)
My project embraces this challenge and enhances students’ learning by using digital tools to develop student independence. It encourages them to become creators of their own learning by setting out their own website to present a topic of their choice related to a cultural aspect of Italy. They need to research and present the topic using the project guidelines. They are encouraged to engage with all four language skills to communicate and are invited to share their work with others to benefit from feedback and learn from each other.
This task based project allows students to cover a number of topics specifically tailored to their ability and interest. Moreover, it works well alongside the aims and the learning outcomes of the module. The “real life” situation, proposed in the project, motivates students to use the language for a purpose and promotes other skills such as: team work, peer learning, time management, organisation and digital communication. These skills bode well for the students as they are the basic requirements that employers look for when recruiting.
The scope of the project has a multicultural and multidisciplinary application. It can be adopted and adapted by any subject area and be considered as an alternative interactive form of assessment which by its nature would be important to the student employability.
What differentiation is… and what it is not…
Why use technology for differentiation?
What is the role of technology as a tool for differentiation?
How does differentiated instruction look when integrating technology?
Presentation to Boston Public Schools Principals & Headmasters at the 2012 School Leader Institute on selecting technology tools to support diverse learning needs of students.
Today’s students live their lives through technology and are using a vast range of online tools and devices to access learning materials on the go. With this in mind, The Language Centre at Queen’s has created a number of microsites using free tools available online, to support students enrolled on IWLP Level 1 language classes.
As language learning is an accumulative process, the aim of our approach is not only to support, but also encourage interaction with our language course content in between weekly classes. Our students can now listen to audio files, watch animated videos and practice reading aloud short phrases to get more familiar with the language and to reinforce what is learned in class each week. As technology lends itself very well to personalised and independent learning outside the classroom, students now work at their own pace to revise course content, making our weekly language classes more relevant, engaging and accessible to all.
Taking advantage of a range of free online tools embedded in one site, we are now able to support language learning in a more widely accessible and user friendly way than ever before. In this parallel session, we would like to share our development experiences and demonstrate just how easy it is for others to accomplish something similar, using free tools available online to everyone.
Technology is in all walks of our lives and young people are often defined as the web-generation. It has now become a challenge to embed technology into the modern teaching and learning of foreign language classrooms and harness students’ enthusiasm in ICT.
Research has indicated that technology benefits those who use it as a pedagogical vehicle of productive tasks. (Michael Evans, 2009)
My project embraces this challenge and enhances students’ learning by using digital tools to develop student independence. It encourages them to become creators of their own learning by setting out their own website to present a topic of their choice related to a cultural aspect of Italy. They need to research and present the topic using the project guidelines. They are encouraged to engage with all four language skills to communicate and are invited to share their work with others to benefit from feedback and learn from each other.
This task based project allows students to cover a number of topics specifically tailored to their ability and interest. Moreover, it works well alongside the aims and the learning outcomes of the module. The “real life” situation, proposed in the project, motivates students to use the language for a purpose and promotes other skills such as: team work, peer learning, time management, organisation and digital communication. These skills bode well for the students as they are the basic requirements that employers look for when recruiting.
The scope of the project has a multicultural and multidisciplinary application. It can be adopted and adapted by any subject area and be considered as an alternative interactive form of assessment which by its nature would be important to the student employability.
What differentiation is… and what it is not…
Why use technology for differentiation?
What is the role of technology as a tool for differentiation?
How does differentiated instruction look when integrating technology?
Presentation to Boston Public Schools Principals & Headmasters at the 2012 School Leader Institute on selecting technology tools to support diverse learning needs of students.
Project-Based Learning (PBL), Content-based Instruction (CBI), and CALL: A fr...Saint Michael's College
Christine Bauer-Ramazani will introduce Project-Based Learning as an approach in education that lends itself well to increased focus on content in English language teaching and learning while leveraging technology to accomplish the goals. Examples will be given.
Instructional Materials & Technology Used in TeachingJewel Jem
Instructional Materials and/or technology used in the modern teaching of the 20th Century for teachers. Slides include a short description of each Modern instructional material used within the modern day teaching.
Project-Based Learning (PBL), Content-based Instruction (CBI), and CALL: A fr...Saint Michael's College
Christine Bauer-Ramazani will introduce Project-Based Learning as an approach in education that lends itself well to increased focus on content in English language teaching and learning while leveraging technology to accomplish the goals. Examples will be given.
Instructional Materials & Technology Used in TeachingJewel Jem
Instructional Materials and/or technology used in the modern teaching of the 20th Century for teachers. Slides include a short description of each Modern instructional material used within the modern day teaching.
This presentation contains part of my book entitled "Reading and Writing Skils in the 21st Century Learners" which I shared in one of ISTAR's International Conference and DepEd National Reading Month in 2021.
Developing 21st Century Learning and Teaching SkillsLooksteinVirtual
Learn why students and teachers need to develop 21st century teaching and learning skills, and how online courses can support that skills development. The presenters, experts in online course development and delivery, guide participants through the identification of quality online courses, with demonstrations of online course lessons, activities and discussions. Examples are taken from courses developed by Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy.
6. Top Reasons to Use Storybird:
• Encourages reluctant readers to read and write
• Opportunities for students to collaborate and share ideas while they
create their own story
• Students are easily able to navigate program to create storybook
• Great images and artwork for students that help inspire a story
• Student Work can be easily accessed to grade and review.
• The created project can be easily shared and downloaded so others can
provide feedback or edit
• Embed anywhere i.e. class blogs, websites, email for others to see
7. Top Reasons School Leaders
Should allow access to Storybird
• Project based learning tool allows students to be more engaged in their
learning
• Storybird promotes imagination, literacy, and self-confidence with
students.
• Students have more of an opportunity to create and understand concepts
and ideas
• Increases and promotes literacy in school
• Encourages use of technology and 21st century skills in classrooms
• Facilitates collaboration and communication among students
• Interactive reading and writing for students make it more interesting
• Helpful for those who may struggle with reading or having other learning
disabilities.
• Helps teachers and administrators meet standards
8. Common Core – Standards Met
Example: Grade 1 Language Arts
• CC.1.W.2 - Write informative/explanatory text in which they name a topic,
supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
• CC.1.W.5 - With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic,
respond to questions and suggestions from peer, and add details to
strengthen writing as needed.
• CC.1.W.6 - With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital
tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
• CC.1.W.7 - Participate in shared research and writing projects
• CC.1.SL.1 - Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger
groups.
• CC.1.L.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
• CC.1.L.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
9. NETS for Students – Standards Met
• Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate
creative thinking, construct knowledge, and
develop innovative products and processes using
technology.
• Communication and Collaboration: Students use
digital media and environments to communicate
and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and
contribute to the learning of others.
10. Here is a sample of one teacher’s storybird about how it can be used as a teaching tool.
This story is by user BesSpence. http://storybird.com/books/storybird-in-the-classroom/
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20. Storybird
A great tool for your classroom
• Avenue to meet standards
• Creative and collaborative
• Use for any topic
• Can be public or private and shared within
your class
• Can set up class accounts – 30 without emails
• Embed in web page easily
• Motivates and Engages Students
21. Resources / Articles
• Blogs/Websites:
– Caffeinated Teaching provides writing ideas for
Storybird
– Edutopia encourages teachers to incorporate
Storybird
– iLearn Technology introduces the basic concepts
for the classroom
– Educational Technology for School Leaders shares
reasons to use Storybird for teachers and leaders
22. Storybird Tutorials
Here is the official Storybird Tutorial
• http://storybird.com/tour/
Here are a few teacher tutorials
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=T00YjRBIcIw&feature=related
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=79f1DLtMt-w&feature=related
