EDUCATING COMMUNICATORS

Oh how times have changed…

When we started…

Today…

NO WONDER OUR KIDS ARE STRUGGLING….

The most important thing we learned…

Every child is an individual…

And deserves to be taught as one…

So what skills translate to how we teach today…

THEN… NOW…

Brainstorming Handwriting Group projects Presentations

Pre-writing Word processing Online collaborating Multimedia

Brainstorming…

WHAT IS IT… HOW CAN WE HELP…

A technique used to solve problems and encourage creativity.

A crucial part of the writing process.

Provides a strong base for the writing to develop.

Create templates to direct the flow of thought.

Use pictures instead of words.

Concept map with student.

What can we use…

•Inspiration software helps students to visualize their ideas. •Making it easier to see a pattern of thought.•Allowing creativity without being hindered by written product. •Excellent for the visual learner! •When use is conjunction with a touch screen or Smart Board perfect for the kinesthetic learner as well.

Handwriting…

WHAT IS IT… HOW CAN WE HELP…

Is defined as writing with a pen or pencil.

It is the act of putting thoughts down on paper to be read.

Word processing Word prediction Speech recognition

What can we use…

•Word processing allows all work to be editable, changeable, or fixable. Leaving less worry for the student.•Portable word processors like the AlphaSmart and iPad allow the students to still be present in class.•Speech recognition helps a student’s ideas to flow at a faster rate and helps to get the ideas down faster. •Word prediction lets less focus be on spelling and more on concepts.

Putting pen to paper is insurmountable.

Group projects

A WHAT… HOW CAN WE CHANGE IT…

Is a piece of writing that is a collaborative effort of several students.

Often one writer to piece together ideas.

At times convening after school hours to work together.

Create a group friendly medium.

Allow students to work at their own comfort level.

Make work accessible when class is not in session.

What can we use…

Collaboration…

• Online tools such as Google Docs and Titan Pad students are able to work together even from home.•All students have the same amount of editing power.•Work is seen in real-time.•Takes away the stipulation of making errors as everything if fixable.•All students can contribute to the writing process.

Presentations

I HAVE TO DO WHAT… HOW CAN WE HELP…

Is a descriptive or persuasive account.

Standing in front of classmates and showing skills that have been learned.

Perform an expected skill.

Create visual representation of skill.

Provided multimedia forum to present.

Allow both verbal and textual responses.

What can we use…

In front of the crowd…

•PowerPoint and Keynote allow students to create presentations using text, pictures and video to tell their story.•Garage Band is a podcasting product for the Apple server. Podcast created here can be views on iPods as well. Great for students who are musical learners. •VoiceThread is similar in podcasting however it is web based allowing work at home to be shown in class with ease. •Comic creator allows students who are artistic to create story lines to explain their work. •Felt board is for students who have difficulty retelling stories. Here they can recreate the story using already created pieces.

Times may have changed…

But maybe not as much as we think…

All images were obtained through Google Images

http://www.inspiration.com/http://www.donjohnston.com/products/cowriter/inde

x.htmlhttp://www.neo-direct.com/default.aspxhttp://titanpad.com/https://accounts.google.com/https://voicethread.com/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/felt-board/id492342753?mt=8http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interac

tives/comic/

Giving credit…