Library of Uses › English/Lang Arts

3rd Grade, Language Arts from Alice Mercer

Description

This VoiceThread was used for concept development of a language-arts thematic unit. I think it shows how VoiceThread can be used as a KWL scrapbook to evaluate students' knowledge, to add ideas, and show what a class is learning.

VoiceThread notes: This teacher used VoiceThread to help elementary ed. students experience deeper learning of a class topic. Students answered questions that helped them practice critical thinking, and chose images that illustrated their thoughts and ideas. A common issue in education is the need to use multiple teaching techniques, touching on as many learning styles as possible during any given lesson. VoiceThread helps teachers provide an integrated learning experience to students by giving them a hands-on project that engages both visually and auditorily, while challenging students to practice speaking skills.

Benefits to elementary-school students

• Students record their thoughts and ideas in a format that can be viewed again and shared with friends and parents.
• Students practice expressing ideas orally in a more intimate setting than during class time, either in a small-group or one-on-one with the teacher, which may increase participation and engagement in class topics.
• Students take ownership of the project by choosing or drawing images to illustrated their thoughts and ideas.
• Students gain a deeper understanding of concepts when they express them out loud and hear them played back in their own voice.

Process/Assignment

The goal for this project was for students to practice critical thinking by moving from basic concepts of friendship to asking and answering questions at a higher level. During computer lab times, while students worked independently on computers, students were taken aside in small groups of two and three to take pictures or answer questions. Students brainstormed questions during whole-class instruction, and the teacher later typed them into PowerPoint. Images were then added to the PowerPoint, and then the entire presentation was easily uploaded to the VoiceThread project.

Challenges or setbacks

Background noise from class either gives it an authentic feel, or is annoying?

Tips

• PowerPoint effects are not supported when uploaded to a voicethread project.
• DON'T think of it as PowerPoint, think of it as a scrapbook, or a KWL chart.

Variations

This educator also used VoiceThread for English language development for second-language learners in her classes. Student narration helps with oral language practice, while the pictures give visual support.

The VoiceThread