Oral Communication

Resource 

I chose a podcast called Nerdy Cast to listen to this week. It's an educational podcast that links education to 'nerdy' things. I listen to Season 3 Episode 9, which talked about homework, Star Wars, and the value of pop culture when raising kids. It talks about how kids shouldn't have as much busy work for homework, but they should have something that highlights their creativity. The speaker talked about his son coming home and playing with his Legos, which is just like writing a story or script because he created characters, dialogue, and a narrative while playing. We should have more hands on and creative activities for kids to do, rather than just have boring worksheets for homework. It also talks about using speech to text apps to complete homework, instead of constantly writing everything.

Micah Elizabeth Scott. (2010, May 29). A Lego minifigure on a skateboard [photograph]. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_minifigure#/media/File:LEGO_Minifigure_skating_through_town.jpg 

Ontario Curriculum 

The second Overall Expectation in the Oral Communication strand applies to these strategies, "Students will use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes." This resource would be useful for teachers of literacy because they need to be aware that there are other methods of getting their students to participate in literacy, other than filling in worksheets. It gives good strategies to engage students with fun, creative, and interesting ways to communicate their ideas. 

Howard Lake. (2011, March). Speak Up, Make Your Voice Heard [Image]. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howardlake/5540462170 

What now?

Since I am in a French classroom, the main focus is on Oral Communication. One of the biggest challenges is getting the students to speak in French. We are starting a Unit in Pop Culture, so this resource will actually be really useful for when I get to teach. I can use these ideas to get students to talk about something they are passionate about. I can get them to choose their favourite show or movie to recreate a scene, or create a script or trailer to present in front of an audience. I can get my students to use some fun apps to present their work, as the visual component of their oral presentations. I think using technology to present would be more fun for students, instead of a traditional presentation where students stand in front of the class and read off of cue cards. Using these apps to communicate their learning will allow students to produce more authentic speech, because they have time to prepare for what they will say. It will also relieve some of the stress from traditional presentations, which will reduce stress and anxiety. Below are some of the apps that I think will be good for oral communication. 

Tellagami 
I used this app in my French class at Brock, so I know that it will be useful in my placement. Students can create a character and choose a background to create a story. They can then record their voice and the avatar will look like he/she is speaking. This is a fun way to present short scenes, because you can only record up to 30 seconds (unless you buy the full version). I can get my students to prepare short speech or advertisement that their character will present to the class. This way students can produce oral communication, but without the pressure of standing in front of an audience. 

Woolley, E. © 2015

Sock Puppet
This is a fun app that I would use to present my Minds On section for younger students, because it would appeal more to them, than younger students. It allows you to create a sock puppet show on the iPad. Students can choose up to 4 characters to use, a background, and any props they want. I would also have older students create their own stories using this app. I think it would be fun, (and not considered too childish) for older students. Again, students can record their voices and have their characters talk and move around in the scene. This would be good for my students to create a script for a story and work individually or in small groups. I could have my students create an ad for a product, or a short story and have them present it through this app.     

iMovie trailer 
A much bigger project I could have my students do is use iMovie (or another program like Telestory). I would have to teach my student the aspects of a movie trailer before expecting them to create their own. I would also have to show my students how to use programs like iMovie, because they can be confusing. I would have my students create their own movie trailer for a movie or their own, or recreate a trailer for a movie of their choosing. They would have to work in groups to write a script, film, and edit their trailers. Below is a trailer I created in my Tech class using iMovie. Unlike my example, I would have my students either voiceover or film themselves speaking, to show their participation in oral communication. 

TED talk video 
TED talk videos are becoming more and more popular, especially in the classroom. I find that teachers are showing their students these videos to introduce new ideas, and to inspire creativity. I think it's a great idea for a Minds On activity in the classroom. Below is one of my favourite TED talks. The speaker talks about how he impacted a girl, but didn't realize until she thanked him years later. I would definitely show it to my students to show them the impact one small act can have on another person, and to inspire them to be nice to others. I would have my students create their own video about something they are passionate about, or a time someone inspired them. They would have to plan out their script and edit it before they film. This would all be done in French, so I would need to revise their scripts before they start filming, to make sure their grammar is correct. 

Powtoons 

Finally, I would have my students create a video using Powtoons. This would be a good project for a Summative Assessment, because it should be used to summarize student's learning from the unit. In my class I would do an inquiry with my grade 8's on why they should be learning French. I have proved a good example of a presentation that was created through Powtoons for this assignment. Students would do research on the subject, and put their findings onto Powtoons. I would have them record their voices onto this program, instead of having them present a poster in from of the class. I think this use of technology is much better for this generation, and is much more engaging for the class audience.