Building Language Learners’
Writing and Speaking Skills
with Digital Stories
Lina Lee
University of New Hampshire
NHAWLT, November 2, 2012
Meredith, NH
Stories
Writing
Speaking
http://stories.umbc.edu/projects.php?movie=SPAN305_Relato_digtal_Elver.mp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m8yEU4FDuk
Digital Storytelling
Voice
Music
Video
Text
5
Why Digital Storytelling?
Storytelling – We love to HEAR stories
Digital media – We love to SEE stories
Social media – We love to TELL stories
Web publishing – We love to SHARE stories
Power of
Digital Media
Digital Stories for L2 Learners
• Put students at the centre of learning process
• Allow self-expression and creativity
• Enhance language skills; writing and
speaking
• Build multi-literacy skills
• Use 21st century skills: digital literacy; selfdirection; problem solving
Diagram by Barrett (2006)
Student
Engagement
Technology
Integration
Reflection
Digital
Storytelling
Project-Based
Learning
About Digital Stories
• From personal tales to historical events
• From individual to collective narratives
• For novice to advanced learners
• From text, audio to video files
• From 2-3 to 10-20 minute long
• From CD to web publishing
How to make digital stories?
Five Steps
(1) Write your story after choosing the topic
Drafting, revising and proofreading
(2) Find images, sound, audio/video clips
Use of “Creative Commons” site; copyright issues
(3) Create a storyboard
Planning a visual story
http://www.printablepaper.net/category/storyboard
(4) Select a digital tool to record your story
Quality control – ‘art’ of storytelling thought ‘voice’
(5) Share your story
Scene 1
Narration
Sound
Music
Scene 2
Narration
Sound
Sound
Music
Music
Scene 3
Narration
Sound
Music
Storyboard
http://teach.fcps.net/trt18/Digital%20Writing/digitalstorysamples.htm
Visit this site
How to Create Simple Digital
Stories:
http://electronicportfolios.com/digis
tory/howto.html
Software
• PC
• Photo Story 3
• Movie Maker
• Mac
• iMovie
• Other tools: Slideshare, Animoto
• Audacity for audio recordings
• Publishing in YouTube /GoogleVideo /Vimeo
Digital Tools
voicethread.com
Three Easy Steps:
1. Upload
2. Comment
3. Share
Free account: Up to 3 threads
http://voicethread.com/?#q+el+perro+Frederico.b3205219.i16999401
• Elementary Spanish (Spanish 402/2nd semester)
• Final cultural project
•
•
•
•
Theme-based topics
PowerPoint presentation (10-12 slides)
PDF file to VoiceThread
Cultural knowledge; research, organization and
speaking skills
• Comments on each other’s threads
• Writing a blog entry for reflection
http://spanish402people.wikispaces.com/VoiceThread+presentations
• Readings in Current Periodicals (Spanish 648)
•
•
•
•
•
Advanced level
Current events online
Weekly news reports in VoiceThread
Teacher vs. student chosen topics
Sharing and commenting threads in blogs.
http://seiscientoscuarentayocho.blogspot.com/
https://voicethread.com/share/181358/
storybird.com
Four Easy Steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Select already-made artwork
Drag illustrations to canvas
Write your story in text boxes
Publish your story
• Digital Media in SLA
(Graduate Seminar)
• Writing stories with digital tools
•
•
•
•
Use of already-made art pieces
Free topics with selective grammar points
Use of the preterit and the imperfect
Stories for reading exercises
http://storybird.com/classes/unh/span997/overview/
French Storybird
http://storybird.com/books/mon-zoo-extraordinaire/?token=pdgg99
Spanish Storybird
http://storybird.com/books/gregorio-el-gato/?token=qz6jxn
littlebirdtales.com
Three Easy Steps:
1. Upload your artwork
2. Record your voice/add text
3. Share your story
http://littlebirdtales.com/tales/view/story_id/47704/
http://littlebirdtales.com/tales/view/story_id/49455/
audioboo.fm
Three Easy Steps:
1. Record your voice (3 mins)
2. Preview before publishing
3. Publish and share
http://audioboo.fm/boos/270466-bloody-circle-lineboo
• Elementary Spanish (Spanish 402- 2nd semester)
• Practice the pronunciation and speaking
•
•
•
•
Topic-based with specific grammar point
PowerPoint presentations
Teacher recording as model
One-two minute story; twice a week
• Audio feedback from the teacher
http://audioboo.fm/Milana
storyjumper.com
Three Easy Steps:
1. Choose a template
2. Write a story
3. Publish and share
\\
http://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/109902/-Tengo-mucha-hambre-
http://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/112252/Noé-et-les-animaux
zooburst.com
Three Easy Steps:
1. Upload your pictures
2. Write a 3D pop-up story
3. Publish and share
http://www.zooburst.com/zb_books-viewer.php?book=zb02_4fdad90781ce0
http://www.zooburst.com/zb_books-viewer.php?book=zb04_4f2d2a55b7a6a
Challenges
• Time consuming
• Story before technology
• Technology skills
• Accessibility
• Assessment
• Copyright
Rubric: Elements
• Story (engaging –beginning, problem, solution and ending)
• Detail (enough information, coherent)
• Narration (clear voice –matching story line)
• Pacing (Keep audience engaged)
• Grammar/Language use (appropriate/correct)
• Images/music (high quality)
• Professionalism (title, credits page)
(Stanley and Dillingham, 2009, p. 109)
Rubric for VoiceThread
(Tufts University – Intermediate Italian)
• Storyboard
• Images
• Script
• Voice consistency
• Pronunciation
• Feedback to other
stories
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
9-10 = exceeds expectations
5-6 = needs improvement
• Overall originality
7-8 = meets expectations
0-4 = does not meet expecations
Resouces
My Scoop.it
• http://www.scoop.it/t/digital-storytellingin-the-world-language-classroom
Today’s PowerPoint
“Building Learners’ Writing and Speaking Skills
through Digital Stories”
• http://lleeunh.wordpress.com/my-blogs/