Expressions in English

Spreading the Word about Blogs

msanderson — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 06:49:22 +0000

I recently presented a seminar about blogging at a conference in Western Australia. I am convinced that this type of technology tool can really enhance the learning experience for students in our schools.

Those of you who are visiting this blog for the first time, welcome, and please feel free to explore all of the extra stuff that is located on the navigation bar to the right of the screen.

Please follow the links to my classes and to the students’ individual blogs. Once there, I would encourage all of you to leave some comments and become part of the interactive process that is an essential element of blogging.

Remember, if you want to start blogging, but don’t know how, contact me via the contact page and I will do what I can to support and help you.

Our Learning is Animated!

msanderson — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:23:30 +0000

This term (Term 4) we are focusing on the topic of Animation. Students have been exploring a range of different animation types, such as line drawing, stop motion (clay etc) and computer animation.

After completing a short research project on an animation topic of their choice, students spent some time trying to create a line drawing animation using small flick books. Some of these went well beyond my expectations – great stuff kids!

The main project for this term is to develop and create a computer animation using line drawing or stop motion techniques. Students will be able to create drawings using a range of computer software choices, or use digital cameras to take photos of clay creatures they will make!

These will then be transferred into a software program called Animation Shop for the final compilation of their animation. I hope to put some of the best examples up on this blog once they are all finished – stay tuned!

Radio Shows? Done and dusted.

msanderson — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:15:03 +0000

The editing on Garage Band wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. The main problem was that students occasionally still used last names, or mentioned the school name, which I had asked them not to do for privacy reasons. This meant that the editing took a little longer than anticipated, but the actual program on the Mac was very easy to use.

I am planning to put the class radio shows onto each of the class blogs…just depends on space and file size and download issues…what a steep learning curve it has been!

Radio Show shaping up well

msanderson — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 03:05:55 +0000

Students are working well and recording lots of audio files as part of their contribution to our class radio show. As I have four separate classes, I have been pretty busy downloading these files and making sure they are organised for me to access later. I plan to use Garage Band to edit it all together. I haven’t decided where to host the final podcasts – I would like to put them up on this blog, but it will depend on the space available. Anyway, I just want to say that the kids continue to be motivated by the idea of having their words (written and spoken) out in the wider world. Now I just have to try and get them to value correct spelling and grammar

The Class Radio Show

msanderson — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 05:44:09 +0000

We have just started Term 3 and my students are exploring the topic of advertising. We have been analysing the techniques used in magazine and television advertisements. Next week they will be demonstrating their knowledge by writing an analysis of a magazine or TV advert of their choice.

We will also be creating some advertisements for radio, some of which will be incorporated into our end of Term class radio show. I hope to include a range of other student spoken bits, including news items, interviews, book and film reviews, a spoken tour of our school, a radio play, performance poetry, songs…lots of things!

Stay tuned for our first major effort at podcasting – it should be a blast!

The First Podcast

msanderson — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 09:22:40 +0000

Students have recorded their very first podcast. It is a 30 second introduction for their blog. The students wrote a short script about what they have been doing on their blog and what they think about using this sort of technology in their English lessons. Then each student recorded their podcast onto my iriver (MP3 recorder). I will be putting each student’s podcast onto their learnerblogs so that everyone can have a listen. Next term, we will be developing a range of items for a radio show, so stay tuned for more!

Persuasive Language

msanderson — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 06:04:31 +0000

Students have recently been exploring the ways that language can be used to persuade others. They have completed a range of activities in class, which have culminated in the writing of a letter to the editor on a current issue or topic of interest.

Students are more aware of writing for an audience now, and one thing I have found interesting in doing this task has been the increase in students wanting to actually send off their letters to newspapers or magazines. Now that they have had a taste of a real audience through their blogs, returning to a task based on an artificial audience seems (and should seem) hollow and irrelevant. They have new expectations that their ideas and their writing will be seen and/or heard by real people. It’s fantastic! The challenge, of course, for me as their teacher, is to continue to provide authentic learning experiences for them.

Blogging Update

msanderson — Sun, 28 May 2006 11:01:51 +0000

Students have been enthusiastic about this new way of writing their Reading and Viewing Journal. In fact, many students are writing more than they would using pen and paper! I would like to encourage parents and other relatives to explore their blogs and offer constructive comments.

Other blog entries I have asked the students to do include reflecting on the PNG presentation by Mr Jeffreys, some creative 50 word short stories, and soon I will be asking them to reflect on the current assignment.

The blogging is a great way to include more self reflection into my teaching and learning program. It is providing time for the students to stop and think about what they are doing, which sounds simple, but is often something we don’t give time for. My own blogging is helping me reflect more on my teaching practice, which can only be a good thing!

Picture Book or Short Story

msanderson — Sun, 28 May 2006 10:55:38 +0000

Students are currently working on a creative writing assessment. They must write either a short story or create a picture book. The students can decide on the topic of the story and the age of the audience. They were also asked to think carefully about the purpose of their writing. Some students are writing picture books for young children which teach them about simple concepts, such as numbers and the alphabet. Other students are writing short stories about quite serious adolescent issues, such as teen depression and suicide.

The range of writing demonstrates the positive nature of outcomes-based education. It encourages teachers to open up tasks and focus on the outcome to be achieved, rather than on everyone creating the same end product. All the students will hopefully develop their understanding of narrative structure, as well as increase their ability to use descriptive language.

Once the stories and picture books are completed, I hope to arrange a display in our school library so that other members of the school community can enjoy them.

Papua New Guinea Pen Pals

msanderson — Fri, 26 May 2006 05:31:49 +0000

Students in Ms Anderson’s English classes are currently writing pen pal letters to students in Papua New Guinea. A retired former headmaster, Mr John Jeffreys, visited the classes to talk about the lifestyle and culture of the PNG students.

Many of the students who are studying Year 8 and above, must board at the school, which is located on a small island in PNG. Some of them are able to return home occasionally, whereas others may be away from home for many years while they study.

They must provide their own food, prepare their own food, and generally look after themselves, as there are about 600 boarding students and one adult staff member to manage them.

Many of the projects that are run at the school are designed to improve the quality of their lifestyle. For example, some students created a vegetable garden to grow Chinese cabbage to supplement their diet, which mainly consists of rice. They are also able to sell extra produce at a local market, so that they can purchase other items for the school, such as books.

Mr Jeffreys is also involved in helping them to set up a chicken project, and he is involved in raising funds so that the students can build a chicken run and buy chickens. Once again, this provides a food source and a source of income for the boarders.

On a previous trip, Mr Jeffreys bought spade heads for the students to improve their cultivation methods, as they only had digging sticks prior to this. The students crafted the spade handles as part of their wood working project.

Ms Anderson’s students were keen to learn and understand more about the life of the PNG students. Many are looking forward to receiving a reply to their letters when Mr Jeffreys returns to Bunbury in July. Mr Jeffreys must hand deliver the letters as the students cannot afford to buy stamps to mail them.

Ms Anderson would like to thank Mr Jeffreys for coming in to talk to the students.