Movies in Class - Using Supertexts in Literacy

One of the most effective, but sometimes risky, things to do in your classroom is show a movie. Our students love the experience of watching a movie in class. They think it's entertaining, and yet, they are learning key literacy skills through the use of this vehicle.

Movies act like super-texts. They present information in an auditory and visual manner. Dialogue and plot details must be considered, filtered and used to form the basis of predictions and evaluative statements about the movie.

Our students are connecting text-to-text, text-to-world and text-to-self when they watch movies - the key is to draw out those connections during or after the viewing. Plus, we are giving them another text from which future connections can be forged.

For some of our students, movies are familiar and safe. No one putting them on the spot for a correct answer. No forced writing activities on topics they have little interest in. Sit, back and enjoy the show - but of course, there could be pre-, during and even post-activities to tackle when the credits begin.

When considering what movies are appropriate and sensible to show in your classroom, consult http://www.kids-in-mind.com/. This website is a database of movies and a play-by-play of the content using examples and a numbered rating system. From this information, a more informed and confident decision can be made about whether the movie will work and match the learning needs of your students.

Not just for rainy days or supply teachers, movies can unlock your student's potential for acquiring literacy skills, engaging in their learning, and all the while, feeling entertained.

The 100th Post!

Well, it has been a very interesting few months. Implementing new technologies in my classroom practice, sharing ideas with colleagues, developing capacity at the leadership level and thinking-rethinking current educational practices - what a ride!

For starters, thank you for your interest and feedback in my writing and the current issues at hand in our educational system. Without your posted comments, shared articles and level of interest - this would be merely online rambling. Your involvement as an audience has allowed me to hone in on the real issues, share my views and challenge myself as to how it can be best served for our students and colleagues.

I thought it would be important to revisit some of my favourite posts as a reflection on the first 100. Who knows what directions the next 100 will take?

Here are 15 that I have chosen:

1. Engaging students

2. What's wrong with the boys?!?

3. Colleagues - Not Competition

4. Is Special Education Special Anymore?

5. Declining Enrollment - A Good Thing?

6. Video Games and Learning

7. The 21st Century Classroom - Parts 1 and 2

8. Why are Male Teachers Leaving?

9. Should Teachers be Paid for Results?

10. Intermediates Belong in High School

11. Childhood Obesity - How to Save Students from Themselves

12. Self-Directed Schools - Students Without Classes

13. Why Rural Schools Matter

14. Cyberbullying - Putting a Face to the Anonymous

15. Promoting "Play" in the Classroom

Just "search" the title of these posts if you would like to have a read....

Thanks again for your continued support!

Using Technology in the Classroom: Online Animations

Online animation programs allow the user to instantly create an entertaining and humorous cartoon. Gone are the days when successful animators are the only people able to enjoy the process of putting voice to cartoon creations and experience a fantastical world that inspires.

Goanimate4schools.com can put the creativity back into your pedagogy.

Whether entertaining or educating, cartoons are a powerful vehicle to carry educational content and teach in a 21^st century manner. Students will love your creative new approach to teaching them using cartoon characters, as their interests and values are adhered to using web 2.0 tools.

To get started, teachers can create an account for their school, after which they can create logins for students to access this school account. As animations are being created, students have the option of saving a draft or publishing a finished product.

This is a terrific way to incorporate aspects of media literacy, language expectations, content subjects (history, science, etc.) and even character education. Having problems addressing bullying and peer problems in your class? Why not teach the lessons students need to learn using cartoon characters and humor; rather than lectures and detentions.

GoAnimate4Schools allows students to be the creators of virtual worlds where they choose characters, write dialogue, decide on movements and gestures to match words and focus on a variety of settings through which the plot or action occurs.

This application is very user-friendly and is a much more appropriate option (compared to goanimate.com) for elementary school students. GoAnimate4Schools features built-in text to speech that allows you to type words that can be instantly read out loud. A variety of voice options allow you to personalize and alter the sound to fit your needs.

In as little as 30 minutes, students can create (from start to finish) an animation presentation worthy of display to your class and their family. Web 2.0 tools such as GoAnimate4Schools are paving the way for teachers to infuse technology into classroom practice with very little technology knowledge themselves. Let students be the teachers and show you how to animate. It builds literacy skills, confidence and engagement into the school day.