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WinkWorld: Teachers Sharing Diverse Projects

WinkWorld: Teachers Sharing Diverse Projects

January 20, 2015

January 20, 2015

One of my great joys of retirement is that I get to work with local teachers in various contexts. In this issue of WinkWorld, I’d like to highlight the work of some of the teachers, who are enrolled in the English as a New Language (ENL) endorsement programs at Black Hills State University (BHSU), which is a collaborative program supported by Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE).

Each teacher chose his/her own topic; they each wrote a short paper and presented their ideas with any software, which was new for them. We all learned a lot from the process. Below, you will see the language acquisition concepts shared with Powtoons, Easel.ly, Emaze, and Prezi. Enjoy.

Deb may have discovered her favorite book in this process, and she and her high school students had great fun making other Powtoons.

Deb Harrison
Topic: The Power of Reading by Steve Krashen, a book review
Software: PowToons
http://www.powtoon.com/show/d5r7ZVuYbik/the-power-of-reading/
Krashen on “The Power of Reading”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSW7gmvDLag

None of us knew about Essel.ly until Julia created this presentation. Many of us found it to be software, which we might use in the future.

Julia P. Henkes
Topic: Culture in the Classroom
Software: Easel.ly
http://www.easel.ly/create/?id=https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/643503/FInalWink&key=pri#

We often follow the many generous contributions from Larry Ferlazzo. As Jenise’s computer was being repaired, she first demonstrated her learning with a PinWheel, which she drew. When she got her computer back, she created an Emaze, an appealing software for teachers.

Jenise Higaski
Topic: Larry Ferlazzo PinWheel
Software: Emaze and the symbol of the Pinwheel
http://app.emaze.com/1323343/ci-final-ferlazzo-pinwheel

Connie is a German and Piano instructor at BHSU, and I was particularly happy that her topic was TPRS. I predict we might get to see some German TPRS examples this spring.

Connie Hubbard
Topic: Teaching Proficiency in Reading Through Storytelling (TPRS)
Software: Powtoons
http://www.powtoon.com/show/bGjETWMK6Xr/tprs/#/

Lindy was attracted to the sharing of Diane Ravitch, who calls us to a new paradigm for accountability. Lindy envisions a rubric, which might work to support the ideas of Ravitch.

Lindy Latham
Accountability of kids, teachers, and school: A rubric to assess the whole, Inspired by Diane Ravitch, A New Paradigm for Accountability,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-ravitch/a-new-paradigm-for-accoun_b_6145446.html

In our class last fall, we looked at various examples of close reading, and we read the pros and cons of the process. Courtney continued her learning by also creating an Easel.ly to support her ideas.

Courtney K. Oelke
Topic: Close Reading and ELLs
Software: Easel.ly
http://www.easel.ly/create/?id=https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/663442/CloseReading&key=pri

Courtney wants to improve her skills in teaching writing to emergent bilinguals. Her Emaze captures her thoughts.

Courtney Prosenick
Topic: Writers’ Workshop with First Grade Emergent Bilingual Students
Software used: Emaze
http://app.emaze.com/1201914/ed-692-final-project

In Jill’s district, many of the teachers are reading about close reading, so Jill created a Prezi to capture her new learning.

Jill Soto
Topic: Close Reading
Software: Prezi
http://prezi.com/unv0dmat1myc/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Sheila is intrigued with the important role of the families of emergent children, and she shared a Prezi. I’m thinking that this semester, I need to direct her towards Funds of Knowledge, originally conceptualized by Luís Moll.

Sheila Sutter-Rives
Topic: The Power of Bilingual Families and Literacy
Software: Prezi
https://prezi.com/0xgio4xmfgi3/bilingual-families/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Lila is learning about the dreadful effect of poverty on children’s learning. I hope that she continues to study and share this topic. Here she has created a Powtoons to capture her learning.

Lila Scantling
Topic: Poverty
Software: Powtoons
http://www.powtoon.com/show/bMTeVMGObvZ/poverty-and-literacy

Nikki is beginning a new position in a new state and town. She wants to know more about language acquisition and kindergarten children. We hope that you will enjoy her Emaze.

Nikki Williamson
Topic: Language Acquisition in the Kindergarten Classroom
Software: Emaze
http://app.emaze.com/1347192/kindergarten-la-copy1

Thank you, Teachers, for all you do!

4 Comments

  • Thank you for sharing! I’m familiar with some of these applications, but not all!

    • Joan Wink

      Jen, the teachers did great work, considering they each chose software, which was new for each of them.

  • Thank you for sharing these. I do wish I had not retired before learning some of these presentation software. I did recently sign up for a Twitter course. We should never feel we are too old to learn.

    • Joan Wink

      Joan, you share such valuable information on Facebook. Thanks so much!