STORYJUMPER

My STORYJUMPER book: 

https://www.storyjumper.com/book/index/79278625/5e569ebee9d20

Based on the images, the students must create a story. They would be divided in five groups (as much as parts the story has). Each group must imagine what happens in each part of the story looking at the pictures and writing it, but they have to take into account what has been written previously, since it is going to affect their narration.

We would write a part every day, so five lessons are required to complete the story. Before the first group writes their part, there would be an explanation and presentation day about the activity. In this point, the first page of the story is showed so the first group can create their text to write it down on the following day. Therefore, the whole classroom can read what their classmates have written and the second group would be shown the second page to create their part. In this way till the end. Finally, after having the story completed, there would be a class discussion about what the different groups would have done different, what they like the most, the difficulties they have found, and all they would like to speak about the activity. 

In this activity, students will learn different animal names, they would write about a topic that is relevant for them (the vocabulary is about things they say everyday: school, classroom, classmates, park, playground, football, friends, etc.).  Furthermore, having a new classmate is something very common and this activity would let them reflect on the feelings people (or in this case the unicorn) could have when they do not know anybody in a new city.

Creativity is used because they can add any element to the story they want. The images lead to a clear path, so they can consider it as a easy task to answer, what is positive too, therefore, as it is easy, why not to try to create something funny or interesting? The teacher would encourage them to go further than the images show (with this simplicity but at the same time the possibility of creating more, we work diversity awareness).

I think that what they would like the most is that they can write whatever they want, but at the same time, it could be a bit frustrating since they have as point of departure the previous writing of their classmates what could not match their expectations. It is a challenge.

Next time I would ask my students what they want to write about, so I would prepare the images according to that. The whole project would be read when finished all together in the mentioned last lesson of the activity, when all the process and the result would be commented.

EDPUZZLE activity

Hello! In this occasion I have prepared a EDPUZZLE activity. I have found it really interesting. What do you think about it?

 

https://edpuzzle.com/media/5e53f1156958fd40bd500ce4

According to my students’ age (7-8 years old in this occasion), this video matches their level and one of the common topics we usually work. It would be used as a flipped classroom activity, since the students would watch it as the introduction of the next unit that will be worked in classroom. Hence, the questions it contents are considered previous knowledge detection activities. Furthermore, it also reminds them what they know about the topic. 

Taking it as a flipped classroom activity would be motivating for the students because it would be something different to what it is usually done in class. In addition, starting a unit in this way would be very noteworthy. 

The positive points could be that carrying out this activity means that the pupils would use computers or other electronic devices (it is appealing for them). Besides, a later analysis of the results of the answers, all together in classroom, could be funny for them too. They would be working with a material in the computer that has been produced by themselves!

On the other hand, a possible negative point could be that not all of them could have internet access. To solve this, the activity could be done in the IT classroom. More videos with different clues and questions can be prepared about the same topic or others along the course.

TimeToast activity

In the following link, a timeline activity can be found:

 

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/2187218

With the proposed timeline, the students can read a traditional English story divided in parts, with images which support the reading and clues and/or tasks to help them to understand the text. Therefore, if I should establish some learning objectives, I would say that through this activity the students are going to improve their reading, to widen their vocabulary, to know English culture and to practise how to use a dictionary. 

A great advantage that this activity shows using TimeToast is the division of the story, allowing the student the work on it step by step, so they can manage it better than if they face the whole text. It could be stressing. 

I have managed the parts of the activity according to the parts of the story, creating what we could define as small chapters. Furthermore I have tried to include different kinds of clues, to make it more interesting. 

The students could find some problems, maybe because of the vocabulary. Then, I would encourage them to get the main idea of the “chapter”. I consider that the use of the clues and the images could be important to this point. 

Although I have not carried out the activity because of the age of my students this year, I would say that it is going to be very eye catching since the use of a computer is included and probably they do not know what a timeline is, so it is interesting. 

I think that I would use the structure I have followed in this occasion with more texts. Perhaps I could include more resources such as videos for a better understanding, or even music.

TimeToast has improved the reading task firstly showing it as something attractive. Later, I can create a structure with the parts to work in each session, so it is more accessible than a whole text. Finally, the possibility of using images helps the students to understand the reading better.

Reflecting on reading habits

The pictures show different people reading in a variety of situations.  They are reading novels, newspapers, school books, eBooks and probably more kinds of texts.  I think that in some of the pictures people choose what they read although in the photo of a classroom in a school they do not. In this case, the teacher is the person who chooses the reading.  

The feelings could be really different according to the person. What I refer is that people in the library could be reading for pleasure or maybe some of them are doing a school work, so the first ones could be relaxed meanwhile the others could be stressed because they have to put a lot of attention in what they are reading to learn it or use it later. It happens the same for the other pictures, some could be feeling in a calm and peaceful way and others under pressure as the pupils in the school. 

In my case, either in English or Spanish, I like reading when I am alone. I need silence to concentrate on the text, and at the same time, it allows me to reflect about what I am reading. I could read outdoors, as the man with the newspaper, but it should be in my garden, not in the street. Nevertheless, what I like the most is reading a novel in a comfortable sofa. If I have to study, it is different, I need my desk. It does not matter the language, but I have to recognise that I have some requirements before reading. I try to read every day I have spare time, and of course, I prefer paper books. Screens make me feel tired sooner. 

Finally, I think I do not have preferences between English or Spanish. Maybe if it is a novel with a lot of difficult vocabulary, Spanish is my best option (since it is my mother tongue). However, if I find a text which fits my level, I enjoy it deeply because my mind works in English and I love it.