Category Archives: Reading

Bullying: Let’s get something out of it!

Ed Tech Ideas has published a very interesting post which we could easily turn into a very good activity for the English classroom.

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Starting out with a very nice poster on student bullying in the U.S., some questions are placed, as well as some advice to students… very clear statements that can be easily discussed in class. Try to elicit other ideas and opinions out of the data which appear in the graphic poster. Data are shown really clear and can be easily understood.

Domo Animate

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Time for the youngest! Domo animate is a very beautiful site where kids can create their own animated stories, a bit like ZimmerTwins.

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A very intuitive interface lets you choose characters, background, messages, music and effects. just click and place the item in the scene.

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Once the item/character is in the scene, it can acquire movement, expression, it can perform actions… just click and choose!

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Keep adding scenes until the story is finished, and then publish it!

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It’s really easy… make sure kids think of the story before they start editing, once they are familiar with the application. You can embed it in your website, your blog, or you can email it to people… parents?

Enjoy it!!

Protagonize

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Incredible website to enrich writing skills, even for those who want to go further into writing full length stories. Protagonize is meant for those who want to write a story and want to share it with the rest of the world, or just with a tiny bunch.

Collaborative stories have room here… start with an introduction and a first chapter, decide if this chapter can also be modified, invite people to a private writing party or just leave it open to everyone. people participating in the creative process can add their own chapters and maybe edit and modify the others… give instructions on what you want the other people (your pupils?) to do, or let their imagination wander free.

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A  very clear interface, maybe not very catchy for primary education, where you choose the kind of text you want to write. You can add an introduction where you can let out an idea of the story you are writing, or maybe the instructions for participants.

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Decide wheter the story you are about to start is going to be your own individual work (students could create their own accounts and therefore work on their stories on their own), or you want to start a collaborative story, whereby a group of people/pupils will collaborate in the creative process chapter after chapter.

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If you prefer to play as you write, if you want to create an adventure, click on Addventure and start a story which will branch out into different plots which will take the reader into different developments of the story…  probably extra work,  but extremely catchy and motivating!! Your pupils can make groups and each of these groups can create a development of the story you create, or each student of the group can develop the story they have begun cooperatively in a different way.

What are you waiting for? Sign up and start writing!!!

Simple English Wikipedia

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For students who only need simple texts, with brief (sometimes scarce) information and simple language, here’s a useful Wikipedia version: Simple English Wikipedia

The very same interface as an ordinary Wikipedia, but with simpler language. Short articles which can be easily read by ESO students. Not much to comment, just browse through the site. Maybe a good idea would be to ask students to enrich articles with more complex sentences or descriptions.

Free Audio Books

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Have a look at this page. Download free audio books from Books Should Be Free and have your students listen to them and solve mysteries on the go:

“Listen to the following section of the book and find out who broke the window glassw ith a stone”, for example… or “Listen to this excerpt and write down the names of the two main characters of the story”.

They can also read the text as they listen (there’s always a link to the written version).

Many different books to choose, I’m sure you’ll find one for your students!

Interesting things for the Holidays

After a while without posts, here’s one with interesting websites for your lessons. They are worth a look during the coming holidays: ESL and Clil have room here… enjoy!

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This website has a large list of online activities to foster reading and writing skills. Among the long list, I have chosen two applications:

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Character Trading Cards is an application based upon the popular trading cards students use. Here students can customize their own cards making up different characters with their specific features: Mood, weaknesses, strengths, problems, approach to life… Students fill the card with the information required in an easy step-by-step process.

These trading cards can be printed and used in order to create stories or role play situations. Writing, reading and speaking in a bunch!

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Fractured Fairy Tales helps students create brand new stories out of classical fairy tales which are fragmented and reused after changing some of its characteristic traits (part of the plot, characters, end of the story…) An easy interface with easy write and click instructions. Really catchy!

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Buid Your Wild Self

An extremely nice website for young students created by the New York Zoos and Aquarium Authority. Choose the animal parts you want to have in your own wild self, and create a new species in the animal world! Navigation is easy and the library has many different options … good fun!

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The parts you have chosen will help you make up the name of this strange creature. Learn about its habitat and how it reacts to the world around it… Your students will love it!

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Hector’s Home

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Good website with animations and road education! Hector’s Home gives students a very good time with some very spooky short films where Hector, the main character, moves about the city and learns the most important aspects of road education.

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You can watch the films and do the activities and games that appear as you move around.

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Teachers can enter a special area where very useful lesson plans are provided. They’re worth a look, believe me!

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A really catchy website, they learn road education as they practise their English.