Teacher T.A.L.K

Looking for ways to enhance your literacy block?  Adding rich technology experiences can be just the answer.

During the IRA conference, I attending a session presented by ReadWriteThink.org.  This website offers a wealth of wonderful lessons and resources to use in the classroom.  This site also sponsors a great podcast called Chatting About Books. Podcasts and videos are categorized by age group and cover a variety of themes and genres. The podcasts follow  the samre format each episode so that it’s easy to follow and predictable for the students.  During the Book Chat, different books are highlighted and briefly summarized.  The Cookies and Milk segment discusses a favorite book more in depth.  The final segment is the Expert Chat which in many cases is a discussion with an author whose books are highlighted.

Each web page contains links to activities kids can do online and at home. Videos demonstrate different activities students can do at school or at home.  It’s a resource you can’t overlook!

You may be asking yourself, “What a podcast?”  A podcast is simply an auido or video file delivered online.  Podcasts are often done in a series of episodes.  Chatting About Books is a simple idea that gets kids engaged in books and reading.

How can you take this a step further?  Here are some simple ideas:

1. Create your own podcast about books.
2. Have kids record thier favorite poem.
3. Groups can record a reader’s theater.
4. Students can illustrate their favorite part of a story, import the pictures into Movie Maker, record a scipt and presto….a video podcast!

An easy way to get started it just to share some of the podcasts with your class.  Let them brainstorm ideas on how they can do their own.  Getting students to create their own podcasts will engage them in the writing process, cooperative learning, problem solving, research, and, yes, reading!

I have listed some wonderful podcasts and videos that have been done by other teachers and students to get your creative juices going!  Should you need help getting started please don’t hesitate to ask me.

• Spatulatta:  Cooking 4Kids- great for How-tos, following directions
• Small Voices Podcast - done by kindergardners
• Our City - great Social Studies connection
• Superkids E-news - online e-newspaper written by kids with audio and video
• Showcomomotion - Young People’s Film Festival

Let the creativity begin!