Oral Communication Blog

Oral Communication Blog

How to enhance a student’s oral communication skills

1. Podcasts, Listen and record podcasts

2. Encourage conversation (debates)

3. Provide strategies to enhance the confidence level for speaking

It is quite obvious that oral communication skills are a fundamental aspect of the development of both thinking and learning. Believe me, when I say that it is the GLUE that puts all components of a language together. Having said this it allows the opportunity for individuals to express their emotions, ideas, and feelings. 

It gives people the ability to empower, inspire and motivate those who listen. Finally, I believe it is used to share knowledge/traditions and lastly, build towards strong self-esteem. Growing up I struggled with the oral communication strand. I was a very shy and quiet student up until grade 6.

In the sixth grade I participated in public speaking and doing so I placed silver out of all Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board students. It enhanced my presentation skills to sound clear, concise, informative and a strong tone. Therefore, this weeks blog post will outline three resources educators can use to enhance a student’s oral communication skills.

Podcasts (Spreaker)

It is hard to deny that in the last few years, creating podcasts has become a very popular communication method for several things. From news headlines to the weather, you can find a podcast for pretty much anything! I like to think of it as a portable radio that is customized to your own individual taste.

Essentially, a podcast is an audio file that is, for the most part, informative and can be downloaded and played anywhere and anytime. Podcasts can be used to provide information in a fun and entertaining way, increasing student engagement. It has an impact on the extent of student learning in different subject areas. Finally, students have the ability to create their own podcasts for which they are able to share their ideas and creations with their classmates.

I believe one of the best ways to use podcasting especially within the classroom, is through student creation. Train your students on how to create a podcast and watch the magic happen. One resource that allows students to create their own podcast is an app called Spreaker.

This is linked to the Ontario Curriculum document (SE 1.1 Purpose) as students must identify the purpose behind recording their podcast. Students must all demonstrate an understanding of the concepts they are recording (SE 1.4 Demonstrating Understanding). Finally, they will learn to enhance their vocal skills and strategies making their podcast clear and concise (SE 2.5 Vocal Skills and Strategies).

Using this app, educators are able to assign students to create their own podcasts that demonstrate their learning of a particular concept or concepts. Their podcast should then be available for other students to download, allowing the students to put their teacher hats on!!!

This evidently proves that podcasts are a useful tool for the growth of oral communication skills for the students.

Encourage Conversation (Debates)

I believe incorporating debates in your lesson plans are essential for developing oral communication skills for students. Briefly, a debate can be described as a process involving formal discussion on a particular subject. Within a debate, opposing arguments are put forward to argue for opposing viewpoints from the other opposing side. The topic of debate will depend upon the age of your students. In order to really grab the attention of your students, you really need to pick an interesting topic. Some topics that are sure to grab your students attention:

·      Smartphones should be banned in school

·      School uniforms should be required

I believe this video “How to run a debate” by Groobles Media is perfect to assist educators in hosting debates within their classroom. This video is great!

It provides several strategies for your students to follow such as what is needed before you start a debate (two opposing sides etc.) and when speakers argue their point, they need to speak loud and with clarity.

For example, in class, we had a debate on what was better Smarties or Coffee Crisp. My team had 12 members which meant 12 different rebuttals. Overall, the debate went really well! (I think Coffee Crisp side won!).

This can relate to the Ontario Curriculum document (SE 2.1 Purpose) as students are able to identify a range of purposes for speaking in a variety of situations. For example, to support the resolution in a debate. It can also relate to (SE 1.7 Analysing Texts), here students will be able to analyze a variety of oral texts and identify the strategies used to persuade their argument for the debate. Finally, this can relate to (SE 2.6 Non-Verbal Cues) as students are able to use gestures and increased volume to help get their point across.

It clearly shows that using debates in the classroom provides students the opportunity to explore real-world topics and issues. Debates also engage students through self-reflection and encourage them to learn from their peers. Finally, debates prepare students to be more comfortable engaging in any type of dialogue related to their beliefs as well as their academics.

Provide Strategies to Enhance Confidence Levels when Presenting

It can be difficult to put ourselves in our student's shoes when it comes to fear of presenting. I believe the fear of public speaking is one of the most common phobias, especially that many of our students feel when teachers ask them to present something or speak in front of the class. I can relate to this because I still often feel nervous to speak in front of a large crowd! 

One a resource that can help strengthen the confidence levels of your students is from a video I discovered on YouTube called

“7 Ways to Teach Public Speaking to kids.”

This video recommends seven strategies for teachers and even parents/guardians to follow. I will not go through all seven, but I will go over two that I found to be the most beneficial taken from the video.

Give sufficient practice time

·       The most common thing that students said improved their confidence was having more time to practice.

·      Students will feel really confident if they have time to rehearse, go over pronunciations of certain words, and to remember to not forget anything out.

Create a positive Atmosphere

·      Creating an atmosphere that is accepting, supportive, and respectful is one of the most important aspects of building confidence in communication skills.

·      Emphasize that everyone in the classroom is there to learn and engage. If by chance a student makes a mistake presenting, as an educator, you must reinforce that making a mistake is totally normal!

This can relate to the Ontario Curriculum document (SE 2.5 Vocal Skills and Strategies) as students are able to have the confidence project their voice when presenting. I can also relate to (SE 1.9 Presentation Strategies) as students will have the confidence to present in a wide variety of ways such as vocal effects and facial expressions. When students obtain the confidence needed, they will realize that presentations are simply an opportunity to showcase their hard work and show off their knowledge and passions

Writing Blog

Background

I believe good writers are not born they are made. Come on let's be real here, producing a quality piece of writing whether it be a novel, poem or screenplay takes TIME and EFFORT. Believe me, I have been writing for four years of my undergrad at McMaster. On this note, I do believe that writing stories are something every student should attempt in school. I vividly remember in grade 4 writing my own fictional story where I had to create a narrative, characters, setting, conflicts, etc. This was so much fun! I remember creating a short story about a young king, trying to rule his kingdom at a young age and the troubles he had faced.

 By creating and telling a story, children learn to organize their thoughts and use written language to communicate with readers in a variety of ways.

I believe allowing students to write their own stories will enhance students to better understand stories written by other authors. This blog is meant to encourage educators to have their students write their own stories using these three resources that may help.

Story Map 

 A story map is a strategy to help students learn the elements of a story before they begin to write their own. Developing a solid understanding of the elements of a story is essential for our students to follow and fully comprehend the stories they read and write. I believe teachers can use story maps that touch upon the writing strand of the Ontario Language Curriculum.

Before students start writing, educators should have their students develop their ideas for their stories (SE 1.2 Developing Ideas). From here, students can focus on classifying ideas using a story map (SE 1.4 Classifying Ideas).

This is why story maps are great to use in the classroom to get the students organized by completing the map before they write and construct their own stories. Having said this, these are the five key elements of a story:

• Setting
• Characters
• Plot
• Conflict
• Theme

 Understanding how a story is organized is necessary for students to access the highest levels of fictional story writing (SE 1.5 Organizing Ideas). It helps students organize their thoughts and to competently weave together the various threads that would make up their own stories. Finally, once students have completed their story maps, they can begin writing their stories.

Assisting Students to Write Descriptively 

 The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in such ways that a picture is formed in the reader's mind. Encouraging students to use descriptive words in their stories will improve students writing to be more interesting and full of details. It encourages students to use new vocabulary words and clarifies their understanding of new subject material they can use for writing.

 Using this video by Nalo Hopkinson, this is a good resource for students to enhance their skills in descriptive writing. It gives necessary strategies for students to follow by modeling vivid sensory details using similes and metaphors that paint a picture for the reader.

I believe the strategies learned from this video, students would be able to describe the characters and settings they created in their stories.

I wish resources such as these were available when I was a student. Back then we had to use a boring Thesaurus in order to spice up our writing. Teachers can use this video as a resource that touches upon the writing strand of the Ontario Curriculum document. Using descriptive wording, this focuses on making the necessary revisions for their stories as they choose the proper vocabulary (SE 2.1 Form). It also focuses on using the proper word choice as they select a figurative language for their stories (SE 2.3 Word Choice). Overall this is a great resource to encourage students to use descriptive wording when writing stories.

Storyboard 

 A storyboard is a visual and written representation of a story that is broken down into individual panels. It sketches out how a story will unfold using these descriptive panels. I believe the use of storyboards can be wonderful tool students can use for progressing their writing skills. By using the graphics from the storyboard, students are able to use their imagination and write their own narrative.


My third resource is one learned in my language class called StorybaordThat. This app is perfect for students developing their own stories and writing them out.

Using this app, students can provide a story outline in the form of a plot diagram or with an extended graphic depiction of the story using as many squares (panels) necessary (StoryboardThat). Teachers can use this video as a resource that touches upon the writing strand of the Ontario Curriculum document.

 Firstly, it works towards classifying ideas and the purpose of what their story will be about (SE 1.2 Developing Ideas). Secondly, it displays the student's thoughts and ideas by using a sketch-board or an outline of a series of events from their story (SE 1.5 Organizing Ideas). Overall this is a great resource that students can use when creating and writing their own stories.

Conclusion 

 In conclusion, I strongly believe educators should implement these three resources into their classrooms. I believe these resources will further enhance students writing skills and how to write their own stories.

References

https://www.storyboardthat.com/storyboards/rachael12345/how-to-use-storyboard-that

https://searchengineland.com/how-to-create-a-style-guide-for-your-seo-content-writers-305893

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/287597126176591620/?lp=true

Reading Strand

Reading Blog

It is evident that a large number of students disliked reading about history in elementary school. I know I did. Going back to my elementary school days, I had always found reading about history really boring. I especially remember in grade 7 and 8 going to my rotary teacher’s classroom, opening up that dark blue, dull, bland history textbook and reading about Confederation. Talk about BORING!!! We did not watch one single video, listen to a single audio clip, or read a graphic novel, nothing. Every history class we would always just read from that boring textbook and never take different approaches to learn the subject. 

Thankfully I found my love for history and everything it has to offer in high-school and during my undergrad in university. I was exposed to several different resources such as graphic novels, videos, images, timelines, artifacts and much more!

Throughout this blog, I will list the three resources that helped find my love for reading history. I will also address the importance for teachers to implement such resources into their regular classroom routines when assigning readings for history. 

Resource 1: Graphic Novels (World War Two: Against the Rising Sun)

When it comes to reading about history, there are numerous effective ways of taking that approach for students to enjoy. One of the ways I believe helped find my love for reading about history was graphic novels. Having said this, in the tenth grade, my history teacher introduced us to graphic novels on World War 2. We were assigned to write a report about the content within the graphic novel and the historical significance obtained from it. I vividly remember postponing my math homework just to read my World War 2 graphic novel. I was addicted, the graphic novel is called World War Two: Against the Rising Sun. It was completely different, but was an effective approach to reading and learning about history, a way I have never thought of before. 

The visuals and dialogue within the graphic novel were in great detail, making it as if you were apart of this historical scene in 1945. I was eager to learn more about the topic that I began to research different war heroes and famous battles that were mentioned in the graphic novel. However, it was not just me, my entire class loved reading them as well. 

Overall, you don’t need a boring old textbook to learn about people and events in other eras, and time periods. These days, students can discover exciting history within graphic novels. This popular blend of storytelling and art makes history come alive that is simple to follow using illustrated panels for a wide range of titles. 

If I were to teach a grade 8 history lesson I would most definitely incorporate graphic novels for my students to read. 

This would fall under the Ontario Language Curriculum Text Reading Overall Expectations: 1. Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literacy, graphic, and informational text, using a range of strategies to construct meaning (pg. 141.) It would also fall under the Specific Expectation 1.1. Read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including literary texts (eg. short stories, novels, poetry, essays, science, fiction, memoirs, scripts, satire)… pg.141. 

Using graphic novels, students are then able to critique and assess a variety of ways to approach reading history for a better understanding. I believe graphic novels communicate meaning through the use of visuals and dialogue that follows a narration and a story, to truly understand the historical significance, rather than simply reading facts within a textbook. Therefore, I believe this method for reading history holds great success as students will be eager to read more on the topic of history. 

Resource 2: Reading Primary Sources (JSOTR)

A second resource that will encourage students to read more about history is the use of Primary Sources. A Primary Source is a historical document that falls under firsthand testimony or seen as evidence regarding any historical topic for research purposes. Some examples of Primary Sources are paintings, scriptures, images, artifacts, journals, etc.

 I believe JSTOR is an excellent search engine to discover some of the world's most interesting and cultivating Primary Sources. JSTOR is a highly effective digital database filled with academic content in all different formats. JSTOR has a section specifically for Primary Sources which I find to be super cool! It has more than 2 million Primary Sources across four different sections. The artifacts and specified documents that are apart of this section are reviewed and monitored by high-class historians who are highly educated within the field. 

When I was in my undergrad at McMaster I loved reading Primary Sources using JSTOR. I once read about a first handwritten journal from a Jesuit Missionary named St. Jean De Brebeuf and his voyage to Canada in 1649. I was so fascinated by it, I read the entire journal! I would definitely use JSTOR at a grade 8 level and also at a high school level. 

I understand JSTOR may be specified for a higher grade level, however, at the grade 8 level, they should be exposed to databases such as these to prepare them for high school and university/college levels. This resource follows under the first of the Overall Expectations from the Ontario Language Curriculum text: Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literacy, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to consult meaning. It also falls under the Specific Expectation 2.2 Text Patterns: Analyze increasingly complex texts to identify different types of organizational patterns used in them and explain how the patterns help communicate meaning (before and after comparison…) (pg.142). 

I believe this resource relates to both of these expectations because reading about Primary Sources assist students to relate personal interpretations of the present to events of the past. They continue to promote increased reading regarding historical events, and have students begin to think and question to themselves: Why did events that happened in the past happen in the ways they did? What changed from back then until now? This will then encourage students to further seek additional evidence by continuing to read Primary Sources. 

Resource 3: Historical Documentaries (The History of Canada Explained in 10 Minutes)

My final resource is about Historical Documentaries and how they will encourage students to enjoy reading about history. Historical Documentaries can be described as informative documentation of people, places, and events that all took place within the past. It is shown in a presentation style, used to showcase documents, photographs, actual footage, etc. 

I believe historical documentaries can grasp the attention of any particular student, encourage them to think more critically and allow them to read more about the historical topic they are interested in. I believe they are a vital tool for teachers to use when to encourage their students to read more about history. One interesting documentary that I believe would encourage students to read more about history is a Youtube video called: The history of Canada explained in 10 minutes. 

I found this video to be very factual, but at the same time easy for students to read and follow along. I believe history can also be taught and understood using minimal text and more audio recordings. I would use this Historical Documentary within a grade 8 classroom. I would show the students this documentary and create a sheet with only the important texts from the video. I would then have the students follow along with the audio recording by reading the sheet I have provided them. 

I believe this resource falls under the Overall Expectations from the Ontario Language Curriculum text: Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literacy, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to consult meaning. It also uses one of the Specific Expectations, Interconnected Skills: explain, in conversation with the teacher and/or peers or in a reader’s notebook/reflective journal, how’s their skills in listening, speaking, writing, viewing and representing help them make sense of what they read (pg. 143). 

I believe this resource relates to these expectations because the students will then demonstrate their understanding of the reading regarding the factual information on the history of Canada from the video. It will also demonstrate their listening skills and how effective the video was. For example, did the students make sense of what they read on the sheet and what they listened to from the documentary? Will they be encouraged to now look up other documentaries regarding the history of Canada? 

Resources:

https://www.cartoonmovement.com/depot/cartoons/2012/02/04/a_history_of_freedom_fighters__svitalskybros.jpeg

https://images.randomhouse.com/cover/9789381182055

http://leddy.uwindsor.ca/sites/default/files/JSTORv2.png

https://youtu.be/zz440EuFK8Q

Media Studies

Media Literacy

The importance of educating our students regarding the long-term effects of climate change using different Media Strands

Resource 1: Al Gore’s famous An Inconvenient Truth

I believe any form of documentaries plays a vital role in the learning world today. Documentaries can be defined as an informative resource, with dialogue that is used to help educate or inform its audience. They serve as powerful tools that ultimately bring important topics to the table in a captivating manner. I believe documentaries can spark interesting conversations no matter the topic. Therefore, I believe documentaries are a vital tool for teachers to use when educating their students in the Media Strand.

Take for example Al Gore’s famous documentary An Inconvenient Truth, this resource is extremely useful and relays a powerful message because to me it was the introduction of what climate change is and what it does to harm our world. I believe this concept needs to be readdressed, and just as Al Gore did in 2006, we as educators should do the same. Having said this, the goal of this documentary regarding climate change is for students to think critically about how climate change has affected our planet. It will have students engaged and talking to one another about the topic of climate change, and sharing their thoughts on it.

I would use this resource in grade 8 classrooms, as it uses a more advanced vocabulary. This documentary can relate to the Ontario Language Curriculum using both the Grade 8 Media Literacy Overall Expectations and some Specific Expectations. One Overall Expectation that relates to this resource is Overall Expectation 3. Creating a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques. I believe it relates to this expectation because after the students watch the documentary, it will allow the students to showcase their ideas they have learned. 

For example, I could assign a Twitter assignment where they must create a poster on three facts learned after watching the documentary. Two of the Specific expectations that can relate to this resource are from section 1. Of Understanding Media Texts 1.1-Purpose and Audience and 1.3-Responding to and Evaluating Texts. I believe it relates to these expectations because they will know who this documentary is meant for, and how strong the message was within the documentary. For example, how effective was Al Gore’s points within the documentary regarding Climate Change? Does he make you want to go out and protect our world?

Resource 2: Greta Thunberg's speech to the United Nations that shocked the world

I also believe that educational videos go along way regarding teaching the Media Strand especially in grade 8. The influence of videos in teaching and learning serves to not only benefit students but also teachers. The nature of accessing videos online allows them to be shared and accessed at any time of the day. Rather than using boring textbooks to teach your lesson, why not educate your students with an inspirational YouTube video such as this one.

A YouTube video that shows a teenage girl with Asperger’s disease named Greta Thunberg, who stood alone against the world, criticizing and calling out some of the world’s leaders, as they do nothing, regarding climate change. She accused them of ignoring the science behind climate change and global warming. Greta Thunberg is now considered an environmental activist on a global scale, as she has established a large group of followers full of environmental protesters to help protect our planet from climate change. From this, Thunberg’s message inspired a global phenomenon regarding a protest called School strike for the climate. This strike is led by students from all across the globe, as they rise against climate change.

I would use this video in grade 8 classrooms. I believe this video focuses the Overall Expectations 2. Identify some media forms and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning, and Overall Expectations 4. Reflect on and identify their strengths as media interpreters and creators, areas for improvement, and the strategies they found most helpful in understanding and creating media texts. 

This video will leave students inspired to do something right. It will teach them how to critique different ways public speakers get their message across by using educational videos. They will critique either how poor or effective Greta Thunberg’s motivation speech was on climate change. For example, I could assign an assignment that allows the students to elaborate on one point Greta said in the video and whether they thought it was effective or not.
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Resource 3: Picture Book 

           

Lastly, I believe the uses of picture books are an essential tool especially learning about Media Literacy. Picture books for young readers are the foundation that promotes literacy, story analysis, and interpretation. Picture books for young children are one of the essential aspects of their education. However, I also believe picture books can be used for education at the higher-grade levels as well. My third and final resource is a picture book titled Who Will Save My Planet? The book was composed by Maria Cristina Urrutia and relays a strong message by illustrating to the readers that we as humans are damaging our planet.

I believe Urrutia is calling out to the world that humans are the reasoning behind the damaging effects happening to nature, and that humans are in desperate need of developing a course of action. The book consists of eight pages, with no words, and instead uses pictures, that focus on a different figure in nature on each page. 

Urrutia outlines this by showing powerful displays of before and after pictures of those select figures of nature and how we as humans over time have done so much to harm and destroy them. I would use this picture book in grade 8 classrooms because it allows the students to look at each picture and come up with their interpretation of what they think the message is behind the book. The book has no words, having said this, there could be endless amounts of theories they could come up with. 

This book can relate to the Ontario Language Curriculum using any of the Media Literacy Overall Expectations but more specifically it connects to Overall Expectations 1. Demonstrate an understanding of a variety of media texts and 3.

Creating a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques. This will allow the students to have been able to analyze different kinds of Media texts, such as documentaries, educational videos and now picture books. It has them reflect that even picture books that are more targeted for children, can also deliver powerful subliminal messages that can be critiqued at higher grade levels. I would create an assignment where my grade 8 students would have to create their own picture book, using important points on climate change.

Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMrtLsQbaok&t=107s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZUoYGAI5i0

Who Will Save My Planet? (Maria Cristina Urrutia, Tundra Books, 2007).