Module 4 - Storytelling - Potato farmer

Module 4 - Collaborative storytelling

https://storybird.com/flash-fiction/murphy-s-law

The following story has been created using ´Storybird`. Aims: - Get students to follow a brief but interesting story. - Encourage students to learn in a meaningful manner. - Focus on an unespected ending - Analise a short story. - Extract own conclusions. - Explain the story in your own word. - Discuss the strange or confusing ending. - Work on sexism related to language. Procedures: - Students follow the story as a group - They are then explained that there is some kind of confusion at the ending. - They are asked to explain the story in their own words and the way it ends. - They are questioned about the ending to ensure that they have understood everything. They should be albe to explain what is strange about the story. - They are then told to think about the ending for a few minutes and to then explain in their own words what they think had happened. Students should work in groups and have some discussion. - A final feeedback is taken in class as a whole. - Extension: Students could focus in sexism in language and create similar stories.

Module 4 - Collaborative storytelling

You could create a collaborative storytelling with ´Protagonize`. It was free and easy to use. You needed to register. But once you were registered, you could share your stories with anyone who was willing to  continue editing. It has now disappeared. http://blog.protagonize.com/

Module 3 - Avatar

sitepal

You can create a story by using an Avatar. I´ve selected the webpage ´sitepal.com`.
The advantages are:
- Free version is available.
- No register is needed.
- Avatar is easily created.
- Text is easily introduced. You just have to type it in the box. Once the text has been written, you can play it straight away.
- There is a chioce in which you can select the accent your avatar will have. You can choose American English or British English.
- You can share the link to your story anywhere
The disadvantages are:
- Text has to be short. There is a wording limit.
- If you wish to enjoy the full options you have to suscribe.
- You need to summarize the story a lot.
All in all I would consider this application as an excellent one - considering that it is free.

Module 3 - Comic strip

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/

The following comic strip has been created with ´makebeliefscomix`online app.

Advantages:
- No registry is needed (no account is needed; no passwords are needed)
- Free (users donñt have to pay anything)
- Easy to use
- Once the comic strip has been created, it can be saved into an image. You can also share your creation by mail with others.
- Images, backgrounds and objects are available. There is a selection of them.

Disadvantages:
- Nothing is kepts online or on the cloud. Once you create your comic you need to save it as an image.
- Strips are limited. The maximum number od strips that can be created is limited to four.
- Iamges can´t be added or uploaded. You have to deal with the ones provided.
- Music can´t be added.
- Text content is lited to the size of the strip - which cannot be extended.

Conclusion

Great and useful tool to create short stories. As it is limited in size and images, one needs to summarize - which is good for the students to learn. Also, in that wat, the stories are short and basic. That might be positive to work with lower levels.

Módulo 2 - The Legend of Stingy Jack - Halloween (Infographics)

The legend of Stingy Jack - Infographics - Piktochart

Throughout the following infographics you can get to know about the origin of the popular Jack O´lantern. Originally, lanterns were made out of turnips - as they were commonly grown in Ireland. As the tradition extended to America, turnips were replaced by other vegetables.

The tradition can be traced back in time. It is thought that a mean, evil and quite clever Irish man , nicknamed ´Stingy Jack`, is the one to blame for this pagan tradition.

https://magic.piktochart.com/output/22247242-the-legend-of-stingy-jack

Módulo 2 - Halloween - Legend of Abhartach (Prezi)

Legend of the ´Abhartach`

The following story explains the connection between the character of ´Dracula`and the Irish myth. ´Abhartach` was an evil creature who lived in Ireland. He was a cruel dwarf looking Chiftain. Everyone feared him as locals thought he was immortal. In fact, he was killed more than once, but he just kept resurrecting. Each time he came back to life, he got revenge on the Irish peasants. Finally, as it was accepted that we would never be killed, a way to trap him forever while buried was found.
https://prezi.com/5is3y6uqou7p/abhartach-myth/

Welcome!

Hi everyone,

I´d like to welcome you to the 2016-2017 English language course. I´ll be your teacher during the next terms and I am really looking forward to getting started.

I´m Sergio and I´ve been teaching for a long time in many different schools. I really enjoy encouraging students to speak foreign languages, as it is essential nowadays. 

But what I really like is to link traditional language teaching together with the use of the ICT. I find it really motivating and challenging to use technology in class. By doing so, you are able to improve not only your English language skills but also to appreciate the importance of dealing with the internet and making good use out of the many different apps and software, which has been designed to be used by anyone with some basic knowledge on technology.

I therefore welcome you and I hope we have an excellent relationship and learn while enjoying each minute out of it.

Module 1 - Storytelling 2017

What is storytelling for you?

Storytelling has been an integral part of human life since time began, from sharing stories around the campfire, recording them in drawings on cave walls and writing them down on parchment and then paper. Now in the digital world, storytelling has the tools to evolve even further.

Why digital storytelling in class?

Digital storytelling is a way of capturing still and moving images with words and recorded sound - voice and music - to create and keep a lively, multisensory story.

This type of activity is so rich in opportunities for supporting language development that we find it should be used in language classrooms.

Your expectations and goals with this course

Throughout this course I´d like to create simple videos by adding some music in the background while visually zooming in on still photographs.

I´d also like to try sites such as Voki or Storybird, which offer a different type of digital storytelling. You select an avatar - a graphic character that represents you or any character in your story - and provide a voice to that character. There are options for different actions. You can type words and have the characters say them, or you can record your own voice. There are multiple language options as well.