Uses of VoiceThread in the MFL

VoiceThread is a handy web2.0 tool that can be used in various ways in the language classroom.  After viewing a powerpoint presentation on web2.0 tools, I realized that I have only used VoiceThread one time this semester with my Spanish 4 students.  Since today is still part of my Thanksgiving vacation, I had time to be creative and find a new way to use VoiceThread.


I started four stories with different themes.  I'll play the VoiceThread in class for the students to listen to the beginning of the 4 stories.  As a class, we'll brainstorm some possible endings to the stories.  The following day, I'll take them to the computer lab and they'll have the opportunity to choose one of the four stories and create their own ending to the story, preferable with a verbal comment instead of a written comment.  

I know this isn't classified as a pure CI activity because it requires output from the students.  However, at the Spanish 4 level, I like to provide them with different ways in which they can demonstrate their verbal skills in the TL.  Also, when we listen to the recordings in the classroom together for the first time, I will use CI methods, as needed, to assure that the students understand each of the situations.  The group response and brainstorming possibilities provides even more CI as I review and provide support when needed.

Other ways I and others have used VoiceThread in the classroom:

1. Mini-lecture.  I created a VoiceThread on customs that pertain to superstitions and rituals surrounding the death of a person, which included uploaded images and my recorded voice to expalin them.  I had a student that was not in school for several weeks due to health reasons.  Recording on VoiceThread allowed me to provide the notes in a comprehensible way as the student listened to Spanish instead of simply giving a handout with written notes.  

2. A TPRS Story.  In the VoiceThread site I searched the keyword "Spanish" and I found this TPRS story told by the teacher.  

A variation on this is to put sketches on the VoiceThread and the students need to tell the story, (with X number of comments from each student).  HERE is an example of this in an elementary school.  I did something similar to this using the story Clic Clac Moo in Spanish that I found on the internet.

3.  Connect with Students around the World. Last year my students were involved in 3 different VoiceThreads with students from Taiwan, Mexico, Spain.  Two of the VoiceThreads were ones that I made for the students to share with others about their schools, communities, hobbies, etc.  The third one was created by an Spanish teacher in Taiwan in which students used the video feature to show a gesture and then explain its meaning in Spanish.

4.  Conditional Tense.  I uploaded pictures of odd happenings and asked the students, ¿Qué harías tú en esta situación? and they commented on X number of photos using the conditional tense.  (It's a little centered on the grammar side, but the odd pictures provided motivation for the students to share what they would do in that situation.)

5.  Student Projects. (such as a photos and audio to explain how to make a recipe common to a particular country) I have reduced the number of projects that I do in my language classes because, after looking at them carefully, I felt few of them were accurate assesments of the students' skills.  However, if you needed the students to create a project that included pictures, written and/or verbal comments, and an opportunity to allow others to collaborate with them on project, whether the others are members of the classroom or are students in another part of the country or world, VoiceThread would fit the requirements and is easy to use.   

Are there other ways of using VoiceThread in the classroom that I have overlooked?  

In Search of Global Collaborators for the new School Year

If you are a teacher of students that fit category #1 or #3 below and are interested in a global project with my Spanish students, please read this post and follow the instructions at the end to contact me.  (I plan to do other collaboration projects within the United States also, but I first would like to get the new project started.) 


Before school started last August, I had written a list of personal goals that I wanted to accomplish during the 2011-12 school year.  One of them was to collaborate with other classes in the world.  I was looking for three specific categories:
1 - Students in English-speaking countries learning Spanish (like my students).
2 - Students in non-English speaking countries learning Spanish.
3 - Native Spanish-speaking students in Spanish countries learning English.


A student in my class made the bulletin board (see photo) of a map of the world and yarn stretching to the countries that our class connected with. We were able to find students from each category above for 4 different projects.  In addition, if I had a culture-related question, I was fortunate enough to receive responses to those questions from teachers in Uruguay (the yarn fell off that country in the photo above), Mexico, Guatemala, Spain, and several other countries.


For the first three projects, we used VoiceThread.  In project #1, students from Seoul, Korea and Taiwan left responses.  In project #2, students from Mexico and Spain left answers. For project #3, the teacher from Taiwan started his own VoiceThread and several of my students added comments to his VoiceThread.
first project 
second project 
third project 
The 4th project was more interactive and personal because my students used Skype, FaceTime, Edmodo, and Mindomo to communicate and work with students from Argentina.  My students enjoyed learning more about Argentina and spending time talking to them.  Some of them changed usernames to play videogames against each other.


These collaborations were so successful that months before school ended, I began working on a new idea for global collaboration next year.  Once again I am looking for students in categories #1 and #3 above.  My idea is to do some type of Quad-Blogging with a mix of students from different English-speaking countries (New Zealand, England, Australia, Canada, etc.) and students from Spanish-speaking countries that are studying English.  I have contacted several teachers and plan to make more firm plans on this project during July and early August.  If you are a teacher of students from categories #1 or #3 above and are interested in hearing more about the Quad-Blogging, please leave a message in the comments below with your e-mail, or contact me at: cynthia_hitz@yahoo.com.


I'm looking forward to meeting new teachers and working on a Global Project with my new students this fall!

GLOBAL PROJECT - Collaborators Wanted - Spanish or Language Learners

My Spanish classes are looking for other classes to collaborate on a VoiceThread project with them. Since our 2nd school semester doesn't start until Tuesday, January 24, I do not have the VoiceThread complete yet since the students need to give me their photos to add to the VoiceThread. Below is a sample VoiceThread of what ours will look like after it is completed - hopefully within a week of January 24.

Below are recordings in English and Spanish that explains the project. If you need additional information, please e-mail me at:

cynthia_hitz@yahoo.com
or connect with me on twitter: #sonrisadelcampo





Here is the SAMPLE VoiceThread:

I'm looking forward to hearing from other teachers and adding your class to our project. 

Bulletin Board of my students' collaboration with students in other parts of the world.