25 January 2012

Digital story telling

I found a web site named zimmertwins. It is a tool that you can make some enjoyable animates stories. I tried to create a simple video. However, without a specific e-mail address, I cannot send or share the video on my blog or facebook. I should send it to specific people. Therefore, it is a bit impractical. On the other side, you can create an animated video from scratch button. Also you can add your own words, your emotions while creating. The teacher can use this video while teaching some topics like  transitions or reported speeches. Maybe, the teacher can create the animated video and the students fill the clouds of talk. There are some funny activities in the web- site. These activities are especially for kids and young learners. When these learners get bored from the lesson, activities can make them motivate.
The other tool for animated stories is dvolver. Here, you can choose characters, background, their speeches and a music. Characters look like real life or cartoons. Young learners can create an animated video and write English sentences there for the characters. It is very simple to use. I have created a sample quickly. It is about Halloween. All of you can be agree with me about teaching tradition of second language as well as the second language. :)



16 January 2012

Animation

Nowadays, I am interested in creating anime videos to teach something, especially to teach English. Mr. Neufeld shared a video named Duolingo. I like its content and also the figures of anime. These animation videos can be very attractive and interesting for the students. Moreover, when I did something interesting and useful for teaching English, I felt myself motivated as a future English teacher. I am a huge fan of the technology. I wrote to the publisher of Duolingo video because I wanted to learn how they created this kind of video. They replied me that they paid money to a company and this company created this video. I was very upset when I heard this.
I had no time to search for free software to create an animated  video. Mr. Neufeld send some links for free usage of animated video. One of them is clay animator web-site. Here is how a clay animator video can be made.I haven't tried it yet, but When I have time, I will try to do it and I will upload the video which is stop-motion and will be created by me. :) A boy uploaded a video which tells the steps of creating a stop motion on youtube. He calls this kind of video monkeyjam. These are free and web- based.

In descriptive videos, we captured the scene by holding the camera above the area. However, in this monkeyjam video, the camera can be on a plane. I think, even one person can create a video like this. Then,  one can create an audio in which one tell and explain what is going on the video in audacity. This audio can be added to the stop motion. I am very willing to create one. :)





This video is made with the clay animator. These will be very enjoyable during the lessons. :)




9 January 2012

Shake your story (TED talks)




I am very impressed after watching this video. I have known I-Pads; however I did not know how it is impressive. In the video, Mr. Raghava said he created stories, but it changes in terms of view when you shake the I-PAD . This can be used while teaching the students history. Or while teaching a language, to combine or to teach some differences between the two languages to the students is very important, so I can first show the students our cultural schema, then I can shake it and it turns to target language's cultural schema. It is very enjoyable both for the teachers and the students.

4 January 2012

Descriptive video- comparatives and superlatives






In CTE-319 lesson, we had an assignment as a group :Meral, Özge, Gizem and I. We prepared a descriptive video which was related to comparatives and superlatives. While preparing the video, we got tired a lot. It took 3 hours. Firstly, we tried to find a theme to tell the topic in it. In the previous weeks, we read Waiting For Godot in the drama class. We liked its characters and we thought that using these characters in the dialogue can be very enjoyable. After creating the dialogue, we found images, which are related to the characters and the topic, from the internet. Because of short time, it does not get bored you. This assignment is both memorable and effective for us and it will be the same for our students, I am sure.
Moreover, we have a backstage video. If you want to create one, this can help you . :)





3 January 2012

Henry VIII



I watched a Tv series about Henry VIII's life. It was "Tudors" .
While learning a language, it is important to learn its culture. He was the King of England in 21 April 1509.Besides his six marriages, Henry VIII is known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church. He was an author and a composer. This video with the song seems that we can remember his life in terms of his wives :)

The Game of Street of Dreams



I found this game very effective. In the play, you have two house which have different names. These are the names of a general category of some words. Then, the cars' directions have specific words which should be under one of two categories. While the car is going, you select which house it should go... Good luck :)