Phillips,+Andrea+Jenkins -Cool+Tools+Review

The number of web 2.0 tools covered during this week was a little overwhelming. However, I left confident that I will be comfortable using a number of them this year as an AP English Language and Composition teacher. My students are advanced Juniors in high school. In this course we focus on the function of language [syntax, diction,etc.] and writing with these skills in mind. In learning to analyze writing and develop a voice in their own writing, several of the tools I learned about will be helpful. The tools I am specifically interested in using include: [|www.todaysmeet.com], [|www.animoto.com] and [|www.edmodo.com]. I love the collaboration and creative tools these particular sites offer. I am certain my students will be able to discover even more. The summer reading assignment has been posted to my edmodo wall and upcoming studnet have been mailed the code to join my class on edmodo. I actually did this the week of our conference. I emailed a welcome letter to our head guidance counselor with the code included and she mailed the letters to all of my incoming students. Students have been able to retrieve their summer assignment, directly message me and help each other through wall posts. I will continue using this tool, especially the library feature[ making copies for AP Language can get crazy] throughout the coming year. Students will be able to post videos/ prezis they create to the wall for all of us to see and comment o

Cool Tools for Language Arts

As the Common Core, and AP English Language and Composition, both call for students to become proficient in the art argumentation, I was very excited to learn about on line role playing. This is an assignment that could be very versatile, from a short term project but to a long term project.

I plan to use this tool in at least two ways. One way will be as an integral part of the research process. Students will be given a topic and assigned a stance based on last name. Students will be asked to develop a persona congruent to the side they have been assigned. The persona will include an avatar and a thoughtful name. Students will have to discuss thoughts and provide links to research, either within the discussion and/or to diigo. After a set amount of time, probably two weeks, I will have students switch sides. I feel like students will be able to express themselves equally without fear of being put on the spot by their peers. I also believe it will allow students to be able to discern what legitimate arguments are and that it is okay to change positions. The final product will be a research paper.

The other way I will use this is in a more controlled manner. It will be to produce an argumentative essay about a piece of literature appropriate to AP English Language and Composition. Students will be asked to adopt a persona that will mirror the time period of the piece, and again assigned a stance to take. Next I will either have students take the opposing stance or look at the argument from the persona of a different time period. I am very excited to have a new tool in my belt to teach something that can be rather cumbersome. I had fun doing this and I think my students will too.