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Book
and Software Reviews
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The use of technology at Devonport High School is increasing and it is becoming more common place to use different media in the classroom. |
This year I decided to introduce the Negotiated Study to my grade 9 class with a PowerPoint Presentation. Following this, some students chose to use PowerPoint to present their work to the class.
After a lot of hard work I finally produced a 14-slide presentation. It is designed to complement our school student handout.
Some students also produced PowerPoint Presentations and this was done with varying degrees of success. Some were simply notes on the slides which the students read through and others were more adventurous — as with us, it depends on skill level! Nathan Chapman’s presentation on Gustav Weindorffer was very effective and he even presented it at a Parent and Friends evening!
PowerPoint has certainly made our oral presentations more interesting this year and I hope to see this particular package continue to be used in English at Devonport High.
Tessa Creeley
Extracts from Nathan's powerpoint presentation
Photos from Nathan's powerpoint presentation to the P and F
Inspiration
This review was undertaken by students in Don Jordan's class at Kingston
Primary School.
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Review Inspiration is a computer program enabling you to create webs of information and things like that. Mr Jordan gave us booklets of information on how to use the program. Then we were asked to work in groups of three on a web. We continued working over time and were able to produce a number of webs displaying different subjects. We made presentations on sport, food, the food chain and animal classification. We liked Inspiration because it was very colourful and fun to use.
Inspiration gave us inspiration, but there are some down sides to the program. When you want to print it out, you have to make it very small and you can’t read it, or you have to print out 10 or more pages to get it all. Other problems are that you don’t have many pictures to choose and when you move a square a little it goes back to where it was before.
Mainly, we enjoyed Inspiration and we would like to have it permanently at Kingston Primary School.
Melissa, Matthew, Dean, Cameron and Michelle
Work Samples
USING
INSPIRATION TO MAKE A CHARACTER GRID
This review was prepared by Jenny Morgan who teaches at Ogilvie High School.
Inspiration is a visual thinking and learning tool that allows brainstorming, planning, diagramming, outlining, webbing and concept mapping. It is available for a free trial period from the Internet and is accompanied by a thorough tutorial. There are also subject specific example templates dealing with character analysis and novel outlines. To trial Inspiration, go to the following address: http://www.inspiration.com
I used this program with a Grade 7 class to draw a character grid for the novel MamaÁs Babies by Gary Crew. The students soon mastered the simple box and arrow strategies to build the grid. Once they discovered the colour and the clip art possibilities they explored the visual representation of the novel more widely.
Phonics
Alive 2: The Sound Blender
This review was undertaken by Dawn Palmer at Orford Primary where
she is teacher/librarian.
| Product
Details Phonics Alive 2: the sound blender Published by: Advanced Education Services. Cost $69.95 |
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Review
We were looking for some software to support the Flying Start program, particularly to support students struggling with sound blends and simple spelling patterns.This software could best be described as "drill and practice" material which has sometimes been called electronic worksheets. I feel, however, that it is much more than this because it constantly gives reinforcement and reward to the user with fun and unexpected visual and auditory responses.
We are using it from Prep to grade 2 at present and are purchasing the first in the series (Phonics alive 1) for our kinder/prep room. There are twelve modules, each one containing an introduction, rhyming, blending and a keyboard exercise. The initial level of the second stage is simple enough for beginning readers, but it quickly becomes quite complex.
The software is designed to take a phonic approach to learning the blends and spelling rules but incorporates extra visual cues by way of graphics. Paired or individual use seems to work best with an experienced buddy training the next new starter and so on. Reasonable keyboard awareness is necessary for at least one of the games.
The software is easy to install, well laid out and even beginning readers can navigate their way around it. Instructions are simple and children who can use a mouse can start and use the program themselves. An Australian voice and illustrations make this software relevant and culturally accessible for our children. The responses to their attempts are encouraging if incorrect, and interesting and amusing if correct. For example, when re-typing a word shown on the screen, a fairy turns some princes into frogs. Fortunately, the user’s speed saves some of the princes!
Whilst the student is using the software their, results can be recorded so that you can view a rundown of the kinds of problems they have had and use this information for planning.There were no support materials with the version purchased from our supplier, but the school version at a cost of $108 comes with activity teachers manual, blackline masters, and game cards. The support kit is available for $39.00 extra.
All the Phonics Alive programs are year 2000 compliant.
I would heartily recommend this software if for no other reason than it engages the reluctant learner.
EduEnglish
This review was undertaken by Dawn Palmer at Orford Primary where
she is teacher/librarian.
| Product
Details EduEnglish Published by Educorp Cost: $89.95 |
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Review
This piece of software could accurately be described as a tutoring course. It is designed to take the user (from about grade 3 to adult) through exercises relating to areas of English grammar. The software is organised to allow you to select a particular aspect of English usage you are working on, enabling students to work their way through a number of related exercises.Although lower primary students could use this software with support, many of the terms and techniques used are too difficult. Advanced grade 4s and 5/6s would be better able to make sense of it. The language used to describe some of the modules is very specific and hard to understand, making it difficult for a child to navigate alone. Students could start up the program alone, but would need support selecting the module they need to work on.
The software is designed to teach and give practice in spelling rules and punctuation. Where a mistake is made corrections come immediately on completion of an exercise. Pairs would be the ideal groupings for these tasks, but the teacher would need to pair someone whose understanding of a topic was limited with someone with a better understanding for support and reinforcement. Revision of a unit of work would be a viable opportunity to use these modules.
The software itself does not give much by way of reward to the user. A simple "You are clever" in a noticeably South African accent is about all you get for a correct answer. The levels stated on the packaging are unrealistic, given the difficulty of understanding of the wording of some of the modules. Many of the pages contain too much text and are off-putting for younger students. Many of the exercises require keyboarding and the use of drag and drop (which would be a more economical use of a student’s time) is minimal. The software is workmanlike, but dry, with few fun graphics. Given the technology, there is little interactivity.
The punctuation section was useful. I trialled this section with a number of students. The students commented that they quite enjoyed using it, but they appeared to be glad to move on after about 20 minutes or so. I think they were being polite!
Record of progress is kept but only accessible through the module, not the user. If you wanted to know how a child set to work on their own was going, you would need to look in the particular module they were using, not under their name. The version we purchased did not have any support materials with it.
I am not entirely happy with this product. It has many shortcomings but as I said before it is workmanlike and useful for revising a unit of grammar or usage. Jason (grade 6) said: "I didn’t like the hard ones. I enjoyed the time, colours and the work on the apostrophes a bit."
Videocam
This review was prepared by Karen Clark who used a videocam with her
students at Kingston High School
Product DetailsVideocam made by Video Labs Incorporated - A lightweight video camera which allows the transportation of visual text onto the television screen. It is also a video camera so it can tape in the usual manner. (Price $700)
How the resource was used in the classroomThe videocam was found to be invaluable when students shared their written work with the rest of the class or a small group. For example, when students had made their own picture books they were able to read them to a large group and everyone could see the text on the screen. The screen was able to capture the colours and the print in a way which allowed access to the whole group.
Another opportunity for greater sharing of student work was at the end of the Negotiated Study. Students were able to show others what they had constructed and share the visual material they had used to support their written responses. The videocam allowed close examination of visual representations. Furthermore opportunities to closely analyse a variety of covers of books, CD covers and advertising features were available through use of this resource. The colour is reproduced accurately and clearly.
Responsible students are able to use them, but "the neck" is very fragile and can be broken easily. It does come under warranty, but it is probably best to take control of use of the videocam yourself as teacher!
Evaluation It takes a fair bit of perseverance to learn how to use the videocam effectively, but I think it is worth the effort. A few plugs need to go in the right spots, so it’s worth setting it up before the class. However, it beats the old epidioscope, which used to burn my books and was very hard to transport. This is lightweight and easy to move from classroom to classroom.Student feedback indicated that the videocam is worth using in the classroom, particularly with texts that cannot be copied. It helps to save on copying and reduces paper use. The challenge is to make it a regular part of our teaching across English.
We keep it in the office for security reasons, but it may be better kept in teacher staff rooms, as we would be more likely to incorporate it into our programs.
In the future a projector will be able to link into this videocam and images will be able to be significantly larger. This will be a further benefit. In sum, videocam offers another way of exploring a variety of texts in a relatively accessible way.
Hollywood
High
This review was written by Annette Moult who used Hollywood High
with her students at Geilston Bay High School.
Review
Hollywood High is an entertaining CD-Rom aimed at introducing students to the world of creating, directing and producing their own animated movies. The software was developed specifically for teenagers to dramatise stories of their own lives but has far wider applications within the classroom.To create your own movies, you can choose from 37 different settings, ranging from a bathroom or clothing store to an orthodontist’s office or National park. There are 12 actors from which to choose, each with a wide selection of character profiles to vary roles, hobbies and voices. Each character can be easily positioned, posed or moved around on the screen. There is also a selection of "moods" available to change characters’ expressions in different scenes. The inclusion of a narrator as one of the characters adds to the range of options available when writing the script.
Hollywood High has a number of special features allowing you to preview your creation and to edit it. There is a "Pronunciation Dictionary" where you can type in the phonetic spelling of words to give a closer approximation of the desired pronunciation of particular words. For those students who find it hard to come up with original ideas, an "Ideas Machine" is there to provide story starters, plot twist and dialogue suggestions. The software package is very easy to move around once the icons have become familiar.
Hollywood High is a very useful classroom tool for work in both the creative and analytical areas. My only reservation in using this software is that it is American in flavour and the characters used are very stereotypical. Hollywood High is available from the Library and Resources Branch , State Library, Hobart.
Follow-up Activities (based on the movies)
- Introduce the terms setting, character, plot, theme, climax and dialogue to the class.
- Play Swap-a-Story with the class to reinforce the students’ understanding of the terms.
- Explain that they are going to create and produce a movie, using Hollywood High. Brainstorm ideas for the movie with the class.
- Divide the class into cooperative groups, by allocating the following roles:
- Scene Setter - Your role is to choose the opening scene for your movie and to direct scene changes.
- Character Captain - Your role is to lead the development of the characters in your movie.
- Plot Planner - Your role is to guide the action in your movie.
- Dialogue Director - Your role is to lead the development of the dialogue between your characters and, where necessary, to use the "Pronunciation Dictionary".
- Use a simple storyboard to develop the story outline with each of the groups.
- Introduce the groups to the features of Hollywood High and set them to work creating their movies.
- Once the movies are complete, ask each group to design a poster to advertise their movie to the rest of the class, prior to the premier.
- Hold a class film festival.
- Use Hollywood High to dramatise a chapter from a class novel such as Misery Guts by Morris Gleitzman.
- Identify themes from a novel e.g. Lockie Leonard by Tim Winton— growing up, the environment, families, marriage breakdown or stereotyping.
- Allocate each theme to a small group in the class and ask them to develop a movie based on the theme.
- Create another ending or alternate chapter to a novel e.g. Leaving it to You by Wendy Orr. Make a movie based on the chapter
ROMEO
AND JULIET ON CD-ROM
This review was prepared by Jenny Morgan who teaches English at Ogilvie
High School.
Product Detail
BBC Shakespeare on CD-ROM
Harper Collins Publishers, BBC Education, ATTICA Cybernetics 1995This CD-ROM is a multi-media performance of Romeo and Juliet which allows students to watch, read and listen in an "Interactive Theatre" format. It includes the complete audio performance of the play enhanced by synchronised on-screen text, complete with hypertext study notes. There are 30 minutes of extracts from the BBC Video and video and audio interviews with actors, directors and critics. There are photographs of past and present performances, sections on ShakespeareÁs life and times which includes a biography, chronology and a history of the theatre, a section on language, theme and character, critical opinions and a complete glossary and textual notes. It also comes with a set of teachersÁ notes.
The opening menu allows students to choose from the following sections: Plot, Performance, Characters, Language, Themes, Background and The Play.
The CD lends itself to a myriad of uses. I used it with a Grade 9 class as an information source for a group investigation of an aspect of ShakespeareÁs Life and Times. At another point in the studying of the text students, in small groups, explored one of the Acts as an alternative reading strategy. I then used the Themes Section under the heading "Fate" as research material for students for an essay about the role of fate. Students are presented with an outline of the role of fate and a series of the references to fate by the various characters in the play. They can also search the text using specific words like "fortune", "fate" etc.
The CD is so vast a resource that teachers would be able to use it in many ways. The teacher reference material is useful and students can easily access the material. We have bought multiple copies and have also purchased the Macbeth CD-ROM in the same series.
RESOURCES:
027.8 School Library Bulletin
An excellent site which contains current and back issues of the School Library
Bulletin which is available to all schools. The Bulletin is published
6 times per year and contains a range of useful material, including information,
book and software reviews, book lists, book surveys and useful links. It is worth
going back through previous issues for book reviews. These are mainly located
in the section of each Bulletin entitled "Have You Seen These?".
