Oral and visual language underpins the development of written language and promotes effective listening and speaking alongside reading and writing programs.  Purposeful talk should underpin all language activities. 

Children solve practical tasks with voice as well as eyes and hands (Vygotsky).  Talking is the most natural form of communication and the only one that some will use after they leave school.  Oral language is the most important skill to be taught in the classroom.  Children with language difficulties achieve lower than peers.

Research from the I Can Talk Series provides evidence that children with persistent language difficulty achieve lower academically.  Oral communication is also related to math achievement – vocabulary, sequencing, and concept formation.  Poor conversation skills also hinder social development that carries over through adult years.  “Oral language is vital; we need to do more.”

Podcasting provides children the opportunity to think, communicate, and it supports literacy.   

Developing a podcast includes four basic steps – planning, producing, publishing, and promoting. 

• Planning
  • Determine the content / curricular application
  • Research / gather information
  • Write a script / storyboard … plan what you will say; consider the attention span of your audience
• Producing
  • Secure tools – microphone, computer, software
  • Record and edit (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)
• Publishing with RSS feed capability (www.gcast.com)
• Promoting – let your audience know how to access your podcast

That said,

Podcasting is a tool for our generation of learners that has practical application in the classroom.  It is not intended to be the panacea; however, effective and appropriate use engages students and makes a meaningful impact instructionally. 

Take advantage of what speaks to this generation of learners and put podcasting into your arsenal of tools.  

Bernajean Porter defines digital storytelling as “a very special genre…organized around the author’s  own voice as the centerpiece of content …mixed with multisensory elements like movie, stills, and sound…about personal understandings of self or family maybe knowledge, ideas, or experiences…merged through the power of technical tools.”

Bernajean Porter has become synonymous with Digital Storytelling.  She is described as “ a digital storytelling guide” on the DigiTales website at http://www.digitales.us/about/about_bernajean.php.

In Bernajean Porter’s interview with Tim Wilson, she talks about the skills attained through the implementation of Digital Storytelling.  An excerpt from this podcast can be found at http://www.birdville.k12.tx.us/instech/podcast/mcknight/ , titled Digital Storytelling Skills, The Baker’s Dozen.  The baker’s dozen skills include:

1.       Cognitive Apprenticeship

2.       Creative / Inventive Thinking

3.       Higher Order Thinking

4.       Enduring Understanding

5.       Visual Literacy

6.       Technology Skills

7.       Information Literacy

8.       Communication

9.       Multiple Intelligence

10.   Team Work / Collaboration

11.   Project Management

12.   Exploiting Infinity

 The entire interview with Tim Wilson, The Savvy Technologist, can be accessed at http://technosavvy.org/2006/04/18/bernajean-porter-digital-storytelling-part-2/.

Digital Storytelling, one of the top three in what many deem technologies that will impact student achievement.  I see the potential, and am confident that this is one strategy that will engage students in writing.  However, it is hard to find hard, cold data to support the implementation of D.S. and administrators who are driven by TAKS scores aren’t “buying in”.  So, what do you do cause change, change in thinking?  I’m looking for the data to support what I know and believe so that I can share with others. 

Technology infused instruction promotes digital literacy and student engagement while preparing students at all ages for a global society.  As digitial immigrants we must embrace the digital natives that enter our classrooms each day and continually strive to meet their educational needs. 

Are you a digital native or digital immigrant? 
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Comments please.