World Cup 2014

Narrable in my classroom

What it is
Narrable is an online platform that allows users to create narrated slideshows. It is very user-friendly and teachers may now create free unlimited projects.

How to create Narrables

Fast and easy steps to follow:

1. Sign up

2. Click “Create” in the top-right corner

3. Upload photos, pictures, images to start with

4. Resize your pics, change order

5. Record audio or upload a file

6. Share your narrable if you wish – by email, on Facebook… I am embedding my first narrable below J

Here is also a Tutorial by the Narrable folks on how to create a narrable.

It’s no news that I am an avid reader and that I instill my students to read even if they start reading in Portuguese; it’s no news either that I love to showcase my students’ work, and not just what’s perfect, but our / their best efforts. Indeed, the students who have moved forward with these book recommendations belong to a very weak class yet they have shown some willingness to overcome their difficulties and improve. While recording – and some recordings took us well over 3 or 4 attempts – the students reported anxiety and trembling voices which says a lot about their commitment. They wish to feel proud of their work as they know it is going to be heard giving their best, even a special needs student included in this slideshow.  This has been our first attempt with narrable and, as such, for a new one, I will only use a mic and / or a mobile phone recording to add to the pics to improve sound quality.
Possible uses
Though I tend to use the web 2.0 tools I come across primarily for book recommendations in English (and in Portuguese for the school library), some other ideas for implementing this tool in the classroom are, for example, for digital storytelling, to tell a story using pics as prompts, to describe historical sites, to introduce yourself using personal pics, for physical description even if with avatars… an endless array of possibilities according to our goals, right?

Now my students' reading recommendations on Narrable.

Well, what do you think?

Book Challenge - WINNER

The Book Challenge for the "The Fault In Our Stars" is now closed - exactly on the day that marks the official release of its movie adaptation ;)

As promised, here is the missing info on the quiz: I am a registered member at Goodreads and there I find lots of reading tips as well as challenges like the one I used for the google form.

In 3 weeks the movie will debut in Portugal and those who haven't read the book still have some time to do it, also because they have now some weeks off from school. As for the winner of the current challenge - it's GABI!!! Here are her correct answers:

So, GABI, thank you for your entries and congratulations! Please come forward so that I can give you the deserved prize: a book to read (what else?) and some other stuff, including the traditional "paper and pen" for you to start writing your own book as well :)

Thank you, too, to all other participants.