Digital Storytelling

     

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Digital storytelling provides an excellent assessment alternative to more traditional pen and paper methods. It is an efficient way to combine speaking and writing assessment in foreign language instruction that has the bonus of offering students the opportunity to create a product. Students who are stronger at presentational speaking than written language have the opportunity to showcase what they know. They also have the opportunity to practice and edit their script, so students who do not perform well under the pressure of a test may be able to present a more accurate picture of their knowledge and skills. Digital storytelling also offers students the possibility of sharing their work with an authentic audience via the internet. The audience could be other students in the school, in the community, in other parts of the country or even in another country.
     I currently use digital storytelling in my classes. In the Spring, my eighth grade students produce an imovie about an imaginary trip to Paris. This is a culminating project that offers the students an opportunity to show what they have learned in French over the past four years. There are set requirements, but students can make their script and movie as complicated or simple as they would like, within the requirements. Those who are more curious about language can look up  more vocabulary words or consult me about sentence structures. Those who have stronger speaking skills have the opportunity to shine. There is quite a bit of differentiation that occurs naturally. The students also learn about French culture when researching potential tourist sites in Paris. Another project that offers similar advantages is one in which the students introduce themselves and their families to their pen pals in France. They use pictures they take to show their families, community, likes and dislikes. They record their script, and the teacher tells me that when she watches the videos with her students it's as if the American students are in the classroom with them. What a way to reach across the ocean!
     I chose to make an imovie about buildings I visited in Chicago one day during Open House Chicago. I will share this video with my counter part in France. I think she and her students will enjoy seeing some iconic buildings in Chicago, and some of the lesser known structures. It will give them a more personal tour of the city and its amazing architecture. I enjoyed making the movie because I liked the topic I chose. I also think it will be fun and educational for the teacher and students in France to view. Chicago is not well known in Europe, but when Europeans come here they usually love it. See what you think of my movie!