While reading Kajder and Swenson's article, "Digital Images in the Language Arts Classroom," I found myself nodding along in agreement with student and teacher use of digital images to envision, understand, and communicate meaning. As a special educator, I have witnessed so often the phenomenon mentioned in the article whereby "Good readers often visualize the action of the story...[while] struggling readers often lack this skill."
While the overall message of the article was strong, I was left wanting tangible ways to implement digital storytelling with our emerging readers and writers (PK-2). I immediately began poring through ideas for incorporating digital images into early literacy instruction in order to foster multiple means for student communication of understanding, visualization of written text, and a jumping off point for writing. Given that the majority of my students have speech and language based-disabilities, the benefit of the use of digital images in my 2nd grade self-contained classroom would be even greater.
Here are a few ideas that I've brainstormed for integrating digital images into lower-elementary literacy instruction:
- Activities that encourage students to retell a story using digital images (e.g. work with a partner to take pictures of objects in the classroom, art work, or themselves acting it out that show the sequence of what happened in the story)
- During/after independent reading, students take a picture of something that shows what they thought about as they read their text
- Students bring in pictures from home (in digital form if possible) and discuss and write a personal narrative about the moment in which the photograph was taken
- Students utilize class digital camera to capture moments throughout the school day from which they will choose a personal narrative topic
- Students utilize class digital camera to photograph images that represent the sequence of a story that they will write
Anyone have more ideas for developmentally appropriate applications of digital storytelling for our little ones?
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Great list Amanda! I particularly love the idea of having students take a picture that links to their understanding of what they are reading - could be really useful for kids with grapho-motor delays can feel they can draw their ideas as completely as they want to.
ReplyDeleteI'll mention your list in class this evening - maybe some classmates can help add to your wonderful start.