Motivating Writing in Students by Using

Technology as a Resource

By : Harry W. Martinez

Abstract:

• In this workshop we will see various activities that can be developed through the use of different computer programs or other technical devices that motivate students to write.

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Theoretical Background

• Daniel Cassany- Digital enables the development of communities based on any purpose or activity further than the traditional “frontiers” .

Marc Prensky- The N-gen (net generation) and D-gen (digital generation) are digital natives. Our students today are all “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.

Dolores Alvarez School Informal Technology Survey

Amount of students 118 Grade level 4th to 6th

Students that have computers in their home 94%

Students that have Internet 94%

Students that have electronic games 100%

Students that have social pages 53%

Peter Elbow- messiness; process writing; unbridled creativity

Donald Graves – creating a community of writers within the classroom and beyond

Skills:

• The skills that will be developed are:• Listening - students listen for usage of words. They

listen to instructions. • Speaking - students read aloud what they have written.

They act out what they have written.• Reading – students read what their peers have written.• Writing – student write according to the themes given.

Workshop Activities:

Cartoon Script

• Show the students cartoon clips (of the same cartoon), then have them write what happened before or after the clip.

• Discuss the language used, for example in cartoons like The Flintstones or The Jetsons.

• If you give the beginning of the episode have them write the outcome.

• Have students write their own episode and then dramatize it for the class.

• Give students a cartoon strip that they can write on or the character where they can cut out and create their own story.

The Flintstones Theme Song

Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones. They're the modern stone age family. From the town of Bedrock, They're a page right out of history. Let's ride with the family down the street. Through the courtesy of Fred's two feet. When you're with the Flintstones you'll have a yabba dabba doo time. A dabba doo time. You'll have a gay old time.

Mystery Solver

• Make a small clip of yourself or a student acting like he is from the CIA, give instructions of a short story they will write by using guided questions. For example if you choose to make it look like an episode from James Bond, you can give each student an envelope with a map inside. The map should have instructions as who the villain they need to capture is and the students will write of the places on their map and how they intend to capture the villain.

• You can assign writing work by using the introductory video that presents a villain and a situation. The students have to write how they would capture the villain.

To all agents!!! What the C.I.A needs is to capture the Monllor- Aviles gang. They are thought to have a hiding

place at Sagrado Corazon University. There they meet on Tuesdays and we have evidence that they are planning on breaking into the Art Museum in

Santurce. Your assignment is to write a report suggesting on how we can get

the leader of this gang, Dirty Harry. He is the only male in the gang.

Good Luck!!

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Map Search

• If you have the resource have students go on Google Earth and look how they get from their house to school. Students can write about what they see on the way back and fourth to school. Where they would like to go instead of school, and in a fictional way what they would fantasize on their trip to school.

Virtual Pen Pal

• Coordinate with another teacher, whether in your school or another school and have students write to each other in a chat room (one that you can print the conversation)

• Students can present their writing work to their pal or write things to each other in general. Teacher should emphasize in trying to make the least amount of mistakes a s possible. Rules should be set before this activity takes place.

Game Evaluation

• Give an electronic game to each student or have them bring one from home. Using guided questions they will develop an essay on their game. You can also have them write if they were part of the game (games that have characters) what they would do.

Possible Questions

• What electronic game do you have? (PSP, Game Boy, iPad etc.)

• What game did you play with your electronic game?

• Are the instructions easy or hard?• What level did you try to play?• Did you win or lose the game? Why?• Would you recommend this game?

Movie of Themselves

• Have students write about any subject they want and then record on the computer themselves reading or simply discussing what they chose to talk about. Most laptops have a camera so they can do it using it.

Electronic Resources

• Computer/ Laptop/ iPad• LCD, Plasma Television• Digital camera• Electronic Games (PSP, Gameboy, Wii, cell

phones, iPad etc.)• Projector• Radio/ CD player

Computer Programs

• Corel Draw• Microsoft Office Power Point• Movie Maker (computer come with this program

on pc)• I movie (found in I life from apple computers)• Photoshop• Avatar Mate (for use in iPad, download its apps.)• Iworks• Google Earth, Google Maps

Websites

• www.youtube.com• www.mapquest.com• www.googlearth.com• www.applestore.com• www.musica.com• www.google.com/earth/download-earth.html