Constructing Narratives in the History Classroom

Digital tools can be invaluable for bringing historical times and places to life. EdtechTeachers Shawn McCusker and Tom Driscoll offer practical ideas for leveraging technology in the history classroom.

As history teachers, we strive for a few key outcomes. We want our students to learn the history of world civilizations and appreciate their culture and heritage. We seek to help students develop critical thinking skills, locate and evaluate sources, construct arguments and form new connections and ideas. Once developed, we strive to have students communicate their understanding and viewpoints.

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      string(3532) "use as much of their social isolation time as possible on reading with their children and provide them with guidance on how to do this effectively.We need to find innovative ways to get books into the homes of every family so that children can benefit from the sort or reading environment they have at school.We need to encourage schools and individual teachers to inspire parents with model reading sessions and fun on line reading adventures and signpost the pod casts and reading broadcasts that many well-known authors are creating.We need to urge the media to produce programmes that promote books and reading on TV, radio and through podcasts and video clips.And perhaps when many grandparents are confined to home, we should urge them to use Skype or Facetime to read stories to their grandchildren on a daily basis – “Listen with Grandad and Grandma”And for the future we consider not just how to address the summer learning loss but to look more radically at the pattern of the school year based as it is on a traditional; of Christian festivals, factory closures and harvest time and consider if this is fit for purpose in the 21st Century.Every Child A Reader – Some Materials For ActionAs a starting point in the current situation I have produced some guidance for parents to help them understand what we mean by comprehension – the domains of reading – and to illustrate how pupils can progress in their skills and knowledge using a modified rubric. As a practical tool the three PowerPoints model the process of sharing a book interactively so that parents can explore picture books, chapter books and non-fiction texts with their children.For A Knowledge Bank full of related resources from the Every Child A Reader Pack, please click here!Heather Clements is a former primary school headteacher,  Director Of Schools for a London Borough  and currently works as an education consultant.References:Megan Kuhfield; NWEA research into Summer Learning Loss 2018 BlogMegan Kuhfield: Covid 19 School closures could have a devastating impact on student achievement 2020 BlogScholastic. (2016b). Kids and family reading report United Kingdom. Retrieved from www.scholastic.co.uk/readingreportScholastic. (2015). Kids and family reading report (5th ed.). Retrieved from www.scholastic.com/readingreport/key-findings.htm#top-nav-scrollMargaret Kristin Merga: Interactive reading opportunities beyond the early years: What educators need to consider. Australian Journal of Education 2017Children and young people’s reading in 2017/18 © National Literacy Trust 2019WORKING WITH PARENTS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN’S LEARNING Guidance report authors: Matthew van Poortvliet (EEF), Dr Nick Axford (University of Plymouth), and Dr Jenny Lloyd (University of Exeter).Allington, R. L. and McGill-Franzen, A. (2017) ‘Summer reading loss is the basis of almost all the rich/poor reading gap’, in Horowitz, R. and Jay Samuels, S. (eds), The Achievement Gap in Reading: Complex Causes, Persistent Issues, Possible Solutions, New York: Routledge.Kim, J. S. and Quinn, D. M. (2013) ‘The effects of summer reading on low-income children’s literacy achievement from kindergarten to grade 8: a meta-analysis of classroom and home interventions’, Review of Educational Research, 83 (3), pp. 386–431.Maxwell et al. (2014) ‘Summer Active Reading Programmes’, London: EEF.David M. Quinn and Morgan Polikoff 4, 2012017 Summer learning loss: What is and what can we do about it?"
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Huge Reading Gains With Structured Parental Involvement Could Counter Covid-19 Effect

17 Apr 2020

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Creative Teaching & Learning

Podcast dreams

12 Mar 2010

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      string(5603) "26 Teaching Thinking&Creativity  Vol 10:2Focus on: Speaking and listening   www.teachingtimes.com27Teaching Thinking&Creativity  Vol 10:2www.teachingtimes.com   Focus on: Speaking and listeningPodcastdreamsto work with, and some groups were chosen by the teacherto ensure mixed-ages. Each group was then supported bya volunteer student from John Hampden school. His rolewas to facilitate, not to direct – the podcasts were writtenfor the children, by the children.It was fascinating to watch children of different agessharing the same goal.How do we make our podcasts?Technology, time and space were the biggest problemsin our extremely busy primary school. We had to fight totimetable our small ICT suite for our podcasting session. Itwas extremely useful to have the computers so the childrencould research content and send emails.Our equipment? School computers, some verylightweight microphones and Audacity software (which isfree to download – we put it on every school computer.)We managed to produce a podcast – but it wasn’t perfect.The children wanted new equipment. The microphonesbuzzed and the children’s voices were squeaky. Luckily,someone donated a better microphone. To this day, westill use a laptop, a microphone and free software – youdon’t need a lot of kit.It quickly became clear that a noisy classroom withsixteen excited children was not the best place to record!Fortunately, the children were so enthusiastic they werewilling to give up playtimes and lunchtimes to record in aquiet classroom. They gradually got quicker at recording– they began to act as professionals, turning up to theirrecording sessions well rehearsed.We thought it would be difficult to turn our recordingsinto a podcast – but Audacity converts recordings into MP3easily. The podcast can then be embedded on the schoolwebsite simply and was instantly versatile. We also usedour virtual learning environment ‘Choodle’ as a host.After about six weeks, our slightly ropey podcast wasready! Some of the children involved in the project listenedto the first episode more than thirty times in a week!How did we develop the radio showthroughout the year?We evaluated our first cast as a group, and madeimprovements from there. The children came up with ideaslike school news, interviews with staff, jokes and reports onschool trips. They asked Chris Powling, a children’s authorwho was visiting the school, and the head teacher, forinterviews. The children who interviewed the head enjoyedthe privilege of sitting in his office. When I asked the groupwhat their favourite part of podcasting was this year, I wasgreeted with a chorus of: “The Chris Powling interview!”What are our hopes for 2009/10?The children are still keen to get interviews, and havemailshot many people –  including Terry Wogan! When Iasked them why they like interviews, they said: “Famouspeople bring in listeners”. I asked them how they wouldmake sure they bagged an interview. They said “Choosenice famous people” and “Persuade them”.Following our award, the children believe that anythingis possible and they show grim determination. I am highlyimpressed with what they have done and what they canstill achieve. The children know that a reply from StevenGerrard or Hannah Montana is unlikely. But they are stillwilling to write a letter and have a go!I hope the children will keep up their enthusiasm andwill involve the wider school community in the project. Thelarger the audience, the more important the writing is.EvaluationI asked the children: What advice would you give to aprimary school who want to set up a radio show?Ihsun: Do it because it’s fun!Matthew: The fear of talking into a microphone andtalking on the internet and hearing yourself on thecomputer isn’t that bad and the microphone isn’t thatscary.Leah: I think it’s really good because this is a one-offopportunityI asked the children if they’d like to offer help to anotherschool. Their responses were “Yes”, “Double yes” and“Triple yes!”And finally….I asked: Can you give one sentence to sum up the wholefirst year of our radio show?Seraj: Fantastic because you might talk to an author.Hashim: Really good because when you do the podcastyou can hear it on the computer and your parents can hearwhat you do.Ahmynah: Brilliant because you can interview yourteachers.Leah: I think it’s really fun because you get to be famous.I told one of my friends that isn’t at the school, who livesin London, and she listened to it on our website and nowI’m famous in London!Vinayak: I think it’s good to be involved with thispodcasting thing because we get to do really fun stuff likerecording, writing scripts and editing.Ummarah: I think it’s really good because you actually getto do it and then people can listen to it all over the worldSeran: I think it’s really good because you can writesomething, record it then put it on the website and thenloads of other people can listen to it.Caroline Twigge is a class teacher at Chepping Viewprimary school.Making and broadcasting aradio show can help studentswho aren’t confident withliteracy to explore theircreativity. Caroline Twiggeexplains.We started the Chepping View primary school ‘radioshow’ podcast at the beginning of September2008. We had no idea if we could even do it!Nobody imagined that within a year we would have gainednational recognition – winning the Arqiva commercial radioaward Most outstanding schools’ radio station 2009.We approached John Hampden grammar school, alocal technology"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Podcast dreams

16 Dec 2009

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      string(5620) "14 AUTUMN 2009focus on: Rose review15AUTUMN 2009focus on: Rose reviewsurveys. The children see podcasting as a ‘funlesson’ – they don’t realise the many skillsthey’re learning.How did we begin?Four children (two boys and two girls) fromeach KS2 year group were chosen who werecreative and able – but who were frustratedby writing. These sixteen children were our‘podcasters’.During our first year, we had weeklyhour-long sessions together outside class. Thepodcasters worked in groups and decidedwhat they would like to write and research– my only guidance was to avoid duplicationbetween the groups (particularly as allchildren love writing and researching jokes!)Some children chose who they wanted towork with, and some groups were chosen bythe teacher to ensure mixed-ages. Each groupwas then supported by a volunteer studentfrom John Hampden school. 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Tothis day, we still use a laptop, a microphoneand free software – you don’t need a lotof kit.It quickly became clear that a noisyclassroom with sixteen excited children wasnot the best place to record! Fortunately,the children were so enthusiastic they werewilling to give up playtimes and lunchtimesto record in a quiet classroom. They graduallygot quicker at recording – they began to actas professionals, turning up to their recordingsessions well rehearsed.We thought it would be difficult to turnour recordings into a podcast – but Audacityconverts recordings into MP3 easily. Thepodcast can then be embedded on the schoolwebsite simply and was instantly versatile. Wealso used our virtual learning environment‘Choodle’ as a host.After about six weeks, our slightly ropeypodcast was ready! Some of the childreninvolved in the project listened to the firstepisode more than thirty times in a week!How did we develop the radioshow throughout the year?We evaluated our first cast as a group, and madeimprovements from there. The children cameup with ideas like school news, interviews withstaff, jokes and reports on school trips. Theyasked Chris Powling, a children’s author whowas visiting the school, and the head teacher,for interviews. The children who interviewedthe head enjoyed the privilege of sitting inhis office. When I asked the group what theirfavourite part of podcasting was this year, I wasgreeted with a chorus of: “The Chris Powlinginterview!”What are our hopes for 2009/10?The children are still keen to get interviews,and have mailshot many people –  includingTerry Wogan! When I asked them why theylike interviews, they said: “Famous peoplebring in listeners”. I asked them how theywould make sure they bagged an interview.They said “Choose nice famous people” and“Persuade them”.Following our award, the children believethat anything is possible and they show grimdetermination. I am highly impressed withwhat they have done and what they can stillachieve. The children know that a reply fromSteven Gerrard or Hannah Montana is unlikely.But they are still willing to write a letter andhave a go!I hope the children will keep up theirenthusiasm and will involve the wider schoolcommunity in the project. The larger theaudience, the more important the writing is.EvaluationI asked the children: What advice would yougive to a primary school who want to set upa radio show?Ihsun: Do it because it’s fun!Matthew: The fear of talking into amicrophone and talking on the internet andhearing yourself on the computer isn’t thatbad and the microphone isn’t that scary.Leah: I think it’s really good because thisis a one-off opportunityI asked the children if they’d like to offerhelp to another school. Their responses were“Yes”, “Double yes” and “Triple yes!”And finally….I asked: Can you give one sentence to sumup the whole first year of our radio show?Seraj: Fantastic because you might talk toan author.Hashim: Really good because whenyou do the podcast you can hear it on thecomputer and your parents can hear whatyou do.Ahmynah: Brilliant because you caninterview your teachers.Leah: I think it’s really fun because you getto be famous. I told one of my friends thatisn’t at the school, who lives in London, andshe listened to it on our website and nowI’m famous in London!Vinayak: I think it’s good to be involvedwith this podcasting thing because we getto do really fun stuff like recording, writingscripts and editing.Ummarah: I think it’s really good becauseyou actually get to do it and then people canlisten to it all over the worldSeran: I think it’s really good because youcan write something, record it then put it onthe website and"
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Digital Learning

Podcast dreams

31 Oct 2009