Using Multimedia in your classroom

Examples of some fun lessons / possibilities

Objective: demonstrate many creative ways to use multimedia in your classroom.

we will look at a variety of fun activities using multimedia

we will share ideas about how to use these tools and materials.

1. TV Commercials: Watch this TV Commercial. (Dynamic Korea)

What ways could you present this,

make this into a language activity in class?

2. Internet / Videos – Where the hell is Matt? Youtube.

Watch the video. How would you use this in class?

 What other ways could you use youtube videos?

3 Short Videos: George and Rosemary - NFB of Canada / Mr. Bean

Warm Up: Three Wishes Game

Watch the video. How could you use this in other ways in class?

Look at the appended article, Using Video in the Classroom.

4. Karaoke - ABC , We Are Family , He’s got the whole world , Titanic

Group singing , chants, repeats. Listen for the word. Translation.

( see the appended article, “The top 10 reasons to use Karaoke in the

classroom”)

5. Powerpoints - Picture presentations. (Korea / Canada )

- Digital Storytelling (Cinderella, Gingerbread Boy)

 - Songs (We are the world , What a wonderful world)

- Grammar ( Doing / Editing )

- Games: Top 5 / Jeopardy / Big Board / Price is right

- appended article “Making a powerpoint POWERFUL”

The NEWS and NEWSPAPERS - Have you used this in your classroom?

- Listen for context not content.

- News show / Current event of the Day

Classroom “Togetherness” - portfolios, eportfolios

- class web page / class discussion area (Yackpack)

- web available materials (esnips.com)

 APPENDIX 1
Lesson Plan: The Titanic. A multimedia lesson
Description of Class:
1. Language proficiency level: Advanced
2. Previous computer work: Proficient in Word, Email and Internet
3. Class Size: 20 students
4. Age: High school
5. Native Language background: Varied
6. Class needs: Improvement in listening (to a song) and writing skills

Materials:
Internet access song / lyrics karaoke player

Objectives:
Main objectives are to develop Ss listening comprehension and writing skills.
This will be accomplished in the following ways:

Ss will develop cognitive learnere strategies by:

• Using their background knowledfe and contexual clues to guess the missing word in
the cloze activity
• Analyzing the grammatical forms of contractions

Ss will practice recognizing reduced forms of words(contractions).

Ss will increase their ability to (search for answers) through using the Internet.

Ss will practice discriminating words boundaries by listening to a sond

and filling in the cloze exercise.

Ss will practice distinguishing between literal and implied meanings of words.

Ss will be able to develop their writing skills and express their opinions through
using email.
Procedures:
I. Pre-listening activities
A) Look at the picture and answer the following questions.

• What’s this?What's this ship called? *

• What happened to it?
• How many people saw the movie?
• Who were the actors?
• What happened to the actors? *
• Does anyone know the theme song?
• Who sings it?

II. Listening Activities

1. Ss will listen to the song twice and complete the cloze exercise.

Fill in the blanks.

Put an appropriate word in the ( ).

 Put contraction form (Subject + Verb) in the < >.

My Heart Will Go On
Every night in my ( )

I see you, I feel you,

That is how I know you go on

Far across the ( )

And spaces between us

You have come to show you go on

Near, ( ) wherever you are

I believe that the ( ) does go on

Once more you ( ) the door

And < > here in my heart

And my heart will go on and on

Love can touch us one time

And last for a ( )

And never let go till < > one

Love was when I loved you

One true time I hold to

In my life < > always go on

Near, ( ) wherever you are

I believe ( ) the heart does go on

Once more you ( ) the door

 And < > here in my heart

And my heart will go on and on

There is some love that will not go ( )

< > here, < > nothing I fear

And I know that my heart will go on

< > stay forever this way

You are ( ) in my heart

And my heart will go on and on

Written by James Horner and Will Jennings Published By: Famous Music Corp.

(ASCAP), Blue Sky Rider Songs (BMI) Track Time: 4: 40

2. Ss will compare answers with their partners.

3. Ss will listen to the song again to verify answers.
4. Ss will print out cloze exercise.

EXTENSION:

Writing: In groups students use the pictures to write a storyline.

Roleplay: Students roleplay then perform a scene from the movie

Internet Search: Students use the internet to complete a project about the real Titanic.
 APPENDIX 2

THE 3 WISHES GAME

This is a fun activity for intermediate level learners of all ages. Creative and personal.
Warmup: Begin by asking the students about their own wishes. Model the phrases –

I wish I had ………………….

I wish I were ………………..
I wish I could …………………

Then, tell the students a 3 wishes joke. 3 men on a deserted island find a bottle. Out comes a
genie. The genie gives them all one wish. The first two say they want to go home. Poof!
Your wish is granted say the genie. The last man hesitates and then says, “I’m lonely now. I
wish you would bring back my two friends!”

Game: Write 3 of your own wishes on the board using the above structures. One is a lie.
Ask the students to guess which. After you reveal the lie, ask the students to make 3 wishes
but one must be a lie. Students (or teacher ) read out the wishes and the class guesses which
is not a real wish.

Activity: Give each student a “GENIE” card. (from Intermediate Communication Games
Activity #3 , Jill Hadfield ). Tell them they are all now genies BUT can only grant wishes for
what is written on their card (Love, relationships, money, time, possessions, looks,
personality). Make sure to give one genie “godly” powers. Students then walk around the
classroom searching for a genie to grant their wishes. When they have had all wishes
granted, students return to their seats.

Extension: I usually extend this game in two ways.

1. I tell more genie jokes and also ask students to relate other genie jokes (if they are
advanced enough)
2. I give a lyric cloze song sheet of “If I had a million dollars” by the Barenaked
Ladies. Students listen and fill in. Listen again to the karaoke version, sing and check
 answers as the words come on the screen. LOTS OF FUN!

Genie Cards:

All Genies have the power to grant these wishes;

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Love $ Money $

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Talents / Abilities

WORK

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Things / Travel /
Possessions Holidays
 Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Time Appearance
The Body

Grant any wishes about Grant any wishes about

Personality Fame /
Character Celebrity
Grant ANY Wish Grant ANY Wish
 APPENDIX 3

MAKING A POWERPOINT, POWERFUL.

Powerpoint presentations in the classroom are only as good as

the WAY they are used. The powerpoints I have on my site;
English for Everyone, Everyday English Advanced and in
particular, Super Vocabulary – can be made much more
student centered and fun than just the ordinary,
watch/listen/repeat. Here, I’d like to outline a few of the many
ways you can use them creatively. I’m sure you also have your
own ideas and please share, if you’ve found some particularly
effective method.

1. BACKDOOR – Here, students are in groups or pairs. One

student has their back to the presentation/screen. The other(s)
tries to explain the vocabulary presented without using the
word itself. Change and continue the same. Example. “It is
something you cut with” – “Knife”.
2. STORIES. Students in groups make a story from the
vocabulary slides. Start with Mr. Bean or some famous
person/character. Students must use the vocabulary word to
continue the story. For example if you are practicing kitchen
vocab. the story circle might be: “Mr. was hungry so he went
into the KITCHEN. He picked up a KNIFE. He cut some onions
and put them into a PAN.......”

3. PICTIONARY. Much the same as backdoor but this time one

student in the group sees the presentation slide and attempts
to draw it. Students guess for points.

4. FLASHCARDS. All the presentation slides can be printed

and used as educational decoration in the classroom. Further,
they can be printed 6 to a page and used as small flashcards.
Simple chose print preview and the select 6 slides to a page
option. Click print. Now you have sets of flashcards which
students in groups can use to practice or with games. Go Fish,
Concentration (matching), Snap and many others.

5. STORY BOOKS. All the slides can be printed and students

can make their own dictionaries or better, their own story
books. They simply cut the pictures and paste. Possible titles
are; “Things I like.” “My Job Book” “What I hate”. “My day”
“My favourites.” Kids love cutting , pasting and during this
time, the teacher can circulate, reinforcing the vocabulary and
also informally testing student’s knowledge.

6. QUIZZES. Students can be quizzed. Simply edit the

powerpoint so that the answers do not come up [go to custom
animation and click the insert number and click “remove”.
Then delete the answer. Save this file as “TEST” and use the
original for the answers. Alternatively, you can quiz the
students one day and test the next day formally. Also, you
might have them check the answer right away and answer by
using a dry board and marker...(this is preferable, students
always learn more with instant feedback). You might also use
the slides as a way to have spelling tests or students using the
vocabulary in written sentences (much preferable to using just
spelling of words.)

7. TPR – Total Physical Response. Students can act out each

slide as they hum along. Have students take turns leading the
class and thinking up a new response for each slide.

8. YOUR OWN WAY. I am sure there are many other ways to

use these presentations in a creative, student centered and
communicative fashion. Please let me know how you best used
them and I’ll share it with everyone else!

APPENDIX 4

THE TOP 10 REASONS

TO USE KARAOKE IN THE CLASSROOM

1. IT WORKS!

Music is a proven teaching tool which fosters language retention and production in
young learners (Medina, 1993, Jalongo and Bromley, 1984, Borchgrevink, 1982, Martin,
1983, Mitchell, 1983, Jolly, 1975). Using music in your classroom will help your students
succeed as EFL students.

2. IT IS FUN!

Music, when used correctly, is very motivating for students. Students learn language in a
fun way and gain confidence through repetition and voicing. Further, music appeals to the
affective needs of students, their inner world and feelings. Music is an input (like stories and
pictures) which makes its way through the student’s inner filter (see Krashen’s “affective
filter hypothesis”) and helps them learn by appealing to their emotive and social experiences.
What pleasures us, teaches us!

3. IT IS TEACHER FRIENDLY!

Teaching can be a very demanding and stressful profession. Karaoke is easy to use. It can
be done with the touch of a button. It is prepared in advance and ready on demand, to be
used repeatedly.

4. IT IS STUDENT FRIENDLY!

Karaoke is seen by students as “cool” and “high tech”. With the popularity of programs
like “American Idol”, singing is mainstream, especially singing with a microphone.
Everyone can be a star! Further, students like that their favorite songs can be used to help
them learn English. It helps create a student centered classroom and gives students a feeling
of empowerment and control in the classroom.

5. IT IS FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE!

Karaoke is a versatile teaching tool. It can be used to address all the language skills and
can be extended in many ways. Students can listen for information (cloze exercises), sing in
chorus, alter the lyrics, rewrite the song as a story, have competitions and even learn English
by making their own karaoke files. Teachers can alter the lyrics (text) of the song, slow the
singer’s tempo for better student comprehension, filter the singer’s voice and reformat the
karaoke stream. Also, many other things through use of the player.

6. IT OPENS THE READING DOOR!

Karaoke is the perfect tool to help students begin to see and learn the associations
between sound and script. It is a phonics powerhouse and by using karaoke, teachers are
helping young learners to read and recognize script and the connections of sound, rhythm to
text.

7. IT TAKES LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM!

Students will listen to and learn the songs outside the classroom. It helps begin students
to be “self – learners”. Further, your own karaoke files can be made available to students to
play at home, on their computers. It extends your classroom into the world and makes it
relevant to the larger learning world.

8. IT IS INTELLIGENT!

Music is one of numerous forms of “intelligences” (Gardner, 1993). It is important for

educators to foster the development of all these intelligences and address the needs of the
whole child. Even or especially so with EFL / ESL teachers. Karaoke helps nurture musical
intelligence and helps create a fully developed, balanced person. It is especially successful in
educating those children with emotional difficulties.

9. IT ISN’T ONLY MUSIC!

Karaoke is commonly associated only with music. That shouldn’t be the case. Karaoke
can be created using any kind of audio file. It is especially good at making audio books with
text for young readers. Speeches, newscasts, commercials can all be shown and text added.
The teacher can record his or her own voice and add text to deliver lessons even! It is a
powerful tool which allows students to both hear / listen and read the accompanying text.

10. IT IS FREE!

Who doesn’t like a bargain? Karaoke players are available free online and can be
downloaded instantly. Karaoke files for educational purposes are copyright protected and
available for teachers to share. It shouldn’t cost you a penny! There are also many libraries
of free midi karaoke files available.

If you aren’t using karaoke as a teaching tool – YOU SHOULD BE!

REFERENCES

Borchgrevink, H. (1982). Prosody and musical rhythm are controlled by the speech
hemisphere. In M. Clynes (Ed.), Music, Mind,and Brain. New York: Plenum Press, pp.
151-157.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books.

Jalongo, M. & Bromley, K. (1984). Developing linguistic competence through song.

Reading Teacher, 37(9), 840-845.

Jolly, Y. (1975). The use of songs in teaching foreign languages. Modern Language Journal,
59(1), 11-14.

Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford:

Pergamon Press.

Martin, M. (1983). Success! Teaching spelling with music. Academic Therapy, 18(4), 505-
506.
Medina, S. (1993). The effect of music on second language vocabulary acquisition. FEES
News (National Network for Early Language Learning, 6 (3), 1-8.

Milman, C. (1979). The metronome and rote learning. Academic Therapy, 14 (3), 321-325.

Mitchell, M. (1983). Aerobic ESL: Variations on a total physical response theme. TESL
Reporter, 16, 23-27.