Software/Website
Title: “English Language Learners (ELLs)"
(A Prezi project).
Website
URL:
https://prezi.com/luoqoi42knz8/english-language-learners-ell/
Language
& Content: English, strategies for teaching ELLs.
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I think Prezi.com
provides an excellent platform for multimodal projects. The site is interactive and easy to navigate
and create. I have chosen a Prezi project that talks about
English Language learners (ELLs) and strategies to teach them.
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The authors of
this Prezi first define the term ELL, and more importantly talk about the myths
concerning ELLs. One of the myths is that
ELLs should use English only, but the authors explain that “proficiency in
native language facilitates second language development” (p.2). The authors then discuss some of the challenges
facing ELLs, and offer ways to deal with them.
--
The authors
suggest keeping track of the four areas of language (listening, speaking, reading
and writing) by using rubrics based on the state language development standards
and students’ needs.
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I liked this Prezi because it used different modalities, utilizing text, images, sound, videos, and spatial effects. This is in line with the New London Group’s manifesto on multi-literacies in 1996. According to Lotherington and Jenson (2011), “the concept of multimodal literacies… which utilize diverse media to represent visual, audio, gestural, spatial, and tactile dimensions of communication in addition to traditional written and oral forms” (p.226).[1] We see this multi-modal approach clearly in this Prezi.
[1] Lotherington,
H., & Jenson, J. (2011). Teaching multimodal and digital literacy in L2
settings: New literacies, new basics, new pedagogies. Annual review of
applied linguistics, 31, 226-246.
I think the
content is educational and offers valuable information regarding ELLs and strategies
to teach them. For example, the authors
suggest using daily assessment based on active participation, and propose using
experience-based expository text approach.
This approach is more interactive and involves a greater level of student
participation and language skill development.
Hi Abu Bakr, I've used Prezi before and I really like the program's ability to let students create multimodal works to share with others. I think Prezi is a much better alternative to PowerPoint or Google Slides in that it is more engaging and allows for much more creativity. Also, Prezi has a mobile app that allows users to view and share their creations on the go. The specific Prezi you chose to highlight (on ELLs) illustrate's perfectly how Prezi can be used to create a multimodal work that incorporates text, animation, and spatial relations. I particularly liked the section that introduced common myths about ELLs.
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