For Additional Information see Software
The following educational tools and their standards were taken from
Diane Burn’s article published in the Journal of Technology and Learning
titled, “Technology in the ESL Classroom” (1996).
The
Animals (Mindscape). This
program, which takes students on a virtual tour of the San Diego Zoo, works
well with ESL youngsters as it offers ways to access information beyond simple
text-based searching. Students can easily skim the fairly comprehensive image,
video clip, and sound libraries, and use the numerous screen links to help
guide them in their research.
Grolier
Multimedia Encyclopedia (Grolier).
Because of the availability of sounds, video, and animation, multimedia
encyclopedias offer all students a much more accessible research environment
than printed volumes. Students can research the life cycle of their chosen
animals, locate maps which pinpoint habitats, and read articles on biomes and
other topics relevant to their research.
Time
Almanac (Time Magazine/ Compact Publishing). Students use this CD-ROM to see if there have been any
articles written about their subject in the past year. It is intuitive to use,
and serves as an excellent introduction to periodicals in both print and
electronic form.
3-D
Atlas (Creative Wonders).
Students use this atlas to locate areas where their animals originated,
migrated to, and settled. Special features let them compare and contrast
different aspects of countries worldwide. And some well-chosen video clips
provide a more realistic look at a variety of modern-day cultures than we often
see.
Inspiration
4.1 (Inspiration Software, Inc.).
This tool lets students brainstorm and diagram their research, lay out their
projects, and develop outlines. It provides an easy-to-use format for ESL
students to explore visually the links between ideas and information. It also
works well in assignments where students create family trees.
StoryBook
Weaver and My Own Stories (MECC).
These programs let users create their own books, in either fable or
"real-world" environments. Students are drawn to these programs
because they give users creative license in developing stories without the distractions
of too many complex options. In this assignment, students use the built-in
backgrounds, stamps, and color features of My Own Stories to create a habitat
for their animals, and the text boxes to write stories about them. Both of the
programs are also well-suited to assignments where students write and
illustrate tales from their own countries to share with the class.
ClarisWorks
(Claris Corporation) or Microsoft Works. These integrated programs provide simplified writing,
database, and spreadsheet environments, offering students a chance to learn and
work with all these important functions. In this assignment, they use the
software to write a letter to the director of the local zoo, asking for
information about subjects such as endangered animals sheltered there. Students
then use the database function to track the information they have gathered
about their animals.
Printshop
Deluxe (Broderbund, Inc.).
The many graphic and print options available in this program let students
design invitations to a "zoo party," create decorations for the
occasion, and print flyers to announce it. Banners spotlighting important
animal facts can be posted in the classroom.
Media
Clips (Aris Multimedia Entertainment, Inc.). This series of CD-ROM resource disks contains photos and
graphics from a variety of environments (we use the Tropical Rainforest,
Worldview, and Majestic Places/Wild Places titles). Students mine them for
images to use in their multimedia presentations, and can easily export their
choices for use in their own documents.
HyperStudio
(Roger Wagner Publishing).
Students use this program, and others such as Pierian Spring's Digital Chisel,
to develop their multimedia presentations. They can master the necessary
operations quickly, and are able to produce a simple "five-card"
presentation within an hour in most cases. Multimedia authoring tools provide
an environment where students can assemble in one place the visual images they
have gathered, the writing they've done in an integrated "works"
program, and all the charts and graphs they've created. As the year goes on and
students gain more experience using these tools, the presentations become
increasingly sophisticated and creative.