How we learned from our conversations in English:

1. Overview
2. What structures support English language development in my classroom?
3. How do conversations between students support English language learning?
4. What strategies do good English language learners use?
5. How can video be used to give my students a window into their English language learning?
6. Next steps

Context

• About my school, my class, and my inquiry

Class Materials

• End of the year student-written video project
• I give myself a star for...
• Family Interview scripts

Resources

• Video presentation about previous work that led up to this project

Rosie's Walk: A student-written video project (June 2003)

This video illustrates how the students used their developing English skills in creative ways. This video was written by the students in improvisation, and is an adaptation of the children's book "Rosie's Walk." In the book, Rosie the chicken goes for a walk around the barnyard, always just ahead of the sinister fox. In the students' version, Rosie is a student, and leaves the classroom to walk around the school, pursued by the "evil" teacher Miss Sarah. The students played all the school personnel, from the school secretaries, to the principal, to the recess supervisor. The student playing the narrator/ fox/ Miss Sarah character had the idea to mimic the book-- he noticed that whenever the fox enters the scene, he always trips or stumbles. This student brought that bit of slapstick physical comedy into the video, as you'll see. To the right are his brainstormed notes for the narrator's introduction (click to enlarge).