“Mirror, mirror, on the wall… who’s the fail-est of them all? OK, don’t answer that. I’m afraid of the answer.”
As I look into my digital competency mirror, I still wince as I notice all the areas that still need work. I guess the best thing about looking in this mirror is realizing that I’m at least brave enough to do so. I need to give myself time and space to learn the tools and applications and understand that not everything will work perfectly the first time. There is so much to learn, but I can take it one step at a time.
I have been thinking about mirrors and how we view ourselves, because in one of my library units that makes use of tech tools available to my students, I am having the 5th graders take a good look at their own oral presentation skills and challenging them to improve. The first step of the project is almost complete. Students, working in assigned pairs, have chosen a regional folktale, did a bit of research about the country of origin, and have practiced a collaborative re-telling of the tale. The pairs have then had the opportunity to get up on stage and perform their story before an audience of their peers. The result has been digitally recorded.
The next step is to post these stories on the library “Storytelling” site where they can comment on their own performances and give helpful feedback to their fellow students as well. We are emphasizing constructive criticism to encourage students to first share a positive comment before giving a helpful suggestion. After the self-analysis is done, the students will be given a camera, iMovie instructions, and some time to improve upon their storytelling skills. When this project is finished, we should be able to see a marked improvement from the first performance to the second. Students are being encouraged to work on diction, volume, expression, clarity, and creativity. They are telling the stories in their own words, so part of the challenge is in developing an authentic storytelling voice that still communicates the true gist of the tale.
Here is the unit which is being developed:
Presentation Skills and Self-Awareness Through Storytelling
Grade 5 Library Storytelling Unit
Ruth Ingulsrud; ES Librarian CAJ
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Standards Met: (From CAJ Atlas Curriculum Mapping:) English Grade 5 Presenting
7.05.01. I can competently give an oral report on a subject that I have researched. Social Studies Grades 3-5
11.K12.3. I stay on task with the group (PC2) Student Objectives Grade 5 Productive Collaborator 1: Students respect themselves and others as being created in God’s image Effective Communicator 1: Students communicate through writing, speaking, reading, listening, graphs and charts, and the arts (From NETS for Students:) ISTE NETS*S Standard 2:  Communication and Collaboration:  Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems ISTE NETS*S Standard 6:  Technology Operations and Concepts: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students: a. understand and use technology systems. |
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Enduring Understandings: |
Essential Questions: |
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1. Â Students will understand the importance of oral presentation skills 2. Â Students will understand how collaboration can improve presentation skills 3. Â Students will develop a self-awareness of posture, gesture and elocution with a goal of self-improvement |
1. Â Why is personal presentation important? 2. Â How can integrate our outer presentation with our inner self? Why is this important? 3. Â How can we change our world for the better with what we say and how we say it? 4. Why is it important to encourage others to improve their personal presentation? |
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GRASPS Task |
Six Facets of Understanding |
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Goal:  Students will collaborate on analyzing and improving their oral presentation skills though the use of video footage and editing to produce a partner retelling of a folktale to be published on the Storytelling Channel of the Library website. Role: Students become narrators, directors, critics, and filmmakers as they practice and polish their storytelling skills. Students will practice constructive criticism as well, as they help their peers improve their presentation skills. Audience: The intended audience is, first of all, the students themselves as they see, firsthand, exactly how they look as they speak. The secondary audience is the students’ peers and larger school community. Situation:  Working in pairs, students will select and practice the retelling, from memory, of a folktale. Students must limit their story to about 5 minutes; they must introduce each other before they begin; they must name the story and country of origin and give some background information; all students must demonstrate respectful listening as audience members and be ready to give constructive comments at the conclusion of the story. All folktale pairs will be digitally recorded and will have the opportunity to see their own performance as well as those of their fellow students. Folktale pairs will gather input and suggestions from their peers with the intention of improving their performance. After a second session of practice and planning, students will be instructed on the use of digital video cameras and be given a chance to perform and film the folktale once more. They will be shown the capabilities of iMovie and encouraged to add music, titles and transitions where appropriate. The improved folktales will be posted on the Library Storytelling Channel and opportunity will be given for viewers to post helpful comments which the students can use to continue to improve their oral presentation skills. Product:  The final product will be viewable on the Library Storytelling Site and will make the two storytelling versions available for viewing and comparison. The improvement of the second version should be markedly noticeable. |
Explaination: Students will explain why they need to acquire good oral presentation skills.Interpretation: Students give examples of what a good oral presentation might sound like and look like.Application: Students perform and then watch and analyze footage of their own folktale retelling. They should be able to point out the strong and weak points and make plans to improve the identified areas of work.
Perspective: Students make a thorough self-evaluation with an increased self-awareness in how they are perceived and heard by others. Students become sensitive to the way in which we suggest improvements to others by understanding that they must listen and evaluate suggestions that others are giving to them. Empathy: Students begin each constructive criticism comment with a positive remark, acknowledging a strength in the oral presentation before giving a suggestion for improvement. Self-Knowledge: Students will demonstrate that they have understood their areas of weakness in oral presentations by making improvements with the second attempt that reflect the internalization of comment, critique and self-analysis. Notes: The CAJ improved library site is in the process of being developed. So far, the link to the Sakura page has been added and the Educational Games link is working, but the Storytelling component is still in process. Link to : CAJ Library Website Resources: |
5th Gr. Folktale Pair Storytelling Rubric
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Student Score: |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
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Intro: Self and Origin of Story Preparation & Collaboration |
Full name of storyteller not given; no information offered regarding folktale.No evidence of collaboration. | First name of storyteller stated; full title of story clearly given.Country of origin named.Some collaboration evident. | Storytellers introduce each other with full name given; title of folktale given along with country of origin. Knowledge of story’s origin is evident.Collaboration and rehearsal evident. |
Clear introductions of storytellers given with good interactions between the storytelling pair. Title and origin of story explained with additional information offered. Skillful collaboration throughout. |
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Expression & Action Creativity |
Story told or simply read in a monotone.Little or no gestures, action or expression. | Story told from memory with both storytellers contributing.Some gestures and expression evident. | Story told with good evidence of practice and collaboration.Gestures, actions, vocal and facial expressions present. | Well-rehearsed, engaging and interesting use of expression used consistently. Excellent collaboration of storytelling shown. Compelling delivery. |
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Diction & Clarity Elocution |
Storytelling voice too quiet or unclear to be completely understandable. | Storytelling voice is loud enough for most to hear and clear enough to be understood throughout most of the retelling. | Storytelling voice is loud and clear with good diction and pronunciation throughout the story. | Storytelling voice is consistently loud, always at an appropriate volume. Every sentence is  delivered with good pronunciation. |
This looks great, Ruth. Thinking through the idea of connecting…will it be possible to comment on the videos and share feedback about the improvements seen?
So far, one comment has been submitted on the videos. Because I posted them on YouTube, which was easy for our CAJ webmaster to set up links, the only way people can comment is to set up their own YouTube account. Not sure if families would want to do this, or would want to let their kids set up accounts. The comments do get sent to me for approval, so they are filtered. I do want students to self-evaluate and record their strengths and weaknesses. We did this the old-fashioned way with paper when they watched themselves during library time.
Suggestions for a secure way for the students to leave comments and constructive criticism?