Here is my digital map on a few ideas for my final project:
I think the colors and pictures and other bells and whistles really help them get fired up about a process which otherwise might seem like a waste of time to them. As I said in my last post, getting them to slow down and add a few steps to their writing is hard but almost always greatly increases their final product.
I also really like inspiration for use with my ELL students. Graphic organizers in general can be really effective with kids who are struggling with a language barrier. Allowing them to use technology to create their own graphic organizers can really improve their computer skills while at the same time really helping them develop their ideas more concretely.
Inspiration is a great first step for student projects, papers, or even to facilitate discussions both as a class in small groups. It is an especially great way for students with widely varying learning styles to explore relationships between topics. The tried and true "Compare and Contrast" essay is fine, but many students will have trouble with such an abstract assignment. Inspiration makes the exploration of relationships a visual and tactile experience. Once students have their mind map, all they have to do is record their ideas to write an essay. It will free them up to think about the act of writing rather than the content.
1 comment:
Thanks, David. Your posting has started me thinking. This week has been crazy on a lot of levels, and my mind feels like it needs Inspiration, both figuratively and literally. We're starting a comparison contrast essay after the short story unit, and we've been chatting about ways to engage kids in the prewriting process better this year. We have Inspiration on all of our school computers, so this might be a great way to go. Especially with my reluctant learners (and in my 9th grade class, that's pretty much everyone. ) :)
Also, I'm sorry for not posting my stuff earlier. I will try my best to do better next week.
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