Creating a Community
and
School Virtual Visit Project
Through the International Community
Virtual Visit (ICVV) project, adults learning English or basic skills, or children
or youth in schools, visit each others' schools or education programs on the
Web. Students dialog with partners in a class from another part of the world.
They create school and community tours to post on Web or Wiki pages.
Students and their partners develop collaborative skills and build relationships.
In 2006-2007 we will be matching up classes from across the world -- fluent
speakers of English and those who are learning English -- to focus on collaborative
writing across cultures.
We hope you enjoy the project
and join us in our adventure.
Purpose:
To increase reading and writing skills in a meaningful context of international
exchange.
Step 1:Subscribe
to the (free) ICV V electronic list. Go to
http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/icvv..
Find Subscribing
to the ICV V near the bottom of the page. Enter your name and e-mail
address, pick a password and hit subscribe.
Step
2: Send an e-mail introduction to the group at icvv@lists.literacytent.org.
Tell us who you are, where you teach, some information about your students and
what they are looking for, and what months you have available to do the visit.
Here are some examples:
Example Introductions
Hi everyone ~
My name is Laura Noguer. I teach third grade at a school in Garden Grove,
California. My 18 students are all second language learners. About a
third of my kids speak Vietnamese and the rest speak Spanish. I have
one child who understands Arabic. My school is online in the computer
lab and office and we are connected to a Wide Area Network. I look forward
to joining this project.
Have a good day!
Laura
Laura Noguer
Morningside Elementary School
Garden Grove, California
Hello everyone. I teach a pre-GED class of about 10 adults between the
ages of 17 and 50 in New York City. We have been studying colonialism
and genocide in Africa. We studied Rwanda, then the Sudan and are now
studying the Congo, from King Leopold to independence and Mobutu to
the present. We hope to study a number of different countries in Africa.
We would love to be matched with a class in any country in Africa. I
don't know how possible this is, but I thought I would give it a try.
Cheers,
Eric
Eric Appleton
GED Coordinator
The Fortune Society
Expression of interest in the project:18 intermediate adult migrants,
age between 19 - 35, studying English as a Second Language at Adult
Multicultural Education Services in Melbourne, Australia. Current course
goes on till mid December. New courses will commence in February next
year.
Sophie Cholewka
ESL Teacher & e-Learning Support
AMES Education
Hola,
My name is Martha Moubarek and I teach Spanish at Biola University in
La Mirada, Ca. I am interested in utilizing this project with my intermediate
Spanish class. They pretty much fluent and they will love to hear from
another group of students that can help them in practicing their Spanish.
Perhaps an ESL Class will do it. I can picture my students practicing
their speaking and writing skill in this language, and asking questions
about the many cultural aspects that go along with the language. Our
goal is to get to a better understanding of their culture, traditions,
and celebrations that are so much part of our lessons throughout our
curriculum. They all have access to internet and 97% have their own
E-mail address. Our Computer Lab here in school is willing to help in
any way available.
thank you y, Adios
martha
Martha Moubarek
Biola University
La Mirada, Ca.
Hi,
My name is Heather Leal. I teach at Lathrop Intermediate School in Santa
Ana, California. I am also a student in a Masters Degree program with
Susan Gaer, one of the facilitators of the Virtual School project. My
students are in 6,7, and 8th grade which means they are 12-14 years
old. Many are bilingual, Spanish and English speakers. A large number
of them are learning English as their second language and are at all
ability levels, from beginning to fluent. I am their art teacher. We
study drawing and painting, and three dimensional work. We also study
art history and art from many different cultures. I would love for them
to have a chance to learn about some of your schools and cultures. Students
this age are so interested in finding out about other people and the
way they live, and sharing things about themselves. I'm sure this will
be a great experience for them to be involved in. I'm looking forward
to getting to know you!
Sincerely,
Heather
Heather Leal
Lathrop Intermediate School
Santa Ana, California
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Step 3: From the introductions
on ICVV or the International Classroom Virtual Visit web page choose a class
to partner with. If you are confused at this point, contact Susan Click here to email Susan
for help.
Step 4: Introduce the
project to your students. Share with them your excitement and enthusiasm to
encourage active participation by all. For examples, visit http://www.otan.us/webfarm/emailproject/school.htm
and share completed virtual visits with your students.
Step 5: Have students
write individual introductions. You can use the following techniques:
-
Elementary
level: Brainstorming and letter writing techniques
Adult
Education: Divide the students into groups and have them
write parts of the letter describing your school.
|
Some ideas might include:
- a description of where they live,
including the weather
- a physical description of the school
- a description of the students
- a description of a typical day
Step 6: Students will
read the partner school introductions with the purpose of developing questions
to ask each other.
Step 7: Write questions
and email them to your partner school. For elementary school examples visit
Allyson Rice's and Laura Noguer's sites at
http://www.otan.us/webfarm/emailproject/school.htm
For a junior high school example visit Heather Leal's site.
Step 8:When you receive
the questions, answer them with the purpose of setting up a school (and community
) visual tour on your Web site.
Step 9: Design your tour.
Use the samples at http://www.otan.us/webfarm/emailproject/school.htm
as a guide.
To make your project run smoothly, we have found that the following are beneficial:
Feel free to email questions to the ICVV
e-list and facilitators
When available have students use Alpha
Smarts and word processing programs to save time.
If you have access to a digital camera,
use it. If not, you can scan pictures or have them developed onto a disk.
This year we will be using a Wiki to post
our work.
Susan Gaer
Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education
Click here to email Susan
&
David Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net