http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Wed, 22 May 2013 07:50:21 PDT Wed, 22 May 2013 07:50:21 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=335105 A teaching resource for digital literacy, stimulus for story telling and creativity that is FREE to download. It has been developed in partnership between BradField and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and its schools.Inanimate Alice the multi award-winning interactive audio-visual narrative from new-media production house the BradField Company (BradField) has been identified by Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) as delivering compelling new media suitable for an education audience. Seen by over 1 million viewers (estimate), it is an aid to creativity in the classroom, assisting in story telling and literacy and can be a free and major contribution to the creative curriculum that has been welcomed by teachers accessing it. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=248368 Online Educational Comics Helping Students Write, Read, Tell StoriesI am an author whose books are used in many school programs to encourage children to express themselves through writing. I have just launched a free new web site -- http://www.makebeliefscomix.com -- where students can create their own comic strips. The site offers fun animal and human characters with different moods, thought and talk balloons to fill in with words, and story prompts. It's a wonderful resource to spur children and adults to write, read and communicate their ideas and to practice English and other languages. It is also being used as a tool by educational therapists who work with deaf and autistic people to help them understand concepts and communicate. I would be very appreciative if you would share with your members and colleagues, or tell me whom I should contact to share this information. I need your help because it takes a community to build a community resource like this.With thanks,Bill ZimmermanOnline Educational Comics Launched to Encourage Writing, Reading and CommunicationBy Author/Journalist Bill Zimmerman - http://www.makebeliefscomix.comDear reader,I want to share with you news of my newest educational project and also ask for your help to make it succeed. Ive just launched a new web site -- http:// www.makebeliefscomix.com -- where children and adults can create their own comic strips. They can select from 10 fun characters with different moods -- happy, sad, angry, worried and write words for blank talk and thought balloons to make their characters talk and think. There also are story ideas and prompts to help users create graphic stories. This site can be used by educators to teach language, reading and writing skills, and also for students in English-as-a-Second-Language programs to facilitate self-expression and storytelling. Some educational therapists use it with deaf and autistic people to help them understand concepts and communicate. Parents and children can create stories together, print them to create comic books or email them to friends and family. Others will find the site a resource to be creative, calm down and have fun.I am hoping that you will share http://www.makebeliefscomix.com with your colleagues, teachers, students or readers of your publications and resource lists. The site is free with no advertising. Any help you might offer in getting word out about this project is very appreciated. If you can suggest other people or groups whom I might contact to make them aware of the site please send me their names, email addresses or phone numbers. Relevant Internet resource sharing groups would be helpful, too. It takes a community to build a useful resource like this one. As one who learned to read with comic books, I know that creating comic strips can help people tap into their creativity and practice their language and storytelling skills. The site is free and stems from my lifelong mission to create resources that help people find their voice and express themselves. The concept for makebeliefscomix.com is derived from my earlier books, Make Beliefs and Make Beliefs for Kids of All Ages (which can be found on my other web site: http://www.billztreasurechest.com). A Make Beliefs interactive feature appeared for 13 years on my syndicated Student Briefing Page for Newsday, and in National Geographics World Magazine.I hope you like http://www.makebeliefscomix.com and will use it in your work and personal life. Your feedback is welcome and very helpful. With thanks and every good wish,Bill Zimmerman(wmz@aol.com) http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=317279 Website with online activities to learn French with videos, including video clips, interactive exercices, forum discussions, pronunciation tutorials, grammar section and other activities. Four versions are available: French, English, German and Spanish. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=323195 Un cours complet en arabe. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=446276 Learn Spanish online. You can follow the course or search for a particular lesson. Useful for all levels. It also has a "Resources" section with downloadable lessons on verbs, adjectives, pronouns, nouns, etc. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555409 This course gives an introduction to German language and culture. The focus is on acquisition of vocabulary and grammatical concepts through active communication. Audio, video, and printed materials provide direct exposure to authentic German language and culture. A self-paced language lab program is fully coordinated with the textbook/workbook. The first semester covers the development of effective basic communication skills. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=671599 SPANISH 103 is an introductory course to the Spanish language and culture. This course uses a task and content-based approach to learning which integrates grammar in a functional use through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language use is encouraged through communicative activities rather than a sequence of linguistic units. Learning strategies and cultural awareness are also important objectives of the course.This course is part of the 2011-2013 MELO 3D project, supported by an LSA Instructional Technology Committee New Initiatives/New Infrastructure grant. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=242735 Engage your students in experiential (hands on) learning activities that promote social skills via teamwork, higher order critical thinking skills via inquiry and problem-based learning, and technological skills via the Internet and Microsoft applications. Motivate your students to become lifelong learners by using WebQuests. Learn how to create WebQuests in a few easy steps.  http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=519822 This online course comes from the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) by Carnegie Mellon. “The course includes self-guiding materials and activities, and is ideal for independent learners, or instructors trying out this course package.”״French Online is an interactive video-based course intended for use by university students and independent learners on the Internet. (See Conditions of Use.) The second-semester course is divided into fifteen lessons, for a total duration of fifteen weeks. These lessons can be lengthened by classroom teachers or independent learners, but not easily shortened, given the amount of material covered. The beginning of each lesson is always a set sequence, from simple recognition of language in a video dialogue to written and spoken production of variations on that language. After this ordered beginning, a number of activities are offered to the student in which the language learned is used in understanding new texts or videos or in creative production (conversation or writing).״ http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=494974 This professional development resource focuses on practical aspects of foreign language teaching in a virtual classroom setting. You, the foreign language teacher, will be transported into a real-life methods course to watch and listen to instructors at the University of Texas at Austin and think critically about the ensuing classroom discussions.