Using Cell Phones to Support Student Engagement & Achievement in Speaking and Listening

Cell phones are a terrific tool to support student engagement and achievement in speaking and listening.  Here are some ways that teachers are using cell phones to do just that by using tools like Google Voice and Voki and functions like video.  

Oral Reports

There are many great tools to capture voice with cell phones. Google voice is one such tool that is free and easy to use and enables educators to capture voice messages from students without providing them with their direct phone number. The power of this kicks in when you realize that what Google Voice does is become a repository for oral reports, assignments, or sound bites. Not only is it a repository, but teachers can write notes on each clip, share, and post them. To get an account and learn more visit www.google/voice.com

• Ideas for the Classroom
• Have students do their oral reports using Google Voice. If they don't like how they sounded the first time, they don't have to send the message. They can re-record until they have something with which they are happy.
• Use Google Voice as an assessment tool to easily capture student's reading level. Not only to have you have a recording, you have a transcript too and a place to keep notes. Rather than talk to a parent about how a student has progressed across a year, let them listen to it their child themselves.
• Have students share something interesting about themselves and post the recordings on a class page or in a blog where other students can listen or comment.
• Text Talk:  Classroom Stories - Spanish
  Students in Spanish class can practice their language skills on the phone. On their own time, students call the teacher’s Google Voice number and  read something in Spanish or create a dialogue which is sent to the teacher’s Google Voice account.  The kids respond really well to it and instead of taking up class time, they dial in to the teacher’s phone number, and then the teacher can go online to hear what they've done.  The teacher can listen to student recordings and e-mail them feedback. Many students are afraid to make mistakes in front of their peers. When they receive a recording assignment, they're more apt to take risks because they have some privacy. The end result is students are speaking more and getting feedback.

I want more »