Activity:

TWINMINUTES

Level:

5th-6th primary

Short description:

In this project we participated 6 schools, mixing primary(4) and secondary (2)

The project is divided in two parts:
  • First part, made by secondary students:

They had to write cinematographic scripts, but collaborating, it means each school started 22 dialogues and sent to the other secondary who was responsible of finishing the dialogues. At the end we had 44 scripts made by two Schools, from Poland and Romania together.

The scripts were uploaded to the wiki (In each dialogue the red part is from Poland and the purple one is from Romania).

First of all they, together, decided the topics of the 44 script-dialogues.

  • Second part, made by primary schools from Turkey, England, Poland and Spain. It consist in recording the scripts made by our secondary friends, but as the scripts, half recording each school.

Creating the script for a collaborative video with pupils from another country

Objectives:

  • Improving their speaking and interacting skills
  • Using plays to see the word from different perspectives
  • Using a camera
  • Facing a camera
  • Improving the pupils media literacy
  • Working in collaboration with pupils from other countries
  • Using English as a working language
.

Assessment:

Use the marks chart to collect data on the following criteria:
  • Fluency and accuracy when recording the dialogues
  • Perfect understanding of what was being said
  • Memorizing dialogues
  • Playing dialogues

Link:

First part: Writing cinematographic scripts:
http://twinminute.wikispaces.com/04.+READY+DIALOGUES

Second part: Recording the scripts:
http://twinminute.wikispaces.com/05.+TWINMINUTES+VIDEOS+1-11

Add your comments:

Lluís Miquel

This activity is awesome. My question is: I think such an activity can be very time-consuming because you have to coordinate with another school, what problems did you face?
Having said that, I find the activity very engaging because it addresses mixed-ability classes, everybody can have a say in this activity, and because it crosses boundaries, cultural and physical boundaries. It’s also a very good activity to assess competence and beforehand students have had lots of opportunities to improve the accuracy, the pronunciation and the contents and have had time to rehearse the dialogues.

Hi Luis Miquel, I'm Cristina
Yes, that's right, it's really time consuming, but also very productive, as students know that other pupils from other countries will see the videos and also will record the second part of it, and you can not imagine how important is it to them!! They are working not because their teacher asks for it, they are doing it knowing some other pupils from other countries will see it and will compare them, so, it's extremelly motivating to them and of course they want to do their best, with maximum effort and cooperation. I really love this kind of activities!
Coordinating with other schools is not a problem, is a new way of teaching. I started doing this kind of projects 6 years ago with eTwinning, and now, I can say I can't imagine myself working just with a book and not with european projects.
Alos it helps my pupils to be confidents with the secondary school they'll have to go soon, as they can see all pupils works on the same way, without any difference for the age or for the culture.




Lluís

Hi Cristina,

I read your comment with great interest. I answered the survey in the fourth module and found eTwinning very interesting because you hand over learning to students. Students feel they have a say. The online resources include a live chat forum, which is a virtual way to meet your partners.

As the deputy headteacher of the Durham Trinity School, Ann Southren, one of the schools showcased as a study case by the British Council, puts it:

‘Many students will never travel to experience the life and culture of our European neighbours, therefore it is our duty to bring the outside world into our school’.

Thus, eTwinning brings an international dimension to children’s education. Perhaps I had some misgivings about coordination but your explanation cleared up all my doubts.

I felt that maybe you missed the face to face dimension since you never met your partners in real life, but that fear was dispelled because you can get funding through a Comenius grant to travel and meet your partners ‘in real life’.

Regarding what you say about differences of age and culture I read about the experience of some schools and it’s very positive. Here are some examples:

The students took part in initial ice-breaking games and attempted to communicate in each other’s languages. Bradley Evans from Charlton Kings Junior said, “It was amazing meeting the European children and attempting to learn and speak the many different languages.” Nina Booth agreed: “It was cool because not many people actually get to meet their pen pals and it was much better than just seeing a photo.”

Andy Theedom, trip organiser and international coordinator from Charlton Kings Junior School said:

“The week was a huge success … the children have enjoyed a very unique experience. At school we encourage the children to become and act as Global Citizens with our many links around the world. This week has ensured that the children are doing just this. It has been brilliant to see the children interact throughout the week and grow in confidence to attempt a different language. Strong friendships have been formed and the links with all of the schools will continue.”

Really, really interesting and engaging.
Congratulations.