Xtranormal+Literacy

DEAR ALL
It was lovely to meet many of you this morning. Following some engaging discussions and brainstorms, I would like to share some of the fantastic ideas that different teachers shared with each other to answer several popular questions:

==== To answer this question I used an pompous avatar which I created for the GAT conference. Note that all expressions, gestures, camera angles and the script itself was written and manipulated by me:  Engage@EveryStage ====
 * What is Xtranormal? **

==== You can create your own account with Xtranormal: @http://www.xtranormal.com/ create a teachers account and be sure to email Xtranormal and let them know that you are a TEACHER. Being a teacher means you are given 5000 points which is magic for the final stage of "publishing" the text. ====

====Xtranormal can be used to engage students in higher order thinking skills. Students can work along the Bloom's taxonomy and actively engage with concepts and content. Creating is the final verb used in the Bloom's current taxonomy, the level of creativity can be differentiated with this program and this means that all students will be creating something that reflects a range of complexity. ====

====Xtranormal is a tool that can be used to explicitly demonstrate the need to spell correctly, use punctuation purposefully, synthesis information, multi-literacy is used in that tone, modality, expressions, gestures and sound effects can be used simultaneously to create the overall product- or movie. ====
 * What are the literacy benefits of Xtranormal? **


 * How can it be used with... **

 ESL Students: ====The avatar will read exactly what you write. With this in mind, you can write a script that is wrong and when read by the Avatar is incoherent. Students can edit the language and hear the difference. This is equivalent to instantaneous feedback directed by students through discussion and reflection. Through different activities students are able to see the value of punctuation, spelling, sentence structure in ensuring a clear and concise message is communicated. ====

Mainstream Students: ====To explain, students are able to engage with the concepts at a higher level, they are directing their avatar's speech with a clear purpose. As they grapple through the concept of audience and purpose, students can write with purpose! ====

G&T Students: ====<span style="color: #042a04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Students who feel restricted in "discussing", "explaining" can progress to "analysing" a text. Provide students with a specific text that they can analyse and get the avatars to analyse the text. This will involve the higher order thinking and much planning. ====


 * <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">Logistical questions: **

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">How could I introduce it? <span style="color: #042a04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;">Through the avatar - students can be given instructions with an AVATAR and teachers can recount how they have used it. Make sure you have a driving question which will ensure the students have something to focus on.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">How much does it cost? <span style="color: #042a04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;">There is a nominal cost for all people who create movies and register, HOWEVER you are a TEACHER and get 5000 points which are a lot of points and can take you far. Be sure to email Xtranormal to ask for those points.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Is it DEC approved?

<span style="color: #042a04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Yes it is, the Breakkie with a Techie site has it on archive.
====<span style="color: #042a04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24px;">Please share your ideas of how you have used or plan to use this program to enhance student literacy and learning. ====

<span style="color: #042a04; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24px;">Best of luck!