The "Talking Books" Project Chris Benke Barwon Valley School, Geelong Incorporating digital photography and speech into Power Point presentations to develop programs that support Student learning outcomes in the English curriculum. A description of the Project including an over-view, background, learning outcomes, evaluation and resources used in the development and implementation. The "Talking Books" project. Incorporating digital photography and speech into Power Point presentations to develop programs that support Student learning outcomes in the English curriculum. Overview of the "Talking Books" Project The "Talking books" Project creates interactive multi-media programs that incorporate digital photos of the students and their environment, and speech, into Power Point presentations. The programs are formulated to address specific teaching goals and support individual student learning objectives, mainly in the areas of English and Technology. The computer based programs are supported by school published materials - big books, readers, and learning centre activities. The project also incorporates the use of communication devices for non-verbal students. Essential Considerations for developing Programs The programs use computers and technology to develop on-screen and printed resources. However computers are only part of the over-all package. There are four aspects to the creation of Talking Books programs - · The first, and most important is the identification of specific learning objectives for each student within the Individual Education Plan, the Program Support Group format and the School Curriculum documents. · The Early Years Literacy Initiative provides the classroom program framework. · Communication systems such as spoken/written English, and Picture Symbols such as Compic, Signing, provide the format for the language used in the programs. Programs can be individualised to incorporate the various communication systems used by different students. · The final aspect is the development of multi-media programs and resources that incorporate digital photos of the students with recorded speech matched to text. Types of "Talking Books" produced in the project. Supporting Reading · language experience stories · theme books, dealing with specific concepts and vocabulary · "readers" using text, layout etc aligned to published readers at Reading Recovery levels students are reading · alphabet books · theme based "games" supporting Writing · news books by individual students · fiction written by students supporting Speaking and Listening · speech therapy based programs · stories acted out by students Other types of programs that can be developed include · behaviour scripts · stimulus response programs · maths Other components of the "Talking Books" Program School-published materials I produce a range of resources that complement the computer-based programs. · School published readers. These are replicas of the computer stories and provide a book-based format for the students to read. · Big books. These provide an enlarged text version for whole group work during shared reading. · Magnetic photos/symbols/words for learning centre activities · Photo sequences for behaviour scripts, sequencing work, story outlines · Photo enhanced work sheets Features of "Talking Books" - computer stories The computer programs can be set up in a variety of ways, depending on the specific learning outcomes - · slides in the presentations become "pages" of the books · these pages can include photos, drawings, text, animations, hot spots, video clips, buttons for turning pages etc. · speech clips can be added for specific words/phrases/sentences · speech can be added to come on automatically as words appear · and/or spoken when individual words/sentences are clicked on. Students can access the programs through a variety of ways · mouse, trackballs · concept keyboards · switches · touch screens The same program to be used by students with different computer access skills through changing the way the presentation is set up. Examples of learning outcomes addressed in the "Talking Books" In Reading · attention to print, · print has meaning · specific vocabulary, and language concepts · re-enforcing symbol, sign word match · sight vocabulary skills · phonic work, letter sound relationships · one to one pointing to words · concepts of print such as left to right direction, return sweep · reading strategies such as using pictures as cue, re-reading, · "reading" using communication devices such as concept keyboard In Writing · authoring stories using photos as prompts · writing news stories In Speaking and listening · requesting using photos, as part of PECS program · commenting using "1 see/object" format as per PECS Other learning goals include - · developing stimulus response · developing computer skills such as using mouse, space bar, track ball, navigating through programs · communication skills such as requesting (eg specific "book" to put on) and commenting (PEC - I see object) Background of project - I began using digital images just over two years ago, while working at Hampden Specialist School. The images were initially used in the traditional ways that "real" photos are, to support communication and to make language experience books. However, I soon discovered that combining digital photos in computer programs opened up an exciting new range of learning activities and this approach very quickly became an integral aspect of my language and reading programs. The combination of images and technology is a very potent one. It proved to be a very influential tool for motivating students and provided a powerful means of individualising learning activities to the specific needs of each student. The initial aim of my "Talking Books" project was to create my own interactive programs akin to the Living Books series. The students' photos about their own experiences were the basis of these programs, and it was envisaged that the programs would include speech for "reading" the story, and "hot spots" that would animate or give some response when clicked using the mouse. I decided at the outset to create the "books" using software that was available on all the school computers. This would minimise the expense of buying other programs, enhance staff confidence and familiarity with programs across the school, and enable all staff to create programs for their own students on the computers that the students would use. The platform software that I use is Microsoft Power Point for creating the story books, Microsoft Sound Recorder for incorporating speech, Microsoft Paint for preparing photos (as well as the camera's own software programs), and Microsoft Publisher for printing out the readers. Development of the Project The initial type of "book" I developed was based on experiences and activities that the students participated in as part of their school programs. The students enjoyed, and still do enjoy, watching their photos and listening to the "stories" being read. However, I soon realised the potential for developing "books" that specifically incorporated various features of text that the students were dealing with in other areas of their English program. I began to develop "books" designed to include those features that specifically addressed student learning outcomes. Learning Activities using other technological devices. The program also includes a range of learning activities using other technology devices, that support the "Talking Books" programs - · our own published books that students can "read" by placing them on a concept keyboard and pressing the words · reading books using communication devices such as Cheap Talks · word/photo/symbol work using Language Master Benefits of Program As the program developed, I noted a number of positive features - · Through making my own computer programs I am able to precisely tailor them to meet the goals of individual students · By making my own programs and school-published books I am able to bridge the gap between the student and published materials that are often too abstract/difficult/irrelevant for many of our students · I don't have to rely on finding suitable published material, I can tailor my own to my students' needs · I can make a series of programs/books that practice the same vocabulary in different ways. It is often difficult to get published readers that give enough practice with the same word groups. · I can include symbols, signs and/or words according to the communication need of each student. · Power Point has a number of features that enable the same presentation to be used in a number of ways - eg automatic timing, changing screen through pressing space bar, navigating through story by using the mouse to click on buttons - thus enabling the same program to be used by students with different computer access skills. Further positive aspects have been · Using their own photos has been highly motivating for the students · The use of photos has made the language/concepts more easily understood by the students, and more meaningful to them · Photos provide a precise means of communication, doing away with ambiguities of meaning · They're fun! And the students enjoy doing activities that incorporate them Assessment and Student Learning Outcomes (1999) Assessing the success of the program involved both informal and anecdotal methods, and student improvement involving formal testing against statewide criteria (Clay's Observation Survey) and Individual Education Plan goals. As far as informal methods are concerned, teacher and parent appraisal has been very positive. Improvement has been seen in student behaviour and engagement with the learning tasks. Students are motivated and keen to participate. The students often sneak in from play to use the computer, and "fight" each other to be the one to use the mouse/trackball. All students showed improved computer skills. All students also showed an increased interest in books, both school produced, and published readers and stories. They often choose to have books during free time, and showed an increased interest in print in the general environment. Communication skills also improved, with initiation of requests using symbols and photos being the most notable. Formal testing using Clay's Observation Survey showed significant improvement. Clay's Observation Survey · Concepts about print. Students differentiate between text and pictures, they can show where on a page to start reading, which direction to go in, return sweep. They can also point word to word as the text is read to them. · Letter identification has improved. Students know the sound of many letters and can identify these in text. · Sight vocabulary has increased (both words and symbols were tested). · Writing vocabulary has increased. All students have shown an interest in writing and attempt to write using real and invented letters. Individual Education Plan Goals (IEP) Student learning objectives were set against the school's modified English curriculum, covering skills in the areas of Speaking and Listening, Reading, and Writing. All students made significant, measurable improvement, achieving a higher than 90% success rate for goals set for the year. Other ideas for using digital photos This session has focused on using digital photos and technology to enhance student learning in the English curriculum area through developing Power Point programs, but there are many ways in which digital photos can be used. They can be used to promote communication for non-verbal students, in creating timetables and behaviour scripts. They can also also be used in other computer programs such as Writing with Symbols, and on concept keyboard overlays and to make resources such as work sheets, and stickers. They can be sent home to parents to show what the students have done during their day at school. They can be used for reporting on student achievement, in the students' diaries as a "memory" aid. Conclusion The "Talking Books" project grew out of my desire to create learning experiences that were specifically focused on the skills that individual students in my group needed to develop. It has proved to be a very successful way of helping students achieve their goals by making their learning both relevant and FUN.. List of Resources used as part of the "Talking Books" project. Digital camera Digital video camera Computer Concept keyboard Trackball Communication devices such as Cheap talks Microsoft Programs -Power Point, Sound Recorder, Publisher, Paint Other software - Writing with Symbols, Concept Plus. Acknowledgements Programs are developed using Microsoft Power Point. Symbols used in programs are by Compic Development Corporation, and Mayer Johnson Signs are Australasian Sign Language Programs feature students and staff at Hampden Specialist School and Barwon Valley School, used with permission. Thanks to my former principal Pam Coolahan, and to my current principal Peter Symons, for supporting and promoting this initiative, and for ensuring it's viability through providing adequate funding through the school budget. Press the back button in your browser to return to the Barwon Valley Website.