[Eric18]

Do you video your English language learners? When? Where?

How do you show students the video? Do you replay in class? Do you post it on a course website? What kind of feedback do you provide?

I've been very impressed with the power of video as an educational tool. Students seem to take the presentation assignments more seriously, and put in significant amounts of preparation. The ability to post the video for self-evaluation and peer evaluations adds to their self-awareness. It also allows them to watch themselves several times, note their errors, and observe their gestures. My comments often echo and deepen their own self-criticisms. A pleasant benefit is less arguing over grades. Few people they have given a great presentation.

Some colleagues also require students to write transcripts of their entire presentations. I usually require that they transcribe just a minute of their second presentation.

Perhaps this is just a rare benefit available only at wealthy schools, but videocameras have come down in price and gone up in quality. The digital cards cost relatively little. The practice seems very useful. But how widespread is it?

Please share any of your experiences with recording students. I'm looking to expand the use of video, and not sure how to do it. Any suggestions? Tips? Advice?

[emile]

I definitely record them when teaching presentation skills. We record them at the beginning of the course for the 'before' and also at the end for the 'after' (like in the slimming ads, except here they stay the same size).

We also do courses in digital storytelling, where we let the students take over the videocams and hopefully produce something you-tube worthy.

[Eric18]

Sounds great. You're using tools that didn't even exist five years ago!

Do you give an archive of prior class work? Have you had any class video presentations make it to U-Tube yet? How have students responded?

I feel like we're on the cusp of a new era in teaching ESL.

[puu_sawn]

I have personally never video taped a student. Yet, last week when I was at a student's home, she expressed to me that other teachers back in Korea had used it and how "scared" it made her. Digging deeper into what she meant by "scared" I realized that it was really only by watching the recording of herself did she "realize how bad" her fluency was. Not something she was actually afraid of. So, obviously it's an effective tool.

Maybe it's time to start saving my pennies..

[mesmark]

I video tape some speaking tests at a nursing college, and the students think I take the videos home to watch them again for evaluation. But, I just evaluate them on the spot. I set up the video and actually record them just so they take it seriously.

and they do.

[Pernickety]

Am going to!

Plan to revise most of the topics covered during the year and take small video clips, then compile into a DVD with subtitles to give to each pupil at the end of the year. Hopefully they'll learn each time they open it to show it to their grannies!

Will watch this with interest as I think video is a great tool.