Be creative with Storybird

Finding it difficult to encourage students to write? How about using this tool, Storybird as a start to solve your worry. Storybird is a website that gives students (or even adults!) opportunity to write comic strips using collection of images that are drawn by various free artists around the world. Through pictures, students can be inspired to imagine and explore the story behind each of it and produce a storytelling of their own. Interestingly, this website also allows people to collaborate in pairs and share their ideas together in one piece of work.   

Website URL:  http://www.storybird.com

How it operates?

• In order to start writing comic strips, you must have your own Storybird's account. Not to worry, this website is free and you do not have to spend a penny. Once registered, you can customize your avatar and improve your understanding of this website by reading some of the guidelines.

• Now, let's jump to making a storybird. You can choose pictures by two means. First, you could browse the 'story art' by looking at the title and its sample of pictures. There are a lot of them and you could reload the page until you find one that interests and inspires you. The next option is that you can choose image collections by clicking on themes. There are various of them such as dream, vacation and musical. Through this way, you can be more focus on what to search for and have the idea on what you would write afterwards.

Theme: travel (toy train by shishir naik)

• Do you find one that you like? So, let's start the story telling. There would be various pictures that you can pick from to start your story. The picture can be positioned at the right side of the page, the left side and even to the full page. A writing box is also provided so that you can insert your writing. If you have done with your first page, you can always add a page to continue your story. Perhaps, along the story line, if you dislike one of the page that you have made, you can just remove it by clicking 'remove a page' button. As easy as that. 

• The story could be a two-person's work too. By clicking the 'menu' button, you can invite someone to collaborate in creating a story. Just insert the recipient's first name and email, and your invitation will be sent. When your partner accept your invite, you can take turns in finishing your piece.

• When you have satisfied with your work, you can then publish the story by clicking 'publish story' button at the 'menu'. Your story will be automatically saved as private where only you and some people you choose can read it. If you want to make it public so that other Storybird members can read it, you can change the setting and select 'Public' in the privacy menu.                 

• Writing Storybird is fun but you can also have fun by reading other's piece of work too. Just click 'Read' and many Storybirds will be listed out for you to choose. You can enjoy someone else' story and perhaps learn their style of writing at the same time. It is like killing two birds with one stone, right?   

This is the link to a story that I have made with my friend, Eind. Enjoy!

How can teacher use it?

Write narrative writing

        Teacher can use this as a tool to encourage students to write narrative writing. You may divide students into pairs or let them work alone depending on their level of confidence in writing as well as their familiarity to work with other people. It is also important to check students' works and you can do so by asking them to send their story to you via email.   
    

        The writing activity could be more interesting if you create a competition among the students where the winner would be acknowledged and rewarded. As a teacher, you could use your full authority in judging their stories and decide the winner by yourselves. However, you could also include students in choosing the winner as well. Choose the top three or five from all the stories and ask students to vote one that attracts them the most. You might also encourage students to voice out their opinions on their choices.

What do I say about this website?

Thumbs up points :)

1) Students can practice creative writing by narrating a story.
2) Interesting pictures.
3) Enhance cooperation and good communication in pair works.
4) Ownership.

Thumbs down points :(

1) Limited pictures. (Idea could be restricted by lack of suitable picture to suit the writing).
2) Sharing ideas might lead to students losing their own creativity and tend to follow the one who dominates. 
3) The file only can be shared and not embedded unless you upgrade your membership (we have to pay basically).
I hope you use it and ENJOY!

Dvolver the moviemaker

What excites you more? Writing a dialogue on a plain paper or writing it on a website where you can choose your own backgrounds, places and moving characters? I bet the latter is your choice. This is all made possible in, an interactive website suitable for all (students and adults) to express ideas through dialogues and making it into movies. Only by following the steps, you could be a producer of your own.

Website URL:  http://www.dvolver.com/moviemaker/index.html

How it operates?

There are several steps that you need to follow. It’s so easy that you just have to click the button ‘next’. 

• The first step gives you several choices on what backgrounds and skies do you want for the video. It depends on your creativity on how to mix and match these two. 

• Then, you can proceed to choosing a plot related with characters’ movement. Four choices are given; rendezvous, pick up, chase and soliloquy. Some words are difficult? Don’t worry. There are also visuals of what the words portray and it really helps the process. 

• Next, you can now choose characters of your interest. The characters, all with their own look, are given their characteristics, likings and ages. Choose what you like. 

• You can now proceed to inserting dialogues. There is a limit on 100 words per line (which is very long!) and you can easily add new scene to your movie! 

• To make it more interesting, why don’t you put a background song to your movie? There are up to 15 songs that you can choose and it depends on how it suits with your situations.

• All is ready and what more other than choosing your title design, movie title and director’s name (which is you!). It is your creativity to decide which design and what title that you think would be attention-grabbing.

• Finally, you can preview your movie and adjust it (if you want to) and send it to anyone you wish.     

Here is the sample of moviemaker that I made. 

  

How can teacher use it?

Write creative writing

This website can be a platform for students to show their creativity in creating dialogue and choosing a suitable background for it. But beware, as a teacher, you need to give guidelines on how to use this application. You wouldn’t want any particular topics (the inappropriate one!) to be discussed right? So, teachers could give students some topics that are interesting, contextualised and appropriate so that they know what to write and plus it is perhaps one of their experiences in life. You can also check the works by asking them to send their final piece to your email.  

What do I say about this website?

Thumbs up points :)

1) Students can practice language for real-life purpose (conversation).

2) Enhance creativity.

3) Interesting tools (graphics, colours, movement).

4) Fun and enjoyable.

5) Students can learn from visuals.

6) Easy and user-friendly.

7) Ownership (students have their own piece of work that they can proud of!).

8) Attract introvert students.

9) Contextualised learning.

Thumbs down point :(

1) Characters might be too exposing (not suitable for young children).

2) Limited of characters’ movements.

3) Unsure about the correctness of dialogue. 

4) The most prominent issue-must have internet connection!

I hope you use it and ENJOY!