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The NEW Google Classroom - Full Tutorial

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Several post showing how teachers and students use, learn, and love Google Classroom!

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#googleclassroom hashtag on Instagram • Photos and videos

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139K Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from ‘googleclassroom’ hashtag

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BoomWriter is a free group-writing website for teachers where students develop and enhance their writing, reading, vocabulary, and peer assessment skills.

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This is a link to a channel that provides lots of audiobooks for various subjects and grade levels.

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"books to read" audiobooks audio books audiobook "greatest audio books" book "audiobooks on youtube" reading best version librivox audible 85686856 money literature free

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The best free Audiobooks in history! If you're looking for an audiobook we have over 850+ of the Greatest Audio Books, all FREE of charge for your listening pleasure- most condensed into one video for easy plays! We're always adding new audiobooks so stay posted!

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A list composed by teachers about the benefits of audiobooks!

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Thirty second graders are sitting at their desks, entranced. The classroom lights are dimmed and the only sound is a suspenseful voice coming over a pair of speakers. The students are listening to the audio version of Michael Buckley's Sisters Grimm series, part of a special tradition in Brown's classroom. Every day after recess, Brown's students spend ten minutes listening to a shared audiobook and then discussing what they heard as a class.

Brown says that it's one of her favorite moments of the teaching day, and her students love it, too. While a few of them could read Buckley's series on their own, most aren't ready for it as independent readers. Yet the audiobooks allow everyone to participate in the experience, enjoying Buckley's vivid characters, challenging vocabulary and rich, imaginative world.

Exposing all students to complicated storytelling, no matter their reading level, is just one benefit of using audiobooks in the classroom. But the research shows there are many other advantages too, including an increase in reading comprehension, motivation and self-confidence.

That's why we've gathered 10 teacher-tested ideas for using audiobooks in the classroom, from ways to help your struggling readers to strategies for gifted learners and students with special needs. Read on to discover how you can use this assistive technology to help all kids fall in love with reading.

1. Model Joyful, Fluent Reading

Whether it's Stockard Channing reading the Ramona books or Tim Curry narrating A Series of Unfortunate Events, part of the fun of listening to a story is the wonder and magic the reader brings to the performance. Stories come to life when read aloud, and as listeners we can see the characters and situations in new ways. You can describe fluency all you want, but nothing illustrates the concept more vividly than the animation a professional narrator brings to an audio recording.

"My class was so tickled by the audio version of James and the Giant Peach that I challenged them to create their own 'audiobooks' based on reading fluency, expression, and vocal emotion," says Molly Jane Rosen, a fifth grade teacher in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City. After "grading" the professional recording using a fluency rubric, Rosen's students went onto stage their own versions of the story. "They had a blast making their voices excited, neurotic, British, hopeful and all the myriad emotions only Roald Dahl can inspire," says Rosen.

Audiobook Teaching tip: Have students evaluate a professional audio recording based on reading fluency, expression, and emotion. Then challenge students to employ the same criteria as they read aloud themselves.

2. Hook Readers

You don't have to listen to an entire recording to reap the benefits of audiobooks in the classroom. Just a few minutes is often enough to introduce students to a new genre, author or literary technique, says Florida high school teacher Margaret Briskey. "When my students listen to an audiobook as a class, we do so in a variety of ways," says Briskey. "Sometimes we listen only long enough to get 'hooked' on a story, sometimes we listen to select parts to heighten the suspense or read with a fluency the students don't have, sometimes to get us through difficult pronunciations of unfamiliar words."

From there, students can engage with the print version of the text or continue listening on their own. "When I have hooked a new listener I may loan him or her one of my iPods with the full audiobook loaded," says Briskey. "I love when I am asked if I have any more 'like that one.'"

Teaching tip: Try playing an audiobook clip from the middle rather than the beginning of a story. The heightened drama and excitement may inspire students to pick up the book on their own.

3. Differentiate using audiobooks in the classroom

When you have to reach 30 different readers with 30 different learning styles and capabilities, audiobooks can help you bridge the gap and keep students engaged in meaningful literacy activities. For example, fifth grade teacher Ashley Naul uses audiobooks to make literature circles work in her classroom. "While students do some reading aloud within their circles," Naul says, "they also rotate to listening centers when I cannot join them for that class period. During this time, they listen to an audio version of the book. I don't have to worry about confusion, off-task behavior or mispronunciation."

Naul also uses audiobooks in the classroom to help catch up students who are absent due to illness, and to challenge her advance learners who may be ready for a new book sooner than their classmates.

Teaching tip: Set up a listening station in your classroom that contains tablets, computers or other playback devices, headphones and audiobooks. Post a list of instructions at the station so that students can easily begin work without your support.

4. Strengthen the School-Home Connection

Listening to an audiobook as a family can be a powerful shared experience, especially for students who don't necessarily come from a print-rich environment. The recording can serve as a model for reading aloud for parents and offer opportunities for discussion and reflection as family.

Teaching tip: Try sending home an audiobook loaded on an iPod or a Kindle, with discussion questions and a journal for reflection, suggests first grade teacher Carmela Annicchiarico. The next day, invite the student to sit in a special spot and share his or her journal entry with the class.

5. Focus on a Literary Device

Whether you're teaching personification, onomatopoeia, metaphor or hyperbole, listening to several audio clips that contain the device can often help students understand the concept quicker than reading it in print. Try playing three to five clips at the beginning of a lesson and challenging students to identify what the snippets have in common. Alternatively, once students have learned about a given literary term, you might ask them to journal each time it occurs in an audio recording.

Teaching tip: When students are giving oral book reports, ask them to play a favorite clip from the audio recording, then describe the literary techniques that makes the passage so effective.

6. Use Audiobooks in the Classroom to Engage With Nonfiction

With the Common Core's increased emphasis on nonfiction, many teachers are looking for ways to integrate more informational text into the curriculum. Listening to nonfiction on audio can be a great way to pique the interest of students who may not be as familiar with biographies, science and history books as they are with novels and poetry. Playing audiobooks in the classroom can also help you illustrate key characteristics of nonfiction, such as the use of relevant details and domain-specific vocabulary. Sometimes hearing the concept can make it click better than seeing it in print.

Teaching tip: Look for nonfiction with vivid language and storytelling, such as Jim Murphy's An American Plague or Tanya Lee Stone's Almost Astronauts.

7. Use Audiobooks to Compare Versions of the Same Story

In addition to the greater importance placed on nonfiction, the Common Core also calls for students in middle school and above to "compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama or poem to viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text." In other words, under the new standards, students need to be able to analyze the similarities and differences between a printed text and a performed version of the same story.

With audiobooks in particular, you might ask students how the narrator's tone, pace and inflection affect the interpretation of a story's characters, settings and events (e.g., Does the protagonist in the audio recording sound like students imagined? Why or why not?).

Teaching tip: Take the comparison a step further by analyzing two audio recordings of the same book read by different narrators (for example, Roald Dahl's version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory compared to Douglas Hodge's).

8. Use Audiobooks to Serve Students with Special Needs

Audiobooks in the classroom can be the way into reading for students with a number of special needs, including vision impairments, sensory integration issues and learning delays. As middle school special education teacher Maggie Johanson puts it, "Audiobooks increase students' comprehension skills as well as allow them to feel accomplished and talk about books that their friends are reading. This sense of accomplishment paired with a quality, engaging audiobook can instill the desire and love for reading in students that will last a lifetime!"

If you teach in an inclusion setting, you can have students with special needs listen along to the book that the rest of the class is reading in print. Or you can try assigning texts based on students' reading levels-remembering that students listening comprehension is often beyond what they understand in print.

Teaching tip: Choosing a device for students with special needs can be just as important as delivering the right content. Some students may prefer listening to an audiobook on tablet, while others may prefer a smartphone, CD player, or special playback unit.

9. Use Audiobooks in the Classroom as an Incentive

It sounds simple, but the opportunity to listen to audiobooks in the classroom can be a powerful motivator for students, says Felicity Steers, a second grade teacher in Idaho. Steers likes to offer audiobooks as an option during free choice time, and she reports that it's "always one of the first choices that gets snatched up!" To make it even more engaging, Steers allows students to listen in groups of up to three students. The result? Students "view reading as a fun and social event."

Teaching tip: Rather than offer stickers or prizes to students who reach literacy milestones or goals, make reading its own reward by inviting students to spend classroom time listening to a favorite audiobook.

10. Invite Students to Record Their Own Audiobooks

Listening to great stories and reading aloud go hand in hand, so after your students have become familiar with a professional audiobook, challenge them to make their own versions of the same story. Second grade teacher Bernadine Lormilus recommends using an iPod or smartphone as a simple recording device, or alternatively a program such as iMovie to capture a full-blown filmed version of the tale. "My students love hearing themselves," Lormilus says, "and they can judge whether or not they were reading fluently."

Indeed, making your own audiobooks helps to close the circle of fluency and comprehension, developing students' understanding that stories are both an art form and a means of communication.

Teaching tip: Make sure to share your personal audiobooks with students' families, your school community or online. Spread the joy of listening to a terrific story being read aloud!
Audiobooks are a great tool for teachers to relax with too! Check out our favorite list here.

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10 Ways to Boost Literacy Using Audiobooks in the Classroom

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Thirty second graders are sitting at their desks, entranced. The classroom lights are dimmed and the only sound is a suspenseful voice coming over a pair of speakers. The students are listening to the audio version of Michael Buckley's Sisters Grimm series, part of a special tradition in Brown's classroom.

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What is it? Amazon's Audible.com is an extensive digital library of high-quality audiobooks, including over 150,000 titles and growing.

How does it work? New users get a 30-day free trial with one credit toward an audiobook of their choice. To give you an idea of how far this credit can stretch, Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition (by Oxford University Professor Daniel N. Robinson) is a 60-lecture course that spans 30 hours and 10 minutes. It retails for $59-$80 when purchased as an audio download on many sites, yet its unabridged form counts as only one credit on Audible.

How hard is it to use? It's not hard to use at all, and while audiobooks can be played directly from the site, it's better to use the smooth interface of a mobile application for either tablet or smartphone. All books are stored in a library, meaning that users can access them from any device.

How well does it work? It works well, but for those who want to use Audible to access more than one book per month, there's only a 30 percent discount. Also, users who spend time on lengthier listens-such as the one mentioned above-will want to keep an eye on their credits. Only six can be rolled over in total, meaning that if you go seven months without any new downloads, you lose a credit. At $14.95 a month, that's a sizable loss.

How do I use it in the classroom? Audible's phenomenal listening experiences feature gripping voice acting from authors, actors and intellectuals alike. Bring fiction to life and supplement discussions of complex subject matter with one of the site's many titles, which span all grade levels and subjects.

Related resources

Read about other products featured in the Tech in the Classroom series.

Tech in the Classroom is a recurring feature that examines widely available technology, software and gadgets and how they might be used in a school setting.

Article by Jason Cunningham, EducationWorld Social Media Editor
Education World®
Copyright © 2014 Education World

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What is it? Amazon's Audible.com is an extensive digital library of high-quality audiobooks, including over 150,000 titles and growing. How does it work? New users get a 30-day free trial with one credit toward an audiobook of their choice.

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Using technology in the classroom to create podcasts has never been easier, and these handy tools can help students encode their learning into a meaningful, shareable form. A podcast is an audio show - sort of like a prerecorded and edited radio show - where individuals can communicate ideas, tell stories, and share audio content. We often expect our students to be able to demonstrate these technology in the classroom skills, and the podcast platform might just be the opportunity you've been looking for. If you want a creative way for your students to share their learning, then consider using one of these podcast apps!

If your students have Chromebooks or just want to use a simple web-based application, then try one of these.

Vocaroo

Vocaroo tries to make it as simple as possible for users. Their minimalist design features a button that says, "Click to Record." If students have a piece of audio they'd prefer to upload, another smaller button says, "Or upload?" offering that option.

The editing options for Vocaroo are limited, but it serves as a simple, entry-level online recording tool, especially useful for students in younger grades. Once a recording is completed, students can download their recording directly to a hard drive, or Chromebook users can have a link saved to their Google Drive.

TwistedWave

TwistedWave is available as an online tool, but also has features for a Mac, iPad, or iPhone. The online version does not require any downloading or installation - everything is available online. This browser-based audio editor allows the your-work-accessible-anywhere convenience, as long as you have an Internet connection.

TwistedWave offers more in terms of uploading, recording, and editing options, but it does require users to make an account if they want their files saved. Even then it only provides a mere five minutes of recording for free. A subscription purchase is required for more minutes of recording. TwistedWave does offer free uploading, recording, and editing tools, but cannot save them without an account.

This application is a step up from Vocaroo and might be more appropriate for slightly older users. Its editing options can be loads of fun for creative students, though it might get complicated. Still, its ability to import or export to multiple sources, like students' Google Drive, makes this a potential winner for your classroom.

Spreaker

Spreaker is another notch above Vocaroo and TwistedWave in terms of its options and tools. Like both, it provides a simple, web-based platform for students to record their own podcasts. However, the depth and capabilities provide what only your more serious students would need to complete their podcast episodes.

Spreaker requires an account just to get started, and its free plan offers 15-minute daily broadcasts, plus five hours of storage and basic analytics. But the tools go well above-and-beyond here. Their editing tools provide a rich mix of options for students to get creative. Spreaker also supports its community of podcasters, giving students an opportunity to see how others are using the platform.

Because of the features Spreaker is capable of giving, this tool may work best for older students, especially ones interested in learning more about digital media and communication. For example, students probably don't need analytics tools; however, analytics is an important tool for anyone serious about web-based communication to start learning.

Podcast Apps for iPads

If your classroom is one-to-one with iPads, try these apps to help students produce simple podcasts!

VoiceThread

Voicethread promises to take your conversations "To the next level, capturing your presence, not just your comments." What it means by this is that users can do more than just speak into a microphone. VoiceThread allows them to annotate directly on the screen, add videos and pictures, and share documents. This free app offers a unique tool for creating more than just a podcast, but a multimedia experience.

iPadio

Unlike most of the other apps listed here, iPadio allows users to record up to 60 minutes of audio. It can then be modified to add titles, descriptions, and images within the recording to create a modest display. The options for editing may be limited, but there is one distinction that makes this app unique: It can instantly upload to a students' social media account or personal webpage. It also comes with "Embed codes" which allow users to post the recording on their own webpages as well.

It contains limited video capacities for podcasts as well, and is generally used to create "High-quality audio with minimal fuss."

Mobile Podcaster

Mobile Podcaster is the only app in this article that costs money - a modest $2.99 - but may end up being more than your beginning podcasters need. The sleek and easy-to-use design of this app makes creating, editing, and exporting podcasts extremely easy. It is designed mostly for professionals who want to "Podcast or simply want to add audio to your blog."

While students will benefit from the neatly packaged array of tools for crafting a professional sounding podcast, they likely will not need to utilize some of the exporting and syncing features this app was designed to deliver.

Ways to Incorporate Podcasting into Your Classroom

While it's important for students to develop their conventional reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, podcasts can play an important role with furthering student communication. Podcast creation compels students to carefully craft their message and speak with clarity. They must also make themselves an expert on their given topic if they plan on communicating with confidence. Finally, as students share their podcasts in the classroom, they all hone their listening skills as they must focus their attention on the audio their peers created.

What can you use podcasts for? Consider some of these ideas:

Current Events/Non-Fiction Reading. Ask your students to read something non-fiction that interests them, or perhaps assign them a current event. After they read and learn about the content on their own, their podcast is proof of their comprehension.

A Book Report With a Twist. Ask students to summarize a recent book or short story they've read. Include other elements that would be appropriate for a broadcast such as a personal review, discussion of questions or confusions, sharing of "Easter egg" discoveries, and more. Have student import additional audio recordings they find that correspond with their broadcast content.

Interview an Expert. Experts are all around us. Send your students out into the world to interview someone who can teach them about an interesting topic. Ask students to prepare interviews for their parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, or classmates. This would involve instruction on interview skills as well as a unique way to bring in outside perspectives into the learning environment.

Flip the Instruction. All of these podcast apps are great tools for students to demonstrate their learning, but they're just as effective for teachers to use as well. Consider creating your own podcasts that supplement or flip your instruction in some way. Your students can carry your voice with them beyond the classroom which might allow you to make your time together within the classroom that much more productive.
What other apps would you add to this list? How would you use podcasts in your classroom to demonstrate student learning? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! Jordan Catapano is a high school English teacher in a Chicago suburb. In addition to being National Board Certificated and head of his school's Instructional Development Committee, he also has worked with the Illinois Association of Teachers of English and has experience as a school board member for a private school. You can follow him on Twitter at @BuffEnglish, or visit his website .

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Technology in the Classroom: Best Free Podcast Apps

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Using technology in the classroom to create podcasts has never been easier, and these handy tools can help students encode their learning into a meaningful, shareable form. A podcast is an audio show - sort of like a prerecorded and edited radio show - where individuals can communicate ideas, tell stories, and share audio content.

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Does setting up your own teacher blog appeal to you? We can help!

We have just updated our 10 step self-paced course on personal blogging!

About The Course

Here's what you need to know about the Personal Blogging Teacher Challenge course:

This is a free course that's open to anyone.

You can work at your own pace in a time frame that suits you.

If you complete all 10 steps you can access a certificate and badge.

Each step includes reading material, examples, and a choice of tasks to demonstrate and develop your skills.

You can pick and choose, and just complete certain steps if you wish.

Enjoy The Benefits Of Blogging

By the end of the course, you'll have a blog with strong foundations that will set you up to enjoy the many advantages of educational blogging.

So what are those benefits of blogging? Let's break down some of them!

Blogging helps teachers to reflect and develop their thinking.

Teacher-bloggers can be role models for students as digital citizens and writers.

The act of researching and writing authentically for an audience is a fantastic way to learn.

A blog can act as your home base for all your work and can serve as a digital portfolio which can be an advantage for furthering your career.

Trying out blogging before introducing it to your students can be a comfortable progression for many educators.

Optional Workbook

This PDF workbook will help to keep you on track and focused as you work through the 10 steps. The workbook also explains more of what the course is about.

Scroll down and click on the 'download' button under the document to save it to your computer or print a copy.

Get Started!

As Zig Ziglar said, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

Now is a great time to jump right in!

Any questions? Leave a comment below and we'll get back to you.

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Does setting up your own teacher blog appeal to you? We can help! We have just updated our 10 step self-paced course on personal blogging! Here's what you need to know about the Personal Blogging Teacher Challenge course: This is a free course that's open to anyone.

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A variety of blog posts by teachers themselves

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Learning Is Social & Emotional - Education Week

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In this blog, hosted by the Aspen Institute National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, multiple voices share lessons learned and difficulties encountered for supporting students' comprehensive learning and development.

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A short explanation to why I chose these tools and the teacher :)