Professional Learning Goals

• Used technology to meet ministry expectations and create challenging and rich tasks in French and social studies
• Explored the effective integration of iPads/tablets in the classroom
• Collaborated to explore and share best practices and expand the use of technology in French and social studies
• Created a bank of benchmark tasks

Activities and Resources

Grade 4: “Où est le…”
Following a familiar model, students created an “Où est le…” book, focusing on prepositions and using familiar vocabulary, themes (e.g., les animaux du Canada) and language structures (e.g., où est, il/elle est).
This activity addresses multiple Ontario Curriculum Expectations in Extended French (writing, speaking, media).

Technology used: Chromebooks, Google Slides, Book Creator

Grade 4: Les sociétés anciennes collaborative inquiry
Using the gradual release approach, students participated in a collaborative inquiry into one of three early societies. After researching, groups created a digital scrapbook depicting several key aspects of life in that society, including a timeline, the importance of the environment, and key artifacts and inventions. They also created a video presentation of them speaking in role, presenting the viewpoint of a particular citizen of their society.

This activity addresses multiple Ontario Curriculum Expectations in Extended French (writing, speaking, media) and social studies (early societies).

Technology used: computer lab desktops, Chromebooks, Google Slides, iPads

Grade 5: Biographie
Students researched a famous Aboriginal Canadian and presented their findings using Google Slides or Book Creator. They also created a short video presentation in the form of a biographical monologue, written from the point of view of the person they studied.

This activity addresses multiple Ontario Curriculum Expectations in Extended French (writing, speaking, media).

Technology used: computer lab desktops, Chromebooks, Google Slides, iPads

Grade 5: Social Studies

Students researched a First Nation and created a non-fiction book with the appropriate text features and including information about key characteristics specific to that nation (e.g., language, religion, family structure). Groups of students shared their learning with the class through a collaborative Google Slide.

Writing in role: working in groups of four, students created a video presentation of them speaking in role, presenting the viewpoint of a particular citizen of their First Nation or depicting a series of diary entries also presenting the viewpoint of a particular citizen.

This activity addresses multiple Ontario Curriculum Expectations in Extended French (writing, speaking, media) and social studies (early societies).

Technology used: computer lab desktops, Chromebooks, Google Slides, iPads

Resources:

• Revised FSL curriculum document
• Revised social studies curriculum document
• Internet
• TDSB virtual library website
• Toronto Public Library website
• GAFE

Unexpected Challenges

We underestimated the learning curve – learning new devices, learning new apps, learning how to integrate them into the curriculum and navigating board policies and constraints with regards to devices and apps.

While there was some student anxiety about using devices and apps, teacher anxiety proved to be a larger hurdle. Perhaps hoping to integrate technology in the early months of second language acquisition was ambitious.

There were some unexpected administrative/system challenges, including a board restructure that eliminated key support personnel (e.g., instructional leaders, consultants). There were also significant delays in receiving school-wide technology. Some arrived in April, some not at all. This created challenges in finding equitable, efficient and effective ways of sharing limited devices.

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

• Students experienced more frequent exposure to, and use of, technology
• Students moved from using technology for word processing to creators (they went from being consumers to producers, using technology)
• Students’ skills and confidence improved
• Students were more collaborative
• Students were more engaged which is especially important for new language acquisition

Sharing

• Updates on the progress of the project were shared regularly with each other
• Regular communication with parents at curriculum nights, open houses and other special events (Canada150 evening)
• Students had opportunities to showcase their learning during family nights and Education Week
• Open classrooms during Education Week and other times throughout the year
• Created and maintained a digital portfolio that could be shared with other teachers (database of best practices)

Project Evaluation

While we faced some unexpected challenges, this forced us to become our own support network and to find solutions that would work for us and in our classrooms. This process made us stronger as teachers – what we know, we know well. We overcame challenges, including, for example, how to effectively use one iPad in a class of 24 students.

Group members are more knowledgeable about what is available and how it can be used to make French language teaching more effective and engaging. This project has allowed us to explore different ways of approaching tasks and how to integrate technology. We now have a bank of tasks and differentiation strategies that allow us to comfortably and confidently move away from paper and pencil-based activities and assessments.  It opened new ways for students to communicate and demonstrate their learning.

While we struggled to find effective ways for the students to use limited technology, both group members made significant use of the iPads for pedagogical documentation. Our new knowledge and competency moved us further along the continuum of technological integration and will allow us to hit the ground running in September.