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2015

Creating an Effective Model for Digital Storytelling

in the ESL Writing Class
Mary Sepp
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College

Shoba Bandi-Rao
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College

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 Creating an effective model for digital storytelling in the ESL writing class

Abstract

Using technology in the classroom is no longer the exception but the rule in most college

classrooms. Now the question is not whether to use technology, but which technology to use.

Among recent innovations is digital storytelling, a multimodal tool that can be used across

disciplines. This paper reports on a pilot study designed to determine the feasibility and

pedagogical value of using digital storytelling in an ESL writing course at an urban community

college. The report documents a detailed plan for implementation and some of the challenges this

process presents.

Key words: digital storytelling, multimodal learning, ESL writing pedagogy, instructional
technology

1
Creating an effective model for digital storytelling in the ESL writing class

The range of technology available to educators these days can be dizzying and overwhelming.

Thus, it behooves us to investigate the potential advantages and disadvantages of employing new

technologies before jumping on the proverbial bandwagon. New tools and technology-based

approaches may be more or less useful in a given context or discipline. One fairly recent

innovation in instructional technology is the use of digital storytelling, which seems to be

gaining in popularity, as demonstrated by the amount of literature already available on the topic.

Its popularity may be due in part to easier access to video and movie-making tools, but also

because it appears to have substantial potential for teaching and learning.

Though the term “digital storytelling” is generally familiar to educators, many still don’t

know what it is or how it works. Simply put, a digital story is a first-person narrative told in

concert with digital images and/or video, sometimes accompanied by music. In terms of the

story itself, there are several key features that are typically present. First, the stories should have

a main idea or address a question that is important to the storyteller, and hopefully to the

audience as well. Two other key features are the economical use of words in the written script

and appropriate pacing and rhythm in the oral narration (Lambert 2010). Further, creativity is a

particularly attractive element of digital storytelling, as the tone can range from humorous to

serious to shocking, enhanced by the use of sound and images. The range of topics is limitless:

content can be biographical, anecdotal, historical, cultural, etc.

The idea of storytelling in the classroom is of course not new, but the use of technology to

convey and enhance a story began in the 1990s and only started to catch on in the 21st century.

The concept of digital storytelling was formally introduced by Joe Lambert, Nina Muller, and

Dana Atchley in 1994 with the establishment of the San Francisco Digital Media Center. The

2
medium was not initially created for classroom use. Rather, the goal was to use digital

storytelling to inspire social change. However, UC Berkley was interested in exploring the use

of Digital Storytelling as an educational tool, and in 1998 the center was moved to UC Berkley

under a new name: the Center for Digital Storytelling (www.storycenter.org ). Now the Center

offers training workshops for educators throughout the United States.

Nowadays, the pros and cons of technology in education are a frequent point of discussion.

While technology undeniably adds an attractive aspect to some areas of education, many

academics worry that the convenience, speed, and instant gratification that technology affords

our students is also robbing them of some of the traditional benefits of the academic experience,

i.e., reflection and self-discovery. However, Wright and Ryan (2010) suggest that the

opportunity for self-reflection is one of the great benefits of digital storytelling. Raimist, Doerr-

Stevens, and Jacobs (2010) designed a course on digital storytelling at the University of

Minnesota to explore its creative and empowering potential for students. They found that

students benefited in different ways--some developed their ability to synthesize information

through the multimodal, multi-faceted process; others discovered new things about themselves,

redefining their identities. It is the process involved in creating a digital story that takes the usual

“instant gratification” of technology out of the equation and leads to deeper engagement on the

part of the student.

While digital storytelling could be applied rather seamlessly in a variety of disciplines, one

of the more obvious applications is in language and literacy courses. The personal narrative is a

writing genre that is relevant at all levels of education, including higher education. At the

college level, narrative writing is most often part of the remedial or developmental curriculum,

3
where students may lack motivation. Helping students find the inspiration to write is an on-going

challenge for instructors. This multimodal approach might be the answer. Hung, Hwang, and

Huang (2012) showed that digital storytelling projects can improve student motivation and

problem-solving abilities. Gunter (2012) also considers the motivational aspects, distinguishing

between “extrinsic” and “intrinsic” motivation. External motivators include prizes or extra

points, while intrinsic motivation involves the creation of an “authentic artifact” to establish a

“personal investment” (Gunter, p.139). The claim is that digital storytelling provides intrinsic

motivation and that this is more effective in the long-term.

Fries-Gaither (2010) likewise points out that while the writing process itself can be a bit

dull for some students, combining their stories with sound and images may be a more appealing

and stimulating task. Furthermore, the digital storytelling process contributes to the development

of cognitive strategies including “determining importance, visualizing, inferring, making

connections, and synthesizing information” (p.10). It has been suggested that these skills

contribute not only to good writing, but also to improved reading ability. Gunter (2012) claims

that learning to construct a digital story can actually help students develop better reading skills.

The article reports on results of a survey administered to students indicating that many students

found reading to be boring. Gunter posited that this was because they couldn’t visualize the story

and they were unable to extract the story’s context. However, by learning to create their own

stories, students’ ability to visualize what they are reading improves, as does the capacity to

understand the connecting layers of a story and relate it to other contexts. In short, they develop

critical thinking skills which are essential for reading comprehension.

In addition to critical thinking skills, this strategy has been used to bridge cultural divides,

to develop digital literacy, and to teach course content. Several studies (Skinner & Hagood,

4
2008; Reyes-Torres, Pich, & García, 2012) have reported on the use of digital storytelling for

English Language Learners. Reyes-Torres, et al. used digital storytelling in an EFL (English as a

Foreign Language) context to help students learn linguistic routines such as greeting and leave-

taking. Students were first shown digital stories designed specifically to demonstrate the targeted

linguistic elements. They were given a series of tasks related to the stories and then created their

own. Students (in groups of 3) were asked to create a social interaction in which they would use

pick-up lines. These were not stories in the traditional sense, but skits created by the students to

illustrate and practice a speech act. Thus, the focus was on the use of language in a particular

context, rather than on the story itself.

Skinner and Hagood (2008) presented a social perspective of literacy, emphasizing the

critical link between cultural literacy, digital literacy and traditional “foundational” literacy (i.e.,

reading and writing). Particularly in an ESL classroom, cultural diversity can be exploited in a

very positive way via digital storytelling. Sharing aspects of one’s culture builds knowledge,

promotes cultural/ethnic tolerance, and instills a sense of pride in the storyteller.

Nilsson (2010) presents the case of a learning-disabled boy, who finds his voice through

digital storytelling, and highlights the value of digital storytelling as a vehicle for multimodal

communication. The paper also suggests that multimodal communication should be embraced as

an alternative to traditional notions of literacy. While the latter conclusion may be controversial,

the communicative potential of digital storytelling is not.

The storytelling model designed by the Center for Digital Storytelling (CDS) is typically

personal and self-revelatory. And many who have adopted this teaching/learning approach

follow that model. Discovering one’s identity and revealing it to others may be considered one

of the benefits of the digital story. However, it is also perhaps the most difficult aspect of the

5
process. And to their credit, the CDS emphasizes the need for sensitivity in the process and

presentation of the stories (http://storycenter.org/ethical-practice/). Some students may be

reluctant to share personal stories with their classmates or teacher. To address this, Botturi,

Bramani, and Corbino (2012) took a different approach, allowing students to create fictional

stories with personal themes. This way they could benefit from the emotionally freeing

experience of “finding their voice” while preserving their safe space. However one approaches

this issue, it is important to discuss the project with students before it begins, so they know what

to expect.

Planning a Digital Storytelling project

While digital storytelling is an attractive approach to teaching and learning, careful planning is

important in order to achieve positive results. As Iannotti (2005) noted, digital storytelling can

be overwhelming if it’s not well thought out. Robin and McNeil (2012) suggest the use of an

instructional design framework known as ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement, and

evaluate). For digital storytelling, ADDIE would work something like this:

1. Analyze –
a. determine how digital storytelling will fit into the curriculum;
b. consider the student population and their particular needs (English
language ability, technological skills, etc.);
c. create a timeline for project; decide which technology will work best;
d. verify access to required technology;
e. identify possible support services.

2. Design – plan the logistics for technical and pedagogical implementation.

3. Develop –
a. choose a topic and write instructions for students;
b. develop a rubric for evaluation.

6
 4. Implement – present assignment to students and execute according to the
timeline.

5. Evaluate –
a. evaluate projects according to the rubric;
b. distribute student feedback surveys.

If a less formal approach is preferred, there are several basic but critical issues which

must be weighed before deciding to use this medium. These include access to appropriate

technology, students’ and instructor’s level of technological savvy, and availability of support

services. In addition, instructors should warn students about technical considerations such as

saving files in the appropriate format, backing them up, and also about the fact that sophisticated

features generally create more production challenges. Robin and McNeil (2012), and of course

the Digital Storytelling Cookbook (Lambert, 2010), offer useful tips on some of the technical

aspects.

The software required to produce the videos should be available and accessible to

students. A variety of software can be used, including Adobe Premiere Elements, MS

MovieMaker, Photostory, and WeVideo. The latter three have free versions. WeVideo is cloud-

based, so it doesn’t need to be downloaded. The user simply signs up for a free account. Unlike

MovieMaker and Adobe Premiere, WeVideo doesn’t have a built-in recording feature, but

students can record their narrative on their I-phones or similar device and then upload it to

WeVideo. Adobe Premiere Elements must be purchased, but it has more features and may

produce a higher quality video. For larger classes, the simpler, free options are probably a better

choice. Quality videos are possible without many of the fancy features offered by the expensive

packages. Furthermore, for pedagogical purposes, there is no real need for professional caliber

videos, at least not for English language learning.

7
A Digital Storytelling Pilot

In 2013, after attending a three-day workshop on Digital Storytelling provided by trainers from

the Center for Digital Storytelling, faculty participants implemented this teaching and learning

tool in their classes at a community college in New York City. The pilot discussed here,

conducted by one of the authors, was intended to assess the technical feasibility and pedagogical

appropriateness of digital storytelling in this context, and specifically in the ESL writing class.

Research Questions:

1. Is Digital Storytelling an effective tool within ESL writing curricula?

a. Can it be easily integrated into the ESL curriculum?
b. Will it engage and motivate students?
c. Will it enhance their language learning?
2. Is it technically practical?
a. Given the technology requirements, is Digital Storytelling a practical tool?
b. Are the technical aspects of Digital Storytelling too challenging for students in
general? How much accommodation might they need and what type of
accommodation?

Participants

-Nineteen ESL students enrolled in a high intermediate level ESL writing class at a community
college in New York City participated in the pilot. Sixteen of these students completed the
project.
-Nineteen linguistics students at the same college were assigned to mentor the ESL students.

Procedure

Careful planning by the instructor is critical, especially on the first attempt. Following the

preplanning steps according to ADDIE or a similar framework minimizes potential problems. So

before implementation, a general plan was laid out, including a determination of how digital

8
storytelling fits the goals of an ESL writing class, what resources are available for technical

support, which software might work best, what the needs of the students might be, and how

much time is required from project start to finish. Next, the logistical planning had to be

considered. For example, technology in the classroom should be tested to ensure that everything

works well. Also, since recording cannot be done in the classroom, arrangements to use a lab or

other quiet space needed to be worked out in advance. Finally, the topic, rubric, and evaluation

metric were developed. The topic can be developed before the semester starts, but it may be

desirable or even advisable in some cases to modify the topic once the student population is

known. Planning in advance is important, but the best topics/themes are born with the students

in mind. The linguistic and/or cultural background of students and their overall level of

competence in English may shape what topic will work best.

To ensure a support system, the pilot was designed as a collaborative project. ESL

students were paired up with linguistics students, who acted as mentors for certain parts of the

task. To integrate it into the linguistics syllabus, the project doubled as a language observation

project. Linguistics students were to assist ESL students with their digital stories, particularly

the narration, and write a report on their experience. ESL students would benefit from the help

and also get to know someone they may not have met otherwise. More importantly, they would

improve their English language skills. Linguistics students would learn about the language and

culture of their mentee. Helping them with the narration would expose the linguistics students to

some of the challenges of second language learning. Since the linguistics students would not

necessarily have more technological expertise than the ESL students, the college’s E-Learning

Center would be the primary resource for technical support.

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Materials/Software

The software chosen for the project was MS Movie Maker, or I-Movie for Mac users. The free

version of Movie Maker produces good quality video, and it is relatively easy to use. It has a

built-in recording feature and an option to add music. Movie files are quite large, usually 20 to

60 megabytes for a 4-minute video, so students were asked to bring them in on a flash drive

rather than email them to the instructor.

The Task

A topic was chosen according to the students’ level (high intermediate) and the diverse

composition of the class. Students were asked to create a three- to five-minute digital story

about one aspect of their culture that they find interesting or fun. In other words, they were to

choose something about their culture that they would want others to know about. The idea of

sharing their culture was an important component of the assignment, so in addition to building

basic skills, students could learn about the world and perhaps understand their fellow students

better.

Implementation

The project plan was introduced to the students early in the semester. They were given the topic

and asked to write approximately 200-250 words as a first draft. In week three they brought the

stories in to share with classmates and get feedback. Also in week three, they were given the

instructions (see below) for writing, preparing, and creating the digital story. In addition, they

were shown a sample digital story from the storycentral.org website to give them a sense of what

their finished product might look like.

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Instructions for ESL Students

Writing the story

1. Write a story (in week 2-3 of the semester).
2. Story Circle - peer feedback.
3. Revise story based on peer feedback (week 3).
4. Revise the story again based on instructor feedback and look for pictures to enhance the
story (week 4).
Preparing the storyboard
5. Practice reading the story at home and see how long it takes. Be sure not to read too fast.
6. Create a storyboard with pictures and text, editing the story/script as needed (week 5).
7. Practice reading your story to your mentor or a friend (if the mentor is not available).
Creating the digital story
8. Find a quiet place to record the narrative.
9. Create the video (week 8 and 9).
10. Add background music (optional).

The linguistics students were also given a set of instructions (see below), outlining their

mentoring tasks. They wrote a report of their experience at the end of the project.

Instructions for linguistics students:

1. Meet and interview your mentee (week 3 or 4).
2. Help ELL to tweak the script and choose the right pictures (week 5).
3. Help them prepare the narration for the video (week 7 and 8).
4. Write a report (8-10 pages, double-spaced) of your experience in terms of communication
with the mentee. What did you learn about the student’s 1st language? His/her culture?
Were there any other factors that seemed to affect communication between you and your
mentee? (first draft due in week 10; final draft due in week 12).

Assessment

The ESL course (ESL62) is a non-credit course and students do not receive letter grades, but a

rubric (see Appendix 1) was used as a guideline for what students were expected to produce and

also to provide them with some uniform and tangible feedback once the project was completed.

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They were rated on a scale of 1-4 in five domains: focus of the story; development; clarity/pace

of the narration; choice of images; and grammar and usage.

Linguistics (“Language and Culture”) students were assessed according to a different

rubric (see Appendix 2), which focused on their collaborative efforts and their written reports.

These projects were graded according to the established A-F letter grading system.

Evaluation

A post-task survey was administered to ESL students at the end of the project to evaluate its

effectiveness from their perspective. Students were asked the five questions enumerated below

to elicit their feedback on the experience. Overall, the responses were quite positive, with all

ESL participants rating their experience as either 4 or 5. Results of survey questions 1 and 3 are

illustrated in Figure 1 and 2. Question 2 responses revealed that some mentors were perceived as

more helpful than others. In some cases, this was due to scheduling difficulties. And for number

4, most students said they would like to do a digital storytelling project again in another class.

Finally, responses to question 5 showed a range of outcomes, including learning how to write a

story, learning about other cultures, and learning to make a video.

Survey

1. How would you rate your overall digital storytelling experience on a scale of 1-5, 5 being
the best? __________
2. Did you find your mentor helpful? ____________
3. What was the most difficult part of the task? _____________________________
4. Do you think you would like to do this type of project again in the future, in another
course? ____________
5. What did you learn from this experience? _________________________________

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 How would you rate What was the most
your digital storytelling difficult part of the task?
experience on a scale of Voice recording Writing the story
1-5 (5 being the best)? Setting up the video Filling up the time
No problems

1
2 19%

3 6%
6%
4 56%

13%
5

FIGURE 1: Results of Survey Q1 FIGURE 2: Results of Survey Q3

Discussion

The results overall indicate that the students enjoyed the project and learned from it. There were

challenges, however. The greatest of these, from the perspective of the students, was the

narration: speaking clearly, audibly, and with the right rhythm and pacing. From the instructor’s

perspective this particular challenge is an advantage of the project since it forced students to

recognize their weaknesses in this area and to push themselves to improve. As a consequence,

they gained more confidence in their ability to express themselves orally. This is very important

for ESL students as they move on to classes with native English speakers. Another problem area

was writing the story. Again, this was meant to be a challenge as it was the primary learning

objective of the project. Students wrote multiple drafts in order to convey their story in an

organized, coherent way, thus improving their writing skills.

13
 The topic chosen for the pilot worked very well for the test group. Students should be

challenged but not unreasonably so. Sharing snippets of their culture both engaged and educated

students. The range of cultures in the class spanned Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and

Africa. Topics including Bangladeshi food, Ecuadorian Carnaval, Ivory Coast traditional masks,

and Haitian voodoo helped stimulate students’ intellectual curiosity about world cultures and in

some cases also gave them a better understanding of a classmate. For advanced classes, more

challenging topics may be assigned, such as a humorous anecdote or a pivotal moment.

While most students didn’t complain about the technical challenges, there were some.

One issue was the reliability of classroom equipment. Although the college provides smart

classrooms, sometimes the equipment did not work as it should, so tech support services had to

be called during class time on one occasion, for example. When planning to view videos during

class, it is helpful to arrive a little early. However, this may not be possible if classes are

scheduled close together. Also, the large movie files can be a bit tricky to transfer. Since they

are often too large to send by email, students would have to bring in their flash drive so it could

be copied to the instructor’s flash drive. The instructor needs to view the videos before showing

them to the class, so if there is a problem such as inaudible narration, the student could re-record.

Another issue was that some students didn’t have computers at home, or they were not tech

savvy, so arrangements had to be made with the e-learning lab to accommodate these students.

But this is a problem which was anticipated, so it was easy to resolve. Another solution to this is

to solicit the help of students in the class who are more adept with technology and willing to help

their classmates.

In terms of course integration, the digital stories fit well into the writing curriculum. The

digital story process itself can help develop students’ writing skills, as storytelling is a common

14
mode of development in essay writing. In addition, the finished product can be used as a writing

prompt. For instance, the ESL students in this study were shown three to four of the videos on a

given day and then asked to write about their favorite, explaining what they liked about it and

what they learned from it. Follow-up writing tasks can be more or less challenging according to

the students’ level.

Conclusions

Given the positive response from students and the quality of the finished products, digital

storytelling appears to be a viable teaching tool for ESL. It is technically accessible and students

enjoy it. In addition, students who participated in this pilot were engaged and seemed to gain

confidence in their communicative ability by the end of the project. Through the process of

creating a digital story, they learned to organize, build, and relate a story in a coherent way (see

sample in Appendix 3). For example, matching images to the narrative allowed them to

recognize when the storyline had gone adrift. Also, the topics enhanced students’ knowledge of

other cultures, which they were able to write about in the post- presentation writing tasks. Thus,

digital storytelling helped improve students’ writing skills, as well as their oral skills. The

question now would be whether student writing outcomes ultimately fared better as a result of

digital storytelling. Determining this would require further research, perhaps comparing the

writing outcomes of classes that used digital storytelling to classes (at the same level) that did

not.

From a practical standpoint, the project was a bit more labor intensive than other

pedagogical tools. Technological glitches are inevitable, but they are likely to become more

manageable each time the process is repeated. The collaborative approach employed in the pilot

was also problematic at times. This was due primarily to conflicting schedules, as many

15
community college students have jobs and other obligations that limit their availability.

Students were encouraged to use Skype as an alternative, but even that was difficult to arrange

for some students. Still, for some students collaboration was a positive experience and seemed

to enhance the quality of their projects. In general, collaboration between students in different

classes would probably be more feasible in a non-commuter college where most students live on

campus. Thus in settings such as the one used in the present study, it is better to allow more

classroom time for peer and instructor feedback. Another solution might be to do group projects,

where four or five students can create one story. These students could support each other.

Furthermore, as Iannotti (2005) suggests, having fewer projects to manage would make it more

feasible for the instructor to provide substantial feedback to students.

As with the implementation of any new tool, digital storytelling requires a high level of

commitment and effort throughout the process. But the potential benefits for teaching and

learning make the effort worthwhile. And as with most new tools, once you learn how to

navigate it, the process will become less cumbersome, lifting the burden of tool management so

you can focus on its pedagogical value.

References

Botturi, L., Bramani, C., & Corbino, S. (2012). Finding Your Voice Through Digital Storytelling.

TechTrends 56(3), 10-12.

Center for Digital Storytelling. Retrieved May 26, 2013 from

http://www.storycenter.org/index1.htm.

Fries-Gaither, J. (2010). Digital Storytelling Supports Writing Across Content Areas. Ohio Journal

of English Language Arts, 50(1), 9-13.

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Gregori, C., & Pennock-Speck, B. (2012). Digital storytelling as a genre of mediatized self-

representations: an introduction. Digital Education Review, 22. Retrieved from

http://greav.ub.edu/der

Gunter, G.A. (2012). Digital Booktalk: Creating a Community of Avid Readers, One Video at a

Time. Computers in the Schools, 29, 135–156.

Hung, C.-M., Hwang, G.-J., & Huang, I. (2012). A Project-based Digital Storytelling Approach for

Improving Students' Learning Motivation, Problem-Solving Competence and Learning

Achievement. Educational Technology & Society, 15 (4), 368–379.

Iannotti, E. (2005). How to Make Crab Soup: Digital Storytelling Projects for ESL Students.

Transit, 1(1), 10-12. Retrieved on October 2, 2014 from

http://worldroom.tamu.edu/Blog/Text/June18/How-to-Make-Crab-Soup-Digital-

Storytelling-Projects-for-ESL-Students.pdf

Lambert, J. (2010). Digital Storytelling Cookbook. Retrieved on May 27, 2013 from

http://edsserver.ucsd.edu/courses/eds204/su12/cookbook.pdf.

Nilsson, M. (2010). Developing Voice in Digital Storytelling Through Creativity, Narrative, and

Multimodality. Seminar.net - International journal of media, technology and lifelong

learning 6(2), 148-160.

Raimist, R., Doerr-Stevens, C., & Jacobs, W. (2010). The pedagogy of Digital Storytelling in the

college classroom. Seminar.net - International journal of media, technology and lifelong

learning 6(2), 280-285.

Reyes-Torres, A., Pich, E., & García, M.D. (2012). Digital Storytelling as a Pedagogical Tool within

a Didactic Sequence in Foreign Language Teaching. Digital Education Review, 22, 1-18.

Retrieved on July 17, 2013 from http://greav.ub.edu/der

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Robin, B.R., & McNeil, S.G. (2012). What educators should know about teaching digital storytelling.

Digital Education Review, 22, 37-51. Retrieved on July 17, 2013 from

http://greav.ub.edu/der

Skinner, E., & Hagood, M. (2008). Developing literate identities with English language learners

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25.

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 Appendix 1

Digital Storytelling Rubric for ESL

Student’s name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY Excellent (4) Good (3) Satisfactory (2) Poor (1) Score
Focus There is a clear The focus is clear The purpose of the It is difficult to
focus throughout. during most of the story is clear, but figure out the
video. the focus is lost a purpose of the
few times. video.
Development The story is told The story seems to The story needs The story needs
of the story with exactly the be missing some more editing. It is extensive editing.
right amount of important details, noticeably too long
detail throughout. OR it includes or too short in more
some unnecessary than one section.
details.
Narration – The pace, Narration is The intonation The narration is
intonation, intonation, and generally engaging, doesn’t suit the difficult or
pace, and clarity of the but the pace may be story. impossible to
clarity narration fit the a bit too fast or too understand or
story. slow for the story. hear.

Images The images create Images create an An attempt was The images were
an atmosphere or atmosphere or tone made to use images not appropriate for
tone that matches that matches some to match the story, the story.
different parts of the parts of the story. but it needed more
story. work.
Grammar Grammar and usage Grammar and usage Grammar and usage Repeated errors in
were correct and were generally were generally grammar and
contributed to correct, and errors correct, but errors usage made the
clarity, style & did not detract from detracted from the story very difficult
development. the story. story. to follow.

Total Score:

19
Appendix 2

Project Rubric for Linguistics

Student’s Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY A B C D F Grade
Collaborative effort: Worked very Had some Some attempt Minimal effort No
meeting deadlines, well with problems but to collaborate. collaboration
providing input to mentee, kept made a good
mentee, and assisting appointments, effort to work
with narration and etc. with the mentee
general guidance in
the preparation of the
digital story

Project Report*: Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor Unsatisfactory

All components are or not submitted
submitted on time.
The analysis is
thorough and
insightful, and
demonstrates an
understanding of the
cultural and linguistic
elements of second
language learning.
The paper is well
written and follows
the specified format.

Combined Score (equally weighted):

*Project Report (8-10 pages, typed in 12pt. font and double-spaced) required components:

1. One-page bio of your mentee (use an alias instead of his/her name)

2. One to two page description of mentee’s first language
3. Description of the project experience, including a summary of the digital story
4. Discussion of your observations of second language learning, including what you learned
about your mentee’s language and culture
5. Bibliography (including references for item 2 and any other references consulted for item
4)
1st draft due in week 10; final draft due in week 12

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Appendix 3

Sample student story

A Taste of Home

My name is _______________. I was born and raised in Bangladesh. There are many
interesting things about Bangladeshi culture, but one of my favorite things is the food. I am used
to Bangladeshi food and so when I first arrived in the U.S. I was worried about changing my
diet. I didn’t like American food and I had a lot of problems. However, shortly after my arrival
in New York, I had a wonderful experience. I found my own ethnic food here in America. I was
so surprised because I never thought I could eat Bangladeshi food here.

Fortunately, New York is a very diverse city, so I met other people from my country and they
told me where I could find some typical Bangladeshi food. Several kinds of food are popular
among Bangladeshi people. For example, every Bangladeshi person eats what we call Macha
batha Bangali. That means fish and rice Bangali. Some other popular Bangladeshi dishes include
fish curry and rice, beef curry and rice, kacehi biryani, chicken biryani, and beef biryani. Also,
one of the tastiest dishes is called “small fish fry”.

Now I feel a lot better than before because Bangladeshi food makes me happy. I have discovered
a lot of Bangladeshi restaurants here in New York. Now I can get my food more easily. I can go
to the restaurants and I can eat delicious food. I often go to restaurants with my friends on my
cultural holidays and enjoy nice Bangladeshi food, just like at home.

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