BP9_2010033_Web2.0Tool3 (www.kindersite.org)

http://www.kindersite.org

Before you can fully appreciate the value of this site, you need to register first and it’s free. You can register as a parent or as a teacher. Once you registered and created your username and password, every time you login, you will be asked for which age group you want (2-6 years old) and type (parameters) if you want a game, song or story. You also have an option for high educational value and then you can click search. After you have selected an item and click add to my page, the content you have chosen will be added to your page.

I tried games for 4 years old with high educational, fun and playability value. The number one listed is Animal Parade from BBC on the Teletubbies site. There were sound effects and the goal is to match animals during the parade. When an animal walks into Teletubbyland the goal is to click on the correct animal in the circles below and then sit back and watch the parade.

Most of the games require flash so if you are using a window based computer make sure that the flash is updated to avoid any problems.

When my search was a song for 4 years old with the best educational value, best fun value and best playability value, it brought me to the number one choice of Starfall Music. This site can be found in www.starfall.com, which I am already using with my students. This music site will give the students a quick overview of the classics. Works of classical musicians like Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin, Scott Joplin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jacques Offenbach and Peter Tchaikovsky are displayed and can be heard in an animated way.

When I have chosen a story for a 4 year old, the number one choice was the “The Wishing Tree” by Rachel Dawson. It was an interactive book where children can click, hear the sound and listen while participating in the story. It was fun.

I wish I had found this site before the beginning of the school year and I will definitely recommend this site to my fellow pre-K and kindergarten teachers and friends who have little children.

The site had a refereed researched published for ESL (English as a Second Language) by Dolores Ramirez Verdugo and Isabel Alonzo Belmonte from Autonomous University of Madrid.
The title of their research is “ USING DIGITAL STORIES TO IMPROVE LISTENING COMPREHENSION WITH SPANISH YOUNG LEARNERS OF ENGLISH”. Please read the abstract below:

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the effects that digital stories may have on the understanding of spoken English by a group of 6-year-old Spanish learners. To accomplish this aim, a quasi-experimental research study was launched in six state schools in Madrid. A pre-post test design was used to investigate whether internet-based technology could improve listening comprehension in English as a Foreign Language (henceforth, EFL). Findings indicate that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the final test administered. These results raise interesting issues related to the use of technology in the context of foreign language learning. Future research which includes other age groups and digital materials and which explores other linguistic areas could further substantiate the link between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) rich environment and improved language learning.

Reference:

Verdugo, D.R., & Belmonte, I.A. (2007). Using Digital stories to improve listening comprehension with Spanish young learners of English. Language Learning and Technology, 11(1), 87-101.