Student Attention-Getters with Technology

When we have to "deliver" information to students, usually when introducing a new concept or skill, we want students to be engaged. Here are two attention-getters you can use in presenting.

If you were a part of our last institute day and the "tech slam" you heard about Tellagami. This is a great app to add any photo as the background while a character speaks your own words. Introduce a new story, historical time period, or science concept through a "gami" video. Click the videos for student examples.

Check out this blog post from Free App Friday for a few more examples across grades and subjects.

Another app is called Chatterpix, or the kid friendly version, Chatterpix Kids. It allows you to animate a mouth on any image and record your voice. Imagine book characters, photos of actual or historical people, even inanimate objects speaking to your students!

Although these apps are not on the student iPads at this point, you could still work out a system for students to use them on your iPad, especially since they both have 30 second limits. This would allow for students to quickly rotate through using your teacher iPad, taking turns.


How would you use Chatterpix or Tellagami in your classroom?