Online Speaking lesson creating trade cards

For my first online class, I planned a get to know each other session. This is a face-to-face Speaking for professional purposes class (public speaking) converted into an online one due to COVID-19, so there are very interesting challenges ahead! Let me share with you what I did in an 80-minute session with 23 students. The first 25 minutes included connecting to the platform, calling attendance to check all mics worked, getting to know me and understanding the program. After that, students were assigned their first speaking task. 

Tools used in class:

Online synchronous connection: 

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra

Trade card creation website:

Collaborative tool:

padlet

Team generator tool:

We connected synchronously using Blackboard collaborate ultra through our university LMS, Blackboard. I previously sent a very short video on how they had to connect, so we wouldn’t have any issues with the steps. It worked like a charm!

Instructions for students:
The speaking activity was divided in four steps, which I posted on Blackboard.
1) Create a trading card with personal information you want to share.
2) Post your card in a padlet link.

3) In 1 minute, talk about YOU based on the information on the card.
4) When presentations are done, write a question or comment to each person in your group.

The step by step:
1) Creating trade cards:
Students were given a model and I made my own description using the example, so they would know what they were expected to talk about.

2) Posting cards in Padlet:
I used padlet for students to post their cards easily. This way, I could share my screen and click on the picture while each student talked about themselves. This saved a lot of logistics time. Students required 15 minutes to create their cards and post them.

Note: This screenshot only includes students who authorized sharing their cards. (Remake of the original)

3) One minute talk:
When the cards were ready, I clicked on each card to indicate whose turn it was to talk. To keep track of time, I used a timer on my phone and asked students if they were ready. They activated their mic and when I said “go!” they talked. If they took more than the minute, I would tell them time was up. In general, one minute was enough time.

4) Ask follow-up questions
In order to include interaction among students, I used an pickerwheel to generate groups (using my class list).  I posted the list on Blackboard and asked students to ask a follow-up question to each person of their assigned group regarding the information in the card. Then, students answered the questions in the Padlet.

Hope you find this post useful! If you think of other ways to use online trading cards, do share! We all need as many ideas as possible these days to make our online teaching more meaningful. Needless to say, this lesson can easily be included in a regular face-to-face class.

To read this blog post in Spanish, click here!

10 thoughts on “Online Speaking lesson creating trade cards”

  1. Very nice and useful activity. I think I am going to replicate it in one of my classes,

    Thanks for sharing

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