Description of Selected Solutions

      This action study attempted to determine if the addition of Multi-media Same-Language Subtitling (SLS) Music Activities, similar to Karaoke had a positive impact on reading programs. The intervention portion of this research project documented the addition of several Same-Language- Subtitling music activities to daily reading activities.

      For the primary activity, for a period of 12 weeks students did:

(1) Enter class and obtain text worksheet; video is projected on screen and playing daily musical selection on repetitive loop.

(2) Watch in-progress 3 to 5 minute SLS presentation; (presentation played between classes and completed three repetitions after beginning bell of each class, and during last five minutes of each class.).

(3) Complete cloze worksheet (Lyrics with  blanks based on a pattern, such as type of word, related vocabulary, alliterations, etc.)

The basic SLS activity was used during the first 15 minutes and reviewed during last five minutes of each class. In addition music video played during all passing times. Students viewed a three to five minute selection of musical video with subtitling repeated a minimal of three times. The idea was to promote the active tracking of the subtitling.  The activity included simple cloze worksheets and echo reading sing-alongs. The teacher also modeled echo singing during the activity.

( Ongoing samples -seperate web site)

Official Google Blog: Same-Language Subtitling 

Source materials came from popular story musicals containing lyrics within students’ zone of proximal development (ZPD). Materials were paired with class reading activities, for example, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats with the Musical Cats. Materials were selected to support instruction of reading strategies, story elements and vocabulary from regular reading assignments. The materials for this portion of activity were primarily teacher directed or generated, and provided a model for student produced SLS presentations. Students also participated in existing class reading activities: read-a-longs using audio books with matching text, directed readings and Sustained Silent Reading (SSR).

In this study, the primary activity was added to what is typically class transition time. The SLS activity was intended to increase engagement during times that students typically are not directly engaged in reading activities. In addition, while the teacher also sang along with the subtitling, this allowed teacher to handle classroom management, such as attendance, passes, collecting and returning assignments etc. while at the same time the activity itself tended to eliminate disruptive behaviors. Students tended to be strongly focused on the SLS video activities.

             In the secondary SLS activity, students produced subtitled multi-media files. These activities focused on using the computer programs to create and manipulate subtitling with audio and visual files. This activity started with students producing Karaoke versions of their favorite song and progressed to work products for class use.

      As part of producing SLS media students did:

            (1) Locate a suitable audio source;

(2) build an exact matching text transcript 

        in electronic format of the audio content, 

         including marking syllabication;

            (3) combine text, audio and visual files 

                    into one multimedia file;

            (4) synchronize the text with audio and video;

            (5) convert composition to a presentation file;

            (6) create supporting worksheet/vocabulary activities.

    Steps two and four in this process were the most time and labor intensive, since these steps required the student to listen to audio multiple times and to create, match and synchronize a text to the audio content. Many of the resulting products were then used for class presentation of SLS.

For each class the writer did:

a)      Use data on group average grade equivalent reading levels to choose source materials within each groups Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), or at a level to be sufficiently challenging for each group.

b)      (Create various SLS presentations for 30 entry class activities, and directed student created presentations for an additional 30 class presentations.

c)      Document group time on-task on daily activities.

d)      Create various types of script worksheets to accompany each SLS targeting various aspects of poetry, parts of speech or vocabulary, and guide students in creating worksheets for student generated SLS.

e)      Keep a running record of all materials used and of addition reading activities for each class.

f)        Continue to implement and modify activities as needed.