Think-aloud Screencasts Improve Student Essays

Clay Burell gives the think-aloud strategy a Web2.0 twist in a fascinating post at Beyond School. His AP students were struggling with answering a timed essay question, so Clay decided to write an essay himself and screencast it. In the first video he reads the poem and makes notations on the screen while thinking out loud. In the second and third videos he writes his essay.

To make the experience more authentic he writes about a poem he’s never seen before, and for the most part the exercise works. He gets a bit frustrated with the technology at first, but eventually he settles in to a rhythm and really gets going. He talks through the poem and makes notes about particular words and phrases that he will use in his essay. He then takes his notes and shapes them into a final essay.

This is a valuable experiment for several reasons. First, it allows students into Clay’s head, giving them insight into how a reader/writer seeks understanding. Second, it models good essay writing skills. Third, the screencast gives Clay a permanent tool he can use to show to future students. And finally, it puts Clay in his students’ shoes and gives him an insight into their struggles so that he can more adequately assist them in their essay-writing endeavors.

Clay’s screencast also allows you and me to benefit from his efforts. We can show his videos to our students, or better yet we can make our own think-aloud screencasts and share them. Another great thing about a think-aloud screencast is the ability to replay it over and over, analyzing it and understanding it more thoroughly.

Head on over to Beyond School and check it out for yourself.