New storytelling adventure (Fall 2016)

I've been doing another Youtube endeavor under the title of "Cuentas Conmigo".

This is the fourth story. I just wrapped up episode 6 yesterday and I am really proud of how it is turning out.

In the previous Cuentas Conmigos, there was very little emphasis on anything cultural.  And I realize that that might be seen as a weakness to the videos. If teachers use them in their classes, perhaps it would be best to add in some more little cultural tidbits. In this way, teachers could use them as springboards for discussion or as a nice little culture pop up.

The first episode you can really see this is in episode 5 where we learn that the narwhal can't do any tricks. While he is painting a familiar painting (well mural actually) should be seen. It's something I learned a lot about thanks to Mira Canion and her wonderful TPRS reader: Agentes secretos y el mural de Picasso.

And in this week's episode, the main character finds himself going to a Spanish-speaking country, where (as it was a country I visited many years ago), I threw in some different places that he could potentially have gone to!

New storytelling experiment - first and second person

So I am doing a side project this semester with anyone willing to join in.  I decided to do another storytelling experiment this semester in the past tense and also do the same story in the present tense (depending on school climate where the video is being watched).*

In my first story, it was mostly narrating in the past tense. There wasn't a lot of first/second person forms of the verbs (past or present).

In my second story, I tried to have the turtle say more, but you didn't hear him talking about it as much as I would just have the bubble with the first person form.

This time around, I wanted to really expose learners to language in context and thought the best way to get the characters to talk about themselves is similar to in the classroom itself! Interview them. So I will periodically be interviewing the actors in the story to ensure we have the correct information (and also that their voice is being heard).

Check out my attempt at this in episode 2!

Present tense - episode 2

Past tense - episode 2

*Even some teachers who like to use stories and CI find themselves locked into a textbook that predominately goes over the present tense in level 1.

New Interactive Youtube Storytelling

A few years back I did an experiment called Cuentas Conmigo where I basically did a TPRS story but on Youtube. At the end of each video, people would write in the comments section the next detail, which I would add in the next video.

It was really fun!

Here's my new attempt.

I am going to do the same story in the present and past tense.

And I have some ideas on how to get more first person / second person forms of the verbs in there (interviewing the character).

I think it's going to be fun! Please join in by adding your details and if you're a teacher why not get your class involved to?

Present Tense:

Past Tense:

And you might subscribe to the channel where I wanted to do a new storyline each semester (maybe even one in the summer depending on how this one turns out!)


Check out my Cuentas Conmigo channel or playlists of old Cuentas Conmigo attempts.

Web Series - Check out first story!

I finished the first entire story based around a monkey wanting bananas.

The story is in the present tense and will slowly build on previous structures.  I will make more stories about the monkey and other characters as I go and each video will get increasingly more difficult.

After each story, there will be a quiz!

There are subtitles in English to offer 100% transparency or for those who want to check what it means.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPD6O-TouCqQXu4LDPOnzAUGDh7r3G7TV&feature=mh_lolz

Let me know what you think!