Dear ISTE colleagues,
A few years ago I created a free online comic strip generator called
MakeBeliefsComix.com where students and teachers can creative their own
comic strips and in so doing, practice writing, reading and
storytelling. It offers some 80 characters with different emotions to
select from, blank talk and thought balloons to fill in with text, story
prompts as well as printables. Comic strips created can then by
printed and/or emailed.

It now is being used by educators, particularly in the English as Second Language field, in 180 countries, as well as by language teachers since comic strips can be written in five other languages, in addition to
English. Google and UNESCO selected it as among the world's most
innovative sites to encourage reading and literacy.



The site also has a Teacher Resources section which offers 21 things you
can do with comic strips in the classroom.



In writing to you, I encourage you to test out the site with your
colleagues and students, and I welcome feedback on what can be improved
or changed to make the site more useful and fun for your students.



Sincerely,

Bill Zimmerman

Creator, MakeBeliefsComix.com

P.S.

Dear TESOL colleague,

If you could not attend my workshop on Creating Comic Strips Online to Encourage Writing, Reading and Storytelling at the TESOL Boston 2010 conference you can find a handout on my
website that lists 21 ways to use MakeBeliefsComix.com in the classroom. Go to:
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/How-to-Play/Educators/.

Some examples:

.At the beginning of each new school year have students create a comic strip online talking about themselves and their families or summarizing the most important things about
their lives. These then can be
read aloud.

.Have students create a comic strip story using new vocabulary words that are being taught. Or have them create a comic based on a book they are reading.

.Create comic strips in which students can practice such real-life, practical scenarios such as looking for a job or dealing with a school bully.

On the MakeBeliefsComix.com home page you can click on a demo to show how the site works. And click on the Teacher Resources button for a video of ESL students at City College in New
York talking about how creating online comics helps them learn English.

I hope you will try the free educational comics website with both younger and older students to help them improve their English and literacy skills. MakeBeliefsComix allows users to
create their own comic strips online; it offer 80 fun characters with different
emotions, blank talk and thought balloons to fill in with words, story prompts
and printables. Google and UNESCO selected MakeBeliefsComix as one the world's
most innovative sites to encourage literacy and reading. It is now being used
by educators in 180 countries to teach English and other languages. Your
feedback and suggestions are very welcome.

Yours sincerely,

Bill Zimmerman

Creator, MakeBeliefsComix.com

P.S. My article, ‘’Online Comics: Writing, Reading, and Telling Stories in English,’’ can be read in the new TESOL book, ‘’Multilevel and Diverse Classrooms,’’ as part of
its Classroom Practice Series.

It now is being used by educators, particularly in the English as Second
Language field, in 180 countries, as well as by language teachers since
comic strips can be written in five other languages, in addition to
English. Google and UNESCO selected it as among the world's most
innovative sites to encourage reading and literacy.

The site also has a Teacher Resources section which offers 21 things you
can do with comic strips in the classroom.

In writing to you, I encourage you to test out the site with your
colleagues and students, and I welcome feedback on what can be improved
or changed to make the site more useful and fun for your students.

Sincerely,
Bill Zimmerman
Creator, MakeBeliefsComix.com

P.S.