10 ways to use Selfies in the classroom

Selfie was the word of the year 2013 and there are no signs of it losing its popularity and you can see people, young and old taking selfies anywhere and everywhere! It might get on your nerves but if you try to incorporate this super easy and effective tool into your classroom, the children will sit up and pay attention! You can decide which class level they are based on but I’ve given some suggestions for you too.

Here’s my “Ten ways to use selfies in the classroom” 

1. 

   SPHE/Geography-Senior Classes

   • Set up discussion groups about selfies. Children love selfies and will be motivated to take part. Use this stimulus to get them thinking how studying selfies could lead to a greater understanding of cultural or social differences in society. They can search for selfies from each country in Europe and name some social differences between their selfies and another child in another country.
2. English/SPHE
   • Brainstorm with your students the different ways to tell the world about themselves by using a selfie. For example, What do they want to show to the world? What makes them different or unique? What do they own that might show the world who they really are? What place shows their personality? All these questions can be used as prompts for projects. There is so much scope here for an interesting social project that can be shared throughout the classroom or school.
3. English-Senior Classes
   • Discuss the word “selfie” and how it is now a legitimate entry in the dictionary. Can the children find where this word came from and who coined this phrase? What is the official definition?

4. 

   SESE-all levels with support at lower levels

   • Children can take 10 selfies while on a class trip or nature walk. The ten selfies need to summarise the trip well. When they return to the classroom, they can write headings or more information under their selfie and present this to the class or make into an online presentation video with music or sound effects.
5. History-all levels
   • Children can take selfies of themselves and their learning throughout the year. The top best learning selfie moments can be compiled into an online or print book and used as a valid self assessment tool. Objectives can be typed or written underneath.
6. English-3rd Class upwards
   • Each child takes a selfie that they can use in this activity. Partner class up. Children need to describe their selfie to their partner while their partner draws a quick sketch of the selfie. Afterwards, they can compare and contrast. Excellent for listening, speaking and descriptive skills.
7. General safety on the net-SPHE
   • Use selfies to have a class discussion on the positives and negatives of a selfie. How can we use them in a responsible way? How can we use them in an unsafe way? Children can help you scribe a “Safety using social media” guidelines using what they have discussed about selfies.
8. History/Drama/English
   • Students can dress up as a famous historical person or a person they are studying from history. They can take selfies of themselves and use them to make historical online journals or diaries in character.
9. School/Classroom rules/expectations
   • children can take selfies of themselves roleplaying how to act in school. They can design written rules to go alongside them and keep them on their desk printed.
10. English/Gaeilge-All levels
    • Have children take a selfie with their favourite or book they are currently reading. The class “What I’m reading” selfies can be compiled into a monthly video to encourage reading.