In our latest Bright Ideas webinar, we dove deep—literally and figuratively—into the power of combining Snorkl and Book Creator to supercharge student-led conferences. With the perfect blend of instructional insight, live demos, and joyful energy, co-founders Jeff Plourd and Monique Bonneville from Snorkl joined Book Creator’s David Hotler to show us how to make student voice visible, audible, and meaningful.
What are student-led conferences?
Student-led conferences place learners in the driver’s seat, allowing them to showcase their learning journey, reflect on their progress, and set goals for the future. But what makes this even more impactful? Tools that support student thinking, expression, and reflection in ways that are simple for teachers and powerful for families.
That’s where Snorkl and Book Creator come in
The demo: A dive into student-led storytelling
Monique brought her “student self” to life in a live fishbowl demo, walking viewers through a Book Creator portfolio filled with real Snorkl-created reflections. Each page highlighted a different subject—math, reading, science, social studies—and included embedded videos where “student Monique” explained her thinking, celebrated wins, and reflected on areas for growth.
👉 Explore the example portfolio used during the mock student conference:
Why this approach works
The Snorkl + Book Creator combo isn’t just fun—it’s foundational. Students become more invested in how they think and learn when they know their work will be shared with others. The act of preparing for a conference builds self-awareness, language skills, and confidence.
Videos make learning visible. Instead of vague answers to “What did you do at school today?”, parents get to see and hear their child explain concepts in their own words. And for multilingual families, the captioning and translation features make this experience even more inclusive.
We're not judging students on their English skills—we're understanding their thinking.
Built-in accessibility & language support
Book Creator and Snorkl both support multilingual learners by allowing:
- Snorkl videos to be recorded in a student’s home language.
- Feedback to be delivered in the same language.
- Book Creator to auto-caption and translate videos into 137+ languages.
The result? Stronger communication, greater inclusion, and better understanding between students, teachers, and families.
Getting started: grab the template
Ready to bring this idea to life? Whether you’re prepping for next week or next year, this ready-to-go Book Creator template makes it easy.
👉 Click below to copy and customize the portfolio template for your students:
This session wasn’t just about tools—it was about amplifying student voice in ways that are equitable, accessible, and joyful. Whether you're already using Snorkl or just discovering Book Creator, this strategy gives every student a chance to shine.
As Monique and David emphasized throughout the session, this isn’t just about tools—it’s about making learning visible, accessible, and joyful.
Ready to dive in? Remix the template. Try a Snorkl reflection. And let your students lead the way.
Get Book Creator for your school!
- Upgraded accounts for all your teachers
- Implementation plan to help with rollout
- PD support
- Analytics & admin dashboard
With 20 years of experience in education, Katie is passionate about creating inclusive and accessible classrooms for all students. She loves exploring new places, trying different foods, and connecting with fellow educators.
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