http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view.php?op=view&book=50399&page=1
My book was not just a pleasure to create, but also a gift to my son. My son, Andrew, has an auditory processing problem or possibly ADD. Cognitively and academically, he thrives in school, but he has issues with focus and attention. After meeting with his speech therapist and classroom teacher, we have decided to let him use an FM system in the classroom. We are hoping this helps him. When we presented this idea to my son, he decided that he wanted to explain his FM system to his class prior to starting to use the system in the classroom.
This was my a-ha moment. I decided to create a book that Andrew could present to his class to explain why he would be using this device. As a technology nut, Andrew is thrilled to be able to share his book with his classmates, via the smartboard.
The story I created is a Social story. The following is an explanation of Social Stories and how they are used with students on the autism spectrum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjlIYYbVIrI. Social stories can also be used with typical students.
I shared my story with my son's teacher as well as an elementary special education teacher. Both loved the book building website and added it to their bookmarks. The ease of use as well as different options offered (insertion of photos and audio, coaches, several page formats ) makes it a great tool for both teachers and students.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
My Gaming in ELA Philosophy
I believe that gaming can be a very useful and powerful teaching tool in ELA. In a world where our students are fully encapsulated within video games, it is a great idea to integrate their interests into their education. Reading skills can be improved when the students have the motivation of reading and comprehending in order to play and succeed in a game. Writing skills can be enhanced by letting the students write creatively about the characters and scenarios within video games. By creating video games, students have the opportunity to plan and organize their ideas, which is the first step in the writing process. Games can also be used as a springboard for vocabulary building.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Article: Adolescent Literacy
http://www.ldonline.org/article/35792
This article discusses the many uses of technology used to support the literacy instruction, specifically for students with learning disablities. This is an important article for all educators to read because we will all be required implement differentiated instruction during our careers. There are specific technology suggestion to support instruction as well as links provided for addition information.
This article discusses the many uses of technology used to support the literacy instruction, specifically for students with learning disablities. This is an important article for all educators to read because we will all be required implement differentiated instruction during our careers. There are specific technology suggestion to support instruction as well as links provided for addition information.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Words With Friends in the Classroom
My latest online obsession is Words with Friends. I play the game via Facebook but it is also available as an Ipad or Mac app. Just like Scrabble, your goal is to outscore your opponent by using as many letters as possible to spell words, using rare letters and placing letters on top of premium squares to multiply your points.
Players have the option of playing pass-n-play mode, online with a friend in your contact list or a random opponent.
Words With Friends also allows players to chat with one another, which is always a great feature to have in any multi player game. The goal of the game is to score the most points.
The text and the graphic elements provide the users with the learning content. Due to the fact that this is a word based game, the text in the most prominent element. The game board, the main visual/graphic elements, provides the opportunity for strategy in the game. I feel that the scenario design of Words with friends is embedded in curriculum related content.
Words with Friends lesson
L.5.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
]
Players have the option of playing pass-n-play mode, online with a friend in your contact list or a random opponent.
Words With Friends also allows players to chat with one another, which is always a great feature to have in any multi player game. The goal of the game is to score the most points.
The text and the graphic elements provide the users with the learning content. Due to the fact that this is a word based game, the text in the most prominent element. The game board, the main visual/graphic elements, provides the opportunity for strategy in the game. I feel that the scenario design of Words with friends is embedded in curriculum related content.
Words with Friends lesson
Grade 5
Instructional activities Vocabulary lists. Students will be paired up and play a game of Words with friends.Following the completion of the game, the students will copy/paste their boards into an email and distributed to all of the students in the class. Based on the words used in the games, the students will be required to build a 10 word vocabulary list including definitions and a sentence for each word. The students may use online resources for their definitions.
Assessment: The students will assessed via a rubric with the criteria being the completion of a game, vocabulary words chosen from on of the "Words" boards, definitions and proper use in sentences.
Debriefing can be implemented by directing the students write a journal reflection about the activity. What did they like/dislike about the activity. What have they learned ?
lWThis game cultivates vocabulary building skills, grammar skills (specifically the use of plurals)
;a
- Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).
- Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.
]
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Task 2 Week 2: ELA video
Which ideas from the video reflect what the ELA teachers you interviewed are currently doing to integrate technology with their literacy instruction?
The ELA teachers I interviewed expressed the need to bridge the gap between techology skills and cognitive knowlege. They find it challenging to move beyond simply using computer for drill and practice activities.
How can you help change their instructional practices to include the use of technology and the Internet in their literacy and content-area curriculum
From my discusssion with ELA teachers, i feel that the most important way to help these teachers change their instructional practices is to share the knowledge and resources that I have aquired from my coursework.
What professional development and/or resources will they need in order to make these changes?
Presently, throughout the county, teachers are undogoing monthy professional development meeting to help them to implement the New Common Core Standards. Due to the fact that there is a technology empasis in the common core standards, this will help to make these changes. In additions, teachers/administators have to take advantage of professional development offered by the technology vendors (SMART, Apple, etc.)
What ideas do you have for grouping students so they will have equal access to technology in the classroom?
Teachers must include include rotating schedules for students to ensure equal access time to technology. These rotations must also be integrated into lesson planning. Smartboard also help give the entire class access to technology.
The ELA teachers I interviewed expressed the need to bridge the gap between techology skills and cognitive knowlege. They find it challenging to move beyond simply using computer for drill and practice activities.
How can you help change their instructional practices to include the use of technology and the Internet in their literacy and content-area curriculum
From my discusssion with ELA teachers, i feel that the most important way to help these teachers change their instructional practices is to share the knowledge and resources that I have aquired from my coursework.
What professional development and/or resources will they need in order to make these changes?
Presently, throughout the county, teachers are undogoing monthy professional development meeting to help them to implement the New Common Core Standards. Due to the fact that there is a technology empasis in the common core standards, this will help to make these changes. In additions, teachers/administators have to take advantage of professional development offered by the technology vendors (SMART, Apple, etc.)
What ideas do you have for grouping students so they will have equal access to technology in the classroom?
Teachers must include include rotating schedules for students to ensure equal access time to technology. These rotations must also be integrated into lesson planning. Smartboard also help give the entire class access to technology.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The New Literacies articles...Task 1 week 3
The first article left me exhilarated and excited about teaching. Todd’s quote clearly defines, to me, why the new literacies are necessary .
“What makes today's kids really sit up and fires their neural fibers? Technology. Kids don't see laptops, MP3 players, cell phones, PDAs, DVD players, and video games as technology, it's just life. Schools need to connect education to their students' lives with technology.”
I agree that the present paper pencil state mandated assessment may not perfectly align with the new literacies . Yet, it was encouraging to read that despite this fact, the students immersed in this computer rich classroom are performing well on the tests.
The most significant points made in the reading association position statement regarding the new technologies pertained to professional development and training for teachers. When I was completing my undergraduate education degree in the late 1990s, technology integration in education consisted of using the internet for research, word processing programs and Powerpoint. Therefore, educators, for the most part, who studied teacher education prior to the year 2000, must rely heavily upon professional development.
I enjoyed reading about the history of literacy and its integration with technology.
The following definition of the new literacies, as stated in the third article, pulled it all together for me.
The new literacies of the Internet and other ICTs include the skills, strategies, and dispositions necessary to successfully use and adapt to the rapidly changing information and communication technologies and contexts that continuously emerge in our world and influence all areas of our personal and professional lives. These new literacies allow us to use the Internet and other ICTs to identify important questions, locate information, critically evaluate the usefulness of that information, synthesize information to answer those questions, and then communicate the answers to others.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The new direction of English Language Arts: The Common Core Standards
During my last NYIT course, Curriculum design, I spent a great deal of time exploring the new Common Core Standards. In comparison to the basic NY state standards, I feel as if the common core standards illustrate that the bar has been raised and the expectations are higher to meet the skill sets necessary to be successful in the 21st century.
The emphasis on not only learning how to read but reading across the curriculum is imperative for students. Mastery of English and Language Arts skills is the backbone for success in all subject areas and this begins with strong reading skills.
Writing is a component of ELA that I feel is undergoing an intensive period of change. During my first NYIT course, we had a discussion about handwriting and whether or not is a lost art on the way towards being phased out of education. Would the time spent teaching handwriting be used more effectively by focusing on the writing process itself? It’s an interesting question, especially when technology/digital media are becoming an educational focal point. The Common Core Standards clearly spell out the sequential skills needed to mastered become a strong writer. The key to mastery of writing is to foster a love of writing, starting at an early age.
In our digital world, speaking and listening are skills that have to be emphasized, educationally, now more than ever. Face to face communication is falling to the wayside on a social level and education now plays a stronger role in building these skills. Language, and specifically grammar, also must take center stage in the educational arena. The Common Core standards do a great job of clearly laying out the sequential skills that need to be mastered for students to be successful in college and beyond.
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