The ability to read is the most important skill a student in this day and time can learn. Due to the technology of the digital age reading is essential for students to adapt and be successful in an evolving globalized world. Information is exchanged across mediums that were unimaginable thirty years ago. Blogs, wikis, chat rooms, email, text messaging, instant messaging, social networking, among many other forms of interactive technology requires today’s students to refine their literacy skills to be included in societal norms. Therefore, the need for teachers to be effective and efficient in teaching literacy through the use of technology has never been greater. Over the past seven weeks I have researched and attempted to share resources that can guide a teacher to interactive Web 2.0 tools that will advocate technology and literacy in the classroom. I hope for those who have followed my blog that they have been somewhat educated on potential ideas that could bolster literacy instruction through the use of technology activities. With this said, I offer one more useful site that is a goldmine for the teacher looking to implement technology into their instruction.
The website Cool Tools for Schools is an exceptional site offering more free resources to teachers than anyone could possibly imagine. Just about any Web 2.0 tool a teacher could think of needing he or she can find a link on this site leading them to the resource. Also, one of the tremendous assets of this site is it’s user friendly navigation. On the homepage of the site there is a toolbar/menu to the left of the homepage picture listing categories of tools guiding a teacher to the resource he or she is researching. Some of these categories for the Web 2.0 tools include: creativity tools, research tools, video tools, audio tools, writing tools, collaborative tools, among many other categories. Each of the category links leads to a page where individual free resources are available to teachers to explore and utilize in their classroom instruction. I have explored many of the links and even used some of them in my instruction. I highly recommend any teacher perusing this website and discovering the wealth of free resources.
Throughout my research on this site I found many useful tools. However, instead of just telling you about the site I thought I would describe one of the resources in action. About two weeks ago I was glancing through the site when I clicked on the creativity tools link in the category menu. Within this category I found a link to a game that gauges students knowledge in English, Math, Science, etc. The name of the game is Questionaut. The game compels students to read and answer questions while going on a quest to recover a friends lost hat. Since finding the game I have been allowing my students to play it. It has been a tremendous success. I also have to say that some of the questions are moderately hard. Of course, this is not the only game/resource out there on the Cool Tools for Schools website , so please, teachers check it out and let the fun, interactive learning begin for your students too.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Bingo is the Name of the Game
In this weeks blog I really want to focus on a technology literacy strategy I have already implemented and seen the positive outcomes. Earlier this week my inclusion sixth grade History class was about to start chapter 26 which deals with World War II. In the process of the general education teacher and I framing the upcoming unit and discussing potential lessons I asked her if she would be open to trying an open source software piece of technology for a visual/vocabulary/framing lesson. Her response was somewhat unenthusiastic but she did ask me to explain my idea. I told her that I had created a social bookmarking list for a graduate school assignment and proceeded to explain that I had a resource that listed the top fifty open source tools that are free and could replace common educational apps and sites that are not free. At this point my colleague’s unenthusiastic response turned to intrigue and interest. I continued to tell her that within the fifty tools listed is an open source tool called a BingoCardMaker, which replaces the educational app BingoCardPrinter. BingoCardMaker produces bingo cards with pictures on them. My idea was to make bingo cards and setup the bingo cards with pictures from World War II that could be described by the units vocabulary words and then play bingo with the students. The way the game would work is we would call out the vocabulary words and the students would cover the picture that represented that vocabulary word. My coworker agreed to the idea and I set out to make the bingo cards. I will say it took some time playing with the BingoCardMaker tool to learn how to work it, but after my learning curve dissipated I was able to pull pictures from clip art and Google images to place in the bingo card slots. After making the bingo cards it was time for the lesson.
I honestly could not have asked for the lesson to have gone any better. The students absolutely loved playing bingo, and they grasped the concept quickly that the picture represented the word/phrase. By the end of the bingo game it seemed as though all students had learned the vocabulary because when we checked the proclaimed bingos by the students they were correct. In other words, the students were covering up the correct pictures with the correct orally read vocabulary words. Both my colleague and I considered the lesson a success in teaching the students their vocabulary for the unit and in some respects framing the unit with the visual pictures on the bingo cards. I know this is just one successful lesson, but I highly recommend trying out the open source software BingoCardMaker, and seeing for oneself the benefit of turning a lesson into a bingo game.
This is the link to the fifty open source tools: 50 Open Source Software Tools
This is the link to the download of the open source BingoCardMaker tool: Bingo Card Maker
I honestly could not have asked for the lesson to have gone any better. The students absolutely loved playing bingo, and they grasped the concept quickly that the picture represented the word/phrase. By the end of the bingo game it seemed as though all students had learned the vocabulary because when we checked the proclaimed bingos by the students they were correct. In other words, the students were covering up the correct pictures with the correct orally read vocabulary words. Both my colleague and I considered the lesson a success in teaching the students their vocabulary for the unit and in some respects framing the unit with the visual pictures on the bingo cards. I know this is just one successful lesson, but I highly recommend trying out the open source software BingoCardMaker, and seeing for oneself the benefit of turning a lesson into a bingo game.
This is the link to the fifty open source tools: 50 Open Source Software Tools
This is the link to the download of the open source BingoCardMaker tool: Bingo Card Maker
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Educational Games
I have to give credit where credit is due. I read some of my fellow classmate’s blogs from last week, as well as, their social bookmarking lists. As I researched through the social bookmarking lists I found numerous sites that were perfect for my blog topic, technology and literacy. Honestly, some of the resources on my classmate’s lists were more befitting of my blog subject than my own resources on my social bookmarking list. Therefore, I am going to employ the Connectivism learning theory and discuss a superb website found by one of my classmates rather than a resource from my own social bookmarking list. In my previous blog I said I would discuss resources from my social bookmarking list, but this website is way too awesome to ignore. The name of the phenomenal website that combines both technology and literacy for students to learn reading skills is ABCya.com.
After studying ABCya.com, I had numerous ideas to implement this website into my instruction due to the benefits for the students. ABCya.com provides educational games for elementary students to play and learn, however this site is perfect for the struggling secondary student reader. As an exceptional education teacher I need literacy strategies like the educational games offered on ABCya.com to motivate my student readers that are below grade level. Most students respond to the fun aspects of the games and do not even realize they are learning reading skills. ABCya.com organizes the educational games by grade level. The educational games span from the kindergarten reading level to a fifth grade reading level. Therefore, choosing a particular game for one of my students is effortless. All I have to know is my student’s reading level and then I can direct them to the grade level of the educational games that fit their learning need.
Throughout the process of researching the educational games I decided to play a few of them myself (I actually played a lot of them). One example of the educational games is Ice Cream Talk which deals with identifying nouns and verbs. This game provided the option of finding nouns, verbs, or both nouns and verbs. Within the game a sentence is provided where a student clicks on an individual word if they think it is a noun or verb, depending on the version of the game a student is playing. If the word is a noun or verb then the monkey gets an ice cream scoop. If the word is not a noun or verb then the monster gets an ice cream scoop. The objective is to get ten ice cream scoops for the monkey and not allow the monster any ice cream scoops. Once this is accomplished a bonus round where the student gets to catch ice cream scoops with an ice cream cone occurs. The student then goes back to the game clicking on nouns or verbs until they get tired or have mastered the game. Overall, I found this game and website to be exceptional for the budding reader and I highly recommend it to any teacher trying to teach literacy in a fun technologically advanced way.
http://www.abcya.com/
After studying ABCya.com, I had numerous ideas to implement this website into my instruction due to the benefits for the students. ABCya.com provides educational games for elementary students to play and learn, however this site is perfect for the struggling secondary student reader. As an exceptional education teacher I need literacy strategies like the educational games offered on ABCya.com to motivate my student readers that are below grade level. Most students respond to the fun aspects of the games and do not even realize they are learning reading skills. ABCya.com organizes the educational games by grade level. The educational games span from the kindergarten reading level to a fifth grade reading level. Therefore, choosing a particular game for one of my students is effortless. All I have to know is my student’s reading level and then I can direct them to the grade level of the educational games that fit their learning need.
Throughout the process of researching the educational games I decided to play a few of them myself (I actually played a lot of them). One example of the educational games is Ice Cream Talk which deals with identifying nouns and verbs. This game provided the option of finding nouns, verbs, or both nouns and verbs. Within the game a sentence is provided where a student clicks on an individual word if they think it is a noun or verb, depending on the version of the game a student is playing. If the word is a noun or verb then the monkey gets an ice cream scoop. If the word is not a noun or verb then the monster gets an ice cream scoop. The objective is to get ten ice cream scoops for the monkey and not allow the monster any ice cream scoops. Once this is accomplished a bonus round where the student gets to catch ice cream scoops with an ice cream cone occurs. The student then goes back to the game clicking on nouns or verbs until they get tired or have mastered the game. Overall, I found this game and website to be exceptional for the budding reader and I highly recommend it to any teacher trying to teach literacy in a fun technologically advanced way.
http://www.abcya.com/
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Social Bookmarking at its Finest
After addressing technology, media literacies, and the common form of literacy in previous blogs it is time to put it all together. For the remainder of my blogs I intend to find technology that can be used in literacy instruction. However, before I share my tech and literacy resource for this blog, I would like to divulge the list of resources I will be pulling from to present the technology, Web 2.0 tools, and 21st Century learning ideas. Over the course of the winter and spring I have done research on different technology for education. I have recently transferred this research to a social bookmarking website called Diigo (www.diigo.com). Through Diigo I have been able to create a list of sites for technology resources that are thoroughly organized. There are thirty resources in all within the list. Each site link inside the list has three tags with a word inside the tag describing what the resource is about. If a person is looking for Web 2.0 tools all they have to do is click on the Web 2.0 tag and every resource in my list that has to do with Web 2.0 tools will be at the user’s fingertips. I also can add resources to my social bookmarking list at anytime building the list as my knowledge on technology topics expands. I honestly believe this is a truly fantastic way to share resources and research between professionals. For your convenience I have listed the link for my social bookmarking list below.
My tech and literacy resource for this week comes from the Discovery Education website on my social bookmarking list. Within this website there are an abundance of resources organized in categories for the potential user (i.e. administrator, teacher, parent, or student). For this blog I will venture into the student section, specifically the grade 6-8 English segment. Once a student is in this area a world of literacy resource opportunities are available to the student. Many of the resources focus on writing. The subcategories are broken down into three sections: writing, mechanics, and grammar. Depending on what area the student is struggling with would dictate where to guide the student for remediation. For the sake of this example I will choose mechanics, specifically colon and semicolon. Once a student clicks on the topic they are immediately take to an interactive video on the topic chosen. In this example it would be colons and semicolons. After the video (which can be watched as many times as necessary) a student should have a better understanding of the topic. There are many other topics and academic disciplines for a student to research to help them learn. With these potential resources in place this is just one example of technology helping students to cultivate their literacy knowledge.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
CAR Literacy
Just for this blog I would like to veer away from the technology topic of my blog and focus on the common definition of literacy. As I stated in my previous blog literacy encompasses so much more than just reading, however reading is the most common word used to describe literacy. Therefore, it is impossible to ignore that reading is a huge part of what makes up the definition of literacy. In my opinion, reading is the most important skill taught in school. My justification is every other academic requires (some more than others) the skill of reading to learn the content of the subject. For that reason, reading is an instrumental skill in the future success of students and curriculums mandate that students should receive some form of reading instruction in every grade of public education. However, after the sixth grade, in the state of Alabama, direct reading instruction ceases to exist as a common core academic. Reading instruction is supplemented into the four common core academics of English, Math, Science, and History/Social Studies. Teachers of each core academic are directed by their superiors to insert a reading strategy into their academic lessons. The reading strategies are called content area reading strategies (CAR). These CAR strategies implemented within the four core academic subjects are the main reading instruction students receive from the seventh grade through high school. Since this is the main reading instruction students receive after sixth grade it is pertinent for students to receive CAR strategies molded into their instruction to bolster their reading ability throughout middle, high school, and beyond. For the rest of this blog I intend to present my favorite CAR strategy I use within my classroom to supplement literacy instruction.
My absolute favorite CAR strategy is the magic square because it allows students to teach his or herself the definition of a word through the use of Math. The magic square CAR strategy combines a reading vocabulary lesson with critical thinking problem solving skills. The purpose of the magic square is to find the magic number. The magic number is found by taking the vocabulary word, which is listed next to a letter (A., B. C. etc.), and matching it to the definition, which is listed next to a number (1., 2., 3., etc.). Below the listed vocabulary and definitions is a big box that has been sectioned into the total number of vocabulary words. In each sectioned box the letters associated with each corresponding vocabulary word is written in the top left corner of that box. The objective for the student is to place the number of the corresponding definition into the box with the matching letter of the vocabulary word it defines. After placing all numbers/definitions into their corresponding box/letter the student will add the numbers across and down in each column and row, and the sum should add up to the exact same number no matter which row or column is added up. Therefore, informing the student that they have found the magic number and defined their vocabulary words correctly. The magic square is just one of many CAR strategies out there to combine literacy instruction into content specific teaching. I highly recommend all teachers, but especially secondary teachers, learn as many CAR strategies as possible to implement into their instruction because this could be the only reading instruction students receive after sixth grade. Below is an example of a magic square for anyone interested in learning this fabulous strategy.
My absolute favorite CAR strategy is the magic square because it allows students to teach his or herself the definition of a word through the use of Math. The magic square CAR strategy combines a reading vocabulary lesson with critical thinking problem solving skills. The purpose of the magic square is to find the magic number. The magic number is found by taking the vocabulary word, which is listed next to a letter (A., B. C. etc.), and matching it to the definition, which is listed next to a number (1., 2., 3., etc.). Below the listed vocabulary and definitions is a big box that has been sectioned into the total number of vocabulary words. In each sectioned box the letters associated with each corresponding vocabulary word is written in the top left corner of that box. The objective for the student is to place the number of the corresponding definition into the box with the matching letter of the vocabulary word it defines. After placing all numbers/definitions into their corresponding box/letter the student will add the numbers across and down in each column and row, and the sum should add up to the exact same number no matter which row or column is added up. Therefore, informing the student that they have found the magic number and defined their vocabulary words correctly. The magic square is just one of many CAR strategies out there to combine literacy instruction into content specific teaching. I highly recommend all teachers, but especially secondary teachers, learn as many CAR strategies as possible to implement into their instruction because this could be the only reading instruction students receive after sixth grade. Below is an example of a magic square for anyone interested in learning this fabulous strategy.
Tell-Tale Heart Vocabulary
Directions: Select the best answer for each of the terms from the numbered definitions. Put the number in the proper space in the magic square box. If the totals of the numbers are the same both across and down, you have found the magic number!
A. Hearken 1. Cleverly
B. Conceived 2. Reckless Courage
C. Foresight 3. Thought of
D. Audacity 4. Pretending to be something one isn’t
E. Hypocritical 5. Care of preparation for the future
F. Sagacity 6. Very thoughtful and wise
G. Profound 7. Listen
H. Vexed 8. Annoyed
I. Cunningly 9. Wisdom and judgment
| A | B | C |
| D | E | F |
| G | H | I |
What is the Magic Number?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Technology/Media Literacies???
In my previous blog, I briefly mentioned a few questions dealing with literacy. Within this blog I would like to focus more in depth on one of those questions. The question I want to specifically focus on is, “What is literacy, as it pertains to technology?” I realize I have not made my intentions known in my previous blogs, however what I am trying to do is discuss technology guidelines (See “How much do you know about Technology Guidelines” blog), literacy in its entirety, and show how tech and literacy can complement each other if used effectively for classroom instruction. With this in mind, I hope this gives a better picture for the direction this blog is going.
When an individual thinks of literacy they probably immediately think reading, but literacy encompasses so much more. Stick with me for a minute here. Reading is a major aspect of literacy, but being literate in something does not just mean being able to read. Literacy includes being knowledgeable on a concept or topic. According to the website 21st Century Schools, teachers should be literate in a variety of literacies to teach students to be successful in the current 21st century society. Here is a link (Multiple Literacies) to a graphic that lists the different literacies students should be learning. The literacy from the graphic I want to focus on is technology/media literacy. In order to be successful using technology in the classroom teachers must be literate in all the different tech that is available to them. Being literate in technology does not mean that a teacher must know every piece of tech on the market that can be used in the classroom. However, it does mean knowing how to access certain technology tools to add to a teacher’s repertoire of instructional strategies. In other words, teachers need to research and learn about media and decide which pieces of tech they are comfortable including into their classroom instruction to assist students in getting that instrumental experience with technology that will prepare students for their role in a tech savvy, globalized world. With this in mind, I would like to discuss the following website that is extremely detailed in technology/media literacies and puts the most current Web 2.0 tools at a teachers fingertips to research and incorporate into their instruction - http://www.protopage.com/web2point0forteachers.
Kim Peacock developed the above listed website, and within it is a wealth of resources. She has created a toolbar at the top of her homepage that links technology/media literacy tools (Web 2.0 tools) by categories. Just to name a few of her categories/tags/links include research tools, technology tools, productivity tools, software, text based communication, among many others. By clicking on one of these categories a teacher is taken to new webpage where a multitude of Web 2.0 tools are listed that can be used for instruction for that particular category. For example, if one were to click on the text based communication category they would see on the new webpage organized boxes by categories such as blogging tools, social networking tools, wiki tools, etc. Within these categorized boxes (e.g. blogging tools, wiki tools, etc.) are listed and linked, specific Web 2.0 tools that can be utilized for their explicit topic. Therefore, a teacher just has to research and choose which Web 2.0 tool he or she wants to incorporate into their instruction, click on it and start setting up the content for their lesson. By utilizing websites such as Protopage teachers can educate his or herself on technology/media literacies, research the Web 2.0 tools that fit their teaching style, and implement the technology into their instruction all in one place.
When an individual thinks of literacy they probably immediately think reading, but literacy encompasses so much more. Stick with me for a minute here. Reading is a major aspect of literacy, but being literate in something does not just mean being able to read. Literacy includes being knowledgeable on a concept or topic. According to the website 21st Century Schools, teachers should be literate in a variety of literacies to teach students to be successful in the current 21st century society. Here is a link (Multiple Literacies) to a graphic that lists the different literacies students should be learning. The literacy from the graphic I want to focus on is technology/media literacy. In order to be successful using technology in the classroom teachers must be literate in all the different tech that is available to them. Being literate in technology does not mean that a teacher must know every piece of tech on the market that can be used in the classroom. However, it does mean knowing how to access certain technology tools to add to a teacher’s repertoire of instructional strategies. In other words, teachers need to research and learn about media and decide which pieces of tech they are comfortable including into their classroom instruction to assist students in getting that instrumental experience with technology that will prepare students for their role in a tech savvy, globalized world. With this in mind, I would like to discuss the following website that is extremely detailed in technology/media literacies and puts the most current Web 2.0 tools at a teachers fingertips to research and incorporate into their instruction - http://www.protopage.com/web2point0forteachers.
Kim Peacock developed the above listed website, and within it is a wealth of resources. She has created a toolbar at the top of her homepage that links technology/media literacy tools (Web 2.0 tools) by categories. Just to name a few of her categories/tags/links include research tools, technology tools, productivity tools, software, text based communication, among many others. By clicking on one of these categories a teacher is taken to new webpage where a multitude of Web 2.0 tools are listed that can be used for instruction for that particular category. For example, if one were to click on the text based communication category they would see on the new webpage organized boxes by categories such as blogging tools, social networking tools, wiki tools, etc. Within these categorized boxes (e.g. blogging tools, wiki tools, etc.) are listed and linked, specific Web 2.0 tools that can be utilized for their explicit topic. Therefore, a teacher just has to research and choose which Web 2.0 tool he or she wants to incorporate into their instruction, click on it and start setting up the content for their lesson. By utilizing websites such as Protopage teachers can educate his or herself on technology/media literacies, research the Web 2.0 tools that fit their teaching style, and implement the technology into their instruction all in one place.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
How Much Do You Know About Technology Guidelines?
After researching and presenting a twitter list that is directed at providing resources for both technology and literacy I started to feel strongly that having a working knowledge on the background and fundamentals for technology and literacy were necessary to push forward in this learning quest. Developing a twitter list of resources only provided potential guidance; I needed to know how to use the resources and why they were important. I pondered on certain questions that I felt needed answers. These questions were: Are their guiding standards in implementation of technology into the classroom? What is literacy? What is literacy, as it pertains, to technology? How can both technology and literacy be combined to enhance a lesson in any academic discipline? These are all hard questions but viable for any educational professional that is dedicated to teaching in the 21st Century style of instruction. In the remainder of this blog I hope to shed some light on the first question mentioned above and explain why it is absolutely necessary for educational professionals to gain a working knowledge on the basic fundamentals of technology standards and their place in the 21st Century classroom.
In researching an answer for the first question, “Are their guiding standards in implementation of technology into the classroom?” I found a website that explicitly explains technology standards as they are set forth by national goals. I also found information on technology standards for the state of Alabama as this is where I teach, however I know only addressing the Alabama technology guidelines limits the information to just Alabama teachers. Therefore, I present the institution known as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). At ISTE’s website teachers can access the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) and examine the current national technology guidelines. There are five overall goals and each goal is broken down into multiple subcategories to narrow the choices in helping teachers know which technology standard would best fit their current lesson. I think that teachers must familiarize his or herself with these standards in order to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of technology and its place in modern education. The biggest challenge for teachers is to find the time to read over these tech standards and brainstorm how they can mold any of these strategies into their instruction helping students gain experience with the tech they will potentially utilize throughout their careers. I highly recommend teachers look at NETS on the ISTE website, and familiarize themselves with the content. The knowledge gained from NETS will make utilizing technology resources, such as the ones found in the twitter list linked in the previous blog, easier to implement into lesson plans. If anyone gets a chance, please, take a look at the following educational website as there are more advantages than just accessing and learning the National Educational Technology Standards.
International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/
In researching an answer for the first question, “Are their guiding standards in implementation of technology into the classroom?” I found a website that explicitly explains technology standards as they are set forth by national goals. I also found information on technology standards for the state of Alabama as this is where I teach, however I know only addressing the Alabama technology guidelines limits the information to just Alabama teachers. Therefore, I present the institution known as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). At ISTE’s website teachers can access the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) and examine the current national technology guidelines. There are five overall goals and each goal is broken down into multiple subcategories to narrow the choices in helping teachers know which technology standard would best fit their current lesson. I think that teachers must familiarize his or herself with these standards in order to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of technology and its place in modern education. The biggest challenge for teachers is to find the time to read over these tech standards and brainstorm how they can mold any of these strategies into their instruction helping students gain experience with the tech they will potentially utilize throughout their careers. I highly recommend teachers look at NETS on the ISTE website, and familiarize themselves with the content. The knowledge gained from NETS will make utilizing technology resources, such as the ones found in the twitter list linked in the previous blog, easier to implement into lesson plans. If anyone gets a chance, please, take a look at the following educational website as there are more advantages than just accessing and learning the National Educational Technology Standards.
International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/
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