Using Edmodo to Enhance ELA Instruction

Edmodo is a great tool that teachers of any grade and subject can use to enhance their instruction. I find it to be particularly beneficial for ELA instruction. Edmodo is set up like a social networking site, very similar to Facebook. For this reason, I think students would be very interested and excited to use it for their class. It allows the teacher to interact with the students outside of the classroom. It is also a great way for the teacher to post assignments and reminders that the students can check at home with their parents.

In terms of ELA specifically, the possibilities are limitless. The first thing that comes to mind is the simple fact that students have to read the posts and write a response. In doing this, they are already incorporating these literacy skills without giving it much thought. Furthermore, the teacher can post an assignment such as reading a given article that the students then have to post a response to and answer questions. Since the students are doing this through Edmodo they will be a lot more motivated to complete this assignment rather than reading an article in class. Moreover, the teacher can also have the students post poems, lyrics, essays, whatever topic and skill they may be working on in class can easily be incorporated on Edmodo. Another fun idea would be to have the students post about their favorite book. They can post a picture of the cover of the book with a simple summary. They could also explain to their classmates why they like this book and why they think everyone should read it. From there, the students can chose a book posted by their peers to read. Once they have read it they can reply to the original post describing how they liked the book. They can also discuss their favorite parts of the book, maybe parts they didn't like, etc. In this manner it would become a collaborative conversation between the students about the book. Again, the possibilities of ways to enhance ELA instruction are limitless, these are just a few of the ideas that came to my mind.

Although I think Edmodo is a really great tool, I feel it is better for middle school- high school than elementary because of its social networking type set up. Students of this age group would have a much easier time logging on and completing the assignments than those in younger grades, unless a parent was helping them.

Technology and Adolescence

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/43555967/Adolescent%20Literacy.pdf

This article is titled "Adolescent Literacy: What's Technology Got to Do With It?" The article begins by discussing problems that many adolescent students face in terms of literacy. They explain that many postsecondary students lack the literacy skills they need to succeed both in school and for their careers. The article then goes on to break down the literacy skills into four sections: background knowledge and vocabulary, comprehension strategies, synergy of reading and writing, and interest and motivation. For each section the author first discusses how students struggle with these skills. The author then poses the question, "How can technology help?" For each section, the article provides multiple suggestions and technologies that can be used to help students struggling with these literacy skills. For example, under "Background Knowledge and Vocabulary" the author suggests electronic references and video supports.

Overall, I think this was a great article that everyone can benefit from reading. I chose this article because rather than only focusing on the negative (students struggling with literacy skills) it also provided great ideas on how to help these students succeed using technology. Furthermore, I thought the layout of the article was great and easy to read. The way they broke it up by literacy skill made it very organized. Also, if a teacher was looking for a specific skill they could easily skim through that highlighted skill rather than having to read the entire article. Moreover, the author provided a variety of suggestions of technology and how it can be used for each skill. This allows the teacher to chose which one he or she thinks will work best with his/her students. I would definitely recommend this article for any teacher to read!

New Literacies

Assignment#1 Answer the following questions (where to post this assignment: Blog)

1. What gaming elements provide users the learning content and how? (Refer to the journal article page 4).

Facebook: Scrabble with friends

•  Text: The player must read the word their opponent makes to figure out if they can make a word based off the letters in the given word. Furthermore, various notices pop up throughout the game that requires the player to read to determine if their word is acceptable and if so how many point they are allotted. Furthermore, it also notifies the player when it is their turn. Lastly, when played on the computer the players have the option of sending messages to each other, which, in turn, requires the player to read and analyze what the text is saying.

•  Visual-graphic elements: When it is your turn, your name will light up telling you it is your turn. Another visual-graphic element is when the word is accepted it will turn green, if it is not accepted an “x” will come up indicating it is not a proper word.

•  Audio elements: There are only a few audio elements. They include: clicking of the tiles when placed on the game board, and a dedicated noise when the word is accepted or rejected.

2. What is the goal of the game? The goal is this game is to achieve the highest score. It also enforces the skill of spelling as the player is required to create words.

3. What are rules of playing this game? The rules of playing this game are to achieve the highest score by gaining points for each word spelled. Each letter used for each word has a pre-determined worth of points. Harder letters to incorporate into a word, such a “z” are allotted more points than common letters such as “s”.

4. Does this game have any scenario design? (Refer to the journal article page 5.) If yes, is this a fabricated or embedded in curriculum-related content? This game does not have a scenario design.

Assignment#2 Create a simple ELA lesson plan addressing the following components (where to post this assignment: Blog)

•Grade level: 1

•Common core standards:

Phonics and Word Recognition

•   RF.1.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

Conventions of Standard English

•   L.1.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

                        Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.

•   L.1.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

                        Use end punctuation for sentences.

                        Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.

·      Learning outcomes:

o  The students will be able to:

§  Identify vocabulary/spelling words

§  Spell the vocabulary words correctly

§  Use the vocabulary words in a sentence

•Instructional activities (how does this game help develop language acquisition and development, both oral and written, be creative?)

Before the lesson begins the teacher will go over the vocabulary/spelling words for the week. The students will then be directed to the computers with Scrabble with Friends pre-loaded. The teacher will then go over the rules of the game and expected behavior. The students will play with the student at the computer next to them. Scrabble with friends helps develop language acquisition and development. It can be used a variety of ways in the classroom. In this activity, however, students are put in pairs. With a partner they will play Scrabble with friends. However, instead of using the letter tiles to spell any words they will be asked to try to spell words from their vocabulary list, which coincides with their spelling list. In using their vocabulary words, the students will also be asked to write a sentence for each word they create and read it to their partners. This helps to develop their oral and written language acquisition.

•Assessment: Once the students have completed the game the teacher will collect the scores of the game as well as the sentences they created to be graded. The combined score of the game and the sentences they wrote will be used as an assessment to monitor their progress and ability.

•Debriefing (refer to the journal article page 8 to 12): Debriefing goes hand and hand with this game. Since students are using their vocabulary words then they play this game it automatically helps them connect to the real world, opposed to a game about fairytales. Furthermore, scaffolding writing skills through debriefing will also occur, as students will be asked to write a sentence for each word they create. They will also be given the opportunity to share their work once they are finished.

•What cognitive skills do this game help to cultivate? The cognitive skills that this game helps to cultivate are: spelling, writing, and comprehension.

•What new literacies skills do this game help to cultivate (refer to the journal article page 2 and 3)? This game helps to cultivate many new literacy skills.  Since this lesson is for grade 1, it is on a simplistic enough level that begins to get the students familiar with these new literacies. On a basic level, they will learn to use ICTs by communicating with their partner during the game, understanding the visual/audio cues, etc.

Week 3

Learning Task #1 Theory in Practice

1.            Read the following articles and

•Barone, D., & Wright, T.E. (2008, December). Literacy Instruction with digital and media technologies. Retrieved from Sept. 5, 2011, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/29126/

•New Literacies and 21st-Century Technologies Position Statement © 2009 International Reading Association.

•Leu, D.J., Jr., Kinzer, C.K., Coiro, J., & Cammack, D.W. (2004). Toward a Theory of New Literacies Emerging From the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies. Retrieved Sept. 5, 2011, from http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/leu/

2.            Assignment#1 Write a brief summary of the above three articles (one paragraph) to demonstrate your understanding of the concept and the importance of new literacies

The Internet is a part of technology that has become a more evident technological tool in the classroom. It allows the teachers and students to gain information immediately and quickly. As used in Todd’s classroom, one-to-one laptops allow endless possibilities of incorporating literacy and technology (new literacies). It presents literacy in a completely new and innovative way, instead of the original pen and paper. Through ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) such as: webpages, email, blogs, Youtube, wikis, and Skype etc., students are exposed to literacy in ways that gain their interest and maintain their attention, thus, allowing them to retain the information better. Furthermore, the variety of these ICTs and other new literacies allows for an extremely versatile use. It can be used for any grade or ability level. These new literacies help prepare the students for the constant-changing future of literacy.

Learning Task #2 Minds-on “New Literacies Definition and Components”< /span>

1.            Watch the video andhttps://sites.google.com/site/drhuiyinhsu/presentations (1^st slideshow)

2.            Assignment#2 answering the following questions

• Which ideas from the video reflect what the ELA teachers you interviewed are currently doing to integrate technology with their literacy instruction?

One of the ideas from the video the I thought reflected what the ELA teacher I interviewed is currently doing to integrate technology with their literacy instruction is the social networking blog. This teacher recently did a project with the students where instead of writing a paper or making a presentation to the class, the students were able to create a blog to present the information they learned. All students agreed that they liked this option much better because it allowed them to be creative. Furthermore, since the students were interested in this assignment, they put more thought and effort into it.

•How can you help change their instructional practices to include the use of technology and the Internet in their literacy and content-area curriculum?

To help change their instructional practices to include the use of technology and the Internet in their literacy and content-are curriculum I can explain and demonstrate how effective this technology can be. Furthermore, I can also demonstrate how simple it can be to incorporate this technology and that it does not always have to take a long time to plan and execute, which is many teachers’ main concern in incorporating technology in their curriculum.

•What professional development and/or resources will they need in order to make these changes?

On of the main resources that teachers will need in order to make these changes is access to computers and Internet in the classroom. They will also need professional development to learn how to use the Internet and other technologies most appropriately in their literacy and content-area curriculum.

•What ideas do you have for grouping students so they will have equal access to technology in the classroom?

Students can be grouped in a variety of ways to ensure they have equal access to technology in the classroom. One way of grouping would be to have groups of mixed ability students and have assigned parts that each student would be responsible for completing one piece of the assignment. This way, one student does not do all the work on the computer while the others to not get to use the technology.

Another way to group students would be by letter days. For examples, groups 1 & 2 could use the technology at allotted times on A,C & E days while groups 3 & 4 could use the technology at the allotted time on B, D & F days.

Learning Task # 3 Hands-on Helping ELA teachers practice new literacies in their classrooms

Assignment#3 In week 2, you have researched and recommended 5 tools for the FIVE components of ELA instruction. Select one of the five tools you recommended and ask the ELA how it can be implemented in their ELA instruction. Be specific. For example, if you selected using blogger to enhance writing skills. Detail how it can be done in the class (very much like a “needs analysis” plan). Please include the following components:

•Grade level: 3

•Topic: Nouns (Common and Proper)

•Learning outcomes: The students will be able to identify common and proper nouns.

•Technologies needed (equipment or software or internet connection)

Smartboard, computer with Internet access

•Timeline for implementation (how many classes needed): one class period

•How can it be integrated and implemented in the lessons? (for example, use blogger during class or afterschool homework?)

For one lesson in particular, the SmartBoard will be used during class time. The smartboard will be used to present an interactive Smartboard game dealing with nouns. The teacher will first review types of nouns (common and proper). After this brief review the teacher can then turn to the smartboard. Each student will be given the opportunity to come up to the smartboard. The game is a Noun Dunk, where the student must shoot the basketball into the appropriate net (common or proper) based on the given noun.

For all ELA lessons, the Smartboard would have to be used in the classroom. It can be used to enhance students understanding of a learned topic in many different formats. For example, it can reinforce vocabulary by presenting a smartboard activity on the vocabulary lesson. Students can participate in a variety of premade of teacher-made activities that exposes them to the vocabulary. It could also be used to enhance writing as students can write on the smartboard. The teacher can request each student to come up and write a specific type of sentence (for example: statement, question, etc.).

•Assessment (on writing skills and technology skills): 

For the specific Noun lesson, the teacher can record students’ individual scores during the game to assess their skills.

For all other topics and lessons, the teacher can either print the screen that the students wrote on and assess it or take notes during the use of the smartboard. Furthermore, technological skills will be assessed based on the student’s evident ability to effectively use the smartboard to complete the activity. Assessment will be graded on observation. 

Introduction to NCTE/IRA and Common Core Standards

1) ELA instruction is teaching a combination of: reading, writing, speaking and listening,  and language. Elementary teachers are responsible for teaching all of ELA where in middle school/high school it is broken up by the ELA teacher and history/science/and technical subjects. Under the reading section, leveled books, scope and sequence, appropriate ebooks, and "new literacies" are key. Leveled books are probably the most seen and used in classrooms that I have observed. When teaching ELA, a teacher must make sure that all material is on an appropriate instructional level for all students.
Under Writing, the key components are: text types, responding to reading, and research. For some teachers this is the hardest part to teach because many students are reluctant to writing. However, it is imperative for students to learn how to appropriately respond to reading, whether it be a simple passage or a book. Furthermore, they need to learn how to conduct a research project. Throughout their educational career students will be asked to research a given topic and write about it.
Speaking and listening is another component in ELA. In this section students must learn how to collaborate. When they collaborate they will express their thoughts and opinions and then listen openly for others' thoughts and opinions. A great way for teachers to teach this concept is through group projects. During group projects students are forced to practice this skill.
The last part is Language. In Language there are: conventions, vocabulary, and effective use. This focuses on the rules of spoken and written language. It also has an emphasis on vocabulary and teaching the students what words mean and when would be appropriate to use those newly learned words. Some teachers teach this section after reading a story. They first discuss the story and present some comprehension questions during which time the teacher can informally teach the rules of the spoken language. Furthermore, vocabulary is usually also taught at this time.

2) One technology tool that can be used to teach each of the 5 components of ELA is the Smartboard. The Smartboard is a great interactive technology tool with endless possibilities. Teachers can use the Smartboard for everything from showing a video and playing an interactive game with the students, to taking notes and presenting a powerpoint presentation. Due to its extreme versatility the Smartboard is definitely a great technology tool that can easily be used to teach any subject (including ELA).

3) I interviewed a teacher at the elementary school I sub at. When asked about her difficulties and challenges in integrating technology her response was "Time." Using technology in the classroom tends to take up more time than some teachers have, both in planning and using it. She said there are many things she would love to use in the classroom such as the ELMO and the Smartboard but she simply does not have enough time to plan out activities since she is split between kindergarten and 1st grade. Furthermore, these technological tools are not also available, which is another challenge she mentioned. At some points there may be a great website or software program she would like her students to explore but there are either not enough computers in the classroom or she cannot get time in the computer lab because the open time slots have all been filled. Overall, time and accessibility were the two challenges this teacher says she faces when trying to integrate technology in the classroom. I think these challenges are challenges that most teachers face regardless of what school or district they may teach in.