Prezi

My Prezi on the course!

http://prezi.com/f3aicubbzgth/language-arts-and-technology-reflection/

Keystone Project

Lesson

The students used UDL Book Builder to show their understanding of elements in a story. Elements of a story and story structure were taught using the Smatboard. The online interactive (see link below) lesson was used to teach/review the elements of a story. The students then worked collaboratively in groups of two to write a story and present it using UDL Book Builder. The lesson was supposed to take place over four 40 minute periods, but it took five.

Story Elements Interactive

http://www.learner.org/interactives/story/

Grade level 4^th grade resources room

Student learning outcomes

·         The student will understand and be able to locate the elements of a story.

·         The student will create a digital book using UDL Book Builder.

·         The students will include all the elements of a story in their book.

Common Core Standards

Reading: Craft and Structure

·         Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topics or subject area.

·         Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

Writing: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

·         Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

·         Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

ISTE NETS Standards

1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes

b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues

Assessment/Rubric:

The following rubric was taken from Intel’s assessments and was modified to meet the lesson’s criteria.  This rubric was used to assess the UDL Book Builder projects.  Students were assessed individually even though they created books together. 

Title: Presentation Rubric

	1	2	3	4
The student used graphics, fonts, and backgrounds to add to the presentation.
The student used at least 2 coaches in their book.
At least one of the coaches a student’s voice.
The cover page has all of the group member’s names and includes the job title.
spelling, grammar, and accuracy
The student discussed all story elements (characters, plot, setting…)
The student clearly defined all story elements.

Adjustments made to accommodate students with special needs

The lesson was implemented in a colleague’s resource room.  The resource room only had four students.  All of the students had Individual Education Plans that were followed.  They all received resource room for having low reading comprehension and fluency.  All of the students received the accommodations as per their IEPs.  Some examples of these accommodations are extended time, use of a graphic organizer, directions read and repeated, and check for understanding.  These accommodations were made throughout the lesson for all the students. 

Effectiveness of Classroom Management

There was no need to make adjustments to prevent classroom management issues.  There were only four students.  My colleague and I were both helping during the creation of their projects.  This eliminated any issues and they were engaged and excited to use the technology. 

Questions Asked by the Students

Can I make the book read to me?

Why are the coaches talking funny?

How do I add the coaches?

What are the buttons on the side for? - referring to the buttons in the top left of the books

How do I add a picture?

How do I change my writing (text)?

How do I spell…?

Problems Students Encountered

The students needed all procedural steps on how to create the books clarified.  In order to help this process, I used a Voicethread lesson I had created for another lesson using UDL Book Builder.  This Voicethread worked great in this lesson because the students were able to visually see and learn how to create the books.  The added perk to this was that they were then able to see the use of Voicethread in this lesson.  I did not require these students to comment or participate in the Voicethread as I did when I used it in my own classroom because of the lack of time.  The need for clarification and the use of this Voicethread added an additional day to the implementation.  The lesson then took five days when it was meant to only take four.  See below for the link to the Voicethread.

 http://voicethread.com/share/3003401/

Decisions made on the Spot

The decision to bring in the Voicethread was made on the spot.  I did not plan to use it as it was created for a different project.  It suited this lesson as well and helped the students.  The only other decisions made on the spot were using the Smartboard randomly to show different aspects of UDL Book Builder that presented an issue for the students.  The teacher student ratio was ideal being 4 students and two teachers.  This definitely helped to eliminate many on the spot decisions.

Feedback from the Students

The students really enjoyed this lesson.  They were engaged and asked numerous times if I would come back again and teach them.  They were not very used to using a lot of technology and this really excited them. 

Timeframe

As I mentioned earlier, I did needed an extra day.  I would have loved to have an additional day but that was not feasible with state test prep going on.  I taught the lesson for one week on my lunch and wished I had more time to allow the students to explore more features of UDL Book Builder. 

Interview with ELA Teacher

I interviewed a resource room teacher. She teaches ELA in a small setting where instruction is very individualized. The maximum amount of students she has at one time is five. She does her best to incorporate technology in the classroom but felt there were many challenges she faced. There is a Smartboard in the room but it is not working properly. She has two computers in the room. She uses E Books which are provided by the school. She expressed that the problem with the E books is that only one person can be logged into the book at a time. The district uses AIMSweb which is a progress monitoring system that provides assessment tools which are given to the students in a frequent manner. The data is then graphed and used to show the students progress and where they stand in comparison to other students in the district. She also utilizes a variety of internet resources to provide practice of specific grammar or phonics skills. One of her students uses an AlphaSmart. An AlphaSmart is a small word processing device. This is often used for student who has difficultly writing. She felt one of her largest concerns surrounding technology in her classroom was that she lacked the resources to incorporate it in her instruction. In our discussion, she provided me with at least three examples of tools that she would love to use but has no means of doing so. Overall, I felt she has done a nice job of using the technology that she is provided with.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed teaching this lesson.  I felt the overall implementation went well.  The students were engaged and worked diligently throughout the entire lesson.  The students were working together in their groups and sharing a computer.  There are only two computers in the room and only four students.  So the use of the technology worked perfectly. When I approached my colleague to discuss the use of New Literacies and assessed her technology, she had a Smartboard in the room that was not working.  I was able to help her to find the correct cables and hook up the Smartboard.  She is now able to use it on her own and has used many of the websites I referred her to.  This alone felt good before I even began implementing this lesson.  Then we worked together with the student to create the books and that was a wonderful experience, as well.      

There aren’t many changes I would make to this lesson.  I do think I should have found a more simplistic way to build their understanding of UDL Book Builder.  When I look back at the lesson, I feel that the student needed more time playing and navigating through the site.  If this lesson was implemented in a larger class it would have needed to be done over 6 or 7 days and in a computer lab.  The interactive website on story elements was great and the students loved it.  I used it on the Smartboard and all four students were able to stand at the board and interact with the sites during the question sets.  Again, if this was done in a larger class the students would need to have use of their own computers or not every student would be interacting directly with the website.  Overall, I loved teaching this lesson and felt the cooperating teacher and the students were very happy with it. 

New Literacies Reflection

                Our education system has mainly focused on reading instruction that is rich in print for many years.  With the development of technology came a change in society.  This change has taken longer than expected to finally reach the classroom.  The change is bringing technology into the classroom.  This change has made many people uncomfortable and is still something many teachers are getting used to.  Technology has changed the classroom environment profoundly.  English language arts and reading instruction is not what it once was.

            I have taught in an environment where New Literacies have and have not been incorporated in instruction.  I have found that the integration of New Literacies makes a dramatic increase in student’s engagement and motivation.  My student’s hands fly for a chance to interact with technology in a lesson.  When we are reading from a traditional reading textbook, I find my students slumped in their chairs and myself trying to keep them on task and focused.

            New Literacies have brought about a way to reach our students in a manner they fully appreciate and learn.  Our students know technology better than most of us do.  They are being brought up in a world where technology is familiar and in many ways natural to them.  On the other hand, most educators were not raised in this type of environment.  I believe this is one of the main reasons we do not see New Literacy techniques integrated in every classroom.  Many teachers are unfamiliar with it and lack the comfort and knowledge in order to implement it.   

            New Literacies have dramatically changed ELA instruction for the better.  Reaching the generations we are teaching is dependent upon incorporating technology in the classrooms.  I believe that student are not only motivated and engaged in this learning style, but they are also learning skills that will better equip them for future careers. 

Glogster

Features of Glogster	Affordance
Text	Students have the ability to add any form of text.  They can create comic strips, complete writing assignment, and share ideas easily.
Video	The video clip feature allows teachers and students to add in clips that align with the content of the page.
Links	Linking sites is a great way to create a page that is interactive and provides resources that review or explain the content of the glogster.
Public and private	The ability to make it public and private allows students to have the option to share with others or to just allow the teacher to view it.
Collaboration	The public option can help to create a glogster where many students are adding and commenting on each other’s work.  Group projects can also be completed with this tool and all students can access it from both home and school.

My Glogster

http://www.glogster.com/amymoe/nouns/g-6lj9hs3b2unbc2hhiouk4a0

Affordance of Educational Technology Article Reflection

     The article Evaluating Pedagogical Affordances of Media Sharing Web 2.0 Technologies by Kevin Burden and Simon Atkinson gave a good explanation of the uses of Voice Thread and its affordability.  I am familiar with Voice Thread and believe it is a valuable tool for the classroom.  One of the best benefits of this tool is that is free.  Often many resources or tools require a significant amount of money and training in order to implement them in the classroom.  Voice Thread is not only affordable but also very user friendly.  The article discusses how the use of the tool was implemented to aide in learner’s ability to reflect, discuss, and review peers work.  I believe this is an essential component to using Voice Thread.  It allows students and/or colleagues to reflect, respond, and discuss the content of the Voice Thread.  This opens a door for active collaboration and learning to occur.  An additional positive aspect to this is that you are using technology in the process.  This allows many NETS standards to be addressed in the process of learning the content. 
     The article also addresses how versatile Voice Thread is.  It can be used with many different forms of media.  For example, the article states, “The media under discussion can be almost anything ranging from still images, video clips, presentations, audio files, documents or any combination of these.”  This aspect of the tool allows for many different ways of using it inside or outside of the classroom.  A Voice Thread can be created by a teacher on any topic in any content area using many types of media.  Additionally, students can create them and comment on their peers or teachers work.  A good example of this is that, Voice Threads can be used to re-teach a concept that was taught in class that day.  It can be posted on the teacher’s websites and students can comment or ask questions while at home.  Overall, the fact that Voice Thread is so versatile and can be used with many forms of media allows a large range of learning opportunities to occur while it is utilized.  
     The article discusses how the tool and other tools cannot be used on their own to meet Dial-e’s matrix.  The tool needs to be used with good planning, creativity, and imagination.  I liked how the article discussed this.  I feel that all materials or tools that are going to be used in the classroom require these essential components.  It is an affordable tool but in order to use it to its full capability it requires thought and time.  All lessons should be created and designed that way.  This tool is very valuable and affordable.  It is definitely worth getting comfortable using and having your students use. 

My Voice Thread

https://voicethread.com/share/2762773/

Please check out my Voice thread to add comments.  Enjoy!

Keystone Project Draft

Summary

The students will be using Book Builder to show their understanding of elements in a story.  Elements of a story and story structure will be taught using the Smatboard.  The online interactive (see link below) lesson will be used to teach/review the elements of a story.  The students will then work collaboratively in groups to write a story and present it using Book Builder.  The lesson will take place over three 40 minute periods.  It will be for a fourth grade level resource room.

http://www.learner.org/interactives/story/

Student learning outcome

• The student will understand and be able to locate the elements of a story.
• The student will create a digital book using UDL Book Builder.
• The students will include all the elements of a story in their book.

Common Core Standards

Reading:  Craft and Structure

• Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
• Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

Writing:  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

• Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
• Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

ISTE NETS Standards

1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes

b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues

Assessment
Three rubrics will be used.  One will assess the students writing skills.  The second will assess their ability to work collaboratively and a third will be used to assess their Book. 

Week 9 Article Review

The article The Impact of Using Blogs on College Students' Reading Comprehension and Learning Motivation was very informative.  The statistics in relation to using media while reading were astounding.  The article stated that 58% of middle and high school students use other media while reading.  This would explain the short attention spans of many of our students.   I have a difficult time reading at all when there is an excessive amount of background noise.  I can’t imagine multitasking by using media while reading.  I can see how much this affects out students reading levels.  I believe this sort of behavior is happening in lower grades, as well. It spoke of how multimodal texts may help change students reading levels.   I agree with this greatly.  I often use online texts that are animated.  My students love these.  They are engaged and motivated to learn more so than using regular text.  The generation we are teaching is exposed to technology in a variety of ways in their everyday lives.  It only makes sense to present technology in their learning environment, as well. 

The article went on to describe New Literacies.  It discussed how New Literacties are literacy skills that have an interactive multimedia approach.  We have been working in this class to integrate New Literacy practices in our classroom rooms.   The article reflected upon a case study that researched the affects of blogging on college reading levels.  The findings were interesting.  There was no significant correlation between blogging and reading scores increasing.  I found this interesting, because I feel blogging does increase writing abilities.  The writing ability increase would then lead to an increase in reading ability.  I feel that blogging is a much nicer way of publishing our work then posting it in a discussion forum.  The overall appearance of the blog is more pleasing. The communication is a little more personalized, as well.  In a discussion forum all you are is a name attached to a post.  At least with the blog, you can set up a profile and use a picture. I agree with the article in that blogs also offer a nice way to personally reflect on your ideas and thoughts.  They also provide a great means of collecting resources and projects to create a portfolio.  The article gave a nice insight into how blogs can be used as a form of New Literacy instruction. 

My Digital Story Telling Book

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60722454/Paragraph_1.wmv

Reflection of Articles

The article Using the ADDIE Model to Design Second Life Activities for Online Learners By Shiang-Kwei Wang and Hui-Yin Hsu helped me to see Second Life as an educational tool.  This helped me to recognize how Second Life would benefit online college courses, especially. There is a significant lack in social presence when taking an online course.   I feel it would be great to be able to address the face to face interaction situation with the use of Second Life.  I agree with the article in that this form of learning would be more engaging and motivating than traditional Blackboard learning.  This article addresses that there is a belief students learn better when they can “explore and construct their own meaning” in a learning environment.  I feel this is a very true aspect to learning.  If Second Life was used with online courses it would aide in establishing a social environment where students are interacting, collaborating, and actively discussing content through the use of their avatar.  The actual use of technology and navigating through the site is a wonderful learning process in itself.  Students like us who are learning so many new technological resources can benefit greatly through the use of Second Life.  I see many positive aspects to using Second Life with college courses, but I do feel it would be difficult to use with grade level students.  For example, it would present privacy issues with all learning levels.  Second Life is not a private environment so interaction with others outside of the class would present a problem.  Overall, this article was helpful in seeing the uses of Second Life as an educational tool.  I think with time the use of this sort of tool will be considerably more popular than it is presently. 

             I found the article Theories and Practices of Multimodal Education: The Instructional Dynamics of Picture Books and Primary Classrooms by Dawnene D. Hassett and Jen Scott Curwood to be very informative and somewhat of an eye opening experience.  The article spoke of how language arts instruction must be remodeled to fit today’s society.  Society has changed so much through the use of technology and this has created a young society who needs information to be delivered to them in the way they learn and interact with the world.  Traditional instruction just isn’t reaching our students the way technology integrated instruction does.  The article addresses how text is now delivered in so many different ways.  Colors, graphics, and a variety or other aspects have now been incorporated into technology based reading materials.  I have found that students respond to this greatly.  My special education students love the different aspects these sorts of reading sites and tools offer.  They are more engaged and motivated to read when I present them with this versus a traditional book. These resources and tools allow for a more multisensory approach.  Its helps differentiate instruction and reach many different learning styles all at once.   Overall, I feel that we need to continue to change instruction as society continues to change. Integrating technology in ELA instruction makes a large difference with my students. I feel it will help all students achieve success better. 

Second Life

This is a shot of my avatar in what I think was a dace club of some sort.  I discussed this site with a few different teachers.  None of the teachers were familiar with it.  I wasn't surprised because I was very unfamiliar with it, as well.  It was an interesting site that had a lot to offer.  I am not really an online socializer and nor were these teachers, therefore will all agreed there was some nervousness attached to using something of this sort for educational purposes.  It could definitely be used to set up a virtual classroom or community that is private.  I feel the reason that this presents some anxiety to teachers is that these are real people that have the ability to communicate with our students.  If a private room was set up and our students only accessed that area it could be a great learning tool.  A few different classes could join and an assignment could be created that required students to work with other avatars form different classrooms.  This would definitely cover New Literacies and collaboration amongst students.  It may also provide students who are shy or lack social skills to be more comfortable in speaking with others and sharing ideas.  This virtual classroom could also be used outside of the school.  Students could ask each other questions or discusses homework assignments and projects. 

UDL Book Builder

http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view.php?op=view&book=57676&page=1

I came up with this idea because I felt that story structure and elements is such an important concept for students to understand.  I love the book 7 x 9 = Trouble and have used it in my classroom before.  When the ELA teacher I am working with shared she was reading this with some of her students, I was thrilled.  She had already taught the story elements to the student I worked with, Joe. Joe had a great understanding of the elements.  He was thrilled to spend a few lunches with me to complete a writing assignment I asked of him.  Joe liked the idea that his work would be published into a book.  I especially liked the creation of the book I have created because it included reading, writing, and some math skills.  Although the teacher did all the instruction with the student, I tied in the writing aspect.  The great thing was is that he came up with the thought that it included reading, writing and math in his writing sample.  I thought this was amazing that he made this connection.  His teacher thought UDL Book Builder was a great way to publish students writing.  Her major concern was will the students be able to navigate through the site independently.  She did feel this tool would be so useful in higher grade levels and I agree.  I think that higher grade level teachers could have their students use this without a problem.  In speaking with a few ELA teachers we all felt this would be a great tool for us to use in a variety of ways.  Some of these ideas included: having students write actual stories, practicing using context clues or vocabulary (using the coaches) by creating books for the students, and writing book reports. I feel that the book I created could be used in a few different ways.  A teacher could use this book as an example so that students could create their own book on story elements or any other content.  This book could also be used to teach or review story elements with a class.  Furthermore, the book could be used to review the book 7 x 9= Trouble. This was a really great website and I plan on using this and sharing it a lot in the future. 

More Uses for Edmodo

·         Students can record their findings throughout a project.  For example, if they are studying particular plants the students can post their findings and comment on each others.

·         Brighter students could be selected as tutors and provide help to others through the use of Edmodo.

·         It could be used to just create social relationships.  Although this would have to be monitored closely.  Perhaps have students share something they liked that another student did that day.

·         Students could give others feedback on presentations given in class that day.

·         Students can post a question and others can respond to it.  The data can then be graphed and used in a math presentation. 

Game Scenario

Check out my game scenario!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60722454/Help%20Save%20our%20Planet.pptx

Gamestar and My Philosophy on Gaming

         I enjoy using games in my classroom and have for some time now.  I was very interested in Gamestar Mechanic and Quest to Learn because it was a different kind of educational gaming than I am familiar with.  I use games that align with the content.  For example, games that teach multiplication facts or verbs.  I usually use these types of games as a guided practice or anticipatory set.  I can introduce a lesson, review pre-requites for the lesson, or have students complete the games to help gain mastery.  Game Mechanics and Quest to Learn are a very different approach to gaming than I have had in mind.

            Both sites are geared towards creating games to enhance skills.  The skills focused on are system thinking, problem solving, creativity, and collaboration.  These are all skills that are more challenging to teach.  I also feel these are often the skills that require teachers to do very nontraditional teaching in order to address.  Often students need to think outside the box or be placed in projects to learn these skills.  I am a firm believer in teaching problem solving and collaborating.  I believe these are essential skills that are often not taught and developed well enough in our students.  There are a few major thoughts that cross my mind when approaching the use of gaming in this matter in my classroom.

            My initial thought was where the time is and how teachers are incorporating this into their classrooms.  There is so much content to teach these students that it would be difficult to add this to the list of things we need to teach.  Then I started to see the essential skills this would develop in the classroom and how engaged and motivated students will be in this sort of lesson.  It seems that the teachers who are using this have been successful and are designing useful lessons.  I feel that these types of lessons would be challenging to initially establish in the classroom but overall will be worth it. 

If students were able to learn problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills while having fun and consistently being engaged why we wouldn’t incorporate this in our classrooms?  I feel these types of lessons would be a great way to motivate students while teaching essential skills.  It would be great to use this as a reward lesson.  If the students cover all required material then they are able to create their games.  I am excited and curious to see how my students will respond to this. 

Voki

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5437319&height=267&width=200

I recently created a lesson using Voki.  I used this Voki to introduce an assignment for a reading lesson. We have been reading a novel together as a class. I have the students complete a sheet after each chapter to check their reading comprehension. For this chapter, the students worked with a partner to create a Voki that answered the question assigned to them. Each group was assigned one question. They created the Voki and had it state the answer to the reading comprehension question. Then the students presented their Voki to the class.  During the presentations, the other students took the answers to the questions they were not assigned down on the sheet. By the end of the Voki presentations the students had the answers to all questions on that chapter.  There were six Voki created by my students.  This was done in a special education setting.  The kids loved it and I was astonished by how well they completed the assignment.  If you'd like me to share their Voki let me know.  This was a great twist to a reading comprehension assignment that could be a little boring at times.  They were definitely engaged this time.

   

 

Edmodo

     I think Edmodo is a really great tool.  The social networking is such an important part of our student's lives.  To give learning a social networking feel would help motivate and engage students.  I believe that this tool would be most beneficial with middle and high school aged kids.  These age levels are more familiar with the social networking sites and could probably navigate independently more so then elementary aged students.  Although, many of may third graders are very aware of social networking sites and how they are used. 
     A great way that Edmodo could be used is to have the class read a novel together.  Every night the students could read a chapter and post on Edmodo their thought, feeling, and questions about the chapter.  They could also comment or answer each others posts.  This would then provide myself with feedback on how the students are perceiving the novel.  It would aide in my planning for the next day and provide me with a direction to lead the discussion in.  This would also create a sort of book club.
     Another neat way to use Edmodo would be having students post a writing assignment on a particular topic.  They could then help each other edit and revise their writing before a final piece is written.  I find that many students dislike and lack the ability to edit and revise their work.  Edmodo could help make this process more interesting.
     This tool could be used as a nightly homework assignment.  I would post a paragraph, poem, or quote relating to the content taught that day and the students would comment on it.  Students could also answer questions I have provided.  Another great way to use this tool is have parents access it to see student work and progress in the class.  Parents could have the opportunity to ask me questions or receive clarification on assignments. 
    I am exited to try and use Edmodo in my classroom.  I am going to allow my students time in the computer lab to become familiar with it and attempt to do some of the above stated ideas.  My students are young, therefore I am interested to see how they will navigate and respond to this tool. 

Drop Box Article

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60722454/Is%20Texting%20Good%20For%20Teenagers_files/Is%20Texting%20Good%20For%20Teenagers.htm

The article Is Texting Good for Teenagers by Kelsey Sands describes the impact texting has on adolescence language skills.  I was astounded to learn that the average teen sends at least 2,500 texts each month.  This is an overwhelming amount of time spent on texting.  There are educators who feel that texting can have a positive influence on students writing skills and those who feel the opposite.

Many educators feel that the content of what teens are texting is the problem.  Traditional syntax is not being used in texts and teens are creating a nontraditional form of the English language. Recent studies from California State University have shown that texting can actually help students in the classroom.  There is a possibility that texting can be incorporated into instruction.  This can be done so in an informal way.  For example, having students comment and provide feedback on various forms of writing or classmate’s work.  

A study by CSU research believes that, "text-speak isn't some type of English language gibberish, but is a form of second language having its own style, and it also builds students' language skills." I agree with this statement in that texting has created a “second language” and language skills can be developed through this second language.  I can see how phonetic awareness is being developed with the use of short hand and abbreviations, but that spelling skills are not being developed at all.  I feel that the use of abbreviations and short hand will have a negative impact on teen’s ability to spell words correctly. 

The article states that, “Kids surveyed by a N.C. magazine said "they'll routinely text message their friends at nighttime when they have important questions about school work or about when assignments are due."  This is a great way for students to collaborate and help each other with all academic assignments.  The availability texting provides students allows them instantaneous feedback and help.   A study done in England stated that texting helps students distinguish rhymes and language patterns and this can help improve literacy proficiencies.  I definitely agree that rhyme and language patterns can be developed through texting.  It requires the students to find a different way of writing or saying something.  For example, phonetic sounds are being relayed in a different way ( gr8).  This is creating an opportunity for students to look at a language pattern and then creatively transform that pattern into something different and shorter.  If anything, texting is allowing a wide window for creative thinking.

Overall, I can see both the negative and positive affects of texting.  In regards to developing language skills I can see the positive aspects more than the negative ones.  The negative impact is related to physical and social well being more so than teens developing language skills. 

Silent E Lesson Plan

Grade level: k-3

Interactive game/site:  http://thinkfinity.org/great-escapes-silent-e-game

Common core standards:

RF.1.2. Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

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

RF.1.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

NETS Standards

Technology Operations and Concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Learning outcomes: 

·         The student will read silent e words.

·         The student will write sentences that have silent e words in them.

·         The student will navigate through the interactive game independently.

Goal: 

·         The student will master the decoding skills with the use of an interactive tool to be able to decode silent e words.

Instructional activities:

The instructional video that is accompanied with this interactive game will be used as an anticipatory set.  I will then use the SMART Board to teach the decoding skill of silent e words and syllables.  The game will be used via the SMART Board as guided practice.  The students will come to the board in teams of two to complete the game. The students will then work on the printable activity page associated with the lesson.  They will do this independently to show mastery of the skill.  In addition, the student will get to choose and independently complete another game from this site that addresses the silent e phonics skill.

 In the game the student is asked to place silent e words into blanks in a sentence. The interactive character speaks to them throughout the process and will read the words for the student if they click on them. The game will help students master this phonetic skill and apply it independently when reading. Instruction can be differentiated because students can also use this game regardless of their understanding of the skill.  There is the option to have the words read. This tool makes it easier for students to become efficient at using this phonetic sound in context. The game helps the students develop acquisition of language skills by teaching basic decoding skills that are essential for reading and writing.

Assessment: 

The printed activity page will be used to see if the student has mastered the literacy skill.  A rubric will be used to assess the student’s ability to meet the technology skills addressed in the lesson.  Furthermore, a running record will be used to assess the student’s ability to correctly decode and fluently read silent e words and syllables in context. 

Debriefing: 

I will facilitate a class discussion to create the debriefing process.   The students will demonstrate New literacy skills by discussing the problems they encountered while navigating through both games they completed.  We will discuss how they navigated through the site and how well they felt they understood the information.   As a class we can create a PowerPoint to demonstrate how to correctly decode silent e words in real life reading.  For example we can take short stories or readings and place them on a PowerPoint slide.  We will highlight silent e syllables or words and then create a step by step list on how to correctly attack these skills in context.

Cognitive skills the game helps cultivate:

The phonics skills surrounding silent e are addressed in this game. 

 New Literacies skills the game helps cultivate:

The crucial word attack or phonics skills needed to become a fluent reader are taught and addressed in this lesson.  New Literacies are incorporated because these skills are being taught with an added element.  The games allow students to learn traditional reading and writing phonics skills through the use of technology.