One of the most daunting tasks for teachers is motivating adolescent readers to read. While this may be daunting it is however not impossible. Many researchers postulate the the key to motivating students is through the creation of a a positive reading environment, the use of engaging, meaningful material and quick and positive feedback. In the construction of a positive reading environment we can lean on the theories of behaviorism where we positively reward all efforts and provide incentives to facilitate reading in the classroom. Casteel (n.d) delineated some steps that teachers can follow to create this positive environment for reluctant adolescent readers. He posits:
1. That achievement of motivation in the classroom is most effective if teachers set goals and obtain feedback from students.
2. Instructional material must be relevant, meaningful and stimulating to students in order to obtain students' co-operation.
3. Construct a reading program that meets the needs of the struggling reader.
This list is by no means the sum total of all motivational strategies but I do hope it will help someone.
Article: Casteel, C.,A. (n.d) Motivating reluctant readers to become mature readers.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Instructional Writing Strategies
We place a great deal of importance in reading, which is very good, but sometimes I feel as though writing is not given the same measure of importance. In my recent readings, I have come across quite a number of instructional writing strategies which I believe can be implemented in the classroom to enhance the writing skills of students, whether it is used with or without the aid of technology. Beneath I have highlighted a few examples but more can be obtained from the website that will be seen at the bottom of this blog. Writing can be improved through the use of:
1. Free writing: This is where the student is encouraged to just write about anything with little emphasis being placed on grammar and the mechanics of writing. This is known to improve fluency in writing and improve thinking.
2. Sentence Combining: This is where students are asked to combine a series of short sentences into longer, more complex sentences. This improves the quality of their writing.
3. Modeling: Like reading students need to be provided with examples of good writing as often as possible so that they can see what good writing is and model the same efforts.
4. Students should be provided with clear rubrics, scales or criteria so that they know or understand what their goal is and have a good idea of what is required for successful writing.
5. Writing should be inquiry based.
These are the main points highlighted by George Hillcocks in his article. However, more information can be obtained from the following website:
http://michiganreading.org/cms/images/stories/PDFs/overmeyermarkhandout1.pdf
1. Free writing: This is where the student is encouraged to just write about anything with little emphasis being placed on grammar and the mechanics of writing. This is known to improve fluency in writing and improve thinking.
2. Sentence Combining: This is where students are asked to combine a series of short sentences into longer, more complex sentences. This improves the quality of their writing.
3. Modeling: Like reading students need to be provided with examples of good writing as often as possible so that they can see what good writing is and model the same efforts.
4. Students should be provided with clear rubrics, scales or criteria so that they know or understand what their goal is and have a good idea of what is required for successful writing.
5. Writing should be inquiry based.
These are the main points highlighted by George Hillcocks in his article. However, more information can be obtained from the following website:
http://michiganreading.org/cms/images/stories/PDFs/overmeyermarkhandout1.pdf
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Podcasting and its implications in the classroom.
Since we are about to learn about podcasts in the following sessions I decided to get a head start and see what podcasting is all about and how can it change instruction and learning. Podcasting according to Wikipedia is a series of digital media files, either audio or video, that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication. How can we integrate such a device into Education? Well, according to Literacy News (http://www.literacynews.com/2010/01/ilearning-using-an-ipod-to-educate/) podcasting can be used as an alternative to way of studying as lecture notes, book chapters and lectures can be recorded for playback by the student. The audio books are also another good feature of podcasting as it gives students the option of hearing a story while engaging in another activity or just simply hearing the story which is considered reading. The article also goes on to say that it can help students to illustrate what they have learnt using a different medium of expression as they can use it to do projects. In the area of reading it can be used by the teacher to demonstrate fluent reading.
Traditinal books vs Ebooks
Technology is fast replacing a lot of the traditional elements that were once found in the classroom, among them being printed text. We have not reached the point of totally discarding paper books for ebooks but I believe that this stage is inevitable. I believe this because ebooks are quite similar to paper books but it has more advantages on its side. Ebooks are eco-friendly which appeals to a lot of environmentalists. Ebooks also allow instructors to compile large quantities of data for students and distribute it via the Internet. The ebook allows students to be able to download books and data from the Internet as soon as they are released and also provide an online library that is always accessible making the acquisition of knowledge quick and easy. The ebook contains an audio and video option so people can listen to the text if they prefer to do so. It is also cheaper to obtain material since it is only a matter of downloading as opposed to shipping.
Choosing the right reading program
Technology is great and if implemented in the classroom in an effective manner would improve our students’ aptitude tremendously. However, we need to note that before we buy into all the technologies and software that purport enhancement in our children’s reading life especially, there are a few things that we must note. Fisher and Ivey (2006) authored a paper entitled “Evaluating the Intervention for struggling adolescent readers” in which they highlighted some concerns about certain programs. They state that:
The teacher should play a critical role in assessment and instruction. They postulated that students who were most successful in reading were students who spent quality time with expert teachers.
The intervention should reflect a comprehensive approach to reading and writing. Programs need to concentrate on all skills in both reading and writing and not just one skill. Instruction in the processes of reading and writing ought to facilitate student engagement and understanding with real texts rather than take centre stage in the program.
Reading and writing in the intervention should be engaging.
Interventions should be driven by relevant and useful assessments. Students need assessments that will take into consideration their literate strengths, needs and preferences. This would entail ongoing assessments and assessments that would see them engaging in literate tasks in a variety of contexts.
The intervention should include authentic opportunities for reading and writing. These interventions should provide students with many opportunities to read and write and not programs that concentrate on skill-and-drill activities with the exclusion of reading and writing activities.
I believe that these pointers should be duly considered as we tend to buy into programs based on their popularity and not on their ability to meet the needs of struggling readers.
The teacher should play a critical role in assessment and instruction. They postulated that students who were most successful in reading were students who spent quality time with expert teachers.
The intervention should reflect a comprehensive approach to reading and writing. Programs need to concentrate on all skills in both reading and writing and not just one skill. Instruction in the processes of reading and writing ought to facilitate student engagement and understanding with real texts rather than take centre stage in the program.
Reading and writing in the intervention should be engaging.
Interventions should be driven by relevant and useful assessments. Students need assessments that will take into consideration their literate strengths, needs and preferences. This would entail ongoing assessments and assessments that would see them engaging in literate tasks in a variety of contexts.
The intervention should include authentic opportunities for reading and writing. These interventions should provide students with many opportunities to read and write and not programs that concentrate on skill-and-drill activities with the exclusion of reading and writing activities.
I believe that these pointers should be duly considered as we tend to buy into programs based on their popularity and not on their ability to meet the needs of struggling readers.
Ebooks
I must begin by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed my ebook class. The creation of the ebook that was done yesterday spurred me on to really think of ways in which I could use this tool in the classroom. I am thinking: If I have enjoyed the creation of this book how much more would my students enjoy doing the same. So I have decided that one of my first projects is to create an ebook to teach my form ones the alphabet in Spanish which is always a problem. Then I thought as one of their projects for me this term I would have them create an ebook about socializing in Spanish. I would dedicate a few of my classes to teach them how to do a very simple one. I really thought that I would have hated this course because I am not too big on technology but I really am very glad that I had to do it.
Internet and Students' Writing
In my research that I have been conducting in relation to my Web 2.0 paper, I have discovered some very interesting issues, chief among them, is that of how the Internet affects students’ writing. This struck me because I am a frequent emailing person, using all the shortcuts associated with emailing. What I have realized is that sometimes in my formal writings I fall prey to email and IM talk and I quickly have to correct myself. The integral issue here is that I am able to correct myself and I can differentiate between both types of writing but there are students who are unable to do this. There are many studies that have been conducted in order to determine whether the Internet and its socializing tools have hampered the writing skills of many students and there are mixed views. As teachers I believe that we play an integral role in fostering not only good writing habits but also good oral habits as well. Students often write how they speak so in order to help them along the way I believe that we ought to have a few guidelines in our classroom as well as the Internet if we share these socializing tools with our students. Friess (2003) in USA Today iterated these:
Always use proper grammar, punctuation and spelling (when writing) when communicating with children even if they do not.
Find ways to correct the child gently without seeming preachy.
Remind children that formality is a requirement when writing school essays and filling out job applications.
Review the child’s school work to ensure that Internet lingo is not being used.
Send old-fashioned letters to children from time to time to show them how printed communication ought to be.
I put forward one question before exiting this blog though: Do you believe that Internet talk is indeed hampering proper oral and written communication?
Always use proper grammar, punctuation and spelling (when writing) when communicating with children even if they do not.
Find ways to correct the child gently without seeming preachy.
Remind children that formality is a requirement when writing school essays and filling out job applications.
Review the child’s school work to ensure that Internet lingo is not being used.
Send old-fashioned letters to children from time to time to show them how printed communication ought to be.
I put forward one question before exiting this blog though: Do you believe that Internet talk is indeed hampering proper oral and written communication?
Wikis in the Classroom
I have been doing some reading on wikis in preparation for my paper and I have come across some interesting facts about wikis and why it is a good tool to be incorporated into the classroom. This information was taken from WolfWikis and the topic is Wikis in Writing Education Research. This article states that wikis are ideal learning tools because:
Files are easily accessed on the same page
Information is compiled collectively Wiki is inherently democratic (my favourite) Wiki have the ability to challenge natural authority structures (another favourite) Issues of author and individuality are transgressed to encourage community contribution and de-emphasize self (another favourite)
The teacher acts more like a guide as opposed to the sole representation of authority
Wikis can become places of class collaboration, socialization, and assignment participation
Wikis give the students an opportunity to write for a wider audience Wikis foment a sense of shared knowledge, which can transcend to other courses, curricula or countries.
The list presented in this article is indeed longer but the points highlighted are my most favourite. More information can be obtained from the website: http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/Wikis_in_Writing_Education_Research. This article really propelled me to do further research on the topic as I like the idea of using technology to enhance writing. I believe that more emphasis should be placed on authentic, meaningful activities to enhance writing as we are losing our children in this arena. We spend lots of time with reading, which is commendable, but I believe that more time should also be allocated for students to get authentic writing instruction.
Files are easily accessed on the same page
Information is compiled collectively Wiki is inherently democratic (my favourite) Wiki have the ability to challenge natural authority structures (another favourite) Issues of author and individuality are transgressed to encourage community contribution and de-emphasize self (another favourite)
The teacher acts more like a guide as opposed to the sole representation of authority
Wikis can become places of class collaboration, socialization, and assignment participation
Wikis give the students an opportunity to write for a wider audience Wikis foment a sense of shared knowledge, which can transcend to other courses, curricula or countries.
The list presented in this article is indeed longer but the points highlighted are my most favourite. More information can be obtained from the website: http://wikis.lib.ncsu.edu/index.php/Wikis_in_Writing_Education_Research. This article really propelled me to do further research on the topic as I like the idea of using technology to enhance writing. I believe that more emphasis should be placed on authentic, meaningful activities to enhance writing as we are losing our children in this arena. We spend lots of time with reading, which is commendable, but I believe that more time should also be allocated for students to get authentic writing instruction.
The Importance of Blogging in the Classroom
Many teachers like me may be averse to the implementation of technology in the classroom for myriads of reasons. As the author of “Integrating Technology and Learning” states teachers do not really resist technology but what it represents. The author delineates that the integration of technology in the classroom may represent confusion, loss of control, change and impersonalization. While some of this is true in my case I had to sit back and really think about what is best for my students. As a result, I decided to research the advantages of each tool that we are scheduled to learn about and how it can change my teaching methods and improve my students’ literacy level which this course is all about. Below are some advantages to utilizing blogging in the classroom that I believe may be beneficial to all of us.Research has shown that blogging tends to improve writing skills as students recognize that blogging is open to the public. As a result, more thought is put into content as well as grammar as articles need to be reasonably good enough for public viewing.Because blogging is done on a regular basis students’ writing improves. These students also get the opportunity to view other writing styles which indirectly helps them to improve their own writing.Blogging facilitates collaborative learning and allows each person an equal opportunity in expressing their views. It gives persons of varying personalities the opportunity to air their views far more effectively than in a classroom.Lastly, students as well as teachers are able to monitor and chart progress as this tool allows both to go back to earlier postings and compare them with the ones that they have recently authored.I hope this will be of help to someone.
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