Week Two Assignments

Week Two Assignments

1. Reflection on your understanding of ELA instruction

With quickly changing technologies in an expanding global economy, the importance of English Language Arts (ELA) instruction has grown significantly.  More than ever, students need to learn literacy skills to read, write, speak, listen, and visually represent their thoughts and positions to prepare them for college education and careers.  It is critical for ELA instructors to guide students through proper understanding and use of the English language.  That task is indeed a comprehensive one as it includes many and equally essential elements. 

Students require reading skills that come from comprehending a variety of texts like classic literature, contemporary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction stories and articles.  Students will be exposed to a broad range of information that will expand their knowledge and perspective of the world while encouraging their creativity.  To be college and career-ready, they will also need to be proficient at logically expressing their ideas through writing in a variety of media and contexts.  Knowledge of proper and effective use of the English language including an expanded vocabulary will be necessary.  Additionally, the ability to speak clearly to convey thoughts and arguments is essential as is the ability to listen well to understand complex ideas and information.  Lastly, with so much available technology, ELA teachers should utilize current tools that will not only engage students but familiarize them with importance of learning and communicating through such devices.

2. Research one technology tool that can best assist in each of the FIVE components mentioned in Learning Task#1 (reading, writing, speaking, listening, language.)

Recent technology has enhanced the educator’s ability to teach English Language Arts (ELA) to today’s students.  One such tool is the interactive white board commonly known as a SMART Board.  Teachers can utilize this to introduce reading passages and language terms like vocabulary, parts of speech and grammar. The interactive capability of the SMART Board allows teachers to engage students while they are learning and practicing key concepts.  For example, a teacher can display individual pages of a picture book as students recite the associated words on the board.  Or, students can select words that rhyme or match parts of speech with words in a sentence displayed on the board.

A SMART Board can be used to define and identify different sentence structures and types.  Teachers can also use it to build knowledge about writing styles, too.  For example, students can learn about persuasive writing by interactively selecting appropriate arguments or evidence to support their position.  They can then help each other organize points on the SMART Board before they build their own persuasive writing example on paper.

With the SMART Board’s technology to present information visually and aurally, students can learn proper pronunciations of vocabulary and intonation of spoken passages to support their speaking skills.  Additionally, students can improve their ability to listen for specific information and main ideas. 

The SMART Board is a useful and versatile tool that engages students while the teacher imparts essential English Language Arts knowledge.  Besides the financial challenge of including one in each classroom, teachers need time to familiarize themselves with the broad range of helpful programs and applications that utilize the technology.  Teachers and students will benefit with the integration of this tool to build ELA proficiency.

3. Interview an ELA teacher to learn his/her challenge(s) in integrating technology in the teaching of ELA/Literacy.

Mrs. Madson, a third grade teacher, has a recently-installed SMART Board in her classroom.  Additionally, with a brand new English Language Arts (ELA) program being implemented throughout the district to support the new Common Core State Standards, she has a lot of changes.  While she will rely on her 22 years of teaching experience, her biggest challenges to integrating technology is the steep learning curve that comes with new tools.  The district has provided some training but the real test will be the actual use of such new tools with the students.  She has already learned how much more comfortable the students are with the SMART Board and how forgiving they are that their teacher is still learning.

Regarding the utilization of the SMART Board to teach ELA, Mrs. Madson is embracing the applications that came with the new program materials.  The interactivity has really engaged her students as they learn new vocabulary, sentence structures and how to decipher information in reading passages.  She has played matching games to challenge students on their knowledge of parts of speech.  She has also used the SMART Board to demonstrate and practice writing in cursive.  As she consults with other teachers, Mrs. Madson is learning of the numerous available applications. With so many resources out there, the challenge is to identify which applications fit the objectives of her lesson plans and how to find the time to utilize even some of them.  Lastly, Mrs. Madson feels she is just scratching the tip of the capabilities of the SMART Board and wishes she had more practice time so she can introduce her own technology skills confidently.