“Technology is increasingly being recognized for its potential to support K-12 writing instruction. Research has shown the positive effects of word processing, spell-check, speech recognition, and multimedia software on different stages of the writing process (224).”
In today’s world, technology is surrounding us and because of this, students need to learn how to be fluent in how to use technology. Students use technology to check spelling to completing pieces of art. Along with this, students need to write, so why not interweaving the two? There are a variety of ways for teachers to be able to apply writing in the form of technology in their classroom.
“Electronic text is also easily manipulated. Writers can change background colors, font styles, and the placement of graphics to determine the best format for their writing (224).”
This is beneficial for students with special needs because it is easier to highlight text and enlarge it if need be. All students want to be able to express themselves and this is easily done with electronic texts. Students can make their piece of work look how they want it to opposed to being just pen and paper.
One major way that technology is used is by typing up papers, but teachers can get more in depth by using resources such as blogs. As college students, we have been using a blog in our class. This is something that can easily be done within a variety of classrooms. This can be set up in different ways; either each student can have their own blog or there can be a class blog which all students could log into. Students will feel as if they are publishing their work to share with their family members and friends. There may be many people seeing their writing, and possibly responding to it. Because of this, students feel the need to put more effort into their work.
I really enjoyed collaborative internet projects. My favorite part is how students have control over their learning. Students use something they learned in class then expand t by doing research. The students then present the information using a variety of different genres. When students are given choices they are more likely to enjoy what they are learning and ultimately want to learn. Students will also be proud of their end project because it becomes their turn to be the teachers and teach their fellow classmates about what they learned.
Overall, technology makes learning, and writing, more fun and interactive for our students. Technology gives students ways to express themselves as well as show off their work. As teachers, it is our job to demonstrate to our students that they can, and should be, proud of all that they accomplished and learned.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Hola! Hello!
“How can we teach so that our multilingual students learn well? How can we help them read and write well? Can we, or should we, try to start reading and writing instruction right away? Can research help us know what to do (289)?”
I found it interesting that “initial instruction in native language writing tended to affect native language and new language writing more than new language only situations (291).” The first school I student taught at was primarily bilingual learners. In the earlier grades, students had half day instruction in Spanish and the other half of the day was instructed in English. This did not happen in all classrooms but did in most because of the high percentage of English language learners.
Having instruction in two different languages was something I had not seen before and was not exactly sure what to think of it. I first wondered why we would do this when there is so much focus on them learning English. I am glad I learned that it benefits students because they are not simply focusing on learning the language but they are learning how to write as well.
Now that I know about the benefits, I wonder if this type of instruction would be beneficial in the upper elementary grades. The fifth graders that I was with during my student teaching were on a second grade reading level. Many of them had recently come to America and were learning the language. For these students, would it benefit them to have some part of their day instructed in their native language or would it simple serve as a crutch when they need to know English in the grades to come?
I like the ideas of using dialogue journals not only for multilingual learners but for all learners as well. When teachers give written feedback and responses to their students, they are also providing students with a model. Because of this, teachers should be aware of the way they are writing to their students. Teachers should ensure that they are responding to students like they would want their students to respond to them. This is extremely beneficial to English language learners because they need as much exposure to written language as possible. While it is a model, students look as it as a different form of conversation between their teachers. This form of writing serves as a safe space to ask questions and make mistakes as well as share personal concerns with the teacher.
As always, every student learns differently and at their own pace. We need to find the best ways that benefit our class as a whole as well as individually. We also need to know, that at times, we have to go off schedule and step out of the box. Our student’s education is the most important thing, and as their teachers, we ensure that they benefit to their fullest potential.
I found it interesting that “initial instruction in native language writing tended to affect native language and new language writing more than new language only situations (291).” The first school I student taught at was primarily bilingual learners. In the earlier grades, students had half day instruction in Spanish and the other half of the day was instructed in English. This did not happen in all classrooms but did in most because of the high percentage of English language learners.
Having instruction in two different languages was something I had not seen before and was not exactly sure what to think of it. I first wondered why we would do this when there is so much focus on them learning English. I am glad I learned that it benefits students because they are not simply focusing on learning the language but they are learning how to write as well.
Now that I know about the benefits, I wonder if this type of instruction would be beneficial in the upper elementary grades. The fifth graders that I was with during my student teaching were on a second grade reading level. Many of them had recently come to America and were learning the language. For these students, would it benefit them to have some part of their day instructed in their native language or would it simple serve as a crutch when they need to know English in the grades to come?
I like the ideas of using dialogue journals not only for multilingual learners but for all learners as well. When teachers give written feedback and responses to their students, they are also providing students with a model. Because of this, teachers should be aware of the way they are writing to their students. Teachers should ensure that they are responding to students like they would want their students to respond to them. This is extremely beneficial to English language learners because they need as much exposure to written language as possible. While it is a model, students look as it as a different form of conversation between their teachers. This form of writing serves as a safe space to ask questions and make mistakes as well as share personal concerns with the teacher.
As always, every student learns differently and at their own pace. We need to find the best ways that benefit our class as a whole as well as individually. We also need to know, that at times, we have to go off schedule and step out of the box. Our student’s education is the most important thing, and as their teachers, we ensure that they benefit to their fullest potential.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Multicultural Writing
“Stories of death and loss are not uncommon in urban classrooms. Too often they elicit merely stock responses and expressions of sympathy (20).”
This quote brought me straight back to my student teaching experience. One of my fifth grade students was talking about how her uncle was killed. She went on to tell us how she found his body in a bag after she could not find him when they were out in the city together. She had lost him when she went with her brother into the fountain. I was in pure shock and did not know what I should say or do. All of the thoughts and emotions that I believe I would have felt and thought came flooding into my head. This student had a straight face while telling this particular story. The other students had similar expressions and some even went on to tell their own stories, much of which were similar to this young girls.
This experience was extremely eye opening for me because I did not believe that these fifth graders knew and had witnessed as much as they did. It made me think of how innocent I was when I was that age. I also thought about how privileged I was for being able to have my innocents intact. I think that as teachers, it is our job to try to keep our students innocents. While doing this, we need to realize all that these students have been exposed to and that this does not stop them from being children.
Immigrant Students and Literacy: Read, Writing, and Remembering, made me evaluate how I use multiculturalism as a teacher. In all of my classes we have talked about celebrating diversity as well as how important it is to teach a variety of cultures (especially those of students within your classroom). I do think this is important but this book showed me how much we can learn about cultures from our students.
As teachers, it is important that we have students share their cultures and their stories with fellow students, as well as ourselves. A great way to do this is through writing. We can introduce new genres and as we do this, have students do a piece of writing. The writing should be in the format of the genre but the topics should revolve around their live and their experiences. Students can share their pieces so that others can learn from them. This process ultimately shows students that their writing has a purpose. Even bigger than this, it shows students that their life has a purpose. I ultimately believe that students are going to learn more about culture from talking to their fellow students as well as feel empowered by being able to share their stories.
This quote brought me straight back to my student teaching experience. One of my fifth grade students was talking about how her uncle was killed. She went on to tell us how she found his body in a bag after she could not find him when they were out in the city together. She had lost him when she went with her brother into the fountain. I was in pure shock and did not know what I should say or do. All of the thoughts and emotions that I believe I would have felt and thought came flooding into my head. This student had a straight face while telling this particular story. The other students had similar expressions and some even went on to tell their own stories, much of which were similar to this young girls.
This experience was extremely eye opening for me because I did not believe that these fifth graders knew and had witnessed as much as they did. It made me think of how innocent I was when I was that age. I also thought about how privileged I was for being able to have my innocents intact. I think that as teachers, it is our job to try to keep our students innocents. While doing this, we need to realize all that these students have been exposed to and that this does not stop them from being children.
Immigrant Students and Literacy: Read, Writing, and Remembering, made me evaluate how I use multiculturalism as a teacher. In all of my classes we have talked about celebrating diversity as well as how important it is to teach a variety of cultures (especially those of students within your classroom). I do think this is important but this book showed me how much we can learn about cultures from our students.
As teachers, it is important that we have students share their cultures and their stories with fellow students, as well as ourselves. A great way to do this is through writing. We can introduce new genres and as we do this, have students do a piece of writing. The writing should be in the format of the genre but the topics should revolve around their live and their experiences. Students can share their pieces so that others can learn from them. This process ultimately shows students that their writing has a purpose. Even bigger than this, it shows students that their life has a purpose. I ultimately believe that students are going to learn more about culture from talking to their fellow students as well as feel empowered by being able to share their stories.
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