Reading Specialists All

www.scholastic.com/.../images/hats_off_logo.jpg

To My Fellow Reading Specialists,

It has indeed been a privilege being able to read your blogs and getting an invaluable insight into how you think and are able to express yourselves in writing. Although we have been colleagues for a year now, I still feel as if I don't know some of you. This is partially because I did not do two of your more intense courses with you and partially because the class size is just TOO BIG and not conducive to socializing.

Through your blogs I've gotten a glimpse of who you are and your perspective on reading and technology as it pertains to reading. There is so much shared knowledge and experience among us, as well as a very strong desire to make a positive contribution towards eradicating 'the scourge of illiteracy'. That is absolutely clear from the blogs I've read.

Although I may not have commented on many of your blogs I read quite a lot of them; enough to realise that we all have different strengths and that some of my colleagues are extremely gifted writers who should seriously think about publishing books of poetry and/ or stories.

Hats off to you all and I hope we continue to blog after this course is over so that we can continue to learn from one another.

Reflections on EDRL6004

Images were taken from :www.w4ca.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/d32.jpg (flowers) and
www.zwani.com/graphics/thank_you/images/1.gif (thank you) via Microsoft images.

While reading some of my colleague’s blogs I realized that a few of them thought that the course was a bit rushed and that they did not have sufficient time to practice using the technologies they were learning. They were very excited by what they were learning and the potential for using them as instructional tools in the classroom but they were being hindered by their lack of technological “savvy” as well as by time constraints.

I agree with my colleagues that this course was a bit rushed and we did not get time to savour the ‘goodies’ on sale. Maybe, if this course is being offered in the future, consideration would be given to increasing the time span of the course and more time being dedicated to lesson planning.

Fortunately for me, I had done a similar course previously and I was actually apprehensive that I would not learn anything new. Boy, was I wrong! Thank you Aisha for introducing me to the Webspiration concept mapping software, Google Docs, PBworks, e-book readers (I want one), Microsoft Storybook 3 and how can I ever forget my firsthand nail biting experience of submitting my assignment to Turnitin (nail biting occurs when you submit late). I am sorry we did not get a chance to practise using podcasts but after this course is over I will be downloading the software and trying it out.

Clifford Interactive Storybook - Scholastic

I clicked on the “Clifford Interactive Storybook” link in Aisha’s Educational Websites list and was transported to the Scholastic website. Scholastic has long been one of my favourite publisher of children’s books. Their books are very colourful with great fonts and font sizes and are usually very appealing to children. Unfortunately, I find the books to be very expensive and I was always grateful when my relatives living abroad would bring or send Scholastic books for my daughter – who is now a voracious reader. Sometimes the content of the books are not ‘culturally relevant’ to Caribbean readers, so teachers and parents would have to be careful when selecting books from Scholastic but there is such a wide choice that you can always find something that is appealing.

By the way, the Clifford interactive stories are awesome for young readers. They are available in English and in Spanish; allow for repetition (thus developing word recognition and fluency skills) and give readers the perception that they are creating their own story with various the options clicked. There are also Clifford games for young readers.

I spent a few hours surfing the Scholastic website – resources for teachers (lesson plans, printables, teaching strategies from kindergarten to grade 12); student activities in the different subject areas; I read some sample student book reviews - too many things to mention. Great site to bookmark. You lose track of time while surfing this site.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/

Concept Mapping Software

One of the new technologies I learnt about in this course is the concept mapping software, Webspiration. I use graphic organizers and concept maps constantly when teaching and for giving notes – for grammar, vocabulary, science, social studies and off course, for brainstorming and planning essays in creative writing. Photocopies and concept maps on the board are no problem, but creating one in Microsoft Word has always been ‘pressure’.

I am so grateful for ease of creating concept maps using Webspiration. The integration of diagram and outline view without losing data is good; being able to sort using colours and adding notes as well as graphics are also great bonuses. Groups can also collaborate by sharing and taking turns to edit a map. I like the ‘rollback’ feature but the best feature of this software in constructing concept maps for me is Rapid Fire where topics and subtopics can be added quickly using only keyboard and enter key.

By the way, colleagues, Webspiration is free because it is a beta (testing) version of Inspiration’s web version of its software. According to Webspiration’s FAQ, “To date there is no fixed end time for the beta period, but at some point we will be offering Webspiration as a subscription service.” So please start using this really ‘cool’ instructional tool in the classroom as soon as school re-opens. I wish I could but alas, my school has no internet service so I will be using it at home to create concept maps for my students. Shucks!

Are you a member of the IRA?

Are you a member of the IRA? No, not the Irish Republican Army, the International Reading Association. Hooray for you! The goal of this programme is train us to be Reading Specialists and as such I think we should all be members of the IRA. The IRA offers 4 journals:

Reading Today
IRA’s bi-monthly newspaper $19.50(print and online) $12.00 (online only)

The Reading Teacher
For those working with children up to age 12 $15.00 $12.00

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy
For teachers of older students $15.00 $12.00

Reading Research Quarterly
For those committed to scholarship in literacy $15.00 $12.00

Access IRA
Complete online access to all IRA journal issues $50.00

The prices quoted above are discounted one year subscription prices for developing economies (T&T qualifies). Additionally, we do not have to pay a membership fee.

You can also join the IRA book club and receive 9 “best new titles” mailed automatically through the membership year for $139.00(US)
The Reading Research Quarterly Library which provides online access to every RRQ issue since 1965 (for RRQ subscribers only) costs $18.00 (Think how useful this could be when doing research for your thesis).

For years I have had subscriptions to The Reading Teacher, RRQ and RRQ Library and it only costs me around $250TT, a steal of a deal (and all copies have been delivered to me regularly).

Isn’t it time you joined the IRA?
http://www.reading.org/General/Membership.aspx

Digital Storytelling without Software???

I love to take out pictures.
Children love to take out pictures.
Have a digital camera? Access to a computer and a printer? Have no internet service to download Microsoft Photostory 3 in school?
Students can still create digital stories and other products in school.

As we all know by now, we can create marvellous interactive ebooks using Powerpoint where graphics and pictures including digital photography can be inserted. However, technology can also be integrated into reading by using digital cameras to have students create brochures, posters, big (and little) books, newspapers, advertisements etc. Just give students a digital camera, have them work in groups to create projects (this both motivational and promotes collaborative learning) and watch them have fun! By the way, make sure the specific reading or writing instruction and content is taught beforehand eg. propaganda techniques in advertisement.

Word Processors as an Instructional Tool or Integrating Technology without the Internet

After doing this course on integrating technology in reading instruction we are all enthused by all the different ways this can be done in our classrooms. We have learnt so much about wikis, blogs, (podcasting), concept mapping software, digital storytelling etc. However, what happens when we return to our schools in September and we realize that there is no computer lab, few computers and definitely no internet service?-as is the case in many primary schools. Do we forget all that we have learnt or wait until we get a lab or internet service?

What can we do without internet service?

• We (teachers and students) can create ebooks using Powerpoint;
• Try to get our schools to purchase the Kidspiration software;
• Download information from the internet using cds/flash drives and copy store information in our computers in schools. We then design activities which the students use the respond to, based on ‘research’ from the files eg. creating poems, writing biographies, writing reports on drug abuse etc. We can also create simple webquests (more on this in another blog).
• We can make better use of word processors as an instructional tool. After writing, simple editing can be done using spell and grammar checks. We can develop ‘higher order’ cognitive skills such as ‘revision for clarity of communication’ –eg, deletions, insertions, substitutions (Thesaurus), rearrange sentence and paragraphs, rewrites. According to Dangert-Drowns (1993), if higher order aspects of writing like organization and clarity are “embedded in the context of writing instruction that emphasizes the writing process, rather than focusing analytically on decomposed writing processes, one might expect the word processor to have lasting effects on ... students’ writing” (p.86).

Can you think of other ways to integrate technology when we have no internet service?