WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGY - ARE WE READY?

In our roles as Reading Specialists, we must be able to use a variety of technological and informational resources, such as databases and computer networks, in order to facilitate the delivery of digital age literacy. Information and Communications Technology can provide students with authentic experiences for active learning; however, its integration into pedagogical practices has to be derived from their needs.

Our students' world revolves around Web 2.0 technology, so, should we not as educators ensure that we are versed in technology use? It is imperative that as teachers in the twenty-first century, we recognise that our students experience a different type of literacy in their daily lives outside of the school environment. However, it is the student's learning profile which dictates how best a child will learn, and so teachers need to be knowledgable about the intelligence-preferences, culture-influenced preferences and gender-based preferences, all of which will be influenced by the teacher's style of delivery in the classroom (Tomlinson, 2001).

As the student's most important resource in the classroom, the teacher has to develop the capacity to deliver twenty-first century literacies using technologies that support learning outcomes. The focus should not be the skills and knowledge of using Information and Communications Technology (ICT), but the way in which this pedagogical tool can be used to develop particular literacy skills in a blended learning environment.

According to the International Reading Association (2002), educators have a responsibility to effectively integrate technologies and new literacies into the current language curriculum to prepare students for the literacy futures they deserve. However, Turbill & Murray, 2006, observe that while many literacy teachers are skilled in using technology in their own personal and professional lives, they seem reluctant to integrate technology into their instructional practice. So, where do we go from here?

LITERATURE FOR 21st CENTURY STUDENTS

Students need many opportunities to read and engage in literacy activities, however, struggling readers require additional support if they are to be successful. Children's literature provides a relevant way to introduce students to the pleasures and rewards of reading (Wood, Flood & Lapp, 1994, p. 67). Such literature is written specifically for and by children and provides personal value (enjoyment, imagination, understanding, empathy, moral reasoning) and academic value (reading, expression in speech and writing, content area subjects) for them.

Besides the traditional classroom libraries, teachers can use online libraries, computers and dvd players to engage their students. Technology in the form of electronic books can be used to engage students in children's literature. They typically replicate traditional storybooks but add multimedia effects to support student understanding of the content (Shamir & Korat, 2006). Through retellings, students are encouraged to create their own versions of the text, a technique that enhances their ability to answer questions and improve text comprehension (Caldwell & Leslie, 2005).

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has stated that technology should be employed as an active part of the learning process. So, children's literature can be transformed into an electronic format in the classroom, thus allowing students to track their own print and visual representations of the story. It can also be used to teach them about their personal fears and conditions through identifying with characters in the text; and the stories can be directly related to the curriculum. Consequently, administrators have a role to play by promoting the widespread use of children's literature to support reading in all curriculum areas; and teachers at all levels of the educational continuum should move from traditional forms of instruction to multimedia and active learning.

WORKING WITH STRUGGLING READERS

There will always be students in your class who will have difficulty developing and organizing ideas and word choice, writing complex sentences and effective transitions, spelling, capitalizing and punctuating. Such students struggle with the writing process and using writing strategies effectively, and so need to learn more about writing and have more opportunities to practise writing. The best way to help these students is to prevent their difficulties in the first place by providing high-quality classroom instruction and adding an intervention, if it is needed (Cooper, Chard & Kiger, 2006). In order to provide that type of high-quality instruction, you will have to utilize the following five (5) components, if you want to build the confidence of your struggling writers and ensure that they are successful.

• MINI-LESSONS: These can be delivered through PowerPoint visuals or short video clips, to teach students about the writing process, writing strategies and skills, qualities of good writing and writing genres.
• INTERACTIVE WRITING: You review strategies and skills through a class blog and monitor students' knowledge, while students work collaboratively to write words and sentences on concept maps, in order to reinforce what they are learning.
• DAILY OPPORTUNITIES TO WRITE: Provide opportunities for your struggling students to write through word processing and e-mail messaging, and share information about books they are reading.
• CONFERENCES: Communicate with individual students through their blogs to discuss their writing , the writing process they use and how they view themselves as writers. You want them to think metacognitively and reflect on the progress they have made.
• DAILY OPPORTUNITIES TO READ: Allow students time to read books at their own reading level using e-story books; and through vodcasting let them hear you read aloud high-quality stories and informational books that they can't read independently.

DEVELOPING LARGE SIGHT WORD VOCABULARIES

As children become familiar with print, they develop a sight word vocabulary and the strategies for identifying words they do not yet know. The child's sight word vocabulary include high frequency words that account for about 70% of running text and include common nouns, verbs and adjectives. Dolch (1936) was the first to describe this set of commonly occurring words that children tend to learn first (Dolch Sight Word List), based on stories and selections he/she has been reading.

Proficient readers develop large sight-word vocabularies and their word identification skills enable them to recognize words instantaneously. However, some children experience difficulty in remembering the high-frequencing words, so, as reading teachers we need to note how quickly this ability is being acquired. Technology allows the struggling readers to immerse themselves in the literature through the use of e-books that can motivate them to read consistently. However, when selecting reading materials for students the following criteria should be followed for both easy and instructional reading texts.

• Select books that bring students enjoyment and meaning, and have high-quality illustrations.
• Choose books that are interesting and multicultural for the particular readers.
• Be certain that books present accurate information.
• Use books from a range of genres (e.g. poetry, stories, drama and non-fiction exposition).
• Use a variety of books at each reading level.
• Choose books with complementary texts and illustrations.
• Select books of a length appropriate for the desired reading level.
• Use instructional reading-level books that are challenging, but not discouraging.
• Include easy reading-level books to allow readers to build comprehension and vocabulary, rather than focus on deciphering words.

STRUGGLING READERS: What is your position?

Secondary school teachers perpetually complain that many students cannot read and write adequately to respond to the core curriculum subjects. The primary school teachers also complain that they are unable to teach some of their students to read because of learning disabilities, lack of family involvement, a crowded curriculum, to name a few of the reasons. However, this blame game does not eradicate a very present problem involving students who have withdrawn from instruction and display inappropriate behaviour in the classroom.

Earlier this year the Ministry of Education through the University of the West Indies, embarked on a six-day Reading Workshop for Standard One teachers from approximately fifty-five schools. The purpose was to assist these teachers to deal with the problem of struggling readers at an early age. The digital structures of the twenty-first century formed part of this professional development; and teachers were encouraged to make use of cell phones, computer games and e-story books in their instructional practices. They were also exposed to a variety of ways in which they could digitally connect reading and writing for their students, such as using student keypals to send e-mail messages to each other and publishing students' work on the Internet on a school home page.

The technology allows teachers to create new learning experiences for their students, through audio and electronic books that can help develop in them that passion for reading. These books promote phonemic awareness as a way to introduce letters and sounds, while bolstering fluency, the ability to follow print. By building reading comprehension, this technology becomes an especially useful tool for struggling readers. Therefore, what every teacher needs to do now is resolve to become a teacher leader in technology and create opportunities of hope and possibility in every teaching situation.

References:
http://www.reading-strategies-hrlp.com/teaching-reading.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_5823997_use-audio=books-classroom.html

Using Blogs to differentiate instruction

Since learning about blogs I have discovered that this software makes it easy for teachers to establish class blogs and engage their students in literacy activities. Technology, as we all have realised, seems to have been spawned with our youths in mind, judging by the ease with which they interact with it. While all students may not be fortunate enough to possess a computer at home or even have Internet access, they can still download blog files either at NALIS or in their school computer labs.

My limited experience with blogs in this ICT course has shown me the potential that this software has to offer our capable and struggling readers and writers. Teachers can collaborate and build thematic units of lessons, then instruction can be differentiated to provide the relevant content, while effectively communicating the underlying concepts. Discussions at the class level can be continued during blog time, when the teacher can expand on instructions in a more user-friendly online format. At this point, strategies can be reinforced and important class points reviewed in an enriching manner, thus facilitating written two-way communication containing text, audio and video files (vodcasts).

This type of technology provides additional support for those students whose language skills are not fully developed. Vodcasting gives teachers a tool that can combine PowerPoint visuals and narration when reviewing key points of class lessons; these can then be saved as vodcasts and uploaded for easy accessability by students, parents and other teachers. Luckily, free blog services such as WardPress.com and Blogger.com makes blogging user-friendly and accommodating to everyone. However, teachers need to be knowledgeable and technologically-savvy in order to make class blogging a success. Hence the reason for this particular course and the need for continuous practice in this technological field.

The Changing Role of the Reading Specialist

Current literature in education has identified a new role for us as reading specialists, especially in schools that have large numbers of struggling readers. We have to embrace the role of coach and mentor to our teachers in their daily work (Quatroche, Bean & Hamilton, 2001), in order to minimize the need for intervention at any educational level. So, the emphasis is on highly qualified teachers, scientifically-based instructional strategies and programs with effective and efficient informal assessment techniques.

Beginning in kindergarten and continuing through the primary grades, teachers will need to frequently check the progress of each child, identify when a child needs extra help, specify what kind, and ensure that the child receives that help. This Masters in Reading Programme is preparing us for such a role, but do we possess the qualities for such a task, and if not, will we have them by October, 2011 when we graduate from this university? One of the most important findings in research on teaching is that highly trained and qualified teachers make a significant difference in student achievement (Ferguson & Ladd, 1996).

Hence, we are the ones who must provide teachers with the opportunities to learn about new strategies and techniques, to observe demonstrations of these strategies, to practise and receive feedback in their own classrooms from persons who have a greater level of reading knowledge and expertise than the teachers themselves. This Reading Programme is the vehicle that is going to allow our teachers to develop professionally and provide high-quality instruction to our students. All it requires is our energy, time and commitment.

Facing the challenges of technology

The world of technology beckons, and whether we want to respond or not the demands of the twenty-first century requires that we take a look at what is being offered. So, where do I stand? A bit daunted but intrigued by the prospect of blogging and using wikis, because my imagination has already shown me the possibilities of all this technology, especially as a Reading Specialist on a mission to improve student reading levels.

I have already visualized how such technology have transcended the boundaries of age, gender and most importantly for us, through subject areas, learning styles and educational levels. I especially appreciate the collaborative nature of blogs, wikis and concept mapping which can develop team spirit without the in-house bickering. To me, this is one of the most important characteristics for building a positive classroom climate in today's schools. In addition, as a motivational tool, the possibilities are endless for stimulating prior knowledge and making connections in a way that promotes discussions and active learning, that would not have otherwise taken place. Correcting and revising, utilizing feedback and sharing ideas have all been made enjoyable for both the capable and struggling readers and writers.

Even though this is great news for education, it can prove to be challenging for the novices and even those like me who think that they know enough to get by in using the computer. But I do appreciate the reason for this course and how it can be beneficial in the classroom and also for administrators as they perform their daily functions in and out of school. However, the key to its success will be teacher preparation and teacher attitude, because one will impact on the other one leading to success or failure.