Book Creator

Having created our first book in book creator, I have to say, I'm hooked!!!  Book Creator is an excellent tool to have in our toolboxes to help students across all curriculum areas. This program is super easy to use.  I already have my two boys creating books, and they love it! 

Here are some ways in which our group thought we could use Book Creator in the classroom:

• Use with reluctant writers or those with written output issues - a fun alternative to using pen and paper
• Cross-curricular- use across all areas of the curriculum, such as a math dictionary, science/social studies terms...
• Exit activity for the end of units
• Personal Journal
• Accessible activity for students with auditory/visual disabilities
• For creating "How To" books
• For creating informational texts
• Use for collaboration amongst students
• "Show what you know"- assessment tool
• Reading Response Journal

Making Secondary Literacy Accessible for All: Review and Critique

The article "Making Secondary Literacy Accessible for All" by Christy Palmquist and Heather Prenevost focuses on how we can meet the literacy needs of ALL students with the help of supports and technology, especially those who are struggling to become independent readers.  I found this article to be a straightforward read that offered some practical strategies that we can take away and use in our classrooms.

We need to focus on the five pillars of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) along with both expressive and receptive language skills to develop a balanced literacy program so that students may move to higher order thinking skills.  The authors state that language skills, both expressive and receptive, are the base of all academic learning and that "for our students to learn subject matter, strategies and higher order thinking skills, they must develop their language skills." 

As educators, we need to ask ourselves, "What needs do my students have in literacy?" Once we have assessed their literacy and language skills, we need to match the students' needs with the right supports and assistive technology to help develop the strategies required to move into higher order thinking skills.    We must do this by keeping in mind that all students learn in different ways.  Using the right technology will help maximize learning while using ineffective technology will have an adverse effect resulting in little or no growth in language and literacy skills.  We also have to be mindful of how much support we provide as our goal is for our students to become independent learners.  If we offer too much help, students remain dependent learners, and if we do not provide enough support, the student may become frustrated and "shut down."

I like how the authors provide us with some tools and practical strategies that we can implement with our students across all grade levels.  We use these tools of visualizing and verbalizing, think reading, vocabulary and comprehension and reading to enhance language skills and thus higher level thinking. 

The "Thinking Reading" strategy is one that I have used frequently in my classroom with my guided reading groups, although the authors go a little more in-depth than I have.  I like the CAR – Comment, Ask, Respond approach.    I also like the images/visuals that were included in the article.  Those are something that could be easily reproduced and used in the classroom. 

Myth of Average

Myth of Average 

Todd Rose's "The Myth of Average" was very compelling.  His talk shows us how, as teachers, we need to move from teaching the "average" student to the individual student. 

I feel there are many valid take aways from this video. 

1.        I love how Todd Rose began his talk by comparing our educational system to fighter pilot cockpits and how, in the past, the Air Force tried to design a cockpit that could fit most pilots.  They decided that they would do this by developing a cockpit for the average pilot.  It seemed to be the answer. However, they soon realized that there was no average pilot.  So instead, they designed a flexible cockpit. 

Our classrooms today are like the failed cockpit; the curriculum is still designed for the average student.  When we design for the average, we design for no one!  All students have a "jagged learning profile," meaning they all have strengths, are average at some things and have weaknesses.  When we design for the average, we design for no one!  Just like the average cockpit failed for the pilots because of their varying sizes, we are failing our students because they all differ in how they learn. 

2.     Designing on average destroys talent.  It does so in two ways.  The first way is that it makes your talent a liability.  Students rely on their strengths, and because we are teaching to the average, these students sometimes feel like they are not being challenged at school and may, unfortunately, drop out.

The second way that designing on average destroys talent is that it means your weakness will make it hard to see your talent. Take for example,  students who are proficient in math.  They can compute numbers by merely looking at them.  Perhaps they are not as skilled in reading and writing, and so because they cannot read the math problems or write to explain how they got the answer, we cannot fully see their talent.

3.        We have to design to the edges.   We need to focus on individual students and their learning.  With all the technology that we have, we need to be flexible and have those "adjustable seats" in the classroom to engage all learners.  Education and learning must be accessible to all!!

3 Take Aways From our First Class

On Saturday, April 4^th, we began our adventure into our third master's course, GILT 675 176 Universal Design for Learning and Assistive Technology: Enhancing Literacy Skills for all Learners

I have to be honest, I am not that techie and the thought of this class being offered completely online through a virtual classroom was a little unnerving for me.  Our first class was very well organized, informative and went forward with only a few hitches.  I've always said technology can be fantastic when it works properly - we were in a group that could not break into our breakaway group.

3 main takeaways from today's class are as follows:

1.     The technology used for today's class

With so much technology available to us in this technology-driven world, it's nice to find new things that we can use in our classroom. 

The blackboard classroom was straightforward to use!  I was impressed with those who added photos to their profiles.  I have to find a picture to add to my profile. The only issue is; I'm usually the one behind the camera or phone.  With all that's happening in the world right now, I'm sure that teachers who may find themselves teaching from home could defiantly use this platform as a resource.

I loved Menti!  Something that I cannot wait to use in the classroom.  It was fantastic!  I like how students can add their ideas anonymously and how the answers can be presented in a visual format.

Finally, "Wheel of Names" – something I will be adding to my list to use in my classroom.  I have used the program named "The Hat" in the past, and my students loved it!  It was great for grouping as it could draw two names at the same time.  It also had many themes the students enjoyed such as a beach theme, Halloween…  The only issue with the program was as it became more and more popular; the creators decided to charge for its use.  Wheel of Names could be a replacement!  I also like the fact that it could be used for much more than just names.  https://wheelofnames.com/

2.  You Can't Turn Your Back on Assistive Technology

The SETT Framework and Tyler – WOW!!!!  Tyler is truly an inspiration to all.  He showed that through preservation and with the help of assistive technology, possibilities are endless!  He reminds us that every student is capable of achieving many things if we are willing to help in every way possible.  As we learned in the Ted Talk, "The Myth of Average," we should not have a 1 size fits all curriculum.  We need to provide our students with a curriculum that is accessible to all and Tyler is a prime example of why we should do this and the positive outcomes! 

3.   Book Creator

Another fantastic resource to incorporate in the classroom!  It seems to be an excellent way for students to practice their writing skills.  I am looking forward to using this program myself and sharing it with my two boys.  I am sure that writing will be much more enjoyable!