Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction

1. Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Instruction Grades K-5 RED 6449: Literacy & Technology Ana Robins University of South Florida

2. Agenda • Highlights of the brochure • Uses of ICTs for Reading /Writing Instruction • Audiobooks • Digital Storytelling • Internet resources • Q & A

3. Highlights • Gap between children’s use of technology and media outside of school and inside of school. • 2005: 40 hrs/week vs. 12 mins/week • Several barriers prevent teachers from incorporating technology in classroom activities • Lack of preparation/knowledge – seek it out! • Lack of time – make gradual changes • Access to technology • Technical support • Can ease into the process by modifying instruction with a few new ideas (Sweeny, 2010) • Needs to be meaningful

4. Audiobooks • Children who enjoy digital reading have stated that they would read more books for fun if they had access to books electronically (Lamb & Johnson, 2011). • Available on CDs, MP3 players and online • See Appendix A • Benefits: • Offer more time for students to read • Motivate/assist reluctant readers and ELLs • Serve as models of verbal fluency • Struggling students listen to grade level books

5. Ways to Incorporate • At a listening station • CD players • MP3 players • At computers • Laptop attached to ELMO for whole-group instruction • Can be introduced as early as Kindergarten

6. Digital Storytelling • Definition: “a short, first person video-narrative created by combining recorded voice, still and moving images, and music or other sounds” (storycenter.org) • Here’s an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUZXBc6yRhU&list=PL30893813EA6AC069 • Great for struggling /reluctant writers and ELLs • Workshops available through www.storycenter.org/public-workshops

7. Example of illustration used in the digital story Created by Kindergarten students!

8. Ways to Implement • Students compose a story the traditional way • Will become script for voice-over narrative • Students then choose digital images or graphics, or create their own illustrations on paper(as in previous slide) • Compile the media – iMovie/ Movie Maker • Share! (Here’s an example: http://youtu.be/0fIOks7yhlE) • With the class • With the school • With parents through school website • See Appendix B for resources

9. Other internet resources • Blogs, Twitter, Wikis & Cloud Computing • can be used in earlier grades as a whole group activity • Great for older elementary students: 4th/5th • Blogs to post rough drafts for peer-edit feedback • Twitter to write summaries or other responses to literature • Wiki & Cloud Computing for collaborative writing projects • www.pbworks.com/education • GoogleDocs (www.google.com)

10. Choose one idea to implement. Add on from there. Soon, lesson planning for new literacies will become easier. Just take those first baby steps!

11. Questions ?

12. References • Hett, K. (2012, Summer). Technology-supported literacy in the classroom: Using audiobooks and digital storytelling to enhance literacy instruction. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 40(3), 3-13. • Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2011, October). Nurturing a new breed of reader: five real-world issues. Teacher Librarian, 39(1), 56-63. • Sweeny, S. M. (2010). Writing for the instant messaging and text messaging generation: Using new literacies to support writing instruction. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(2), 121-130.