Reflections on EDRL6004

Our 1st class EDRL 6004

Yes! Yes! we hurried through the door,

Eager to learn the New Literacies,

Blogs, E-books, Concept Maps and Wikis.

Now we've come to the end of the course,

The Multiliteracies, we are boss.

Thank You lecturers for your patience and expertise

You've given to us a new lease - ICT for Reading.

To my colleagues,

What fun we've had,

Excited, motivated, we gathered our store

Empowered by the belief that we can awaken the reading potential of our struggling readers..

Supporting Reading Specialists

After August 13th. I promise myself that I will continue to use blogs and wikis and keep up with the digital world. As wetake up the mantle of Reading Specialists, it is important that we support each other in the various ways suggested.We must always support each other.

Focus on the K-6 Literacy learning acivity Types

The K-6 Literacy Learning Activity Types handout was quite helpful . Its focus is on helping children develop two important processes- reading & writing and how integrating technology,pedagogy and content can stimulate our students' appetite to read and write.

What I enjoyed about this paper is that it listed the activity type, gave a brief description and examples of the technologies we can use with our students.I also found the activity types for the various reading areas a great help. The Pre, During and Post Reading Activity Types,Vocabulary, Comprehension , Fluency and The Writing Process proved to be beneficial.

As our course comes to an end, I appreciate every bit of information that helps me to become technologically proficient in using the new literacies in the classroom. The detailed account of the use of technology and which technology can be used with students in the classroom is of great importance.It made each area and technology listed more meaningful and real.

I agree with the authors when they wrote that it is eay to become overwhelmed as we think about all the skills involved in the teaching of elementary literacy.For me, it is the integrating of the technology that creates the greatest challenge. I am ready!

Reference: http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/file/view/K-6LiteracyLearningATs-Feb09.pdf

Concept Mapping

This technology is quite interesting. I like it as a pre reading and creative writing strategy. It allows for sequencing of ideas and encourages students to plan and visualize their ideas. The outline tool will help our students to read the outline of their thoughts.

This will help them to write their articles.

This technology has some of the features of semantic mapping. Most of our students are familiar with this strategy and using this on the computer will no doubt add new perspectives to the curriculum. Time management, pupils'technological skills and the proper planning of the lesson are considerations for educators.

My Creed

I remember having to do this at one of our courses. I felt that this was a good time to revisit.

· I believe that all children can learn to read.

· I believe that all teachers are teachers of Reading.

· I believe that the new literacies will increase my enthusiasm for teaching and learning.

· I believe that I must step out of my comfort zone so that my students will benefit from my new found knowledge and experiences.

· I believe that I can scaffold instruction to support my struggling readers so that they can become striving readers.

· I believe that I can integrate technology into my classroom successfully and create a rich literacy environment for my students.

Multiliteracies

How have the multi literacies changed my perspective on Reading? The creation of digital books , the scaffolding of instruction and the ability to combine traditional and new literacies will no doubt remain with me.

We’ve come through so many phases in terms of new strategies and what it takes to motivate our students to read. Nothing compares to the multi literacies. Multiliteracies are the literacies we use today: technological, visual, media and information literacies. As educators we are impressed by what we have seen and the potential such literacies possess in terms of motivating our struggling readers to striving readers. We are excited and eagerly a wait the reopening of school so that we can introduce these multi literacies to our students and staff.

We need to keep abreast with the technology and its integration in the classroom. This course gave us the opportunity to empower ourselves and embrace the multi literacies. Let us use our new found skills to make striving readers.

“Struggling readers become striving readers when teachers scaffold instruction in the use of strategies that support learning.” Vacca R.,& Vacca J.,(2008). Content Area Reading. Boston : Pearson

Technology in schools

These sessions have all been eye openers. As Technology unfolds, we are all motivated by all we have seen and experimented/ practised. We are aware of the numerous challenges facing us.

· No Internet in schools

· No furnished computer labs

· No computer labs

· Teachers who are not “digital ready”

· Teachers who need to be trained

· Teachers who are not willing to keep with the times

· Administrators who are not willing to incorporate the technology for whatever reason

Sylvester R., & Greenidge W., (2008) list a number of challenges teachers may face using digital stories. They also stated that perhaps struggling writers may be motivated to use digital technologies because they are more literate in new literacies and use them to scaffold traditional literacy.( Reading Teacher 63(4)pgs. 284-295