Chapter 5: Sites & Selection Criteria For Ebooks

Chapter 5: Sites & Selection Criteria For Ebooks

“The dynamic and flexible environment of the Internet offers new opportunities to scaffold and level the playing field so that all individuals are contributing to and benefit from expanded models of literacy” (Johnson,65)

When discussing or talking about models of literacy, there are many forms or models in which to choose from. In particular this chapter was about digital formatted models of literacy for example; online books, online read-alouds, Interactive Storybooks, E-narratives, Hybrid Books, Ebooks on E-reader devices and Apps.

Category: Online Ebooks

Subcategories: Online Read-Alouds & Interactive Storybooks

To be considered an “online ebook” this type of book is accessible only online.

·       Online Read Alouds: The way in which we model reading to our children, is by modeling reading itself. Children love listening to the adults in their lives read to them.

·       Online Read Alouds incorporate not only the audio of a book, but can also involve visuals; videos or pictures going along with the story; strengthening  their comprehension of the story itself.

·       Some Online Read Alouds or other Ebooks will highlight words/phrases to help encourage and enhance concepts about print, word recognition and fluency.

Ø  Interactive Storybooks are a little different from Online Read Alouds.

Ø  Interactive Storybooks take a traditional form of print, and simply change the model to an online literacy model, however interactive storybooks add sound, animation, and video.

Ø  Sound, animation, and video is what makes this an interactive story.

Ø  Interactive Storybooks also help/improve concepts of print, but they also allow the student to find a level of independence when it comes to reading.

Ø  All the functions of an Ebook are what enhances or strengthens the child’s reading experience and their comprehension of what they read as well.

When selecting an online Ebook for children to use in and outside the classroom, it is important to keep in mind the teacher plays a huge role in making the experience successful.

Ø  The teacher must make sure the type of Ebook(I.E Interactive Storybook, etc.) and the book itself in the ebook format are appropriate for the child/children reading it.

Ø  The teacher also must keep in mind it is their responsibility to enhance the children’s learning when using an Ebook by making sure the child/children understand how to navigate the Ebook/Site. Without knowing how to do so, the site/Ebook are not being uses to its greatest potential.

Ø  Finally, the teacher is also responsible for evaluating the Ebook and Site. (Quality, Credibility, Accessibility, and readability of the Ebooks.

Chapter 4: Vocabulary & Fleuncy

“An individual’s knowledge of words is made up of both general terms used in everyday language and academic terms used in specialized subjects such as math and science.” (Pg45)

·       I chose to include this quote in my blog this week because I feel as if it exemplifies an important part of fluency and vocabulary learning. I think in terms when people think of one’s vocabulary they assume it’s the word knowledge they learn in school is the most important/common. I think it is important to keep in mind children gain a sense of word knowledge through their experiences and interactions with people.

This chapter’s focus is on how to teach vocabulary to improve one’s comprehension skills using technology and technology based lessons and activities.

Two uses of technology to teach vocabulary knowledge and improve comprehension skills that I really enjoyed looking into for this module are; Wonderopolis and Virtual Fieldtrips.

v Wonderopolis is a website in which focuses or highlights multiple fun facts each day. When you click on each fun fact it divulges into facts about that specific fact. Vocabulary words that tie into the theme of the fact.

v For example the fun fact I researched this week was fact # 672 “Are elephants afraid of mice?”

v When I clicked on that fun fact it then explained the concept of what an Urban Legend is, and how this fun fact is considered to be one. It also expresses the concept of a phobia and then explains and defines the terms that relate to Mice related phobias.

v This website also includes links to informational video clips. To then extend on the learning of this theme/fun fact.

v I found myself really enjoying this site, it involves the children being active learners, and pulls them in leaving them to want to know more.

The other form of technology I really enjoyed using to improve vocabulary and comprehension was the use of virtual field trips.

v I looked into both a history lesson and a science(lab) lesson.

v History Lesson: Pilgrims: the focus was on their life, where they lived, how they lived(lifestyle) the Mayflower and Plymouth Plantation.

v Included: pitures, videos, sound effects, which enticed the reader/student leaving them wanting to know/learn more.

v Science Lesson: Discussed Electricity and Magnesium.

v Included: articles, games, activities to be taught and experiments to perform in a classroom setting.

Virtual fieldtrips model things or knowledge you would learn outside of a classroom setting, but then exemplify and express ways to bring these concepts into a classroom setting to improve fluency and comprehension.

Overall I find this to be an interesting concept in which you use technology to improve a child’s vocabulary knowledge that in return will improve his or her comprehension of a subject/topic.I think using Wonderopolis and Virtual fieldtrips are two great uses of technology to do so. These are two useful activities/strategies I plan to use in a classroom setting one day.

Chapter 3: Classroom Community/ Connecting With Families

Due to my experience in the education field as a toddler teacher in a daycare facility, I get to experience this concept of a classroom community closely. I think it is a very important factor in which one has to lead to a successfully run classroom. Parents need to feel comfortable with their child’s teacher, know they can ask questions, and feel as if there child is in a happy safe and fun-filled environment.

Chapter 3: Classroom Community/Connecting With Families

“The processes involved in literary understanding are as important as the instructional environments.” (pg30)

This quote is expressing that the instruction activities and assignments taught in a classroom are important, but the environment of the classroom is also very crucial to the success of it. Students need to feel comfortable and safe with their teachers and their classmates.

Teacher’s use of language and technology contributes to the improvement or creation of a classroom community.

Language is important throughout the classroom community.

·       Teacher Talk: communication between student and teacher.

·       How teachers ask questions in this environment shapes the amount of knowledge the child is able to take in.

·       Teachers should shape their questions of a lesson or an activity around its purpose. What is being learned?

A Digital environment is also very important when developing a classroom community.

Digital Story Telling: Provides opportunity for students to bring their culture into a classroom. This could be used in many ways. It could be an introductory project in which students are telling their classmates and teacher a little about themselves. A way to get to know one another, teach your community about your culture, what is important to you, and who “YOU” really are.

IRT LESSON: Younger Students:

Phase 1: Teacher Modeling, plan the lesson.

·       Choose a digital story telling app(Voicethread)

·       Decide what photograph students should bring in

·       Show students what you expect through creating your own story telling

Step 2: You as the teacher want to introduce the lesson and its purpose, and also show your students how to navigate and use the digital story telling app.

Step 3: Allow your students to jump into the project and beginning working on it independently. Be there for assistance when needed.

IRT LESSON: Older Students

Step 1: Plan the lesson.

·       Choose story telling app

·       Determine a time frame of when this needs to be finished and number of pictures each student needs

·       Create own story telling for an example

·       Decide what students will be required to use throughout the program

Step 2: Introduce the lesson and its purpose, and then model the activity.

Step 3: students will work independently on this project.

Overall Thoughts: I think it is vitally as future teachers that we make it an important factor in order to create a successful classroom, that one has a successful classroom community. Making sure the kids feel comfortable in their learning environment is going to improve their learning/intake greatly. I also find it very important that parents understand the openness of the community. Knowing they can express concerns about their child’s growth, ask questions, see their child’s growth, etc. Open communication between both the parents and teacher and the child and the teacher will lead to a safe and successful learning community.  

Chapter 2: Framework For Literacy Thinking 2.0

I really found this chapter as a whole overall very interesting. It expanded on this idea of how technology can be used as an instructional tool to improve Literacy skills. What makes this chapter different from the previous chapter we read is that it furthers our understanding of this idea. This chapter is broken down into two frameworks, in which, technology is used to improve/ teach Literacy and the skills that come with it.

In order to express what I found most interesting in this chapter, I am going to break down each point into its own section. I want to be able to express what I found interesting in a more detailed and clear way.

1.     The 2 Frameworks mentioned in this chapter: TPACK & IRT

·       TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) is broken down into 3 sections; Content, Pedagogy, and Technology. This framework allows the teacher to decide the outcome of his or her lesson, the purpose of the lesson, but then helps move to the step where they decide what strategies to use, the technology they will use, and how it will be used, and the assessments in return that will make his or her lesson most successful.

·       IRT (Internet Reciprocal Teaching) In order to understand this idea, one must understand the idea of “Reciprocal Teaching.” This idea is pretty straightforward. It is the idea that discussions will take place between teacher and student/students based on a text being read. This way of teaching has 4 strategies; summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. When first using this strategy the teacher will be used as a model, what is expected from this teaching strategy, that way when the student/students show they are ready to take on this responsibility they then become the role of the teacher when discussing a text. It is important to not what a reciprocal teaching consists of;

1)     The students go over as a class the main idea from the reading

2)     All students independently read the first paragraph silently.

3)     Someone is then asked to take the role of the teacher in this discussion. Ask questions about what they all read, gives the main idea to his or her class about what the read, acknowledge if they didn’t quite understand something and ask for clarification, and then explain what they think will happen next when they continue reading.

·       IRT: Revolves around building the online reading comprehension strategies for questioning, locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and communicating.” (Pg 25)

·       Uses same contents/ requirements in what makes a reciprocal teaching. (The 3 main points that make up a reciprocal teaching.)

Overall, I think it is important to remember it is how the technology is used, that makes it most successful and it is how teachers use instructional strategies to teach a strategy.

What is Literacy 2.0 and What happened to Literacy 1.0 ? (Chapter 1)

I just want to start this post with a little introduction about myself. My name is Meaghan Teehan and I am a junior at Bridgewater State this year and am pursuing a degree as an English Major with a Reading minor. I plan to pursue my Master's degree in Pre-K to Second grade with and without disabilities. I would love to even become a reading teacher specialist.

I really found this chapter interesting because it explains the idea of Literacy but also what is expected of a reading teacher; what qualifies them as a good reading teacher. It also is outlining that it is major to understand that student's learn in a variety of ways, and it crucial to understand that in order to help the student become a successful reader/writer. I think it is important to not that the International Reading Association stated in 2000 that excellent reading teachers:

• Understand reading and writing development
• know a variety of ways to teach reading
• offer a variety of materials and texts for children to read
• use flexible grouping strategies
• are good reading "coaches"

Overall good reading teachers need to be able to motivate their students to want to learn and become better reads, encourage their students when it comes to independent learning, but also have the skills and strategies to help children that are struggling.

I think it is highly important to note that Literacy deals with reading, writing and communicating.

The RAND study group defines comprehension as the "process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language." (p.12)

"Reading comprehension consists of three elements, the reader, the text, and the activity of the reading."(p.5)

How a reader understands what he or she is reading is dependent on how something is written. The vocabulary used in the text, what's being used in a text to represent meaning, and how information is being processed.

It is also key to understand that texts can be written texts like stories, textbooks, or could even be technology based like blogs, internet articles, etc.  

First Time using a Blog!

Just testing to see if my blog is working properly and if this will be shown on my blog page!