Annotated Bibliography
Adams, M. J., Alexander, F. (2012) A Vaccine to Prevent 3rd Grade Retention Part II. Education Week, 32 (6), 14-15.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=15&sid=05be081e-0fe0-4d98-9129-826c621bcdde%40sessionmgr15&hid=14
This short article in Education Week is part 2 in a 5-part series on foundational literacy. The article begins with an eye-opening reminder to educators that globalization is advancing at warp speed, and that our children's futures depend on educational attainment, both individual and collective. Because of this globalization, instructional standards for reading are geared toward and more focused on developing students' capacity to interpret, evaluate, and apply critical thinking skills while reading complex texts. In the primary grade levels, the renewed focus is on reading proficiency by third grade. The authors imply that teachers instructing students in the primary grades need to provide every child with instruction that identifies, monitors, and addresses their individual learning needs from the outset using technology. This article focuses on the positive effects of educators incorporating technology into the classroom, and how it meets the needs of primary age students in order for them to become more successful in life, reading more on-level by the time students reach the intermediate grade levels, and how primary educators and schools can compete in the globalization education wars. Positive arguments for incorporating technology into the classroom in the primary years begin with the basics; Reading foundational skills are the ideal candidates for individual, adaptive, computer-based instruction. Computers possess unlimited capacity for
pursuing an organized sequence of goals and can tailor instruction to the individual needs of each child. By requiring active, thoughtful response, technology can ensure that no child misses out on critical information because of inattention or misunderstanding. Nor would any child need to sit idly waiting for others to catch up. Technology can continually monitor progress, enriching or streamlining its treatment and directing tutorials for each individual. This makes instruction both more effective and more efficient. Every child would advance more securely, and would learn far more, and we would send children on to third grade knowing they had mastered foundational skills.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=15&sid=05be081e-0fe0-4d98-9129-826c621bcdde%40sessionmgr15&hid=14
This short article in Education Week is part 2 in a 5-part series on foundational literacy. The article begins with an eye-opening reminder to educators that globalization is advancing at warp speed, and that our children's futures depend on educational attainment, both individual and collective. Because of this globalization, instructional standards for reading are geared toward and more focused on developing students' capacity to interpret, evaluate, and apply critical thinking skills while reading complex texts. In the primary grade levels, the renewed focus is on reading proficiency by third grade. The authors imply that teachers instructing students in the primary grades need to provide every child with instruction that identifies, monitors, and addresses their individual learning needs from the outset using technology. This article focuses on the positive effects of educators incorporating technology into the classroom, and how it meets the needs of primary age students in order for them to become more successful in life, reading more on-level by the time students reach the intermediate grade levels, and how primary educators and schools can compete in the globalization education wars. Positive arguments for incorporating technology into the classroom in the primary years begin with the basics; Reading foundational skills are the ideal candidates for individual, adaptive, computer-based instruction. Computers possess unlimited capacity for
pursuing an organized sequence of goals and can tailor instruction to the individual needs of each child. By requiring active, thoughtful response, technology can ensure that no child misses out on critical information because of inattention or misunderstanding. Nor would any child need to sit idly waiting for others to catch up. Technology can continually monitor progress, enriching or streamlining its treatment and directing tutorials for each individual. This makes instruction both more effective and more efficient. Every child would advance more securely, and would learn far more, and we would send children on to third grade knowing they had mastered foundational skills.
Amendum, S.J., Vernon-Feagans, L. & Ginsberg, M.C. (2011) Effectiveness of a Technologically Facilitated Classroom-Based Early Reading Intervention. The Elementary School Journal, 112 (1), 107-131.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/10.1086/660684.pdf
This article, relevant to implementing technology as a supplemental tool for enhancing reading and the successes of readers on the primary level, evaluates the efficacy of a classroom-teacher-delivered reading intervention for struggling readers called the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI), designed particularly for kindergarten and first-grade teachers and their struggling students in rural, low-wealth communities. The TRI was delivered via an innovative Web-conferencing system using laptop computers and webcam technology. All children in the study were administered a battery of standardized reading skill tests in the fall and spring of the school year. Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted to estimate mixed models of children’s 1-year growth in word attack, letter/word identification, passage comprehension, and spelling of sounds. Results showed that struggling readers from experimental schools outperformed those from control schools on all spring reading outcomes, controlling for fall scores. The study demonstrates that classroom teachers can successfully implement an intervention with struggling readers. The study reports that classroom teachers can accelerate at-risk kindergarten students’ Word Attack and Letter/Word Identification skills with the implantation of TRI, which appears to impact a broad range of reading skills, including letter and word identification, decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/10.1086/660684.pdf
This article, relevant to implementing technology as a supplemental tool for enhancing reading and the successes of readers on the primary level, evaluates the efficacy of a classroom-teacher-delivered reading intervention for struggling readers called the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI), designed particularly for kindergarten and first-grade teachers and their struggling students in rural, low-wealth communities. The TRI was delivered via an innovative Web-conferencing system using laptop computers and webcam technology. All children in the study were administered a battery of standardized reading skill tests in the fall and spring of the school year. Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted to estimate mixed models of children’s 1-year growth in word attack, letter/word identification, passage comprehension, and spelling of sounds. Results showed that struggling readers from experimental schools outperformed those from control schools on all spring reading outcomes, controlling for fall scores. The study demonstrates that classroom teachers can successfully implement an intervention with struggling readers. The study reports that classroom teachers can accelerate at-risk kindergarten students’ Word Attack and Letter/Word Identification skills with the implantation of TRI, which appears to impact a broad range of reading skills, including letter and word identification, decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension.
Chambers, B., Slavin, R.E., Madden, N.A., Abrami, P.C., Tucker, B.J., Cheung, A., & Gifford, R. (2008). Technology Infusion in Success for All: Reading Outcomes for First Graders. The Elementary School Journal, 109 (1), 1-15.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/full/10.1086/592364?&Search=yes&searchText=technology&searchText=fluency&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dtechnology%2Band%2Bfluency%26filter%3D%26Search%3DSearch%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26globalSearch%3D%26sbbBox%3D%26sbjBox%3D%26sbpBox%
This article evaluates 2 technology applications for teaching beginning reading. The first application involved imbedded multi-media using brief phonics and vocabulary videos threaded through teachers' lessons. The second application involved computer-assisted tutoring, which helps tutors students with planning, instruction, and assessment. The experiment was
conducted to high-poverty, high-minority Success for All schools, and it compared 159 first-grade students randomly assigned to technology or nontechnology conditions in a year-long study. Across all students, significant
differences favored the technology condition on Woodcock Letter-Word Identification and Word Attack and GORT Fluency and Total scales. Tutored first graders who received both technology enhancements scored significantly higher on the GORT, Woodcock Letter-Word and Word Attack, Fluency, Comprehension, and Total scales. Non-tutored students who experienced just the embedded multimedia scored significantly higher than non-tutored control students on Woodcock Letter-Word Identification and GORT Total scores, and marginally higher on GORT Fluency. Results suggested that video and computer technology embedded in instruction may accelerate children's learning. The article suggests that educators using embedded multimedia and computer-assisted tutoring within the classroom, provide a gateway to student success in phonics and reading fluency. The data reported here support the idea that embedding technology in classroom and tutorial instruction can improve the reading performance of at-risk first graders.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/full/10.1086/592364?&Search=yes&searchText=technology&searchText=fluency&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dtechnology%2Band%2Bfluency%26filter%3D%26Search%3DSearch%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26globalSearch%3D%26sbbBox%3D%26sbjBox%3D%26sbpBox%
This article evaluates 2 technology applications for teaching beginning reading. The first application involved imbedded multi-media using brief phonics and vocabulary videos threaded through teachers' lessons. The second application involved computer-assisted tutoring, which helps tutors students with planning, instruction, and assessment. The experiment was
conducted to high-poverty, high-minority Success for All schools, and it compared 159 first-grade students randomly assigned to technology or nontechnology conditions in a year-long study. Across all students, significant
differences favored the technology condition on Woodcock Letter-Word Identification and Word Attack and GORT Fluency and Total scales. Tutored first graders who received both technology enhancements scored significantly higher on the GORT, Woodcock Letter-Word and Word Attack, Fluency, Comprehension, and Total scales. Non-tutored students who experienced just the embedded multimedia scored significantly higher than non-tutored control students on Woodcock Letter-Word Identification and GORT Total scores, and marginally higher on GORT Fluency. Results suggested that video and computer technology embedded in instruction may accelerate children's learning. The article suggests that educators using embedded multimedia and computer-assisted tutoring within the classroom, provide a gateway to student success in phonics and reading fluency. The data reported here support the idea that embedding technology in classroom and tutorial instruction can improve the reading performance of at-risk first graders.
DeCastell, S. & Luke, A. (1987) Literacy Instruction: Technology and Technique. American Journal of Education. 95 (3), 413-440.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1209238.pdf
The authors examine the basis for complaints of widespread illiteracy from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. They argue that claims of a literacy crisis may be misconceived. The authors contend that reading and writing per se are secondary concerns in mass literacy campaigns, and that the primary purpose of institutionally transmitted literacy is rather the non-coercive creation of a shared sociocultural worldview: the construction and dissemination of a dominant national ideology. The authors argue that the alleged literacy crisis can be reconsidered as a sociocultural crisis, mistakenly described in terms of falling standards of reading and writing. DeCastell and Luke examine a preferred strategy for dealing with the perceived literacy crisis: the mass production and mass implementation of "teacher-proof" curricular programs to teach the basic skills of reading and writing. They discuss the relation of contemporary technologies to teacher and student technique, and conclude with some exploratory observations on the "goodness of fit" between what technocratic literacy programs teach and the functions and uses of literacy in contemporary North American society.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1209238.pdf
The authors examine the basis for complaints of widespread illiteracy from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. They argue that claims of a literacy crisis may be misconceived. The authors contend that reading and writing per se are secondary concerns in mass literacy campaigns, and that the primary purpose of institutionally transmitted literacy is rather the non-coercive creation of a shared sociocultural worldview: the construction and dissemination of a dominant national ideology. The authors argue that the alleged literacy crisis can be reconsidered as a sociocultural crisis, mistakenly described in terms of falling standards of reading and writing. DeCastell and Luke examine a preferred strategy for dealing with the perceived literacy crisis: the mass production and mass implementation of "teacher-proof" curricular programs to teach the basic skills of reading and writing. They discuss the relation of contemporary technologies to teacher and student technique, and conclude with some exploratory observations on the "goodness of fit" between what technocratic literacy programs teach and the functions and uses of literacy in contemporary North American society.
Hartmann, A. (2010) Spectronics Inclusive Learning Technologies Blog: Apps for Phonics. PO BOX 88 Rochedale Q 4123
AUSTRALIA. ABN: 15 011 046 585. QLD GITC No: Q-1937
http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/tools-and-resources/apps-for-phonics/
Amanda Hartmann, who loves working with children to develop their early literacy skills, has come up with this website featuring a collection of apps for the iPad.. Now that we have the iPad, there is nothing easier than reinforcing a new skills
taught with a phonics game on the iPad. From first sound identification to rhyming and word families; sight words to spelling tests, there sure is lots of choice when it comes to Apps that can help develop phonics skills for reading and spelling. This website navigates through the huge numbers of phonics/literacy apps available.
AUSTRALIA. ABN: 15 011 046 585. QLD GITC No: Q-1937
http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/tools-and-resources/apps-for-phonics/
Amanda Hartmann, who loves working with children to develop their early literacy skills, has come up with this website featuring a collection of apps for the iPad.. Now that we have the iPad, there is nothing easier than reinforcing a new skills
taught with a phonics game on the iPad. From first sound identification to rhyming and word families; sight words to spelling tests, there sure is lots of choice when it comes to Apps that can help develop phonics skills for reading and spelling. This website navigates through the huge numbers of phonics/literacy apps available.
Hasselbring, T.S. & Bausch M.E. (2005). Assistive Technologies for Reading. Educational Leadership. 63 (4), 72-75.
http://olms.cte.jhu.edu/olms/tmp/file/AT%20Evaluation/Session7Readings/Tech-Reading-Hasselbring.pdf
This article focuses on text-reader programs, word-prediction software, and other aids to empower youth with learning disabilities in reading. The authors discuss innovative, 21st century Assistive technology devices and services that are now being used in the classroom to aide students with physical impairments from such high-tech innovations as computer screen readers for people with visual impairments to lower-tech products such as head pointers or pencil grips. The authors address technologies and strategies being implemented in the classroom to improve reading literacy. The authors state that assistive technology can break down barriers to full literacy in two ways: as a reading support, meaning that computer-based applications help students with learning disabilities successfully access grade level text as they read, and as a reading intervention, meaning that the technology helps students strengthen and improve their overall reading skills. Supportive assistive technology approaches should work symbiotically with learning interventions. Students can use an assistive technology intervention to continually improve their reading skills while at the same time taking advantage of a reading support to provide the scaffolding necessary to read text at their grade level. The authors discuss a technology based reading support initiated by the Kentucky Department of Education called Read and Write Gold software. This is a technology-based software implemented with the initiative to help students with disabilities become more independent when reading grade-level text. The article discusses computerized reading training applications such as the Read, Write, & Type software program, also being implemented in schools for the purpose of improving reading skills This was initiated by educators that realize that reading improvements skills need polished more than just inside the classroom. So, what happens when a student with a learning disability faces reading challenges outside the school environment or when text-to-speech software is not available or practical? To address this problem, a number of schools have turned to technologies that help improve reading skills. Computerized reading training applications—such as the Read, Write & Type!
http://olms.cte.jhu.edu/olms/tmp/file/AT%20Evaluation/Session7Readings/Tech-Reading-Hasselbring.pdf
This article focuses on text-reader programs, word-prediction software, and other aids to empower youth with learning disabilities in reading. The authors discuss innovative, 21st century Assistive technology devices and services that are now being used in the classroom to aide students with physical impairments from such high-tech innovations as computer screen readers for people with visual impairments to lower-tech products such as head pointers or pencil grips. The authors address technologies and strategies being implemented in the classroom to improve reading literacy. The authors state that assistive technology can break down barriers to full literacy in two ways: as a reading support, meaning that computer-based applications help students with learning disabilities successfully access grade level text as they read, and as a reading intervention, meaning that the technology helps students strengthen and improve their overall reading skills. Supportive assistive technology approaches should work symbiotically with learning interventions. Students can use an assistive technology intervention to continually improve their reading skills while at the same time taking advantage of a reading support to provide the scaffolding necessary to read text at their grade level. The authors discuss a technology based reading support initiated by the Kentucky Department of Education called Read and Write Gold software. This is a technology-based software implemented with the initiative to help students with disabilities become more independent when reading grade-level text. The article discusses computerized reading training applications such as the Read, Write, & Type software program, also being implemented in schools for the purpose of improving reading skills This was initiated by educators that realize that reading improvements skills need polished more than just inside the classroom. So, what happens when a student with a learning disability faces reading challenges outside the school environment or when text-to-speech software is not available or practical? To address this problem, a number of schools have turned to technologies that help improve reading skills. Computerized reading training applications—such as the Read, Write & Type!
Healy, J.M. (2000). How Do Computers Affect Our Children's Minds? Education Digest. 65 (9), 37-44.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a1caa87c-9e9c-48ac-b39b-fe08252dd04e%40sessionmgr13&vid=5&hid=23
The author discusses the pros and cons, along with some history and evolution, of the development of children using computers and the enormous impact computers and technology has on children. This article mentions that some of the cons of children using computers are diverting kids to think inside the box rather than outside the box, diverting kids from using their minds in a reflective and creative manner, and hindering children of the stimuli their brains need during sensitive periods of growth in regards to direct human contact, language, and social behavioral habits. The author discusses that commercialism, media, and industry had forced teachers to use computers in their classroom instruction. The benefits of teachers being open-minded to this idea is that it does help deliver specific aspects and needs of a particular curriculum by building visuals and other enhancements for direct instructional learning. The article hones in on the fact that computers are really no good to teachers and parents in the enhancement and instruction of basic skills that the curriculum directs unless both teachers and parents are educated and instructed properly. The author implies that with certain stimulations using proper computer software, (whereby the program enables students to move beyond concrete thinking and more critical thinking), the proper training provided to the educator, and the right combination of computer software and educated teacher, successes of students' academic skills may be more of a one-dimentional diversion, rather than a 3-dimentional tool for success in the classroom and at home.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a1caa87c-9e9c-48ac-b39b-fe08252dd04e%40sessionmgr13&vid=5&hid=23
The author discusses the pros and cons, along with some history and evolution, of the development of children using computers and the enormous impact computers and technology has on children. This article mentions that some of the cons of children using computers are diverting kids to think inside the box rather than outside the box, diverting kids from using their minds in a reflective and creative manner, and hindering children of the stimuli their brains need during sensitive periods of growth in regards to direct human contact, language, and social behavioral habits. The author discusses that commercialism, media, and industry had forced teachers to use computers in their classroom instruction. The benefits of teachers being open-minded to this idea is that it does help deliver specific aspects and needs of a particular curriculum by building visuals and other enhancements for direct instructional learning. The article hones in on the fact that computers are really no good to teachers and parents in the enhancement and instruction of basic skills that the curriculum directs unless both teachers and parents are educated and instructed properly. The author implies that with certain stimulations using proper computer software, (whereby the program enables students to move beyond concrete thinking and more critical thinking), the proper training provided to the educator, and the right combination of computer software and educated teacher, successes of students' academic skills may be more of a one-dimentional diversion, rather than a 3-dimentional tool for success in the classroom and at home.
Hitchcock, C.H., Prater, M.A., Dowrick, P.W. (2004). Reading Comprehension and Fluency: Examining the Effects of
Tutoring and Video Self-Modeling on First-Grade Students with Reading Difficulties. Learning Disability Quarterly. 27 (2), 89-103.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1593644.pdf?acceptTC=true
In this rural Hawaii study, teachers and parents selected four first-grade students who were experiencing delays in reading fluency and comprehension skills to receive tutoring and video self-modeling interventions. Community partners were trained to provide tutoring with the 25-step ACE reading protocol. A multiple baseline design across two behaviors (reading fluency and comprehension) was used to observe the effect of each intervention on reading fluency and comprehension skills. Reading fluency, measured in number of correct words per minute, doubled for three students and quadrupled for the fourth by the end of eight weeks. Reading comprehension, measured in number of correct responses, reached pre-established criteria. Viewing the self-modeling videotapes was associated with reduced variability and maintenance of increased performance. Follow-up indicated that gains maintained for six months. Tutoring by a community partner and video self-modeling increased both reading fluency and reading comprehension skills in the four participants. Video self-modeling accelerated reading fluency skills and consolidated reading comprehension skills. This study offers the first application of self-modeling directly to reading comprehension skills. Video self-modeling may be less restrictive and time consuming than other interventions. Although the specific intervention here was for reading, there were also positive effects on the students' behavior in the class-room and at home.
Tutoring and Video Self-Modeling on First-Grade Students with Reading Difficulties. Learning Disability Quarterly. 27 (2), 89-103.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1593644.pdf?acceptTC=true
In this rural Hawaii study, teachers and parents selected four first-grade students who were experiencing delays in reading fluency and comprehension skills to receive tutoring and video self-modeling interventions. Community partners were trained to provide tutoring with the 25-step ACE reading protocol. A multiple baseline design across two behaviors (reading fluency and comprehension) was used to observe the effect of each intervention on reading fluency and comprehension skills. Reading fluency, measured in number of correct words per minute, doubled for three students and quadrupled for the fourth by the end of eight weeks. Reading comprehension, measured in number of correct responses, reached pre-established criteria. Viewing the self-modeling videotapes was associated with reduced variability and maintenance of increased performance. Follow-up indicated that gains maintained for six months. Tutoring by a community partner and video self-modeling increased both reading fluency and reading comprehension skills in the four participants. Video self-modeling accelerated reading fluency skills and consolidated reading comprehension skills. This study offers the first application of self-modeling directly to reading comprehension skills. Video self-modeling may be less restrictive and time consuming than other interventions. Although the specific intervention here was for reading, there were also positive effects on the students' behavior in the class-room and at home.
Kurek, G.M., Paratore, J.R., Rog, L.R., Santa, C.M., Olness, R.L., Walker-Dalhouse, D., Anders, P.L., Rasinski, T.V., & Selin, A.S. (2002). Integrating literacy and Technology in the Curriculum: A Position Statement of the International Reading Association. ©2002 International Reading Association, Brochure design by Linda Steere, Photos by EyeWire. pp. 1-3.
http://www.reading.org/downloads/positions/ps1048_technology.pdf
This brochure discusses the advantages, the needs, and the benefits of incorporating the Internet and other forms of information and communication technology (ICT) such as word processors, Web editors, presentation software, and e-mail into the classroom that are regularly redefining the nature of literacy. To become fully literate in today's world, students must become proficient in the new literacies of ICT. Therefore, literacy educators have a responsibility to effectively integrate these technologies into the literacy curriculum in order to prepare students for the literacy future they deserve. The International Reading Association believes that much can be done to support students in developing the new literacies that will be required in their future. The authors believe that students have the right to:
• teachers who are skilled in the effective use of ICT for teaching and learning;
• a literacy curriculum that integrates the new literacies of ICT into instructional programs;
• instruction that develops the critical literacies essential to effective information use;
• assessment practices in literacy that include reading on the Internet and writing using word processing
software;
• opportunities to learn safe and responsible use of information and communication technologies; and
• equal access to ICT.
http://www.reading.org/downloads/positions/ps1048_technology.pdf
This brochure discusses the advantages, the needs, and the benefits of incorporating the Internet and other forms of information and communication technology (ICT) such as word processors, Web editors, presentation software, and e-mail into the classroom that are regularly redefining the nature of literacy. To become fully literate in today's world, students must become proficient in the new literacies of ICT. Therefore, literacy educators have a responsibility to effectively integrate these technologies into the literacy curriculum in order to prepare students for the literacy future they deserve. The International Reading Association believes that much can be done to support students in developing the new literacies that will be required in their future. The authors believe that students have the right to:
• teachers who are skilled in the effective use of ICT for teaching and learning;
• a literacy curriculum that integrates the new literacies of ICT into instructional programs;
• instruction that develops the critical literacies essential to effective information use;
• assessment practices in literacy that include reading on the Internet and writing using word processing
software;
• opportunities to learn safe and responsible use of information and communication technologies; and
• equal access to ICT.
Linik, J. R. (2012) Literacy 2.0. Education Digest. 78 (3), 25-29.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&sid=b25c0d6d-e7e7-4304-b860-e928cee872c0%40sessionmgr4&hid=21
In this article, Linik makes the point that open-minded teachers of the 21st century are incorporating technology into the classroom to gain on the successes that students will need and benefit from as life-long learners. English language learners benefit from taking quizzes via iPod. The reason is that teachers allowing students to engage in interactive language arts exercises using technology in the classroom make learning and assessing seem more like a game rather than a test. In a high school classroom, students write, videotape, and edit public service announcements, documentaries, and films. Seattle metropolitan area students create stories via digital cameras and blogs and publish them on social websites, where they also
debate community issues. Linik points out these technology-enhanced, instructional approaches that northwest teachers use to help students develop the literacy skills they need. While reading and writing continue to be the fundamental skills of literacy, technology, when integrated effectively, can be a powerful tool for instruction. This is especially true for students who are digital natives. "Net Gen" kids have grown up in a world of rapidly evolving technology, and they use digital tools on a daily (sometimes, continuous) basis. Scientists posit that these students' brains are actually developing in new ways because their gray matter is constantly engaged with digital devices. Linik discusses the advantages to teachers incorporating technology into the classroom in multiple subject areas to better prepare students for the challenges they will need in life to achieve success.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10&sid=b25c0d6d-e7e7-4304-b860-e928cee872c0%40sessionmgr4&hid=21
In this article, Linik makes the point that open-minded teachers of the 21st century are incorporating technology into the classroom to gain on the successes that students will need and benefit from as life-long learners. English language learners benefit from taking quizzes via iPod. The reason is that teachers allowing students to engage in interactive language arts exercises using technology in the classroom make learning and assessing seem more like a game rather than a test. In a high school classroom, students write, videotape, and edit public service announcements, documentaries, and films. Seattle metropolitan area students create stories via digital cameras and blogs and publish them on social websites, where they also
debate community issues. Linik points out these technology-enhanced, instructional approaches that northwest teachers use to help students develop the literacy skills they need. While reading and writing continue to be the fundamental skills of literacy, technology, when integrated effectively, can be a powerful tool for instruction. This is especially true for students who are digital natives. "Net Gen" kids have grown up in a world of rapidly evolving technology, and they use digital tools on a daily (sometimes, continuous) basis. Scientists posit that these students' brains are actually developing in new ways because their gray matter is constantly engaged with digital devices. Linik discusses the advantages to teachers incorporating technology into the classroom in multiple subject areas to better prepare students for the challenges they will need in life to achieve success.
MacArthur, C.A., Ferretti, R.P., Okolo, C.M., & Cavalier, A.R. (2001). Technology Applications for Students with Literacy Problems: A Critical Review. The Elementary School Journal, 101 (3), 273-301.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1002248.pdf?acceptTC=true
This review covers research published in the 15 years before 2001. The article focused on the use of technology to teach or support literacy among students with mild disabilities. Mild disabilities in this review was defined as school-age students with learning disabilities, reading disabilities, and mild cognitive disabilities, and students described as poor readers or at-risk for reading disabilities. The review addresses research on the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on synthesized speech feedback to improve phonemic awareness and decoding skills, the use of electronic texts to enhance comprehension by compensating for reading difficulties, and implementation of CAI to support writing. The portion of the authors' studies and findings in the review that pertains to my interest and the successes of students with mild reading disabilities is the section of the article that discusses using computer-assisted instruction/technology in the classroom to enhance these school-age students with mild reading disabilities to improve upon phonemic awareness and decoding skills, thus, providing a better chance for reading success in their future. The authors research that was done in the 15 years prior to 2001 suggests that most students with reading problems have difficulty acquiring fluent and accurate word-identification skills. This difficulty is due to problems in processing the phonological features of language. The authors research suggests that students with phonological awareness have been shown to predict more advanced reading and spelling achievement. The article suggests that students who have difficulties with word recognition are found to have received less practice in reading because they read less frequently and more slowly. Thus, they may not develop either fluency in reading connected text or adequate comprehension skills. The authors discuss the overall successes of students with mild disabilities that facilitate instruction in the classroom using an adventure game format within their computer-assisted instruction programs. The CAI game format provides practice that enhances decoding and phonemic awareness skills with a wide range of phonological awareness tasks including recognizing rhyming words, matching words on the basis of common first, middle, and last sounds, and counting the number of phonemes in a word. The results of students using CAI to enhance phonemic awareness and decoding skills proved successful to my goal of achieving proof of increased technology in small group settings in the classroom benefits at-risk readers with mild reading disabilities.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1002248.pdf?acceptTC=true
This review covers research published in the 15 years before 2001. The article focused on the use of technology to teach or support literacy among students with mild disabilities. Mild disabilities in this review was defined as school-age students with learning disabilities, reading disabilities, and mild cognitive disabilities, and students described as poor readers or at-risk for reading disabilities. The review addresses research on the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on synthesized speech feedback to improve phonemic awareness and decoding skills, the use of electronic texts to enhance comprehension by compensating for reading difficulties, and implementation of CAI to support writing. The portion of the authors' studies and findings in the review that pertains to my interest and the successes of students with mild reading disabilities is the section of the article that discusses using computer-assisted instruction/technology in the classroom to enhance these school-age students with mild reading disabilities to improve upon phonemic awareness and decoding skills, thus, providing a better chance for reading success in their future. The authors research that was done in the 15 years prior to 2001 suggests that most students with reading problems have difficulty acquiring fluent and accurate word-identification skills. This difficulty is due to problems in processing the phonological features of language. The authors research suggests that students with phonological awareness have been shown to predict more advanced reading and spelling achievement. The article suggests that students who have difficulties with word recognition are found to have received less practice in reading because they read less frequently and more slowly. Thus, they may not develop either fluency in reading connected text or adequate comprehension skills. The authors discuss the overall successes of students with mild disabilities that facilitate instruction in the classroom using an adventure game format within their computer-assisted instruction programs. The CAI game format provides practice that enhances decoding and phonemic awareness skills with a wide range of phonological awareness tasks including recognizing rhyming words, matching words on the basis of common first, middle, and last sounds, and counting the number of phonemes in a word. The results of students using CAI to enhance phonemic awareness and decoding skills proved successful to my goal of achieving proof of increased technology in small group settings in the classroom benefits at-risk readers with mild reading disabilities.
Martineau, P. (2009) Teaching With Technology. Education Digest. 74 (7), 14-18.
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School boards, administrators, and teachers are considering revisiting their technology policies as education experts advise. Internet chat rooms, online video games, and other electronic features that once seemed inappropriate for the classroom are proving useful for meeting many educational goals. School districts are taking a look at what kids are doing in their real life and taking a look at how much schools differ from what's going on outside the classroom. It's not about "no child left behind" now, it's about no school district being "left behind" with the danger that schools could get left behind in this ever-evolving
information age. The article discusses how technology changes in the classroom can create ample opportunities to engage students by teaching basic lessons and advanced concepts, while using technology to reinforce these concepts. This article discusses some things that teachers in California are doing as they incorporate technology into their classroom lessons in an attempt engage students in an active and interactive way to provide for successes in life. Teachers are tapping into digital video production to entice kids to make movies about the lessons they study in class. iPods are becoming more accepted in class to increase students' reading fluency. The iPods are also used in English classes for enhancement of language arts skills by using apps to write story boards and scripts to apply the use of real world grammar and punctuation skills. This article is a testimonial for using technology in classroom instruction, because it states that technology excites the students,
drawing them into the activity in a way traditional classroom instruction might not. The article discusses Project iRead, which backs up my cause that incorporating more technology into the classroom improves reading fluency. Project iREAD also uses iPods to increase reading fluency. Project iREAD allows students to read a selection into the iPod recorder. They then play back the audio and listen for mistakes in fluency. The research and theory indicates that hearing their own errors, rather
than simply being told what they are doing wrong, greatly increases fluency improvement rates. Educators can time- and dates tamp the recordings, compiling a digital record of students' progress. Educators then can review the recordings over time. Students in standard reading programs will show a 5- to 10-word increase in fluency each week. Other advantages that the article mentions in using iPod recordings in class can be to help students learn a second language, study their delivery
of persuasive speeches, and record poetry and other creative work. Even though the article relates to me and my interest in incorporating technology in my classroom to enhance phonemic awareness, accuracy, and fluency for my primary school at-risk readers, it addresses the need to incorporate technology into the high school curriculum for those at-risk readers at that reading level as well. Advantages to incorporating technology in reading classes at the high school level are appropriate for students and the skills they will need as they approach graduation and life skills used after graduation. By using technology in English classes at the high school level, students can see why they are learning the skills that the are being taught and how it will have an effect on their successes in their future.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=8&sid=70c33c9b-2ee8-4861-86c5-6b37b0f8d028%40sessionmgr10&hid=26
School boards, administrators, and teachers are considering revisiting their technology policies as education experts advise. Internet chat rooms, online video games, and other electronic features that once seemed inappropriate for the classroom are proving useful for meeting many educational goals. School districts are taking a look at what kids are doing in their real life and taking a look at how much schools differ from what's going on outside the classroom. It's not about "no child left behind" now, it's about no school district being "left behind" with the danger that schools could get left behind in this ever-evolving
information age. The article discusses how technology changes in the classroom can create ample opportunities to engage students by teaching basic lessons and advanced concepts, while using technology to reinforce these concepts. This article discusses some things that teachers in California are doing as they incorporate technology into their classroom lessons in an attempt engage students in an active and interactive way to provide for successes in life. Teachers are tapping into digital video production to entice kids to make movies about the lessons they study in class. iPods are becoming more accepted in class to increase students' reading fluency. The iPods are also used in English classes for enhancement of language arts skills by using apps to write story boards and scripts to apply the use of real world grammar and punctuation skills. This article is a testimonial for using technology in classroom instruction, because it states that technology excites the students,
drawing them into the activity in a way traditional classroom instruction might not. The article discusses Project iRead, which backs up my cause that incorporating more technology into the classroom improves reading fluency. Project iREAD also uses iPods to increase reading fluency. Project iREAD allows students to read a selection into the iPod recorder. They then play back the audio and listen for mistakes in fluency. The research and theory indicates that hearing their own errors, rather
than simply being told what they are doing wrong, greatly increases fluency improvement rates. Educators can time- and dates tamp the recordings, compiling a digital record of students' progress. Educators then can review the recordings over time. Students in standard reading programs will show a 5- to 10-word increase in fluency each week. Other advantages that the article mentions in using iPod recordings in class can be to help students learn a second language, study their delivery
of persuasive speeches, and record poetry and other creative work. Even though the article relates to me and my interest in incorporating technology in my classroom to enhance phonemic awareness, accuracy, and fluency for my primary school at-risk readers, it addresses the need to incorporate technology into the high school curriculum for those at-risk readers at that reading level as well. Advantages to incorporating technology in reading classes at the high school level are appropriate for students and the skills they will need as they approach graduation and life skills used after graduation. By using technology in English classes at the high school level, students can see why they are learning the skills that the are being taught and how it will have an effect on their successes in their future.
Mathes, P.G., Torgesen, J.K., & Allor, J.H. (2001) The Effects of Peer-Assisted Literacy Strategies for First-Grade Readers with and without Additional Computer-Assisted Instruction in Phonological Awareness. American Educational Research Journal, 38 (2), 371-410. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3202463
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In this article, the authors examined Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies for First-Grade Readers (lst-Grade PALS) with and without additional computer assisted instruction (CAI) in phonological awareness using Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle software packages. Specifically, the authors first experimentally examined the efficacy of inserting into the preexisting reading framework a revised version of our previously validated lst-Grade PALS with children of
varying academic strength. Second, the author's purpose was to investigate the impact of adding 8-10 hours of phonological awareness instruction using Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle via the computer to the curriculum already including lst-Grade PALS. Peer-assisted instruction has a long, empirically supported history for promoting academic gains with most learner types in multiple contexts, and across subject areas. The authors discussed in their research one very successful class of peer-assisted techniques (PALS.) PALS traces its ancestry to Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), a simple peer-tutoring scheme with high sustainability. The primary purpose of CWPT reading was to dramatically increase the amount of time children were individually engaged as active readers. While maintaining the basic classwide classroom structure of the original CWPT, these new procedures were designed to not only increase reading engagement, but to assist students to become strategic in their approach to constructing meaning from text. CAI is a second feasible instructional option that the authors discussed in the article which can facilitate increased instructional intensity without increasing time demands on teachers. The motivational aspect of CAI for low-performing readers is well documented in that CAI can provide modeling without the teacher being present, can provide immediate feedback regarding correct and incorrect student responses, and can consistently and immediately deliver reinforcement. Because of these capabilities, computers have the potential to provide important instructional opportunities to help children acquire critical early reading skills. In an area of interest supporting CAI's as a tool to achieve success in at-risk readers in the classroom, the authors drive home that the one area of particular promise is the use of CAI to stimulate the growth of phonological awareness in young children. Not only is this skill an important prerequisite for early reading growth, but also there is strong evidence that children require greatly varying amounts of instruction to acquire the level of phonological awareness required in learning to read. The article discusses two computer programs that have been developed to provide instruction and practice in phonological awareness; Daisy Quest, and Daisy's Castle. In earlier research with these programs, they were shown to produce significant growth in preschool and kindergarten children's awareness of phonological structure of words in approximately 5-10 hours of instructional time. They also have been used successfully to enhance phonemic awareness and word reading ability in first-grade children selected because of weakness in phonological awareness and difficulties learning to read. Both Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle employ high-quality digitized speech and colorful graphic images to engage children in a series of inter-active tasks within an adventure game. Students using Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle receive information and practice of seven different phonological awareness tasks, including: (a) recognizing rhyming words; (b) matching words on the basis of similar first sounds; (c) matching on the basis of last sounds; (d) matching on the basis of middle sounds; (e) recognizing words presented in an onset-rime format; (f) recognizing words that are presented as individual phonemes; and (g) counting the number of sounds in words. The results of the present study indicate that Ist-Grade PALS enhanced reading performance both in terms of statistical significance and in terms of educational relevance, although not equally for all learner types. These findings replicate findings from previous studies examining lst-Grade PALS. Results also indicate that CAI in phonological awareness was unsuccessful in accelerating the reading growth of LA children beyond that achieved with lst-Grade PALS. The authors results suggest that CAI in phonological awareness did not, as they had hypothesized, maximize LA students' ability to benefit from Ist-Grade PALS. This is not to say that the CAI in phonological awareness had no effect. On the basis of CBM segmentation scores across the 8 weeks of the CAI intervention, it appears that there was an initial boost in phonological awareness skills for LA students participating in CAI. Thus, the CAI programs Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle achieved what they were designed to achieve: increased phonological awareness skill after 8-10 hours of instruction. This article supports my theory that computer assisted instruction in the small group setting in the classroom has some effect on at-risk readers strengthening phonemic awareness skills.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/3202463.pdf?acceptTC=true
In this article, the authors examined Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies for First-Grade Readers (lst-Grade PALS) with and without additional computer assisted instruction (CAI) in phonological awareness using Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle software packages. Specifically, the authors first experimentally examined the efficacy of inserting into the preexisting reading framework a revised version of our previously validated lst-Grade PALS with children of
varying academic strength. Second, the author's purpose was to investigate the impact of adding 8-10 hours of phonological awareness instruction using Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle via the computer to the curriculum already including lst-Grade PALS. Peer-assisted instruction has a long, empirically supported history for promoting academic gains with most learner types in multiple contexts, and across subject areas. The authors discussed in their research one very successful class of peer-assisted techniques (PALS.) PALS traces its ancestry to Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), a simple peer-tutoring scheme with high sustainability. The primary purpose of CWPT reading was to dramatically increase the amount of time children were individually engaged as active readers. While maintaining the basic classwide classroom structure of the original CWPT, these new procedures were designed to not only increase reading engagement, but to assist students to become strategic in their approach to constructing meaning from text. CAI is a second feasible instructional option that the authors discussed in the article which can facilitate increased instructional intensity without increasing time demands on teachers. The motivational aspect of CAI for low-performing readers is well documented in that CAI can provide modeling without the teacher being present, can provide immediate feedback regarding correct and incorrect student responses, and can consistently and immediately deliver reinforcement. Because of these capabilities, computers have the potential to provide important instructional opportunities to help children acquire critical early reading skills. In an area of interest supporting CAI's as a tool to achieve success in at-risk readers in the classroom, the authors drive home that the one area of particular promise is the use of CAI to stimulate the growth of phonological awareness in young children. Not only is this skill an important prerequisite for early reading growth, but also there is strong evidence that children require greatly varying amounts of instruction to acquire the level of phonological awareness required in learning to read. The article discusses two computer programs that have been developed to provide instruction and practice in phonological awareness; Daisy Quest, and Daisy's Castle. In earlier research with these programs, they were shown to produce significant growth in preschool and kindergarten children's awareness of phonological structure of words in approximately 5-10 hours of instructional time. They also have been used successfully to enhance phonemic awareness and word reading ability in first-grade children selected because of weakness in phonological awareness and difficulties learning to read. Both Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle employ high-quality digitized speech and colorful graphic images to engage children in a series of inter-active tasks within an adventure game. Students using Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle receive information and practice of seven different phonological awareness tasks, including: (a) recognizing rhyming words; (b) matching words on the basis of similar first sounds; (c) matching on the basis of last sounds; (d) matching on the basis of middle sounds; (e) recognizing words presented in an onset-rime format; (f) recognizing words that are presented as individual phonemes; and (g) counting the number of sounds in words. The results of the present study indicate that Ist-Grade PALS enhanced reading performance both in terms of statistical significance and in terms of educational relevance, although not equally for all learner types. These findings replicate findings from previous studies examining lst-Grade PALS. Results also indicate that CAI in phonological awareness was unsuccessful in accelerating the reading growth of LA children beyond that achieved with lst-Grade PALS. The authors results suggest that CAI in phonological awareness did not, as they had hypothesized, maximize LA students' ability to benefit from Ist-Grade PALS. This is not to say that the CAI in phonological awareness had no effect. On the basis of CBM segmentation scores across the 8 weeks of the CAI intervention, it appears that there was an initial boost in phonological awareness skills for LA students participating in CAI. Thus, the CAI programs Daisy Quest and Daisy's Castle achieved what they were designed to achieve: increased phonological awareness skill after 8-10 hours of instruction. This article supports my theory that computer assisted instruction in the small group setting in the classroom has some effect on at-risk readers strengthening phonemic awareness skills.
Meyers, B., & Collier, S. (2003). Creating On-Line Individual Education Plans: Preservice Teachers Learn to Make Data-based Decisions. Action in Teacher Education. 25 (2), 23-34.
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In this study, the OIEP Project was the means through which preservice teachers gained experience in identifying, using, acquiring, critiquing, organizing and applying technology resources in the classroom. The project was built upon the collaborative spirit between the regular education and special education faculty, and encouraged preservice teacher use of the World Wide Web and other technologies to document and support informed curricular decisions, and to communicate specific intervention strategies to other professionals interested in maximizing the academic and/or behavioral development of individual children. The research stressed the importance for preservice teachers to learn and apply their knowledge of how best to accommodate the needs of all children as well as utilize emerging computer literacies to more effectively influence daily classroom life. The article discussed teacher educators, both regular and special, who have the potential to transform teacher perceptions and actions about applying technologies in elementary classrooms, especially when it comes to working with children who have diverse needs. The goal of the study was that when faculty work together to design projects and when a variety of technologies are utilized in meaningful ways at the preservice level, that prospective teachers will be more likely to consult a variety of resources, attend to the needs of individual learners and utilize computer literacy wisely in daily, instructional decision-making. Findings from this study are encouraging for teacher educators designing programs that aim to develop teachers who use modem learning technologies to benefit children. The OIEP project can also become a valuable template for use at a multidisciplinary Student Support Team meeting. Technology in this case is the means through which communication about a particular child is encouraged and made accessible. Collection, analysis, and interpretation of electronic data can constructively support the traditional methods of documenting, assessing, and creating learning situations for specific children. As teacher educators are willing to consider similar programmatic innovations at the preservice level, it is more likely that future teachers will effectively use these skills within their own classrooms. The child becomes the benefactor.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=12&sid=326aebc1-66a8-4b8a-a926-766c1929d762%40sessionmgr10&hid=26
In this study, the OIEP Project was the means through which preservice teachers gained experience in identifying, using, acquiring, critiquing, organizing and applying technology resources in the classroom. The project was built upon the collaborative spirit between the regular education and special education faculty, and encouraged preservice teacher use of the World Wide Web and other technologies to document and support informed curricular decisions, and to communicate specific intervention strategies to other professionals interested in maximizing the academic and/or behavioral development of individual children. The research stressed the importance for preservice teachers to learn and apply their knowledge of how best to accommodate the needs of all children as well as utilize emerging computer literacies to more effectively influence daily classroom life. The article discussed teacher educators, both regular and special, who have the potential to transform teacher perceptions and actions about applying technologies in elementary classrooms, especially when it comes to working with children who have diverse needs. The goal of the study was that when faculty work together to design projects and when a variety of technologies are utilized in meaningful ways at the preservice level, that prospective teachers will be more likely to consult a variety of resources, attend to the needs of individual learners and utilize computer literacy wisely in daily, instructional decision-making. Findings from this study are encouraging for teacher educators designing programs that aim to develop teachers who use modem learning technologies to benefit children. The OIEP project can also become a valuable template for use at a multidisciplinary Student Support Team meeting. Technology in this case is the means through which communication about a particular child is encouraged and made accessible. Collection, analysis, and interpretation of electronic data can constructively support the traditional methods of documenting, assessing, and creating learning situations for specific children. As teacher educators are willing to consider similar programmatic innovations at the preservice level, it is more likely that future teachers will effectively use these skills within their own classrooms. The child becomes the benefactor.
Pan, M. (2012) Fluency Tutor: Harnessing the Power of Fluency to Build Comprehension - Dr. Madeline Pan, Texthelp Systems (ATIA Orlando 2012)
http://www.texthelp.com/media/93259/technologytoimprovereading.pdf
This website for teachers is a presentation by Dr. Madeline Pan, who provides some insight on some data driven steps educators can take to build, support, and strengthen oral reading fluency in the classroom and help to build foundations towards successes for readers of all ages. The presentation is of relevance in that it suggests guidelines to high school, intermediate, and primary educators on how to improve reading fluency at any reading level. Reasons and methods to improve reading fluency are laid out to educators in this presentation, and imply suggested uses of technology towards improvements in reading fluency skills by incorporating recorders and digital translators. Some of the questions that educators may have about how to improve oral reading fluency are answered in this presentation by Dr. Madeline Pan are:
(a) How can students monitor their own progress and take ownership of their own development?
(b) What are the challenges of teaching students to be fluent readers?
(c) What are the guidelines and strategies for teaching students to be more fluent readers?
(d) Why build oral reading fluency?
(e) What are the components of oral reading fluency?
http://www.texthelp.com/media/93259/technologytoimprovereading.pdf
This website for teachers is a presentation by Dr. Madeline Pan, who provides some insight on some data driven steps educators can take to build, support, and strengthen oral reading fluency in the classroom and help to build foundations towards successes for readers of all ages. The presentation is of relevance in that it suggests guidelines to high school, intermediate, and primary educators on how to improve reading fluency at any reading level. Reasons and methods to improve reading fluency are laid out to educators in this presentation, and imply suggested uses of technology towards improvements in reading fluency skills by incorporating recorders and digital translators. Some of the questions that educators may have about how to improve oral reading fluency are answered in this presentation by Dr. Madeline Pan are:
(a) How can students monitor their own progress and take ownership of their own development?
(b) What are the challenges of teaching students to be fluent readers?
(c) What are the guidelines and strategies for teaching students to be more fluent readers?
(d) Why build oral reading fluency?
(e) What are the components of oral reading fluency?
Parette, H.P., Blum, C., Boeckmann, N. M., & Watts, E.H. (2009) Teaching Word Recognition to Young Children Who Are at Risk Using Microsoft Powerpoint Coupled With Direct Instruction. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36 (5), 393-401. DOI 10.1007/s10643-008-0300-1
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=17&sid=82269e99-8b8b-42c0-98b2-da3b2a1c9688%40sessionmgr11&hid=14
This article focuses on use of Microsoft PowerPointTM paired with direct instruction (DI) to teach word recognition to young children at risk. DI has been a widely used teaching method for over 40 years, and is often used to teach emergent literacy skills. Recent DI research with preschoolers at risk has suggested the potential for using scripted, direct instruction-supported PowerPointTM slides delivered with an LCD projection system to teach word recognition skills. Even though I believe that the most successful teaching styles/methods in today's primary classroom involves a combination of the interactive instruction approach and the experiential learning approach, I also believe this article contains relevant and credible research, as well as, credible and convincing statements indicating that using the direct instructional approach to teaching at-risk readers word recognition through scripted PowerPoint lessons motivates, encourages, reinforces, and praises students, while providing as engaging and successful learning experience. The authors make reference to and acknowledge that young children are familiar with and often prefer technology- supported instruction. The authors take you through a simple phonics lesson using the word "cat," through this article to demonstrate how direct instruction to small group at-risk readers can benefit and learn successfully being taught through Microsoft PowerPoint slides. Microsoft PowerPointTM is particularly ideal for teaching word recognition because it is both ‘readily available’ and frequently used by both teachers and students in early childhood settings. The authors clearly recognize and acknowledge that Microsoft PowerPoint includes many features, including color, sound, and animation, which are motivating for students. The authors of this article convincingly persuade teachers to try using Microsoft PowerPointTM as an direct instructional approach to small groups of at-risk readers in their classrooms with the strong argument that PowerPointTM lessons develop specific word recognition skills through the use of animation, transitions, sounds, and other features that would be engaging to young children. Results of the Blum et al. (2008) study mentioned in the article demonstrate that PowerPointTM lessons significantly improve initial sound fluency, and holds potential for teaching word recognition. The recommended approach for teaching word recognition to young children at risk presented in this article is easy to use, follows a specific script, and can easily be incorporated in classroom settings. PowerPointTM lessons contains opportunities for at risk young children to listen, participate, and practice. The lesson also emphasizes repetition and reinforcement. The many graphic editing features of PowerPointTM enable education professionals to customize graphic images to the needs of children in the classroom and their curricula. The authors mention that the use of the instructional approach in the classroom would be helpful to develop word recognition skills among young children who are at risk,. The authors suggest that teachers may further enhance children’s vocabulary by working with families. The authors encourage early childhood educators not only to use PowerPointTM coupled with DI in classrooms, but to involve family members by creating ‘family books’ made from the PowerPointTM slides used at school. These books may be printed by the teacher and discussed with the family. For families who own or have access to computers, PowerPointTM activities can readily be emailed to a family account. This article provides a great deal of validity on the uses of technology in the classroom combined with DI enhances and strengthens vocabulary, phonemic awareness, accuracy, and fluency with at-risk readers, and provides a more solid foundation to these skills increasing reading readiness in the intermediate grade levels.Pan
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=17&sid=82269e99-8b8b-42c0-98b2-da3b2a1c9688%40sessionmgr11&hid=14
This article focuses on use of Microsoft PowerPointTM paired with direct instruction (DI) to teach word recognition to young children at risk. DI has been a widely used teaching method for over 40 years, and is often used to teach emergent literacy skills. Recent DI research with preschoolers at risk has suggested the potential for using scripted, direct instruction-supported PowerPointTM slides delivered with an LCD projection system to teach word recognition skills. Even though I believe that the most successful teaching styles/methods in today's primary classroom involves a combination of the interactive instruction approach and the experiential learning approach, I also believe this article contains relevant and credible research, as well as, credible and convincing statements indicating that using the direct instructional approach to teaching at-risk readers word recognition through scripted PowerPoint lessons motivates, encourages, reinforces, and praises students, while providing as engaging and successful learning experience. The authors make reference to and acknowledge that young children are familiar with and often prefer technology- supported instruction. The authors take you through a simple phonics lesson using the word "cat," through this article to demonstrate how direct instruction to small group at-risk readers can benefit and learn successfully being taught through Microsoft PowerPoint slides. Microsoft PowerPointTM is particularly ideal for teaching word recognition because it is both ‘readily available’ and frequently used by both teachers and students in early childhood settings. The authors clearly recognize and acknowledge that Microsoft PowerPoint includes many features, including color, sound, and animation, which are motivating for students. The authors of this article convincingly persuade teachers to try using Microsoft PowerPointTM as an direct instructional approach to small groups of at-risk readers in their classrooms with the strong argument that PowerPointTM lessons develop specific word recognition skills through the use of animation, transitions, sounds, and other features that would be engaging to young children. Results of the Blum et al. (2008) study mentioned in the article demonstrate that PowerPointTM lessons significantly improve initial sound fluency, and holds potential for teaching word recognition. The recommended approach for teaching word recognition to young children at risk presented in this article is easy to use, follows a specific script, and can easily be incorporated in classroom settings. PowerPointTM lessons contains opportunities for at risk young children to listen, participate, and practice. The lesson also emphasizes repetition and reinforcement. The many graphic editing features of PowerPointTM enable education professionals to customize graphic images to the needs of children in the classroom and their curricula. The authors mention that the use of the instructional approach in the classroom would be helpful to develop word recognition skills among young children who are at risk,. The authors suggest that teachers may further enhance children’s vocabulary by working with families. The authors encourage early childhood educators not only to use PowerPointTM coupled with DI in classrooms, but to involve family members by creating ‘family books’ made from the PowerPointTM slides used at school. These books may be printed by the teacher and discussed with the family. For families who own or have access to computers, PowerPointTM activities can readily be emailed to a family account. This article provides a great deal of validity on the uses of technology in the classroom combined with DI enhances and strengthens vocabulary, phonemic awareness, accuracy, and fluency with at-risk readers, and provides a more solid foundation to these skills increasing reading readiness in the intermediate grade levels.Pan
Saine N.L., Lerkkanen M.K., Ahonen T., Tolvanen A., & Lyytinen H. (2011). Computer-Assisted Remedial Reading Intervention for School Beginners at Risk for Reading Disability. Child Development, 82 (3), 1013–1028.
ISSN: 0009-3920, DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01580.x
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2077/ejc/pdf.cgi/Saine_Nina_L.pdf?issn=00093920&issue=v82i0003&article=1013_crrifsbarfrd
Finnish authors from the University of Jyva¨skyla investigate whether a computer application designed for remedial reading training can enhance letter knowledge, reading accuracy, fluency, and spelling of at-risk children with low pre-reading skills and risk for reading disabilities. The participants, 7-year-old Finnish school beginners, were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: regular remedial reading intervention, computer-assessed reading intervention, and mainstream reading instruction. Regular remedial reading interventions and computer-assisted remedial reading interventions were administered over the course of three years parallel to mainstream reading instruction. Based on the results, computer-assisted remedial reading intervention was highly beneficial, whereas regular remedial types of intervention was beneficial, but less successful. The results indicated that at-risk children require computer-based letter–name and letter–sound training to acquire adequate decoding and spelling skills, to successfully reach the level of their non-at-risk peers. The information, research, and statistics in this journal article heavily support the cause and need to supplement our Common Core curriculum with providing at-risk reading students access to web-based/computer technology in small groups within our classroom learning environment for better overall reading success.
ISSN: 0009-3920, DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01580.x
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2077/ejc/pdf.cgi/Saine_Nina_L.pdf?issn=00093920&issue=v82i0003&article=1013_crrifsbarfrd
Finnish authors from the University of Jyva¨skyla investigate whether a computer application designed for remedial reading training can enhance letter knowledge, reading accuracy, fluency, and spelling of at-risk children with low pre-reading skills and risk for reading disabilities. The participants, 7-year-old Finnish school beginners, were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: regular remedial reading intervention, computer-assessed reading intervention, and mainstream reading instruction. Regular remedial reading interventions and computer-assisted remedial reading interventions were administered over the course of three years parallel to mainstream reading instruction. Based on the results, computer-assisted remedial reading intervention was highly beneficial, whereas regular remedial types of intervention was beneficial, but less successful. The results indicated that at-risk children require computer-based letter–name and letter–sound training to acquire adequate decoding and spelling skills, to successfully reach the level of their non-at-risk peers. The information, research, and statistics in this journal article heavily support the cause and need to supplement our Common Core curriculum with providing at-risk reading students access to web-based/computer technology in small groups within our classroom learning environment for better overall reading success.
Thompson PHD, J.R., Bakken PHD, J.P., Fulk PHD, B.M., & Petersen-Karlan PHD, G. (2004). Using Technology to Improve the Literacy Skills of Students with Disabilities. Learning Point Associates; Sponsored Under Government Contract ED-01-CO- 0011. Illinois State University. pp. 1-21.
http://www.learningpt.org/pdfs/literacy/disability.pdf
This is a summary of best practices in using technology to improve literacy skills of students receiving special education services. Topics under discussion and review in this article include: common literacy, problems experienced by students with disabilities, legal requirements of technology consideration and acquisition in relation to a school district's special education assessment and planning process, leading approaches to assessing students' technological needs, suggestions for incorporating assessment information into the development of individualized education programs (IEP's), and a variety of low and high tech tools that can be used to enhance the literacy skills of students with disabilities.
http://www.learningpt.org/pdfs/literacy/disability.pdf
This is a summary of best practices in using technology to improve literacy skills of students receiving special education services. Topics under discussion and review in this article include: common literacy, problems experienced by students with disabilities, legal requirements of technology consideration and acquisition in relation to a school district's special education assessment and planning process, leading approaches to assessing students' technological needs, suggestions for incorporating assessment information into the development of individualized education programs (IEP's), and a variety of low and high tech tools that can be used to enhance the literacy skills of students with disabilities.
Torgesen, J.K., Waters, M.D., Cohen, A.L., & Torgesen, J.K. (1988) Improving Sight-Word Recognition Skills in LD Children: An Evaluation of Three Computer Program Variations. Learning Disability Quarterly, 11 (2), 125-132.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1510990.pdf
This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of three variations of a computer program designed to increase the sight-word reading of young children. Subjects were 17 school-identified learning disabled children in grades 1, 2, and 3. A multi-element baseline design was used to expose all subjects to three different treatment conditions and a no-treatment control condition. In the treatment conditions, word sets consisting of 10 words each were practiced on versions of the computer program that employed either graphic representation of the words alone (visual-only), graphics plus synthetic speech (visual-auditory), or synthetic speech alone (auditory-only). All treatment conditions resulted in significant improvements in accuracy and speed of word identification, with no differences among treatments. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the design of reading software for young children. The two most important conclusions to be drawn from this study are: (a) The three versions of the program were equally successful in establishing accurate recognition of words in the practice sets; and (b) Children were able to successfully generalize from the practice format, which involved recognition of the correct word from a limited set of alternatives, to recall of the correct pronunciation when words were presented individually on the computer. Both of these findings have important implications for the design of soft-ware to improve learning disabled children's reading skills.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2117/stable/pdfplus/1510990.pdf
This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of three variations of a computer program designed to increase the sight-word reading of young children. Subjects were 17 school-identified learning disabled children in grades 1, 2, and 3. A multi-element baseline design was used to expose all subjects to three different treatment conditions and a no-treatment control condition. In the treatment conditions, word sets consisting of 10 words each were practiced on versions of the computer program that employed either graphic representation of the words alone (visual-only), graphics plus synthetic speech (visual-auditory), or synthetic speech alone (auditory-only). All treatment conditions resulted in significant improvements in accuracy and speed of word identification, with no differences among treatments. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the design of reading software for young children. The two most important conclusions to be drawn from this study are: (a) The three versions of the program were equally successful in establishing accurate recognition of words in the practice sets; and (b) Children were able to successfully generalize from the practice format, which involved recognition of the correct word from a limited set of alternatives, to recall of the correct pronunciation when words were presented individually on the computer. Both of these findings have important implications for the design of soft-ware to improve learning disabled children's reading skills.
Vasquez III, E., Forbush, D. E., Mason, L. L., Lockwood, A. R., & Gleed, L. (2011) Delivery and Evaluation of Synchronous Online Reading Tutoring to Students At-Risk of Reading Failure. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 30 (3), 16-26.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=c6d76426-733c-4ab4-812e-51af68692573%40sessionmgr13&hid=28
The author's purpose of this manuscript is to describe and discuss a preliminary investigation of the effects of live online reading tutoring on 4''' grade students in a high minority, high poverty school in Philadelphia, PA. Although this study was
not conducted in a rural location, the implications are great for rural schools where qualified tutors may be nonexistent or inaccessible. Using a distance teleconferencing system, trained and supervised undergraduate students located at Utah State University delivered tutoring. The researchers employed a multiple-baseline across participants design to determine, the effects of 1:1 online reading tutoring on reading fluency scores for 3 students. This study included 3 fourth grade African American students and 4 undergraduate college tutors as participants. The researchers used three criteria to select student participants. First, their classroom teacher identified students needing reading intervention. Second, confirming the need for reading intervention, students were required to score below the 20* percentile on the state reading achievement
test; finally, students responded to a Corrective Reading placement test. They placed these students in the Corrective Reading curriculum. The placement test ensured that students were grouped in a relatively homogeneous decoding ability. The researchers recruited tutors from Utah State University's (USU) pre-service teacher program and taught them to deliver 1:1 online assessments and online tutoring. Tutors were female undergraduates with 2 years experience delivering Direct Instruction. Tutors received ongoing supervision in the delivery of key assessments and teaching behaviors. The researchers conducted this study in two settings: (a) USU's Center for Academic Interventions tutoring lab and (b) a computer lab at an inner city elementary school in Philadelphia, PA. Adobe Connect Internet Protocol Video software was used to allow tutors and students to see one another and to work with instructional materials. Adobe Connect's capabilities included real-time
communication (i.e., audio, video, use of virtual whiteboard for presentation of curriculum) and document sharing within the virtual tutoring room. Each online tutoring system consisted of five steps using the Corrective Reading program. During online tutoring via Adobe Connect, the tutors used Corrective Reading Direct Instruction materials in PDF/Flash Paper format, video via a web camera, and audio though a voice over Internet protocol service to deliver instruction. Tutors collected data from tutees' responses to oral questions, reading connected text, producing isolated sounds, sound blends, responses to comprehension questions, completed written practice exercises, reading text online, and responses to fluency building activities. The results of the effects of online reading instruction on the oral reading fluency for 3 participants led to a marked increase in the participants' oral reading fluency. The authors study is successful in proving that supplemental tutoring services to enhance classroom instruction with live systematic, comprehensive, and explicit online reading tutoring is beneficial to the success of the at-risk readers. There are several implications for students who receive online tutoring. The authors conclude that online tutoring strengths students reading fluency and accuracy skills. Equally important reasons for online tutoring in classroom with small groups of at-risk readers are that rural locations can gain access to trained and
supervised tutors who deliver scientifically proven methods of instruction. Approximate reading strengths and needs can be gauged by delivering assessments online. Students receive one-on-one high paced instruction. Intensive practice and
error correction is delivered as 1 to 2 program lessons delivered in a 50 minute period. Students are able to build relationships around reading with college-aged students, and, in turn, pre-service teachers gain real world teaching experience. Parents, students, administrators, and tutors self report that the interaction across a distance delivery system is positive and students make gains in reading. Finally, tutors are instructed in delivering research-based instruction, supervised, and given feedback on performance, and all instructional decisions are derived from ongoing assessment of student skills.
http://proxy.ashland.edu:2058/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=c6d76426-733c-4ab4-812e-51af68692573%40sessionmgr13&hid=28
The author's purpose of this manuscript is to describe and discuss a preliminary investigation of the effects of live online reading tutoring on 4''' grade students in a high minority, high poverty school in Philadelphia, PA. Although this study was
not conducted in a rural location, the implications are great for rural schools where qualified tutors may be nonexistent or inaccessible. Using a distance teleconferencing system, trained and supervised undergraduate students located at Utah State University delivered tutoring. The researchers employed a multiple-baseline across participants design to determine, the effects of 1:1 online reading tutoring on reading fluency scores for 3 students. This study included 3 fourth grade African American students and 4 undergraduate college tutors as participants. The researchers used three criteria to select student participants. First, their classroom teacher identified students needing reading intervention. Second, confirming the need for reading intervention, students were required to score below the 20* percentile on the state reading achievement
test; finally, students responded to a Corrective Reading placement test. They placed these students in the Corrective Reading curriculum. The placement test ensured that students were grouped in a relatively homogeneous decoding ability. The researchers recruited tutors from Utah State University's (USU) pre-service teacher program and taught them to deliver 1:1 online assessments and online tutoring. Tutors were female undergraduates with 2 years experience delivering Direct Instruction. Tutors received ongoing supervision in the delivery of key assessments and teaching behaviors. The researchers conducted this study in two settings: (a) USU's Center for Academic Interventions tutoring lab and (b) a computer lab at an inner city elementary school in Philadelphia, PA. Adobe Connect Internet Protocol Video software was used to allow tutors and students to see one another and to work with instructional materials. Adobe Connect's capabilities included real-time
communication (i.e., audio, video, use of virtual whiteboard for presentation of curriculum) and document sharing within the virtual tutoring room. Each online tutoring system consisted of five steps using the Corrective Reading program. During online tutoring via Adobe Connect, the tutors used Corrective Reading Direct Instruction materials in PDF/Flash Paper format, video via a web camera, and audio though a voice over Internet protocol service to deliver instruction. Tutors collected data from tutees' responses to oral questions, reading connected text, producing isolated sounds, sound blends, responses to comprehension questions, completed written practice exercises, reading text online, and responses to fluency building activities. The results of the effects of online reading instruction on the oral reading fluency for 3 participants led to a marked increase in the participants' oral reading fluency. The authors study is successful in proving that supplemental tutoring services to enhance classroom instruction with live systematic, comprehensive, and explicit online reading tutoring is beneficial to the success of the at-risk readers. There are several implications for students who receive online tutoring. The authors conclude that online tutoring strengths students reading fluency and accuracy skills. Equally important reasons for online tutoring in classroom with small groups of at-risk readers are that rural locations can gain access to trained and
supervised tutors who deliver scientifically proven methods of instruction. Approximate reading strengths and needs can be gauged by delivering assessments online. Students receive one-on-one high paced instruction. Intensive practice and
error correction is delivered as 1 to 2 program lessons delivered in a 50 minute period. Students are able to build relationships around reading with college-aged students, and, in turn, pre-service teachers gain real world teaching experience. Parents, students, administrators, and tutors self report that the interaction across a distance delivery system is positive and students make gains in reading. Finally, tutors are instructed in delivering research-based instruction, supervised, and given feedback on performance, and all instructional decisions are derived from ongoing assessment of student skills.