learning

Technology Considerations for English Learners

March 30, 2020 by timstahmer

Due to a sudden shift in virtual learning, how can we effectively use technology with English Learners (EL) in a virtual classroom setting? How can we communicate effectively with ELs? Incorporating technology in the virtual classroom with ELs is an excellent way to support the four language domains. With technology, students can listen, speak, read and write.

A reciprocal relationship exists between reading and writing and reading informs writing. Speaking and listening are the foundational skills for reading and writing. These four language domains are essential for our ELs as they are learning English and with technology, ELs are able to produce and express language. Furthermore, technology allows ELs to have equal access to the language as their native English speaking peers.

Here are a few considerations to keep in mind as you shift to virtual learning for ELs:

1. Use trusted translation and interpretation based on the guidelines set by your district

Two excellent tools to use are the dictate feature and immersive reader in Microsoft OneNote and Word. If you have a student that is unable to write in their native language but can speak in that language, it is an excellent way for them to show what they know! Seeing the joy on a child’s face when they see their speech come to life is so exciting. Immersive reader will read text aloud highlighting text as it reads and the language can also be changed for translation.

2. Use audio books for ELs to hear and read text

Another way I love using technology with ELs is by giving ELs access to audio books. The technology we have at our fingertips is just phenomenal. Students are able to listen to a text in their native language and then hear it in English. Additionally, they are able to see the text on the screen. You can even change the interface to the native language. One of my favorite free websites to use for this is Unite for Literacy. (uniteforliteracy.com or Unite Books app) Students can explore a wide range of texts in a variety of languages with beautiful graphics.

3. Utilize multi-modal resources

Another great technology resource for ELs is Discovery Education. The amount of multi-modal resources within Discovery Education is outstanding. For the videos, ELs greatly benefit from the closed caption and transcript features. Being able to listen and see the text on the screen and in print supports ELs with their language development. For the reading passages, the audio feature allows the text to play and students can change the speed of the audio. Students can even see the text be tracked along the screen as they listen. Additionally, students can go on Virtual Field Trips which is so important right now! If your district doesn’t already have Discovery Education, they are offering districts free accounts during the closure.

4. Tech buddies for ELs

Consider having a tech buddy for ELs. Assign an online tech buddy, either a same language student or a tech savvy classmate to support ELs with tech. Additionally, ensure ELs know where and who to go to for tech support when they need it.

5. Clear and concise Communication

Ensure when you are giving information through tech resources that it is clear and concise. Remember that both families and students will need support with the tech resources you share, less is more!

During this time, if technology is unavailable for an EL, consider the phone capabilities they may have. Perhaps they can email or text. Consider having printed paper copies with offline resources of daily or weekly choice boards they can complete with no tech requirements! These activities could include listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. It is vital to ensure during this extended closure that our ELs are still able to access the learning materials even if they do not have technology available to them. With or without tech, our goal for our ELs is to allow for opportunities that they can actively engage in listening, speaking, reading and writing! I hope you will find these resources to be useful with your ELs!

Written by Mandy Livings. Mandy is an Elementary English Learner Program Specialist in Prince William County Public Schools.

Recommendations For Moving Your Classroom Online

March 16, 2020 by timstahmer

As schools close for what may be an extended length of time, many of us are entering the new and unfamiliar experience of working with our students in an online environment. While we can’t anticipate every issue you might face, VSTE has some basic recommendations gathered from some experts in this area. We hope these will help you with the adjustment.

Use the tools you already have.

Many school divisions already have arrangements to use distance learning tools like Google G Suite for Education, Microsoft Office 365, BlackBoard, and Schoology. Not only have these products been vetted by your division for student privacy and data security, you likely have someone assigned to your school, such as your ITRT or other technology coach, who can help you with problems. Familiarity will help both you and your students feel more comfortable as you move into an online environment.

Avoid registering for new and unfamiliar products.

In response to this crisis, many technology companies are offering free or discounted versions of their products to teachers and schools. While these are generous offers, it is likely that these apps will create educational records (essentially any personally identifiable data). Schools must follow FERPA when sharing educational records with a third party, regardless of the age of the student, and regardless of if it is the student or the teacher is the one signing in. These tools may also have provisions in their terms of service that violate the intellectual property rights of your students. Your school division has already negotiated contracts with many online products. Check with your ITRT or tech coach to confirm which products are available and how to use them with your students. DO NOT create accounts for your students or staff without first checking to see if the product has been approved as you do not want to risk your students' privacy. (The Department of Education has more guidance about FERPA and COVID-19 here.)

Remember that not all of your students may have the same access at home.

Even in the more affluent areas of Virginia, we have students whose parents cannot afford high-speed internet access and who may be relying on public access that could become unavailable. In other areas, connection speeds could be slow or unreliable. If cable is available, check to see of the company is one that is offering free broadband to low income households right now. You may be able to help your students and their families get online during this crucial time. Some phone providers have lifted data caps and overage fees as well. However, keep the varying level of access in mind as you plan for the activities you may want them to complete during this time. For example, some students may not be able to join if you try to have video conferencing sessions. Asynchronous activities or recordings can help ensure access. Students will also be using a variety of devices for online access that will impact their ability to use tools. Best advice: keep it simple.

Work first on building your students’ online skills.

We all know that kids are great at communicating with each other using their personal devices. Those skills don’t transfer directly into learning in an online environment. As you get started, emphasize extending the community you’ve built in the face-to-face classroom to the new virtual classroom. Think of this as an opportunity for students to improve their digital learning skills. Start simple with discussion boards, comments, or quick postings. Progress to more advanced online activities.

Practice safe and secure networking.

Don’t share passwords, especially not through email or chat. Your division will provide guidance on how to reset your own and student passwords. Follow their directions even if it takes longer in a completely online environment. Ask your tech support person about division policies regarding sharing student passwords with parents. You should not allow others to use your division-owned device and make every effort to separate your work and personal data, preferably with different profiles. You should not use a VPN for personal Internet access or sync division content to personal cloud storage such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

Connect with your colleagues.

Although it will be temporary, the time you will be teaching online can be a great learning experience for you as well. Share what you discover with other educators from your division, around Virginia, and beyond, and learn from them. Twitter is a good place to start a discussion (just don't put your students on Twitter). You'll also find many teachers who blog about their work.

VSTE is here to help you get started: you can follow us on Twitter, check our Facebook page, join our Facebook Group and browse the resources at Virginia's #GoOpenVA site. We are also partnering with UnisonEDU to offer free online coaching and support. Learn more here.

Gamification in the Classroom

March 9, 2020 by timstahmer

In nearly ten years of teaching, I have done a variety of things. I have taught Special Education, General Ed High School English, and even middle school Technology Education. Every year I try new things. I look for a chance to engage my students and myself in a way that is different than the year before. I’ve tried a lot of things, but nothing had had the dramatic impact on my way of teaching and my classroom climate that Gamification has had.

I have never considered myself a teacher who struggled with classroom management, but every teacher deals with behavior issues on some scale, and that is normal. I was always looking for a way to encourage students to actively participate in class and behave in an appropriate manner. One day, a friend told me about a new game she was playing with her students. She was playing Classcraft, and seeing some pretty cool things. I decided that, as a person who already loves video games, this could be just the ticket.

The difference was almost immediate. The students were taking a lot of the burden of behavior off of me and regulating each other. Each student was on a team of 3-5, and their behavior directly impacted their teammates. Teammates don't like negative impacts. At first I was worried that there might be some backlash when a student caused damage to the team, but instead there was something amazing. Teammates were happy to help each other, but they were also taking the student aside and encouraging them to follow the rules in the future!

There are times when being a teacher is one of the hardest jobs I can imagine, and then there are times like this when I remember why I do this job. One of those moments was watching middle schoolers coach their peers in a positive and uplifting way. There really is nothing like it.

In addition to the behavior aspects of the game, we went on learning quests together and students could test their knowledge against bosses like Drakans and Raptals. Boss battles are a great way to gamify review, like when we played "Jeopardy" in school, except WAY COOLER! Students get the chance to battle individually or as a team. They also get the chance to protect and heal one another. This is a great way to get the kids actively participating in a knowledge review in addition to working on their interpersonal skills!

I have been teaching for nearly 10 years, and nothing revolutionized student behavior and engagement that gamifying my class did. I no longer heard things like “is this for a grade?” and “what happens to my grade if I don’t do this?” It helped me create an atmosphere where I was only grading the things that really needed to be graded and not feeling like everything had to be worth points just to get them to do it. They also would come to me begging for opportunities to earn more experience points so they could level up and get the newest gear or a new pet.

While I found Classcraft to be a great tool for my students, I have seen the concept of Gamification used in a variety of ways. I encourage you to look into this education trend and see how it fits for you. Take your students on epic learning adventures instead of just doing units. Battle a Dragos together where everyone wins or loses as a group instead of busting out that Jeopardy Powerpoint you’ve had for the last decade. Take a chance on something new this year!

Written by Arcadia Parson. Arcadia is an Instructional Technology Specialist in Virginia Beach, VA.

Back to School with the 6Cs

August 17, 2019 by timstahmer

As you think about getting this school year off the ground, take a moment to think about the resources you have that reinforce an instructional framework that you use. One framework that I like is Michael Fullan’s Deep Learning or the 6 Cs. With the goal of enabling educated people to be able to solve problems and “deal with life”, these six skills are crucial to education. Research tells us that when technology is used to facilitate Deep Learning (or the 6Cs), the result transforms teaching and learning.

Character Education includes the ideas of building resilience, empathy, confidence, and well being. Rather than making “character ed” another subject to teach, there are several ways that these concepts can be included in everyday processes and procedures in the classroom. One way is to use circles as a classroom routine to build relationships. Another suggestion is that we use the concept of legacy as a catalyst for character discussions. An Edutopia article that I read recently suggests that students write their end-of-year legacy at the beginning of the year to help them with character goals.

Citizenship in this framework involves the notions of global knowledge, cultural respect, and environmental awareness. A teacher could approach this by helping students understand the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are many ideas and resources for teaching the SDGs at the TeachSDGs website. I think one of the easiest strategies is to look at the curated book list and integrate a book or two into a lesson where appropriate.

Communication skills defined as “getting students to apply their oral work, listening, writing, and reading in varied contexts” are easy to encourage. Lesson ideas in this area are plentiful including, “Teaching your students to have a conversation” and “Teaching communication skills”. A wonderful tool for students to use to create projects that allow them to practice their communication skills is Microsoft Sway, which is device agnostic and free. If you are not familiar with Sway, take a look at the archive for our Sway Cool Student Projects workshop, in which we shared how to create project ideas that help students practice communicating.

Designing and managing projects which address specific problems and arrive at solutions using appropriate and diverse tools is the essence of Critical-Thinking. This idea is not new to you if you are familiar with design thinking. TeachersFirst has a curated list of tech tools and websites that would be helpful as you plan lessons that include this type of critical-thinking in them.

Collaboration or working in teams so students can learn with/from others is a strategy that most can agree is necessary for our students. One of my favorite tools for quick collaboration is Twiddla (reviewed here). Along with the Google Docs Suite and Microsoft's Office Online, here is a list of additional free tools that can be used to practice collaborative work strategies. Be sure to try the tools out with a friend before you use them with students. Many times you’ll learn tips about the tool that your students might need to know in advance like - you shouldn't “undo” when working collaboratively in a Google Doc as it reverses what was last saved...which could be some other student's work.

Developing qualities like enterprise, leadership, and innovation are part of Creativity and Imagination. One strategy to promote these skills is including maker activities in your instruction. You might also help your students learn about young inventors, as suggested in this blog post.

At TeachersFirst, we offer a series of free services for educator professional learning and development. One of our goals is to give teachers strategies to address the 6Cs and facilitate deep learning. Click here for more information about our free services.

Written by Ruth Okoye. Ruth is the Director of K12 Initiatives at The Source for Learning, the parent company of the TeachersFirst community. Okoye has over 20 years of experience using technology in the classroom and served as the Technology Resource Teacher for Elementary Language Arts in Portsmouth, VA. She is a member of the ISTE Board of Directors and part of the leadership team for the ISTE Edtech Coaches PLN.

Leveling Up Student Learning with a Global Inventors Course

June 5, 2017 by vsteadmin

Oak Grove students with their global partners

This year, we tried something completely new at Oak Grove Elementary in Roanoke County. Fifth graders have just finished working with Global partners in Nicaragua, Argentina, and Honduras through a Global Inventors course run by Level Up Village--and what an adventure it was. In this course, students exchanged video messages with their partners and collaborated on designing the case for a solar flashlight using CAD software and a 3D printer. They also examined the differences between electricity production in the United States and that of their partner’s country and discussed renewable and nonrenewable resources. Best of all, students made a global friend, and shared aspects of their lives with them, while learning about a different country in a very personal way.

Here are some of the highlights from the course:

Involving the Community

Because we were trying to meet a district initiative to teach Spanish in elementary school, we requested to be partnered with students from Spanish-speaking countries. High School Spanish students then visited our Fifth graders to teach them basic Spanish phrases they could use in their videos. They planned the lessons, created handouts, and developed Quizlet games for our students to use as they learned the language. This helped both the Fifth graders communicate with their partners and the high school students practice their Spanish.

Sending Video Messages

Students exchanged video messages with their partners through the Level Up Village platform. In these videos they answered questions posed by the course itself, but also could ask their own questions. It was in this way that the two partners really began to know one another.

Learning CAD Software

In order to learn to use computer aided design (CAD) software called Tinkercad, students first designed nametags. Once they had learned the basics, they began working with their global partner to design the case for a solar flashlight. They were provided

with the electrical components, but had to make sure their measurements were correct so that components would fit in the finished case. We printed some example solar flashlights about halfway through the project. Students analyzed these and then used what they learned to finish their final product.

Connecting Live

We had the added bonus of being able to Skype live with our partners. While this does not always happen, we were lucky enough to be in similar time zones as our partners so were able to work out this experience. Students gave up lunchtime with their friends and recess to be able to talk to their partners 3,000 miles away. They had fun talking, asking questions, and joking with the class in the other country.

Reflecting Using Blogs

After we finished working our way through the curriculum, students used Kidblog to reflect on the project. When I read their posts, it was evident that they walked away with not only a better understanding of 4th and 5th grade math and science SOLs and an understanding of Central and South America, but also having developed the softer skills of communication and collaboration.

As an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher teaming this project with the classroom teacher, I can definitely say it was one of the best projects I have helped facilitate. The organic learning that took place could have never have happened just by studying these topics in isolation. By building a relationship with someone in a completely different country, our students made connections and realizations, and developed understanding and empathy that could not have been taught otherwise. The personal growth I have seen in our students over the past eight weeks has been extraordinary, and I am so proud of them and so grateful for the chance to be part of it.

Tina Coffey is an Instructional Technology Resource Teacher for Roanoke County Schools. She is also the Level Up Village US Teacher of the Year for 2017. Connect with her on Twitter @elemitrt.

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