C LARA N ORALES ED 7201T D R. S HARON A. O’C ONNOR -P ETRUSO F ALL 2011 Using Technology to Enhance Literacy Among ELL’s

T ABLE OF C ONTENT -S TATEMENT OF THE P ROBLEM -R EVIEW OF R ELATED L ITERATURE - S TATEMENT OF THE H YPOTHESES

S TATEMENT OF THE P ROBLEM It is no secret that ELL’s are having a hard time when it comes to learning the English language. Reason why I strongly believed that the incorporation of technology can enhance and speed up the learning process. According to Christina Dukes in her article titled Best Practices for Integrating Technology Into English Language Instruction “The computer is an excellent resource for giving students the chance to practice English skills without worrying about the response of other classmates or even the teacher. As Butler-Pascoe (1997) explains, the untiring, non-judgmental nature of the computer makes it an ideal tool to help second language learners feel sufficiently secure to make and correct their own errors without embarrassment or anxiety.” I also believe that technology can also improve students’ motivation to learn.

R EVIEW OF R ELATED L ITERATURE Using technology with English Language Learners (ELL) enables students to construct meaning in a digital environment. McLoughlin and Oliver (1998) explain that the computer is one way to support Vygotsky’s (1978) communicative theory of learning and, if used appropriately, teachers can provide an environment in which learning is authentic and activities are interesting to students (Healey & Klinghammer, 2002). Multimdeia technology can be specially helpful for ELL’s because it can facilitate auditory skill development by intergrading visual representation with sound and animation (Bermudez & Palubo, 1994; Mielke & Flores, ). Web Quests are authentic Web based environment that support inquiry learning. According to Butler-Pascoe and Wiburg (2003), Web Quests contain: A task that is meaningful and doable. A process for completing the task, often in groups. Information resources to support the task. Guidance on how to organize the information acquired.

R EVIEW OF R ELATED L ITERATURE ( CONTINUE ) Computers allows students to become active learners in a one to one environment. Computers can incorporate various learning strategies as well as accommodate a variety of learning styles (Green, 2005). Pearman and Lefever-Davis (2006) found that CD-ROM storybooks could support reading comprehension for schoolchildren. Their work explored the use of the classroom computer; most relevant to the current research is the opportunity a CD-ROM provides to hear individual words in a text. The most widely claimed advantage of IWBs (Interactive Whiteboards) is that they motivate pupils because lessons are more enjoyable and interesting. Resulting in improved attention and behavior (Beeland 2002).

R EVIEW OF R ELATED L ITERATURE ( CONTINUE ) Cummins also has suggested that the World Wide Web has great potential for providing ELL’s the visual and aural stimulation to render new concepts more comprehensible. By giving ELL’s the opportunity to engage with new content knowledge in multiple modalities, students are more likely to expand their competencies as they “collect, internalize, and consolidate their knowledge of language and then use it powerfully to extend their intellectual horizons and personal identities” (Cummings, 2000). Laptops help engage students in reading, software on laptops is utilized to help reading skills. Advantages for using computers in teaching writing skills are so compelling that many teachers in k-12 schools are trying them, even if it means rotating students to a few computers in the back of the room. And Finally, the use of blogs enhances writing performance of students by providing opportunities for publishing writing drafts, receiving feedback from both the teacher and their friends, and enabling students to give feedback to their peers and to see their feedback.

S TATEMENT OF THE H YPOTHESES Using technology is an alternative for student to learn while having fun and keeping highly motivated. By integrating technology based activities within the literacy block lessons, students will increase test scores in the English Language Arts curriculum.