1. Chapter 9: Teaching and Learning with Technology in English and Language Arts Instruction
By: Rachel Marr

2. Objectives
1. Recognize the implications for technology integration of each current issues faced by English and Language Arts students.
2. Create key strategies for integrating technology into the English and Language Arts curricula.

3. Main Ideas

4. NCTE/IRA Standards for the English Language Arts
Students should:
Read a wide range of print and non-print to build an understanding of texts.
Read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres
Apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts.
Adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language.
Employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately.
Apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques, figurative language and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
Conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and posing problems
Use a variety of technological and information resources
Develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures
Make use of their first language to develop competency in the English Language arts
Participate as knowledge, reflective, creative, and critical members
Use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes.

5. Issues and Problems in English and Language Arts
Reading, writing, and analyzing written communications = fundamental skills for a literate person
Technologies have a lot to offer to help develop these skills
Brought dramatic changes in the format and types of communications that teachers much face in the English and Language Arts area

6. Teacher’s responsibilities for the “New Literacies”
Two types of new literacy: Digital and Information
Examples of digital literacy: Blogs, Vlog, Wiki
Examples of Information literacy: online tutorials/websites, databases

7. Digital Literacy
Originally: Was the ability to use computer devices and software to locate and use information.
Now: Skills in using the information that technological devices carry, in addition to skills in using the devices themselves.
A wiki is a collection of web pages located in an online community that encourage collaboration and communication of ideas by having users contribute or modify content; Contain the ongoing work on many authors.
Example: Foodie
A blog is a combination of the words “web log” and refers to a web page that serves as a publicly accessible location for discussing a topic or issue.
Example: Tumblr
A vlog is a combination of the terms video and blogging; a video version of the blog in which posts are video clips instead of text entries.
Example: We Show

8. Information Literacy
A set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.
Background research for projects and reports
Common way to teach these skills to students is a “one-shot” library session where students attend one training session.
Meant to be used creatively, purposefully, and thoughtfully

9. The Need for New Instructional Strategies
New strategies to foster reading and writing skills
Ebook and ereader reading behavior differ from print texts. Able to adjust font size, access dictionary, and use a text-to-speech feature
Wordle is to create a “word cloud” based on the frequency of words used in a text.
Internet resources, online forums, and word processing are other strategies recommended to enhance and support writing instruction.
Strategies requiring social interaction
Teachers should begin giving students the enjoyment and pride of sometimes being their teachers’ teacher.
This illustrates the power of people working together which is grounded in the social constructivist theory of Vygotsky which focuses on learning through social interaction.
Another reasons is that teaching and learning are no longer enclosed on the traditional classroom context thanks to the internet.

10. Challenges of Working with Diverse Learners
More diversity in schools than ever before
Cultural and linguistic diversity creates a more complex classroom
We value the opportunity to interact with students of different cultures, nationalities, etc. but this creates new challenges for English Language Arts teachers.
Becomes very challenging when working with students who are learning English as a second or third language or students who just struggle with reading in general.
Students who have difficulties reading in their schooling at a young age, continue to have difficulties as they get older.
Typically students who begin school without a solid literacy foundation, learn English as a second language, live in a literacy-impoverished home, have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or do not receive appropriate instruction in school.
Because of technology (audio books and ebooks, websites, and software) their growth can be supported.

11. Teachers’ Growth as Literacy Professionals and Leaders
This is what teachers need to know about integrating technology in to their curriculum.
Students have the right to have:
Teachers who use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) skillfully for teaching and learning
Peers who use ICTs responsibly and who share their knowledge
A literacy curriculum that offers opportunities for collaboration with peers around the world
Instruction that embeds critical and culturally sensitive thinking into practice
Standards and assessments that include new literacies
Leaders and policymakers who are committed advocates of ICTs for teaching and learning
Equal access to ICTs

12. QWERTY Keyboarding To teach or not to teach?
A QWERTY Keyboard is a traditional typewriter-like keyboard so named because of the first six letters in the first line of a typewriter keyboard.
In favor:
argue that students will learn bad habits without proper training
these bad habits could become permanent
hinder fluent and speedy keyboarding.
Example: in middle school/high school
Those against:
argue that too much student time and computer resources are spent on getting students trained to type quickly
students need only basic keyboard familiarization
it would be a waste of time unless students have real-world applications in which to use the computer.
Teachers favor keyboarding instruction if available and needed

13. The Cursive Writing Controversy
Should time be spent teaching cursive writing or would it be a waste of time?
You tell me!
Some argue that it is no longer used enough to justify its place in the elementary school curriculum.
Others who are for it believe it effects fine motor skills, its used in legal matters, and it is needed so students can ready historical handwritten documents.
Constitution

14. Top Ten Integration Strategies for English and Language Arts
Digital publishing of students’ work to encourage writing
Blogs and wikis to encourage student writing
Modeling effective revising and editing processes with whiteboards
Concept mapping software to help students plan their writing
Using word processing features such as track changes and autocorrect to aid editing
Digital text to encourage engaged reading
Using e-readers for literacy analysis
Use talking word processors and handheld devices to provide audio support for reading
Modeling literacy analysis with whiteboards
Accessing online texts and information about authors

15. Technology Integration Strategies for English and Language Arts
Focuses on:
Word fluency and vocabulary development
Comprehension and literacy development
The teaching of writing
Learning about literature

16. Support for Word Fluency and Vocabulary Development
1. Online practice in matching letters and sounds
Foundational skill in learning to read
Offers motivating environment for practice
Example: IRA website:
2. Online practice in matching words with meanings
Students who may be learning English as a second or third language, can learn to sound out words, but without visual prompts, they may not be able to connect these words to images.
Example: Brainpop
3. Online tools to engage students in vocabulary learning
Offers motivating environment for engaging students with words
Example: Wordle, Wordsift, Thesaurus

17. Support for Comprehension and Literacy Development
1. Using digital text to encourage engaged reading
Allows more flexibility to interact with text; scaffolds emerging reading skills
Ebooks and Interactive Stories
2. Supported reading with software and portable assistive devices
Devices and software read words aloud to students; especially helps struggling students
Talking word processors- Software packages that read typed words aloud.
3. Digital storytelling- process of using images and audio to tell the stories of lives, events, or eras.
Engages students with language; support digital literacy
Center for Digital Storytelling

18. Support for Writing Instruction
1. Strategies for preparing to write (pre-writing)
Helps students organize their thoughts prior to writing
Electronic outlining- software designed to prompt writers as they develop outlines to structure documents they plan to write
Concept mapping- tools designed to help people think through and explore ideas or topics by developing concept maps (visual outlines of ideas).
2. Strategies to encourage writing
Provides environments for modeling, supporting good writing
Story starter, Blogs & Wikis, Academy of American Poets Websites
3. Using word processors to produce written drafts
Offers more flexibility to revise while writing
Microsoft Word
4. Modeling to support revising and editing written drafts
Provides environments for modeling editing process and offers more editing flexibility
Interactive Whiteboards, word processing features: spell-checkers and grammar checkers

19. Support for Writing Instruction continued
5. Providing feedback with grammar, spell-check, and thesaurus features
Provides visual, immediate support and feedback during revision of drafts
Word processing features: grammar, spell-check, and thesaurus features
6. Providing feedback on students writing with editing tools
Provides supportive environment for demonstrating revision needs
Word processing features: autocorrect- a built-in feature of word processing software that automatically detects and corrects misspelled words and incorrect capitalization; track changes- an editing command in word-processing software that can be turned on from one of the program’s drop-down menu to show changes as they are made to an original document.
7. Digital publishing of student work
Gives students an authentic purpose, audience for their written works
ePALS Global Community, KidPub, Bookworm, WriteKids, Your Student News

20. Support for Literature Learning
1. Accessing online free copies of published works
Offers students free access to reading materials
Biblegateway.com, books.google.com, literaturepage.com
2. Accessing online background information on authors
Offers quick access to a wealth of information on authors
Famouspeople.co.uk, poets.org, biblio.com
3. Support for literary analysis
Allows visual demonstrations, interactions to support analysis activities
Interactive whiteboards and Ereaders