Teaching and Assessing Reading Comprehension (Explain Everything) This past year, I really focused on explicitly teaching comprehension strategies to my students. I taught how to reread a text, annotate a text, leaving tracks of thinking while reading, questioning techniques and most importantly, instilling in my students that reading is thinking. We used Padlet walls to show our thinking, we drew pictures and wrote information digitally as I read aloud, we used today’s meet to make our thinking visible. Using these different strategies kept my students engaged and allowed their thinking to be seen by their peers and myself. Near the end of this past year we began an inquiry on Africa. I use to search for specific topics and then match my students reading levels to the text. While I was searching for different books on Africa, I noticed that the books could be downloaded in a PDF. You could also use this same format to have your students show non fiction text features like the example below:
20 iPad Apps To Teach Elementary Reading As anyone with a toddler knows, iPads are addictive for children. They seem to have some sort of special radar that lets them know when an iDevice is within their reach, and they’ll do anything they can to get their hands on them. Resistance is futile, but instead of lamenting excessive screen time, you can make your child’s iPad addiction a productive one with educational apps, including those that promote early reading. With these 20 apps, children can learn how to write letters, improve phonics fluency, and even write their own books. Read on to find the very best iPad apps for developing young readers, and feel free to share your own favorites in the comments. ABC PocketPhonicsKids can develop skills in letter sounds, writing, and first words with ABC PocketPhonics.
10 Tips For Smarter iPad Use In The Classroom Unlocking The Learning Potential Of The iPad by Terry Heick The iPad. Pop culture’s plaything and #edtech’s (somewhat dimming?) It’s an app library, a media consumption device, and a mobile learning tool that makes yesterday’s graphing calculators, smartboards, and laptops look like abacuses. It is unclear exactly how and where we expect those miracles to show up. The local newspaper? Creating A Learning Goal To establish how we can maximize the impact of the iPad as a learning tool, we first have to establish what kind of impact we’d hope to have. In this case, we’ll settle on understanding (as troublesome a term as that might be): Students being able to think critically about chosen standards or curriculum, and apply understanding in diverse, academic and non-academic environments. 10 Tips For Smarter iPad Use In The Classroom 1. The iPad is more flexible than the curriculum–it’ll figure it out. 2. 3. 4. The iPad can publish—so publish! 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
English and Language Arts Apps, Games, and Websites close(x) Don’t Miss Out You’re all set! Look out for our weekly updates soon. Connect with us Jump to navigation What we love "Best of" Lists "Best of" lists Get age-appropriate ideas and inspiration for every interest: Poll Did this specific Top Picks list help you decide to do any of the following? Let your child watch/play/read/listen to a particular media title 41% (401 votes) NOT let your child watch/play/read/listen to a particular media title 14% (142 votes) Buy, rent, or download a particular media title 24% (234 votes) Did not impact my decision 22% (213 votes) Total votes: 990 About our rating system ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age. Find out more Learning ratings Share this List FavoriteSign In or Sign Up to add favorites English and Language Arts Apps, Games, and Websites Curiosityville csm_website Elmo Loves ABCs csm_app csm_game
Introduce the RAN Graphic Organizer (Padlet) We are starting a new Inquiry Unit on Animals and we are in the "Immersion phase" of the inquiry circle. Which means, I am inviting curiosity, teaching background knowledge, and inviting students to wonder about different animals. One of the things that I want my students to include in their Inquiry learning is what their animals habitat is. I also wanted to introduce them to a new graphic organizer called the RAN strategy, which stands for Reading and Analyzing Nonfiction. A RAN chart is a lot like a KWL chart. I took a screen shot of part of a RAN chart and used it as the background to the padlet wall. We then watched the following habitat video and I had students fill in the the New Learning column. After we watched the video clip we went back to the What I think I know column and moved those notes to either the Confirmed or the Misconception column. Tomorrow I will be giving students a piece of writing on habitats at their reading level.
48 Free Education Apps Sorted By Grade Level It’s hard to figure out the best education apps that are out there. Katie and I aim to do our best to sort them out but we certainly can’t keep up with the daily influx of interesting and useful apps that could have a spot in education. Emphasis on the word could. Many apps are complete bunk. So let’s assume that you want how do you quickly figure out which free apps work for your grade or skill level. This list is by no means complete but what apps would you add? Manipulating Shapes in the Elementary Math Classroom (Geoboard) As a former elementary school teacher in a 1:1 iPad classroom, I know how powerful iPads can be as learning tools in the hands of students. This mobile device is so much more than a content consumption tool, because students can use an iPad for hands-on learning. They can move items across the screen, write about a topic, and document their learning using audio and visual tools. No Rubber Bands Required I want to introduce you to a virtual manipulative app and demonstrate a few different ways that it can be used in an elementary school classroom to address concepts outlined in the Common Core State Standards while promoting higher-order thinking skills. Geoboard is an app that is all about the activity you choose to do with it, as opposed to leading students in a particular direction. CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.1: Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes, such as a given number of angles or a given number of equal faces. Scalability
5 Awesome iPad Apps for Students with Special Needs iPad Apps for Special Needs Students As we teach and prepare students for 21st century careers and college, the effective integration of technology is an effective pedagogical tool for meeting the needs of diverse learners. Technology tools, like iPads are particularly useful in meeting the diverse needs of our students with special needs. Technology makes what was once inaccessible for many of the students accessible. Since iPads are relatively easy to use and don't have a significant demand on fine motor schools, they are becoming increasing popular for instruction of our students with special needs. There are thousands of apps that can be used to develop students’ skills. Here are some of my current favorite apps that benefit all children but are particularly useful for reaching and teaching students with special needs. My Top 5 Language Development iPad Apps Audio Boo allows for quick and easy recording. Recording comments regarding student work and emailing to parents.