How can devices like iPads be used to help facilitate reading improvement for students?
In today’s education and society, technology is becoming more and more prominent and important to success. Because of this shift in education and society to use technology as the center and foundation of everything we do and come across, including many classrooms and curriculums, it is our responsibility as educators to shift our ways to meet the needs of society and keep up with technology. We must set students up for success using the demands of society as a framework. “Living in a digitalized world calls for educators to reconsider nontraditional means of teaching reading” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012). Technology encompasses such a broad range including low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech devices. Low-tech devices refer to items that have no electronic components and are relatively inexpensive. Mid-tech devices are electronic in nature, are less expensive that high tech devices, and require more training to use than low-tech devices. High-tech devices are based on computer technology, more complicated to operate, and are more expensive than low and mid-tech devices. This section will focus on high-tech devices and more specifically iPads. The purpose of this section is to answer the question, “How can iPads be used to help facilitate reading improvement for students?”
An important aspect of education is meaningful learning. It is proven that students do not learn anything well unless they are both motivated to learn and believe that they will be able to use the function with what they are learning in some way that is in their interest (Thoermer & Williams, 2012). Through these lesson plans, we provide students with meaningful learning of literacy so that they are more motivated to become better readers and can use what they learn outside of school. “Reading instruction that incorporates digital texts can serve to motivate students to want to read and help increase students reading fluency in the classroom” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012). Becoming better readers will not only help students in school, but they will make connections to the many things that they will have access to outside of school as better readers. When students are given a meaning for learning they put more effort into learning. These lesson plans incorporate reading with iPads, so not only will they become better readers, but they will also become more fluent in using an iPad. They will become more technologically advanced while improving their reading. Using technology motivates students because it is something that is meaningful to their life outside of school. Students use computers and the internet for many different reasons inside and outside of school, so iPads are something that they are familiar with and enjoy.
Enjoyment is another aspect of education, which is important in helping students to become better readers. If students do not enjoy reading and think it is such a laborious task to read, they will not want to read and not care about becoming better readers. Using technology, such as the iPad, allows students to enjoy learning. Using technology always motivates students because they enjoy it. Like I stated previously, it is something they are familiar with and can relate to. If we can use iPads in the classroom to facilitate reading improvement, students will enjoy reading and be more motivated to read in and out of school. They can use iPads to download and read books, magazines, newspapers, or even play games which involve reading. They might even be more motivated to research and read about topics which interest them. “As students’ reading fluency improves, their comprehension is also likely to improve, thus furthering their reading enjoyment and positively affecting students’ reading dispositions and personas” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012).
Using technology, like the iPad, helps students feel in control and be self-aware of their education. In a study conducted, the iPad not only helped the student focus his attention, it facilitated the student becoming more metacognitive in his reading (McClanahan, Williams, Kennedy, Tate, 2012). According to the study, the student gained confidence and a sense of being in control of his learning (McClanahan et al, 2012). It is important for students to be involved in their own education and be involved in decision-making related to their learning. Having a say and feeling in control can motivate students and facilitate reading improvement. The iPad allows student to control font size, use the dictionary, use text-to-speech features, and take notes. “The individual manipulation of these features affords students some autonomy or self-regulation in the learning process, factors that can serve to motivate and strongly influence a student’s reading success” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012).
It is important to note that simply giving a student an iPad will not necessarily facilitate reading improvement, but instead promotes collaboration and engagement in the reading process (Tseng, Liu C., Liu B., 2012). As you will see in the lesson plans for this section, an iPad can really engage students in reading in the classroom. This collaboration and engagement can be used outside of the classroom as well. Using an iPad not only facilitates teacher-student collaboration, but can also facilitate child-parent collaboration and interactions in reading. The reading activities on iPads can give parents guidance on reading strategies so that parents can help their children and be more involved in their education.
4th grade lesson plan
7th grade lesson plan
10th grade lesson plan
Additional resources
Assistive technology tools: Reading
Examples of low-tech assistive technology
Reading rockets
References
Felvegi, E., & Matthew, K. (2012). eBooks and literacy in K–12 schools. Computers in the Schools, 29(1–2), 40-52. doi:10.1080/07380569.2012.651421
McClanahan, B., Williams, K., Kennedy, E., & Tate, S. (2012). A breakthrough for Josh: How use of an iPad facilitated reading improvement. TechTrends, 56(3), 20–28.
Thoermer, A., & Williams, L. (2012). Using digital text to promote fluent reading. The Reading Teacher, 65(7), 441–445. doi:10.1002/TRTR.01065
Tseng, K., Liu, C., & Liu, B. (2012, March). Scaffolded participatory and collaborative learning: Enhancing children reading with e-book readers. Paper presented at 2012 17th IEEE International Conference on Wireless, Mobile and Ubiquitous Technology in Education, Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan.
An important aspect of education is meaningful learning. It is proven that students do not learn anything well unless they are both motivated to learn and believe that they will be able to use the function with what they are learning in some way that is in their interest (Thoermer & Williams, 2012). Through these lesson plans, we provide students with meaningful learning of literacy so that they are more motivated to become better readers and can use what they learn outside of school. “Reading instruction that incorporates digital texts can serve to motivate students to want to read and help increase students reading fluency in the classroom” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012). Becoming better readers will not only help students in school, but they will make connections to the many things that they will have access to outside of school as better readers. When students are given a meaning for learning they put more effort into learning. These lesson plans incorporate reading with iPads, so not only will they become better readers, but they will also become more fluent in using an iPad. They will become more technologically advanced while improving their reading. Using technology motivates students because it is something that is meaningful to their life outside of school. Students use computers and the internet for many different reasons inside and outside of school, so iPads are something that they are familiar with and enjoy.
Enjoyment is another aspect of education, which is important in helping students to become better readers. If students do not enjoy reading and think it is such a laborious task to read, they will not want to read and not care about becoming better readers. Using technology, such as the iPad, allows students to enjoy learning. Using technology always motivates students because they enjoy it. Like I stated previously, it is something they are familiar with and can relate to. If we can use iPads in the classroom to facilitate reading improvement, students will enjoy reading and be more motivated to read in and out of school. They can use iPads to download and read books, magazines, newspapers, or even play games which involve reading. They might even be more motivated to research and read about topics which interest them. “As students’ reading fluency improves, their comprehension is also likely to improve, thus furthering their reading enjoyment and positively affecting students’ reading dispositions and personas” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012).
Using technology, like the iPad, helps students feel in control and be self-aware of their education. In a study conducted, the iPad not only helped the student focus his attention, it facilitated the student becoming more metacognitive in his reading (McClanahan, Williams, Kennedy, Tate, 2012). According to the study, the student gained confidence and a sense of being in control of his learning (McClanahan et al, 2012). It is important for students to be involved in their own education and be involved in decision-making related to their learning. Having a say and feeling in control can motivate students and facilitate reading improvement. The iPad allows student to control font size, use the dictionary, use text-to-speech features, and take notes. “The individual manipulation of these features affords students some autonomy or self-regulation in the learning process, factors that can serve to motivate and strongly influence a student’s reading success” (Thoermer & Williams, 2012).
It is important to note that simply giving a student an iPad will not necessarily facilitate reading improvement, but instead promotes collaboration and engagement in the reading process (Tseng, Liu C., Liu B., 2012). As you will see in the lesson plans for this section, an iPad can really engage students in reading in the classroom. This collaboration and engagement can be used outside of the classroom as well. Using an iPad not only facilitates teacher-student collaboration, but can also facilitate child-parent collaboration and interactions in reading. The reading activities on iPads can give parents guidance on reading strategies so that parents can help their children and be more involved in their education.
4th grade lesson plan
7th grade lesson plan
10th grade lesson plan
Additional resources
Assistive technology tools: Reading
Examples of low-tech assistive technology
Reading rockets
References
Felvegi, E., & Matthew, K. (2012). eBooks and literacy in K–12 schools. Computers in the Schools, 29(1–2), 40-52. doi:10.1080/07380569.2012.651421
McClanahan, B., Williams, K., Kennedy, E., & Tate, S. (2012). A breakthrough for Josh: How use of an iPad facilitated reading improvement. TechTrends, 56(3), 20–28.
Thoermer, A., & Williams, L. (2012). Using digital text to promote fluent reading. The Reading Teacher, 65(7), 441–445. doi:10.1002/TRTR.01065
Tseng, K., Liu, C., & Liu, B. (2012, March). Scaffolded participatory and collaborative learning: Enhancing children reading with e-book readers. Paper presented at 2012 17th IEEE International Conference on Wireless, Mobile and Ubiquitous Technology in Education, Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan.