A Breakthrough for Josh
Josh most definately has ADHD! The effectiveness and success of the ipad is down to the fact that it is visually and kinesthetically stimulating. Beacuse of this he is able to engage in the classroom in a way that tradiobnal conventions in the classroom would not have allowed for him.
I have found benefit from mobile devices in my own teaching as a resource teacher. In high school we have some struggling readers. They were very reluctant to read in class and in was difficult to find books that were suitable for their age at their reading level. We bought some Kobos and access to a library of ebooks. The students took to them like wildfire. Other students (non-reluctant ones) also wanted to get their hands on the devices. The success of the device resulted from the fact that when they were being used other students did not know what the reluctant reader was reading except that (s)he got to use a cool device. The reluctant readers were not isolated beacuse the entire grade level was accessing books through the device. So popular was the response that teachers had to develop a waiting list to use the devices.
Whilst I have some reservations about the apparent 'over dependency' on technology in our classrooms (or the drive for over dependency), I can see that the success in using the ipad for Josh would undoubtidly benefit others to breakthrough!
Simon
Simon, did you ever find that the access to technology differed between your students in a way that was problematic? I know that in the early elementary class that I teach it is not a big issue but I wonder about the older ones. I know that personal technology is not available equally to our students and even still in school. I just wonder how it may affect them, like with confidence per say.
ReplyDeleteIn my school technology access is a major issue. This is felt in the students' homes. The idea of the flipped classroom is not a concept that goes over well for many teachers and students. Not all schools are equal because not all studsents and communities are equal. Within school we can meet the challenge to some degree.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post,
Simon
Hi Simon,
ReplyDeleteI too have also found the use of technology helpful in assisting reluctant readers. The one thing that I struggle with is finding the appropriate amount of time for reluctant readers to use these devices. For example, in my elementary classrooms I often have students use half of their independent reading time with books and the other half using some technology. I hope that next year, with the use of iPads, I will be able to have students using assistive technologies for the whole reading period.
I also agree that having access to assistive technologies not always equal. The way I have always looked at it is, fair is not always equal, and if some get to use technology more because they need it, I let it slide. It is also my hope that soon enough we will all have access to these tools, instead of just those who "need it".