"7 Ways to Reinforce Spelling in the Classroom"- video

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=f05d833fb61efd890006
I liked this video. It gave tips on how to build vocabulary in the classroom. Various strategies and methods given were:
1. posting words with phonetics
2. say, spell, write and draw the word
3. practice writing the words in a creative writing passage
4. Present a word with it's syllables
5. create a personal spelling journal
6. Keep parents informed of vocabulary words being learned
7. create a rule strategy which is a procedure the student will follow if they can't spell a word

These 7 tips skimmed the surface of the information read about in Chapter 5 of our text. The video promotes http://www.teachnology.com/ which sounds like another good tool for teachers to tap into. However, to use the site at it's fullest capacity, you need to be a paying member. They do offer a free newsletter. I signed up for that.

I believe that a text/book comes alive through meaning and the understanding of vocabulary. It is essential for comprehension and learning. Just to mention a few, utilizing graphic organizers puts words into perspective, dramatizing gives the word/s a sense of reality, and word play reinforces vocabulary in a fun way. I use these methods in my music class during my lessons on the various adaptations of Cinderella from different countries. We compare and contrast the stories with a venn diagram, act them out, do think alouds and reinforce vocabulary with crossword puzzles. I find the interaction and discussions, along with writing a script and performing it brings reality into the lessons and a multicultural awareness that my students can connect with. The school I teach at has students from many cultures. It brings their own experiences and knowledge to the forefront, motivates them and keeps them engaged.

The 7 tips given in the video overlap some of the techniques mentioned in our text, such as VSS, speaking, spelling, writing and drawing a word, using a dictionary to find a meaning, morphemic analysis, contextual analysis, and high frequency words. I especially liked the rule strategy created and explained in the video. It gives the student a process for being able to spell a word through their own efforts and gives them a chance to use various resources, including their peers, before seeking the teacher's help. This is student directed and is a very effective way to develop active word learners. I enjoyed the video, but find that the textbook is invaluable, clear and precise. For those reading this blog who are not in my graduate class, the textbook I referred to above is:
Creating Literacy- Instruction for all Students (2008- 6th edition) by Thomas G. Gunning.
The publisher is Pearson (Allyn and Bacon). This book is invaluable. It's a definite must have item!

Check Out Autumn Watch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/autumnwatch/themesong/
In my effort to find a song about autumn for my students, I stumbled upon this site. The song is multicultural and the site is more than I expected. All of the activities are about the autumn season. It teaches about nature, incorporates literacy through karaoke and read-a-long stories, contains quizzes and games and has a video with a written narration. Lots of things are printable and it even has a spot where you can send a picture and/or story about nature in your area to them. There's a vocabulary section too. Your students can print out a personalized club card, a book cover to create their own book about nature and a certificate that can be given at the end of the project. It's interactive and a great way for students to read, discover and create. This site is geared toward the elementary level student. It incorporates earth science, music, reading and writing, as well as technology skills. It utilizes multi-intelligences and can be used as a tool for differentiated instruction. You can even learn about the season as it is presented from around the world with entries from other countries. The site is generated from the UK and teaches about multi-cultural awareness also. Check it out! It's educational, fun and inviting. Enjoy!

About Starfall.com

I love this program. It's interactive and motivating. It covers a variety of skills for the young student as well as a variety of subjects. As a music teacher, I like the music section and use it with my students. It reinforces topics I teach, reviews it and uses recall as an assessment. Starfall exercises multi intelligences and serves as a good supplemental resource for all students. The emergent reader benefits, as well as a more accomplished reader. I enjoyed the multicultural stories myself. In my observation, this program covers alphabetic knowledge, phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and assessment. You can use starfall to scaffold instruction and have a high frequency word list to follow up as a writing activity too. I enjoyed learning about the different aspects of this program and plan to incorporate it into my lessons in other ways, besides just the music element. It can be used as differentiated instruction for the young reader and individualizes learning, using technology. I highly recommend this program. I think it has many assets that will benefit students at different levels.

Providing Differentiated Instruction Article Critique

Reading levels and skills of students are varied depending on their exposure and interest at the elementary level. All too often, teachers are overwhelmed with this challenge. Providing differentiated instruction has become a way of life in today's classrooms. No Child Left Behind is a common denominator in the quest to reach all students at all levels, for 100% proficiency in literacy on state tests by the year 2013-2014. I am an avid believer that technology and education can assist in this quest. The resources are out there to utilize, so why not try them!!!

This article, by Adria F. Klein, is based on differentiated instruction. It discusses and provides on line resources that cater to the individual learner at their instructional reading level. The web-based collection of resources assist the teacher in monitoring their student's progress and brings a variety of reading strategies, methods and skills into the classroom that are cost efficient, interactive and creative. These web pages are a great supplement to your student's learning experiences. They are accessible around the clock, comprehensive and time savers. The Learning Pages are a compilation of websites that will motivate and improve reading skills utilizing differentiated learning. It is a suite of resources that can assist the teacher, as well as the student in different classroom settings.

Reading strategies, such as alphabetic knowledge, phonological awareness, high frequency words, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and assessment/reflection are the key skills that students must obtain for reading success. Differentiated instruction and a scaffolding of these skills, combined with technology, is a winning combination for improving the student's reading abilities and success. They can be used to customize lessons to the needs of each student. Incorporating the Learning Pages suite into your instruction will enable your students to reach higher levels of performance in their reading and writing skills at an individual level, and keep them engaged, fostering a love for literacy.

I found the article to be very informative and I can foresee the unlimited benefits. The possibilities of using the web to supplement and enhance instruction are boundless. In the world of education, I realize that differentiated instruction and the use of technology go hand-in hand. You must afford your students all of the possibilities and opportunities available to education. This suite of resources is at our disposal and is cost effective. Download your books, get lesson plans, individualize your instruction, engage your students and provide them with the virtual experience they are desiring! http://www.readinga-z.com/research/raz_whitepaper.pdf

Letter Writing Lesson Video

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=489b0da0c67a0713f80b
This video shows an attempt at identifying the letter "f" in an abstract way. The success of the lesson depends not only on the accuracy of each student involved, but their ability to visualize what is being written through the sense of touch from behind them. It uses teamwork and prior knowledge. The letter "f" can be easily construed as a "t" if not carefully executed. As a result, the student's "felt" the letter incorrectly by the time the last person went. It's like playing telephone. The end result was unsuccessful. I would think that you could accomplish the same type of activity with better success if you had each child blindfolded and feeling the letter outlined with yarn on a piece of cardboard. This would give consistency to the shape of the letter for better recognition and would allow the child to identify it in a frontal position as they would do when reading or writing. As each child felt the letter I would have them write it on a personal slate board/white board for assessment purposes. I think the concept was a good one but the task involved too many factors leaning toward an unsuccessful result in the activity demonstrated. I do, however, feel that you should challenge your students, but never set them up for failure, especially at a young age. Encourage them, keep them interested with games such as this one, be creative, promote literacy, and at the same time, boost their self esteem.

http://www.schooltube.com/video/1179/Its-Read-Aloud-Time
This reading video uses various reading strategies to promote comprehension, interpretation, evaluation and analyzation. The lesson promotes literacy through understanding, repetition, movement, vocalization, vocabulary, reading, reasoning and higher order thinking skills. It brings the children into the story line and makes it an interactive experience in which they can draw from their own personal experiences and prior knowledge. I enjoyed it and hope you do.

Light an Educational Fire Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjm-t6VfQ6g Here's a video I'd like to share with you. It's very brief and to the point. Encouraging students makes them enthusiastic about learning. Tap into your student's interests and watch the spark ignite. Surfing the web is one way to motivate students of today. Allow them to take off soaring by using modern technology.