Technology for diverse learners
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This document discusses how technology can help support diversity in the classroom. It notes that students have a variety of learning abilities and needs. While technology may seem daunting to some teachers, many basic technological tools that are already available can help all students, including those with physical impairments, learning disabilities, or who need additional challenges. Examples of helpful technology include web resources, graphic organizers, word processors with text-to-speech capabilities, and eBooks, which allow customization of fonts, zooming, and highlighting to benefit diverse learners.
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Technology for diverse learners
- 2. Diversity in the Classroom • Are all students alike? • The answer to that question is no. • Some students have language barriers, learning disabilities, physical impairments or some just need a challenge. • As teachers we do not get to pick and choose our students. We need to adapt to their personalities and their learning abilities in order to teach them to the best of our ability. • There are many options to adapt to diversity in the classroom but one option is incorporating technology.
- 3. Why technology in the Classroom? • Technology is a very useful tool that fits the needs of many of the students. • Unfortunately technology can be very frightening to some teachers and administrators so many resort to resources they are used to such as dittos, documents, tables/graphs and highlighting. • Many don’t realize they already have the basic technological tools they need to help all students. • Technology is able to help the physically impaired, students that need a challenge, learning disabilities and much more.
- 4. Why technology in the Classroom? • Lets face it. Technology is dramatically changing our society. • Three year olds know how to work iPads and cell phones which means our students need to be taught with other resources besides a book, pen and paper. • Students are learning so rapidly that if we don’t challenge them we ultimately lose their attention. • Teachers also don’t get to pick their classroom size which means we may have a large classroom with a wide array of students and learners. • Technology is the solution to that.
- 5. What technology tools are available? •Some tools that are available include: • Web Resources • Graphic Organizers • Word Processors/Talking Text • eBooks
- 6. Web Resources • The web is a resource that opens the students up to so much than dictionaries, World Books and Informational Resources. The web has so many resources that help students research projects in class. • Some web resources include • Google is the most used search engine • Maps, charts, graphs, timelines etc can be accessed online • You Tube has “how to” videos on any topic
- 7. Graphic Organizers • Software such as Kidpix or Kidspiration • Allows documents to be color coated for better understanding • Pictures can be used to reinforce the lesson or even vocabulary as it evolves • Lessons can be taught using outlines to highlight main points
- 8. Word Processors/Talking Text • Word Processors • Word Processors have the ability speak text for students with hearing disabilities. • Word Processors have the ability to color code, highlight, sort with bullets and add pictures. • Talking Text/Text to Speech • Voiceover is designed to synthesize and/or braille everything on the screen to the student • Readspeaker Allows the student to speak their thoughts • Corrects their grammar • Is mobile- therefore can be written thought process anywhere • Also works the other way around: • Books and word documents are voiced to the students • It allows the student to follow along, hear the correct pronunciation while visually seeing it • Google Translator allows the students to translate anything they do not comprehend
- 9. eBooks • Digital book or eBooks are very helpful for students that have trouble reading regular text. Students that have vision trouble take longer and have a harder time reading the texts given. • eBooks have benefits such changing the fonts, zooming in, summaries, definitions and the ability to highlight. • Students that have a hard time seeing can easily pinch the screen to zoom in. • There are many websites that offer free online eBooks incase the teacher/student isn’t able to afford to purchase the book. • eBooks are portable and more convenient for many students/teachers.
- 10. Disadvantages/Advantages of SlideShare • Advantages • Students can create presentations with their own design, colors, pictures and fonts to make their presentation their own • SlideShare can be uploaded to websites such as Weebly or Facebook • Youtube and music can be added to presentations • Many different presentations can be merged into on project on Slideshare • Disadvantages • With SlideShare there is no way to animate the slides • SlideShare is very unfamiliar to students so it might take time to teach them how to use this tool compared to PowerPoint.
- 11. Resources • Perez, L., & Grant, K. (2015, June 8). 27 tools for diverse learners. Retrieved February 11, 2016, from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=434 • W. (2004). Using Technology to Support Diverse Learners. Retrieved February 11, 2016, from http://opi.mt.gov/pub/CSPD/WestEdTechTips.pdf • Wahl, L., & Duffield, J. (n.d.). Using Flexible Technology. Retrieved February 11, 2016, from https://www.wested.org/online pubs/kn- 05-01.pdf • Wissick, C. A., Schweger, W., & Gardner, J. E. (2004, March). Technology Application to support Diverse Learners. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from http://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/sitepaper2004.pdf2016, from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=434