Learning Task # 3 Hands-on Helping ELA teachers practice new literacies in their classrooms

The tool that I selected to use was iWriteWords, which is an app for the iPad. The reason I choose this technology tool was because I know that our iPads at school currently have this app available on them. I was hoping that teachers would be willing to use it because it would not have to be purchased.

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Topic: Alphabet writing and recognition

Standards Addressed: Common Core State Standard - ELA

• Reading Foundation. Kindergarten. 1.
  -Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

-Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.
-Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Learning Outcomes: -Students will be able to operate the iPads successfully after proper instruction.
-Students will be able to write all letters of the alphabet successfully using iWriteWords.
-Students will be able to navigate through the iWrite Words application on their own.
-Students will recognize different sight words when spelling them.

Technologies Needed: The technologies needed would be an iPad for each student with the iWriteWords app downloaded onto it. This is already done on the iPads in our building.

Timeline for Implementation: This technology tool could be implemented as soon as tomorrow. All teachers would need to do is alter their lesson plans to include it. Explaining how to use the program wouldn’t take more than a minute. If a teacher planned to use the iPads on a consistent basis, then they would need to educate the students on proper iPad usage. This could be done in a single class period.

Integration and Implementation: Using iWriteWords can easily be done without much stress. A teacher could use it as practice for the students. After learning different letters or words, the teacher can allow the students practice time on the iPads. The students will be able to write the different letters of the alphabet and spell different words by touching their finger to the screen. Students must follow the number sequence to correctly draw the letter. After the letter is correctly written, it drops to the bottom of the screen and the next letter in the word appears. After the word is complete, the app spells the word out loud and says the completed word.

Assessment: Unfortunately, the app does not provide data for analysis. A nice addition to the app would be to show the number of tries it took the students to correctly draw each letter. This would allow the teacher to determine which students struggle with which letters or words. However, with the app as it is now, I feel the best way to use it is for repetitive practice. When a student writes a letter incorrect, the program does not accept it and has them do it again. A teacher could give the students 5 minutes to finish as many words as possible. At the end of those 5 minutes, the teacher can see how far each student progressed to determine how successful they were with both their writing skills and their technology skills. If a student had a difficult time, the teacher could then work with the student one-on-one to determine what the problems are.