Digital Teaching Resource FolderEDUC 460Suzanne Boldt

March 17, 2014

Introduction Thoughtful and proper planning are essential

elements of successful teaching and student learning. Through planning lessons that are guided to meet curriculum as well as engage students teachers are able to establish an environment in which students learn and enjoy the material they are being taught. Compiling resources that aid in planning, instruction and teaching allows for effective lesson plans to be made as well as providing options for meeting the needs of students and increasing student engagement in learning. In the article “Teacher resiliency: A key to career longevity” Bobek(2010) noted, “preservice teachers must recognize and develop the resources that will sustain them and increase their resilience as they enter the initial career stages of their profession”. This statement depicts the importance of early planning and compiling of resources as pre-service teachers to help support and ease the pressure when starting the teaching profession.

IntroductionThe materials shared in my Digital Teaching Resource

Folder reflect my desires to engage students and promote academic success (Connell & Kelm, 2004). Primary source material such as the online program Raz-Kids draw on students interests to encourage oral, and reading literacy in addition to building reading comprehension. The resource ABRACADABRA gives students the opportunity to explore literacy through a web-based program. Technology is viewed as an essential tool to engage student to be the “designers and creators of knowledge” (Alberta Education, n.d.). Incorporating technology-based resources into my lessons is a valuable way to support student learning. The implementation of student planning tools such as semantic maps allow students to understand the development of plot, characters and narrative structures as well as being a useful tool to organizing thoughts and ideas (Hawken, n.d.). Other resources included in my resource folder are intended to aid in my planning and instructional support as well as teacher support materials to assist with meeting curriculum guidelines and developing teaching and learning strategies.

Teacher Support Materials

Resource #1:Inclusive Education Planning Tool:

Instructional Strategies and Supports• Located at, Learn Alberta:

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ieptLibrary/documents/en/is/div1_universal.pdf

• This resource is a support material for teachers. It is intended to provide instructional strategies and supports for teaching reading, writing, speaking & listening, viewing & representing and working with other (Learn Alberta, n.d.). The intention of this material is to provide examples of various activities, guided practices, and opportunities that teachers can create to enhance students learning (Learn Alberta, n.d.). This resource would be useful in my future classroom as it offers a detailed list of strategies and supports for teaching literacy as well as providing examples for effectively implementing them in the classroom. To implement this resource as a beginning teacher I would look at my lesson plan and see how I could use the suggested strategies and supports to elevate my lessons. This resource would also be helpful as it offers a variety of instructional strategies this would assist me to find an alternative way to help a student that was struggling with a concept or topic.

Resource #2: New Teachers Companion.Lesson Plans and Unit Plans : The Basis for

Instruction• Located at:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109051/chapters/Lesson-Plans-and-Unit-Plans@-The-Basis-for-Instruction.aspx

• This resource provides valuable information for developing lesson and unit plans. Using this resource assists with organizational skills and ensuring that program objectives are met. This resource also has lesson plan templates that can be used in planning. This resource will be useful in my future classroom as it has explicit instruction for how to create an effective lesson plan in addition to providing information on developing engaging lessons (Cunningham, 2009). To effectively implement this tool as a beginning teacher I would have it available to reference when creating lesson plans. I would also use this resource to refer to as a way to make sure I am effectively managing my instructional time.

Sample of a lesson plan developed for EDUC 460

©Boldt, S (2014). Lesson Plan

Primary Source Material

Resource #3: Raz- Kids

• Located at: http://www.raz-kids.com/main/Login

• Raz- kids is a web-based program developed to engage students in reading. It uses a token system to reward learners for reading and correctly answering comprehension questions. This resource builds oral and reading literacy skills as well as reading comprehension skills. Raz-kids would be useful in my future classroom as a method to excite and engage student in reading. It is also a valuable tool to promote reading at home as well as independent reading. I would effectively implement this resource by using it as a method to have the students practice reading and oral skills as well as reading comprehension. I would use Raz-Kids in addition to hard-copy/ print based books, it could be used as a silent reading time resource or as a way to get the students to read at home.

Raz-Kids

Raz-Kids. [Leveled Books Directory screenshot]. Retrieved March 13, 2014, from: http://www.raz-kids.com/main/RazQuizRoom

Resource #4: Jolly Phonics

• Located at : http://jollylearning.co.uk/

• Jolly Phonics is a “fun child centered approach to teaching literacy through synthetic phonics. With actions for each of the 42 letter sounds, the multi-sensory method is very motivating for children and teachers, who can see their students achieve” (Jolly Learning, n.d.). This resource is a primary teaching material that can be implemented as an instructional tool starting at an early age with students. This resource would be helpful in my future classroom for teaching letter sounds, letter formation, blending, segmenting and tricky words (Jolly Learning, n.d.). I would effectively implement this resource as a tool to enhance my instructional approach to teaching students. I would also use the online videos available to engage students in the learning process.

Jolly Phonics

Jolly learning Educational Publisher. [Home Page screenshot]. Retrieved March 14, 2014. http://jollylearning.co.uk/

Resource #5: KWL Chart

• KWL Stands for; What I Know, what I want to know and what I’ve learned.

• This resource is both an instructional and primary support material. The intended use of this resource is to utilize it to find out what students know about the subject or topic, what they want to know about the subject and what they learned about the subject. This would be useful in my future classroom to find out students background knowledge on a subject / topic before starting a lesson. Through establishing what students want to know about the subject/ topic I would be better equipped to answer their questions and tailor my lesson to provide them with information that they are interested about. This resource is also valuable to evaluate and assess what students have learned after the lesson is complete. I would effectively implement this tool as a way to assess students previous knowledge, what they want to learn about the subject/ topic and what they have learned after the lesson.

Example of a K W L ChartWhat I know – What I want to Know- What I’ve learned

©Boldt,S. (2014). KWL Chart.

Resource #6: ABRACADABRA –Interactive online literacy program

• Located at : http://grover.concordia.ca/abracadabra/promo/en/index.php

• “ABRACADABRA is a free, interactive web-based literacy program designed for early elementary school-aged students, their educators, teachers and parents (Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance, n.d.)”

• ABRACADABRA is both an instructional and primary support material. This resource will be useful in my future classroom through making literacy learning fun and engaging for student. ABRACADABRA supports, “phonological awareness, reading fluency development, comprehension development and writing development” (Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance, n.d.). These are skills that I will teach my students and through utilizing this resource I will be able to provide my student a chance to build and practice their literacy skills in an interactive environment. I can also implement ABRACADABRA as an effective resource to teach students through fun games and activities.

ABRACADABRA

ABRACADABRA. [Home Page screenshot]. Retrieved March 14, 2014. http://grover.concordia.ca/abracadabra/promo/en/features.php

Resource #7: Kidspiration – Semantic mapping tool

• Located at: http://www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration

• Kidspiration is an online semantic mapping tool for students. It is a primary support resource that can be used to “demonstrate the relationships between ideas” (Kidspiration, n.d.). This resource will be useful in my future classroom as a visual organizer to show different relationships, organize students thoughts and ideas and build on prior knowledge. It will be helpful in establishing what students know and easy to add to as students learn. Semantic maps have no limits and can help students take an active role in their own learning. I will effectively implement this resource by having students use them to organize thoughts and ideas, explore relationships between characters and plots in stories and help with planning in the writing process

Instructional Support Material

Resource #8: Teaching Ideas Website• Located at:

http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/contents_vocabulary.htm

• This is an instructional support resource as well as a primary source material (handouts). It is a website that contains free teaching resources such as lesson plans suggestions, activities, games and handouts as well as printable posters that can be used in the classroom. This website will be useful in my future classroom as a tool to provide teaching and instructional ideas as well as offering free engaging materials ( games, activities, handouts) that I can incorporate into my lesson plans. The variety of materials available on the website provides valuable instructional and classroom resources that I could easily implement to enhance learning and student engagement. To effectively implement this website as a resource I would use it when creating my lesson plans as a tool to look for ideas to increase student engagement. I could also use this resource to look for alternate ways of instructing if I had students struggling to learn material or concepts.

Teaching Ideas Website

Teaching Ideas. [Literacy Vocabulary Section screenshot]. Retrieved March 15, 2014. http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/contents_vocabulary.htm

Resource #9: Reading Rockets• Located at : http://www.readingrockets.org/

• “Reading Rockets is a national multimedia literacy initiative offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help” (WETA Public Broadcasting, 2014).

• This resource is designed to help develop young learners into strong and active readers (WETA Public Broadcasting, 2014). It provides a variety of instructional resources for teaching reading, assisting readers that are struggling and other literacy teaching materials (videos, articles, book suggestions). This resource would be helpful in my future classroom as it provides research-based strategies to assist children in learning to read (WETA Public Broadcasting, 2014). This resource also offers a wide variety of material that would be valuable in teaching students reading skills and promoting their desire to read. I would implement this tool in developing my lesson plans and to build my own instructional reading resources. I would also use this website to stay informed on current research and instructional practices for educating students. I would effectively implement this resource by using its material to help with struggling readers.

Reading Rockets

WETA Reading Rockets. [Home page screenshot]. Retrieved March 13, 2014. http://www.readingrockets.org/

Resource #10: Growing Book By Book (website)

• http://growingbookbybook.com/about/

• Growing Book by Book is a web-based resource that shares instructional resources as well as a booklist designed to encourage and excite young readers. This website offers free literacy activities intended for literacy learning at home. This resource would be useful in my future classroom as it provides a detailed book list inspired by children and their interests. The booklist would be a helpful tool when picking out books to read to the class as well as in assisting students to find book based on their personal interests. I would implement this resource in my lesson planning of story time books to read out loud to the class in addition to using it as a tool to help select books for students to read individually. The activities could also be implemented as a way to bridge the gap between literacy at home and at school as they are geared towards getting parents involved in their children's home literacy practices.

References

Alberta Education. (n.d.) Instructional Strategies and Supports. Division 1: Universal.Edmonton,AB: Author Retrieved fromhttp://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ieptLibrary/documents/en/is/div1_universal.pdf

Alberta Education.(n.d). Learning and Technology Policy Framework. Edmonton,AB: Author. Retrieved from http://education.alberta.ca/admin/technology/policyframework.aspx

Bobek, B.L.,(2010).Teacher resiliency: A key to career longevity. The clearing house: A journal of Educational strategies, issues and ideas, 75 (4), 202-205.

Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance. (2013). ABRACADABRA. Retrieved from

http://grover.concordia.ca/abracadabra/promo/en/index.Php•

Connell, J.P., & Kelm, A.M., (2009). Relationships matter: Linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of school Health, 74

(7), 262- 273. DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2004.tb08283.x

References

Cunningham, G. (2009). New Teacher’s Companion. Chapter 7. Lesson Plans and Unit Plans: The Basis for Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109051/chapters/Lesson-Plans-and-Unit-Plans@-The-Basis-for-Instruction.aspx

Inspiration Software Inc. (2014). Kidspiration. Retrieved fromhttp://www.inspiration.com/Kidspiration

Jolly Learning Ltd. (n.d.). Jolly Phonics. Retrieved from http://jollylearning.co.uk/

Raz-Kids.(n.d.). Raz-kids. Retrieved from http://www.raz-kids.com/main/Login

Rodriguez, J. (2012). Growing book by book. Retrieved from http://growingbookbybook.com/

Teaching Ideas.(2014).Retrieved from www.teachingideas.co.uk

WETA. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/

References for digital images

ABRACADABRA. [Home Page - screenshot]. Retrieved from http://grover.concordia.ca/abracadabra/promo/en/features.php.

March 14, 2014

Jolly learning Educational Publisher. [Home Page screenshot]. Retrieved from

http://jollylearning.co.uk/. March 14, 2014.

Raz-Kids. [Leveled Books Directory screenshot]. Retrieved from

http://www.raz-kids.com/main/RazQuizRoom.

March 13, 2014.

Teaching Ideas. [Literacy Vocabulary Section screenshot]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/contents_vocabulary.htm

March 15, 2014.

WETA Reading Rockets. [Home page screenshot]. Retrieved from

http://www.readingrockets.org/. March 13, 2014.