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Computerized Lessons as a WayOf Overcoming Dyslexia.
Julia Koifman, Beit Ekstein high school, Israel
SIG IATEFL Conference,
Dublin, 2015
Introduction Technology in Israel’s Schools Challenges for Special Education Schools Computer-Assisted Lessons Motivating LD Students Communities of Students A Demo Lesson Dyslexia and Matriculation Exams More Learning Tools
Programme
The generation of students in our classrooms today is the first to have grown up with electronic tools. They are always online. • They text to their fiends• They meet on social networks• They do their homework using the internet• They study online• and so on…
Introduction
For the last three decades technological education in Israel has offered a range of educational frameworks, including EFL courses, designed to meet the needs of both low-achievers and high-achievers. The use of technology in teaching and learning of foreign language like English has made the process more effective and dynamic. The use of computer technology in EFL classrooms has many advantages for developing the EFL learners’ language skills, such as:* listening comprehension, * reading comprehension, * speaking * writing.
Technology in Israeli School
As students and the world change, education faces the following challenges: There is a growing need for formal instruction in
the key new skills, including information literacy, visual literacy and technological literacy.
Students are different, but educational practice and the material that supports it are changing very slowly.
Learning that incorporates real life experiences is not occurring enough and is undervalued when it takes place.
New technologies must be adopted and used as an everyday part of classroom activities.
Challenges for Special Education Schools
Research studies show that good computer software enhances learning in the less motivated student. Almost without exception, LD students enjoy the computer sessions. The aims of EFL classes in special education schools are:
To develop students' listening skills To develop their vocabulary To improve their spelling and grammar To develop their writing skills To improve teaching literary texts
All the skills are necessary to prepare LD students for the final exams.
Computer-Assisted Lessons
Motivating LD Students
Why should we use mobile technology in class?
Students can play with language. They can create learning communities. They can publish their own work through
blogs, eBooks, interactive magazines, comics, stories, and so on.
They can now create their own learning situations collaboratively.
They can download music and video and create their own ones.
We promote education in the natural way.
make your lessons more interesting and motivating.
are perfect to develop LD teenagers’ listening skills
kids love them. through music they can identify their peers they move away from their parents and
teachers. a great deal of music is about feelings. music can also be a way of escape from the
teenagers’ reality. it is not just songs. it is a way of learning vocabulary, grammar
and sentence structure.
Music and Video
Some LD students find reading in a foreign language quite challenging, especially if they don’t really read a lot in their own language.
It’s important to explain openly to your learners how reading in English can help their language skills:• general understanding • Increasing their vocabulary• learning phrases and new words• learning grammatical structures
Since it can be challenging for LD students, they can see the text and listen to it at the same time.
Reading and Listening
50 Popular iPad Apps For Struggling Readers & Writers
/
http://. . / -2/50- - - - -www teachthought com apps popular ipad apps for s
- -truggling readers writers
Schools can use them for learning, teaching and professional development.
Learning communities are spaces that serve as electronic communities of practice where you can find groups of people who have a common topic for learning.
They contain lessons, tools, exercises and comments.
They provide learning autonomy. Communities of learners are also good for
distance learning.
Communities of Learners
they improve their spelling, writing, listening and general understanding of English
most EFL students do not live in an English-speaking environment, so they don't get much exposure to the language
students are often placed in large groups and have only a few classes per week, thus they do not get enough practice in the target language
learners as often as not have access to a limited range of resources
How the communities enhance language learning.
correct their mistakes gain access to a larger amount of language
resources get plenty of exposure to the target language learn how to interact, co-operate and share
things with real people be able to cope better with problems be involved in more individualized interactions
with the teacher become more involved and independent learners
When learners become active members of a virtual community they can:
teachers have less discipline problems LD students are busy, motivated and less
frustrated all the interactions and materials produced
are recorded in order to make it easier to analyze and share them
if someone is sick, he or she doesn’t miss the class material
marking and assessment procedures will be simplified
Benefits of virtual communities in terms of classroom management:
Thank You, Ma’am(by Langston Hughes)
://https . . / ? = 9www youtube com watch v eHyhYa CQcQ
Demo Lesson
https:// . /30541590/ - - - - - -quizlet com thank you mam literature moria flash cards/
Vocabulary practice for less advanced students
https:// . /95069353/ - - - -quizlet com thank you mam flash cards/
Vocabulary practice for more advanced students
Read the story in your textbooks and listen to the recording.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6mSVeYeBpc
Answer the questions:http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=thank-you-mam_1
After reading: http://montanna2015.blogspot.co.il/2011/09/thank-you-mam-letter-from-roger.html
Reading and Post-Reading Tasks
Israeli Ministry of Education practices the following testing accomodations for LD Students: Extra time (usually 25%) Electronic dictionary Ignoring spelling mistakes (if written in the exam booklet)
Computerized exam (optionally)
Dyslexia and Matriculation Exams
In order to be tested online, LD students must have a special permission and get registered for the itest. While doing listening comprehension they can
record their answers OR type them directly on to the computer.
While doing reading comprehension they can listen to the text and record their answers OR type them on the computer.
They will receive the exam booklet for writing rough drafts, however it is NOT graded.
Computerized Exam or Itest
Audacity http://audacityteam.org/ Delicious https://delicious.com/ Diigo https://www.diigo.com/ Evernote https://evernote.com/?var=3 Kahoot https://kahoot.it/#/ Oxford Owl http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/ Quizlet https://quizlet.com/latest
More Learning Tools
Alsied S.M., “The Use of Computer Technology in EFL Classroom: Advantages and Implications”. Department of English Language & Translation Studies, The Faculty of Arts, the University of Sebha, Libya, 2015. http://eltsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Use-of-Computer-Technology-in-EFL-Classrooms-Advantages-Implication-Full-Paper.pdf
Ciaffaroni M.T., “A Training Lesson Plan on Virtual
Communities for EFL”. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. X, No. 7, July 2004http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Ciaffaroni-Virtual.html
Houk M.D., 2007. "Tips to Help Dyslexic Students". http://www.suite101.com/content/tips-to-help-dyslexic-students-a34071
Bibliography
Schrum L., 2011. “Considerations on Educational Technology Integration”. The International Society for Technology in Education, USA.
Solomon G, Schrum L., 2010. “Web 2.0 How-to for Educators”. The International Society for Technology in Education, USA.
Five tech innovations that can change the way we teach and learn. http://www.wiziq.com/teachblog/5-tech-innovations-that-can-change-the-way-we-learn-teach/
