Resources+for+Technology+Usage+to+Aid+Struggling+Writers 

I have been fascinated in both of my years as a teacher with the role technology can play for students who simply "don't like" to read and write. Typically, these students struggle in both areas and are more inclined to shut off and claim a dislike for reading and writing rather than confronting their own challenges in these areas. Considering the philosophy that we are living in a "digital age" and that are students can (debatably) be considered "digital natives," there seems to be real possibility for technology usage to make its way into the classroom as a tool and scaffold for SPEDs, ELLs and students who are not confident writers. This is examined in the article provided. In this study, the author examines the role of technology in supporting the learning growth of several students in a case study. This established my focus for this resource page. How can we get students invested in reading and writing using the technologies with which they may or may not be familiar? Furthermore, is investment truly the key to enhancing student growth in reading and writing? Why or why not? If not technology, then what else may be useful in supporting these students. Answers and suggestions to these questions follow.
 * Context**


 * Research Framework**

[]

Read this article and examine the author's findings. Do you use any similar resources to these in your classroom? If so, what are the impacts on learning? If not, do you have any reservations about the author's ideas or the technology culture in general? Why or why not?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-rosenberg/technology-in-the-classro_2_b_2018558.html
 * Alternate Views and Additional Reading:**

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?_r=5&

Examine these articles which rail against the idea that digital classrooms are the way of the future. I myself must admit that the authors made compelling arguments. Do you anticipate this debate being solved soon? What about in the meantime when classrooms are increasingly pushing technology over "traditional" literacy forms?


 * Resources***
 * For our purposes, resources will be divided into writing tools, reading tools, and miscellaneous tools that have implications for both reading and writing.

__ Writing Tools: __ http://www.writetolearn.net/ Write-to Learn has garnered a lot of support around the US for its shorter writing responses which tend to focus on formulating thoughts as well as producing writing. This resource provides quick and specific feedback for students and has been picked up by the state of South Dakota for usage in all schools. Furthermore, the system is designed to cater to students at a variety of levels and is less time-consuming for teachers since it provides grades and feedback for students on its own. Critics of the system argue that it is dull and a waste of time. Others have stated it is a product of "lazy teaching" and allows the computers to do the brunt of the work while teachers are excused from actually having to teach writing.
 * 1. Write to Learn **

http://www.lulu.com/ Lulu offers students the opportunity to feel like their role as content creators is more official. This book self-publishing cite offers students the opportunity to create their own books. These can be print or e-books (with e-books being offered for free). This could be used to create student portfolios to showcase a variety of multi-genre writing. This website aids struggling writers by offering them the opportunity to become more interactive and hands-on with their creations. Students can create ebooks to showcase a variety of writing and creations from graphic novels to blog posts to essays to creative writing. This will not only build student confidence in their ability to engage in technological literacy, but offers them the chance to use technology to act as publishers. The website offers step by step instructions for students and creating ebooks does not cost anything to users.
 * 2. Lulu **

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/ This is one of my personal favorites. Make Belief Comix offers students the chance to use images and dialogue to create comic strips. The format is manipulative and offers students a variety of choices in terms of characters, dialogue and actions. Students can use these comics to illustrate themes from literature, illustrate literary devices or elements, or simply engage in digital, multimodal literacy. The character options are diverse and include historical figures, animals, and fantasy characters, making the tool appropriate for a variety of age groups and students. There is a lot of openness to the possibilities of this website, but it allows for students to create visual images, manipulate characters, and write their own dialogue. It emphasizes the variety of literacies which students must navigate and gives them a more official role as content creators.
 * 3. Make Beliefs Comix **

__ Reading Tools: __ https://newsela.com/ Most English teachers adhering to the Common Core Learning Standards have undoubtedly used this incredibly useful website. It allows students to select a lexile level for their reading which, in turn, allows students to approach the same article from levels that match their reading level. Naturally, students should improve their level throughout the year but the articles are also increasingly chunked for the lower lexile levels, offering teachers the chance to insert questions on printed pages to ensure student understanding of the content during the reading process. Articles range from a variety of subjects and it might be advisable to let students self-select articles and provide some sort of a summary or connection to literature for their selected article.
 * 1. Newsela **

http://www.wordle.net/ Wordle offers something new for struggling readers. The program is designed to emphasize key words and ideas that appear most frequently in texts but can also be formatted to create poems, graphic organizers, word studies, concept maps, etc. The format is interactive, is presented graphically, and offers struggling readers a more interactive and visually appealing outline of ideas that they are able to self-produce. For example, if students were studying the poems of Emily Dickinson, a student might be able to create a wordle of common ideas and words presented in her poems (such as death, flowers, love, God, etc.). Additionally, students reading a particular author could create a wordle of themes presented in the authors work. These serve as handy, technology based tools that engage students and result in interesting-looking word-clouds that can feature every thing from main ideas to literary/rhetorical devices to vocabulary and grammar.
 * 2. Wordle **

http://popplet.com/ Popplet originated as an app for ipads but has now been extended to PCs. This app is used to create graphic organizers by using facts, images, quotations, etc and connecting them electronically in a graphic organizer format. This can be used in reading by showing the relationships between characters, connecting literary elements/ rhetorical devices, drawing comparisons between themes or plot points, or simply mapping out factual informations from non-fiction texts. It is designed to be interactive, hands-on, and student generated. Students can use this app as a mind-map and a variety of formats are used in Popplet from webs to organizers looking like Pinterest boards. These provide students with highly individualized options for using everything from text to pictures to video to connect and illustrate their ideas.
 * 3. Popplet **

http://www.npr.org/series/4538138/this-i-believe Most of us are probably already familiar with NPR's "This I Believe" series. I was surprised, however, to see it listed on several blogs as a tool for helping struggling readers. In short, it offers students a variety of different writers and topics to choose from and gives them the option of hearing the words as they read transcripts. Part radio-drama, part script-reading, this resource offers students the chance to listen while reading, grapple with ideas, and form their own opinions and conclusions based on non-fiction writing, a key aspect of the Common Core. This gives them the opportunity to examine rhetoric as well as voice while reading at their own pace.
 * 4. This I Believe **

__ Misc. Resources __ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY This video gives a clear and direct explanation of wikis and their potential use in the classroom as a support for struggling readers and writers.
 * 1. Wikis **

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf This article explains the impacts for teaching, as well as how wikis can be used not only by students, but also by faculty.

Blogs can be used for virtually anything and are easily one of the most accessible methods of helping students come to terms with their role as content creators. Art, writing, visuals, soundclips and videos can all be posted to blogs and are open to feedback from visitors to the blog. There is a lot of freedom and openness to blogs (which some argue is their downfall). A variety of sites such as blogger and wordpress can be used in the classroom to allow students to develop and maintain their own blogs for both personal and educational resources.
 * 2. Blogs **

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7006.pdf This article provides key points for educators to be aware of when using blogs, including pros and cons, and impact on instruction.

Podcasts can mean several things in this contexts. It can either mean recordings made by instructors or lecturers that can be listened to later or it can mean electrical recordings that students make on their own. Both have compelling use for classroom instruction. Students who missed class can use podcasts to help them catch up. They can listen to other lecturers give podcasts (such as This I Believe and other NPR resources). These help struggling readers who may rely on auditory instruction. Students can hear information to scaffold such content as hand-outs or transcripts. Additionally, students can use garageband and iMovie to create their own podcasts about a variety of subjects. This can help struggling writers translate their thoughts into writing by giving them the option of "talking it out" first. It opens up more opportunities for creating content than traditional writing.
 * 3. Podcasts **

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/NCP07051B.pdf This article, a continuation of a series on technology in the classroom, offers a balanced approach to what teachers should know about podcasts and the implications that they can have on teaching.

There is significant debate about the use of comic books in the classroom. However, multimodal literacy dictates that students should be exposed to a variety of types of literacies, including comics. Struggling readers appreciate these because it combines text with images, making it easier to form complex ideas because they understand what is happening. The web provides a variety of comic-based websites. Some that offer educational or stimulating comics that can springboard student thought include:
 * 4. Web Comics **

theoatmeal.com Comics featuring a range of topics including literature, grammar, history, and science. These are presented in humorous ways but still have content that is provocative and amusing for students.

dykestowatchoutfor.com Alison Bechdel's magnum opus before she was catapulted to a broader audience through the publishing of her sensational work, "Fun Home." This website includes archives of her comics. Be aware that some of these include adult themes, frank language, and jokes about menopause in a lesbian relationship that kids might just not understand. These were a favorite of my 10th grade English students.

http://www.pinterest.com/amac2236/the-far-side-gary-larson/ Gary Larson's cartoons are well-known enough that they have been featured on Regents exams. Funny, quirky, and bizarre, these cover a variety of topics and genres and always leave readers with something to think about.

This one is tricky. While websites such as youtube and vimeo have videos that can help students visualize and hear key concepts about content, these resources can go horribly wrong when put into the wrong hands. Video is a vital component of technology-based learning, especially for struggling readers who may have difficulty understanding plot and literary element just from reading. Why simply have a student analyze Anne Richard's speech to the 1984 DNC when students can watch her give it on youtube? Would that not make rhetorical device clearer? In addition to reading a short story, have them view a dramatized adaptation. Students simply need clear boundaries for using these resources. Another option is having students create their own videos using iMovie or Photobooth. These can range from trailers to dramatizations and allow for movement-based learners to have a say in the reading process. Students can upload their creations to a class youtube page and offer eachother feedback on their creations.
 * 5. Videos **