Module 5 Blog Post

Teaching and Learning with Technology in English and Language Arts Instruction

Advantages of Integrating Technology
There are numerous advantages to integrating technology into the classroom, specifically the English and Language Arts curriculum. This essay lists some of many to integrating technology. These include improved student achievement on tests, improved quality of work, the numerous benefits to students with special needs, the ability to reach at-risk students, improved attitudes toward learning, and many more. You can use technology to easily differentiate instruction. Saba, the author of this essay sums it up perfectly in his conclusion:
       "There is strong evidence pointing toward technology leading to better results on standardized   
        tests; however the real emphasis should not be on how it improves test scores, but on how it
        benefits student learning; how it enables those who are not able to perform at their peak in
        traditional classrooms to do better; how it motivates students to learn and gives them a more
        positive attitude towards education; how it can individualize learning by giving feedback; how
        it can act as a catalyst for change towards more student centered learning; and how it better
        prepares the youth of today with technical, communicative, interpersonal and creative skills."

Disadvantages of Integrating Technology
This site lists both advantages and disadvantages of technology use in the classroom, but for the purpose of this blog post, I'd like to use to look at some of the disadvantages. It points out how easy it is for students to access inappropriate content and share it with their peers, creating a big problem. then it discusses the issue of the effect that technology has already had on our society, creating more antisocial students and more people that experience social anxiety. Third, they bring up the important point of cyberbullying and its harmful effects. The last two disadvantages include making cheating much easier and prominent and of course, being a major distraction.

Specific Activities, Programs, Etc. 
Support for word fluency and vocabulary development:
- ReadWriteThink
- various apps
- Brainpop
- Wordle
- Wordsift
- Virtual Thesaurus

Support for comprehension and literacy development:
- engaging digital texts
- handheld devices such as Kindles
- Write:OutLoud
- Kurzweil 300
- Story Center: Center for Digital Storytelling

Support for writing instruction:
- Electronic outlining
- Kidspiration
- Blogging
- Word Processing

Support for literature learning:
- online copies of published works
- researching background information on authors
- projecting text
- eReaders