Can we benefit from ICT studies in Singapore?

The article, “Investigating the efficacy of the use of ICT for slow learners: Case studies in Singapore Primary Schools,” provides a meaningful insight into the impact of ICT on teaching. This case study explores workable teaching strategies to maximize students’ learning and identifies critical factors which need to be examined when using ICT in the classroom. These factors include: the role adopted by the teacher and learner, ICT educational conditions, teacher training, early intervention and the use of ICT to motivate slow learners. It therefore provides meaningful information for school administrators and teachers for implementing ICT in their schools and classrooms.

Wettasinghe & Hasan posit that “a classroom rich with technology can be a more intrinsically motivating classroom setting, than one free of technology.” I concur with this view since ICT educational conditions and technologically rich learning environments are fundamental pre-requisites for students to gain from assistive technology. I envy the teachers of Singapore who were fortunate enough to have KidSmart units donated to their classrooms by IBM. In Trinidad and Tobago, laptops were promised to S.E.A students but many classrooms do not have computer access and therefore cannot reap the benefits of ICT.

Teacher training in the use of ICT and the need for teachers to make the necessary paradigm shift in their teaching methods were identified as major conditions for facilitating improved student achievement. Teachers interviewed indicated that they had to change their teaching framework and focus more on the “meaningful use of the knowledge of the technology.”

The issue of early intervention such as the LSP - Learning Support Programme in this study is indeed critical since young children are more receptive to learning. ICT can therefore be very useful in “bridging experience with abstraction,” in so doing engaging students in meaningful, authentic classroom learning activities and experiences.

Finally, a lab I truly enjoyed!

I thoroughly enjoyed my lab session on e-books. I was able for the first time to follow the instructions from beginning to end and create an e-book. More importantly, I felt a sense of achievement at the end of the session. I could easily see the connection to my classroom teaching and immediately I started speculating on how I will be using e-books in my classroom, in the new term. Right away I recognized its applicability in the teaching of phonics, comprehension and most importantly, fluency. I kept wondering why this session was not used earlier in the course to enable us to experience a sense of success, and be motivated to attempt the other challenging aspects of assistive technology. Everyone left the class smiling and many of my colleagues agreed that they did not feel the sense of hopelessness which we normally experience at the end of previous sessions. On the contrary, this session left me motivated and anxious to share the technology with my colleagues at school.

I want to suggest that the session on creating and using e-books be done earlier in the course, thereby allowing students to move from the known to the unknown, and linking previous knowledge of the Microsoft power-point program, which most teachers are familiar with, to new learning in a stimulating and constructive way.

Using technology as a catalyst for change

Electronic books or E-books can indeed be a catalyst for change in motivating both students and teachers in traditional classrooms, to use technology to enhance teaching and learning. In fact, I am of the view that e-books are the most palatable form of technology for use in our classrooms. E-books, because they add the dimension of multimedia to traditional storybooks, make reading appealing and engaging to students. The use of sounds and animation to accompany text facilitate the learning styles of various learners in our classroom.

Milby and Rhodes (2007) article, ‘Teacher-Created Electronic Books: Integrating Technology to Support Readers with Disabilities,’ outlines the many benefits of using e-books. They submit that e-books allow the readers to reap the many benefits of traditional storybooks, while adding an exciting dimension to “capture student responses to engaging children’s literature.” This article endorses the use of e-books for repeated text reading. This is especially useful for teaching fluency and scaffolding struggling readers.

E-books can be used to teach any phonic element in the curriculum due to the added sound and animation component. Moreover, I can easily create an e-book in a matter of minutes based on the specific needs of individual students in the classroom. Creating an e-book is simple and can truly act as a catalyst for change since it does not pose a great challenge to traditional teachers who are reluctant to use the technology because they perceive themselves as incompetent. The e-book is a great way for teachers to get acquainted with technology since its benefits as a form of assistive technology are very obvious.

I intend to copy this article for my staff and engage them in a discussion with the aim of highlighting the tremendous value of e-books in improving fluency, comprehension, phonics and developing a love for reading among our students.

Value of blogging

After reading the article “Adventures in Blogosphere: from blog readers to blog writers” by Lara Ducate and Lara Lomicka, I recognise the potential of blogging as a tool to enhance reading and writing, two areas which continue to be a challenge for all teachers. Blogging is a computer assisted learning tool, and I feel that this makes it an attractive and appropriate medium for our students, who have a natural, almost built in ability to learn using the computer.

The research done by Ducate and Lomicka endorses the positive role of computer assisted tools, particularly blogging, in teaching and learning. As the title suggested children can be taken on an adventure in cyberspace; sharing their ideas and learning from their peers, in a social environment free of inhibitions and intimidations usually associated with the traditional classroom. In such an environment struggling readers and writers, as well as, shy and introverted students can express their feelings and interact with others, learning vicariously, while at the same time building their self confidence and self esteem. The scaffolding provided by the computer in terms of spell and grammar checks, frees the student to express herself/himself and to write spontaneously and regularly. This article also endorses the findings of Ferdig and Trammel (2004) who claims that blogging “enhances students’ interest and involvement in learning”, while “giving students a glimpse of a variety of viewpoints to help them expand their own”.

In my opinion, blogging can facilitate meaningful and interactive discussions in my classroom, and in the wider community, thereby providing opportunities for social and collaborative learning. Current controversial issues such as capital punishment and the advantages and disadvantages of giving S.E.A students laptops, can generate interesting discussions which can go along way towards developing students’ critical thinking skills.

Why I became a Reading Specialist

I became a Reading Specialist because this portfolio afforded me the opportunity to assist teachers in planning interventions for struggling readers. During my years of teaching Social Studies at the secondary level I encountered a number of students, who had severe reading problems. I felt handicapped because I was unable to assist them. I had no idea how to diagnose, or even plan an intervention to assist them. I felt very inadequate, as a teacher I should have been able to help them. I felt that somehow I had failed them. Furthermore, I have been employed both as a “Reading Facilitator” and a “Reading Specialist” without any training. I was painfully aware that I lacked the knowledge and skills to do justice to either jobs. I have been waiting for many years for the university to start a reading programme, I therefore did not hesitate to join the Masters in Reading Programme. I knew that it was going to give me the skills I need to be able to help struggling readers, as well as teachers of struggling readers. Finally ,I have always dreamed of starting a reading clinic for struggling adults in my community , this programme will give me the knowledge, skills and strategies to be able to realize this dream.