Computers, Kids, and Comprehension: Instructional Practices that Make a Difference

The program that I would like to use to teach vocabulary is Reading Key, which provides teacher and student support through resources on the Web, vocabulary worksheets, help with words that are confusing, and tests. This program is designed for students K-6th grade. It does not have a Smart Board in the classroom. I would use it to provide worksheets and examples to my students and ideas for how to incorporate vocabulary into the weeks’ lessons. I would like to be able to use this program to support the development of my students’ vocabulary through reading exercises, word play exercises, speaking exercises, role playing exercises and more. As Block, Gambrell and Pressley (2002) show, integrating a variety of exercises and lessons into the classroom can facilitate the learner’s acquisition of the knowledge that is being sought. The more of a variety that is integrated, the more likely students are to pick up on the lesson via these numerous channels.

I would also like to be able to use the resources offered by Reading Key to develop an excellent vocabulary program that can be modified to fit the needs of ELLs. Reading Key has a lot of good tools to facilitate modification, because the teacher can select what fits the class the best. I would also like to incorporate more background of my students into the lessons, so would think of ways that the lessons can be adapted to meet the backgrounds of my students. That way they would be more likely to feel engaged and would likely demonstrate more of a willingness to take part in the lessons and learn the vocabulary that is being taught through the program. I would also like to expand the role playing exercises so that they touch more upon ideas and concepts that would be familiar to my students.

References

Block, C. C., Gambrell, L. B., & Pressley, M. (Eds.) (2002). Improving comprehension instruction: rethinking research, theory, and classroom practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.