How teachers can impact school literacy

How do you (or would you) integrate technology with literacy instruction? Share your best idea with your colleagues.

I would used technology as a means to supplement traditional classroom instruction. Students often learn in different and varying ways. By utilizing multiple sources of instruction, students can have a differentiated and much more enriching learning experience.

What other information or tools do you need to successfully integrate technology and literacy instruction? Ask your colleagues for input.

In terms of information, have a recent and up to date curriculum will be needed. Here it is important to have strong standards that incorporate the latest learnings in education. From a tool’s standpoint, it will be important to have software and equipment that can be used by students in the learning journey. Equipment would include tablets, strong internet connection, and other computers. Software would include e-books, learning software, a video conferencing software.

How can technology be leveraged to improve the literacy performance and achievement of diverse learners, particularly in the content areas?

Technology can be used to improve performance due to its flexibility and embedded differentiation. Technology allows students to learn and work in isolation or in group. It allows them to work in the day or the night. It allows them to focus on topics that they are interest it, providing options as it relates to discovery and learning. Teachers must be sure to guide this discovery and mitigate the impacts of students searching for unproductive information (Abrahamsson, 2008).

As a leader in an educational environment, how would you lead an initiative to strengthen literacy among diverse student populations?

I would first need to establish want the minimum acceptable standard as it relates to literacy will be. This can be accomplished by overserving surrounding schools and looking to exceed their performance in literacy. Next, I would need to create an inclusive environment in which diverse students feel comfortable sharing their experiences, making mistakes, and collaborating. Finally, I would need to partner with parents to ensure that students are improving their literacy and practicing at home as well.

How could you prepare to lead the initiative and serve as a role model for those you want to embrace the literacy initiative?

I could prepare to lead, by mimicking the behaviors I would want my peers to follow. This would include embracing technology to improve literacy outcomes. Partnering with parents and community leaders to empower their children, and continuing to look for innovative ways to improve literacy curriculum.

Why should an educational institution take an organizational-wide approach to literacy improvement for all students?