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Teacher Resource: "Next Level Digital Tools and Teaching"

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Teacher Resource: "Next Level Digital Tools and Teaching"

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An excellent resource for teachers looking to increase their knowledge of digital tools and resources for classroom instruction.

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What we have learned from the many challenges of online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is the focus of this authoritative resource. Featuring teachers' experiences and classroom examples, the authors examine what's needed and what works in order to help educators improve current models of technology-integrated instruction in their schools and districts. With a focus on digital tools and planning for any setting, the text provides ready-to-use help for designing technology-integrated lessons, building and managing community, selecting the best digital tools for particular tasks, increasing student engagement, and differentiating instruction. The text also includes a final chapter that looks at how leaders can support schoolwide coordination and infrastructure. Action items at the end of each chapter address the specific needs of individuals, teams, and schools to help them shift from reflection to actual implementation, encouraging collaboration and accountability. Next-Level Digital Tools and Teaching is applicable to teaching and learning in face-to-face, online, or hybrid K-12 classroom settings.

Book Features:

Focuses on problems related to online teaching, specifically critical issues identified during the 2020-2021 school year.

Models how to design instruction that leverages technology tools designed to engage students with content in multiple ways.

Includes examples of lesson plans, digital tool applications, and ideas for assessing student knowledge in K-12 digital environments.

Provides ready-to-download checklists and templates.

Offers guidance that will continue to be valuable long after the world recovers from COVID-19 and students return to physical classrooms.

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Next-Level Digital Tools and Teaching: Solving Six Major Instructional Challenges, K-12

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Next-Level Digital Tools and Teaching: Solving Six Major Instructional Challenges, K-12 [Karchmer-Klein, Rachel, Boulden, Lauren, McDonald, Maureen, Hartman, Douglas K.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Next-Level Digital Tools and Teaching: Solving Six Major Instructional Challenges, K-12

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Quizizz is an engaging and creative way to actively include all students in learning simultaneously! Do your students need to review for a quiz, review for state testing, challenge their knowledge, etc? Create a Quizizz today!

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The evidence is in the practice

ESSA Level 3 correlation evidence in math and ELA, earned by teachers running frequent formative assessments.

When teachers run 30+ formative questions a week, the research is clear: they get more data-driven, their students get more engaged. Wayground is built to make that practice enjoyable ot run, attainable to fit a class period, and habitual enough to last past September.

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Quizizz is now Wayground | Teacher AI and Resources

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Find standards-aligned resources that engage every student. Wayground (formerly Quizizz) helps teachers differentiate instruction with AI and track student progress.

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Want to create an interactive presentation that allows your students to share their thoughts and ideas in real time? Check out this excellent digital tool!

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design discussions
no-schedule meetings
professional development
collaborate with clients
sales and marketing

replace text-only discussions
interactive lectures
support UDL principles
no-schedule office hours
professional development

student presentations
conversational practice
professional development
rich assessment
safe and accountable

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Transforming media into collaborative spaces with video, voice, and text commenting.

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Do you need to record a lesson for virtual learning? Will you be out of the classroom, but still want your students to learn curriculum? LOOM is a digital resource that allows you to record lessons for your students!

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Record your screen and camera

Start recording your screen and camera easily. Works on any device using Loom's desktop and mobile apps or Chrome extension.

Share with a link

Simply paste a link to your video wherever your recipients are and they can watch it without logging in or creating an account.

Keep the conversation going

Use emoji reactions, time-stamped comments, and interactive features to respond to videos and keep your team connected.

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Record your screen and camera Start recording your screen and camera easily. Works on any device using Loom's desktop and mobile apps or Chrome extension. Share with a link Simply paste a link to your video wherever your recipients are and they can watch it without logging in or creating an account.

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Teacher Resource: Melissa and Lori Love Literacy Podcast

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Teacher Resource: Melissa and Lori Love Literacy Podcast

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Melissa and Lori are educators that conduct weekly podcasts on hot topics related to literacy! Check out their podcast to learn all about the most recent and up-to-date literacy research and instructional practices!

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Teacher Resource: Integrating Educational Apps into Classroom Instruction

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Teacher Resource: Integrating Educational Apps into Classroom Instruction

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Check out this video on how to integrate educational apps into classroom instruction by Dr. Rachel Karchmer-Klein from the University of Delaware.

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Would you like to create an interactive page of resources for your students? Are you students interested in having your students create their own interactive page of resources? Check out Padlet!

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Are you eager to teach your students using interactive lessons, videos, games and activities? Check out Nearpod for an all in one single-platform!

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Nearpod: Foster a love of learning in every student

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Create active learning experiences students can’t wait to be a part of.

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Teacher Resource: Using Multimedia to Support Reading Instruction

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Teacher Resource: Using Multimedia to Support Reading Instruction

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Using Multimedia to Support Reading Instruction

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CRAAP Test is used to evaluate the authenticity of information and/or resources found on the web or through various media outlets.

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Teacher Resource: Digital Tool Considerations

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Teacher Resource: Digital Tool Considerations

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What should you consider when selecting digital tools for instructional use in your classroom?

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Are you looking to connect with other educators and stay up-to-date with the most current research? The International Literacy Association works to improve literacy instruction world-wide by connecting research and practice!

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ILA NEWS

ILA News | November 9, 2023
Submitted students' perspectives on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice for a chance to be included in the 2024 AERA Annual Meeting.

Research Advisory | Oct 2, 2023
Additional resources, including webinars, available now.

Digital Events | Sept 19, 2023
Free ILA Webinar About Dyslexia
Registration is now open for a new, free ILA Webinar: Dyslexia: What We Know and What We Want to Know.

Free New Resources for JAAL
First set of the new JAAL Literacy Insights available for download.

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ILA is a global advocacy and membership organization of more than 300,000 literacy educators, researchers, and experts across 86 countries.

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Teacher Resource: "Learning from Instructional Rounds"

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Teacher Resource: "Learning from Instructional Rounds"

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This article discusses how instructional rounds can help teachers to identify why a problem of practice persists in their school!

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Students will LOVE creating multimedia posters to share what they have learned in the classroom! Think about all the ways students could use this in ELA: book reviews, book advertisements, book summary, etc!

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Glogster: Multimedia Posters | Online Educational Content

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The creative visual learning platform that every educator and student deserves.

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Teacher Resource: Community for Educators

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Teacher Resource: Community for Educators

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Want to communicate with other professionals who share similar needs and interests? Be sure to join the community of edWeb.net!

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edWeb: A professional online community for educators

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edWeb is a free online community for professional educators, offering networking, resource sharing, collaboration, and professional development webinars.

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Check out this site for ideas on how to use Google Jamboard to teach ELA in your classroom!

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Inspired by an enthusiastic coworker who's been using Jamboard to teach virtually, I recently tried and jammed out on some Jamboard templates in the classroom. The reason I put off using Jamboard for so long is because I thought Jamboards were too similar to Padlet which I've used for years, and too difficult for my Microsoft students to cross over on a Google classroom account.

I was wrong and have been missing out! Though Jamboard is similar to Padlet, you get unlimited FREE boards while gaining more functions. As far as accounts go, students DO NOT need a Jamboard login or an account to use Jamboard! YAYAYAYA *Plays Space Jam sound track and dances around an empty classroom. All you need to use Jamboard as a teacher is a personal or professional Google account (I'll give a quick tutorial for teachers at the end of this post!).

Therefore, I'm now about to do that annoying thing where I rave about something that is old news to everyone else because this blog post is going to have my recent Jamboard obsession on BLAST. I'm going to show you all the creative ways I've used Jamboard in my virtual and hybrid ELA classroom so whether you are an advanced Jamboard user or the last one to know about this amazing EDU tech tool, I hope you'll have plenty of takeaways from these Jamboard ideas!

Key things to know about Jamboard:

What is Jamboard? Jamboard is a free Google app that allows you to create a digital whiteboard and invite others to collaborate on it.

If you are not 1:1, there is a Jamboard app that you may choose to allow students to use on their phones.

Jamboard templates go in as an image under "set background"

If you want student names associated with answers, they must add their name to their sticky.

Jamboard for collaboration works best with 25 students or less. From what I've read, it has issues with more than that. To fix this, create two Jamboards per class.

Most of the Jamboard ideas I'm about to show you are color-coded. If you have a colorblind student, number off the colors for a guide.

You must set your Jamboards to allow EDITING for students to be able to add sticky notes (see tutorial).

You must set expectations for the Jamboard because when you allow editing, well, they will edit it. Students may mark on the board, change the sticky notes of other students, delete sticky notes, etc. A few tricks to combat this: set expectations, be on the board with them, tell them it tracks edits, switch off of edit mode as soon as the lesson is finished so that students can still see it but not edit it.

You can make your own Jamboard templates in PowerPoint or Google Slides, or you can download the ones I show you here: ELA Jamboard Templates

If you would like to test out a couple of FREE Jamboard templates before committing, you can get those here!

Watch the full tutorial here!

Relationship Building Jamboard Templates:

My very first day back with students this semester was the day after the attack on the US Capitol. Since we are on a block schedule, I had all new students that I had never met before and was feeling extremely anxious (even more so than normal first days!). Knowing that I didn't want to ignore what had just happened or put on an inauthentic first-day face, I quickly made a simple Jamboard template to let students process the event before we moved on.

This only took a few minutes, but it set the tone for this class, provided a safe place to talk (I told them to keep their sticky notes anonymous), and gave me some insight into how they are handling this moment in history.

Other ways to use Jamboard to build relationships include:

Would you rather grabbers - To pique students' interest before reading while also keeping it personal, think of a "would you rather" question that relates to the text. For example, before reading Of Mice and Men, you might ask: Would you rather have a big dream but never accomplish it or never allow yourself to dream at all?

Four corner replication on Jambaord- Teachers love using the four corner strategy in the classroom because it creates both movement and engagement. However, when that's not possible or when you want to provide a board to record answers, Jamboard is where it's at! For example, suppose you are going to play one of my Valentine's Day podcast recommendations (wink, wink), you could hook students with something like this that would not only get them interested but also build community. Students would simply place their sticky notes over the dog they most relate with and explain why. I would make this one an anonymous Jamboard activity which is one pro over the traditional classroom strategy!

Group Work Jamboard Templates:

I recently presented (on Zoom) to a group of teachers in New Jersey about using podcasts in the classroom, and when it was over, they were like that's cool but let's talk about those Jamboard templates you used haha. Kidding, they were really into my podcast ideas, but were also impressed by my Jamboard activities for collaboration! 😊

A big pro over Padlet is that Jamboard will allow you to have multiple sides going at the same time. This means you can have one group of students working on one slide of the SAME Jamboard while others are on their own assigned slide. This is GAME CHANGER for facilitating collaborations in a virtual or Covid classroom setting.

For my presentation, I put teachers into breakout rooms and told them which slide they should focus on. Breakout room one worked on slide 1 etc. HOWEVER, this was a semi-fail because of this Jamboard con: links are not clickable in a Jamboard (if you know a workaround, please fill me in!), therefore, it took much longer than needed for such a simple task (read an article and find 3 key points), but I reflected and somewhat solved this before recommending it to the masses.
Here's the solution:
Tell students exactly what to Google and what their article should look like (get image by using a snipping tool then control v to paste into the Jamboard)

OR, get the links to them via the chat feature on Zoom.

OR, have the links posted in Canvas or whatever LMS you use.

Now, once students read the article or section you want them to read, they will use a color-coded sticky note to write down their thoughts. There are 5 sticky note colors in Jamboard, so you can have up to 5 groups.

After that, you can put students into multi- colored groups to replicate the classic jigsaw reading strategy where they report to others.

Here is a funny way to group students:

Reading Response Jamboard Templates:

There's absolutely nothing worse than prompting for reading responses to black squares or masked silent faces, am I right?

Jamboard is my edu hero for non-awkward student engagement and interaction during Covid.

Speaking of heroes, here's a Jamboard example.

When I teach Beowulf, I use the acronym E.P.I.C. to help students define what the Anglo-Saxons valued in a hero. E- Embodies the values of the time, P- P ossesses supernatural traits, etc. Next, I have them connect this to the real world by discussing what we value in a hero today. Well this year, the "discuss" aspect bombed until I jumped on the Jamboard chariot.

Here you can see how full their EPIC discussion turned out:

Since Jamboard is a digital whiteboard, there are unlimited ways to use it. Here are some more Jamboard template ideas:

Color-coded annotations: If you use reading signposts, you can assign each one a color (the fiction set has six, so you'll need to use the "no color" sticky note option). When students close read a passage or do their reading response, they can use the sticky notes in the Jamboard template to show what they know.

Otherwise, you can make your own color key and for a colorful commentary session!

Virtual Discussion Jamboard Templates:

I'm hearing from teachers that classroom discussions are one of the things they miss the most during this challenging teaching year. I've found that if I prompt in the right way and give students lots of thinking time, they are more apt to participate in a virtual or masked setting. With Jamboard, students already "put themselves out there" on the app so it's easier for them to speak up and elaborate with their voices when the time comes. Here are some Jamboard discussion templates:

Check for Understanding Jamboard Templates:

If you are looking for a quick way to check for understanding or give a digital exit ticket, a Jamboard can do it! It can be as simple as asking students to post one thing they learned in a "what stuck with you" digital sticky note, or a little more advanced with Jamboard templates like the target one below where you place your target standard in the middle and have students use stickies to show what they know. You as the teacher can move the stickies around to show which responses best hit the target.

You can also use Jamboard templates for test prep (don't even get me started on the fact that some states including my own are still drilling state testing this year). Here are a couple of ideas:

Abstract Thinking Jamboards Templates:

Creative thinking is a skill that I value and practice daily in the classroom. Because of their blank slate nature, Jamboards make the perfect tool for generating abstract thinking. Here are some Jamboard ideas:

The "no wrong answer" template helps students think outside the box. For example, if you are reading Lord of the Flies, you can put Ralph, Piggy, Simon, and Jack on the Jamboard. Students would then articulate who doesn't belong based on their thinking.

The book bar graph is a fun way of thinking that I've used with teaching The Great Gatsby and Animal Farm. You can find detailed examples by reading those posts, but essentially, you can use the bar graph method to track anything from color symbolism to propaganda techniques to author's craft.

Writing Jamboard Templates:

When it comes to teaching writing, I've always found that a little friendly, yet not embarrassing competition yields better writing. One of the perks of using Jamboard in the classroom is that you can choose to make the stickies named or anonymous (just make sure to tell them each time!) Similar to the target idea above, you can have students write a thesis statement and you as the teacher can drag the stickies over to the award. The ones on the award serve as mentor thesis statements for the ones around the edges that need revision. You can also model this revision right there on the Jamboard as a teaching tool.

Brainstorming Jamboard Templates

Much of the time when you ask students to brainstorm, they will write down two or three things and call it day. However, I've found that when I give them a fun brainstorming goal, they fire off more ideas. For example, simply using the alphabet can spark brainstorming answers they may have never thought of! Or, like in my latest creative Jamboard idea, I have them finish a pixel picture using stickies in specific colors. They work to fill the board up so that the image is revealed (see the flower pixel picture above). It's a little cheesy, but there's just something in our brains that likes to see things finished. 🙂 I have added 5 pixel images to my Jamboard pack!

I hope that this post has inspired you as my coworker did me to try Jamboard in the classroom. I've provided lots of Jamboard ideas, but if you need a Jamboard tutorial for teachers that gets into the HOW, then this short video will help!

Lastly, if you want to see if Jamboards are your ... JAM.... don't forget to grab this free tester pack which is a sample of my large Jamboard template bundle.

Enjoy!

Grab the ELA Jamboard pack here!

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Creative Jamboard Templates for the ELA Classroom - Building Book Love

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Inspired by an enthusiastic coworker who's been using Jamboard to teach virtually, I recently tried and jammed out on some Jamboard templates in the classroom.

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Teacher Resource: Literacy Talks Podcast

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Teacher Resource: Literacy Talks Podcast

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Check out this podcast series from Reading Horizons! The series is conducted by literacy specialists including a dyslexia specialist, a college professor and a certified Structure Literacy Classroom Teacher! This trio discusses ways to perfect your pedagogical practices related to literacy instruction!

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CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF READING, SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY

Stacy Hurst has degrees in Sociology and Elementary Education and reading and has Advanced Reading and ESL Endorsements. In over twenty years as an educator, she has been a first-grade teacher, ELL teacher, literacy coach, reading specialist, and now a university professor. Her extensive experience includes teaching reading, coordinating interventions for struggling readers, coaching teachers, implementing blended learning, and training thousands of teachers on effective literacy instruction. Stacy is the Chief Academic Officer at Reading Horizons, is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at Southern Utah University, and is the co-author of Reading Horizons Discovery ®.

DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST

Donell Pons has a husband and two children with dyslexia. She is a dyslexia presenter, consultant, and reading tutor. Ms. Pons received the Teacher of Tomorrow award when she completed a dual MED and MAT in teaching and learning from Westminster College. She was a member of the task force that wrote the Utah Dyslexia Handbook. Ms. Pons also has a special education certification and has taught secondary Language Arts, and worked at a charter school focusing on supporting students on the Autism spectrum. In 2016, Ms. Pons implemented a complete literacy program at a public charter school, the American International School of Utah. Every educator and paraeducator k-5 was trained in the same Structured Literacy reading program. She has had numerous articles published in Language Magazine, The Learning Counsel, ASCD SmartBrief, and Landmark Academy Newsletter regarding blended learning, reading instruction, and appropriate accommodations. She has also produced a nationally recognized three-part webcast series for Reading Horizons on teaching reading and recognizing dyslexia. Ms. Pons is currently teaching adults in the workplace who would like to improve their reading skills.

SECOND GRADE TEACHER

Lindsay Kemeny has been teaching elementary school for 11 years and is currently teaching second grade. After her son was diagnosed with dyslexia and depression, she began her deep dive into effective literacy instruction. She is a CERI certified Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher and has a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. In addition to being a classroom teacher, Lindsay has served as a teacher mentor, reading interventionist, and presenter. She has had articles published in The Reading League Journal and Dystinct Magazine. She lives in northern Utah with her husband and four children. You can read about her journey at www.thelearningspark.blogspot.com.

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CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF READING, SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY Stacy Hurst has degrees in Sociology and Elementary Education and reading and has Advanced Reading and ESL Endorsements. In over twenty years as an educator, she has been a first-grade teacher, ELL teacher, literacy coach, reading specialist, and now a university professor.

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Teacher Resource: My Professional PLN Blog

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Teacher Resource: My Professional PLN Blog

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Check out my professional blog on identifying a problem of practice and a professional learning network. My PLN includes valuable classroom resources for educators who work with students in grades K-2!

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PLN Part I: Problem of Practice Explain the process of identifying your PoP. Be specific. Whom did you speak to about this issue? This year, I will continue to serve as the Interim Reading Specialist at our school.