Small Steps Can Bring Giant Leaps! More on Goal 3 - Reading Comprehension

Last week I delineated my goals for the year and some of my proposed startegies to meet those goals.  I was much less specific in my strategies for addressing reading comprehension in my students for a variety of reasons.  One of my friendly teacher colleagues even asked, "What apps are you using for reading comprehension?"  Honestly the short answer is there are not a lot of apps to address this specifically.  I've found that most reading apps focus on decoding words and phonics at the primary level.  To review many of these apps as well as other subject-specific apps, Apple has created a special link for teachers and education apps.  If you go to the App store, choose the Education Category, scroll down to Quick Links, choose Education Collections.  From there you will see that Apple has divided this page into subject categories - love it!  There you will find the educational apps dedicated to Reading instruction.  The majority of these apps are wonderful for beginnning readers through the primary level grades, but there is really not much in this category for the middle and upper grades. 

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMultiRoom?cc=us&fcId=432100011

Addressing reading comprehension in the middle and upper grades has more to do with helping students employ strategies and build understanding of text elements. Reading comprehension encompasses three parts: 
1.  The reader
2.  The text to be read and understood 
3.  The activity in which comprehension is a part 

It is the strategies that we teach our students that will help them become readers with understanding.  These strategies must be introduced, practiced and repeated to help a reader grow.  Students must become aware of text elements and features within the selected material and learn how to effectively use those elements to improve their comprehension.

We teach these strategies and elements in a variety of ways - balanced literacy frameworks like the Daily 5 and CAFE or a version of, give educators a way to introduce those strategies and elements and offer students a chance to practice becoming aware of their reading habits.  These best practice strategies help students become more deliberate in their reading - helping them to remain alert throughout the process and organize the information in the text.

So with all of that being said, how will the iPad help this?  Well, the iPad becomes yet another tool to help engage and motivate students in their learning.  For example, last week I taught story elements in fictional books.  We read Freckle Juice by Judy Blume together which is at an independent level for many of my students - easy to understand, so that they could focus on the elements being addressed.  We are now using the iPads to create a story board about the story elements of the story -including the characters, setting, main idea/problem, important events, and conclusion.  The iPad becomes that "hook" to engage students into deliberate thinking about the story.  To complete this assignment students are using the Scan app (free!) to locate pictures that go with the different elements.  I created a page with QR codes for the students to scan that links to an image page for each of the main elements.  This week the students will take the images they selected and place them in the app PhotoWall.  In this app, students can choose background colors, borders, text, etc.  For each image, they will use the text options to create captions about each particular story element.  We will then share our work via the Apple TV.  A concept that in the past I would have assessed through a graphic organizer, writing notebook, or poster project, now becomes an exciting, engaging learning experience infused with technology!

FREE Scan App

Being the beginning of the year we are taking baby steps with iPad integration, and this simple project is just the tip of the iceberg for using iPads to improve reading comprehension!
I can't wait to introduce my students to all the ways we will be using our iPads in our ELA curriculum.
 
In upcoming blogs, I will address using iBooks for novel studies and nonfiction reading - AND as a sneek peek - Did you know your iPad 2 can read to you?  Yep!  If you didn't know, I'll tell you how in my next post . . . have a great week!