6 Easy Ways to Assess Pre-Reading Skills in the ECE Classroom

As every educator knows, early childhood education (ECE) is a crucial period for developing the foundations of reading and literacy. By fostering a strong pre-reading foundation in these early years, children will be better equipped for success throughout their academic journey. Here are six easy ways to assess pre-reading skills in the ECE classroom:

1. Rhyme Recognition: Enhancing a child’s understanding of rhyming words and sounds can help them begin to recognize patterns in language. To assess rhyme recognition, present the students with pairs of words – some that rhyme and some that do not. Ask them to identify which words rhyme and if they can, provide additional rhyming words on their own.

2. Letter and Sound Identification: Familiarity with letter names and sounds is fundamental for reading development. Using flashcards or letter tiles, ask students to name or provide the sound of each letter. Keep track of their progress so you can support those who might be struggling or require extra practice.

3. Print Awareness: Understanding how books and print work is an important aspect of pre-reading. Encourage students to interact with books by asking them questions like, “What is the title?”, “Where is the front cover?”, or “What direction do we read in?”. Observing students during storytime can also give insight into their print awareness.

4. Phonemic Awareness: The ability to manipulate and identify individual sounds within words is essential for reading readiness. Assess phonemic awareness by asking students to identify the first or last sound in a given word. Alternatively, have them segment a simple word (e.g., cat) into its individual sounds (c-a-t).

5. Sight Word Recognition: Familiarity with common sight words can foster reading fluency in later years. Therefore, testing students’ proficiency with sight words can be a helpful assessment tool. Provide a list of age-appropriate sight words for students to recognize and read aloud.

6. Storytelling and Comprehension: Listening and comprehension skills are crucial for reading success. Engage students in storytime activities where they can listen to stories, and then ask questions about the story’s plot, characters, or setting to gauge their comprehension. Also, encourage them to create their own stories to assess their grasp of narrative structure.

Utilizing these six methods will provide a well-rounded view of a student’s pre-reading abilities and help shape effective, tailored instruction in the ECE classroom. Remember that early intervention is key; by addressing any challenges or areas for growth in pre-reading skills, you will set your students on the path to a successful reading journey.

Media Literacy: Everything You Need to Know

The NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education) defines Literacy Education as the capacity to explore, utilize different communication methods. Media literacy is inclusive of actions as subtle as the interpretation of emojis, to being able to grasp the baseline messages passed across in online commercials, creating viral videos, and understanding native advertising. While it appears as though everyone who can access the internet should be able to apply these practical media literacy skills pragmatically, this is not true.

Interestingly, a good number of media users are oblivious to how much their actions online can impact others, and aren’t even aware of how susceptible they are to manipulation by the media. This makes it important to teach kids media literacy, which has become an indispensable skill in today’s digital age.

Though media literacy is a bit complicated to teach and learn, kids can benefit from it in different ways, as follows:

·         Learn critical thinking: As kids examine media, they’ll learn to decide if the messages add up, why particular information was included, why something else wasn’t, and what the key messages or ideas are. This’ll help them decide about the information using their previous knowledge and even support or disapprove of such information by drawing upon their past knowledge and experiences.

·         Become a smart consumer: Whether it’s a product, service, or information, media-literate kids will be able to decide if it’s credible or not. Media literacy will also help them spot persuasive intent in content that modern advertisers typically promote to sell their offerings. This will help the kids resist such marketing gimmicks and techniques and not fall prey to them easily.

·         Recognize the content creator’s point of view. Every content creator has a viewpoint. Media literacy helps kids identify an author’s approach and goal, thus making them understand and even appreciate diverse perspectives. It’ll also let them put information with respect to what they already know or believe they know.

·         Learn to be effective communicators: Digital literacy triggers exposure to different types of content and points of view. This helps kids understand the importance of effective communication, become aware of their own point of view, and learn how they can say what they want to say.

·         Identify media’s role in culture: From memes and magazine covers to celebrity gossip, sports, festivals, and politics, media brings almost everything within the kids’ grasp. This molds their understanding of the world and even influences them to think or act in certain ways.

16 Ways to Teach Students to Embrace Tasks and Learning Experiences

Are you looking for ways to teach students to embrace tasks and learning experiences? If so, keep reading.

1. Show the learner that work not done during work time must be done during other times (e.g., leisure time, break time, after school, etc.).

2. Give the learner a responsibility to be performed at several times throughout the day.

3. Show tasks and duties in the most attractive and exciting manner possible.

4. Talk regularly with the learner to maintain their involvement in tasks, duties, etc.

5. Make the appropriate adjustments in their surroundings to prevent the learner from experiencing stress, frustration, anger, etc., as much as possible.

6. Let the learner attempt something new in private before doing so in front of others.

7. Find variables in their surroundings that cause the learner to avoid situations, tasks, or duties; lessen or remove these variables from their surroundings.

8. Diversify the learner’s tasks and duties so the learner does not get tired of doing the same things.

9. Restrict the number of tasks and duties for which the learner is responsible. As the learner shows the capacity and ability to finish duties on time, slowly increase the number of tasks and duties.

10. Make sure the learner has all the appropriate learning materials to get tasks and duties done on time.

11. Do not accept excuses. The learner must know that, regardless of the reasons, it is appropriate that they take responsibility for not turning in a task, losing pencils, etc.

12. Take into account those things the learner may be trying to avoid. If something unpleasant is causing the learner to pretend to be sick, do all you can to eliminate or lessen the cause.

13. Provide the learner a special job for tasks (e.g., collecting math papers, passing out learning materials, sharpening pencils, etc.) to do when the learner finishes their work.

14. Provide instructions in a compassionate rather than menacing manner (e.g., “Please turn in your math paper.” rather than, “You had better turn in your math paper or else!”).

15. Sit down with the learner and discuss a list of tasks, duties, etc., that they need to do.

16. Consider using one of the apps and tools from our many app lists. These apps are designed to help students who are experiencing academic difficulties.


28 of the Best Apps for Kids in Kindergarten

28 of the Best Apps for Kids in the First Grade

39 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Second Grade

53 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Third Grade

37 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Fourth Grade

25 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Fifth Grade

28 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Sixth Grade

35 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Seventh Grade

28 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Eight Grade

27 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Ninth Grade

33 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Tenth Grade

20 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Eleventh Grade

14 of the Best Apps for Kids in the Twelfth Grade

How to Overcome the Top 8 BYOD Concerns

It’s natural for parents and educators to be concerned about learners bringing their own devices to school, especially younger grades. With social media taking over the minds of the general public, people have become more and more addicted to their computer devices. 

Let’s look at common concerns regarding the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) concept and how they can be overcome. 

1. Learners won’t focus on their learning experiences

This is probably the most common concern that educators and parents face when it comes to the BYOD concept. Many learners have access to a smartphone from a young age, and it is said that giving your kid a phone is equivalent to giving them crack cocaine. 

This concern can be overcome by establishing and communicating clear BYOD expectations and rules. While you work with your school district to include BYOD, you must also work with the IT department to ensure learners understand why they bring their devices to school. 

2. Not all learners have a computer device 

Though 73% of teenagers own a smartphone, there’s still 27% that don’t. It helps to have a set number of devices in the classroom that can be used by the learners who don’t have access to their own devices. 

3. Learners will be able to cheat

Although learners can cheat using a device connected to the internet, bringing a device to school does not guarantee this. As an educator, you can gather all of the devices and place them in a basket until they need to be used, or you can have the learners place their devices on their table during an assessment. 

4. Many parents can’t afford computer devices for their children

This is a difficult issue to reconcile because the unfortunate truth of the world is that several families can’t afford these types of devices. If your school district is on board with BYOD, you should encourage them to develop a “BYOD fund” to help parents purchase computer devices. You can also suggest some alternative, economical computer devices that parents can more easily afford.

5. BYOD puts learner health at risk

There are one or two health risks that come with mobile technologies, like smartphone pinky or text neck. Although this is true, the use of smartphones and devices in the class should not come without its limitations – no educator should let the eyes of their students be glued to the screen for too long. 

6. BYOD requires world-class tech support

The top way to prevent any misunderstanding is to ensure that the IT support team only works on appropriate issues. In the BYOD policy, openly state what the tech support team is and is not accountable for. 

7. Network may overload

Most schools, unfortunately, do not have strong wireless networks. Those that do were designed mainly for the use of educators. The solution? Invest in an IT team that will be able to design a stable network. 

8. Some educators are opposed to BYOD

In the same way that educators teach learners, the school should teach educators how beneficial BYOD can be to them and their learners. There are several training programs out there that can give them the education and motivation they need. 

Conclusion

It is natural to be concerned about BYOD initiatives, but they are issues that can be resolved with the right approaches. 

Why Cash-Strapped School Districts Use Open Educational Resources

Open Educational Resources are educational content that is available online without any copyright restriction. These are influential learning tools for every learner, but perhaps most especially for those learners in cash-strapped school districts. Here’s why:

First, the expense of traditional printed textbooks means that underfunded school districts cannot replace them frequently. It is difficult for educators to teach their learners when the last two or three presidential administrations are not included in the learner’s textbook. The rapid advance of tech makes this problem even worse, and learners have a hard time taking content seriously if it shows people talking on phones with cords or using computers with monitors the size of minifridges. The great benefit of open educational resources is that it makes it possible for content to be updated and for schools to use the updated versions instantly for free.

Second, there is a level of personalization possible with open educational resources that is not imaginable with traditional resources. One of the main purveyors of open educational resources is CK12. Their modular materials make it possible for learners to be given precisely the materials that they need. Educators can select reading materials that cover the same topic at a higher or lower complexity, depending on the learner’s needs. 

They can select reteaching and remediation materials based precisely on the learning deficits of each learner. They can also permit learners to select topics of their choice to study from a wide array of options. And, the variety of materials—from written narratives to videos to interactives to practice questions—ensure that learners can select materials that are the best match for their specific learning needs. This is not possible with a traditional textbook.

Third, open educational resources make it possible for learners to be exposed to a wider variety of viewpoints. A traditional textbook speaks with one authoritative voice. But open educational resources enable educators to, for example, find primary sources who present multiple sides of an issue or controversy and enable learners to analyze and assess these themselves. This type of thinking is important for today’s learners, and open educational resources make it possible. 

Recent research on open educational resources shows evidence of improved learning outcomes: learners have higher retention rates and higher grades when provided with open educational resources materials than learners who did not have access to open educational resources. Open educational resources can supplement, enhance, or even replace traditional instructional materials and benefit learners in various ways.

Rules for Young Kids Using Tech

For most young learners being online is a natural state. With 95% of learners between the ages of 8-11 using the internet almost weekly, there is no doubt that their understanding of the web is growing. Not only are young kids using the web, but they are exploring it, learning through it, and using it more than ever. Education technology is being marketed at kids as young as two. Parents and educators must understand how best to use education technology and the concerns that come with it. All parties involved in early education and education technology can start by laying down some guidelines.

Behind the Screen

Although tech can bring great educational benefits, young kids cannot be placed behind a screen all day. Prolonged exposure to a screen may do more harm than good. On average, kids typically sit behind a screen for 5-7 hours, including entertainment time. Education technology in the classroom would increase this exposure.

Therefore, young learners must have a balance between screen time and unplugged time. Educators need to understand that young kids should not be placed behind a screen for hours on end. They can reap the cognitive benefits of education technology but need to also benefit from interacting face to face with peers exploring the world around them, and using things they learned from education technology in their everyday lives.

The Right Tech at the Right Time

Young kids are drawn to bright and interactive education technology. Although this is great for advertisers, it should not be the sole reason a kid sits down with an educational product. Young learners should be using education technology to fulfill a learning outcome, to complete a task, and not because the education app or tool offers pretty pictures. Developmentally, young kids move fast, and educators and parents must make the right education technology choices at the right time. 

Cybersecurity

Kids understand the fun and learning that comes along with tech but not always the responsibility and risks. Education technology needs to function on a device that is secure for young learners. Educators should start teaching kids about cybersecurity and make sure that learners learn to report issues with the tech device, content, and any other tech-related problems. 

Removing Interruptions

Young learners are easily distracted, and with a myriad of learning apps and games on a single device, education technology may not be their priority. This can be remedied using apps that block access as well as parental lock functions. Education technology needs to exist as an educational tool, not as a game that can be clicked in and out. Although education technology can be fun, it needs to command their attention for longer periods to be effective.

So, although education technology improves learners’ access to education, educators and parents need to be aware of how it can be used with young learners. By implementing a few guidelines, young learners can engage with education technology to prepare them for the future of education, giving them opportunities to live unplugged lives.

How Education Technology is Transforming K-12 Athletics

Physical education educators have their work cut out for them. They deal with a variety of issues, from lack of interest to body issues. As a result, most educators turn to educational tech to improve physical education classes and entire K-12 athletic programs. The following is a list of tools that are proving to be transformational at all levels of athletics. 

1. Using fitness trackersFitness trackers, such as pedometers and health monitors, helps keep learners actively involved in their health and fitness. Through these inexpensive devices, learners can track steps and monitor their progress, empowering them to stay be aware of the implications of their health choices. 

2. Video servicesA considerable benefit of videos is that most can be found free online, offering educators and coaches a range of easy-to-access resources. If you want to teach something, it can be found on YouTube. These are often tailored to specific age groups, enabling ultimate modification and adaptation of instruction. 

3. GamesGames are the future wave of physical education and athletics, enabling trainers to teach through fun activities. These can be used as an entire class or independently and enable more introverted and less motivated learners to interact with athletics with their peers. 

4. OutreachEducational tech enables greater innovation and classroom modifications at the school-wide level and provides an excellent networking opportunity between schools. By sharing platforms such as Google Docs or Google Sheets, or other interactive software, coaches can share game schedules, strategies, and other tools. Some schools are even using tech as they prepare to send learners on to the next level. Most are utilizing virtual reality to help learner-athletes see what it will be like to play on a college athletic field. 

As education tech continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly continue to impact all aspects of the school day. Education tech isn’t just about classroom learning. It’s about training all learners to be active members of the digital world even as they are working to stay healthy and fit.  

Do Your Classes Allow for Tech Integration?

Whether you place it in your instruction or not, the learners in your classes are using tech. But, their access is not always school-related.

You can change that if you’re willing to require that learners use tech as part of their learning experience. The first step to authentic tech integration in any classroom is differentiating how learners use tech. Would you rather that your learners be entertained or be accountable?

Screen Time is Not Engagement

Today’s teens spend nine hours online daily. These sixty-some hours a week are not as productive as they seem. Most of the time it is spent gaming and interacting via social networks. Limiting the time learners engage in using tech isn’t the answer. We should be increasing the time our kids spend using purposeful tech.

Parents love seeing their kids meet milestones in development. So do educators. Just as there are milestones for crawling and dressing, there are milestones for integrating tech purposefully.

I recommend some of the following skills for each age:

·      Toddlers: Engage in video conference calls, and learn basic mobile device control techniques.

·      Preschoolers: Tell stories using stop-motion video tech, write and collaborate digitally with other kids, and make performances by using video features.

·      Elementary age learners: Learn how to code, interact with simple apps, read ebooks, design products using 3D printers.

·      Middle school learners:  Engage in online research, develop presentations, make digital content for various purposes, make calendars, and use simple spreadsheet formulas.

·      High school learners: Use a variety of tech tools that enhance their work, including apps, software, digital models

At every age, learners must demonstrate responsible digital citizenship skills. As the learners meet more milestones, their familiarity with tech will grow as well. So will their confidence. As a result, our learners will be better prepared for a future that is already here.

Tech Integration in Higher Ed

Unfortunately, most professors avoid requiring the use of tech in higher education. Why do so many college courses leave out tech integration? There’s a fear among some professors that tech integration will take up too much time. Others feel uncomfortable requiring that their learners use tools they themselves have not learned to use.

Even if our learners have grown up with tech, we must encourage them to integrate it into their advanced studies. To do anything less cheats our learners out of a tech-rich future that is sure to leave them behind.

College learners benefit from having balance in their lives. However, we do our learners a huge disservice if we do not challenge their use of tech and get them to incorporate it into their college assignments.

Guidelines for Young Children Using Education Technology

Tech is ever pervasive in kids’ lives. They watch videos, play video games, and spend their days on tablets and phones at home. Tech is even becoming prevalent in the education of kids. However, the younger the child, the less screen time they should have. There is also the danger of cyberbullying and online predators. With as much fun and help tech can be in the classroom, educators and administrators must be careful and selective in the educational tech choices for young learners. 

Consider these four key steps when evaluating and deciding on a specific educational tech:

  • Establish learning goals for the kids.
  • Find the hardware or devices you would like to have.
  • Examine features and content of the software/program for meeting learning goals.
  • Plan how the educational tech will be integrated into the curriculum.

When considering the breadth and scope of tech to use in younger grades, focus on these guiding tips.

Tech, when used appropriately, can be a tool for learning.

Consider these questions: Does the tech help kids learn, engage, express, imagine or explore? Does it supplement learning and not replace learning? Will it help individual learners with their own growth and development? Is it following state educational standards, or is it being used for free time? Is the tech age-appropriate?

Tech is only useful if it responds well to the ages and developmental levels of the kids and is a smart fit for their individual needs, interests, and social and cultural contexts. Are they being actively engaged with the tech? The DOE and the DHHS jointly defined “active use of tech,” referring to what happens in the kid’s mind. Are they gaining insights, making associations, or creating their own content and materials? These are important questions to ponder since much of the tech aimed at preschoolers and toddlers doesn’t have this proven research behind it.

One thing to remember about the proper use of educational tech, especially for younger learners, is the need to keep them safe and secure. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) protects kids under 13 by requiring certain apps or websites to necessitate verifiable parental consent. Schools must remember that any info collected from a kid, such as photos or voice recordings, must be protected with security measures. Parents must provide consent to sign learners up for online learning programs at school. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) also helps protect kids’ privacy online when technology is used at school.

Tech should be used to increase access to learning opportunities for all kids.

Is there tech for learners to use if they don’t have the resources at home? Are you utilizing tech to take advantage of virtual field trips when physical field trips aren’t part of the school budget? Does the tech encourage global learning and engaging in different cultures? How does the tech support STEAM and early learning?

As mentioned before, tech shouldn’t replace learning; it should expand learning. If there isn’t a purpose to the tech, or some learners can’t access it, it isn’t a good choice.

Tech may be used to strengthen relationships among parents, families, early educators, and young kids.

Does the tech encourage communication between staff and parents of the learners? Can parents access the tech being used in the classroom? Does the tech help parents become more involved in the school?

Try to include the learners’ families with the tech that you use in the classroom. Make sure you are transparent about what tech is used in your classroom. Is there a version that they can download or use at home to continue the learning process? 

Tech is more effective for learning when adults and peers interact or co-view with young kids.

Are learners left alone with the tech, or are they guided by an adult? Does the tech encourage social learning and skills? Are parents or educators encouraging active use of more passive tech? Are parents or educators discussing the content or goals for using the tech before learners use it? Do parents or educators view the content with learners and interact at the moment? After using the tech, do educators or parents engage the kids in a de-briefing or extended learning activity?

Tech use for younger learners is great—it encourages the inclusion of STEAM, mastering skills needed in later education, and making new learning opportunities. Just remember that tech is best used in younger classrooms when co-viewed and engaged with an adult. But, don’t forget that physical activity and unstructured play are important for younger learners too. 

AI Curriculum for K-12 Classrooms

Don’t assume it will be decades before you need to worry about AI in the curriculum you teach. AI has already seeped into every facet of our daily lives. It’s been permeating the fabric of our world. We rely on smart surveillance, smart vehicles, and smartphones to get us through our days. Why wouldn’t we also use a smart curriculum?

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that AI already plays a role in most classrooms. Schools have been redesigning how learners learn by embedding the first phase of AI into the grades K-12 curriculum. 

What is AI?

AI isn’t as dystopian as it might sound. There are two kinds of AI. The one we use currently is known as narrow AI. This level of AI includes spell check and autocorrect, gathering and sorting data, and curating info such as collections of lessons or curated ideas for classroom activities.

The second kind, general AI, will be the next level of machine learning. Scientists predict that AI will eventually develop the interpretive skills educators use to build, analyze, and evaluate their classroom curriculum.

3 Ways to Include AI in the Curriculum 

University of British Columbia professor of computer science, Tara Chlovski, makes AI accessible for all learners, regardless of background or socioeconomic status. Her non-profit organization concerns itself by giving all kids access to robotics and artificial intelligence concepts by teaching what artificial intelligence is and how to use it. The first step, however, lies in developing a curiosity for knowledge.

AI in the curriculum appears in the following ways:

Coding

Teaching coding is considered the first step in teaching learners about AI. Even young kids can learn coding basics thanks to programs like MIT’s Scratch. By beginning the coding experience in Scratch, learners will be more ready to learn advanced coding skills required by Java or Python.

Hands-on projects

Like any learning, AI is best learned hands-on, and one machine learning site has many lessons for projects that show learners how AI is used in the real world. Learners can manipulate language, make a virtual pet, or analyze info.

Complete immersion

School districts like those in the Pennsylvania Montour School District have required AI in the grades 5-8 curriculum, and they are extended the initiative in other grades as well. Educators have embedded AI in STEAM courses, and other subjects like Music, Computer Science and Media Arts also include artificial intelligence in their curricula. Additionally, the district requires their learners to take a stand-alone artificial intelligence ethics course that teaches learners design and values.

The inclusion of AI in curricula forces us to re-examine what we teach and how we teach it. Narrow artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a part of the PK-12 curriculum. This is just the beginning of what’s possible in AI.