Improve Students’ Inference Reading with PowerPoint

Here are a few ways to use PowerPoint type programs to improve students’ inference reading.

* Show students a Flickr or Google picture with the question words next to it. The question of When will probably be an inference question since they will have to figure out the season, the time of day, etc. Do for several pictures until everyone can answer the inference questions for a passage.

* Students write inference questions about a short displayed passage (a paragraph). They can start with using synonyms for the words already in the passage. The boy goes to the store. Where did the youth go?

* Students go up to the Smartboard and circle the critical words in the projected passage question and then circle the corresponding words in the passage.

*Students see two side by side newspaper articles about the same topic. They circle the words that show the author’s bias – red for the left side article and green for the right side article.

How do you improve students’ inference reading with PowerPoint type programs?

© Harry Grover Tuttle, 2007

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Use Teacher Leaders To Maximize Technology Integration

This year I have spent time working in a school district as part of my university duties. I have realized that there are teacher leaders and there are respected teachers. There are teachers who are well respected for what they do in their classes but they have very little influence on other teachers. There are teacher leaders who informally have much much influence in the school. Being an outside to the district, it has been hard to know who is whom.

I worked with many respected teachers but these teachers did not serve as central expansion into their grade level, team, or school. Although they did fantastic technology-based learning projects with their students, the word never got out. Their brilliant learning lights were hidden behind the doors of their classrooms.
I did work with a few teacher leaders. As soon as they found out about a great technology integration application, they would tell others or bring them in to see it. The other teachers would follow the lead of the teacher.

If you are in a school, identify those teacher leaders and concentrate on them. They can become the biggest advocates for integrating technology. They can create meaningful ripples throughout the building. If you have a respected teacher who is also a teacher leader, then help that person’s light to shine brightly throughout the school.

© Harry Grover Tuttle, 2007

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Dependent or Self-Sustaining Technology-Infused Learning

I heard a state education leader talk about a school district that once was considered to be a national model. The district had an abundance of the newest technology in each classroom. Teachers were doing exemplary technology-infused learning. The superintendent left the district and within a few years, the technology emphasis became minimal.

 

 

In a school building, there was a computer lab assistant who created powerful learning experiences using a wide variety of technology. When he left for a teaching position, his replacement taught keyboard and word processing skills. Now very few teachers do technology projects.

 

 

It is good to analyze your building and district for the people who are the leaders in using technology. If a key person left, what would happen to technology use in your building or district?

 

 

Have teachers embedded technology-infused learning activities into their curriculum so that they are self-sustaining and even constantly improving? Or is technology use dependent on people outside the classroom?