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S4.4 Using Technology

While the research about using technology to support spelling development continues to expand, early findings suggest that one important benefit of technology is an increase in student motivation and engagement. While all students can benefit from a higher level of engagement, the special needs of some students is worth exploring further.

Technology and Young Students  icon-reading.png

Read "Technology and Teaching Students to ReadView in a new window," and focus on the best practices of how technology can best support and enhance phonics instruction.

Next, read "The Issues: The Internet and the Early Childhood ClassroomView in a new window" from PBS Teachers. This article provides valuable information on how to integrate technology into the early childhood classroom and tips for evaluating websites.

As you read both articles, think about the different technology and software that your school has available to support your phonics and spelling instruction. Think about how you could use your school software and online games from PBS to conduct informal student assessments.

Apps for Supporting Phonics and Spelling Instruction with Struggling Students

When used for literacy instruction, iPads can provide stimulating opportunities for beginning and transitional readers. There are hundreds of spelling apps and finding the right one can be daunting. Dr. Elaine Cheesman, who writes for the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and is an associate professor with tenure at the University of Colorado College of Education, identified the following exceptional apps for supporting phonics and spelling. Here are a few of her selections and reviews:

Spelling City (Links to an external site.)
by SpellingCity

"This app features seven activities to reinforce spelling, vocabulary, and alphabetizing skills. The sample lists include homophones and content-based words (e.g., colors, beach, space). However, one can easily create custom lists to practice any spelling pattern using a personal account on the free, accompanying website. Words to spell are dictated using a natural human voice, and words are all put into the context of a sentence. Personal lists also feature a choice of appropriate sentences to include in the activities! An added bonus is that any word list can be easily printed in manuscript or cursive on "lined” paper, combining spelling and handwriting practice." Elaine Cheesman, Ph.D.

Starfall Learn to Read (Links to an external site.)
By Starfall Education

"The app mirrors the decoding and spelling activities in Starfall.com. It includes making words from common rimes (e.g., at in cat, ake in cake), sorting one-syllable words by syllable type, games for matching words and pictures, decodable stories, and engaging cartoon videos explain phoneme-grapheme correspondences. The speech is a child's voice, with excellent and accurate pronunciation. ” Elaine Cheesman, Ph.D.

Word Wizard - Talking Movable Alphabet & Spelling Tests for Kids (Links to an external site.)
By L'Escapadou

"This app is appropriate for both spelling practice and teacher-directed small groups or for independent practice using pre-set lists of words: CVC words, high frequency words, and common content words (numbers, colors). Settings are easily changed to suit the purpose of the activity: for example, when touching each letter, a human voice speaks either the sound (good for single letter-sounds) or name of the letter (appropriate for digraphs). A unique feature is that "naughty" words are transformed instantly to "oops." Elaine Cheesman, Ph.D.

Abc PocketPhonics: letter sounds & writing + first words (Links to an external site.)
By Apps in My Pocket Ltd

"This app provides individualized spelling instruction in a carefully sequenced progression of consonant and vowel sounds, starting with single letters and progressing to consonant and vowel digraphs. A human voice pronounces the phonemes (e.g., /kw/) and then prompts the player to trace the grapheme (e.g. qu) that represents the sound. After reading and writing isolated phoneme-grapheme associations, the player uses known graphemes to spell words, sound-by-sound (e.g., quit). The correct response rewards the player with a comical illustration of the word's meaning. The app includes digraph ng, unvoiced th (with) and voiced th (then), a rare and welcome feature in phonics apps! However the app could be improved with a more animated and less monotone voice.” Elaine Cheesman, Ph.D.

Optional Resources:

Planning for Instruction Using Spelling Features icon-reading.png icon-paper.png

Now let's pull it all together. 

Assignment: Spelling Feature Analysis and Instructional Plan
In this assignment, you will analyze the results of a student’s spelling. See the assessment rubric before you begin.

Return to your copy of Word Their Way (2016) to review Figure to 2.5 "Examples of Students' Spelling in September" (pp. 34). In the Sample Practice activity you did previously in this session, you practiced identifying the developmental stage of these students and a place where you would begin instruction for each. Now, choose one of these students (Jean, Reba or Allen) and plan one instructional activity to address the student’s needs at this point in time. In preparing your response, answer the following questions:

  1. What features are the strongest?
  2. What features are the weakest?
  3. Provide a rationale for the point where you would you begin instruction.

Next, create an outline of an instructional plan for the student by answering the following question:

  1. What are some spelling and phonics instructional goals you have for the student you chose and what are your objectives?

In your outline, make sure you connect your instructional ideas to the assessment information you have for the student with instruction strategies you have learned in this course to support your instructional recommendations. Upload your work for your facilitator to grade.

Informal Assessments with Interactive Games  icon-interactive.png

In this session, you thought about informed observation as a technique, explored Spelling Features Assessment tools and continued to read about how such information can help to inform instruction. You used actual assessment results to inform future instruction. Take a moment to explore the following interactive games from PBS. These games are designed to develop students' phonics development and spelling skills. As you explore each game, think about how you would implement it with your students.

Puppy Letters (Links to an external site.)
In this game from Clifford, students develop early reading skills and spelling as they fill in a word to complete a sentence.

Golden Crown Spelling Bee (Links to an external site.)
In this game from Super WHY! students practice sounding out and spelling words. Students are told a word that they need to spell based on the sounds that the different letters make.

Dog's Letter Pit (Links to an external site.)
In this game from WordWorld, students practice letter-sound associations and phonemic awareness by helping Dog find letters that match sounds and spell words.

Sources

Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Johnston, F., & Templeton, S. (2016). Getting started: The assessment of orthographic knowledge (Chapter 2). In Words their way: Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction (6th ed.).Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

Grace, C. (2001). The issues: The internet and the early childhood classroom. Retrieved September 6, 2008.

Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology Consortium (NEIRTEC) (2004). Technology and the building blocks for teaching students to read. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://www.neirtec.org/reading_report. Used with permission.

Northrup, L. & Kileen, E. (2013). A framework for using iPads for building early literacy skills. The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 531-537.

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