Wednesday, November 9, 2011

A SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY

I would like to share with you a very significant discovery that I made with regard to literacy.  I listened to the podcast on the ISTE website, it is Literacy Special Interest Group, by Mark Gura and Susanna Livingston.  This podcast exists because there was a need to establish a site where issues regarding literacy could be addressed while simultaneously looking at the need for the incorporation of technology in the instruction  process.  Susanna Livingston, brings up the fact that literacy exists in many different  fashions, whether it is English literacy, science literacy, or math literacy.  The introduction of literacy to a student is very important.  This is why the membership has gone from 100 members to 1000 members.  The need and purpose is to share ideas.  There is a need to offer research as to what tools are available and how they are used.  Some of these tools are podcasts, webinars, and tutorials.  Susanna Livingston talks about how she teaches her students literacy;  she does such things like an author study after the reading selection.  In addition to that she has even gone as far as to prepare a “Thunder Cake”, from one of the children’s favorite book selection. 
I went ahead and also looked at a hyperlink to Ted Talks which actively shows how a new interactive book has been developed for the I –Pad.  The name of the book is “Our Choice”, and the author is Al Gore.  The makers of the software are Push Pop Press, and it is the first “full feature length” Interactive Book.  The purpose behind Push Pop Press is to bring the technology to the hands of publishers. 
 I listened to the podcast and I was able to hear the guest speaker, author Patricia Polacco, talk.  She is a very respected and famous author of children’s books.  I also went ahead and followed up by going to the website so that I could become more familiar with the featured author.  The underlying message that Ms. Polacco tries to convey to children,  is that differences should be celebrated.  She also emphasizes that there should be respect amongst children when they are looking at the diversity of their backgrounds.  Patricia Polacco was a learning disabled student herself.  She had the help of a school teacher that realized that she had a problem reading and this led to that teacher helping her financially, so that she could receive treatment.  What would have happened if no one would have helped her?  I can see my role as a Speech Pathologist along this line of thinking.  I want my students to feel that they are safe from criticism.  I wouldn’t want my students to feel that they are different or that somehow they are unable to learn.  One concern that Ms. Polacco has, is that students will become too dependent on technological devices, that might lead to them becoming socially isolated.  She speaks up against the use of some of these video games that take time away from children.  She feels that it can be damaging for their social interaction if they become too dependent on these devices.  I know that as a future educator I have my concern about this tendency that now occurs because there is a proliferation of these technological devices.  The role as an educator is to be well informed and to help the child by meeting with the parent and trying to set up a routine that structures the child’s learning in the best way.      
My resource is:
Retrieved: November 8, 2011