Traore, M., & Kyei-Blankson, L. (2011). Using Literature and Multiple Technologies in esl instruction

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  Technology helped motivate ESL learners to develop strategies for successful learning (p. 561)
  
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  Simplified materials designed for ESL learners were used.
  
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  Textbooks have proven to be insufficient; vocabulary didn’t expand much beyond the first 2000 words. (p. 563)
  
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  Can use technologies such as movies and music
  
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  Gives language students the sense of freedom, motivation, and encouragement they need for learning (p. 563)
  
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  Using both audio and visual presentations simultaneously lead to a higher effect
  
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  Visual cues such as facial expression, hand movement, and gestures, which hold their attention, may encourage them to focus on the message at hand. (p 563)
  
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  The use of CD’s promoted collaborative learning while ensuring autonomous learning. (p. 564)
  
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  The use of technology in language classes helps improve the four skill areas recommended for success; listening, speaking, writing, and reading. (p. 564)
  

Annotation 2

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  Lowest initial writing ability that was exposed to Writing Matters did make significant gains over those who were not exposed.
  
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  No significant increases or decreases in essay scores
  
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  Students in Writing Matters did not differ from the comparison students in their writing engagement over time.
  
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  Statistically significant difference in change in writing ability between WM students scoring in the bottom fifth and their counterparts in comparison schools.
  
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  WM at least as good as business as usual approach.
  
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  Ceiling Effect – simply more room to make gains for lower scoring students
  
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  WM was effective in influencing the writing of its target population of struggling students.
  

Annotation 3

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  All aspects been advanced by writing (prewriting, drafting, revision, editing, and publication p. 29)
  
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  Facilitates inquiry-based writing (p. 29)
  
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  More emphasis on student-student relationships (p. 29)
  
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  Makes response, revision, and editing more agreeable (p. 29)
  
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  Teacher able to comment on drafts easier p. 29
  
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  Process encourages revision
  
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  Easier to peer edit/review
  
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  Available to one or many
  

I had a pretty good grasp of what technology was capable of doing for my students. My concern was that it made it too easy for the students to rely on technology to do their work for them. This shows that, while it does make it easier, the technology encourages the students to take more risks with their writing. It also provides a much easier way to edit, revise, and share their work. By allowing my students to use technology in the right way, I will be encouraging them to write more.

I will do my best to use all of the editing tools at my disposal. I didn’t realize that by being able to edit and peer edit as easy as technology allows that the students would be more inclined to take risks with their writing.

Annotation 4
Fearn, L., & Farnan, N. (2001). Interactions: Teaching writing and the language arts. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

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  Less access to computers in low income schools (p. 305)
  
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  More current form of writing (306)
  
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  Spelling and grammar checkers focus writing on content (307)
  
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  Students who used computers for writing tended to revise more, write longer compositions, and produce text that was freer of surface errors related to the convention of writing (308)
  
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  Valuable aid for those with special needs, provides prompts to support reflections and instructions on procedures for writing (309)
  
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  Lack of technical support (321)
  
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  Little or no curricular planning for bringing computers into teaching and learning (321)
  
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  Lack of resources (time, knowledge, experience) seems to be at the heart of problems
  

I never really looked at the use of technology as a more current version of writing. Considering the number of papers and emails I write, it really shouldn’t surprise me. I have seen first-hand in both schools I am in that there is a real lack of support for the computers and the students. Many times the computers aren’t working or are really slow that the students can’t use them. Or there are times that students don’t know how to use software, but this isn’t as big a problem in the older grades.

I feel like I have a real advantage using technology with my background in computer networking. I have already fixed a couple computers in the classes and have knowledge of most of the programs that the students use. I will be able to take all of my prior experiences and knowledge into a classroom and avoid a lot of the issues described in this book. I will be able to create curriculum and instruction that utilizes the software to its fullest potential, as well as be able to explain it to the students.

Annotation 5
McNabb, M. (2005). Raising the bar on technology research in english language arts. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38, 113-119.

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  Teachers have been using technology (computers/word processors) since the 1980’s (p.113)
  
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  The internet has been in use since it was developed (p.114)
  
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  There is an overall lack of research done on the usefulness of technology and writing. (p. 114)
  
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  There has been a synergistic relationship between technology and literacy for at least the past 500 years. (printing press) (p. 114)
  
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  Existing research has not been overwhelmingly in favor of technology being better than pen and paper instruction. (p. 116)
  
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  Most research about technology and literacy has focused on traditional literacy practices (p. 116)
  
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  Many teachers still rely on computer teachers to do their preps and teach their students. (p. 117)
  
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  Wireless Internet and portable computers are shifting access rates with predictably significant increases in the student to networked computer ratio.
  

Annotation 6

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  Since both science and language arts involve interrelated cognitive functions, integrating the two subjects would be an interesting way of teaching in elementary education (p. 41)
  
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  Meaningful science learning experiences can improve language arts skills (p. 41)
  
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  Technology makes it possible to enrich contexts for the integration of science and language arts. (p. 42)
  
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  Technology provides an environment for exploring and analyzing science and language arts in an integrated manner.
  
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  Traditional memory recall and short-answer tests insensitive to contexts may not be suitable for such integrated tasks. (p. 50)
  
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  Teachers should plan for a variety of alternative ways to assess student’s performance in integrated instructional situations (p. 50)
  
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  Student assessment should not be based on mastery of technology use (p. 51)
  

Annotation 7

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  Make the process of writing words and sentences easier and facilitate student’s application of these writing strategies: organizing, revising, proofreading, and formatting. (pg. 53)
  
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  When struggling students use word processing in combination with explicit instruction, the quality of their writing does improve. (pg. 53)
  
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  No significant differences were found between computer-based and paper-based writing scores, but students’ computer experience and keyboarding skill influenced their scores. (pg. 98)
  
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  Many students prefer word processing to handwriting because of greater writing speed, ease of revising and editing, and the professional appearance of printed compositions (pg. 26)
  
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  Positive link between laptop use and the quality of students’ writing found in a study in Maine. (pg. 27)
  
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  Some schools using less expensive portable keyboards (AlphaSmart, Quickpad) in place of computers. These keyboards do not have internet access. (pg. 27)
  
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  Use of webquests, inquiry oriented online projects that enhance learning by scaffolding thinking and involvement in meaningful writing tasks. (pg. 292)
  
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  Cross-curricular with use of search engines, collaborative sites, and webquest. (pg. 292)
  

I have seen better writing skills from students in a 6^th grade social studies classroom when they use writing software than when they don’t. This isn’t true for every student, but as a whole the students do seem to do better when using it. They also seem to enjoy the writing process more when they use technology.

From many of the studies, it seems like the students do better when there is a good support structure for the technology they are using and by having prior knowledge with using it. What I will do is try to stick to a few good programs that I think do well and become as knowledgeable on them as I can. This way I will be able to offer the support that the students need while allowing them to keep using that technology throughout the year and become more familiar with it.

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  More common for individual teachers to focus on digital writing than for whole schools (pg 143)
  
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  Digital writing needs to be organic to the task at hand (pg 144)
  
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  Rush to upgrade schools left teacher-development behind (pg. 117)
  
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  Complex instruction built on a foundation of content-related experience (make own wiki, blog, etc…) (pg. 119)
  
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  Competing notions that the internet has encouraged plagiarism. (pg 78)
  
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  Approach to addressing plagiarism should be anchored by best practices and teaching moments. (pg. 81)
  
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  Teachers need to bring a particular expertise that can help them guide their students (pg. 29)
  
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  Use students as technology coordinators and helpers (pg 33)