Project Co- Participants: The Genesis Center and The APPLE Family Literacy Program- International Institute
1.Problem
Many adult ESOL learners at Genesis and in the APPLE Program are emergent readers. These students struggle to learn to read so they can continue their education, find jobs, and participation in their children's education. However, there are few appropriate reading resources for this population. The computer is a new and appealing teaching tool. The adult students in both programs appear drawn to the computer. Fearlessly, they have learned to execute computer skills and word processing. Could appropriate computer software aid in helping emergent readers learn to read? Through this inquiry project, The Genesis Center and the APPLE Program would evaluate the effectiveness of the Waterford Early Reading Program on emergent readers' adults and children.
2.The Waterford Early Reading Inquiry Collaborative Project has two goals.
The first is to determine the effectiveness of this software for adult emergent readers. The Waterford Early Reading Program represents five years of research and development to produce a teaching tool for the computer. Its mission is to help children who have had little exposure to pre-school reading. It states that it addresses the needs of all students regardless of primary language or beginning level of literacy. Currently, it is used in many schools throughout the country such as Illinois and California. Both the APPLE Program and the Genesis Center have often used materials designed for children in the adult education setting. The collaborative inquiry project at the two sites of the International Institute and the Genesis Center seeks to see how useful is the software design and content for an adult ESOL population.
The second goal of the inquiry project is to evaluate the literacy impact of a shared reading program in which both participants- adult and child are emergent readers.
3.Timeline and Evaluation of the Project
The Waterford Early Reading Collaborative Inquiry Project has a 20-week design. The first two weeks will be dedicated to those following areas: staff orientation of the software program and supportive materials, student recruitment and evaluation of reading using The Whole Language Reading Test by Reader's Press along with a student writing sample.
In the second phase- the next sixteen weeks, students will use the computer program and accompanying home resources.
In the last two weeks of the project, the students' reading and writing skills will be evaluated and compared to their early evaluation. Students will be asked their opinions of the program and if and how it was useful to them and to their children.
4. Sharing Results
At the completion of the Waterford Early Reading Collaborative Inquiry Project colleagues can participate in a hands-on demonstration at the Genesis Computer Laboratory. The results of the project will also be available on the Internet through the web site of Literacy Resources/Rhode Island. In addition, the Waterford Early Reading Inquiry Project will be introduced at the February or April state wide Family Literacy Conference, a collaboration of The Genesis Center, The International Institute, and the Providence Public Library.
Technology and Emergent ESOL Readers
Inquiry Question
The adult ESOL learners in the APPLE Family Literacy Program are emergent
readers. These students struggle to learn to read to be able to continue
their education, find jobs, and participate in their children's education.
However, there are few appropriate reading resources for this population.
The computer is a new and appealing teaching and
learning tool. The adults appear drawn to the computer.
Could appropriate technology aid in helping emergent readers to read?
(By technology, I am referring to computer software, videos, and the Internet.)
Initially, the propose of this inquiry project was to evaluate the Waterford
Early Reading Program as a teaching tool for the emergent readers in the
APPLE Family Literacy program. When the Waterford Early Reading Program
was not available, the inquiry project
changed focusing on other computer software, the Internet and videos
as potential resources for emergent ESOL readers.
Data Collection
- Researched and evaluated computer software (based on large clear graphics, limited text, sound, appropriate subject, ease of interaction)
- Researched and evaluated appropriate web sites (based on large clear graphics, limited advertisements, sound, large text, appropriate subject)
- Researched and evaluated commercially prepared videos for ESOL learners
- Observed student interaction and choice of CD-ROMs during computer lab, in classroom, and at the library. Teacher observational notes recording ease of operation, time on task, student behavior
- Observed student interaction with CD-ROMs during group viewing in the language lab. Teacher observational notes( Same as above)
- Recorded studentsĒ responses to questions about computer software.
What I have found out
1.Recommendations to date
Computer software
Dr. Seuss's CD ROMs "Cat in the Hat", "Green Eggs and Ham", "ABCs"
(interactive videos with sound from the text of books with the same
name)
"Internet Explorer (lotto-type game connecting picture to vocabulary)
"Word" (word processing program)
"Print Shop" (design program)
"Mavis Beacon" (typing tutorial)
"Mouse Tutor"(tutoring program for learning how to use the mouse.)
Not recommended
CORE- Reading and Writing Vocabulary Development. Educational
Activities, Inc.
Recommended web sites
www.exploratorium.com (Museum
of Science, San Francisco, CA)
www.historychannel.com
www.beritsbest.com
www.radomhouse.com/seussville
www.education_world.com/a_curr/curr150.shtml
www.ipl.org/youth/StoryHour/spiders/cover.html
"Dave Sperling's Internet Guide"
Touring the White House
Kids-Elem. Ed.
"Dave Sperling's Pen Pal Guide"
Researched videos not suggested for emergent ESOL readers
TV 411
Crossroads Cafe
USA Album
The videos were long, very wordy, and difficult to follow
2. Teachers must preview all software before sharing it with students.
Knowing how to install, operate, and exit from a program saves class
time and frustration.
3.It was a good idea for two students to share one computer each with a headset. Pairs of students seemed to support each other's learning and increase the interaction with the software program.
4.Give students the opportunity to view the same CD-ROM many times.
Students need time to learn how to use the multiple interactive opportunities
embedded in the graphics.
5.Giving students a choice of which CD ROMs to use, allows them to select one that is most appropriate for their reading level or one that meets their own goals.
- The "ABC" CD-ROM was most selected by one student who hasn't mastered the ABCs.
- A student with arthritics seemed to like using " Mavis Beacon Typing" to gain flexibility in her fingers.
- Another student chose Mavis Beacon Typing because she wanted to learn to type.
- Other students preferred "Word" over CD-ROMs to compose in their native language.
- Students reported that the CD-ROMĒs helps them to read. They said that they "like them". "It's fun." "It show me how to read."
6. CD-ROMs of the Dr. Seuss stories have been very popular with students.
Each of the programs included sound effects, a voice reading the text,
and engaging interactive graphics. When students heard the voice
reading the text, they spontaneously repeated the text. Using software
without text speakers, the students did not repeat the text
aloud. Books, videos and board games are also available with these
titles for at home use.
7.It was difficult to find appropriate Internet sites. Most had too much text, text was too small, small graphics, no sound and lots of ads. Sites changed frequently. When I finally got to a site, I often found it either under construction or longer available.
8. Students reported that they liked using the computers in the language lab when the class was able to view and read the text together.
9.Students reported that they liked using the computers in the library.
During these visits, there was more directed instruction everyone used
the same program at the same time.
10. Computers in the classroom.
So far it has been difficult for me to integrate computers in the classroom
instruction. I have tried to use a calendar and to rotate the use
of the computer with the students during class. However, students
become so absorbed in class work that they forget to take advantage of
the computer.
12.Computer software does provide engaging opportunities for emergent
ESOL readers to participate in reading activities. Using the computers
in the public library (once a week), the computer lab (once a week) and
the language lab (0nce a week) has increased the students use of the
computer and the reading software. Does increased use of the
software translate into improved reading achievement? This question
is difficult to answer. Students were pre tested using the Whole
Reading Inventory and will be post tested at the end of the year.
However, it will be difficult to evaluate the affect of the computer on
reading achievement as the inquiry project began in January and because
there is no control group with which to compare the two groups.
13.The public library offers a good opportunity for classes to use the computer if computers are not available at a teaching site or in a classroom.
What next?
Continue exploring computer software. For example the class will design flyers for a class fundraiser using " Print Shop".
- Introducing the Internet to the class. The class now has a computer
with the possibility of Internet access. If this becomes a reality,
the class will first have experience using the Internet in the context
of the structure of the class. For example, instead of using the
newspaper for weekly temperature graphing, the class will refer to www.oso.com
or
www.weather.com. Getting
e-mail addresses and pen pals would follow.
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