Exploring Learning

In today's learning environments, we teach a huge range of diverse learners with greatly differing needs.  Those fortunate to be in 1:1 or BYOD environments can take advantage of the many software apps and extensions, such as personalised  playlists ( Sophia.org ) that exist to act as additional support for those who need it - technological teaching assistants!  One app I have recently been exploring is the  Read&amp ; Write for Google  extension. Read&amp ; Write for Google is a free* Google Chrome Web App that increases accessibility for struggling readers and writers, and can help offer assistance to EAL learners. Read&Write for Google Tool Bar Simply visit the Chrome Store and install, and a tab will appear - on Google Docs - on web sites - it will also work with KES, PDF and ePub files. Full features include text-to-speech, dictionary, fact finder, highlighting, word prediction, and Read Aloud with ...

I have started this year with a commitment to develop literacy through reading and writing. I dedicate the start of every lesson to ten minutes silent reading. Sometimes I listen to the learners read, sometimes I ask them to tell me about their reading. After each session, learners complete a reading log . They summarise or ask questions, predict or write about how they reading made them feel. Sometimes I ask them to talk about their reading with a partner or small group. Sometimes we share reading as a class. We use Edmodo as a learning portal, and I am amazed at the sharing that has been going on about books. My Year 7 class in particular are constantly writing on Edmodo to each other about the books they are reading or making recommendations. I have also set up a Reading Buddy programme. In the first week of the academic year, I asked all my classes to write to me about things they would like to do in English this year. My Year 7s asked to read with primary learners. I appr...