Technology Critique
Katherine Wiens EDER 669.50 L02 Language Teaching Methods
Definition of Multimodality
"The study of multimodality involves looking at these components and the ways they communicate meaning, both separately and in combination. Components of multimodal texts often take on new meanings, or connotations, when they interact in a complete text" (section 4.1, Open Learn Lab Space)
Raz-Kids Interactive Reading Program
Teaching Context
Raz-Kids e-books are being used this year with students from grades 1 - 3. For each grade level, one period a week is used to read online at school. The grade 1's read on iPads in the classroom, while the other classes read in the primary library on computers. The purpose is to encourage students to read in English, increase comprehension, build vocabulary, read for enjoyment, and to accomplish their goal of reading 3 -4 books per week. All classes have access to headphones with microphones. Last year, Raz-kids was purchased exclusively for the use of the ELL program from grades 1-6. This year, it is being used school-wide for ELL's plus low readers up to and including high school. The reasoning is that once students go home, most of them speak Mandarin, so we must have them read as much as possible at school. Raz-kids seems to be filling that need, since it is online and can be accessed by students anywhere. The only problem we have encountered is regarding online access in China. Some of our students travel to China for weekends and holidays, at which times online programs are blocked.