rev. dr. rachel terlop
Instructional Models
Whole Group
Technology use during whole group instruction can be used to leverage student voice or participation, as well as make the experience more personal and accessible to all students.
In this video, a student is reading his poem aloud to the rest of the class. The amplifier gives the students voice resonance in the classroom's physical space, and ensures that student voice is uniform volume throughout the room. It also provides support for the student to feel heard during a vulnerable time of sharing. Using a microphone or amplifier allows students with, and without, hearing impairments to access the content. In this clip, the SmartBoard technology is being leveraged to create a peaceful and intimate atmosphere, for the whole group, during the reading.
Small Group
Technology in a small group setting can be used to allow students another entry point to the content, or be leveraged to highlight contributions.
In this video, students are at the guided reading table working on encoding and decoding CVC (consonant vowel consonant) words. The technology used in this instance is a xylophone! In the district's phonics program, consonants are presented in the color yellow, and vowels are presented in red. To create consistency, I labeled the xylophone with yellow tape for consonants, and red tape for vowels. Creating the labels for the xylophone allowed me to hone in on a few key vowels, consonants, and digraphs. The act of playing the CVC words, as opposed to writing or orally spelling, allows students another entry point to showcase their learning and abilities.