Using ICT to Enhance Literacy: Project Overview
How, and to what extent, can teachers use Churchill students’ skills with, and access to, information and communication technologies (ICT) to address lags in the English literacy skills required for success in high school and post-secondary education?
This is an inquiry project I conducted as a University of Lethbridge student during my PSIII teaching practicum at Sir Winston Churchill High School in Calgary from September to December, 2014. I taught English 10-1 and English 20-2. Both classes contained a number of ESL-coded students and international students who struggled with various aspects of the courses, and I was interested in knowing how I could better address their needs and what role ICT might play in supplementing and/or informing my instruction.
The population of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Alberta schools continues to rise, and ELLs are to be included in mainstream classrooms whenever possible. It's our responsibility as teachers to make all students feel welcome, to demonstrate empathy and understanding, and to accommodate our instruction and assessment as best we can. To increase teachers' understanding, the project provides background information on ELL students at Churchill in particular, what is meant by English proficiency and literacy, and what practices Alberta Education has in place. Additionally, many students wish to continue their studies at the post-secondary level. While it is not a teacher's formal responsibility to prepare students for university, many feel an ethical responsibility to assist in this preparation. As such, the project examines what kinds of literacy skills students would need to be successful in university, and what resources Churchill has in place to help students excel.
Increasingly, students are using ICT to connect with one another and to explore and construct their world. I consider ICT to be any medium that enhances speech, listening, reading, and/or writing, especially through online solutions. Teachers are expected to integrate ICT outcomes into their teaching irrespective of subject area, and many of us already use it (to varying degrees) in our classrooms. This project provides advice regarding how best to use ICT to enhance English literacy. I also share my experience of technology integration in my classroom this semester. Finally, in the spirit of online collaboration, I invite interested colleagues to join the discussion about these issues, to share insights and resources, and to continue to improve our classroom practice.
This is an inquiry project I conducted as a University of Lethbridge student during my PSIII teaching practicum at Sir Winston Churchill High School in Calgary from September to December, 2014. I taught English 10-1 and English 20-2. Both classes contained a number of ESL-coded students and international students who struggled with various aspects of the courses, and I was interested in knowing how I could better address their needs and what role ICT might play in supplementing and/or informing my instruction.
The population of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Alberta schools continues to rise, and ELLs are to be included in mainstream classrooms whenever possible. It's our responsibility as teachers to make all students feel welcome, to demonstrate empathy and understanding, and to accommodate our instruction and assessment as best we can. To increase teachers' understanding, the project provides background information on ELL students at Churchill in particular, what is meant by English proficiency and literacy, and what practices Alberta Education has in place. Additionally, many students wish to continue their studies at the post-secondary level. While it is not a teacher's formal responsibility to prepare students for university, many feel an ethical responsibility to assist in this preparation. As such, the project examines what kinds of literacy skills students would need to be successful in university, and what resources Churchill has in place to help students excel.
Increasingly, students are using ICT to connect with one another and to explore and construct their world. I consider ICT to be any medium that enhances speech, listening, reading, and/or writing, especially through online solutions. Teachers are expected to integrate ICT outcomes into their teaching irrespective of subject area, and many of us already use it (to varying degrees) in our classrooms. This project provides advice regarding how best to use ICT to enhance English literacy. I also share my experience of technology integration in my classroom this semester. Finally, in the spirit of online collaboration, I invite interested colleagues to join the discussion about these issues, to share insights and resources, and to continue to improve our classroom practice.