Essay on Issues in Technology Integration Special Populations

Introduction

If technology is to be introduced in the classroom, educational institutions would be last. Various issues accompany integration of technology in the classrooms. Even as institutions are integrating technology, teachers cannot use the same in an effective manner. One of such as institution is that which comprises 8th-grade students in an ELA middle school classroom. The 8th grade represents the year of education in the United States. In most cases, this grade comprises children of 13 and 14 years. The 8th-grade students are usually in their last year of middle school. This is commonly the second or the third year of middle school. ELA middle school is such an instructional setting. ELA offers education to 8th-grade students among other students. The content prone to having issues in technology integration is the English Language. Integration of technology is an important aspect of education, especially for disabled, advanced, and bilingual English language learners.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Just as implemented in the ELA School, videos are a good way of assisting students, even those with disabilities learn more about a certain topic or concept visually. Videos can be used by themselves, as supplements for lessons or activities or focal points of particular lessons. The ELA School offers videos as a complement to the various lessons offered by the school. Even if no videos are available, a new one can be created through the implemented technology. The videos are featured in hundreds, which offer lessons for grammar, reading, and writing, literature, research and study, vocabulary, or a week in rap (Flocabulary, n.d). These videos are implemented in various schedules, which include; in-depth Flocab, Flocab Fridays, Flocab for Intro & Review, and the Flocab Focus on Vocab (Flocabulary, n.d). Some of the components of this resource include the use of vibrations and sound, assisting them in learning the functions of coordinating and correlative conjunctions, determining run-on and fragment sentences among other activities. Students coming from diverse backgrounds are also advantaged with the use of videos. Another technology resource that can be integrated into the classroom is the use of digital books. These can be used by disabled students are those coming from diverse backgrounds. Digital books offer a good supplement for various English topics for students. Even if students are required to flip through the books by themselves or display the same in front of the audience to offer a supplement to the lessons, they can make them engaged. Some of the digital books that may be used include the gallery of DK digital books for English language and the digital book library. Even further, disabled students and those who need special attention can be assisted with more technology. Implementing them in the lessons or activities is a good way to help them learn. Some of the components of technology that can be used in the ELA classroom include communicating with groups online, learning to read, and using assistive technology for students with Mild Disabilities.

Another of the technology resources, which can be used with advanced learners in the ELA classroom, is the implementation of word processing resources. As technology evolves, students continue to learn word processing skills. Since these students can better type with various literature activities, they can be able to learn how to type their assignments. Some of these include word processing project shows, reviewing of spelling, making newsletters, hunting for internet scavengers, creating various templates and various word arts. PowerPoint can also be used as a visual resource with students, whether students are reviewing a lesson or creating various individual projects, they can use some available technological resources to make sure that their projects come out well. These may include power point library, some tricks, and tips, PowerPoint projects, family tree organization charts among other PowerPoint resources. Another technology resource that can be implemented by the students is the use of internet resources. This assists students to be engaged in the various activities while providing them with various options. Some of the essentials in internet resources are the parts of an email message, history of communication, various events, wonders of the world and heroines in English. Online games can also be used as learning resources. Such online games include those with an educative context, which assist students to learn the most important activities that strengthen the brain. The main advantage of implementing games is that most of the students cannot realize that they are learning even as they play the games. Some of them include Sudoku, Poptropica, and Funbrain. Advanced students can play games easily and, as a result, build upon their skillset easily.

Bilingual learners expect top-notch educational tools to boost their engagement in the classroom. One of the resources that these students can use is the Google Classroom. The main advantage of this resource is that it does not choose between non-English and English speakers. Google classroom is critical in assisting students to complete their assignments easily. It can also assist students to implement the various standard applications for projects and tasks, assisting them to learn the skills of technology along with their journey. It can also be seen as a motivation to group students where they can share information, including documents and projects by themselves freely. The CK-12 Foundation is another technology resource useful to bilingual students. CK-12 is one of the best free online educational resources. The CK-12 offers interactive simulations, digital textbooks among other tools in over 50 different languages to assist students in their write-ups. This website can be accessed easily from either simulator including mobile devices. Most of the activities and reading sections for the CK-12 display easily and are readable in almost all new technology devices. CK-12 also offers the online textbook function that makes it easy for teachers to maintain digital versions of a textbook, which students can be able to access at any given time. It can also integrate with the Google classroom where it makes it easy for use with students if they are already familiar with the platform. Another important resource for bilingual students is the Vocabulix. Vocabulix is a simple language technology tool that assists students from diverse backgrounds and with different dialects such as Italian, German and French communicates in a common language such as English. Students can be able to learn various verbs, working of sentences, and sentence structure in three different short sections. This tool is also important as it can be started at any level as long as one is familiar with any of the consisted languages. As soon as these students start using the tool, they can move to more complex language learning that allows them to personalize their assignments in an easier manner. Even as students use the tool it can also be used by teachers to support the simple task and assignments given to the students.

Ranges of educational technologies are being developed most of the times with the aim of benefiting students and create various opportunities for teachers. It is usually a challenge to choose the best resource to use in the classroom. These may be caused by challenges such as adaptability, age, range, skills, and cost. English learners bring in additional factors. Students hailing from different backgrounds should be proficient in English language and should need little of support. One can choose the best resource3 by supporting the acquisition of English language and evaluating specific products related to English learners. The support for English acquisition is determinate of the language skills showcased by students and how the same compare to the native-speaking students. Information regarding the practice of the already gained knowledge is also a component in support for English acquisition. In evaluating the products in that context, one should be able to consider the number of students in the institutions, their needs and the individual benefits that they would receive.

Conclusion

There are various advantages accompanying the choice of educational resources. It is undeniable that students can access various course materials through the use of the resources. Even with giving a benefit to students, parents are also involved in that they can have a complete perception on the most critical information regarding their children, from the events they participate into the results of their examinations. Besides, teachers can also benefit from the same in that they can check the progress of the students and manage the various pedagogical tasks as presented online. Further beyond teachers, a school's board and administrators can make forums up-to-date and automated. They can also present the upcoming events, challenges, and events to the students as a way to see them save a lot of time wasted through communication. As technology grows, there is a benefit regarding various possibilities that can attract, provide simple education and connection between the various people involved in successful learning.

References

Flocabulary. (n.d.). Middle School ELA Guide. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://www.flocabulary.com/planning-middle-school-ela/