Assistive Technology

Contrast Settings

This tool allows an individual to adjust contrast of color settings and to make outlines more defined and easier to see. These tools would be very helpful to students with visual impairments.

On-Screen Keyboard

This tool causes a keyboard to appear on the screen that can be used with a mouse or joystick. This technology could help students that have visusal impairments or those who are unable to use the keyboard for some reason.

Narrator Tool

This tool can be used to have a narrator read any of the text on the screen. This tool could help any students with vision impairments that may not be able to read the small text on the screen.

W200 Stations

Part I
-Station 2: Measuring Ourselves- Height and Foot Size in InspireData
- Group Members: Katie, Jill, Ryan, Kalie, and Amy
-For our station we had to measure each group members wingspan, height, and foot length. We then compared each of the measurements and tried to find any relationships between the different measurements of each individual group member.
-After we got the measurements for each group member, we organized the data into chart and then a graph. The graph compared wingspan and height, with wingspan on the X axis and height on the Y axis.
-We didn't necessarily proved specific roles for each group member, we all took turns measuring and we all gave our input for how to construct the graph.



Part II
-Our graphed data for wingspan and height shows that generally, the height of an individual is usually a few inches more than the individuals wingspan. Looking at the graph below, you can see that the wingspan for each individual is usually a couple of inches shorter than their height.

-As for height and foot length, the chart below indicates that the longer the length of the foot is, the taller the individual will be.Part III

-As a student, I liked this activity because we got to actually physically do something. We had to come up with the data ourselves instead of simply graphing numbers that were given to us by a teacher. We were using mathematical concepts in a real life setting. From a teachers perspective, a lot of the positives are the same; it keeps the students active and it provides a real life application. In addition to this, the activity allows for students to think critically and work with their peers in a constructive way.

-Some potential negatives about this activity from a student's perspective could be that they don't like the people in their group or that they have issues figuring out the InspireData software. From a teacher's perspective, this activity has the potential for creating a somewhat hectic environment in the classroom, as the students are largely depending on themselves and working in groups with their peers. In addition to this, there is the potential that students could misread measurements and throw off the data, and therefore any conclusions made about that data.

-For me the most interesting parts of this activity were working with new people and using the InspireData program.

In Class Workout 6: ESL Tools

http://www.funbrain.com/lang/index.html

Description

This tool is an online game that can help students transfer their vocab from either English to Spanish or Spanish to English so it could be used in both ESL and Foreign Language classes. The game basically has four levels and each one either focuses on recognizing or being able to spell a word in either English or, in this case, Spanish.

Type of Tool

This website is an example of a drill and practice tool. It's drill and practice because it assumes that the student has a basic knowledge of the language they are trying to practice and simply provides a game that allows them to go over vocab and spelling. A drawback of a tool like this is that it doesn't really offer a way for students to ask questions, it simply provides a series of vocab/spelling match ups.

Educational Value

This tool is valuable because it emphasizes one of the most important aspects of learning a new language; repetition. If a student plays the game they will most likely begin to draw connections between their native language and their own. In addition to this, the game offers different vocab categories which allows the students to focus on the area they are having the most difficulty with.

Podcast Summary

I watched the podcast "Going Global: Culture Shock, Convergence, and the Future of Education" (http://k12online.ning.com/video/going-global-culture-shock). This presentation focused on the importance of gaining an international perspective for both students and educators. Essentially, the main point being made is that the world is getting smaller, cultures that were once far away and unimaginable are now able to be connected in seconds through tools such as Skype, Twitter, and other social networking sites. As the world becomes more and more connected, students need to gain a global perspective in order to be a competitive member in the work force of the future. In order to prepare their students for this future, teachers from all different parts of the world are connecting and sharing ideas. The idea of a "Personal Learning Network" or PLN is the main way in which teachers achieve this connectedness. A PLN is a sort of community that can be achieved through the use of technology. Teachers can share their thoughts and ideas through blogs and Skype and find other educators who are interested in the same things and who they can colloborate with them. This communication of ideas by teachers ultimately benefits the students who will not be limited to the perspective of one teacher. This presentation highlightes the fact that globalization is an exciting and essential part of the future of education and in order to be an effective teacher, it is important for us to embrace it.

ESL Gold Evaluation

http://www.eslgold.com/index.html

ESL Gold provides many study materials that will help ESL students. The site is not limited to just worksheets, offering pronunciation practice tools and listening activities.

This site is efficient because it can answer students pronunciation questions even when the teacher is not present.

ESL gold is effective because it has the pronunciation and listening activities which are crucial in helping ESL students master the English language.

In addition, the site is an enhancement from other ESL sites because it actually features sound clips for the students to listen to instead of just having them read off of a worksheet.

I will definitely utilize this site in my future classroom because it offers some of the best listening activities which are really the most effective tools when teaching ESL.

Using English Evaluation

http://www.usingenglish.com/

This site offers many resources for ESL students, including a vocab glossary and a list of commonly used idioms in modern day English. The site also provides a number of grammar help pages for students.

This site saves the time of the ESL students. They can use it as a resource when they have a question about homework and their teacher is not present.

The site also provides effective tools to help students master common English phrases and sayings. Students can also take practice tests and quizzes to help them more effectively prepare for an exam.

This site enhances the students experience with ESL by providing a place for them to turn to when they have questions.

I will recommend this site to my future students so that they have a place to turn to that will help them outside of the classroom. In addition to this, the site is organized well and allows you to easily get what you want.

ESL Base Evaluation

http://www.eslbase.com/resources/

This is a site that focuses on providing resources specifically for ESL teachers. The site offers worksheets and lesson plans specifically for ESL education as well as the latest information on developments in the ESL field.

This site saves time by allowing ESL teachers to have a single go-to place for both lesson planning and for news about their field.

ESL Base also provides lesson plans that have been effective in the past for a specific standard pertaining to ESL education.

This site will enhance ESL lessons because all the worksheets and lesson plans on the site are specifically tailored to this type of teaching. Very few modifications would have to be made.

I would use the worksheets from this website to supplement my lessons. I will also use this site to stay up to date with what's happening in the field of ESL education.