Teaching and learning with technology....the iPad


iPad 
It is no surprise to anyone in the building how much I love my iPad.  So many more people who are not geeky like me, are discovering the wonders of this device.  I used it mainly for my personal use; however, I have spent the summer exploring educational uses.

I was frustrated at first in searching the app store, as most educational apps seemed geared toward preschool skills, or for those with more severe disabilities, such as autism, for communication.  But what about students with learning disabilities, or those who could just use some extra practice to keep up with today's fast paced learning?

There seems to be more apps arriving geared toward such learning.  I was excited to find a series of apps related to various math skills that I know would be ideal for my students.  I shared this with the parents of my students at Open House.  They always want to know how they can help, although we ask them to have a hands-off approach while they are at our school.  The parents were excited to hear that they could encourage practice, as the students love to touch the iPad just as much as the Smartboard!

I found some story telling apps that while a bit low level for my students, can encourage them to practice oral story telling, which in turn may aid them in their written stories.   They seem to guide them through the organization and sequencing process at a very basic level.   Additionally they are recorded orally, so the student can hear themselves when they are done to self-assess.  I love that it allows them to be creative without the handwriting component that can hold up my students with dysgraphia or difficulty with spelling due to their learning disabilities. 

My favorite usage is the iBooks app.  I have a trio that need a lot of direct instruction in reading, but that we want to give exposure to age appropriate books to.  Usually this would involve me reading aloud, which I do at times.  However, I found that there are several books in iBooks that will read the book to the students, highlighting each word as it is read.  This is great feedback for my students.  No other app does that, they simply read aloud.  I do wish the students could touch a word and have it read, but maybe that will come down the road.  For the parents of these students, whom I know had iPads or iTouches at home, I shared that this would be a wonderful way to encourage independent reading.  The students love when I hook my iPad up to the interactive whiteboard and we can "read" the book on the board.  I know they would be just as happy at home to read if it meant that it was on an iDevice. 

There are many tweets I have saved that talk about iPads in school.  I hope to scour them for more great ways that an iPad can impact learning.  It is a wonderful device not just as an assistive tool, but for direct learning as well.