#cyberPD Digital Reading: Chapters 3-5

I am participating in an online book discussion of Digital Reading: What's Essential in Grades 3-8 by Franki Sibberson and William Bass. Join us at #CyberPD!

Reflections on Chapters 3-5

Authentic. Intentional. Connected. 

To me, these chapters are about using technology in real ways, for specific reasons, and to form deeper communities around literacy. What struck me is how students who are in these authentic, intentional, and connected classrooms easily move between the digital and print worlds. 

Here are some ways I envision my third graders using digital tools in authentic, intentional, and connected ways:

*Participating in the Global Read Aloud Project. 
Reading Fish in a Tree and taking notes in a notebook, composing a blog post about a reaction to the book, skyping or Google Hangout with another third grade, collaborating on a Google Doc about the book with each other or other classes, tweeting our questions or comments to Lynda Mullaly Hunt, collaborating on a Padlet for keeping golden lines from the book, using Thinglink to organize images of people who were challenged by dyslexia or perhaps other disabilities.

*Blogging on Kidblog and connecting with other students through the Slice of Life Story Classroom Challenge, hosted by the Two Writing Teachers community.

*Class membership to Biblionasium, a site where each student can create a virtual bookshelf of books read, suggest books to friends, write reviews, etc. Create a class shelf to keep track of our class read alouds.

*Put QR codes in books. Codes can take you to authors web sites, a student reading a book review he/she created for that book, or a teacher reading the book aloud.

*Use an app like "Show Me" to create lessons on specific skills like fluency or where to place a capital letter. Students can listen to the lesson as a reminder or a preview before working with the teacher in a small group.

*Use Padlet as a way for each student to have a voice or answer a question. 

I see so many possibilities for technology to enrich the literacy experiences my students can have. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with all the different apps and sites I don't know. I know some teachers see technology as an extra thing being put on their plate and many are really not using it much. The key for me is to use it myself first and understand how it enriches my life as a literate person. As always, when teachers have the chance to learn and live something personally, it becomes so much more meaningful and feels more possible.