Post Graduate Diploma in Pre and Primary Teachers Training

Phase - 28

Integrating technology in the classroom

Integrating reading technology and blogging

Do you remember that exact moment

when you were mesmerized by the world
of books? Bringing that moment to your
students is arguably one of the most
gratifying parts of teaching, and in this
lesson, we'll discuss ways technology can
enhance reading in your classroom.

Because today's students are bombarded

with multimedia experiences from an
early age, it makes sense that our
curriculum objectives should capitalize
on technological literacy. In some classrooms, teachers use the Web to find engaging
new lessons plans that teach the same old concepts.

In other classrooms, students employ Web activities that complement group or

individual learning projects. But in your classroom, you have the choice: You can use
technology, including reading software and Web sites, as much or as little as you
want. Let's take a closer look!

Reading instruction is critical to students' future development . In the early years,

students learn how to read. In later years, however,
students read to learn. No amount of technology will
ever replace reading instruction in our schools (nor
should it), but it's important to talk about some
supplemental technology resources and enrichment
activities that will help you bring books alive for your
students.

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Technology provides choices for reading instruction and it is automatically connected
to software and Web sites that negotiate a balance between reading standards and
sensory experiences. We'll discuss some of the standards that support technologically
enhanced reading programs and how to evaluate all the
reading software programs out there.

We'll also take a look at some excellent online resources,

including lesson plan and author sites that you can
incorporate into your classroom right away. We'll end this
lesson with another method that you can use to enhance
your students' reading experience—get ready to learn how
to create a class blog to supplement classroom book clubs.
So without further ado, let's jump right in!

Chapter 2

Technology and Reading Standards

Before you can incorporate technology into any reading

program, you need to have a basic understanding of your
state's reading standards. Often these standards speak to
the English Language Arts (ELA) standards set forth by the
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the
International Reading Association (IRA).

You'll probably be impressed by the ideas these guidelines

can suggest—for example, when I read the words nonprint
text, I immediately envision online newspapers, books,
Web articles, e-zines, blogs, and classroom-created home
pages. Those ideas get me thinking about ways that I can
incorporate an e-zine, let's say, into my upcoming lesson about weather.

Students could go online to read an article, and then we could discuss weather and
complete a brief writing assignment where they predict tomorrow's forecast. Or we
could use the article as a launching point for a science experiment, a classroom
reader's theater presentation that simulates a weather broadcast, or a short report on
global warming. Do you see what I mean?

As you've probably discovered many times, the power of suggestion is often the
teacher's best resource. So let's take a look at the ELA standards and get those
thinking caps on!

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ELA Standards

As you may already know, the ELA standards have become a guideline for teachers
around the country, and you're probably already formulating ideas on how to
incorporate them into your classroom.

According to these standards, "all students must have the opportunities and resources
to develop the language skills they need to pursue life's goals and to participate fully
as informed, productive members of society." Furthermore, "the standards provide
ample room for the innovation and creativity essential to teaching and learning."

As you read the ELA standards below, think about innovative ways to help your
students meet these reading goals. You'll see some of my technology integration ideas
listed in italics after each goal.

Standards for the English Language Arts

I. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an

understanding of texts of themselves, and of the cultures of the
United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond
to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for
personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction,
classic and contemporary works.
II. Students may read a wide range of literature from many periods in
many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions
(philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

Students could read and evaluate online newspapers. They could

examine how newspapers from different areas cover the same event.

III. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret,

evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience,
their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of
word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies,
and their understanding of textual features (sound-letter
correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

Students could read online picture books from around the world.

IV. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language
(conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a

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 variety of audiences and for different purposes.

Students could read a technical online article and rewrite it for a

different audience.

V. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use

different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with
different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Students could read and then convert the written material on a Web
site to a brochure.

VI. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language convention

(spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and
genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

Students could read and critique an e-pal's essay

VII. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas

and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and
synthesize data from a variety of sources (print and nonprint texts,
artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit
their purpose and audience.

Students could conduct Internet research on a current event.

VIII. Students use a variety of technological and information resources

(libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and
synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Students could create a podcast.

IX. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in

language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups,
geographic regions, and social roles.

Students could use an online translator to translate a Web site

written in a foreign language.

X. Students whose first language is not English make use of their first
language to develop competency in the English language arts and to

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 develop understanding of content across the curriculum.

Students could use clip art to create a picture book that's written in
two different languages.

XI. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and

critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

Students could keep a reading blog

XII. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their
own purposes (for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange
of information).

Students could create a multimedia presentation.

State Technology and Reading Standards

The ELA standards are a great starting point for redesigning your reading curriculum,
but if you want to keep the technology aspect in mind, check out your state's
Department of Education site for standards and suggestions. As you might imagine,
requirements and policies will vary from state to state.

Also, you might take a moment to visit the State Educational Technology Director's
Association (SETDA), where you can find additional information on what's happening
with educational technology in your state (http://www.setda.org).

By simply clicking your state on the national map that appears, you'll be able to get a
lot of information related to your state's educational technology initiatives. This site
is updated regularly and is a great reference site for grant opportunities and other
state initiatives.

In the next chapter, we'll discuss some helpful tips for evaluating reading software to
use in your classroom. But don't be daunted by all the choices available out there. It
really all boils down to some simple evaluation tricks.

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Chapter 3

Researching Reading Software

One integration approach that a lot of teachers take is using reading software in their
curriculum. However, there are a lot of great products on the market, and sometimes
it's hard to evaluate which one is best. While I can't ultimately tell you which program
you should choose, I do have a few helpful tips that will make this process easier
when it comes time to make your decision.

Criteria for Evaluating Reading Software

You may already have a software program in mind for your

reading curriculum, but in case you don't, I'm going to help you
evaluate the possible choices with a few easy tips. In my
experience, one of the hardest aspects of choosing a program is
actually weighing the pros and cons of each. There's one
question in particular that you should ask yourself, and that is:
"Does this software improve student learning?"

I know it sounds simple, but it's easy to lose focus sometimes

when you're inundated with options. Now, let's take a look at a
few other important criteria you should consider when looking at reading and other
subject matter-specific software for your classroom.

Pedagogy

Pedagogy is one of those fancy educator

terms that refers to an appropriate use of
teaching strategies within the classroom. For
example, it wouldn't be pedagogically
correct to expect a kindergarten student to
be able to type a short paragraph describing
summer vacation. On the other hand, it
wouldn't be appropriate to ask a middle
school student to simply type his or her
name as a word-processing assignment.

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With respect to choosing reading software, please consider whether your software
choices address your teaching and learning styles. Consider the amount of dexterity
and speed the program requires of your students, the type of feedback the program
gives (whether it's positive reinforcement or negative criticism), and the design of the
program with respect to student navigation.

In other words, ask yourself whether the program demands too much or too little of
your students, or whether it has the right blend of challenging activities presented in
an appropriately accessible platform.

Features

The features of your software program are really the deal

breakers after you determine a software to be pedagogically
appropriate. I usually like to look at the following criteria, but
you may want to add to this list as you evaluate more programs.

 Visual: Does the program stimulate your students with a

variety of colors? Is it cluttered, or is there open space
that allows the eye to rest from time to time? Do the
graphics reinforce the text? Do the activities make sense
sequentially onscreen?
 Conceptual: Does the program deliver the content that the package promises,
and are you impressed with that delivery? Do certain features seem well-
developed while others seem boring? Do the activities focus on only specific
concepts, or do they also speak to the broader learning objectives?
 Tactical: Does the program employ engaging features, such as interactivity,
multimedia presentations, appropriate audio accompaniment, and sensory
stimulation? How many clicks are required between program steps? Will
students be confused by narration or instructions?

Price

While some programs are available on a pay-per-month

basis, others are available for purchase in bundles with
group or volume discounts. I'd like to be able to tell you
that price shouldn't be a factor, but realistically it is in
most school districts. That said, you should select the
best value for your education dollar, while not
compromising on the features that will benefit your students most.

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Whenever possible, demo a software program with a free trial before committing to
it. That will give you the best idea of which programs are worth the money and which
programs are all hype.

To search for current reading software, go to Google.com, and type reading

software in the search field. You'll see that you'll get many results. Again, my advice
is to look for the software that offers you a free trial. Then you can evaluate the
software based on the guidelines presented in this chapter.

If you'd like to see some of the newer reading software that's currently available, you
can search online educational software providers. For example, if you go online to
CCV software (http://www.ccvsoftware.com/) and type reading in their Quick
Product Finder search field or go to Genesis Software (http://www.genesis-
technologies.com/index.asp) and enter reading in their keyword search field, you'll
find tons of reading software.

In fact, here's a way to make software evaluation part of a classroom reading and
writing assignment. If you teach in a K-12 or even K-6 school and teach the older
students at the school, ask your students to evaluate reading software that's available
for younger students. Then they'll write a report, and you could share this report with
other teachers in your school.

Reading Web Sites

Hopefully you've already had a chance to think about ways to incorporate ELA
standards into your reading curriculum, and you now should have a better idea of how
to evaluate a software program for your classroom. Next, let's take a moment to look
at some ready-made resources that I think you'll enjoy!

Unlike many of the software reading programs you might evaluate, every Web site I've
included in this chapter is free, although some may require you to register as a user.
Not all of the Web sites will be perfect for your needs, but you should find at least
some that will be great additions to your reading lesson plans. Let's take a look at
some reading-related Web sites and even sites that offer reading lesson plans for
teachers.

Online Books

While it's hard to imagine ever replacing real, bound books, online books are
becoming increasingly popular because they appeal to students' technological literacy
and provide learner engagement that paper books can't. Online books work with both
words and images in an interactive environment, and allow your students to engage
multiple senses as they read and learn.

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Just remember that online books can be either really cool or really bad. It's important
that you always check the content of every book to know whether it's appropriate for
your students.

Reading Resource Web sites

Iyedoville: An Electronic Book of Nursery Rhymes

The primary focus of this electronic book resource

(http://www.iyway.com/index.html) is nursery rhymes. It
also supports the exploration of visual images, which is
something students love. Choose a poem from the sidebar
as a launching point for your classroom discussion, and
then allow students to navigate more freely on their own.
(Students absolutely love the creative mouse effect that
pairs with each rhyme, and I have to admit that some of
them are quite amazing.)

You could create a variety of learning activities that build

on ideas from this site, like engaging students in a group chant as you look at the
nursery rhyme in print, counting the syllables in the rhyme, and drawing silly pictures
to accompany the rhyme text.

Seussville University

Dr. Seuss characters serve as your guides in this brand-new

interactive learning environment
(http://www.seussville.com/university//). In addition to
the reading activities, you'll also find fun resources
available for science, reasoning, and math. (You may need
Shockwave and ActiveX downloads to properly display these
programs, but don't worry—they're free programs.)

Consider reading a Dr. Seuss book to students before you

visit this Web site so that they get in the right mood to
appreciate his antics. (Classes always love Green Eggs and
Ham.) In fact, one day try having a silly hat contest in conjunction with that book and
this Web site's activities, and award a new Dr. Seuss book to the contest winner.
Check out how some of Seuss' themes will work with older students too.

Students love themed activities that build in excitement and momentum throughout
the day, and this site allows you to experience fun online activities and to print pages
for fun with pencil and paper. Check it out!

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Starfall

This site (http://www.starfall.com/) has some free reading

resources that include entertaining characters and
activities for younger students. I have to tell you my
favorite feature. It's the Tongue Twisters link available on
the It's Fun to Read page. Do you remember the Fuzzy
Wuzzy tongue twister? I was so pleased to rediscover it
here, and as you ask students to read their favorite tongue
twisters aloud, it leads to a lot of laughter.

For an extension of this activity, you may want to try

composing a tongue twister as a class. You can start the
students off on an appropriate topic (the more outrageous the better), and let them
go from there. Here's one that a colleague came up with as she discussed lamp lights
as a tongue twister topic:

Lamp lights cast the shadows tall, lamp lights cast the shadows small, lamp lights
light the street at night, would you like to watch a lamp light light?

Silly? Maybe a little, but you can bet that your students will remember this activity for
a while to come.

Judy Moody

If you're familiar with Judy Moody, her site will be a treat

(http://www.judymoody.com/index.html) because it offers
a fan club, news, and activity books. If you're reading one
of these books as a class, the site is worth a visit because
students can expand on their reading in fun new ways.

The author and illustrator list fun personal traits in their

biographies, so it's fun to encourage students to do the
same. Ask students to pose their own questions and answers
as if they were book authors. Allowing students to pretend
they're authors is never a bad idea—you never know who
you'll inspire to greatness.

Shel Silverstein

Ah, The Giving Tree. This site (http://www.shelsilverstein.com/indexSite.html) has

some fun activities for your students. Mine always enjoy the chance to Make Your

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Own Bookmark, which you'll find under theLet's Have Some Fun page. This gives
students a memorable bookmark that they can use through
their reading adventures.

One year, this event snowballed into a classroom-wide

bookmark contest, with a free book as the first prize.
Again, the creativity you'll find with this activity might
surprise you. Some students like to draw scenes from their
favorite books while others like simply to draw decorative
flourishes. Enjoy!

Are your high school students' having a hard time reading

about Beowulf? Let technology bring Beowulf to life. Suite
101-Bring Beowulf to Life (http://high-school-lesson-
plans.suite101.com/article.cfm/bringing_beowulf_to_life)
is a great site for students to visit as a pre-reading activity.

Are your students studying about Anne Frank? Let them visit an online museum in her
honor at Anne Frank: The Writer
(http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/af/htmlsite/). At this site, your
students can explore artifacts, see the only known film footage of Anne Frank, or see
photos of Anne Frank. Give your students a pre-reading list of questions and ask them
to visit this site to find the answers.

Or even better yet, ask your students to explore author sites at home and bring their
favorites in. You might consider asking students to visit their favorite authors online.
Many book authors have great Web sites with activities for students and resources for
teachers. Your students will love interacting with their favorite characters and books
in a new way, and you'll love the authors' suggestions for how to use their books in
your lesson plans. To search for the author's site, enter the author's name in the
search field box at Google.

If you'd like to add some online books to your personal collection and another great
resource is (http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/hum60.60.00. All your students
need to do is click on a link to view the book of their choice. Use this site to extend
the current topic you're covering. If you have students who finish work early, consider
letting these students use the classroom computer to locate a book at the Internet
Public Library.

Before you buy that set of novels for the entire class, see if you can find what you're
looking for at the Literature Network (http://www.online-literature.com/). Students
can search for works by the author's last name or even ask questions or respond to
questions in the literature forum.

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Interactive Web Sites

Web sites also offer games and interactive activities related to reading, and your
students will enjoy the chance to navigate the Internet on their own. By completing
these types of activities, students can engage reading standards in a variety of
different ways. They might even forget that they're learning—that's the hallmark of
effective teaching, isn't it?

Fun Brain

Paint by Idiom is my favorite of the reading activities on this site

(http://www.funbrain.com/teachers/subj_lang.html). But you'll see the wide variety
of options here, including vocabulary, reading, spelling, and parts-of-speech games. A
Spanish translator is also available, which will help immensely in the bilingual
classroom. If you poke around, you'll probably see immediate applications for your
classroom.

When I do the idiom activity, I like to encourage each student to make his or her own
idiom after we've looked at common ones. This can be a great activity that spans the
whole school year, as students recall their own idioms at random times in
conversation. You'll probably be really surprised how great some of these idioms turn
out!

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

At first glance, this Web site

(http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/FREE/displaysubject.cfm?sid=5) appears to be
more appropriate for teachers and parents, but when you take a closer look, you'll
notice a lot of great links for kids. The federal government puts this page together,
and the collection of links is impressive.

I like Number 12, which is Campfire Stories with George Catlin, because it allows
students to experience the treat of oral story renditions. I like to use this site in the
winter and pair it with hot chocolate. Sometimes, I have students create poster
boards of outdoor themes—such as forests, campfires, lakes, fishing poles, and bears—
and we then hang them in the classroom to create atmosphere. Check it out!

Lesson Plans for Teachers

If it is lesson plans that you're looking for, don't worry: The Internet has a lot of them.
Let's take a look at some great online resources that will help you create reading
lesson plans that meet the NCTE/IRA standards. It's great to find one that you can
incorporate as-is, isn't it?

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Read, Write, Think

Read, Write, Think, my favorite Web site for lesson plans

(http://www.readwritethink.org/) is part of the MarcoPolo
site and absolutely free to educators. You'll find a zillion
lesson plans for your classroom on this site, and you may
have trouble navigating away from it once you get started
on your search.

The page Be a Reading Detective under

the Lessons subheading is particularly fun because students
always like to feel like super sleuths as they're learning new
concepts. What you'll probably take away from these lesson
plans (aside from great ideas) is the resources that are provided alongside.

You may like this interactive lesson page that uses Venn diagrams. Students use the
diagrams to compare and contrast different stories or characters. Here's the direct
link to the Venn Diagram page:
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=32

California's Cyberguides

To see how this Web site works, click Lessons on the main page
(http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/SCORE/cyk3.html). Then play around with your options
until you find those that best meet your current classroom needs.

This site takes the guesswork out of your curriculum: You know you're teaching to
appropriate standards and also that you're presenting the material in a way that's
friendly to your technology-literate students. I like to use the plans that correlate
directly to familiar book titles, like Charlotte's Web, Cloudy With a Chance of
Meatballs, and The White Stallion, as they offer easy tips to expand the books into
meaty lessons that students enjoy.

Teachers, this site is for you if you'd like some great online time-savers. At Greece
Central School's Tools for Reading, Writing, and Thinking
(http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/Tools/Index.htm), you'll find
graphic organizers related to classroom reading exercises. Go here for Venn Diagrams,
KWL charts, character cards, note-taking pages, or just about any type of graphic
organizer you'd like to use when working with reading strategies.

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While you're looking for some more reading lesson plans, go ahead and visit The
Teacher's Corner (http://www.theteacherscorner.net/lesson-
plans/reading/index.htm). From parts of speech, phonics, vocabulary, DOLTCH words,
to literary circles, this is the site to go to when you want to find the reading sources
you need.

Visit North Carolina's Learn NC site(http://www.learnnc.org/lessons/) to find reading

plans and ideas by grade level and subject. You'll find instructional plans, units, and
lessons here.

Since my list is only a small sample of all the reading sites out there, here's a way to
find the Web sites you need to supplement your classroom reading. Go to Google at
www.google.com. In the search field, enter the title of the book your students are
reading. Be sure to include quotation marks around the title if it has more than one
word in the title. You could also start by using the topic you're covering. Then include
the + mark followed by one of the following terms: classroom, exercises, lessons,
teachers, or interactive.

For example, searches for "Romeo and Juliet" would look like this:

"Romeo and Juliet"+ classroom

"Romeo and Juliet"+ exercises

"Romeo and Juliet"+ lessons

"Romeo and Juliet"+ teachers

"Romeo and Juliet"+ interactive

Wow! That was a ton of resources, and they're only the tip of the iceberg. Feel free to
do your own search for reading resources using your favorite search engine. Do some
research to find out which ones will best help you meet the national technology and
reading standards. Your students will thank you! Let's take what we've covered so far
in this lesson and see how you could integrate technology in your classroom.

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Chapter 4

Technology Integration in Action

Okay, it's time to put these ideas into action. Let's begin with the idea that your
students will read Romeo and Juliet next week. First, let's start with one of the ELA
standards we covered earlier in the lesson. ELA standard XI refers to literacy
communities, also known as reading groups or book groups. So let's think about how to
integrate technology into our book club that will be discussing Romeo and Juliet.
After the book club meets, the students will write a review about Romeo and Juliet.
There are lots of ways to use technology while writing this review. The students could
use a word-processing program, create a PowerPoint presentation, or even create a
blog. Hmm, let's see what happens if we go with the blog idea.

Blog is shortened form of Weblog. Think of a blog as an online diary. The person who
writes this online diary is called a blogger, and there's even a verb to describe this
act—blogging. So when a blogger blogs, this person creates a diary-like entry or
reflection on a Web site. When you're integrating technology, you can add blogs to
your book clubs and you've got a seamless way to integrate technology and meet your
goals.

Here's how you could use a blog in your class in conjunction with a book club.

First, require students to conduct a pre-reading activity before they read Romeo and
Juliet. After a lesson on using Internet searches to locate resource material, ask each
student to locate and print one Web resource about Romeo and Juliet. The day before
the reading starts, have each book club group share their Web resources.

The next day, have the students read a specific number of pages. Each member of the
group will read a different part and the students will interact with each other.

The next class meeting, meet with your students in a computer lab. Ask each group
member to write a review about the material that the group covered in class.

The next day when class begins, print out the classroom blog and distribute it to the
students in the class. Use the blog as a discussion starter and review of the material.
Continue the process by having the book club read the play and post reviews on the
class blog as you cover the rest of the play.

Though this is only one simple idea born out of the ELA standards, I bet you can think
of many more that will transform your reading curriculum. It may be that you're
teaching history or even biology. Find nonfiction books in your field that contribute to

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what you're studying in your class. Wouldn't it be great for your students to start
blogging next week about the scientific method or the Great Depression?

Blogging Basics

Before we end this lesson, I'd like to give you a little bit more information about
setting up a classroom blog. If you'd rather not set up a blog now, that's fine. I just
didn't want to end this lesson without providing you with a few extra instructions.
While working with blogs can get as technical as you desire, ours will just be a simple
blog where students can post their reviews.

Let us cover three basic steps:

1. Locating a blog host.

2. Setting up an account.
3. Starting your blog page.

To create a blog, you'll need a blog host—an online provider whose site you'll use to
publish your blog. You'll find that there are fee-based hosts as well as some hosts that
offer free blogs. There are also personal and educational blogs. A good way locate a
blog host is to conduct an online search for one. Go to Google and enter blog host in
the search field. Or this address will take you to a list of some of the top blog
hosts:http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Weblogs/Hosts
/.

You'll see names like Blogger, Gaggle's Blog, ePals SchoolBlog, Blogger, EduBlogger,
and Wordpress. Feel free to explore these blog hosts to find one that meets your
needs, but right now, I'd like to explain how to use Wordpress, a free blog host.

Let's work with setting up your account. Please go to www.wordpress.com and you'll
see a sign-in page that looks similar to this image.

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 Wordpress Sign-in page

You'll need to create a username and password and enter a username. The main thing
that you need to make sure to do is to select Gimme a blog. Selecting this option will
make you the blog host.

When you're working through this process with your students, they'll just need a
username or they can post a message on your blog by entering their name and e-mail
address and you'll need to approve each message.

Enter the needed information on the following pages until you see your very own blog
page. Then pat yourself on the back—you've create a blog!

Guess what? It's already time for step three. Click the word Edit on your blog page.
You can type in what you'd like your students to read on the blog page. You'll notice

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tabs across the top of your page and you'll even receive an e-mail from Wordpress
with additional information about setting up your blog. These are the tools that you
can use to do more technical things with your blog. For now, all you need to do is give
the blog address to your students. They can click Comment and post their review.

Yes, this blog will take some time to set up. Yes, your students will need e-mail
accounts. And, yes, your students will need access to computers, but if you have the
tools to make this resource work, give it a try. In fact, you may even find out that
your students are already bloggers and can share some more tips with you.

Chapter 5

Summary

In this lesson, we talked about relating reading standards to integrating technology in

the classroom. Then we looked at ways to evaluate software. Next we explored some
really fun ways to use reading Web sites in the classroom. Finally, we pulled these
ideas together and looked at using a book club blog in the classroom.

FAQ

Q: Can you recommend a reading program for my class?

A: Teachers know their students' needs better than anyone else. I really suggest
using the evaluation suggestions in the lesson and asking for a free trial before
purchasing the software. Look for the software that you think will meet your
students' reading needs. However, if you have a reading program that you like to
use in your class, please feel free to share the title of it with us in the discussion
area.

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Supplementary Material

Education World: Blogging Tips

http://www.educationworld.com/At_Home/student/student016.shtml

Here are five tips to keep your students safe when they blog.

Dav Pilkey's Site

http://www.pilkey.com/index.php

Click the Boring Grown-Up Stuff link for lesson plan ideas on this site.

California Learning Resource Network

http://www.clrn.org

If you're looking for help with research on different technology resources, this is the
place for you.

Lorrie Jackson’s Blogging Basics

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techtorial/techtorial037print.shtml

Do you need more information about blogging? This site will provide you with the
know-how to do more with classroom blogs.

Brenda Dyck’s Blogging Rubric

http://www.masters.ab.ca/bdyck/Blog/

Need a form to help you grade the blog? Here's a rubric to use as a starting point.

Education World: This Bird Can Blog

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/techlp/techlp055.shtml

Here's a great blogging lesson plan that may work in your classroom.

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