Ideas for Supporting Common Core Literacy

Article used for this: Common Core and school media specialist

Crosswalk (blend of Common Core and 21st century skills- from AASL)

• Matches CC w/ AASL benchmarks
• Diff. language but similar set of skills
• With the implementation of Common Core, advanced literacy instruction will go beyond simply providing resources and being a search specialist or helping kids distinguish between informational and opinion texts, says Meghann Walk, the library director of New York City’s Bard High School Early College. Instead, educators will be required to focus on helping young readers actively engage with informational texts—the sort of stuff that students will encounter in college and in their future careers.
• Not enough to find a dusty copy of a Lincoln biography

Non-fiction shift

• Kids shouldn’t have to get all their information from a single snippet of text—they need “access to multiple perspectives”
• May have to do some ‘spring cleaning’
• Media specialists need to hunt for databases and other online resources to supplement their collections
• “Show the administration why those resources are needed,” says Aronson, “and finally, keep track of their usage to show just how well the money was spent.”
• Google Analytics to track traffic (how to add to Google Site)
• Blogger tracking tool
• Weebly Stats

Helpful points from article

• Take the lead and share your skills/ expertise.
• Toot your horn, make yourself known

What if funds are not available?

• Teachers could use help selecting content-area, leveled texts
• Provide content area, web-based texts that teachers and students can access
• School webpage or other online tool of your choice
• Use Twurdy (sorts searches by reading level) and Sweet Search to find up-to-date, relevant, and credible sources
• Teach teachers and students to do this

Anybody that has worked with teenagers knows that their set of commonly used words is often limited and thickly layered with slang or whatever is hip at that given time. This has been true for generations, but now we are in an era in which communication occurs more rapidly and anyone with a phone can speak volumes with pictures and video without uttering a syllable. This concerns me.

As a former English teacher and persistent proponent of rich language use, I fear that words are becoming less needed and therefore are in danger of dying or being reduced to some cheap, perfunctory code system only to be used when necessary. Though I have not done solid research, I would bet that the average person's working vocabulary is less than what it was ten or more years ago. This is true of me as well. I create screencasts in which words are unneeded or even distracting, and much of what I communicate requires the most simplistic language to avoid confusion in those I teach.

I realize the potential and power of multimedia, and I embrace that daily; however, I think there is value and beauty in promoting enhanced diction for all. Here are some ideas about how teachers and others can do that with digital tools:

Audiopal- Free mp3 upload/embed tool

I recently stumbled upon this handy site called Audiopal. You can make one using your phone, type text, record by microphone, or upload an existing mp3, and the site will load it onto its server and send an embed code to your email. It embeds as a mini player that visitors can click and listen to.

This is a good way to provide verbal instructions to struggling readers or to just share a song you like. The max file size limit for an mp3 upload is 6 GB, and you can record up to 1 minute with the microphone option. It's free and very user friendly. Here is my example that I made using the text to speech feature:

Make Your Own Textbook!

When I was teaching high school English, I rarely used the class textbook because I found it to be big and cumbersome, and it lacked relevant, quality texts that engaged my students. So I mostly created and sought out my own resources to use. Unfortunately, that led to the predicament of arranging and organizing materials into a clear and coherent sequence for myself and my pupils. I wish I would have compiled my stuff into some kind of digital format (beyond throwing stuff on my website) to make resources more accessible and engaging for students, and to make the management side easier for me. 

Below are some resources that will help guide your thinking and provide options for creating and/or customizing your own textbook. This is just a short list, but it is a good starting point: 

Coveritlive- an excellent, free tool

I was at the MACUL conference in Grand Rapids last week, and they used a live blogging tool called Coveritlive. It is a free and fairly robust application that allows you to create an event and embed it on your website or blog. Then you direct your participants to the event, and they can contribute comments, attachments, do trivia that you create, and more. Below is a screenshot of what it looked like when I embedded an event on this blog:

New Google Tools

Thanks to a post from the Free Technology for Teachers blog, I recently discovered some new and very helpful features that Google added to their Sites tool. I have used Google Sites for my classroom page for a few years now, and I was often frustrated by its limitations. Now you can insert HTML, Javascript, and more. Below is a screenshot that shows all the insert options available:

Best Pre-made Educational Content Resources

When I was a classroom teacher, I recall many anxious afternoons and evenings spent scrambling to come up with quality content for a lesson I had to do the next day. Even when I was planning further ahead, it was a stressful, excruciating process to line up resources that I could use for various topics and standards. Now, more than ever before, an abundance of free resources exist that we can conveniently use the next day. In fact, so much exists that it is difficult to sift through it all. Here is a list of sites that I have found to offer quality materials. I wish I knew of them when I was teaching.

Assessment and Blogging

Many teachers have contemplated using blogs with their students, and many have started doing so. One difficult question most have is how to assess and manage all the posts.This will hopefully help people who are doing or about to be doing this in their classrooms.

*This is designed for teachers using Kidblog but could be applied to other blogs too.

Flipped Classroom: Examples and Testimonial

You have likely heard about a flipped classroom, the teaching approach in which instructors record all or part of a lesson for students to view before class. But have you seen some examples or heard from someone wh Watch these videos to see examples and hear from teachers who have started flipping:

Recording screencasts using Screencast-O-Matic

Getting Started

Several options exist for recording your screen while you narrate over it (aka- making a screencast). Some of you may have heard of and use Jing, and that is a decent choice; however, I have found that Screencast-O-matic is more user friendly, and you can do more with it. One big advantage is that you can record 15 minute videos as opposed to 5 minutes in Jing. Here are some steps to help you get started recording:

Podomatic for digital recordings

Watch this screencast to learn how to use podomatic.com for creating digital recordings. Use the Google form below the video to answer questions about the video, and think about how this could work in an educational setting.

Digital Recording

Digital recorders can be used in the classroom for many purposes. Some of the more common ones include providing audio for texts, practicing speaking, creating podcasts, recording conversations, delivering focus lessons, and more. This post features tools and ideas on what is needed to make digital recording happen for you.

Your computer is one option for digital recordings. You can record on a computer in a variety of ways, but which way is best depends on what you are trying to do. Here are some options for you:

Document Cameras

You have likely seen, used, or at least heard of document cameras. Typically, they are large, non-mobile devices that are attached to a "home" computer and used to project things to a screen for demonstration. Many teachers use them for lessons on reading, writing, experiments, and more. Most of the older models are costly, $500 and up! Recently, smaller, more portable, more useful, more affordable models have come out, like this one:

This is an Ipevo P2V (point to view). It is about the size of a water bottle and can perform all the functions that bigger, clunkier versions do while being easily transportable. This chapter will cover ways in which these handy tools can be used in teaching situations.

Here are some videos and quotes on how others use document cameras. Though these focus on the elementary level, you can do many of the same things with more advanced content in the upper levels.

Livescribe Pens

 (content created by Andrew Steinman)


The smartpens from Livescribe combine the ease of writing with the functionality of a computer. You can record audio while you write, which can be played back through the smartpen or on your computer. Not sold on this concept? You might change your mind after watching the video below:

Adobe Typewriter function

Adobe Reader has a Typewriter Tool that allows users to add text to PDFs. This is useful for having students complete assignments electronically, especially if the student is already using another function, such as the Read Out Loud function. Examples of this can be found below:

Premier Tools cont'd

Universal Reader Plus is one of the most frequently used tools in the Premier Literacy software suite. Its functions include: reading Word and Google Docs documents, email, PDF files, Flash files, webpages in Firefox, and other kinds of text. Universal Reader also tracks the words as they are read and can translate to or from several languages. Below are training videos show how to use some of the features available within Universal Reader Plus.

Introduction to Universal Read Plus
Reading Flash Books with Universal Reader
Universal Reader Plus Summary Feature
Universal Reader Plus Translation Feature

Talking Pointer is popular feature in Universal Reader Plus. It works within Internet Explorer to read web pages, but can also read text from other sources. Below is a training video that shows how to use some of the features available within Talking Pointer.

Universal Reader Plus Talking Pointer

Premier Literacy has released an Internet Explorer toolbar that makes it easier to access the Premier Literacy tools while web browsing. Below is a video that shows how to use some of the features available within Premier Literacy Internet Explorer Toolbar.

Introduction to Premier Literacy Internet Explorer Toolbar

Premier Tools Intro

Premier Literacy

Text-to-speech software or text-readers turn print text into digitized speech. (Not to be confused with voice-to-text or speech recognition, which converts your voice into print text.)
Text readers are often thought of as ‘accommodations’ for readers who have already fallen behind their classmates, however, printed text is a curriculum barrier for many students of all ages. Think about the benefit of audio support for a struggling student, an ELL student, an auditory learner, or a young student.

Research is reporting that text-to-speech improves students’ reading fluency, comprehension, speed, and vocabulary. In addition, writing quality and length of writing increases. Older students report better editing when using text-to-speech than when reading for editing purposes on their own.

Adobe read Out Loud function

Many of us use Adobe Reader to read Portable Documant Format (PDF) files, but did you know that Adobe Reader can actually read PDFs to you? Not only that, but you can also enable PDF documents to allow text input. These features, including many others, make Adobe Reader an excellent tool to use with students.

If you do not already have Adobe Reader, we suggest that you download it by clicking this link.

Like other text readers, Adobe Reader's Read Out Loud function reads the text contained within a PDF out loud for the user to hear. This is very helpful for audible learners and students that have reading disabilities. You can even use this function to read documents to you while you work on something else on your computer. The video below outlines how to use the Read Out Loud function in Adobe Reader:

The Password Game

I have about 70 billion accounts on various educational websites and other Internet sites, and it is frankly impossible to store all of that in my head. When I get to a site that won't let me log in because my sign-in info is wrong, I want to log in to the site creator's neck and wring it! Fortunately, I have configured a system for passwords on non-sensitive sites (things that don't store information that creepy hackers would want), and I have a program that securely stores my other life stuff (keepass).
If you are a teacher that uses technology with students, you know that the password game can be frustrating to the point that you might not want to use the tech tool anymore. Now, I don't think it wise to encourage students to use the same password for everything, though perhaps that could work for the non-sensitive sites I mentioned before. Here is a list of things educators can do to try and beat the password blues:

1. Limit the number of log ins students need to do
(network, Google Docs, and LMS system are all that should be required. Everything else should be optional)

2. Teach students to use an algorithm or other set configuration for passwords. Ron Houtman suggests taking the name of the website and using a standard numeric arrangement around the name. (e.g. "age/site name/birthday)

3. Have a back up plan for those who forget. Instead of spending a class hour scrambling to help the forgetful pupils, you could just hand them a paper copy, and maybe next time they will be a little more responsible. Life lessons can be hard!

That's my take on this topic. If you have other ideas, please share.

Word play

A friend sent this to me, and I thought it was too good to not share. People are mighty clever:

MENSA INVITATIONAL

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.

Here are the winners:

1. Cashtration(n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and a jerk.

3. Intaxicaton : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of romantic pursuits.

7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high

8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

11. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

12. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan, in the form of a mosquito, gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

15. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.

And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle, n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men