English Language Learners Need Assistance too...

Hola a todos tenemos un nuevo estudiante en clase hoy.  Su nombre es Thomas y acaba de mudarse aquí desde México con su familia.  Por favor, bienvenido a nuestra clase y ayúdale a comenzar con su trabajo de clase.  Gracias.

No, I haven’t begun speaking fluent Spanish.  I actually haven’t taken any Spanish lessons since I was in sixth grade and that was 45 years ago.  So how did I write this paragraph in Spanish, you ask?  By using the Google Docs Translator online resource.   In many of our schools today, English Language Learner students are suffering from “language barriers”.  These students of all ages have come from Spanish speaking countries and are now living in our communities.  Even in a small elementary school like mine, we are needing tools to help these students understand instructions for class lessons.  We have an ELL teacher that come every two weeks to help him take his tests, but on a daily basis can be a problem. 

By using the Google Doc Translator online tool this is the translation of my opening paragraph.

Hey everyone we have a new student in class today.  His name is Thomas and just moved here from Mexico with his family.  Please welcome him to our class and help him get started with his classwork.  Thank you. 

When you are using the Google Doc application you will find the word “Translate” under the “Tools” tab then click on the “Translate” line item.  You can translate the entire document or just a small section.  Link to website. 

Google Doc Translate Online Resource

I used this tool for an actual student in my school.  He just came to our school recently and I often feel helpless to communicate with him during our research and library lessons. 

Many students from other countries fit the definition of inclusion in our classrooms.  They are not separated or mainstreamed at my school.  They are in the classroom with all of the other English speaking students and just have to make it work.  Inclusion is defined as “placing students in classrooms with modifications in content, teaching methods, approaches, structures, and strategies in education to overcome barriers” (Hehir, Grindal, & al., 2016).  Teachers of students with language barriers must do all of these things.  The Google Docs translator tool is one of many things in their tool box.  This adapted technology resource allows the teacher and other school personnel to communicate with the student and the parents. 

Why shouldn’t a student with a language barrier not be allowed the time to use assistive technologies.  According to the U.S. Department of Education document states that “teachers provide supplementary materials on similar topics …and give EL’s opportunities to read in their home language to build the background knowledge they need for reading in English” (Education, 2015). 

Recently, we were in the library researching presidents, and while I could change the translations for web searches to be translated in Spanish, the actual results were not translated for him to read and create a document himself.  But not anymore.  We just have to copy the information onto a Google Doc and translate.  He can now use this information to fill out the research prompts, just as equally as the English speaking students in his class.  I am so looking forward to seeing what my student will be able to produce from this information in his native language.  

English Version sample

Adams, John, 1735–1826, 2d President of the United States (1797–1801), b. Quincy (then in Braintree), Mass., grad. Harvard, 1755. John Adams and his wife, Abigail Adams, founded one of the most distinguished families of the United States; their son, John Quincy Adams, was also President.

Spanish Translation sample

Adams, John, 1735-1826, 2d Presidente de los Estados Unidos (1797–1801), b. Quincy (entonces en Braintree), Mass., grad. Harvard, 1755. John Adams y su esposa, Abigail Adams, fundaron una de las familias más distinguidas de los Estados Unidos; su hijo, John Quincy Adams, también fue presidente.

(John Adams, 2020).

As I analyze this Google Docs translation tool, does it answer the following important questions.

·      Will the technology allow or enable the student who is differently able to participate in the lesson and/or related group work?

·      Will the technology increase the interest level of the typical student?

·         Will the student be able to achieve the goal of the task at hand? (Copeland, 2011)

All answers would be “yes” and I look forward to seeing his progress and the smile on his face when he can complete the assignment with the other students, instead of watching them complete theirs and not being able to understand the information on the website. 

(Who are the nation's English-learners?, 2017)

The U.S. Dept. of Education also recommends that ELL students have a bilingual Spanish/English dictionary available for the student at all times.
 

Another technology resource that we have found useful is a phone app called Say Hi.  This is a voice translator that we use to help giving directions during the day by Jonathan’s teacher and other school staff. 

Resources

Copeland, C. A. (2011). School librarians of the 21st century. Knowledge Quest, Vol. 39 (3), 64-69.

Education, U. S. (2015, January 7). English learner tool kit for state and local education agencies. Retrieved from Internet Archive: https://archive.org/stream/ERIC_ED564264/ERIC_ED564264_djvu.txt

Hehir, D. T., Grindal, D. T., & al., e. (2016). A summary of the evidence on inclusive education. Abt Associates.

John Adams. (2020). Retrieved from Columbia electronic encyclopedia, 6th Edition, vol. 1: http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.scsl.idm.oclc.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=f7acc569-edd6-4970-aff7-2f8117059c20%40pdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=134521404&db=mih

Who are the nation's English-learners? (2017, September 26). Retrieved from YouTube website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvtkMfSQ6Kw

Surprise...technology that students today can't live without!

What can it be?  

Is it their laptop, Netflix, a refrigerator in their room?  

Nope, it’s their smartphone. 

If you ask a student what is the first thing and last thing that they look at each day, that would be their answer.  How can educators work this to their advantage?  The pedagogical functions that a smartphone can provide are quite extensive.  A few years ago the trend began for educators to invite students to “BYOD” or to “bring your own device” to school (Bresnahan, 2015).  By integrating the devices that students already have with them is a logical step.  These are a tool just like a laptop, notebook, or a textbook (Bresnahan, 2015). 

ISTE also encourages that students use their smartphones for learning.  They recommended six different ways that students can benefits from their beloved devices while in school.  (Ehnie, 2020)

1. Create short videos for presentations.

2.  Scan QR codes for class lessons.

3.  Access an online dictionary or thesaurus during lessons for better understanding of concepts.

4.  Collaborate and share with Padlet and Twitter.

5.  Listen to podcast and read new relating to lessons in class.

6.  Use apps to access classwork and blended learning opportunities. 

Actually every one of these options can be achieved in the elementary school that I work at today.  Teachers have creatively used a “Snapchat” filter to make students looks old for the 100^th day of school worksheets.  We use the Clever.com platform at our school for students to access their daily lessons and programs through a QR code.  Teachers use Padlet for daily lessons and students that do not have access to the internet for their computer devices, certainly have cellphone coverage and can access Padlet and Clever using a smartphone.  Listening to podcasts and YouTube can allow them to expand their knowledge related lessons in class.  The apps are endless.  Everything needed at my school for students can be accessed through an app.  All of the student devices are on a Google platform and all of that can be accessed on an Android or Apple device. 

To provide a framework of the value of smartphones to enhance learning here is a Technology Integration Matrix.  This matrix includes the levels of technology integration of Adoption Level, Infusion Level and Transformation Level.  They are then related to the Characteristics of the Learning Environment using Active Learning, Constructive Learning, and Goal-oriented Learning (Technology integration matrix: Table of student descriptors, 2020).  Using the student descriptors in this table will help show how smartphones can actively help students learn each and every day. 

Technology Integration Matrix	Adoption Level	Infusion Level	Transformation Level
Active Learning	Students use their smartphones in classroom to respond to search queries or watching videos provided by links from the teacher.	Whether students are on their school Chromebook or smartphone in class or at home, they can access apps through their Clever.com log-in to access lessons or homework.	Teachers can request that student research or inquiry about subjects discussed in class for deeper learning opportunities, then share the links with students in the class through the google classroom portal.
Constructive Learning	Students build on their prior knowledge of their smartphone apps and tools to provide better ways to research questions by the teacher.	Students consistently can access their phones while at home, school or traveling to complete educational lessons.  Therefore, reinforcing or facilitating their construction of understanding.	Students can share their understanding with other students and teachers through many applications available on a smartphone including but not limited to their class twitter account, their Google classroom, video apps, and other portals created by the teacher.
Goal-Directed Learning	Students may receive directions, guidance or feedback via technology using their smartphones.  Through the Padlet app or a Google classroom, teachers can send lessons, videos, links for deeper learning to students to view prior to class.	Students regularly use technology independently through their smartphones to access their grades to monitor progress and evaluate the results of their efforts in class.	Smartphone allow students to have access to calendar planning apps to help organize their activities and with the access to teacher websites and class information they can help take ownership and responsibility for their learning.

This video by Mary Montag, an educator from Carolina Forest High School in Columbia, SC, explains how she came to allow students to use their cell phones in class and “discovered how she went from transferring knowledge to them to helping students find, own and use information themselves” (Ehnie, 2020). 

Sooner or later, we might realize that maybe students can access our education tools more then they let on.  Don’t let them fool you…students today grew up with technology all around them.  They know how to use it, we just have to use that to our advantage. 

Useful links for educators:

Using Cell Phones as Learning Tools - Education Corner

How to use cell phones as teaching tools - Teach Hub

Bresnahan, K. (2015, September 4). BYOD: The new trend favoring cell phones in schools. Retrieved from EdTechReview website: http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/trends/2012-cell-phones-in-school

Ehnie, K. (2020, January 23). 6 ways to use students' smartphones for learning. Retrieved from ISTE website: https://www.iste.org/explore/toolbox/6-ways-use-students-smartphones-learning

Montag, M. (January, 9 2020). One thing that changed everything about the way I teach. Retrieved from YouTube website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ37VZ82aNY#action=share

Technology integration matrix: Table of student descriptors. (2020, February 22). Retrieved from Florida center for instructional technology: https://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/student-descriptors-table/

Jennifer Gibson

Class...today we are going to Mount Everest on a field trip.

Class…today we are going to Mount Everest on a field trip.

The world we live in is getting smaller and smaller due to technology.  School librarians have the resources to help lead our schools through technology integration (Johnson, 2012). One excellent resource are blogs from professionals in the technology, library, and education industry.  The two blogs that I am recommended you to view are the Disruptive Library Technology Jester by Peter Murray (DLTJ.org) and the Library Girl by Jennifer LeGuarde (librarygirl.net/blog).  They both have had blogs for years and advocate for libraries with every fiber of their being.  So interesting to see what they have to say about our industry and many of their blogs make you ask questions and strive to research for better understanding. 

Today, I am also blogging about Google Expeditions kits.  This online technology using phones and VR headsets to send students anywhere in the world to reinforce learning in the classroom.  Google Expedition is not a relatively new product, but it is new-to-me.  A blog post from 2016 by Janice Mak on the ISTE website is titled, Google Expeditions offers stunning field trips without leaving school (Mak, 2016).  She describes in length how to guide the students through the lessons and the excitement of the students.  This website has an entire section of their site for teachers to blog about their student experiences with a variety of technology platforms. 

Currently, I am collaborating with a 5^th grade teacher to work on an Ecosystem project.  The students will be working in groups and choosing an ecosystem for their project.  Through the Google Expedition kits, I can help them travel and view that ecosystem anywhere in the world.  Desert – the Sahara, Tundra – Alaska, Grasslands – Scotland, and Mountain – Mount Everest are just a few of the choices.  Each student will be led by myself on a journey.  They just sit back and enjoy the ride.  This technology will definitely be “effectively meet student needs and keep them actively engaged during instruction” (Smith, 2010, p. 617).  My goal is that through this technology they will have a personal experience and retain more information than just viewing the information in a book. 

The principal is absolutely on board and the teachers each will get time during the week that we will be housing the kit at our school.  She loves the opportunity for the library to collaborate with the teachers.  The kits are owned by the school district and I signed up for the kit through the technology office.  They will bring it to our school and then pick it up at the end of the week.  I would not be surprised is more school districts do not have kits to be used by the teachers in their district.

Johnson, M. (2012). School librarians as technology integration leaders: enablers and barriers to leadership enactment. School Library Research, Vol 15. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ978840.pdf

Mak, J. (2016, February 5). Google expeditions offer stunning field trips without leaving school. ISTE: https://www.iste.org/explore/In-the-classroom/Google-Expeditions-offers-stunning-field-trips-without-leaving-school

Smith, D. (2010). Making the case for the leadership role of school librarians in technology integration. Library Hi Tech, Vol 28(4), 617-631. https://learn-us-east-1-prod-fleet01-xythos.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/5dd6acf5e22a7/6257667?response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27Making%2520the%2520Case.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20200208T040607Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAZH6WM4PLTYPZRQMY%2F20200208%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=f26651c1cfad160c8ca4789115e34cf6f14aa8a5e70dfc1a3e378ecc484a42aa

Jennifer Gibson, Bethune Elementary Media Specialist

Librarians - Making Healthy Choices

I remember when the technology experts thought that all of the computer systems were going to crash when time moved from 1999 to 2000.  We all were sitting and watching the television to see if the world as we knew it was going to end.  Obviously, it didn’t.  The clocks all changed to 01/01/2000 and nothing stopped.

In reading out the skills needed by students by the Partnership for 21^st Century Learning skills, I couldn’t help but reflect on my past technology experience.  The P21 Frameworks states that people should have the following characteristics to live today.  Those are the access to an abundance of information, rapid changes in technology tools, the ability to collaborate and make individual contributions.  This Framework was published in 2015, and these words still ring true.

Abundance of Information

From the moment you wake up until you close your eyes at night you are receiving information.  Time, weather, traffic reports, news, Facebook, twitter, email, and even your watch is feeding you information.  All this before 8:00 a.m.  Go ahead and agree with me…you know I am right.  It is constant, but we must be able to determine what news we need and what places should you be spending your time on?  Clay Johnson, the author of the book Information Diet, compares information to your daily food intake.  What are healthy calories or empty calories?  Is the information that you are taking in enhancing your day or detracting from your day?  Both are valid questions and something that over time could easily affect many aspects in your life by causing conflict, anger, depression or just wasting time on information that is not needed in our life.  I feel that a good information diet should include a variety of sources to help to inform, teach, and inspire me to share these healthy choices with others.

Rapid Changes in Technology Tools

I often feel that when I am just getting the hang of my phone or computer, it’s outdated.  Technology never stops changing.  Working in an elementary school this is also the case.  Our students are exposed to technology that they I did not see until college.  These are little people and their brains are just developing, but we are expecting them to make the changes in online learning sites, research sites, blended learning, and technology stations every 15 minutes.  What ever happened to just sitting and daydreaming about what a cloud looks like.  But we can draw a cloud on our laptop if it’s at one of the stations that day in class.

The Ability to Collaborate and Make Individual Contribution.

Collaborate is an interesting word in a technology society.  Everyone collaborates or discusses with someone else.  News today sometimes feels like a collaboration.  A cellphone by a random bystander takes the video and a report sees it on Facebook and makes their own interpretation of the post.  Ta-da News.  That would be collaboration, right?  The Liturgists’ podcast this week went into depth about the difference between conspiracy and fake news.  The thought was that fake news was created to promote something.  This could be politics, fad diets or flu shots.  I feel that I don’t know what news source to believe.  The recommendation was to basically fact-check everything and never only watch one media source all the time.

How do we as librarians help in all of these areas?  The answer is not easy but simple…Knowledge.  We must help student to learn how to manage and organize the abundance of information that they see.  What is news and what is fake news?  That it is okay to not believe everything.  Trust must be earned and not given freely when gaining information.  Many times in our schools, librarians are also helping with technology.  We are training the students and teachers, how to use the latest promethean boards or connect to the school printer.  Everything with media literacy and usage falls to us, the “Keepers of the Knowledge”.  It’s a great undertaking, but someone has to do it … why not us?

Resources

Gungor, M. & McHargue, M. (2017, March 7). Retrieved from https://theliturgists.com/podcoast/2017/3/7/fake-news-media-literacy

Partnership for 21^st Century Learning. (2015). P21 Framework Definitions. Retrieved from: https://www.P21.org/framework