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April 7, 2006
Early Literacy
First-grader Dillon Hayen, 6, concentrates as he listens, reads and writes during a lesson in his school's Writing to Read Laboratory at Hayden Elementary School (Blue Ribbon School) in Midway City California..
The Achievement Gap-According to the 2003 NAEP results almost 90% of first graders who struggle with a slow learning pace continue to lag behind in fourth grade. On target students typically start Kindergarten with 3000 hours of pre-literacy activities in the home. At-risk students however start with just 50-250 hours of the same activities (Adams 1990). The need to begin literacy teaching from age 3-8 is essential. The talking word-processor can make a difference for all young children. Writing to Read, Waterford Early Reading Program, Dr. Peet's Talking Textwriter and Write Outloud are all names of software products that can be used to bring early literacy to all children.
OceanView School District is a fine example. KidWorks Deluxe from Knowledge Adventure is the best talking word processor for ages 4-10. I am hoping to get it to be available with the revision of my Early Literacy books. Please comment here on how you have used the computer with speech with the children you have worked with.
Posted by at April 7, 2006 6:36 PM
Comments
Children who have preliteracy experience before entering school would have better reading skills and do well in school. It would be easier for them to pick up the written language since they have been exposed to it. They have already learned that written symbols represent sounds and that translates into meanings. Talking word processors is a powerful tool in helping students develope these skills. The kids are reading, writing, and listening at the same time. In addition, they can do this with little help or no help at all. They can type something on they keyboard and hear it reads to them. They are learning to write and read. What is more fascinating for a child than to be able to read what he/she writes?
Posted by: Trisha Khuu at May 8, 2006 10:23 PM
I think that using talking word-processors is an essential learning tool to use in an a classroom, but particularly with emergent readers in the early grades. The feeling of success it affords any reader, no matter their level or ability, can not be matched by any other resource. This is a real confidence builder for any student, but particularly those who have fine-motor or reading difficulties.
Posted by: Lisa Miller at May 16, 2006 1:38 AM
I have used the computor program Kid Pix quite frequently in the SDC classroom I work in. This program allows the teacher to pre-program words onto the comtutor and then allow the children to create sentences using the appropriate vocabulary for the specific lesson. The typed text is accompanied by a picture in a box so that all the student has to do is choose the correct picture to get the word they desire. If for some reason there is no picture than it assists the student in visually recognizing the word. As the student clicks the pictures/words the computor repeats them to the student. The student can choose to complete the sentence and then listen to the finished product or listen as they type to help them decide what they want to come next. This program has been so useful in the classroom and I hope that I am able to have access to it in the future for my own personal classroom.
Posted by: Sarah Duncan at February 23, 2007 5:57 PM
Early literacy can be enhanced through technology, I was persuaded by the anedotes and experiences reflected from the stories relayed by the practitioner using this very valuable technology. The technology opens up opportunity to relay intelligence and reflect literacy, where as before it students were limited. Thanks Telloria Roseman
Posted by: Telloria Roseman at February 23, 2007 11:59 PM