LEARNING ENVIRONMENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY PROJECTTECHNOLOGY PROJECT

TEAM SYNERGY GRANT APPLICATION

Implementing Kindles for Enhancing Learning of ELL

Proposal prepared by ;Seren Arikan, Disty Damaranti, Karl Karkainen

Description of Pilot ProjectDescription of Pilot ProjectThe project aims to evaluate

curricular uses of kindles in a pilot test to determine if adoption enhances teaching and learning of ELL classes

. Target population is 8th grade 35 ELLs.

Timeline of the project is three school semesters.

GoalsGoals

1) To provide low-income students familiarity with current technology

2) To provide diverse venues for ELL students to improve English skills

3) To introduce electronic readers into schools

4) To reduce costs of textbooks in the future

Benefits of Kindles Benefits of Kindles

The search engine feature on the Amazon Kindle allows for convenience in referencing material for book reports, class assignments, group projects, etc.

E-Books are often cheaperLighter than a typical paperbackE-Books may be purchased and used

instantly instead of waiting for two-week delivery time, as well as shipping/handling costs

Hundreds of thousands of book titles, blogs, newspapers, and magazines are available

How Kindles Could Enhance How Kindles Could Enhance Learning ?Learning ?

Kindle has a dictionary, ELL books, or exercises can be

downloaded. Read loud out the books, so students

can correct their pronunciationProvides access to English study

blogs and newspapersE Ink screens helps with long form

reading Access to many diverse booksChange font size

Possible IssuesPossible IssuesUsing kindle is safe compared to

other internet connected technologies

Kindle has limited internet connectivity, it has connection with Wikipedia, blogs and some newspapers

A kindle can keep student on task since a student couldn’t use it for any other purpose, except reading..

Research ResultsResearch Results “In examining the average 2005 math

scores of 12th graders who lived in homes with fewer than 10 books, an analysis of federal Education Department statistics found that those students scored much lower than those who lived in homes with more than 100 books. Although some of those results could be attributed to income gaps, Mr. Iyengar noted that students who lived in homes with more than 100 books but whose parents only completed high school scored higher on math tests than those students whose parents held college degrees (and were therefore likely to earn higher incomes) but who lived in homes with fewer than 10 books.” 1

Research 2Research 2“We are 7th grade students at

Seneca Grade School and enjoy using Kindles in our RTI class. One reason we like Kindles better than using a book because we can change the font size. We like the largest font because it makes us read faster.” 2

“…another feature is we like the fact we don’t have to carry around a lot of books because the Kindle has a variety of titles downloaded onto it.” 2

Research 3Research 3“We keep our place/location using the

Kindle 2 by writing it down the location number. This way when we use the Kindle 2 we can search by location number.” 2

“We shouldn’t wait a decade or two to begin to achieve what is inevitable — an education system where each American schoolchild has an eTextbook, like Amazon’s Kindle, loaded with the most up-to-date and interactive teaching materials and texts available. The ‘Kindle in every backpack’ concept isn’t just an educational gimmick—it could improve education quality and save money.” 2

BudgetBudget 35 items of the 1st Generation Amazon Kindle

(Approximately $285 x 35 = $9,975 including tax)

An assortment of 10 English Language Learning materials for teachers (Approximately $135 including tax)

35 items of the e-book The Giver by Lois Lowry ($7.61 x 35 = Approximately $270 including tax)

35 items of the e-book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech ($4.35 x 35 = Approximately $152)

35 items of the e-book Tangerine by Edward Bloor ($7.58 x 35 = Approximately $265)

Total & SurplusTotal & SurplusTotal Projected Costs (not including

shipping and handling fees): $9,975 + $135 + $270 + $152 + $265 = $10,645

Additional materials could be purchased with the remaining balance of the grant such as shipping/handling fees, purchasing replacement Kindles, and buying more ELL teacher resources and/or e-books

Feasibility Feasibility

Kindle is a portable technology, it does not need an additional infrastructure .

SAMPLE LESSON PLANSAMPLE LESSON PLAN

StandardStandardssReading EALRs

EALR 1: The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.

EALR 2: The student understands the meaning of what is read.

Reading GLEs – 8th Grade

Component 1.4: Apply word recognition skills and strategies to read fluently.

Apply fluency to enhance comprehension.

Read grade-level literary/narrative text and informational/expository text orally with accuracy, using appropriate pacing, phrasing, and expression.

Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension.

Required TechnologyRequired TechnologyAmazon Kindles (one for each class

member plus one for the instructor)Copy of the novel Tangerine

downloaded into each Kindle Copy of the book ESL Active

Learning Lessons: 15 Complete Content-Based Units to Reinforce Language Skills and Concepts

Simple English News (Kindle blog)Charged batteries

ObjectivesObjectivesStudent will learn how to use kindlesLearn new vocabulariesCorrect their pronunciationIncrease reading period and total

pagesImprove English communication

skillsImprove writing skillsImprove spelling skills

ProcedureProcedureA seminar about use of kindles to

students and instructorsELL will be able to take kindles

to homeKindles will be used during

reading, listening and writing process

Teacher will help in speaking and communication steps;

Sample Assignment 1Sample Assignment 1Read the first 30 pages of Novel

Tangerine and write five questions about the text.( take not in your kindles)

Write down the meanings of 10 unknown words you encountered during reading ( to access the meaning just double click on the unknown word in your kindle novel)

Summarize the text in two paragraphsRead aloud one of the pages then let

kindle read the same page for you. Write down the words that you mispronounced

Read the most interesting news in simple news blog

Sample Assignment 2Sample Assignment 2Ask the questions you noted in your

kindle to one of your classmatesAnswer the questions that one of

your peers asked about Novel Tangerine

Say the words you hardly pronounced and asked one of the peers to spell and pronounce it.

In few sentences make a guess about next 30 pages of the novel.

Share the story you read in kindle news blog.

RubricRubricStudent noted 5 meaningful questions

about the text (1-5)Student noted meanings of 10 unknown

words from the text (1-5)Student very well summarized the text

(1-5)Student noted 2 words that he/she

mispronounced and corrected them in class ( 1-5)

Student comprehensively answered the text related questions asked by her/his peers (1-5)

Student shared a true story from kindle news blog (0 or 5)

How the technology could be How the technology could be extended?extended?Other disciplines may use kindles

as well. With downloading the related books

or resources will extend the technology to other majors.

Other schools can use the technology since kindle does not need any infrastructure

Kindle is a great opportunity for low income areas in which people do not have books at home or an adequate library at school.

Collaboration with Collaboration with communitycommunityInstructors : lesson plans in

kindles can be sharedParents: they can be encouraged

to use kindles and help their children with their homework.

Other institutions can be implemented kindle according to their major and study area. They can share the application results of kindles in their institutions .

ConclusionConclusionIt is a great technology for students

learning English. It provides improving pronunciation, listening, comprehending, writing and communication skills

it is a safe technology compared to other technologies

Advantages are more than the shortcomings. All schools and instructors could be benefited of the kindle technology