Teachers are using technology in the classroom to create engaging lessons that are more accessible to all students. This year, classrooms in building B at Irene Reither Elementary received new digital screens to replace their outdated projectors. In Katy Vance’s third grade class, she is using both the new screen and document camera with her daily phonics lessons.
“The new technology is helpful in making lessons more accessible to students. Connecting visual representation to lessons is particularly helpful for students who are multilingual learners,” Vance said.
Vance explained that prior to the new screen she used a projector. However, the image was difficult to see and the colors wouldn’t display accurately. The resolution of the new screen is vibrant and reliable.
During the daily phonics lesson, students can see the letter(s) that corresponds to the sounds they are trying to make while they recite the sounds aloud. They can also follow along with each part of the lesson by viewing the daily schedule displayed on the screen.
For part of the daily lesson, Vance will model how to write out the words on a small white board that is displayed on the screen using the new document camera. Students can see how to correctly write each word and then practice how to write the word themselves, using small white boards at their tables.
Along with a morning message and the daily phonics lessons, Vance also uses the new technology to project student expectations, daily slideshows for math lessons, reading groups and reading rotations, modeling with the document camera, share student work on the document camera (such as writing and math) and project books on the document camera for reading aloud.