Using our iPads and iPods

We are beginning to see the incredible potential of the new mobile digital tools we have in our schools. At BES, we are finding some great educational apps for the iPads. If you have a chance, check out Scribble Press and ShowMe. Ms. Vibe has been using both to teach creative writing in her early primary class. Dragon Dictation is another great app for beginning writers and editors.  MusicSparkle, SingingFingers, RubyRepeat and Monster Chorus are fun and educational music apps. Kids of all ages can get creative with Egg A Sketch, Pottery HD and Hello Color Pencil. All these apps were downloaded for free.

The iPods are very similar to the iPads. The larger size of the iPads is great for little kids as they learn fine motor control. The iPods have the benefit of being more compact and portable - great for recording audio, photos or video while you are out and about. We have found some great apps to use with nature, too, like Leafsnap, Skyview, and the Peterson Feeder Birds of North America app.

Last week, I interviewed students at EES for the Southern Zone newsletter article about learning American Sign Language. It was fun for me to use Voice Memos to interview children for the article, using the same technology that is now in all our Southern Zone classrooms - as an app on the classroom iPods. It was like using a microphone and tape recorder, but all in one small device.

When I played back one of the voice recordings, the primary children noticed that if they had not explained themselves clearly in words, the listener didn't know what they were talking about - the littlest ones were surprised that they couldn't hear the parts of the conversation that consisted of gesture and sign. Some of the other children spontaneously began to articulate what was missing from the recording, practicing ways to communicate according to the specific needs of their audience.

In the intermediate class, someone noticed that sign language was the opposite of the voice recording. In ASL, you "listen" to the words with your eyes; with a recording you need to create understanding and visuals from the words you hear. As they think about how to communicate in different ways, using different tools and modalities, our students are learning advanced literacy skills that will help them succeed in school and in life.