Blog Assignment 4

Resources, like podcasts, can be very helpful, in that, students acquire the feel for technology and learn their lessons. Through the use of podcasts, Ms. Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano makes reading fun. I think this is an important aspect of learning. By making learning fun, children are “tricked”. They forget what they are being “forced” to do, but rather they are having fun doing what they are supposed to do. The first post that I read from Langwitches was 1st Graders Create Their Own Read-Along Audiobook. By using innovative advances in technology, Tolisano teaches her students to read. By allowing her children to record their own voice in an Audiobook, the children can listen to their recording making sure it sounds just right. Not only are they listening to their own recording, but they are also reading.  I think it is amazing how easily technology can teach children and how they are eager to learn when they use it.

The second post that I read was Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting. Tolisano discusses the importance of repetition when learning a new language. I can relate with her. I was a Spanish major, and the more that I used, pronounced and wrote a word or phrase, the better the word “stuck” in my memory. Learning a new language is extremely difficult. There are words in the English language that do not translate into other languages. I could not imagine having to learn English because of all of the homophones and different meanings of words. She states, “in order to internalize a new vocabulary word, you have to hear it at least 70+ times” (Tolisano). Think about all of the different words we use everyday, or even all of the words written in this post.  Having to hear each word 70+ times just to get the sound and pronunciation right seems like an impossible task. Students who lack vocabulary usually fall behind in reading and writing because they cannot comprehend new material. My biggest struggle in Spanish was conversation; although I could read and write well, actually pronouncing the words correctly was challenging. Tolisano describes how her class made a podcast of the story Purim in Hebrew. After recording all of the sentences out of order, the children put it together in the right order. Incredible! The major point found in this post was that the kids were using technology to learn the language. They were able to learn to speak and comprehend a different language. I think the podcasts would be of enormous assistance in a foreign language class.

The next post that I read was Podcasting with First Grade. In this post, Tolisano explains how her students read a book and then came up with questions to use as an interview script. The students then recorded, edited and published the script. It seems like these first grades had a lot of fun. I think that Ms. Tolisano has really found a good teaching resource for her students. She said that even the shy and quiet kids were eager to participate in the podcast project. Once again, her students were having fun while learning comprehension, listening, and speaking skills.

 

After reading these blog posts, I have found that using technology in the classroom not only teaches students how to efficiently use technology but also, teaches students their lessons. They learn new skills, like comprehension, vocabulary, and speaking while having fun. These posts have convinced me that using technology in the classroom is helpful.