English is often considered a boring subject that gives many uninterested students trouble. This is understandable considering English can be both confusing and difficult to understand. The main technology used in English would probably be books and written materials such as novels,journals and essays. However, recently new technology has been created that could change the outlook of students in relation to English. More and more schools are now adopting what is known as a “Smart Board” and its capabilities seem to be endless. Because the “Smart Board” is so large it is accessible to all students at all times. The classroom becomes an interactive playground for the students and the teacher. It really allows for the students to get involved and be excited about it.
There are so many things the “Smart Board” can make exciting. For example, the mundane task of reading and editing a paper becomes a group task that is pleasurable instead of dreadful. The “Smart Board” includes different colored pens to make teaching editing easy and effective. Each type of correction can be highlighted in a separate color to make clarifying mistakes easier for the students. It would also be a great way to get students involved with active reading. The teacher could demonstrate active reading on a short story in class making comments in the margins as the class reads as a group. The class would see the process while it is happening instead of receiving an explanation and example after the fact. It also makes showing movie clips and demonstrations much easier as well.
For most schools the “Smart Board” has become an addition they can utilize daily. Most students look forward to the use of the “Smart Board” when being used effectively. When students look forward to an activity it is much more likely that they will learn and retain the information.
It's funny that you find the Smart Boards fun and interesting; I couldn't stand them when I was in high school! Maybe it's because the technology was being developed at the time we got them, but I often found that it took away from class time instead of making it more productive. Call me old fashioned, but I liked writing on a normal white board more than a Smart Board!
ReplyDeleteI never used Smart Board in high school, but I could definitely see its uses. Personally, I don't think it's always necessary to use the board during a lesson, since I have always enjoyed discussion in English, but if you have a class with a lot of visual learners I can see how a Smart Board could be cool. I think that the editing lesson you mention sounds great; it seems like a Smart Board would work the best with lessons about grammars, and not so much with lessons about literature. I would definitely want to try out using a Smart Board to teach grammar, because it would save time since I wouldn't have to write out every example on the board, and I would thus be able to cover a lot more material. A Smart Board also sounds like a good idea for lessons about writing, or about Language Arts, but not so much reading like I said.
ReplyDeleteAs said students think of English to be the 'boring' subject, I can relate because so many students feel the same way about math. Students are definitely more interested in participating in activities that are involved with new pieces of technology. At the school I am doing my Fieldwork at I am experiencing teaching with a SmartBoard. In high school I never got to use one, and this is my first time working with one. It really is such a great and simple tool that engages the students. What amazes me most is the amount of things you can do with a SmartBoard. As a student, I never really enjoyed English class, but after knowing about the potential of a SmartBoard, I think that I would have been much more interested. I loved the editing activity using the SmartBoard, particularly because editing usually made me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed of my writing. I think this is a great way to create a sense of peer-editing as a crucial step in finalizing your writing pieces.
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