Thursday, February 7, 2008
Teaching Technology to my H.I. students - A challenge!
I am having such a hard time integrating technology in my classroom for my H.I. students. I sit and complain that there is never enough technology out there for the Deaf/HH, but have a few purchased items right in my classroom and still do not use them! Every week I am telling my aides, interpreters, and myself that I am going to allow at least 15 minutes a day for each of my students to explore the internet and have the opportunity to play the fun ASL games that I have. Due to so little time in the day (since my students are mainstreamed @ different times of the day & actually do not have all of them for more than at least an hour per day!) and all of these snow days that we are having, I am having such a hard time just trying to catch up on all of the actual "work" that they are up to two weeks behind in! I WANT my students to have the knowledge of what is available for them, but to actually have them sitting at the computer by themselves playing a fun game or learning something new--well, it is extremely frustrating! So, I am going to have to write myself an actual contract in allowing my students to have the opportunity to explore what is actually out there for them and what I have "bookmarked" onto my computer for them to do. Since I am completing my Lesson Plan for Dr. Merrill's class about Chinese New Year, I plan on gathering all of my students around the computer and have them ask me questions about what we can find out about China and how they celebrate this holiday on the internet. We can also look up how we celebrate our New Year here in the states. Of course, I have this wonderful idea that I will actually put in my lesson plans--I just actually have to make the time to complete this task. How do any of you use technology in your classroom? How do you "make" time for all of your students to complete something relating to your themes or topics you have within your district? Sure, we have an actual computer lab--but, as far as signing up for a time for my students to use it--Good Luck there! Every time I would like to use it, it is almost ALWAYS being occupied by another class. I guess I am just going to have to make the time for myself to have my students explore more on their own--but, with some assistance needed by either myself or the interpreters. I have great sites that I have saved for them to use, I just actually have to let them use it! It may not be exactly what I want to teach them, but really --they are learning to read when they are using one of my ASL reading programs! I guess I just have to change the way that I teach and allow the uses of technology to also teach my students as well. Any questions or opinions would be helpful! Thanks so much!
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Do you have any of the "new" tools that are available to your students? Per the Disabilities Act, are you allowed a budget for such equipment and tools?
It sounds like you are having a difficult time implementing technology into your normal routine. It's really tough to add things into our normal schedules. Unfortunately, we are not the only ones that pay for the lost time and experience. I'm sure once you're given the chance to make a "plan", things will flow smoothly.
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