Using Digital Tools to Meet the Needs of Developing Writers

This article describes some ideas for using digital tools in your writing instruction. Using digital tools can empower students by allowing them to design and share their writing in a variety of ways. The authors created an infographic that explain how using digital tools can amplify learning when students plan stories, edit and revise their stories and give/receive feedback. Also these tools can allow for audio recordings to layer writing with voice. "The audio recording feature of digital tools enables the audience to understand the messages of our youngest writers. The opportunity to layer writing with voice helps the audience read inventive spelling, interpret illustrations, and hear the emotions of the writer.”

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Teaching Digital Tools in Writing Workshop: Plan, Purpose, Model

This article highlights ways to integrate digital tools into your writing workshop. “Our writers need to see us purposefully navigating digital tools to compose a written message.” Teachers are encouraged to model writing using digital tools such as Google Docs and Wixie. The focus of the lesson doesn’t change with the addition of these tools; the focus remains on writing stories, sharing messages and demonstrating the writing process.

 

Students as Contributors

This article by Alan November showcases how students can contribute to the learning by collaborating on a website, blog, etc where students can take turns sharing what they learned or "their notes" daily. An example of this can be found here. Students can also use various screencasting software to explain a concept or thinking to be shared with other students. An example of that can be found here and here. Some tools teachers can use to empower their students to be contributors to the learning process are listed above.

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Digital Portfolios

This article discusses how digital portfolios as a reflection tool that helps deepen student connections to the content. See below how you can use Digital Portfolios. Many in our profession feel that every student should have a digital portfolio.