Key Ideas from the Reading

Barone, D., & Wright, T.E. (2008)  Literacy Instruction with Digital and Media Technologies. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 292-302

This article discusses how classroom teachers can integrate new literacies into their teaching practice to extend the literary experiences of their students. It introduces a variety of ways that teachers may be able to include digital and media technologies in their lessons in order to prepare their students for the literacy demands of the future. 

Here are some of the key ways that were outlined:

- Developing a class webpage that can be accessed by all the students whether they are in a computer lab at school or on their personal computer at home. The teacher can upload homework, work sheets, graphic organisers, media files and any other resources that they want their students to have free access to. The expectation can be set that students will regularly check the webpage and be prepared for the learning activities of the day.

- If students are in a one-to-one laptop class or a computer lab they can complete their independant reading and then use instant messaging with their partner to pair-share and discuss their comprehension. The use of IM in class is seen as a way to foster student engagement in the learning process as they are combining an aspect of their lives from outside school in the classroom. 

- Creating a class blog is also a way in which students can interact with each other online and contribute to and comment on other people's postings, for example, to discuss a book that they are all reading. This type of interaction can encourage deeper understanding of the themes of a book as students can read how others are interpreting it and strengthen their own comprehension.