The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies Early Reading First University of Southern Maine

Planning for Technology Integration Activities PDF

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Planning for Technology Integration Activities
to Support Early Literacy Development

Take a “Technology Inventory:” (What do you have and what can it do?)

  • List available technology (equipment) and useful software applications and programs (ex. Bailey’s Book House, Green Eggs & Ham, etc.).
  • Learn about the software programs! Try them out to get familiar with what each software program has to offer. Create a bulleted list of learning activities/options that might be useful. (For example, Kid Pix® has many options/tools offering different learning opportunities.) Some software applications have teacher manuals that have already created these kinds of lists, such as the “Learning Matrix for Literacy Goals” found with Bailey’s Book House.
  • Keep these technology materials together, to easily access and use them when planning for individual children and/or for the group.

Teach Technology Skills:

  • Review the “Introducing Young Children to the Computer” handout and plan lessons that will help all children learn technology skills, so they can succeed when doing early literacy activities that involve technology use.
  • Use the “Tech Skills Checklist” or other form of assessment to track every child’s success/interest in using the technology tools. (Sometimes children who have not had life experiences/opportunities to use a computer may seem uninterested or uncomfortable using the computer. They should be provided with additional support and offered high interest, high success, and age-appropriate computer-based activities selected especially for them. Some activities may start on the computer, then inspire off computer activities—for example, make road signs for the block area, and to use in block play.)

Plan Technology Integration Activities:

  • When planning curriculum, keep your technology inventory materials handy and refer to them, so all technology options are available “at a glance.”
  • Identify learning goals (for child or group), look at the technology inventory and identify which equipment/software/activity will provide the child/group opportunities to reach these learning goals.
  • Keep broader curricular goals in mind. To help children learn to connect speech with writing, learn how to support children as “digital storytellers” (see “Listen To My Story! Kid Pix® “Workflow” handout).
  • Use assessments to inform planning for individual children. For example, when helping a child learn to recognize his/her alphabet letters, list which letters still need to be learned, and which activities can support that learning. Make sure this is done in playful and appropriate ways. (Ex. for letters the child does not know, put letter squares for those letters in a bowl to make “alphabet soup.” Let the child choose a letter, guess what it is, then match it to the “Letter Machine” in Bailey’s, or some other appropriate activity, working alone and/or with a friend.)
  • Write up the activity plan as you would for other types of learning activities offered, listing what will be used, who will offer the activity, etc.

*Some days/times children may explore the computer and software choices independently, using what they wish. Other times, a particular activity may be offered, similar to what might take place in a writing or art center.

Implement Technology Integration Activities

  • At morning meeting, carefully explain the technology integration activity. What software program is being used and what tool/activity? If possible, position the group so they can turn around and see the computer, or use some kind of visual aid to help children understand the activity.
  • When you offer the technology integration activity (carefully consider what opportunities exist in your daily schedule), provide the appropriate level of support based on observations of a child’s ability/comfort using the computer. A teacher, classroom volunteer and/or peer mentor can offer tech support.

Assess the success of the activity and use this information to modify, or extend future technology integration activities.

 

~End~

This handout was developed by Bonnie Blagojevic, M.Ed., C.A.S., Research Associate, of the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, in partnership with the University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Roads to Quality, for the Portland Early Literacy Collaborative project, funded through a U.S. Department of Education Early Reading First Grant (Award Number S359B050075).

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