My students need a Kindle for literacy motivation. The Kindle provides immediate access to several texts, a dictionary feature, and the ability to highlight on the page.
A typical day in my reading class requires significant creativity in motivating students to read. There are many students in my class who struggle with reading at grade level.
My biggest challenge is to keep my students motivated to improve literacy skills.
It is often difficult to find enough copies of high interest books for many of the students who struggle to read at grade level. I serve a population of students who are experiencing many life circumstances that negatively impact their ability to focus on academics. My students also struggle with having the intrinsic motivation to do the work to improve their skills. Half of my students are living in poverty and there are 18 students who are currently homeless. Using technology is a way to motivate these students, but unfortunately our school does not have the resources to provide what they need.
My Project
Having a Kindle in the classroom will be an extremely valuable motivator for students who struggle with reading. This resource will allow students to have immediate access to a dictionary feature to look up unfamiliar words as they read. They will also be able to highlight on the page to improve their ability to identify essential information. One of the most exciting features of this tool is the a note-taking feature which students can type in as they read in order to share their findings with other members of book groups. This method is much easier than having to tackle writing it all out. It eases the frustration of reading and writing, yet allows them to participate.
A Kindle will also increase my students' motivation to read because they will have access to many books on topics that interest them. They won't have to wait for the books to become available in the library cue. There are endless possibilities for using even a single Kindle in my classroom.
Donations to this project will not only improve the motivation of students who struggle with literacy in my classroom, but could sway the negative experiences many students have with traditional paper books, by incorporating tools to ease their everyday frustration through technology.
I believe the ability to communicate through reading, writing, and speaking is an essential life skill necessary for success in this world. Providing my students with a Kindle is a way to motivate them to learn to do this well.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Holmes and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.