I am a current second grade teacher in a school district with students that have goals in academics, however have limited resources in grasping them. Families in our community typically struggle to make ends meet. More than seventy percent of our students receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch daily, which is calculated based on income.
In the past years, I have worked with many students coming from environments of lower socio-economic status and limited to prior knowledge and accessibility to resources.
These students struggle with learning the way other students in the classroom may learn. Visual and hands-on materials as well as a flexible classroom space can assist in academic improvement and in forming connections. The use of videos can also encourage the building of vocabulary and about topics they have limited knowledge about due to not having opportunities to experience them.
Along with students of a lower socio-economic environments, I also work regularly with students of increased academic needs. These students can be on specialized plans that are set to meet their academic needs (IEPs). These students usually require special needs and with that, many times the information taught in the classroom needs to be introduced differently.
My Project
Since having limited access to technology and books, students can use a Kindle to read selected book choices. The use of technology and reading has come a long way. The use of a technological support device for reading assists students with not only making books accessible but also allowing the students to feel more comfortable working with a device incorporated with reading. The use of devices such as a Kindle can give other options for kids in independent reading time and this can allow for excitement toward books! The books on a device, such as this Kindle, can also aim to assist strugglers with a “read to student” option. For strugglers, this option can allow for students to have a chance to hear how the story should be read, which will also allow for the building of fluency with reading.
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