Computers and handheld devices expose today’s children to countless words and text at a very early age, creating a thirst for reading. 60 South Bay Accent SHUTTERSTOCK preschools even have an academic bent that includes reading fundamentals. Surprisingly, though, electronic devices haven’t proved to be a panacea for teaching kids how to read. Human interaction remains key. In fact, recent studies highlight the importance of both teachers and parents reading aloud to children well into the tween years. And as children model behavior, those who are around adults who are frequent readers are more likely themselves to become avid readers. A visit to Merryhill’s kindergarten classroom shows the fine line that schools walk balancing technology and age-old strategies. “Read every day, lead a better life” proclaims a large, cheery poster on the right side wall. One bulletin board showcases paper cutouts of the letters from A to Z with keywords underneath each, such as “down” and “did” for D. Another board lists question words such as “who” and “what” while an easel in front of the class props up a list of math words such as “digits.” Students work on handwritten journals. Yet Merryhill, which runs from kindergarten through fifth grade, is also proactive in incorporating such technology as interactive Promethean boards and iPads. The Promethean boards are connected to computers and light years away from old chalkboards. “When the children are responding to questions on the board, the board responds to them,” Cooper says. “If their answers are not correct, the board says ‘Ohhh, try again.’ If it’s right, the screen sends up confetti and fireworks.” Older Merryhill students use iPads to highlight and take notes, thus creating an electronic vocabulary journal. Schools are taking pains to figure out what approach works best for an individual child. “The goal for us is to assist multilevel learning,” says Cooper. “Not every child is great at hearing and repeat; some children need to say, see, do it. With technology, we can access all types including kinesthetic and auditory learners.” For example, some kids do better hearing and following along with the text. “If we have kids who are struggling reading then we might have them use audio books,” says Woodland School Assistant Head Kim Gair. “You want them to be up to discussion in class.”
South Bay Accent - Aug/Sep 2015
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