Week #4 Blog Post: Using the iPad in First Grade

I walked into my first grade classroom in 1983 and our first assignment for the day was to write in our journal. We got our folder with the blank white printer paper, copied the date off the board, and wrote about the topic the teacher chose for that particular day. The next assignment was to copy and solve the five math problems on our half sheet of paper. Once we were done we knew to pick a book from the buckets or read the sight words on the index cards quietly as everyone finished their work.

Now I teach first grade and our morning starts pretty much the same way. My students begin their day with journal time but instead of the folder with blank printer paper, the students type their journal entry on the computer and save it to a word document. The students choose a topic from a variety of topics instead of the same topic for everyone. My students then work through their math problems, get a calculator, and check their own math answers. Once my students are finished with their math problems they know it is time to read, but instead of heading for a book they reach for the Nooks, iPads, and digital picture frames. The students read stories on the Nook and use headphones so they do not disturb other readers. The students practice reading fluently by drawing "swoop" marks under the words on the iPad with their fingers. The students can choose to go to the digital picture frame and quietly read the sight words that are shown on the digital picture frame as a slide show. Wow, how things have changed!

The video below shows a classroom teacher using iPads in a first grade classroom and talks with students asking them how they like using technology.

 

I love the many different devices and resources we have available in our classrooms today! The more resources you have the more students you can keep engaged in learning. There are studies being done which prove students with disabilities can communicate with teachers better using iPads. I have been researching iPad applications for students with autism on Google Reader and found an insightful entry on cool cat teacher blog. I have included the link to the blog page below.
http://www.securedgenetworks.com/secure-edge-networks-blog/?Tag=iPad+in+education

For those of you who are like me, always looking for great iPad apps for reading, below is a wonderful sight words application.

http://www.padgadget.com/2010/09/02/sight-words-hd-for-ipad-first-look/

I will have the students help me think of words to enter in the word bank. I will also show my students how to enter new words into the bank and allow them to enter them. I am looking forward to using this app in my classroom.