Reading Assignment Part A

 

How do you establish a vibrant reading culture that honors indigenous ways of knowing in a school?

What issues, interests, or opportunities do you anticipate arising in your teaching in the near future? Is there a component of this issue, interest, or opportunity that relates to the use of digital technologies?

I learned this past year that a reading culture does not necessarily exist in all elementary schools. I have taught at several different schools in my career and did not realize until this year that a vibrant reading culture is not a given, it cannot be assumed. What the reading culture looks like depends on the teachers, parents, students, administrators, student support teachers, educational assistants and especially the teacher-librarian. I am curious what tangibles and intangibles make a reading culture active and robust in a school? How can a reading culture move beyond the walls of the school and permeate the homes of students? How do we make a reading culture inclusive for all learners? How can we create a reading culture that honors indigenous ways of knowing? How can information and communication technology impact the depth and diversity of a reading culture?

What curriculum is related to this issue, interest or opportunity?

As an elementary school (K-5) teacher, the curricular areas that connect to this interest would be: English Language Arts. Within that area I would specifically be looking at curricular competencies that include First Peoples content.

What pedagogy might be useful for fostering learners' engagement and excitement?

I have found that most students are engaged during group work, hands-on, inquiry-based, student-centered, and student-directed learning activities. I have also recently found that students are excited to learn about indigenous ways of knowing and content about indigenous culture.

What digital technologies can you imagine contributing to enrich, enable, or enhance learning?

Essential information and communication technologies I would hope to find in classrooms and libraries include laptops, iPads, document cameras, and short throw projectors. A variety of digital reading material that is exciting and engaging for students would enrich learning. I have experience with RazkKids Online Leveled Reading Resources for Students & Teachers | Raz-Kids (learninga-z.com),  and Tumble books TumbleBooks - eBooks for eKids! (tumblebooklibrary.com) which are both wonderful sources of children’s books online. I am keen to see what is out there for other eBook sites and web-based resources that include indigenous content or help teachers incorporate indigenous ways of knowing into the reading culture of a school.

In case you aren't familiar with document cameras, they have enhanced my teaching practice exponentially, here's a short video introduction.

What are the keywords that you would use to identify elements of this issue, interest, or opportunity?

Reading culture, reading clubs, eBooks, web-based reading resources, digital books, indigenous literature, indigenous early readers, reading engagement, Indigenous Principals of Learning, reading differentiation,

What is in your professional practice or environment that you would like to explore further about digital technologies, web 2.0, or 21st-century learning?

What digital technologies exist that are being used successfully to create vibrant reading cultures in schools? What digital technologies exist that incorporate indigenous content? How are students being involved in the creation and direction of the reading culture?