LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY PROJECT

1. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY PROJECT TEAM SYNERGY GRANT APPLICATION Implementing Kindles for Enhancing Learning of ELL Proposal prepared by ; SerenArikan, DistyDamaranti, Karl Karkainen

2. Description of Pilot Project • The project aims to evaluate curricular uses of kindles in a pilot test to determine if adoption enhances teaching and learning of ELL classes . • Target population is 8th grade 35 ELLs. • Timeline of the project is three school semesters.

3. Goals 1) To provide low-income students familiarity with current technology 2) To provide diverse venues for ELL students to improve English skills 3) To introduce electronic readers into schools 4) To reduce costs of textbooks in the future

4. Benefits of Kindles • The search engine feature on the Amazon Kindle allows for convenience in referencing material for book reports, class assignments, group projects, etc. • E-Books are often cheaper • Lighter than a typical paperback • E-Books may be purchased and used instantly instead of waiting for two-week delivery time, as well as shipping/handling costs • Hundreds of thousands of book titles, blogs, newspapers, and magazines are available

5. How Kindles Could Enhance Learning ? • Kindle has a dictionary, • ELL books, or exercises can be downloaded. • Read loud out the books, so students can correct their pronunciation • Provides access to English study blogs and newspapers • E Ink screens helps with long form reading • Access to many diverse books • Change font size

6. Possible Issues • Using kindle is safe compared to other internet connected technologies • Kindle has limited internet connectivity, it has connection with Wikipedia, blogs and some newspapers • A kindle can keep student on task since a student couldn’t use it for any other purpose, except reading..

7. Research Results “In examining the average 2005 math scores of 12th graders who lived in homes with fewer than 10 books, an analysis of federal Education Department statistics found that those students scored much lower than those who lived in homes with more than 100 books. Although some of those results could be attributed to income gaps, Mr. Iyengar noted that students who lived in homes with more than 100 books but whose parents only completed high school scored higher on math tests than those students whose parents held college degrees (and were therefore likely to earn higher incomes) but who lived in homes with fewer than 10 books.” 1

8. Research 2 • “We are 7th grade students at Seneca Grade School and enjoy using Kindles in our RTI class. One reason we like Kindles better than using a book because we can change the font size. We like the largest font because it makes us read faster.” 2 • “…another feature is we like the fact we don’t have to carry around a lot of books because the Kindle has a variety of titles downloaded onto it.” 2

9. Research 3 • “We keep our place/location using the Kindle 2 by writing it down the location number. This way when we use the Kindle 2 we can search by location number.” 2 • “We shouldn’t wait a decade or two to begin to achieve what is inevitable — an education system where each American schoolchild has an eTextbook, like Amazon’s Kindle, loaded with the most up-to-date and interactive teaching materials and texts available. The ‘Kindle in every backpack’ concept isn’t just an educational gimmick—it could improve education quality and save money.” 2

10. Budget • 35 items of the 1st Generation Amazon Kindle (Approximately $285 x 35 = $9,975 including tax) • An assortment of 10 English Language Learning materials for teachers (Approximately $135 including tax) • 35 items of the e-book The Giver by Lois Lowry ($7.61 x 35 = Approximately $270 including tax) • 35 items of the e-book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech ($4.35 x 35 = Approximately $152) • 35 items of the e-book Tangerine by Edward Bloor ($7.58 x 35 = Approximately $265)

11. Total & Surplus • Total Projected Costs (not including shipping and handling fees): $9,975 + $135 + $270 + $152 + $265 = $10,645 • Additional materials could be purchased with the remaining balance of the grant such as shipping/handling fees, purchasing replacement Kindles, and buying more ELL teacher resources and/or e-books

12. Feasibility • Kindle is a portable technology, it does not need an additional infrastructure .

13. SAMPLE LESSON PLAN

14. Standards Reading EALRs • EALR 1: The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read. • EALR 2: The student understands the meaning of what is read. Reading GLEs – 8th Grade • Component 1.4: Apply word recognition skills and strategies to read fluently. • Apply fluency to enhance comprehension. • Read grade-level literary/narrative text and informational/expository text orally with accuracy, using appropriate pacing, phrasing, and expression. • Component 2.1: Demonstrate evidence of reading comprehension.

15. Required Technology • Amazon Kindles (one for each class member plus one for the instructor) • Copy of the novel Tangerine downloaded into each Kindle • Copy of the book ESL Active Learning Lessons: 15 Complete Content-Based Units to Reinforce Language Skills and Concepts • Simple English News (Kindle blog) • Charged batteries

16. Objectives • Student will learn how to use kindles • Learn new vocabularies • Correct their pronunciation • Increase reading period and total pages • Improve English communication skills • Improve writing skills • Improve spelling skills

17. Procedure • A seminar about use of kindles to students and instructors • ELL will be able to take kindles to home • Kindles will be used during reading, listening and writing process • Teacher will help in speaking and communication steps;

18. Sample Assignment 1 • Read the first 30 pages of Novel Tangerine and write five questions about the text.( take not in your kindles) • Write down the meanings of 10 unknown words you encountered during reading ( to access the meaning just double click on the unknown word in your kindle novel) • Summarize the text in two paragraphs • Read aloud one of the pages then let kindle read the same page for you. Write down the words that you mispronounced • Read the most interesting news in simple news blog

19. Sample Assignment 2 • Ask the questions you noted in your kindle to one of your classmates • Answer the questions that one of your peers asked about Novel Tangerine • Say the words you hardly pronounced and asked one of the peers to spell and pronounce it. • In few sentences make a guess about next 30 pages of the novel. • Share the story you read in kindle news blog.

20. Rubric • Student noted 5 meaningful questions about the text (1-5) • Student noted meanings of 10 unknown words from the text (1-5) • Student very well summarized the text (1-5) • Student noted 2 words that he/she mispronounced and corrected them in class ( 1-5) • Student comprehensively answered the text related questions asked by her/his peers (1-5) • Student shared a true story from kindle news blog (0 or 5)

21. How the technology could be extended? • Other disciplines may use kindles as well. • With downloading the related books or resources will extend the technology to other majors. • Other schools can use the technology since kindle does not need any infrastructure • Kindle is a great opportunity for low income areas in which people do not have books at home or an adequate library at school.

22. Collaboration with community • Instructors : lesson plans in kindles can be shared • Parents: they can be encouraged to use kindles and help their children with their homework. • Other institutions can be implemented kindle according to their major and study area. They can share the application results of kindles in their institutions .

23. Conclusion • It is a great technology for students learning English. It provides improving pronunciation, listening, comprehending, writing and communication skills • it is a safe technology compared to other technologies • Advantages are more than the shortcomings. All schools and instructors could be benefited of the kindle technology