Mobile apps available for English and Language Arts Instruction

There are numerous mobile apps available for English and Language Arts in elementary school. Some of these include: electronic dictionaries and thesauruses, electronic devices, talking word processors,networked literacy projects,interactive storybooks (electronic or talking books), tracking systems, digital storytelling activities, writing in blogs, script writing in video projects, threaded discussions in distance tools, etc. Four (4) apps that could be used on a smartphone, iPod, or iPad in the classroom are as follow: 1. Voicethread-students have the ability to create and participate in rich media discussions using mobile devices. 2. Twitter-students can share classroom news events, take notes,locate resources, or tweet a book. 3.Electronic resources-electronic dictionaries and thesauruses provide support to students as they learn  vocabulary and spelling skills. 4. Writing in blogs-students can respond to blogs. Students can use these as personal journals or as public discussion forums for trading opinions and interactions. They can create their own blog by using a blog website, such as Blogger, or they can join a blog initiated by others.

Why is it important to be a good digital citizen?
 For educators, it's important because our goal is to help students define success online, and to help implement tools and habits that prepare them to be ethical, responsible and resilent digital citizens.
What value does a good digital reputation have? Agood digital reputation shows that basic digital rights must be addressed, discussed, and understood in the digital world. With the rights also come responsibilities as well. Users must help define how the technology is to be used in an appropriate manner.

Material Generators

Three kinds of material generators that I have used are the following:
1. Test Generators and Rubic Generators---I used this in reading, language arts, and math to generate weekly tests and rubics on specific skills that have been taught for the week.
2. Worksheet and Puzzles Generators-----I generate worksheets in math for lower level skills such as math facts and math drills, so students can become fluent in their math facts.
3. Electronic gradebook--This is used district wide in the county  where I am employed. All teachers have to record daily grades, homework grades and assignments, weekly test grades, and nine weeks grades. This is used for uniformity across all grading programs.

Bernice Jones Software

Software is another word for programs written in programming languages. Instructional  software is application software designed specifically to deliver or assist with student instruction on a topic.
The five types of instructional software are as follows:
1.Drill and practice-Students work example items, usually one at a time, and receive feedback on their correctness. Ex: Extensive  feedback activiyies /MacGAMUT- http://www.macgamut.com/

2.Tutorial-These provide an entire instructional sequence similar to a teacher's classroom instruction on a topic. Ex: Linear tutorial / Basic Algebra Shapeup- http://www.meritsoftware.com/

3. Simulation- These computerized models of real or imagined systems are designed to teach how the system works. Ex: Procedural simulations /SimCity 3000- http://www.maxis.com/

4.Instructional games- These activities are designed to increase motivation by adding game rules and/or competition to learning activities. Ex: Arthur's Math Game-http://www.learningcompany.com/

5.Problem-solving- These programs serve one of three purposes; (1) to foster component skills involved in solving problems. (2) to teach or provide practice in general approaches to problem solving, or (3) to teach or provide opportunities to practice solving various problems in specific content areas. Ex; Content-area skills / Alien Rescue-http://www.alienrescue.com