Managing 20 plus Kindergarteners who seek individual attention is not an
easy task. Blended learning can have a huge impact in a Kindergarten
classroom. By adding iPads or computers to a station where children rotate
through during literacy centers is a step in the right direction. Instead
of children being at an independent center playing games with no feedback and a
chance to be off task they can be highly engaged using drill and practice
software to practice phonics, math and handwriting. The teacher can then
use reports generated to identify students’ weaknesses and strengths to provide
even more individualized instruction. This allows for students to move at
their own pace and at their own level of instruction.
This sounds great but what programs are the children actually using? While
researching about blended learning I read about different models and how it is
used in various classroom settings. The studies I read showed how
computers impacted learning and test scores were rising. The articles did
not however go into specifics about what programs the children were accessing
when rotating to iPads or laptops. So my quest this week was to find some
great apps I will eventually use in my Kindergarten class as part of my blended
learning model.
Do you have an iPad in your classroom? What are your favorite apps?
easy task. Blended learning can have a huge impact in a Kindergarten
classroom. By adding iPads or computers to a station where children rotate
through during literacy centers is a step in the right direction. Instead
of children being at an independent center playing games with no feedback and a
chance to be off task they can be highly engaged using drill and practice
software to practice phonics, math and handwriting. The teacher can then
use reports generated to identify students’ weaknesses and strengths to provide
even more individualized instruction. This allows for students to move at
their own pace and at their own level of instruction.
This sounds great but what programs are the children actually using? While
researching about blended learning I read about different models and how it is
used in various classroom settings. The studies I read showed how
computers impacted learning and test scores were rising. The articles did
not however go into specifics about what programs the children were accessing
when rotating to iPads or laptops. So my quest this week was to find some
great apps I will eventually use in my Kindergarten class as part of my blended
learning model.
Do you have an iPad in your classroom? What are your favorite apps?
Here are Some of my favorite apps!
apps-for-a-kindergarten-classroom.docx |