''Today we will work with our word wall words,'' said Ring Elementary School kindergarten teacher Tessa Johnson. ''First, let's swipe the iPad board clean with your finger. What is the first letter in the word 'brown?'''
''B,'' said one of the students.
''That's right. Let's find the letter 'b' on the iPad. Pull it up with your finger. What's the next letter?''
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Ring Elementary School kindergarteners Jack Osborne and Joshua Skinner work on an iPad with teacher Tessa Johnson during a small-group literacy workstation.
Mrs. Johnson worked with a small group of students during literacy stations to review and practice their English Language Arts skills with the ''Word Wizard'' iPad app. The students touch each letter and pull it up to spell the word, brown.
''Now, touch the word and listen, did you spell it correctly?'' asked Mrs. Johnson as the student heard the iPad ''voice'' tell each student if they spelled the word correctly or not.
Mrs. Johnson is just one kindergarten teacher at Ring School who is using iPads with their students.
''I think the iPad works so well with the younger students as it helps them learn to be independent thinkers and problem solvers,'' said Ring Elementary School kindergarten teacher Jen Goshgarian. ''In order for the apps to work correctly, students need to press the correct button, and if incorrect they are forced to try something else. Academically, it gives them a different way of being exposed to the material. The games and apps are often set up so they cannot progress to the next skill until they have reached mastery. Also, the students are plugged-in and respond well to interactive technology.''
This is the first year the kindergarten teachers are using iPads. Each classroom has six student iPads and one teacher iPad. The iPads are used in many ways including ELA and math skills practice. For example, a teacher might use an app called Count and Write, which allows students to practice counting using one to one correspondence and then, practice writing the corresponding number directly on the iPad screen using their fingers. Teachers also utilize apps that are in both English and Spanish to reach their English Language Learners.
''Students at any age love and accept technology. The apps are fast-paced, interactive, provide positive feedback and are colorful and motivating, which makes it easy for our students who struggle with fine motors skills,'' said Ring Elementary School kindergarten teacher Brandi Meacham.
The teachers are seeing results even after a short period of time.
''So far the greatest progress I have seen is in math,'' said Mrs. Goshgarian. ''The majority of my students are comfortable counting to 10, recognizing the numbers through 10, and then writing the numbers 1 to 10. The interactive app Count and Write has helped children struggling actually see the numbers in a different, more concrete way.''
The teachers also see non-traditional learners captivated by the iPad.
''I see students with increased lengths of focused attention when working on the iPads that may not always be attending in whole group situations,'' said Mrs. Johnson. ''The students are on task at all times working with the iPads and therefore have more success at times then working with a large group.''
The teachers all agree that it is important for today's world that even the youngest students have access to technology.
''Not only are the iPads highly motivational and excellent teaching tools, but they also provide students with a lesson on technology and on using technology proficiently, which is very important as they enter the 'real world.' Being technologically literate is an important skill in today's world,'' said Mrs. Johnson.
The teachers also use their iPads to continually monitor how their students are doing through the use of several apps. They also use the iPads to collect and compare student data.
''It is very exciting to see our district provide iPads for student use,'' said Mrs. Meacham. ''Students are excited and I believe that exposure to this technology when they are young will better prepare them for high school and college.''