Technology and
Reading Comprehension
By: Taylor Siloy
Kindergarten is the year for the basics. Students are introduced to more than just letters and sounds but also a hefty curriculum. Common Core Standards have been put in place for all grade-levels including Kindergarten. With this being said, Kindergarten has changed from its original belief of being play-based where students are there to learn how to play together and how to collaborate with their peers. One area of this rigorous curriculum is reading comprehension. Students are asked to identify a character, setting, and plot of a story. Students are also asked to give in-depth details of a story's character and setting. Students in Kindergarten get introduced to a wide-range of text from fiction, to nonfiction and they are asked to comprehend what is being read to them. Reading comprehension is far more than just English Language Arts, but it also follows the students to other content areas as well. Giving students the opportunity to master basic reading comprehension skills will prepare them for their future.
Technology is another area being added into everyday Kindergarten classrooms. Many schools today are adapting to new classroom technology standards and they are being asked to implement them into their daily curriculum as well. What teachers need to consider is instead of adding one more thing to their daily schedule, they need to integrate technology into their lessons. Technology can be used to differentiate instruction, as well as provide a great resource for students to learn an academic skill.
For my final project, I integrated technology and reading comprehension skills in the Kindergarten classroom. I made a number of resources that my students could use in the classroom with little to no help. During these resources and lessons, my students were also using the technology independently to submit assessments following each lesson. I also made voice recordings of myself reading a book to the students as they followed along. After each reading, the students took a small assessment to think about the book they just read. As you can see, the students were learning and practicing a skill while technology was being integrated. The students were working on Common Core Reading Standards as well as Technology Standards. The options for technology are endless. There are many resources that would benefit your students and their instruction. Taking the time to find ways that work for your students is important. Technology can be a great asset to any classroom.
I learned many things throughout this project and program. The research I provided showed growth in students' understanding of basic reading comprehension, which is always exciting. However, the most exciting part was seeing the technology in my classroom being used and seeing the students engaged in something they loved doing. Whether you provide them with a Chromebook, or an iPad or any other device you have them using, they enjoy it. Students like new things - they like a change of pace. Having students creating their assessment or even hearing their teacher’s voice on the computer can be exciting in Kindergarten. It’s important to take the time and introduce more and more technology to your students. Providing them with a well-rounded education will prepare them for the future. Kindergarten is the year for teaching them the basics in all content areas including technology.
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