Digital Blog Post #G

The first concept that interested me was on Using Technology with Linguistically Diverse Learners. Today, we have many resources available where technology supports the learning of culturally and linguistically diverse students. The resources support the education of students learning English as a new language as well as those who want to learn another language (Maloy, 2013).  Online language translation services, multilingual web resources, international newspapers and interactive maps, and English language word origins are great tools for both teachers and students to use in a classroom (Maloy, 2013).  I am bilingual and before going to school the only language I knew was Russian, things like translation services and multilingual resources helped me in learning the English language very quickly. Understanding where the English language comes from helps students automatically connect and understand the language.

The second concept that interested me was Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is the application of universal design principles to educational settings (Maloy, 2013). The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) defined UDL in terms as: Multiple means of representation which is giving learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge (Maloy, 2013). Multiple means of expression provide alternate ways for learners to demonstrate what they know (Maloy, 2013). Multiple means of engagement taps into learners' interests that offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation (Maloy, 2013). UDL advances in knowledge of how the brain process information to the design of a curriculum. I believe this helps such a wide range of students, those with special needs as well as the rest of the class. Daily I see how students tend to learn in different ways, having various resources helps them in the learning process.

The third concept that caught my attention is Differentiated Instruction (DI). DI "an instructional approach in which teachers create different educational experiences as ways to meet the learning needs of individual students"(Maloy, 2013) Students have different learning styles and teachers should combine different teaching styles to help the students understand and practice concepts. This may include combination of spoken words, visuals, videos, and hands on activities to reach every type of student. Growing up, I loved learning by doing hands-on activities whereas my friend, she read things and understood them that way. We can see every day that people learn and understand things differently. 

In conclusion, there are so many resources and tools in today’s society that allow us to be able to reach/teach every child effectively. Technology has allowed us to go beyond and teach special needs children as well as linguistically diverse children in different ways in classroom. As educators, we know that many children learn in different ways and it is vital for us to be able to incorporate different teaching styles in our curriculum.

Resources:

Kobenko, K (2017, February 23). Using Technology with Linguistically Diverse Learners. Created with emaze https://app.emaze.com/mypresentations#/my

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.