Educational blog 3: Antonyms and Synonyms

There are so many different types of software available that I found the search for a specific one rather tedious . I didn't know what to choose from and then I came upon a site http://www.learningtoday.com/corporate/reading-games.asp and I appreciated its benefits but chose to still search for another site. I came across the site http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com where I saw a similar software which I thought was ironic because as I kept running away from those types of sites, they came to me. Both software contained the same content on synonyms and antonyms, they both used the tutorial method with frogs but with a different activity to teach the students opposite and similar words. BF Skinner thought that students should spend more of their time performing skills or displaying the knowledge being taught and not just sitting absorbing information(Smaldino, et al, 2005). He also mentioned that each performance must somehow be followed by a reinforcer. The first software mentioned, does this by allowing students to learn what are synonyms and antonyms by using activities such as the frog jumping on the correct log with the correct words in a river. This is where the students not only sits and learns but get a chance to perform the task of matching these words. The other gives instruction where students have to capture the correct word using the frog's tongue . The both software are very exciting and give students the opportunity to learn a variety of different words; their similarities and differences. Students of all ages can use these software depending on the area in which they need instruction. It allows students to monitor time spent on tasks and promotes motivation and learning at the same time.Teachers can use these software to teach their students vocabulary and assist them in developing their learning skills. This website has opened my eyes to various ways of teaching this topic both individually and in groups which encourages social interaction(Vygotsky,1978): student-student and teacher-student interaction. The following youtube clip gives furthur information about second software: http://www.youtube.com/user/goletalisette

educational software 2: Learn to Read

While intensely searching for an educational software, I encountered a website http://www.starfall.com/ that introduced various software on phonemic awareness that can help teachers in their classes in the near future. As I searched this website, there was one particular software that caught my interest which was Learn to Read because it can help teachers to better facilitate the reading process by allowing the students to identify letters and their sounds and putting them together to form words that can be then read together in the form sentences. It also teaches students how to use the mouse by navigating it to various activities such as clicking on the word to hear how it sounds and to change to new sentence. It caters for student who are four to nine years old ,but in my opinion, I think people of all ages who are undeveloped in their language can use this software to help them in areas such as reading, spelling and pronunciation of words. The simulation function which models real or imaginary systems to demonstrate a concept (phonics) (Robyler & Doering,2010) is used in this software. In many cases students are discouraged from reading because of the way teachers/parents customarily make them read or the manner in which teachers/parents may speak to them if they have incorrect pronunciation of words or when they do not know the word/s, but with the Learn to Read software, students would become more motivated to develop their reading. I say this because I think with these various sentence activities students will to become more familiar with the words, how they sound and enjoy using various letters in different words and will become more encouraged to read a more and more each day because they are exposed to a fun way of learning to read. http://www.inspirationforlife2.blogspot.com/
http://sophia001.blogspot.com/

Primary Games-A Fun, Free Place To Learn

The site http://www.primarygames.com/ is a site that allows parents and teachers to have access to a variety of educational soft-ware concerning various subject areas for children from the age of five to twelve years old . It can be used by both parents and teachers to help with their childrens' and students' cognitive development. This soft-ware can be used to stimulate students' minds into productive and progressive learning, by using different methods of teaching. It also helps students to retain the necessary information which will readily improve their performance in the various subject areas. Different concepts such as counting or number recognition can also be taught while using these programs and having fun in the classroom or at home.There are many games that encourage students to become more excited about learning such as fishy count which allows students to learn how to count and also allows them to become associated with numbers . Math inlay is a software that encourages students to observe and analyze shapes by putting them in the correct positions.These programs use the drill and practice function which enables students to solve problem and get the feedback that is required; this employs the philosophy of directed strategy. This strategy invlolves the delivery of information to the students in ways which will enable them to retain the information and the skills (M.D. Roblyer, 2010). However the philosophy of direct instruction is not the only one utilised by this software. For example math inlay uses both directed and the constructivist strategy (which is the strategy that helps students explore topics and formulate their own knowledge) (M.D. Roblyer, 2010) and forms part of this software. The drill and practice functions alongside of the other functions such as the tutorial function, the simulation function and the game function allows the teaching process to be more successful and easier by reaching the students needs and saving time(M.D. Roblyer, 2010);it also makes the learning process easier than the same monotonous teaching method being used everyday.

When i visited this site, I realized that there are many different soft-wares for students from the preschool level to the college level. It provides a wide range of soft-wares to help students learn how to type and other links to other soft-wares for various subjects. There are also stimulating activities to encourage students to try new things and experiment and have fun making way for more productivity in the classroom. In every classroom,despite the age or the levels which a student are at, a little fun and a time to express themselves is needed to encourage progressive learning. I think that these soft-wares are very useful as it helps a teacher find new methods of teaching his/her class; making the teaching easier and allows him/her to become more technologically advanced. I never knew about these soft-wares and cannot wait to get the opportunity to use them because it looks very interesting and even as teachers, there are things both you and I can also learn from these soft-wares. http://www.alleducationalsoftware.com/learn-to-type.html

streaming in schools

I fully agree with the fact that streaming may not allow slower students to reach their full potential and may disadvantage them because they need the experience from their other classmates who are at higher levels and can encourage them to strive better rather than putting the slower children in classes where they may not be to help each other because they are all at the same level "fighting". When there are mixed abilities in one class there is a vast improvement mentally and psychologically. As a teacher, there may not be a choice because of how principals may assign u to a class but I really think that slower children should not be separated from the other students.My view came from looking at the site: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/secondary-education/news/article.cfm?c_id=315&objectid=10511173&pnum=1

God is great and merciful...I praise Him for all he has done and all that he is about to do