Using Software to Maximize Instructional Time with Limited Resources
By: Christina Ellis
Although the challenge isn't unique to Catholic and private schools, the ability to provide enough resources and individualized instruction to meet the needs of all children is one of the major challenges we face. However, incorporating technology into the classroom not only helps teachers to approach instruction from new angles to meet diverse learning styles, but also provides customized practice and computer-assisted instruction to meet the individualized needs of students to a greater degree than has ever been possible before.
The concept of classroom technology is certainly nothing new. For years, our school has been using instructional technology for skills practice and using interactive whiteboards to illustrate concepts and graphic lessons. These are great examples of bringing classroom lessons to life using technology. But, if we take technology integration to the next level, we can leverage its power as an integral part of core instruction, offering targeted support for struggling students, stretching instructional resources, and helping all students thrive.
Technology as a Key Component of RTI
Today, most schools have a Response to Intervention (RTI) strategy as part of their instruction plan to meet the needs of struggling students. While an RTI approach is typically a very effective way to identify and support specific skill gaps, the process of assessing and remediating these skills can be fairly complex—especially if the classroom teacher lacks specialized training in this approach. Many schools are using sophisticated software programs to accomplish these goals. At our school, we use a program called Lexia Reading. Although Lexia is designed to support all learners—from struggling students to advanced readers—we found that using a technology program of this kind has a tremendous impact on the way we can support our struggling readers, and it has been a valuable part of our RTI strategy. The program offers targeted practice in the five key areas of reading and provides our teachers with real-time data on student skill levels.
Our elementary school students use the computer once per week for 25 minutes, while middle school students get 40 minute blocks of time twice each week. During that time, they receive computer instruction and use software programs for reading and math skills practice, while those students who have been identified for intervention use programs for prevention and remediation.
Teachers use special data reports to determine individual student skill deficits and then—with some technology programs—the software makes recommendations for the types of lessons and activities that teachers can use to strengthen particular skills and get the students back on track.
Providing a Safe and Private Learning Environment
For many students, being identified for intervention or remediation support can be a source of embarrassment. Furthermore, for those students who are at least one grade level behind in skills, sometimes the instructional content is not tailored to their age level or interests. The challenge of supporting these learners is compounded by their feelings of embarrassment or disinterest in the material being used. At our school, we've been careful to implement software programs that are sensitive to these issues and present students with content and graphics that are age-appropriate, regardless of skill level. Although a student may be several years behind in reading skills, they do not want to be treated like they are two years younger.
Another aspect that can help struggling students is to provide a technology experience that is independent and private. In our classrooms, students use headphones on the Lexia system. As they work on age-appropriate content and lessons, the struggling students' work looks and sounds almost the same as the advanced students. We've found that our students—particularly those identified for intervention—are much more engaged in these kinds of activities, as they provide a safe and private manner in which the students can learn and take risks.
Using these programs, students work independently, building skills and progressing to higher levels of achievement, while the software programs provide teachers with data reports on usage and skills proficiency. Students are automatically progressed from one skill to the next. As they proceed, they develop a sense of accomplishment, as the software helps chart their progress.
Stretching Resources with the Help of Technology
Incorporating a technology as a part of RTI has been incredibly helpful in terms of enabling us to support individual needs in a way that we could not do with traditional direct instruction methods. Individualized practice and teacher reports on student skills have helped us to more effectively meet individual needs at the school. Now, we can spend more time teaching targeted skills and can help teachers have the most impact with the limited amount of available time each school day.
Also, we've been able to stretch our resources to meet the needs of additional students who don't qualify for special education but could benefit from some extra support. By including them in our technology-based RTI program, these students have benefited from additional prevention support—something we may not have been able to do with direct instruction due to resource constraints. Leveraging instructional technology like this is a great way to provide additional support to students on an individual basis, without requiring allocation of any additional budgetary or personnel resources.
Support for Foundational Skills
Not to be overlooked in all of this is the importance of using technology to help develop foundational skills. Implementing the right reading technology program can dramatically improve students' abilities to develop key skills such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. These foundational skills are critical to reading development and are predictors of students' future reading success. We have found that by using programs that provide students with targeted practice on foundational skills along with embedded assessment, we are giving our teachers real-time data to help pinpoint specific areas of instruction needed.
Christina Ellis is assistant principal at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Bloomington, Illinois.
