Using Technology to Teach Reading Skill

Reading is classified as the receptive skill in language mastery. It is similar with listening but the activity of reading lies on written text. The development of technology does not only become the source of knowledge even material for the students but also become the facility to deliver the material from the teacher to the students. Talking about the second opportunity that technology provides for the teacher seems to be simple but it requires the creativity and knowledge about the utilization of technology (software and hardware).

Every day the students almost talk about the games that they play, talk about apps that they use, or talk about social media that they explore to communicate with others. This chance should be understood by the teachers to make sure the teachers can use the media to teach the students about reading skills. There are some activities that centered around the most popular uses of technology by students.

Texting
This is a 5-page reading comprehension activity that will work with any reading novel. This activity will have your students send "text" messages to the author, a character in the story, a friend about a favorite part, and a teacher about what he/she liked about the story. I have found this to be a very enjoyable activity that encourages comprehension of the story.

iPods
This fun activity includes directions on how students can make an iPod Touch based on the guided reading book, novel unit, independent book, or literature circle book that they are reading in class. It also includes a template of an iPod Touch that the students could use to make their own. This is a great way to assess reading comprehension at the end of the novel. 

Twitter
Get your students interested in the books that they are reading by having them tweet to the teacher! This fun activity has your students tell you the main details about a book they are reading through short tweets to the teacher. Included is: a teacher direction sheet with requirements, tweeting abbreviations, and a place to design a logo. Also included is two pages where the student will tweet the requirements to the teacher.

Facebook
This is a two page activity in which your students will use a social networking activity to tell more about the book they are reading. This is a fun and engaging way to get your students interested to talk more about literature. Included is a direction sheet and a blank sheet for the student to complete.

Here is the example of text that can be used to teach the students about reading activity. I use genre based approach. A text with particular generic structure has particular purpose in conveying meaning. For example essay with Cause and Effect Type. It combines the argument and analysis about some cases in our surrounding. At the end of the text, the writer will make a conclusion of their own writing. The use of this text is simple. After reading the text, the students has to create response toward the text. They may agree or disagree toward the argument given in the text. This reading activity actually explores writing skills of the students.

Essay- Cause and Effect Type

Gadget for Children

            In this modern era, the improvement of technology is getting higher. One of the technology product is gadget, such as mobile phone and personal computer. We can find the gadget in school, office, hospital and our house. All of the family members include children have used the gadget. Parents have given the gadget to their children as a useful device in their life. There are some reasons and effect when the parents want to give the gadget to their children.

            First of all, the parents always want their children know the improvement of technology. They want their children to become the modern people who understand how to use the gadget well. Some facts show their gadgets always get the better development in their features. We can know that in 2000, the mobile phone just has some functions to call and send short message to other people. However in 2012, the mobile phone cannot only be used to call and send the message, but also search on the internet and take the picture. If the children don't know how to operate these gadgets well, they will be unconfident in front of their friends. Therefore, having the gadget can help the children to adapt themselves with the improvement of technology.

            The gadgets are produced to make our life easier than before. Programs of the gadgets are set to help our daily activity. For instance, the programs of calculating, reading, watching film, social network, etc. All of them can help the children to do everything in comfort. The children's time is to study and the gadgets can help them to learn how to calculate numbers or read alphabets. The children can also communicate with the other people by using their gadgets, so their socialization will develop well.

            The important thing that we can't forget in allowing children to use the gadgets is the parent's assistance. The parents re the only responsible people for raising their children. The parents must make sure that the gadget's contain is appropriate with the children's development. Monitoring the children is effort to know what their children do and get from their gadgets because the gadget is like the door of information. The parents must have the ability to filter the information from the gadget, so the children will not misunderstand the contain of it. The social network of the gadget may also not influence the children to become introvert people, until they prefer to spend their time lonely than communicate with the other people.

            In conclusion, giving the gadget to our children will be more effective if the parents can assist their children well. When the children become the adult people, they can understand how to use the gadget properly and socialize with the other people. The children's self-ability will be much better if they can combine it with their social respond.    

Source : http://wiseguystpt.blogspot.com/2012/03/teaching-reading-skills-through-current.html