Web 2.0 Tool for Reading

A useful web 2.0 tool in the 21st century classroom for reading would be: MyON Reader.
This 21st century tool is a very powerful reading online application where teachers and students can visit. In this tool, there are thousands of digital books to read for education and leisure purposes. You can access it anytime at any place.
The books provided are based on interests and the level of reading skills for each reader. There is a word audio feature for better fluency, a dictionary and highlighter for sentences. It takes reading to a step further. For each student logged in, the myON measures the time spent reading, numbers of books read and the reading growth. It is a metrics. You have o create an account in order to benefit from myON's features and content.
You can get this tool on either apple and android devices or on websites.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.capstonedigital
This link is to install myON on an Android device.

Technologies Used in the Classroom

Two useful 21st century technology tools are:

1. Use of smart interactive white boards
The modern white boards have a touch quality that teachers can use to write on. They can use either a pen or their finger. The teacher can demonstrate visuals on the white board using a projector. This is an advance to the learning process. These white boards are interactive in the sense that students can manipulate the images on them. They can write and draw on it according to the type of the lesson. They are powered electronically and the teachers or the students can simply switch it on. It can also save the work of the teachers and the students for later use,. The students will be engaged in active participation and that's what they require nowadays.

http://shellard.co.za/products/smart-interactive-whiteboards-display/
2. Class Blog
Students along with their teacher can create their very own class blog, where they can post class-related material and share with their classmates. The teacher can post their assignments and projects on that blog and they can follow up with that schedule. The teacher will be the host of that blog. The use of the blog is very applicable and easy. Students will be exposed to a 21st century learning medium which is something new to them. And something new is always exciting so the students will be eager to learn via the blog. (www.blogger.com) or (classblog.blogspot.com)


http://www.lessonsfromthemiddle.com/2012/08/08/communicating-with-parents-create-a-class-blog/


Reference for the 2 tools: http://www.useoftechnology.com/types-technology-classroom/

Influential Videos about Teaching in the 21st Century

These videos are all about teachers and their influence in 21st century learning.

This video is about a teacher who uses unique rap techniques to teach grammar. This teacher filled his students with optimism, internal happiness and eagerness to learn in exciting ways. That's what a teacher nowadays should be like even if they're not using technology because the net generation are bored easily and if there's no creativity involved in something, their curiosity will stop.

This video is about the flipped classroom. A teacher named Aaron Sams was using the lecture-direct instruction model to teach his class. However, he changed his method of teaching completely and allowed his students to apply and experiment what they learn. He engaged his students in active learning while acting as a tutor, a guide and an assistant. This is a 21st century powerful tool and all teachers should flip their classrooms.

This video is about an interview done with many types of people asking them what life would be like without teachers. Their answers were inspirational. They said that the word would be chaos and people will be indifferent. People would not have someone guiding them in their lives. One said that even in detention, he was learning because he was engaged in something. They were grateful people. Teachers are needed most in the 21st century in the sense that nowadays people need guidance more than they ever did. The world is losing its way and teachers are one of the problem solvers because of guiding the students towards the path of awareness and success.

This video is about learning and improving oneself. It's about working and giving effort and being self aware especially in the 21st century. It mentions that school and education is the start of success so we should learn hard and learn smart!

Pictures Used in the Classroom

http://hssd-tlc.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/6/6/12661044/critical_thinking_map.png
I chose this picture to use in my classroom when teaching reading. After reading a story we chose, we will start to describe and clarify what we need to know. This will be the inform and describe stage. The,  we will start to analyze and try to look at the plot more closely and start to be more purposeful in seeking information. This will be the discover stage. then, we will negotiate, cooperate and engage in discussion about characters, plots, end results...etc. Finally, we will test out different evidence and ideas. Then, we will try to apply the plot and relate to our real lives. This technique will be used after reading each story.

https://www.slideshare.net/timothywooi/educational-leadership-for-teachers-and-educators
The 3 Cs can be used in my classroom during reading in the sense that the students will communicate and collaborate their ideas and what they understood from the story. Then, i will ask them to write a story on their own. This will show how creative they can get. They are allowed to use technology in coming up with ideas.

http://www.teachthought.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/reading-strategies-graphic-fi.jpg
These strategies are very important ones when it comes to reading comprehension. During reading, I will ask of my learners to reread the text to understand more, to activate their prior knowledge of vocabulary and lexicon, to understand each sentence by its context, to infer meaning, to think aloud for better interpretation, and to summarize the story into 4 parts: the characters, the setting, plot and solution. These strategies are very useful for better comprehension skills of the learners.

https://www.slideshare.net/futurelabeducation/digital-literacy-and-digital-participation-futurelab-research-insights-day-29-04-10
The digital literacy skills are very crucial in the 21st century and all of them  involve technology. Learners will use 21st century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and cultural understanding when reading and analyzing what they have read. These will be used during reading also.


http://www.poster-street.com/templates/large/poster-street-th-022.jpg

This visual will be shown to students before starting the reading session. This will activate the students' minds to be aware of what they should be doing when reading, such as imagining the pictures in their heads, rereading, looking up words in dictionary...etc. This will help the students organize their thoughts and become better readers.

Quotes about Teaching

This quote is interesting in the sense that our role as teachers in the 21st century is changing to becoming a guide. The focus is only on the students nowadays and we should only help them construct their own future and learning. (source:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/45/82/e3/4582e33c252464b17d96848a94a30d56.jpg)

This quote has always driven me in the sense that it is true that we as teachers plan our instruction. However, what really matters is the theater which is 75% of our teaching experience. What I mean by theater is the way we instruct and demonstrate the lesson. This is the part that matters the most because this part decides if the students will be attracted by the instruction or not. (source: http://quotesgram.com/good-theatre-quotes/)

This quote is inspiring because it includes the fact that the role 

of teachers isn't only limited to providing the material.

 It goes beyond that. Nowadays, the teachers make sure they take every child's dreams into consideration and give them proper guidance and feedback to reach their goals. (source:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/151715081172335034/)

This quote includes an important idea. It's the idea of involving a child in the instruction. A child learns best when he is given attention and interacts with his classmates to reach a common goal. When a child is told and taught only, his learning will not be enhanced. (source: https://www.pinterest.com/centergrovemont/montessori-quotes/)

3 Things Learnt from a Former Teacher

The 3 things I learnt from a former teacher:
1. To engage my learners in active participation in class and activate cooperation among them.
2. To be a guide rather than be controlling of the classroom.
3. To give feedback and motivate my students towards better learning.

Links To Resources for Reading

There are 5 Websites to teaching resources that are of assistance to me in the classroom. They can help with reading in elementary schools. They are the following:

1. https://bookopolis.com/#/

This website (Bookopolis) is about building an online community of young readers. It contains lots of online books that you can explore. It is a bookquest. You can create your own bookshelf (books you liked) and share books with your friends. You can also earn points by reading. It is meant for teachers, students and their parents. All you have to is sign up. This website can be used in the classroom with the purpose of exploring and reading new books. Then, the teacher can create comprehension activities and the students can practice their comprehensive skills.

2. http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies

This website (Reading Rockets) is about strategies that you can use in your classroom about comprehension. It helps with struggling teachers to figure out ways to enhance learning easily by overcoming barriers in the classroom. It also contains features about teaching reading. There's a video showing how to strengthen the students' skills (phonology, fluency, vocabulary...). It also includes reading topics that teachers can choose from. It has a section about children's books and authors. There are also other sections: Fun stuff, quotes, videos, blogs...etc. that teachers can benefit from. This site is for teachers and there's a little section for parents also.

3. http://www.readwritethink.org/

This website (Read Write Think) includes all grade level lesson plans on English for teachers. There are videos, mobile apps, strategy guides, events...etc. Teachers can use these lesson plans in their classroom. There's also a section for fun and a section for after school and parent resources for activities and projects.

4. https://www.education.com/games/plans/

This website (Education) contains worksheets, games, songs, stories, activities, lesson plans, and exercises that teachers can use to make their classroom more exciting. Teachers and their students can read stories within the lesson plan and then play games and practice exercises related to comprehension. There are also 2 sections: guided lessons and teaching tools. There's also a search button to search whatever comes to mind.

5. http://www.childrens-books-and-reading.com/reading-games.html

This website (Children's Books and Reading) includes games and activities about reading that teachers can use. All of these games are online so technology will be used in the classroom. Children can practice reading, read with expression and read accurately and quickly with these games. It is meant for both parents and teachers. Parents can enhance their children's learning at home after school and teachers can use them in the classroom.