As English language arts (ELA) teacher educators committed to growing students' passion for reading, writing, and thinking critically, the authors acknowledge the impact that emerging digital technologies have on educational practices. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is one such technology that has sparked both excitement and concern.…

Establishing a collaborative partnership takes a willingness to see the benefits despite the obstacles. Understanding how the partnership will impact each of the involved stakeholders is paramount to being able to foresee the possible issues. In the case of the College of William & Mary and Paradise Valley Unified Schools, challenges of time,…

Students are growing up in a digital world where technology is constantly changing and evolving. However, their use of these technologies is often more social rather than academically as a way to advance their understanding of key concepts or skills as it relates to instructional content. Teachers know how to teach, and our students are definitely…

This design case follows an ongoing collaboration between an instructional technologist and a high school literature teacher promoting reading comprehension through modules that provide visually interesting display of text on a computer screen along with cognitive tools. The modules were found to boost comprehension of specific content in even one…

This article uses the analytic lens of power relations and models of power to examine how the participation of two students in an urban US eighth-grade English language arts class was symbolically and literally deleted. The researcher asks why do some students fail despite being placed in a technologically rich educational environment that…

This article provides an overview of the Autobiography Project, listing the topics of the ten chapters and the targeted skills that accompany them. The authors discuss the purposes of each chapter and describe the methods incorporated to promote the four broad components of literacy. This unit also addresses almost all components of the Common…

Barbara Cruz describes how what began as a challenge (i.e., finding or justifying the time to spend on history instruction in an environment of high-stakes testing) turned into a rich learning experience for students using historical fiction. By designing experiences that were literacy centered but based in historical content, this group of…

In addition to building student knowledge and skills, educational strategies for all students should be aimed at increasing school engagement, motivation, and learner independence. Innovative technological tools, programs, and software can be used to promote student engagement, motivation, and ultimately enhance the quality of the learning…

This article details the many benefits of educators' use of digital camera technology and provides an activity in which students practice taking portrait shots of classmates, manipulate the resulting images, and add language arts practice by interviewing their subjects to produce a photo-illustrated Word document. This activity gives…

Discusses the top eight educational software titles of the year plus 35 additional programs. Topics include math/problem solving, language arts, science, social studies, classroom management/teacher tools, creative arts, and new versions of older software. (MVL)

This paper is based on the premise that as computer assisted learning becomes more prevalent, teachers will be required to make decisions as to the quality of the software available for instruction. Assessment guidelines from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication Digest No. 79 and the North Carolina Department of Public…

The article reviews the mechanics of learning to read and describes three computer programs to teach reading skills and three to build language skills in gifted students. Each of the programs is given an overall rating as well as rating for ease of use, visual appeal, reliability, educational value, documentation, error handling, and value for…

Examines four software packages: (1) "Wordbench"--writing and word processing, grades 9-12 (IBM and Apple); (2) "Muppet Slate"--language arts, grades K-2 (Apple); (3) "Accu-Weather Forecaster"--weather analysis and forecasting, grades 3-12 (modem with IBM or Mac); and (4) "The Ripple That Changed American…

Lists the ways that incorporating a programmable robot into an elementary school curriculum improves students' speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. (AEA)

For some teachers, the increasing attention to digital and multimodal composing in English and Language Arts classrooms has brought into sharp relief the profession's investment in print as the primary means of expression. Although new forms of communication that combine words, still and moving images, and animation have begun to dominate digital…