Using Technology to Develop Vocabulary

Students are regularly emerged in complex technologies and want to explore the world and gain knowledge using high-tech devices.  However, high stakes testing mandated through the federal government as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 has placed enormous pressure on teachers to raise reading scores.  With such pressure from government mandates, many educators find it difficult to spend time integrating technology into their classroom when they are trying to improve students’ literacy development.  Yet, technology and literacy do not have to be at odds.  Educators need to consider how to take advantage of technology in order to cultivate learners’ vocabulary.  Technology can be used in response to students’ varied needs and interests to enhance vocabulary instruction.  Teachers can fuse vocabulary strategies and innovative technologies in their classroom to capitalize on learners’ familiarity with technology and enhance students’ literacy development.  I recently had my students use the wordsift tool (wordsift.com) to enhance their content-area vocabulary.  Are there any other technology tools that have been particularly useful in developing students’ vocabulary.