50 Minutes of Reading/Writing/Spelling/Grammar/ Vocab - What works best?

Good Afternoon!

I teach 7th English at a small junior - senior high school in semi-rural northeast Indiana. Due to a variety of limitations we have only 50 minutes a day to adress our 7th grade Reading and Writing Standards. This year we received 30 laptop computers as part of the state's One to One Program. Does anyone have suggestions regarding programs, sites, ideas that would help us utilize this new technology and to make the most of our 50 minutes each day.

Thank you and I look forward to your responses!

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Permalink Reply by Amit on March 20, 2010 at 11:32pm

Hi Timothy, If you will like to use online delivery tools we will be happy to talk with you, If oyu want pl send me a message and we can talk. Rgds
Amit

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Permalink Reply by Denise Stewart on March 21, 2010 at 2:13pm

Congratulations on securing those laptops! I have access to a computer lab for my students 2 periods a day (two separate double sessions of ELD).

Though not laptops, similar issues surface here.

I needed an efficient way to disperse assignments, class activities, projects, etc. This is where giving every student an email address helped immensely. I also brought in typing programs. My students are generally poor and therefore have no access to computers outside of school. Classroom 2.0 was a great help in getting those websites to me (see my blog for all the addresses www.teachingsuccesseswithells.blogspot.com).

I also spend a lot of time screening workable websites. Many of these sites I have saved on my own website (which I am updating this summer) at www.ellteacherpros.com. I have included this website in the emails I send out. I also pass this out at conferences so teachers can share it with parents who do have access.

I also use www.filamentality.com for projects. All the sites are active and ready to go so kids do not waste time trying to retype (often incorrectly) websites..

Google Docs fascinates me and so I am trying to use that also. Being a total novice, I am stumbling here and there, but I will be allowed to visit a teacher within my district who has been using it for 2 years. I look forward to this one since I won't have much paper to wade through anymore and more importantly, I will get kids more energized about writing:)

Next year, I will be doing epals through People to People International at http://www.ptpi.org/programs/SchoolClass.aspx.

Wow, there is so much you can do:) Again, congratulations!

Denise

www.ellteacherpros.com

www.teachingsuccesseswithells.blogspot.com