Recently I used the iPad with Collin for his story writing. The biggest challenge with using the iPad for writing is that the screen is smaller than the size of a typical piece of paper. On the other hand, erasing an error is quick and easy, and the play back function allows Collin to hear himself read what he has written. The app I used with Collin is Educreations.
In the video, you will see I use Elkonin boxes to help Collin to hear sounds in words. He has only used boxes once before so he is still learning how to use the boxes. Elkonin boxes are excellent tools to help children to hear sounds within words. For more details about Elkonin boxes, you can view this video of me using Elkonin boxes with a student last year.
In addition to using Elkonin boxes to help Collin hear sounds in words, we’re working on leaving spaces between words and rereading sentences to help think about what comes next. I can see small shifts already. Watch our video of Collin writing his sentence on the iPad and see the progress we are making.
Michèle Dufresne is author of many Pioneer Valley Books early readers (including the Bella and Rosie series), Word Solvers (Heinemann), and an early literacy and literacy intervention consultant.
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