What are ways in which technology can be used to improve reading and writing in the classroom?

For the last decade or so, technology has been changing the ways in which teachers teach and students learn. Although one could easily argue not all of these changes are positive, there is no denying that technology has created new ways of presenting and processing a wide variety of subjects.

When it comes to reading and writing, one of the biggest improvements is the potential for a more immersive and integrated experience. For example, reading...

For the last decade or so, technology has been changing the ways in which teachers teach and students learn. Although one could easily argue not all of these changes are positive, there is no denying that technology has created new ways of presenting and processing a wide variety of subjects.

When it comes to reading and writing, one of the biggest improvements is the potential for a more immersive and integrated experience. For example, reading on a tablet, laptop, or other device not only gives students the opportunity to read the text, but also to follow hyperlinks to related texts, hear audio samples of words or sentences, and see videos. This allows for a better-developed ability to comprehend the text and the context. Moreover, the use of individual devices allows for a customizable lesson for each student. By integrating different apps or other services, students, parents, and teachers can target areas in need of improvement in a way that makes sense to the learner. Although teachers do their absolute best, this type of individualization simply isn't possibly through textbooks and lectures.

The ways in which technology has changed writing are a bit more obvious. Simple functions of word processors like grammar and spell check have, one could argue, made younger students a little less attentive to typos and mistakes. Yet in some cases the opposite could be true; repeatedly having your computer correct the same errors in grammar and spelling could lead students to learn the correct way.

Speaking more broadly, the internet has opened up a vast collection of resources and avenues for communication that not only change how we learn to write, but also what we write about. For example, there are countless resources like academic writing labs for students looking to improve their writing. Through these sites they can get tips on editing and formatting, feedback on content, and other help with their work. Similarly, these countless resources offer a variety of samples and templates that for some students can be as effective as learning from a teacher or a textbook.