Reading Prompt 11

Share an idea of two about how you could use the ideas from Richardson with ESL students.

What is the "digital divide?' And why do Warschauer et al argue that this term may longer be applicable. What are the issues they found regarding differences in technology use with ELLs and other low socioeconomic students. What are some ways you could address this in your own schools or programs?

From the Richardson text, I really like the idea of using twitter with ESL learners. More specifically, I like the idea of ESL students writing haiku poetry using twitter, whether on their personl phones or school computers. I have already taught English syllabry using haiku in the past, the twitter ideas for classes that Richardson described can make that lesson modern and exciting. It also seems to be the perfect venue for bringing back an underrated form of poetry. Also, it can incorporate the student's cell phone into the lesson (as a former high school teacher, I can't believe I just wrote that) and is a big step towards the type of environment we talk about in our class.

The digital divide described in Warschauer's is made up of more than one factor (p.548. Of course social economics are the central focus of his research, and on the surface it looked like poor schools are at a disadvantge when it comes to technology. This isn't the only factor though, teacher training and teacher competence in dealing with technology are also mentioned among other things. There is a digital divide in technology instruction, management, and those who deliver it to the students. So again, an article with a wake up call to educators that change is coming, and we must prepare. I saw it written recently somewhere that indeed, "technology will not replace teachers, but teachers who know how to use technology will replace those who don't". The divide between those who can teach with technology and those who can't seemed to me to be the biggest divide, not just how poor someone was. Warschauer points out those who suffer the most because of this type of divide may very well be the students we care most about, those with limited English ability. The article talked about teachers not willing to use technology with ESL students (p.583) for many reasons, but maybe the bottom line is that those teachers could not handle it. As the article points out on page 585, society and technology are intertwined, society (including school) is changing and everyone (including teachers) will need to adapt and incorporate new technology into their lives (curriculum) or be left on the other side of the digital divide.
As a teacher of ESL learners we must advocate for our students to have equal oppurtunity to computers and technology in US schools, amd provide them that instruction.