Ipod touch revisited

Well, things have not worked out quite like I had planned regarding using my ipod in the classroom.  I thought I might be able to use some kind of combination of Dictation and Google Translate for R, for translating modifications to his homework.  It has not really been needed.  R. just does the math computation and skips the word problems, his English has improved considerably in the time I have been gone.  It also took me a couple of weeks to be able to access the wireless network in my classroom.  My teacher does not use it, so I needed to seek help from another teacher.

I did get the opportunity to use my ipod with H.  He was struggling to complete a science assessment that consisted of two short answer questions about labs from the previous week.  H. was inside during recess to get that completed as he struggled to get it done during class time.  My MT was out of the classroom and he turned it in to me with virtually nothing on the page.  I tried to coax him into giving it some additional time and he could not.  I then asked him if he might be able to talk to me about questions from the lab and he agreed.  I did record his answers on my touch.  Unfortunately, my MT told me that he did not have “voice recording” as an approved accommodation (he has a 504) and in addition, she is trying to get him to write and does not give him alternatives!  I ended up transcribing his answers to the assessment so that she could determine how much he understood from the lab.  She gave him a 2.5 (just below benchmark) for the assessment and felt it was helpful.

I have not used the touch for C, to extend science in any meaningful way.   I did use Google to get a quick picture of a plateau to assist my MT while she was teaching.  The concept was confusing given the pictures we had and so I found a picture and put the ipod under the doc camera. 

I have used the ipod to record the six science interviews I have done in class.  All the students were engaged and intrigued that I had this device as part of my classes.  It has allowed me to focus on getting to know the students and not have to worry about taking notes.  I will continue to look for opportunities to use the ipod touch in my classroom as a means of differentiation.  I will look to my cohort peers to see how they are using the touch.