“It is like having a teacher in your pocket!”
San Marcos CISD is in its third year of implementation of Video iPods to support the curriculum. In the past, these nifty little devices have been used for English language acquisition and Special Education. This last year, SMCISD entered into using iPods for Deaf Education students. Instructional Technology Coordinator, Ronda Stonecipher explained that “It was a natural progression for the school district to move the iPods into the realm of deaf education because of the need for students and parents to learn sign language and more especially for them to learn academic vocabulary.”
Stonecipher goes on to say “In language acquisition, vocabulary is the key to success. We must provide every opportunity for these students to succeed. The iPods are used as a tool to provide supplemental resources and lessons for the student and parent to use at home. The fact that the parent is learning sign language along side their student makes a tremendous impact with regard to student success.”
The key to the iPods being a success with deaf education students is the teacher and their ability to digitally provide just-in-time resources for their students. Yvonne Delgado is such a teacher. Delgado is a teacher with the Regional Day School Program for the Deaf at SMCISD’s Travis Elementary.
The iPods are loaded with iMovies created by the deaf education teacher. The iMovies include academic vocabulary, math concepts and “story” vocabulary. The students, along with their parents, take the iPods, view the movie and practice the sign vocabulary as well as the components of sign. The Mrs. Delgado is expanding resources on the iPods to include step by step problem solving strategies for math and science. In the future, students will create their own digital resources to be viewed on the iPods.
Parents are excited and enthusiastic about the possibility of this small but powerful pocket size tool. One parent, Valarie Zavala, was excited when her son was able to check out an iPod. While looking at an iMovie she smiled and said to Mrs. Delgado, “Wow! It looks like I have you here with me (teaching me the signs).” Mrs. Zavala expressed her excitement for the opportunities this will bring to her son who loves and is interested in technology.
Mrs. Zavala also went on to say her excitement heightened when she saw the interest her son showed in using the iPod as a language tool. “He would watch the video, go out to play, come back in for a drink of water, watch the video again and go back out to play.” His teacher Mrs. Delgado said that his use of this tool has led to a noticeable growth in word identification and reading. Delgado also said “I was convinced of the power of technology and the iPod the day after we began the project. My student returned to school reading words he could not read the day before. His enthusiasm for the iPod was evident in his excitement toward learning, language and communication. I am excited about technology and its place in our future!”
SMCISD has received national recognition for their innovative approach to teaching children using iPods. Ronda Stonecipher stated that “Failure is not an option; it is our responsibility to ensure the success of every student.”