Using Digital Media to Support Literacy

 

Learning Objectives
  • Using rubrics and other evaluation tools, Identify the best complex text to use with your students.
  • Explore INFOhio's resources to find quality text.

 

 

Text sets provide scaffolds for students reading complex text. The final "target" text should be at or above grade level for readers. Additional text and media, such as videos, provide the stepping stones needed to build students' knowledge and vocabulary on the topic. Studies show that this is more important for comphrehension than implementing lessons to build "comprehension skills" such as finding the main idea. INFOhio's resources include quality text as well as other media types. This lesson will explore a few more resources featuring videos, diagrams, and interactive components to scaffold students.

Digital Video Collection (DVC)

With more than 4,000 videos, the Digital Video Collection is a great resource for finding content to support Ohio's Learning Standards. This database includes series such as 20th Century Turning Points in U.S. History, Amazing Human Body, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Learn360, and Bitesize Elementary Math. Search by topic or browse the playlists and titlelist to find the right video to support  students in grades K-12. Many videos include a teacher guide or other instructional supports. 

 dvc

The World Almanac for Kids and The World Alamanc for Kids Elementary

These online almanacs include relevant facts in text form on a variety of topics, but they also provide helpful diagrams and interactives. The World Almanac for Kids is appropriate for middle grade students. Use the Topic Center to find the area of concentration. Each Topic Center includes links to articles, videos, and games and puzzles. Each also includes online quizzes and printable handouts. Reinforce vocabulary with crosswords and word searches. The Teacher Resources include additional media that can be used in text sets, including science diagrams. 

 wakteacherresources

The World Almanac for Kids Elementary is for grades K-5. It has the same great content for primary-age students. Look for Topics instead of Topic Centers. Learn more about how to use these resources in The World Almanac for Kids class and The World Almanac for Kids Elementary class.

 WAKEBrowseTopicsGridview

Using Digital Media in Text Sets

The Kindergarten Text Set: The Flag of the United States uses a video from the DVC as a scaffold "text." The U.S. Flag: Pledge of Allegiance is a segment of the U.S. Flag video. The video is less than two minutes long, a perfect length for this age level.  

The Second Grade Text Set: Fossils also uses a video from this resource. The Teacher Guide includes before-and-after questions to help reinforce students' knowledge of the topic. Questions can be modified to meet the needs of students. 

assessmentDVC

You will find examples from the World Almanac for Kids Elementary in the Second Grade Text Set: Fossils and the Fifth Grade Text Set: Early Civilizations. Both use a diagram or graphic for the resource to scaffold readers on their progression to complex text.  

 wake

 Using the Right Link

Check out the blog What Link Do I Use? and find the resources you plan to use in your text sets. Directions are included for using the correct link to share or save texts. 

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Try out the suggestions above to find text to use in your text set. Consider the quantitative, qualitative, and reader and task elements when choosing the text. 

Review the suggested activities for text sets in the INFOhio Text Sets: Teacher Guide. Which will help scaffold the text for students?

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