Technology and Learning Disabilities

I am taking a course on special education this semester and it has really gotten me thinking about all the accommodations I will need to make for my future students. There are so many different types of learning disabilities and so many students who struggle in school because of them. In the forum for our Technology in Education course one of my classmates talked about how iPods would be great for students who have a learning disability that is correlated to reading. A student who suffers from dyslexia could listen to a book instead of dealing with the frustration of trying to read it. This got me thinking of all the other ways technology can cater to those who struggle in school because of a learning disability. Some students have trouble reading certain fonts or have a really hard time forming coherent sentences when typing. Laptops in schools have started to even out the playing field in areas like these (especially with tools such as spell-check). However, it doesn't have to stop there. With technology the possibilities are endless!

Keeping Up With Current Events

I came to a huge realization today as I searched through a bunch of blogs in order to fulfill my three-link requirement for our homework assignment this week. I realized that, even though I am still not sold on the idea of keeping my own blog, I really liked reading through blogs posted by other people. Not just to get a feel for other people's opinions or interest, but also because of the fact that I read about several current events that have come up in education recently. Current issues dealing with technology and new policies that are being passed in certain schools around the US. I think it is very important for teachers to keep up with current events in all aspects of life, not just education related. I think we should make an effort to keep on top of what is happening in politics and in or communities as well. Reading through other blogs will help me stay informed, not just on new teaching styles or how technology can help my lesson plans, but also on a bunch of other issues related to future teaching.

A Little Skeptical

So far, I am still a little skeptical about using a blog but I think it will be a great source of information in the future so I plan on keeping an open mind. I don't really like the idea that my opinions and comments are there for everyone to read but perhaps that's because I am a Math major and English has never been my strong point (so basically, try not to mind the grammatical errors that are bound to take place). Either way, I am excited at the thought of trying something new and being forced to step outside the box!

About Me

I am a Secondary Education major with a focus in Mathematics. I hope to teach at the middle school level when I finally graduate and get out into the real world. I am currently taking a course on Technology in Education because I think it will be useful for when I start to create my very own curriculum. Technology is used all the time in our society and could be a very helpful tool for me as a future teacher. The focus of my blog will be on how technology and education are mixed.