Running head: EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 1

Integrating Educational Technology to Improve the Literacy Achievement of English

Language Learners
Valerie E. Smith
Washington State University

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 2

Integrating Educational Technology to Improve the Literacy Achievement of English
Language Learners

The number of English language learners (ELLs) in United States schools is
increasing. A report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2013) indicates
that the number of ELLs in US public schools grew from approximately 4.1 million students
(9 percent) in 2002-2003 to 4.7 million students (10 percent) in 2010-2011. The report
also states that in every year from 2002 to 2011, ELLs in the fourth and eighth grades
performed worse on the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading
assessments than did English speaking students. In 2011, the National Assessment of
Educational Progress reading scores showed a 36 point gap between ELLs and non-ELLs in
fourth grade and a 44 point gap for those in eighth grade. This growing number of ELLs
should encourage educators to integrate new strategies and tools to help ELLs learn and
attempt to make the achievement gap as small as possible.
One key to such effective learning may be the technological tools available to
educators and students. Technology use can facilitate learning and offer differentiated
learning opportunities for ELLs who come from diverse cultures and speak different first
languages, in turn fostering language achievement. For example, the reading performance
of Spanish speaking first graders improved when technology was used to provide primary
language support (Rodriguez, Filler, & Higgins, 2012). In another instance, the use of video
clips to supplement reading lessons resulted in improved vocabulary in ELL second
graders (Silverman & Hines, 2009). Inspired by such findings, I take the position that
technology use can afford teachers the opportunity to provide effective learning activities
and additional support to ELLs in their classrooms.
Based on this position, one purpose of this project is to identify and discuss the
trends in the literature around the integration of technology into the education of
ELLs. Specifically, the literature review focuses on research regarding the literacy
education of ELLs at the elementary school level. In particular, I examine research
completed in mainstream classrooms where ELLs and native speakers are in the same
class. A second purpose of this project is to provide teachers with research-based
guidelines for evaluating available technological resources. This review of resources will
discuss the benefits and drawbacks of several technologies and describe a practical
framework that teachers can use to evaluate technologies.
In this review, I focus on two central themes that are evident in the current
literature on technology integration and ELL education. The first theme explores the many
technological tools available to educators. This theme addresses the question: What
technologies can be used to enhance learning and in what ways? The second theme is the
importance of carefully considering how to effectively integrate technology into
lessons. Put simply, this theme addresses the question: How can teachers integrate
technology to improve ELL performance? This project will explore these themes in order to
suggest effective ways in which teachers can use technology to support ELLs in their
classrooms.
In building this knowledge-base while illuminating these two themes, I hope to
achieve four goals. First, I strive to highlight the significance of integrating technology in
ELL education. In doing so, I aim to help educators recognize the value of technology and
its potential to aid in closing the achievement gap between ELLs and non-ELLs. Second, I
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 3

hope to convey the importance of strategy when integrating technology into the
classroom. In this sense, administrators and teachers should methodically and deliberately
integrate technology into their curricula, consider their students needs and cultures, and
select the appropriate tools for their students. Third, I attempt to identify the limitations of
research on technology and ELL students and to recommend areas for future research. My
findings suggest that, while there are many studies which compare the use of technology
versus no technology, there are few articles which compare different technologies against
each other. Moreover, there are only a few long-term studies. In this sense, researchers
should focus on identifying specific strategies for integrating technology and developing
effective professional development methods to teach educators how to implement
technology in their lessons. My fourth goal is to provide a practical resource for classroom
teachers to use in their work. Because every classroom has students at different levels and
with various needs, it is important for teachers to be able to evaluate how effective a
technology may be for their specific students needs. I will create a website to explain a
research-based evaluation model and demonstrate a methodical evaluation of several
educational technologies.
The remainder of this paper is as follows. First, in Section I, I discuss the methods
used to search for literature pertaining to the integration of technology into ELL education.
Then, I discuss two themes that emerged from the literature. Next, I review the issues in
current research and offer suggestions for future research. The implications of this
literature review are considered. Finally, I introduce a set of criteria that teachers may use
to assess the potential effectiveness of a technology for their students. Section II is a
practical application evaluating the effectiveness of technologies in ESL and general
education classrooms. This section consists of an explanation of a model for assessing the
usefulness of a technology and example reviews of several free technological resources for
teachers. The review of resources will be located at the following URL:
edtechforteachers.weebly.com. Finally, in Section III, I reflect upon what I have learned
from this project. I explain new ideas that I can incorporate into my teaching and how my
students will benefit from my knowledge in educational technology. It is important to note
that while this project focuses on English language learners literacy achievement, the
strategies for using educational technology with ELLs can often be adjusted to support the
learning of all students.

SECTION I: Literature Review

Research Method
To find literature on this topic, I used the Education Resources Information Center
(ERIC) database and focused on research-based articles published in peer-reviewed
journals. The search was limited to studies about elementary students. To focus on current
research findings, the search was limited to articles written after 2003. To find relevant
articles, I employed keywords related to technology, English language learners, and
literacy. The keywords related to technology are: education technology, influence of
technology, technology uses in education, computer, multimedia, digital, technology
integration, computer assisted language learning, and technology. The second set of
keywords is related to English language learners: English language learners, language
learner, limited English speaking, second language, and second language learning. The last
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 4

set of keywords narrowed the search to articles related to literacy: literacy and reading. In
addition, several seminal articles were included to provide background and long-term
insight into the educational technology research.

Findings
Two predominant themes emerged in the literature. First, it is evident from
numerous studies that countless technologies exist which may benefit ELLs in an
elementary context. Several tools, such as interactive whiteboards and digital texts,
appeared in multiple studies. For example, Hur and Suh (2012) and Lopez (2010) both
studied the effects of interactive whiteboards (IWB) on the reading skills of ELLs. They
found that IWBs were effective in teaching third and fourth grade ELLs new vocabulary and
engaging them in learning. The IWBs were used for visual presentations, interactive games,
and interactive test reviews. A second example is the use of digital texts, such as books
with interactive features or hyperlinks to additional information and activities (Proctor,
Dalton, & Grisham, 2007; Karemaker, Pitchford, & OMalley, 2010). Second, it is imperative
that educators carefully consider how to integrate technology into their lessons for ELLs
(Aesaert, Vanderlinde, Tondeur, & Van Braak, 2013; Burnett, 2010; Silverman & Hines,
2009). As with any instruction, lessons are most effective when teachers adapt them to
meet students specific learning needs. Silverman and Hines (2009) noted that technology
cannot simply be added on top of an existing lesson; it should be strategically integrated
into lessons. For example, when showing videos to support new vocabulary, teachers might
scaffold students understanding by engaging them in discussion about the video and new
words. A number of articles also described ways with which technology was employed to
improve ELLs learning (Karemaker, Pitchford, & OMalley, 2010; Lotherington, Holland,
Sotoudeh, & Zentena, 2008). And of course, professional development opportunities are
important to inform teachers of available technologies and strategies for successfully
integrating technology to improve ELL, and native speaker, performance (Aesaert et al.,
2013; Chang & Kim, 2009; Hutchinson & Reinking, 2011; Jeffs, Behrmann, & Bannan-
Ritland, 2006). These themes the availability of many technologies and the importance
of strategically using them are essential concepts in the integration of technology into ELL
education. In the next sections, I explore these themes more deeply.

Technological Tools
Numerous technologies are available for use in the classroom. From software to
websites to videos to digital texts, teachers have countless options when deciding what
tools to utilize and how to incorporate them. Educators should carefully investigate the
tools available so they have a good understanding of what tools exist and the benefits each
may provide. By understanding what tools are available and how to use them, teachers can
maximize the benefit of technology for their ELL students.
For example, tools such as digital texts can provide reading support to enhance the
English vocabulary of ELLs and improve their fluency and comprehension of reading
materials (Proctor, Dalton, & Grisham, 2007; Karemaker, Pitchford, & OMalley, 2010). For
example, Proctor, Dalton, and Grisham (2007) studied the effectiveness of narrative and
informational digital texts with features to support vocabulary and reading
comprehension. Vocabulary supports such as hyperlinked glossaries and cognate alerts
helped to increase student understanding of new words. A unique feature of the digital
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 5

texts in this study is a digital avatar which provides students with vocabulary and
comprehension tips and strategies as they read. For example, the avatars can provide
bilingual support. The texts also periodically ask students to stop and use a particular
reading comprehension strategy to consider what they have just read. Students who
accessed these digital text features the most experienced the greatest increase in pre- and
post-test scores.
Videos can support text and still images by offering ELLs a more visually stimulating
experience of a topic (Silverman & Hines, 2009; Verhallen, Bus, & de Jong,
2006). Silverman and Hines (2009) studied the difference of traditional and multimedia
interventions with 85 kindergarten through second grade students, both native English
speakers and ELLs. They found that ELLs who read science books supported by videos
demonstrated greater understanding of the content than ELLs who received no video
support. Verhallen, Bus and de Jong (2006) studied the effectiveness of using digital texts
supported with static pictures versus multimedia (e.g. video and sound) with students
learning Dutch as a second language. They found that students using the multimedia texts
experienced greater understanding of stories than the students who used the static texts.
Further, students who read a multimedia text multiple times, rather than once, showed the
greatest growth.
An extremely versatile tool is the interactive whiteboard (IWB). IWBs can allow
students to become more actively involved in their learning (Hur & Suh, 2012; Lopez,
2010). Hur and Suh (2012) found that when teachers used IWBs to display images and
videos, ELLs understanding of new vocabulary increased. They also found that IWBs were
effective when students played interactive games and participated in interactive responses
for test reviews. Lopez (2010) studied the 3
rd
and 5
th
grade students from three schools
over the course of one year. The students participated in Digital Learning Classrooms with
IWBs which were connected to computers and tablets accessible to students at their desks.
The study found that as teachers and students became more familiar with the IWBs, they
were able to use the IWBs in more interactive, social contexts which provided
opportunities for students to practice communication skills. Lopez (2010) and Coyle,
Yanez, and Verdu (2010) noted the importance of allowing students to interact with the
whiteboard. Teachers may use the whiteboard to guide their own presentations, but
students may show the most growth when they have opportunities to engage and interact
with the whiteboard.
Technological tools can not only help increase students understanding of content,
but they can also provide opportunities for ELLs to improve listening, reading, speaking,
and writing skills by creating their own digital projects. Technology such as podcasts and
blogs can allow students to create their own digital projects. For example, Hur and Suh
(2012) studied third and fourth grade ELL classrooms where students created digital
projects using a digital storytelling application. The students used software called
Photostory to create a digital presentation with images, narration, and music to connect the
summary of a book of their choice to content learned in class. As students worked on their
projects, the teacher provided one-on-one support to help students with grammar,
pronunciation, and technological assistance. The use of digital media provided
opportunities for students to improve their English language reading, writing, and speaking
skills. In another study, Foulger and Jimenez-Silva (2007) found that the use of technology
enhanced the writing process for ELLs. They found that technology allows students to
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 6

access resources, easily edit their work, and publish their work. Teachers in the study
noted the importance of feedback, both from the technology itself and from peers. By
integrating technology into writing projects, students become more engaged and active
with their writing, thus improving their English language skills.
Research focused on learning about the effectiveness of particular technological
tools reveals several common factors. In many studies, the technology provided
opportunities for students to improve language and communication skills in new and
engaging ways. Other studies found that the feedback provided to students was key.
Understanding what tools are available and what features are most effective is essential to
provide the support ELLs need.

Integration Methods and Strategies
Technology can be an effective and important tool to promote student learning and
motivation. Organizations such as the National Reading Association and the National
Council of Teachers of English affirm the importance of technology in literacy education
(Hutchinson & Reinking, 2011). With technologys potential to help close the achievement
gap, researchers and educators must consider specific strategies to integrate technology
with education (Aesaert, Vanderlinde, Tondeur, & Van Braak, 2013; Burnett, 2010). Such
strategies for technological integration must be methodical and purposeful in order to reap
the most benefits for students (Silverman & Hines, 2009). This does not imply that the use
of technology in the classroom will guarantee improved student performance. Teachers
must be cognizant of their students needs and appropriate technology to address them. As
noted by Clifford (1998), not every learning activity is appropriate for all learners. In
order for students to gain the most from a technology, teachers must carefully plan
activities to ensure students are engaged and have opportunities to interact (Sadler & Eroz,
2008).
Technology can be a valuable resource for facilitating communication and
developing language skills. Computers can be used to allow students to collaborate with
peers (Meskill & Mossop, 2000). For example, online chats and message boards can be
effective tools for students to practice communicating in a way that is less threatening than
face-to-face and allows time for self-correction (Sadler & Eroz, 2008; Smith & Goruch,
2004; Smith, 2009). Teachers can save and review students chat transcripts to evaluate
students progress (Smith, 2009). Technology can provide a safe environment for ELLs to
develop language and literacy skills. Furthermore, computers can serve as a tool which
teachers can use to support communication with students. For example, Meskill (2005)
studied specific communication strategies used by an elementary ESL teacher. The teacher
repeatedly scaffolded students learning by first communicating aurally, then visually on
the computer, and finally the student performed some action on the computer. Throughout
the communication sequences, students were in control of the computer. These studies
emphasize the importance of communication and discourse in language learning, and
highlight the effectiveness of using technology to facilitate communication.
Moreover, because students require five to seven years to acquire academic
language fluency, technological support should be an ongoing process, not a one-time event
(Meskill & Mossop, 2000). For example, Verhallen, Bus and de Jong (2006) studied the
effectiveness of using multimedia stories with kindergarteners learning Dutch as a second
language. Students who were able to view the multimedia stories multiple times showed
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 7

greater growth than students who only viewed the stories once. Another study (Vadasy &
Sanders, 2012) looked at second grade ELL students who had received reading
interventions in kindergarten. They found that students who continued to receive
supplemental treatment performed better than students for whom the treatment ended in
kindergarten. Such evidence implies that technology may be most effective when it is
integrated and used repeatedly in the classroom. In doing this, ELLs receive support over
an extended period of time to help them to develop stronger language skills, especially
academic language.
A significant benefit of using technology to support the education of ELLs is that
technology can help teachers provide differentiated education and support their students
native languages and cultures. One aspect of a differentiated education for ELL students is
the opportunity for bilingual support. ELL students have a better understanding of what
they are expected to do and what they are learning when they receive support in their
native language (Rodriguez, Filler, & Higgins, 2012). In this sense, technology can be used
to offer primary language support when a teacher who speaks a students first language is
not available. As an example, consider a study by Rodriguez, Filler, and Higgins (2012),
which found that the reading performance of Spanish speaking first graders improved
when technology was used to provide oral language instructions in the students native
language, in this case Spanish. In a study by Proctor, Dalton, and Grisham (2007), students
used digital texts with features that taught vocabulary and reading comprehension
strategies such as recognizing cognates between their native language (Spanish) and
English. Thus, using technology to offer native language support can help ELLs better
understand instructions and improve their learning.
In addition to offering bilingual support, technology can facilitate culturally relevant
pedagogy to improve the performance of ELLs. By creating lessons that apply to students
lives and cultures, teachers may help students create more connections to and develop a
deeper understanding of the content being taught. For example, Lotherington, Holland,
Sotoudeh, and Zentena (2008) completed a case study on three elementary teachers who
successfully integrated multimedia into multicultural, multilingual classrooms. Students in
these classrooms created digital stories using technology. They used technology to retell
and recreate childrens stories using multimedia (e.g. movies, claymation, photography,
digital art). By incorporating technology into these projects, ELL students were able to
include more characteristics from their native culture and learn English in the
process. Teachers should also understand that technology can be used as a way to involve
a students home language and culture in the classroom. By using technology as a way to
teach culturally relevant themes, teachers can help their students develop deeper
understandings of and relationships to concepts and materials. It is important to note that
the effect of technology may vary across cultures. As stated by Crawford (1990, p. 9),
educational software is not culturally neutral. For instance, Chang and Kim (2009)
studied the effects of computer use on science achievement and found that the
performance of Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian students varied. They
suggested that groups (e.g. African Americans, Hispanics) who used computers less
frequently at home did not perform as well as other groups (e.g. Caucasians, Asians). So,
teachers should consider a students culture and experience with technology when
introducing a lesson involving technology.
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 8

Technology can also be used to offer additional English language support to
ELLs. For instance, when students are unfamiliar with a topic, watching videos can help
them better understand a topic by building background knowledge. Technology can
provide opportunities for students to view videos which support the texts they are
reading. One study found that early elementary ELL students improved their vocabulary
when video clips were used to supplement reading material and still pictures in a science
unit about habitats (Silverman & Hines, 2009). The study looked at a 12-week unit broken
into 3-week cycles. For each cycle, teachers spent two weeks reading several books related
to one habitat. In the third week, students viewed video clips which used the same targeted
vocabulary words in the books. Discussions were carefully designed to connect the books
and videos and develop deeper understanding of new words. In addition to videos,
multimedia books can facilitate interactive read-alouds with words being highlighted as
they are read and offer activities to support the reading. A study in the Netherlands
(Verhallen, Bus, & de Jong, 2006) revealed that kindergarteners learning Dutch as a second
language developed a stronger understanding of a story and a larger vocabulary when they
read the story with a multimedia book. Likewise, Karemaker, Pitchford, and OMalley
(2010) found that students using multimedia books instead of traditional books had
greater improvement in reading. In essence, these examples illustrate how technology can
be used to make reading a more visual and interactive practice, which is essential for
improving ELLs language and comprehension skills. In each study, students discussed and
interacted with the technology they did not simply watch videos with no support.
An additional benefit of technology in the classroom is that it may increase student
motivation. Students using digital texts tend to enjoy reading more and thus are more
motivated to keep reading and working through their struggles (Karemaker, Pitchford, &
OMalley, 2010). Lopez (2010) observed that the use of interactive whiteboards to create a
more student-centered, interactive environment fostered a more enjoyable learning
environment. Students were motivated by the opportunity to interact with the IWB and use
it to teach each other. For example, rather than simply reading a whiteboard, students can
interact and manipulate information and images on the whiteboard. Technologies such as
this increase the level of interaction that students have with materials and allow them to
take an active role in their learning.
Educators must learn why they should use technology, how and when they should
use it, and what technologies exist. Several studies noted the importance of and the need
for more professional development in technology integration (Hutchinson & Reinking,
2011; Hur & Suh, 2012; Jeffs, Behrmann, & Bannan-Ritland, 2006). Hutchinson and
Reinkings (2011) survey of 1,441 literacy teachers in different grades across the country
found that while teachers understood the value in technology, they lacked the training
necessary to successfully integrate technology. Hur and Suh (2012) also suggested that
teachers need more professional development in order to use technology effectively and
feel confident in their abilities to use technology in the classroom. Some tools come with
their own webinars and video tutorials, such as Michigan State Universitys Center for
Language Education and Research (CLEAR).
One aspect to consider when educating teachers on how to use technology in their
classrooms is that they need to understand the terms involving technology. Aesaert,
Vanderline, Tondeur, and Van Braak (2013) studied educational technology curricula in
three European countries and found that definitions of terminology, such as digital literacy,
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 9

varied across curricula. In this vein, if teachers are to understand the strategies and
importance of technology integration, it is vital that the vocabulary surrounding
educational technology is defined.

Issues in Current Research and Suggestions for Future Research
One of the most important issues in the current research is the lack of large-scale
studies. Many studies look at just a handful of students in classrooms in one school or one
district (e.g., Chang & Kim, 2009; Hur & Suh, 2012; Jeffs, Behrmann, & Bannan-Ritland,
2006). In order to better understand the effectiveness of different methods of integrating
technology into the literacy education of ELLs, more large-scale studies need to be
designed. Furthermore, studying the long-term effectiveness of technology interventions
would be extremely useful in learning how useful technology really is.
The identified literature tended to compare groups of students who received
instruction with technology against groups of students who received a traditional
instruction with no technology. As noted by Burnett (2010) in her literature review of
technology and literacy education, more research is needed to explore how to successfully
integrate technology into literacy education. Current literature strongly indicates that
technology is a powerful tool to help improve the performance of ELLs. So, rather than
comparing the use of technology and the non-use of technology, future research should
focus on comparing the different ways in which technology can be incorporated. For
example, Proctor, Dalton, & Grisham (2007) investigated the effectiveness of different
features in digital texts used by ELLs. The digital texts had several features the students
could access, such as hyperlinks, read-alouds, and activities, and the researchers found that
students who used certain features, such as adding words to a personal glossary, more
often appeared to have greater improvement in their reading. Understanding the most
effective strategies and tools could greatly assist educators in their teaching.

Implications and Discussion
Research has found technology to be a tool that can improve ELL
performance. Technology can allow teachers to provide culturally relevant lessons and
language support to ELLs. Technology can also increase the motivation of students who
are struggling. These struggling students can use technology for additional support and
practice. To use technology effectively, teachers should strategize their use of
technology. It should not be simply laid on top of an existing lesson, but instead it should
be carefully integrated.
In particular, I hope this paper encourages teachers to explore the technologies
available to improve ELL performance. From interactive whiteboards to digital texts, many
tools can be used to help ELLs. In addition to understanding the tools, teachers should also
consider the strategy needed to integrate technology into their classrooms. Lessons should
be carefully planned so that students gain the most benefit from the technology
used. Technology can be used to provide primary language support and offer students
culturally relevant materials. By considering students level of understanding and comfort
with technology, teachers may provide better technological support to students. If
students are not sure how to use the technology presented to them, then they will struggle
with the technology in addition to the lesson content. Clearly explaining to students what
the purpose of the technology is and how to use it may help them feel more comfortable
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 10

with new and different technological tools. By considering all of these aspects of
technology integration, teachers will be able to help their students improve their
performance and become proficient learners in US schools.
In order to fully understand all of the aspects behind educational technology,
teachers should seek out professional development to learn about technology integration.
Many materials exist to help teachers learn about strategies for incorporating technology
into the classroom. Books such as, Tips for Teaching with CALL (Chappelle & Jamieson,
2008) and Literacy, Technology, and Diversity (Cummins, Brown, & Sayers, 2007) describe
classroom activities and projects which use multimedia and review several technologies
available. The Internet has innumerable resources, from websites with teaching tips (e.g.,
Scholastic, Edutopia), to blogs with personal accounts from classroom teachers (e.g., Larry
Ferlazzos Websites of the Day), to webinars and tutorial videos (e.g., MSU
CLEAR). Professional development will help teachers utilize technology to its fullest
potential. Teachers can also attend workshops and read literature to become more
knowledgeable in the ways technology can be used in the classroom. By seeking out
professional development, teachers will take an active role in improving their instruction
and providing the best education to their students.

Conclusion
English language learners tend to struggle academically. With the increasing
number of ELLs in US schools, it is imperative to investigate ways to help close the
achievement gap with ELLs and non-ELLs. Technology can be used to help improve ELL
performance and close the achievement gap. The current research focuses on the
importance of strategically integrating technology, the need for professional development,
and the various technologies available to teachers. By learning about how to effectively
integrate technology into their classrooms, teachers will equip themselves with an
invaluable tool to improve the performance of ELLs and help them succeed in school.
Each group of students has different needs, so it is important for teachers to
understand how to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a specific technology or website
for their own classroom and students. Many research-based models exist to help teachers
assess technologies. Bases on the themes observed in the research-based literature
reviewed for this project, I propose using a set of six criteria found in CALL Essentials
(Egbert, 2005, p. 26-27). The criteria are goals, presentation, appropriateness, outcomes,
evaluation, and notes. In any lesson planning, it is essential to consider the objective for the
lesson (e.g. goals). Teachers must assess how the integration of technology will (or will not)
contribute to the achievement of these learning objectives (e.g. goals, presentation,
outcomes). Additionally, research consistently pointed to the importance of student
interaction and communication (e.g. goals, presentation, outcomes), feedback to scaffold
student learning (e.g. evaluation), and the importance of students understanding how to
use the technology (e.g. appropriateness). For the notes criteria, I suggest that teachers
consider content-specific questions. For example, in a literacy context, it may be useful to
consider several questions posed by Cummins, Brown, and Sayers (2007) to assess how
technology may promote literacy development. In Section II, I explain these criteria in
greater detail and provide examples of how to use them.

SECTION II: Practical Application
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 11


In the second part of this project, I focus on explaining how to evaluate educational
technologies using the model described briefly above. On the website,
edtechforteachers.weebly.com, I provide examples of how teachers can use this model to
assess the usefulness of a particular technology for their own students. Various models
exist to guide the evaluation of educational technologies. In the review of resources, I
employ a user-friendly and flexible model found in Call Essentials (Egbert, 2005). The
model proposes six criteria to assess the effectiveness of a technology: goals, presentation,
appropriateness, outcomes, evaluation, and notes. Egbert (2005) provides examples of
questions (see Table 1) to ask when assessing each of the six factors. The questions guide
teachers, or whoever is evaluating a technology, to consider the purpose of the technology,
the level of interaction students would have with it, and how feedback is given. As part of
the notes factor, teachers might ask questions related to their specific students and how the
technology might promote learning of a particular subject area (e.g. literacy or math).
Cummins, Brown, and Sayers (2007) provide a list of questions to assess how technology
might promote literacy development. For example, teachers might ask how the technology
use will relate new learning to students prior knowledge, which ways students will
interact with the technology, and how the technology use will develop literacy strategies.
Teachers might also ask how familiar their students may be with a technology and how
much instruction and support may be required for students to be able to use the
technology comfortably and effectively.

Table 1
Software Factors and Questions
Factor Essential Questions
Goals What can the software or Web site do (not what it cant), and how does
this meet pedagogical goals?
Presentation How does the software do it? (Does it introduce or practice? Is there
context? Are there exercises, quizzes, multimedia presentations,
something else?) Is this appropriate for the students and goals?
Appropriateness How will students be able to use the software to meet goals? (Can
students understand it? Does it provide appropriate examples and
scaffolds? Is the level appropriate?)
Outcomes What do students produce with only the software or Web site? What
could students produce with additional documents? What other
outcomes are possible?
Evaluation What kind of appropriate feedback and evaluation does the software
or site offer?
Notes Add notes about what else is important to know about the technology
for your context. Then balance the results to decide if the software or
Web site is useful for your instruction.
(Egbert, 2005, p. 26-27)

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 12


For a sample analysis of several educational technologies, visit
edtechforteachers.weebly.com. The website outlines the research from this literature
review, describes the model used to assess technologies, and demonstrates a practical
application of the themes in the current research. There are many tools available for
teachers today, and teachers must carefully evaluate and strategically integrate these tools
into instruction in order to help ELLs, and really all students, achieve their fullest potential.
On the website, the effectiveness of educational technologies is evaluated using the six
factors mentioned previously (goals, presentation, appropriateness, outcomes, evaluation,
and notes). The goal of this website is to provide a useful resource for teachers to use when
assessing and integrating technology into their own classrooms to help students learn.

SECTION III: Reflection

I have learned a lot of valuable information and tools from this project. I choose to
study technology and English language learners because of my interest in supporting ELLs
in mainstream or ESL classrooms. When I began, I believed that educational technology
could be an effective tool for providing additional support to ELLs in my own classroom.
After reading many articles for my literature review, I have learned why and how
educational technology can be a useful tool if it is carefully integrated into the classroom.
One of the most important things I learned from my research is that having access to
technology is not a magic wand leading to instant learning. It is not enough to sit a student
at a computer and have them play educational online games. Teachers must carefully
research technologies to assess which features might be the most effective for a particular
learning goal or group of students. It is also important for teachers to plan how students
will interact with the technology. For instance, if a teacher has an interactive whiteboard
but students do not have opportunities to interact with it, then the technology is likely not
being used very effectively. Students learn the best when they are engaged and interacting
with the technology and each other.
I also learned about the features that researchers have found to be effective in
technology. Students should have opportunities to actively interact with the technology.
For instance, watching a video can be a good supplement, but being able to do something
with it is better. Opportunities to produce something and receive feedback will help
students learn. Whether it is instant feedback from the technology or feedback from the
teacher, students need to know what they are doing well and what areas they need to
improve. Knowing that these features are important will allow me to select only the best
technological resources to use in my classroom. I will also be able to better integrate
technology into my lessons and create activities to supplement work done with technology.
As a teacher, I need to know how to evaluate technologies that I might adopt for my
own classroom. By focusing the practical application of my project on a set of evaluation
criteria, I was able to gain a resource that I can use in the future to benefit my students. I
know what kinds of questions to ask and what features to look for when considering
different websites or technologies to use. I also enjoyed researching websites for the
sample evaluations in my project. I was very impressed by the flexibility of the CLEAR
website and can see myself using this tool in the future. While CLEAR is developed for
language development, it is an extremely versatile tool that I can foresee using for a wide
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 13

variety of purposes and goals. There are many websites and software available which are
advertised for a specific goal or audience that can be adapted for a wider purpose. In my
research, I read about the importance of using technology to support communication. For
example, ELLs can engage in online chat sessions which have less pressure and provide
more think time than face to face conversations. Chat records can be saved and assessed at
a later time by the teacher. Teachers also need to be cognizant of how they direct classroom
discussions and how ELLs and native speakers interact during classroom discussions.
Using technology can be a way for teachers to manage conversations in a comfortable way
for students at varying language levels.
I hope to continue using the edtechfortechers.weebly.com in my teaching career. In
the future, I would like to add a blog section to reflect and share ideas of how I incorporate
technology into my classroom. For this project, I was limited to assessing technologies with
no cost or with free trials. As I gain access to additional technologies, such as tablets with
apps, e-readers, or interactive whiteboards, I would like to add to the edTech Reviews
section.


EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ELL LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT 14

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