The U.S. Department of Education has released a how-to guide for educators who use educational technology to work with English-language learners.
The toolkit, titled “Using Educational Technology--21st Century Supports for English-Learners,” offers basic advice on what educators should know and ask when using and searching for tech tools to support students who are learning the language.
The five-step guide, which was commissioned by the department’s office of English-language acquisition, or OELA, offers a list of resources and potential questions that classroom teachers, English-learner specialists, and district administrators should consider.
The five guiding principles are:
- Understand what educational technology offers for English-learners
- Discover the types of educational technology available
- Maximize the supports the educational technology offers English-learners
- Seeking out hands-on, instruction-focused professional development
- Learn more about English-learners and educational technology
The department also developed, “Creating Educational Technology for English Learners,” a toolkit for ed-tech developers that offers advice on understanding what English-learners and their educators need and how to use education research when developing products.
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Photo Credit: T.J. Kirkpatrick for Education Week