The science of reading has picked up momentum in America’s schools, leading educators to wonder how to better support foundational reading development. This, in tandem with a general trend towards using more technology in every field, helps pose an important question: What existing technological programs support the creation of foundational reading materials? This blog post seeks to explore using Google Jamboard as a way to introduce and practice R-Controlled Vowels.
What is the Science of Reading?
The science of reading is a body of scientifically-based research that outlines the cognitive processes involved with reading and connects these processes to instructional practices that may lead to better academic outcomes. While this body of work has existed for decades, recently it has received widespread attention from educators, administrators, and policy-makers. The infographic below from Nancy Young sums up some important information that comes from some of the science of reading data.
In general, all students benefit from systematic, code-based, and explicit phonics instruction. While some students may learn to read proficiently using any reading program, to just use any program without research is a disservice to those who need that code-based, systematic instruction. This type of instruction involves using a scope and sequence, where students learn one phonics pattern at a time in a structured way (The Reading League 2022).
R-controlled vowels occur when an /r/ follows a vowel, leading the vowel to have a skewed pronunciation that is no longer long or short. Examples include the words “barn”, “corn”, and “perk”. These patterns are usually taught in first and second grade, but this lesson can be used with any student based on their phonics needs. In a phonics scope and sequence, r-controlled vowel instruction usually occurs after learning all letter sounds, short and long vowel sounds, and digraphs (i.e. /th/ & /ch/). This lesson will be teaching /or/ and /ar/ r-controlled vowels using an “I do”, “We do”, “You do” model (Palmer 2022).
About this Lesson
This lesson is geared to help students learn the most basic and important tools on Google Jamboard while also learning two new phonics patterns. The objectives for this lesson are as follows:
- Students will be able to identify /-or/ and /-ar/ in simple words.
- Students will be able to apply /-or/ and /-ar/ while spelling simple words.
- Students will be able to apply /-or/ and /-ar/ while participating in grade-level reading and writing activities.
We will also apply the following literacy content standards to this lesson:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3– Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2– Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes) (Common Core State Standards Initiative 2022).
Lastly, I identified these digital literacy standards from ISTE:
- 1.1.c (Empowered Learner)– Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
- 1.1.d (Empowered Learner)– Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies (dragging objects, highlighting, & writing on Jamboard)(International Society for Technology in Education 2022).
It is important to note that these standards and objectives can be adjusted based on the prior knowledge of your students. If students are less familiar with technology, you may want to teach the students to use fewer tools on Jamboard, i.e. just teaching them to drag objects. You may also want to focus on one r-controlled vowel sound a day or drag out the lesson across several days. This resource is flexible for your class’ needs!
Jamboard works as an interactive slideshow that is easy to navigate, even in the primary grades. My suggestion is to teach /ar/ by using your own smartboard or iPad and modeling the activities for that pattern first, and then letting students log onto the Jamboard and try the interactive activities while learning /or/. My personal preference would be to model /ar/ during your whole-group phonics segment, and allow students to practice using the technology and learn /or/ during your teacher-led small groups during centers. This allows you to work with students at their own pace and scaffold after initially introducing the content and technology.
Formative Assessment
Here are the ways I would assess students during this lesson.
- Students are able to interact with words that include /or/ or /ar/ in the “You Do” portion of the lesson. Examples include identifying those patterns in written and spoken words, blending simple words successfully, and spelling simple words that contain /or/ and /ar/.
- Students are able to use Jamboard in a way that shows their understanding. For example, students are able to manipulate movable pieces of the slideshow to spell words or use their stylus to write a word or highlight a section of a word.
Materials
- Google Jamboard
- Optional: Lesson Plan Document
- iPads for students
- Styluses (optional, but preferred)
- Smartboard (for whole-class demonstration)
Lesson Walkthrough
Click here for my lesson plan document that includes some example scripts. Click here for the interactive Google Jamboard!
Warm-Up (Whole Class w/ Smartboard) – We begin with an automaticity warm-up of known sounds using digital post-it notes- I call this activity “Quick Cards”. Students will be told to look at the post-it note and say the sound they see. Once they say the sound, you can drag the post-it note out of the way to reveal the next sound.
2. Objectives (Whole Class w/ Smartboard) – Slides 3 + 4 outline student-friendly versions of our objectives. This is also an opportunity to show students some of the tools on Jamboard. You do not have to introduce every tool- only the tools that you want to focus on. Below is a screenshot from Jamboard with the various tools labeled.
- Pencil– Touch the arrow next to the pencil to change writing mode (highlighter, pencil, marker, etc). You can use your finger or a stylus to now make marks on your slide.
2. Eraser– Use your finger or stylus to erase.
3. Cursor– If you are just dragging objects, you want this option to be highlighted. Students may need to be reminded to touch the cursor button if they had previously been drawing or using the laser option.
4. Sticky-Note– This is not a focal point of this lesson, but allows anyone to write on a post-it note and stick it anywhere on the slide.
5. Picture Tool– This allows you to insert pictures into the slide from your computer’s drive or a Google image search.
6. Shape Tool– This is also not a focal point of this lesson, but allows anyone to insert a shape into the slide.
7. Text Tool– This allows you to type text on the screen and move it around.
8. Laser Tool– When selected, you may drag your finger or stylus on the screen and a red line will appear and then disappear quickly.
3. I Do, We Do – You will now introduce /ar/ to your students. Again, I do suggest modeling how to do these activities as a whole class so they grasp both the content and the technology while seeing it on a big screen, such as a smartboard. More specifically, I would model doing each activity once or twice, and then have students help you complete the rest so that you can monitor- combining the “I do” and “We do” aspects of direct instruction. You will be using the dragging, writing, and laser tools to complete activities having to do with identifying /ar/ in words, blending words with /ar/, and writing words with /ar/. Because of the unfortunate twenty-slide maximum for Google Jamboard, I omitted slides for activities having to do with listening for these r-controlled vowels but included examples for some activities to do with your students in the lesson plan document.
Screenshots are taken from Google Jamboard
4. We Do, You Do– This portion would work best if used in small groups where every student has their own iPad and stylus, as well as the teacher. Once you give the link to your students, you will direct them to slide 9 to begin learning about /or/. The activities are the same as the ones used in the “I Do, We Do” portion, with the new pattern instead. I would first have students do one problem on the slide altogether (“We Do”) and then let them try the rest on their own so that I can monitor each student individually and scaffold as needed. Scaffolding may include helping students blend words, reteaching how to use a specific tool, or reviewing a certain sound. One important limitation of Google Jamboard is that it does not support audio. I would have loved to have added an audio feature so students participating in independent practice could have listened to specific sounds without needing my support.
Screenshots taken from Google Slides
5. You Do– Slides 13 and 14 offer some more independent practice involving listening and writing activities. See the lesson plan document for some sample activities!
6. Exit Ticket– Lastly, Slide 15 offers an informal formative assessment in the form of an exit ticket that assesses both the digital and content skills developed over the course of the lesson. See the lesson plan document for sample prompts.
7. Extra Slides- The last slides offer other opportunities to practice using /or/ and /ar/ with activities such as finding words with those patterns in authentic reading passages and sentences, a full alphabet spelling board with Elkonin boxes, and a “Make a Sentence” slide that allows students to try making their own r-controlled vowel sentences. Usage of these slides can be used as differentiation for students or extra practice as needed.
Screenshots taken from Google Slides
Works Cited
The Reading League. (2022, April 8). What is the Science of Reading. The Reading League. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/#:~:text=The%20science%20of%20reading%20is,studies%20conducted%20in%20multiple%20languages.
Young, N. (2020). Ladder of Reading and Writing. Nancy Young Reading Spelling Writing. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://www.nancyyoung.ca/
International Society for Technology in Education. (2022). ISTE standards: Educators. ISTE. Retrieved May 1, 2022, from https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-teachers
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2022). English language arts standards ” reading: Foundational skills ” grade 1. English Language Arts Standards ” Reading: Foundational Skills ” Grade 1 | Common Core State Standards Initiative. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RF/1/
Palmer, K. (2022, March 15). How to teach R controlled vowels. Lucky Little Learners. Retrieved May 3, 2022, from https://luckylittlelearners.com/how-to-teach-r-controlled-vowels/
About the Author
Hi! My name is Amelia Wroblewski and I am a current M.A. Curriculum and Instruction in Literacy student at CU Boulder. I realized that I was passionate about reading instruction while teaching Kindergarten in New York and moved to Denver last year to learn more about literacy.
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