Oral Communication

The oral communication strand in the Ontario language Curriculum is perhaps one of the more fascinating, informative components which students are able to study. The strand aims to develop and strengthen an individual’s understanding of self and society through the exploration of numerous outlets. The Ontario Curriculum handbook for language claims that oral communication skills are “fundamental to the development of literacy and essential for thinking and learning...To develop their oral communication skills, students need numerous opportunities to listen and to talk about a range of subjects, including personal interests, school work, and current affairs” (p 10). Oral communication focuses on educating students on effective listening skills so that they may become influential communicators. Students are expected to listen to a selection of texts and formulate a personal opinion and/or reaction to respond to what is being asked. The development of oral communication skills significantly impacts the way in which individuals are able to succeed and grow academically.  Oral communication skills effects an individual’s every day way of living therefore it is essential that educators work to enhance and provide students with different resources to improve and increase their vocabulary.

Twenty first century society has evolved into one dependent on technology. Contemporary individuals gather and retain a majority of their knowledge through different digital outlets and resources. For student’s to thrive in the twenty first century digital era it is essential that educators take the time to discover digital data bases which support academic development. Pod casts are an example of an educational facilitator which individuals can access for information on a variety of academic subjects.  These outlets are also developed to assist educators and students on questions which the may raise in regards to different areas of study. A resource which I had the opportunity to investigate was titled 50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out. This resource provides users with a multitude of podcasts and blogs which discusses different transformations within the contemporary classroom.  Podcasts have significantly grown in popularity over the years and continue to be introduced into the classroom as they are engaging and increase a user’s likelihood to retain information as their focus shifts from text to sound. The resource which I paid particular attention to was titled EdTechTalk. This outlet features a collection of teachers who work in collaboration to discuss a multitude of teaching strategies and issues faced within the everyday classroom.  “This podcast is called Teachers Teaching Teachers and is a collaborative effort. Teachers discuss new software and tools they are successfully using in the classroom”.  A resource such as this one becomes beneficial towards an educators growth within the classroom as it provides an assortment of perspectives and opinions on how to improve teaching techniques.

Oral communication allows student the exploration of different resources and ideas in an innovative way which may increase their interest level and enjoyment of study. In the Tedtalk provided the speaker, Julian Treasure, discuss the importance of developing listening skills as he claims that individuals no longer practise the art of listening due to the constant noises and distractions around us.  The message which the speaker relays coincides with the oral communication strand as it emphasizes the importance of developing and utilizing listening skills within academic studies.  An individual’s listening abilities coincides with their capability of becoming valued members of society.  When we are able to  absorb what is being said to us and respond in a logical manner our understanding of self and society increases.

Link to Ted Talk Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSohjlYQI2A

Link to Images:

www.slideshare.net

https://www.pinterest.com/dyoon9112/listening/

Writing

For a student to thrive academically they must develop cohesive reading and writing skills for they are integral components in all areas of study. The establishment of proficient writing abilities relies on continuous practise to strengthen, expand and apply understandings of different concepts. As well, educators must provide their students with a variety of appropriate tools and resources to allow for a more in-depth exploration of the language. The Ontario Curriculum for language, document provided below, claims that “students need to become disciplined thinkers in order to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. Conversely, they need numerous opportunities to write, as the process of writing enables them to clarify their thinking and sort out and express their thoughts and feelings” (12). The face of the contemporary classroom continues to undergo constant revision in order to establish the most effective teaching strategies for educators and students. As a result educators must be willing to continually update their knowledge in order to provide the most for their pupils. 

inspiremykids.com

Through the years the amount of students who suffer from physical and intellectual disabilities has significantly increased yet there continues to be minimal support made available in the classroom. As a result these students may struggle to express their concerns and ideas which can lead to a multitude of different behavioural issues. As an educator it is our responsibility to ensure that all students are given the proper support so they too can succeed academically. We must be willing to take the time to discover and provide resourceful outlets so that students have the ability to accurately express their thoughts and concerns. 

blog.writeathome.com

An example of such resource is Ghotit which was designed for students who suffer from dyslexia and other learning disorders that impair an individual’s ability to read and write. The resource prompts users to learn from past mistakes and generates suggestions for spelling and grammatical errors. The article 15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources for Students with Disabilities (provided below) discusses the creation, function and utilization of numerous resources specialized to assist individuals that require extra support in the classroom. The reource ghotit caught my attention as the author proclaimed that “ghotit predicts words, check passages of text contextually, read text aloud using TTS technology and recognize split and merged words. It also includes an integrated dictionary for students to quickly look up a word” (Nessa). A resource such as ghotit should be examined by educators and incorporated into the classroom as it addresses a multitude of different needs for a variety of students. The application ghotit exemplifies a resource which I feel will have a large impact on a students want and ability to perform academically. Future educators such as myself must continually discover and explore the available applications for students and incorporate them into their classrooms so that the needs of all are satisfied. Classrooms have and will continue to be comprised of individuals varying with a multitude of different abilities therefore as an educator we must be willing to continually expand our knowledge.

The Ontario Curriculum for language speaks about the importance of educating students on how to implement the writing process in all realms of their academic studies. “The overall expectations focus on the elements of effective writing (ideas/content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, language conventions, and presentation) and on the stages of the recursive writing process (planning for writing, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading, and publishing)” (13). As an educator we are responsible to create interest within the English language so that students are motivated to become independent thinkers. The speaker in the TedTalk examines the importance of including creative writing within the classroom as it aids in the development of independent thought and creativity. 

                                            

             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwjxDtVeibk

The speaker argues that when educators deny their students the opportunity to explore their writing they are denying them the chance to grow academically. My journey thus far through teachers collage has enlightened me on the importance of educating both ourselves and students on twenty first century society. We must work collaboratively with our students to discover new outlets in order to encourage personal and academic growth.

Link to Ontario Language Curriculum Document 

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/language18currb.pdf

Link to Website 15 Assistive Technology Tools & Resources for Students with Disabilities 

http://www.teachthought.com/uncategorized/15-assistive-technology-tools-resources-for-students-with-disabilities/