Digital Pen Pal

My plan is an on-going project throughout the school year utilizing iPads, FaceTime, and other apps that will help facilitate communication between students in our area schools.

CPCS is the first school in the county to begin a K-8 language learning program. Our county schools do not have many digital partnerships because of lack of 1:1 funding, but individual classrooms, like mine, are seeking to enhance the county's offerings. The K-8 Spanish program at CPCS will be one of a kind in our area and I want to bring in technology as a part of creating a sense of digital community for all language learners, even ones with limited resources.

First, we will seek partnerships with local high schools since all the high schools are required to have language programs, unlike elementary and middle schools in the area.

Second, we will create a digital citizenship set of rules for the students to communicate since some communicate will be interpersonal and some will be group. Students will need to have a firm grasp of what is acceptable for communicating in Spanish with each other as well as rules for digital citizenship that apply to all online presence.

Third, students will communicate via the in class iPads using accounts that have been set up for the iPads themselves - this will encompass email and/or messaging.

Fourth, we will set up days where we can FaceTime each other live to share presentations, songs, skits, etc. to encourage class involvement and discussion as was all collaboration for new ideas.

Finally, all of our creative and innovative projects will be shared on our community website - which will be shared with the high school teachers for further collaboration and sharing.

We are hoping that this K-8 program will encourage a lifelong love of learning languages that has been missing in our community environment. Through the incorporation of a classroom set of 20 iPads, we are hoping to spread our dreams and ambitions beyond our doors!