GESTION EDUCATIVA

COLEGIO GIMNASIO CONTEMPORANEO

ORIENTACIONES PARA TRABAJO CON LIBROS DIGITALES

GUIDELINES FOR WORKING WITH E-BOOKS; MyOn RESOURCES

OVERVIEW
Digital readers, or e-book readers, are devices that can host hundreds of electronic books. MyOn platform is
a digital library where we can find over 5000 boo In this document you will find an introductory lesson and
subsequent minilessons, which may provide you with tips on how to take students to read e-books and learn
how to use many tools and features on a digital format. In particular, students can use tools like
manipulating the font size and page orientation to suit their individual needs and preferences, highlight text
to mark key passages, access a built-in dictionary to develop new vocabulary and word consciousness, and
use a text-to-speech feature to practice reading fluency. By recording and reviewing the students' use of
these tools and features, teachers can learn much about their students' skills and progress as readers.

PREPARATION
1. Identify and download appropriate e-book titles to the digital readers. Consider students’ prior
experience, interest, and reading levels when selecting books, as well as curricular topics.

2. If internet access is limited, the teacher can download or ask students to download multiple books on
their devices (tablet, cell phone or pc). Create a reading schedule that allows each student access to the
device throughout the week. Alternatively, divide the class into small groups of 2–4 students, in which
they will share a device and read together.

3. Remember that the school homework policy allows teachers to assign only reading home, not reading
tasks, exams, or quizzes.

4. Download a short e-book (illustrated children’s book) or use the one you will assign on one digital reader
in order to use it for demonstration purposes during the introductory session. If Possible, use a copy of
the print version of this title for your classroom.

STUDENT OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

 Increase their understanding of vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency by using digital reader tools and
features to support their reading processes.

 Comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts by engaging in personal literature response.

 Track their progress as they read and improve their reading comprehension and reading ability.
INTRODUCTORY SESSION (45 MINUTES)

1. Explain to your students that they will read an electronic book, or e-book, on a device which may be
their cell phones, tablets or computers. Hold up your own device for students to look at and introduce
the title of the story that you will use for demonstration purposes. Also, show students the print version
of the same book if possible. Explain, “Today we are going to read The Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs
Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne (mention both, the title of the book and the author) but instead of
reading it the regular way, we are going to use a digital reader.”

2. For this first demonstration, you may use your laptop PC and video beam, so that, the screen is visible
on the large wall screen. Use step by step clear instructions to demonstrate how to access the book the
platform using the log in information on their book cards. Begin reading aloud or use the text to speech
feature while the students follow along on the projected page.

3. After reading for a few minutes, stop and ask students what they have noticed so far. “How does the
page look similar or different from a printed page?” Explain that the digital book comes with “tools” that
the reader can manipulate to help become a better reader. “For example, we can change the font size.”
Demonstrate how to make the font larger and smaller.

4. Continue reading the story. Stop when you come to an illustrated page and demonstrate how to change
the page orientation. Explain to students that “adjusting the page orientation changes the way the page
looks. This may be particularly useful if reading a picture book, as illustrations often display better when
reading in landscape mode.”

5. When you come to a designated stopping point in the book, hold up and show a page of the printed book.
Point out the page layout (perhaps there is an illustration at the top of the page, followed by text).
Locate the same illustration and/or text in the e-book. Discuss how the two versions differ. Emphasize
that the page layout changes in the digital version, depending on the reader’s preferred font size and
page orientation. However, the print version always stays the same. As a class, discuss why it can be
beneficial to change the font size and page orientation. Ask students to share prior encounters with
really large or small texts.

6. Assign students a digital reader. (If you have a shortage of digital readers, divide students into small
groups and assign one device per group. Alternatively, create a schedule, providing each student with
reading time.) Review how to access their books and encourage students to change the font size and
page orientation to suit their individual needs as readers. As students read, observe their use of these
tools; record observations on the form Digital Reader Tools and Features Anecdotal Record.

7. As the reading period comes to an end, display your digital reader on the visual presenter. Demonstrate
how to insert a digital bookmark. Remind students to do so at the end of each subsequent reading
session. (If students read as a group, they should only add one bookmark. If students read individually
but share a digital reader with other students throughout the day, each student can add an individual
bookmark.)

8. Carry out a discussion on what was learnt and how for some people these tools make it easier to read
and understand a story. Encourage students to share their preferences. Continue telling the students
how over the next few days, they will learn how to use many other tools and features of their digital
books. As a class, discuss their initial experience with a digital reader. Guiding questions may include:

o How does reading an e-book compare to reading a print book?

o What frustrations or challenges have you encountered so far?

o What do you like about using a digital reader?

o How can the tools found in digital readers support you as a reader?
ADDITIONAL MINILESSONS (15 MINUTES EACH)
At the beginning of each subsequent reading session, conduct a brief minilesson to introduce additional
digital reader tools and literary skills. Because students often find unique ways to use and adapt digital
reader tools to suit their individual needs as readers, encourage student sharing and discussion during these
lessons. Following each minilesson, students should be given independent reading time. During reading time,
carefully observe students’ reading behaviors and use of digital reader tools and features or meet with them
individually or in small groups to discuss use of tools and literacy learning.

BUILT-IN DICTIONARY
1. Hold up a traditional dictionary. Ask students, “How can a dictionary help readers understand what they
are reading?”

2. Model how to use the dictionary while reading. Read a brief passage from a print text. Stop at an
unfamiliar or difficult word. Look up the definition in the dictionary. Ask students, “How do you feel
about using the dictionary while reading?”

3. Explain to students that most digital readers have a built-in dictionary, which makes the process of
looking up words faster and more convenient. Display your digital reader on the visual presenter. Ask
students to follow along as you read a brief text passage aloud. Stop at an unfamiliar or difficult word.
Model how to access the built-in dictionary to look up the definition(s) of the identified word.

4. While accessing the dictionary, also point out synonyms, antonyms, phonetics, and pronunciation guides.
Discuss how these features can further help readers understand the meaning of a word and decode
unfamiliar words.

5. Referring to the word(s) you just looked up; model how to fill out the Dictionary Detective handout.
Distribute one handout to each student and ask that they document their use of the built-in dictionary as
they read independently.

6. At the end of the independent reading session, collect the Dictionary Detective handout and review
students’ use of the built-in dictionary. Offer feedback to individual students as needed.

HIGHLIGHTING TEXT

1. Similarly to highlighting sections in a word document, students can highlight passages in their e-books.
Hold up a traditional highlighter pen and ask students when and how they use this tool while reading.
Discuss how readers often use highlighters to help them focus on a particular part of a story or help them
identify specific vocabulary or literary elements for example.

2. Display your digital reader on the visual presenter. Demonstrate how to access and use the highlighter
while reading a text passage aloud.

3. Ask students to use the highlighter while reading independently. Depending on your lesson objectives,
ask students to highlight content-specific vocabulary, spelling patterns, story elements (i.e., characters,
settings, plot), literary elements (i.e., similes, metaphors, alliterations), rhyming words, passages that
are funny and entertaining. The possibilities are endless.

4. At the end of the reading session, ask students to share and discuss what they highlighted while reading.
 TEXT-TO-SPEECH

1. Some digital readers come with text-to-speech capabilities. Using the visual presenter and large screen,
demonstrate how to access and use the text-to-speech feature and related preferences including reading
rate (slow, fast), voice (male or female), volume control, and headphone use. Explain to students that
the text-to-speech feature can be used to practice reading fluency, help readers pronounce unfamiliar
words or text passages, or simply enjoy listening to a story.

2. To practice reading fluency, divide students into pairs. Ask them to listen to a passage and then read the
same passage to each other. Alternatively, ask individual students to listen to a text passage (using
headphones) while silently reading along.

3. During silent reading time, encourage students to access the text-to-speech feature to listen to difficult
reading passages to hear pronunciations of unfamiliar vocabulary. Headphones are encouraged.

4. Circulate around the room and listen to individual students as they read aloud. Record observations on
the Digital Reader Tools and Features Anecdotal Record.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT/REFLECTIONS
 Use the platform tools and features to document students’ progress. Record if and when students use certain
tools, examples of how tools are used, and impact on literacy learning.

 Create projects, do cooperative reading, make sure students find an appropriate reading piece so they can
enjoy their reading time.

 Carefully observe and meet with students individually to determine their use of digital books and their
impact on literacy learning.

LUZ LLAMILET ALZATE JULIO OLIVEROS

Principal Coordinator