Free Technology for Teachers

          I discovered a new text to speech tool called, Voicepods, which is a free account. This would be beneficial for students who cannot read or struggle with reading. On Voicepods, teachers can create a read-along to allow students reading practice, plus the students are able to hear someone reading properly. The link is https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/11/turn-text-to-speech-with-voicepods.html. In addition to Voicepods, I learned about Flipgrid, which is a great interactive website for students to post what they know or have learned from a lesson or topic. The link is https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/12/how-to-use-flipgrid-from-sign-up-to.html.

            An article I found fascinating was “5 Free Tools for Creating Online Picture Books”, because students could create their own book! I’m sure my students would love this, as they could write, draw, and be creative. Some students may prefer WriteReader, while others may like MyStorybook, so I can let them experiment with both. The link is https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2019/03/5-free-tools-for-creating-online.html. Wakelet is a free bookmarking and note-taking service, which the link for the article is https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/11/wakelet-now-lets-you-copy-and-build.html.

            Voicepods would be useful in my classroom for my special education students, which would provide differentiation, too. Flipgrid I could utilize in my classroom for a variety of reasons, such as for a pre-test to show me what they already know or for reviewing a topic to show me what they learned. Having students make a picture book could be a partner or group project; one student writes, while the other draws. Wakelet would be beneficial for students to take notes online. 

            If I made a blog that would be a great resource for my students, then I would post all of the links to websites we utilize on it. Therefore, the online tools we use are all in the same location, and students know where to find them. Also, students could explore some of the links on their own to extend their learning. I’m open to others’ ideas on how they would use a blog in their classroom.