Interactivity In The Classroom: Conceptual Analysis

Improved Essays
An attempt, therefore, to understand how teachers can incorporate the concept of interactivity within the classroom, should begin with demystifying the concept itself. Miller (2014) also says it is a two-part word made up of a prefix inter and a second part active – indicating an “active relationship between two entities” where both entities are responsive to each other. Further, England, E. and Finney, A. (2011) says the challenge of defining what is Interactive content” stems from how the “sector has quickly evolved through Phases.” The word has often been coined to reflect a phase that quickly gets obsolete when new contents are created. With the benefit of hindsight, they made reference to the word “Multimedia” that relates to the …show more content…
This is the first level of interactivity. For instance, knowing their names and learning how their cultures say those names will likely awaken interest in the students. Stories should reflect for each student, a symbol they already know, and where one is not available, a symbol that is as close as possible, should be created. Thus, to describe “snow” for an African, hail stones, or ice crushed and made slushy would be closest symbol to which they might relate. This is because the classroom of the 21st century (Mills, K., 2011 p. 5) is one that is “characterized by significant cultural and linguistic diversity in schools and societies creating the need for inclusive pedagogies.” Therefore, teaching styles must adapt to the changing climate, since “assimilating immigrants and indigenous peoples to the standardized ‘proper’ language of the colonizer…now seems glaringly inadequate.” The challenges of negotiating cultural and linguistic difference among students could, sometimes require adapting to tools that might help communicate the first levels of the teaching experience, for instance, using an interpreter of the learner’s language until he/she becomes fully engaged in a learning

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the closing chapter of Hayes, Baruth, and Kessler’s Literacy con Cariño, the authors reflect on the factors that cause immigrant students, such as the ones Robert taught, to fall behind in school. They also focus on what Robert did to combat those issues so he could instill a love of literacy into his class. Through ongoing textual dialogue, published work, and Robert’s confidence in them, the students transformed from the timid children they once were to avid readers and writers. The implementation of reading in their every day life was key as well. Most students came from environments where the written word was sparse, causing them to not practice enough.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Topic 1- Acknowledgment to Country and Indigenous Terms of Reference. Acknowledgement to Country is a statement that can be performed in both a formal or informal manner that recognises and respects the traditional landowners of this country and in particular the local region. It can be performed by a non Indigenous person and is delivered before a meeting, speech or formal occasion like a school assembly for example. (QLD Department of Education Training, 2015). This is an important protocol to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples, as it shows respect for them as the original custodians of the land, their culture and customs.…

    • 1571 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Puerto Rico Research Paper

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In a letter to the English supervisors in Puerto Rico he states “You are not to remove or disparage Spanish, four hundred years the language of this people, in the use of which their ancestors lived and died and recorded their history.” (Eaton, 115). In Puerto Rico, students are not subtracting their culture because they live in their home culture. All of the students in Puerto Rico have similar cultural identifications, instead of removing that culture identification they add to it some of Americans culture such as the language. John Eaton gives permission to the English supervisors to teach the reading and writing of English because he knows they can do it properly.…

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    On the opposite view from nativist, children have universal grammar from birth. This perspective proposed by Chomsky in Fellowes and Oakley (2010) that children have the competency to learn any language. Nativist theory places emphasis on biological reason on how children develop their language. The nativist perspective encounters criticism of omitting environment and social influences that play a role in children’s language development. Further account by Fellowes and Oakley (2010) state nativist perspective portrays teachers will not need to teach language if children will naturally learn all they need to know.…

    • 131 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    Annotated Bibliography

    • 1878 Words
    • 8 Pages

    With Australia being such a multicultural country, the amount of different cultures we have throughout a classroom is quite vast. Teachers having a knowledge about the differences that students may have in their understanding of language and the ability to cater for all. Pronunciation of words and different meanings may come across from different cultures.(reference) For teachers to be aware of this so they are able to make sense and explain and communicate with the students about the different cultures and meanings each has. We need to understand that each child will have a different understanding from the next due to their culture and upbringing. The language they have been exposed and experienced to throughout their early life is something that comes out in their ability to learn.…

    • 1878 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Indigenous education across Australia has been gradually improving as we become more aware; however it is still drastically behind the standards of non-indigenous students. Therefore it is our responsibility as teachers to become aware of continual issues that have arisen and address them to enable progress. We must examine the ways in which we can Engage and encourage learning within our English classrooms. Before we begin I must tell you my personal experiences and explain why this is an important issue that I endeavour to discuss. I grew up within the far south coast community of the Bega Valley Shire home to the Yuin indigenous group.…

    • 1439 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is an interesting time to be going into the education field all across America. As more and more immigrants make their way into the United States the population begins to become more and more diverse. This can also be seen in the classrooms; classrooms are becoming more diverse than ever. It is an educator’s role to be able to accommodate and understand these multiple cultures in the classroom. This will force educators to gain a more in depth look at the cultures that are making up the classroom environment.…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Diversity In Schools

    • 1832 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Introduction: As the United States of America becomes more culturally diverse in its population, the need to address that diversity within our schools is rapidly increasing. This increase in diversity is creating a challenge for educators across the nation because our nation’s teaching force remains predominately white (Caucasian)and English speaking in make-up and the number of culturally diverse teachers is in a state of decline (Gay, 2003). Educators must accept the fact that students who enter their schools/classrooms bring with them major differences concerning their cultural and ethnic background. While the original research was mainly focused on differences in culture regarding race, researchers are now paying closer attention to…

    • 1832 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Supporting English Language Learners There are an increasing number of non-native English speakers in schools around the United States. Schools are faced with the daunting task of providing an education that meets the needs of every student, including those who have a language barrier. According to Tom Stritikus, many linguistically diverse students fall into two categories: National Merit Scholars and high school dropouts (Laureate Education, 2009a). More must be done to ensure that ELL students fall into the National Merit Scholar category as opposed to the dropout category.…

    • 1210 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After reading this section, it became increasingly apparent how teaching in today’s diverse society can be challenging if a teacher is unable to consider the viewpoints of different cultures. There are many subtle and inadvertent mistakes that can be made in day to day school activities and it is important teachers can learn from their mistakes. For instance, on p. 247 the text described a teacher who forced a child to wash oil on her arm because it looked dirty, and it turned out to be a form of mourning for the loss of a family member. Additionally, the text also described the struggles that children growing in collectivist cultures may face in America’s largely individualistic society. In terms of personal experiences, last year at a “winter…

    • 185 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Analyzing Cultural Relevance in Instruction Wardle (2013) summarized the significant features of a culturally relevant teacher. This assignment uses this information as a guide to apply the knowledge of culturally relevant pedagogy toward specific solutions to problems facing a teacher with a very diverse student population. This assignment offers excellent practice over the application of culturally relevant principles in the design of effective instructional solutions. In the video, Jeff Bliss a high school student is asked to leave the class because he assumingly is disruptive (Jeff Bliss Video.…

    • 1573 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    My teaching has changed immensely, since I moved from a predominately all Caucasian kindergarten-eighth building to a diverse sixth-eighth grade 75% free and reduced building. Dr. Sharroky Hollie helped shape my learning and response to students and their learning with his approach: Culturally and Linguistically Response to Teaching and Learning. I have learned from him to most importantly validate and affirm my students. Most often when I am working with a student, I have found it helpful to have an understanding of who they are and their culture.…

    • 107 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Culturally Responsive Classrooms and Literature To create a culturally responsive classroom is to create a better learning environment for students, enables students to learn about the differences of others, and ensures that we as teachers are meeting all of our students’ needs. Incorporating literature into a culturally responsive classroom will only reinforce the qualities and type of culturally responsive classroom we want to have. Through literature students can explore cultures near and far, along with the world around them. By creating a classroom that includes all students and their diverse backgrounds we create a comfortable environment for learning and helps all students to feel accepted.…

    • 960 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Theories Of Interactivity

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Interactivity theory Interactivity theory focuses on the idea that new media tools have altered how people communicate. Interactivity has been studied long before the Internet came into existence with the examination of feedback as a concept (Wiener, 1948; Shannon & Weaver, 1949; Kiousis, 2002). Those in an online environment are more likely to be seeking feedback than those in person (Ang & Cummings, 1994). An early study about interactivity assumed frequent interaction with media generates a high degree of dependency upon that media outlet (Nordlund, 1978). Increased interaction between the audience and the media outlet will lead to a more engaged audience (Ha & James, 1998; Rafaeli & Sudweeks, 1998).…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Dexter provides us with excellent insight as to the effects of cultural assimilation within the public school system within her article “Communicating Care Across Culture and Language.” Dexter proposes that the American public school system is greatly underserving its diverse cultural groups. Her article deals specifically with a school who’s students are predominately Latin-American, while most of the teachers are white. Dexter expresses her concern for these students, as the school system does not seem to be properly accommodating their linguistic needs.…

    • 1303 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays