According to the Napa Valley Register, in the past, kindergartners coming from families who could not afford private schools yet were above the poverty line had few options for additional educational help in California. However, the needs of this demographic are now being addressed by a program centered on educational technology.
Now, four- and five-year-old students who are struggling in the classroom will be given additional instruction via iPads, reported the media outlet. The tablets will be used to teach them reading, writing and arithmetic, and teachers claim the devices will help them meet the educational needs of a larger number of students.
"In the olden days, I would have to teach to the middle of the class, pulling out kids who needed higher or lower attention," Kim Floyd, a veteran teacher at Calistoga Elementary, told the media outlet. Now, the iPads are used to bridge the gap.
Introduction to educational technology at an early age may help the students become more comfortable when they encounter advanced devices later in their education. Therefore, when they come across an e-reader, an interactive whiteboard or a classroom projector, they may find a sense of continuity with this technological learning.
"It's a great way to have students begin to learn languages in a rich way, but it also teaches them 21st century skills, to use technology to improve themselves," Tom Torlakson, California’s state superintendent of public instruction, told the Napa Valley Register.
