Technology finds way into speech class

By Carol Rolf

LITTLE ROCK — Technology has found its way into almost every corner of today’s schools.

The oral communications class at Hector High School is a prime example of how technology is changing the way a student not only studies, but also how he or she presents what has been learned.

Jerri Tabor, who teaches high school journalism and English as well as oral communications in the fall and drama in the spring, had her oral communications students present a speech without using the traditional “poster” to illustrate it. “They used the LED projector,” she said. “We’ve gone from chalkboard and paper to this new technology that allows the kids to be able to do something more. So instead of giving a speech the ‘old-fashioned way,’ they were able to do it a ‘new’ way by putting on a slideshow or Power-Point presentation using this new technology.”

Tabor said with the help of two Wal-Mart Good Works grants of $1,000 each, and the help of her superintendent, Karen Smith, she was able to buy the LED projector and furnish the literacy library in her room. “I was able to do this for my students last April and we began using it this year,” she said.

Tabor graduated from Arkansas State University in 1979 with bachelor’s degree in journalism. She received a master’s degree in English education in 1992 from Arkansas Tech University. In 2007, she became certified by the National Boardfor Professional Teaching Standards, one of only three in the district. She has been teaching for 16 years at Hector and has spent 19 years in the field of education.

Tabor also served as a graduate assistant in the photography lab at ASU and for the Jonesboro newspaper while in college, and that was where she was first introduced to computers.

“We’ve gone from manual typewriters to this,” she said pointing to the LED projector, which also has a wireless presenter that can be used from anywhere in the classroom. “All you do is point at the board and it moves,” she said. “You just point and click.”

Tabor assigned her oral communications classa speech that was to be prepared using the PowerPoint program, “with at least 10 slides,” she said. “They could use no poster. They seemed to like it better.

“Using PowerPoint, they can use bullets, different fonts of type, clip art, animation,” she said. “The kids love it.”

Tabor said she didn’t assign the PowerPoint presentation for each speech. “They also had to tape (record) a speech,” she said. “They didn’t like that. No one likes to hear themselves talk.”

Among the subjects chosen by the oral communications’ students for their speeches done via PowerPoint was “How to Eat a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich,” which Tabor said was used as a tutorial. Other subjects including How to Stop Smoking and Global Warming.

“Technology has made it fun,” Tabor said. “There are all kinds of kids who have adapted to it.”

Tabor said her drama students will use technology as they work on making a movie with a computer software program designed just for that. “They’ve already prepared public service announcements for it,” she said. “But it’s not all together yet.”

Tabor said under the leadership of Wade Bonds, technology coordinator for the Hector School District, they have 75 new computers, 16 document cameras, 16 CD projectors and 16 Interwrite Tablets and have remodeled the library placing 33 new computers there for student use.

Hector High School at a glance: Grades: Seven through 12 Enrollment: 320 Mascot: Wildcats Colors: Royal blue and white

Athletics: Football, basketball, track, baseball, softball, track, golf Principal: Chris Rink Address: 11601 SR 27 Hector, AR 72843 Phone number: (479) 284-3536

Web site: http://wildcats.afsc.k12.ar.us

River Valley Ozark, Pages 71 on 05/08/2008