ESL teacher Angela Brotherton lacked the interactive teaching tools needed to deliver lessons to her English language students and meet district academic standards. That was—until state funds and a grant allowed her school to purchase e - no interactive whiteboards from PolyVision.
Pittsburg Primary, a Northeast Texas school with over 400 pre-K through 1st grade students, has several bilingual classrooms and four ESL classrooms. Angela’s ESL class has 15 Spanish-speaking students. Although Angela’s students are intelligent and academically motivated, they performed poorly on learning assessments because of their limited understanding of the English language.
Angela’s principal, Vicki Rockett, discovered PolyVision e - no interactive whiteboards at a local conference. “We attended with full intentions to purchase a competitor’s board,” says Vicki, “but passed by the PolyVision booth and watched a demonstration. We were blown away by e - no’s unique features.”
Vicki also liked that with e - no, the interactive whiteboard comes with a lifetime Forever Warranty™. She and her peers worked together to obtain a state and Rural Schools grant and purchased e - no interactive whiteboards for all of their 22 kindergarten and 1st grade classrooms.
Angela’s classroom is equipped with an e - no interactive whiteboard and e - no mini slate. “Just as I was wondering if I had chosen the right career, e - no transformed my classroom into a completely different learning environment,” she says. “As soon as e - no was installed, I noticed a change in my students’ behavior. During lessons, every child was excited and engaged at a higher level than ever before.”
With e - no, Angela brings lessons to life for the entire class. For example, when teaching a new vocabulary word, Angela defines the word using pictures and videos that stimulate discussion. Students play an online game that features the word. After the game, Angela checks for understanding by passing around the e - no mini slate and asks students to circle the picture that relates to the word. In less than ten minutes, students master a new vocabulary word. Angela can also more easily manage small groups of mixed ability students by using a system that pairs students with similar skill sets, then rotating every 15 minutes.She explains, “With e - no, my classroom has become exactly what I have been trying to build for the past five years—a seamless, efficient and fun learning environment.”
Free Resources PolyVision puts the learning ball in motion with solutions that help teachers to teach and students to learn. Our unique solutions are easier to use, work with any software, are more affordable and guaranteed to last forever. Learn more and download free lesson resources at www.polyvision.com/5tips
5 things to look for in an IWB
1. Choose a board that’s simple to use and universal, allowing dry erase markers and interactivity.
2. Ensure your board is open to any software.
3. Facilitate multi-user collaboration without additional fees.
4. Maximize budgets with a warranty that lasts as long as the school building.
5. Ensure sustainability with limited power requirements and responsible manufacturing.
