iPods help ESL students achieve success

As school leaders ponder the implications of new technologies for their classrooms, one dedicated New Jersey educator has turned theory into practice, using the iPod to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) students. According to Grace Poli, media specialist at Jose Marti Middle School in Union City (NJ) and an Apple distinguished educator, the iPod is more than just a cool gadget, because it helps transform a classroom by: 1) Stimulating and engaging students in the learning process. 2) Enhancing instruction by making it personal. Increasing achievement and motivation. (According to Poli, in her first year of using the iPod, 50 percent of her students went from an ESL program to an all-English program -- a switch that usually takes between three to six years.) 3) Differentiating instruction for diverse learners. (Poli explained that this is important for her students, because some have been in the ESL program for three months--and some for three years.) 4) Accommodating multiple learning styles. 5) Providing anytime, anywhere learning.