Wiki Classroom Dictionary

One way I would use wikis in my elementary classroom would be to bring an emphasis on students’ academic language. The grade level could be for any grade, but since I am a third grade teacher, I would do this with my third grade class for all academic areas. At this age, third graders are already skilled on using the internet. I would more than likely have to help them set up their accounts to help them get started on how to use wikis. As we know it, teachers are accustomed to teaching vocabulary words the same traditional way. Students receive a group of words from a list and finally instructed to find the words in a dictionary to later be copied onto paper. However, wikis can change the old way of learning vocabulary words. Students in the classroom would create their very own Academic Language Wikis. I would have a wiki glossary for each subject, such as for reading, math, science and social studies. I would assign the students to groups where each group would take on the vocabulary words for one particular subject for that week. Whatever vocabulary words for that subject were taught, the group would be responsible for adding the definitions to the class created wiki dictionary. The vocabulary words would need a definition, illustration from uploaded photos or Google images. The students could also add links such as videos to give more description on the vocabulary words. Richardson (2010) suggests that wikis also allow for PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, and audio files where students pronounce the word. Every week the students would rotate subjects so they always get a chance to explore vocabulary terms from all subjects. Not only are the students creating their own resource guide, but also have access to their vocabulary words in school or at home. In addition, not only can this wiki be a resource for my classroom, but “for anyone in the world to view” (Richardson, 2010, p. 63).