How should teachers use technology to support Standard 1?

• A. Avoid digital texts and only use printed books.
• B. Only rely on teacher lectures.
• C. Use digital texts with no emphasis on accessibility.
• D. Use digital texts, audiobooks, annotation tools, and interactive activities to reinforce decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies; ensure accessibility.

Answer: (D)

Technology supports literacy by providing diverse, accessible tools that reinforce decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies. Using digital texts and audiobooks lets students hear and see language in different formats, which helps with pronunciation, fluency, and word recognition. Annotation tools encourage active reading—marking unknown words, noting connections, and tracking comprehension as they read. Interactive activities offer guided practice, immediate feedback, and opportunities to apply strategies for decoding and understanding text. Accessibility features—text-to-speech, adjustable font sizes and contrast, captions, translations—make sure all learners can participate and engage with the material, including struggling readers, English learners, and students with disabilities.

Choosing only printed texts or relying solely on lectures misses these benefits: it limits access, fails to promote active engagement with the text, and often overlooks the needs of diverse learners. A well-rounded approach combines digital texts, audio options, annotations, and interactive activities with supports that ensure accessibility, aligning technology use with effective literacy instruction.