received(1) a question(2) from a listener(3) about how American schools use educational technology. There is not(4) a simple answer.
It depends on the subject(5) and level(6) of students, of course. But it also depends on the interest and training(7) of the teachers, and the goals(8) and budgets(9) of the schools.
Schools are almost all(10) connected to the Internet. But some have more technology, and use it more than others.
For example, some schools use computers for activities like(11) video conferencing, to bring(12) the world into the classroom(13).
And some classrooms are equipped with things(14) like a Smart Board(15), a kind of interactive whiteboard(16).
Interactive whiteboards are large displays(17) for presentations(18).
They connect to a computer and can operate by touch(19). They can be used for documents or writing or to project video.
Some teachers are trying(20) creative new ways to teach(21) with devices(22) like iPods and mobile phones(23).
But educators say the most important thing, as always(24), is the content(25).
Yet(26) technology can have special importance in some cases.
Cosmobot is a therapy robot. It stands(27) about(28) half a meter tall(29) and has a blue body and a friendly face(30) with big eyes.
One child(31) who works with it is six-year-old Kevin Fitzgerald. Kevin has developmental dyspraxia(32); he has difficulty moving his mouth(33) and tongue(34).
He works with Carole Semango-Sprouse as(35) he uses a set of buttons(36) attached(37) to a computer.
He can make the silent robot move forward(38), backward(39) or around in circles.
Kevin’s mother thinks the robot has had(41) a calming influence, helping her son get along(42) better(43) with his friends.
Cosmobot was developed by(44) AnthroTronix. Corinna Lathan started the company(45) ten years ago to work with children(46) with cerebral palsy(47), Down’s syndrome, autism and other developmental disabilities(48).
Children become(49) friends with the robot, she says. That can have a big effect on their behavior(50), helping them work harder(51) and longer(52) in therapy sessions.
Corinna Lathan is currently(53) working with a British company to develop(54) other socially assistive robots.
She says they are still considered research tools(56) in the United States. They are not used as much as(57) in places like(58) Britain and Japan. But she hopes to change(59) that.
And that’s the VOA Special English Education Report. You can comment on our reports at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.
- Received = recebemos
- Question = pergunta
- Listener = ouvinte
- There is not = não há
- Subject = assunto
- Level = nível
- Training = treinamento
- Goals = objetivos
- Budgets = orçamentos
- almost all = quase todos(as)
- activities like = atividades como
- bring = trazer
- into the classroom = para dentro da sala de aula
- things = coisas
- Smart Board = lousa inteligente
- Whiteboard = quadro branco
- Displays = “mostrador”
- Presentations = apresentações
- by touch = pelo toque
- trying = experimentando
- new ways to teach = novas formas de ensinar
- devices = dispositivos
- mobile phones = telefones celulares
- as always = como sempre
- content = conteúdo
- Yet = Porém
- Stands = fica de pé
- About = aproximadamente
- half a meter tall = meio metro de altura
- friendly face = rosto amigável
- child = criança
- developmental dyspraxia= Dispraxia de desenvolvimento
- mouth = boca
- tongue = lingua
- as = enquanto
- set of buttons = conjunto de botões
- attached = anexado, conectado
- forward = para a frente
- backward = para trás
- around in circles = girando em circulos
- has had = tem tido
- get along = se entender
- better = melhor
- developed by = desenvolvido por
- company = empresa
- children = crianças
- palsy = paralisia
- disabilities = deficiência
- become = tornam-se
- behavior = comportamento
- work harder = trabalhar mais duro
- longer = por mais tempo
- currently = aparentemente
- develop = desenvolver
- assistive = assistente
- research tools = ferramentas de pesquisa
- as much as = tanto quanto
- places like = lugares como
- hopes to change = espera mudar