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That Elusive "Aha" Moment

A very bright 2nd grader named Jamal, a recent immigrant from Afghanistan, struggled when he arrived at our school. While working in the computer lab on our standards-based math and English language arts curriculum supplement, he was unable to focus and understand what the program was asking of him. We pulled him aside and told him we had a special surprise, capturing his curiosity.

We directed him to the Britannica School website, which brings the entire encyclopedia to life using photos, age-appropriate text, and videos. We asked Jamal what his favorite animal was, and he did not understand the question. Then, we pulled up a photo and article about a lion and clicked "translate to Arabic." Immediately the text was rendered in his native language, creating that elusive "aha" moment for Jamal. Using songs, music, games, and self-paced differentiated learning in both Arabic and English, he connected the dots to learn new concepts, all while having fun.

—Tamara Sturak, computer teacher, Manzanita Community School, Oakland, California

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