Technology

The world language classroom is a natural fit for educational technology tools that enhance communication and collaboration and help students explore the world. As a pioneer in the effective integration of technology in the classroom with fourteen years of experience as a 1:1 laptop school, Urban School of San Francisco language classrooms lead the way in harnessing the power of technology and Web 2.0 tools to better serve learners. In fact, Urban teachers Arnaud Finet and Xiaorong Li recently presented on their use of technology in the language classroom to their California Independent School peers at the California Association of Independent Schools Conference. Highlights of their presentation include the use of dictation software to improve student pronunciation and the use of Google Apps for Education to collaborate on documents.

With SMART Interactive Whiteboards in every classroom, Urban teachers are able to create interactive lessons that incorporate media and include annotations to cater to a variety of learning styles. Annotated class notes and presentations are easily exported and uploaded to each course's digital iteration, or "conference". These annotated notes serve as excellent study aids and allow absent students to easily make up work. Urban students frequently cite the availability of SMARTBoard notes as one of the most useful tools for learning.