With as many as 41 percent of the students at Henry F. Moss Middle School classified as English language learners, ESL teacher LoriAnn Martin often wonders if she’s reaching every student she can.

It’s why Martin started a Donorschoose.org campaign to raise money to purchase Chromebooks with headphones and microphones to enhance their learning. Martin is joined by the school’s Parent Teacher Student Organization, which is also raising money to buy Chromebooks for every student to use in their classes.

“It will enhance and accelerate the learning of English for those students,” Martin said of her English learners, adding it ultimately affects the community. “The students are here. They’re going to be within our community.”

Chromebooks support a wide range of educational functions, Martin said. On her Donorschoose page, Martin describes the experience her students have trying to understand unique vocabulary spread across seven classes every school day.

“Can you imagine what it is like to sit in classes all day and constantly try to figure out what the teacher is saying or wanting you to do?” she wrote.

Through the Chromebooks, Martin said, each student has access to their own Google account and to Google Classroom. They can use their accounts to research their school subjects and store it online, build their own vocabulary notebooks and use images, translators, videos and online books and practice sites to learn English faster.

Altogether, Martin is looking to raise about $1,800 to purchase roughly 15 Chromebooks.

Adam Vincent, the school’s technology teacher, has seen the collaboration between students that Chromebooks can provide. Technology literacy is also a critical piece of a student’s 21st century skill set, he said.

“We’re trying to get a laptop into every single student’s hand,” he said.

The school currently uses laptop carts, Vincent said, but needs to do more to “give every student access to the same tools.”

Leigh Mooneyhan, a parent on the school’s site-based decision-making council and the PTSO president, said the Chromebooks for the school’s English learner students will go a long way in leveling the playing field.

“We have to kind of adapt to be able to help them learn at the same pace with our kids, and the Chromebooks help them,” she said.

More Chromebooks across the school will help every student, she said.

“Right now we don’t have very many. They’re shared and they can’t use them in every class,” she said. “It’s going to benefit all of the kids, not just a certain group.”

– To support Martin’s classroom initiative visit her campaign online at www.donorschoose.org and search for “Tech for ELL Teens: Promoting English Proficiency.” To support the schoolwide effort, contact Martin at 270-843-0166.