When the student is asked to record a journal in grade primary should they be required to do that on loose leaf lined paper? There needs to be clarification of the task. In this instance the child is being required to pull a lot of skills together. What is the intention of the task? Let's think about all of the skills that the student has to do in completing that task. Perhaps we need to consider, that if we are going to ask our students to complete a task with paper and pencil then shouldn't we provide several options for paper types (wider lines, no lines, horizontal lines, vertical lines) and options for writing tools (standard pencils, short golf pencils, markers, small markers, pens). And should an option for keyboarding be available as well, provided that the task is to record an idea or story and not practice letter formation and printing. If letter formation and printing is the task then options for that could be made available as well (doodle buddy, touch write etc. on the i-Pad).
When students get feedback from the people that they respect that validates the work that they have done. Validation is correlated with motivation and a desire to complete the task. Written work that is done in a keyboarding format is visually appealing and gets a positive response from the audience. The student feels proud of the work that he/she has done and as a result feels more encouraged to try it again and perhaps even improve on it.
Sharing of netbook computers among students doesn't make them accessible. When they aren't accessible it makes getting the job done more challenging. If the tools aren't available why would you want to do the job in the first place? If we value the work that our students are doing, why wouldn't we make sure that the appropriate and necessary tools are available to them?
Itunes U is a way to help students complete their tasks. Students can put their assignments into a format that they are able to use. All of the materials that the student needs to use are available to them. This way students actually get the work done.
A few people talked about how i-Pads were a way to eliminate the backpack. This is huge for students who struggle with organization. Life is so much easier if we have everything we need in one place so that we can access it quickly and easily.
Students need to be able to access technology that they need at any time. Sharing these resources with other students and teachers doesn't always work. What would happen in a dentist office if four dentists were all sharing one drill? They wouldn't be very effective in their dentistry work. Patients would have to sit around waiting quite a bit. If each dentist has his/her own drill then they can see a lot more patients in a given day. If each student has their own device then their individual output increases and so does the learning.
The use of online assessments is power stuff. Students receive immediate feedback which is motivating for the student. The teacher can also quickly see which areas need to be retaught as well as what students already know. It can keep things fast paced so that students are connected to their learning and engaged with the process.
I love the idea of bringing students who are using i-Pads together so that they can learn and share with one another. There is a lot of power in the group. When teachers model using AT for their students they help to eliminate any negative stigmas that may be attached to these resources. Teachers should be willing to engage with AT. I love the idea of creating an ITunesU training course for teachers so that they can see what is available to them and their students.
Someone made the comment that teachers aren't willing to utilize AT in their teaching and are not accommodating in their support for their students who use AT. These teachers need to examine their intentions as teachers. They are paid to support their students. It's about the kids not the teacher. Teachers should, in my opinion be willing to take a 'what ever it takes' approach to creating the best possible learning environment for all of their students.
A shift in what we teach and how we teach needs to happen. Teachers need to look carefully at the language that they use in their teaching and the implications of it. For example, when a teacher asks a child to take out a pen and begin writing they are essentially excluding the student who prefers to use a keyboard for their writing. A language shift would be very powerful in this instance. So the teacher would rather say "take out your writing tool" then all students are included.
Tools should match the task. Students as individuals must be allowed to make their own informed decisions about what works best for them. Students should be empowered. Perhaps some teachers are afraid to let go of their power and that's why they aren't willing to embrace AT and UDL in their teaching practice. Teachers perhaps have to re-examine their role. Perhaps some focus needs to go towards BEd programs and how these programs are preparing our teachers for teaching in 2013. Furthermore, Professional development in the areas of AT and UDL seems essential.
I think that it's perhaps important that when teachers are designing lessons and activities for their students to engage in that they have a very clear understanding of what the intention is. If we take the time to really clarify what it is that we are trying to achieve then I would bet our students would be more successful. Even more so if the students actually knew what the intention behind performing a specific task was!
If our intentions are clear to us, our students and our students parents/caregivers then perhaps our project /assignment designs would be more universal from the get go.
The i-pad seems to be integral when we look at UDL in the classroom. The i-pad should be available to our students just the same way that a pencil is available or a piece of paper or a box of unifix cubes. We shouldn't tell our students which app to use, they should have the freedom to select the app that suits their need the best. Our role is to show students what is available to them and then allow them the space and the time to sort it out and solve the problem/complete the project on their own. In the same way that unifix cubes, calculators, pencils, markers and paper are regarded as tools of the trade that are available to students so that they can complete their tasks. This is how we need to prepare our students for the future. So that they can be successful in meeting their goals an accomplishing great things.
Because really, failure to do so essentially could bring us back to this....
When I read Assistive Technology and UDL Two sides of the same coin which presented some important points about how really you cannot have true UDL without some forms of AT at least in their availability. Both UDL and AT have a common goal as outlined in the article. That goal includes increasing access, participation and progress of students.
When we think about UDL the onus comes back to the teachers, curriculum designers etc. and their responsibility in creating learning environments that appropriately accommodate the individuals to which they are servicing. Perhaps if every educational stakeholder would take the time to view what Sir Ken Robinson (I've posted the video below on this blog) has to say then true shifts in our education system will occur. Maybe that shift is less complex than we may think it is. We may need to look no further than UDL.
According to the authors, learning environments need to be designed in a way to make learning accessible to the widest range of students. A UDL will reduce barriers for any individual and increase opportunities for the widest range of users. The environment is not unique or personal, but universal and inclusive, accommodating diversity.
The question that comes to my mind is are we really acknowledging diversity?
Or do we have a day here or there where we try different foods from other countries and call it a celebration of diversity in our schools?
Perhaps we need to clarify what we mean by a diverse group of learners.
When we start to be conscious of who our learners really are then we can truly and effectively implement
AT and UDL
How will these changes occur?
I have heard a few times in my class discussions that teachers are not willing to learn how to use AT and are unwilling to implement it into their teaching.
REALLY?
Isn't it the teachers RESPONSIBILITY as the paid staff to provide the very best learning environment for all of his/her students?
Aren't the students the ones that come first?
Can a teacher really feel okay about refusing to establish a learning environment that supports
UDL?
Maybe if parents knew more about UDL then they would be empowered to advocate for their children?
The article A Parents Guide to UDL is one that could perhaps be given to all of our student's parents.
The authors discuss the necessity for changes in the way that information and new knowledge is presented to students and the corresponding expectations for showing what was learned. Everyone is different, we know that, to why do we continue to use the one size fits all approach.
The authors identify a need for education to move from focusing on the "student deficit" to a "student success" approach.
Several ways in which learning environments can be established so that all students have
cognitive (intellectual) as well as physical access to learning are identified.
"Multiple means of representation (the what of learning). Within the principles of UDL projects or lessons would be designed in a way to ensure that all students can interact with the content using multiple senses aligned to meet their individual learning preferences".
"Provide multiple means of action and expression (the how of learning)". Students are given choices for ways to express themselves and engage in their own learning in a way that makes sense to them and fits their interests".
"Multiple means of engagement (the why of learning). Students need to be able to connect with their learning, find meaning and purpose in what they are doing".
So what really stood out for me was this:
"Research has shown that dropping out of school is a process of disengagement that begins early".
We don't want our children to drop out of school.
Children who are disengaged are more likely to drop out of school.
Surely, this will capture the attention of parents. The solution is simple. Keep our children engaged.
How do we keep students engaged?
UDL
Clearly there is no alternative for teachers and schools to engage fully in the principles of UDL for the sake of all of our children and students.
Broun discusses the writing challenges that people with ASD are faced with and documents that "researchers have discovered significant neuroanatomical differences and abnormalities in the cerebellums of persons with ASD" (page 15), which leads to dysgraphia and dyscriptia. ASD diagnosed students who are faced with motor impairments also typically experience hypotonia (low muscle tone and strength) and apraxia (impairment in the ability to execute skilled movements despite having the physical ability to do so) (page 15). Essentially the question is raised as to the relevance of asking a student who has a motor impairment to write a story,
with a pen and paper.
Broun simply questions :
"Which is more important-being able to print/write the answer or knowing the answer?" (page 17)
I believe it's knowing the answer.
Students need to be given access to the resources that allow them to fully show what it is that they know.
Create opportunities for students to use a keyboard.
Why?
students who struggle to put pencil to paper to produce a legible text can use a keyboard to:
show what they know and
take pride in the work that they produce
feel less frustrated
and more successful.
Be INDEPENDENT!
Broun addresses various arguments against use of computer keyboarding the classrooms.
The implications of keyboards for
Task Performance are provided.
AND
Broun also outlines some starting points and strategies for utilising keyboarding as a primary writing instrument
NOW!
Because
"Keyboarding is a critical life skill, and in education, the focus must be on the skills that will serve our students well now and in their future". (page 20)
On a side note...
I worked with a student this week who struggled to form the letter S. He's having difficulty forming other letters as well and as a grade one student (he's only just starting his second year of public school) he told me that he didn't want to write his story because he's not good at writing.....
After I'd waved my magic wand as it were, used my best teaching skills and convinced this sweet little man that I would help him write his story about what he saw when he looked up in the sky the night before he set to work.
When he got to a word that required him to recall his practise of forming the letter "S" that we'd worked on the last time he moved to his practise page. Fortunately for him, he quickly realised he could see the "S" through the page and he immediately, and successfully traced the letter. After a few tries, he couldn't see the letters to trace them anymore and the task seemed less fun and he began to look at me like the little boy in the image above.......
so I quickly popped the i-Pad in front of him with this app open
and I drew the letter "S" with my finger. Then I turned to a clean page and gave him the space to try it himself.
Immediately,
he engaged and flawlessly formed the letter "S".
WOW!
I pressed the play button on the page and he watched the recording of himself forming the letter.
After a practising a few times he moved back to his story, formed the "s" and finished writing the word see and I helped him finish his story.
Success!
I can't wait until I go to work with him again.
So for those who question the use of keyboarding and perhaps use of technology for children in their first years of school I raise Broun's question once again -
"Which is more important-being able to print/write the answer or knowing the answer?" (page 17)
I can't wait to introduce keyboarding to my friend as another way of writing his story. Because I want to help to ensure that he feels like this...
I have recently been thinking about oral language and how it fits into language development including literacy. Last week we watched a video and I was particularly interested in the research on babies and their ability to hear different sounds in language at a very young age. I am particularly interested in the way that babies start to mimic their mothers or other adults and start to communicate. I'm intrigued by this so I thought I'd share this little video that my friends and I recorded when we were out for lunch recently.
So, this is baby Drew and he's about 4 months old. He's sitting across the table from one of his mother's friends who is talking to him...watch his responses : (sorry about all the background noise)
Wow, how sweet is that! So if from such a young age a child starts to want to communicate with others then what sorts of things are we doing to facilitate the continued oral language development of a child?
This brings me back to my classroom and my teaching. In reflecting, I recognize that most days I have several 4 and 5 year old students who come skipping into the classroom with huge excitement ready to tell me the most AMAZING stories! Sometimes they interrupt when stories are being read aloud to the class because they've been reminded of an AMAZING story. Their stories are beautiful and can often be the best part of my day! It's the part of my day when I see so much passion and excitement in my students. The sad thing is, though, that often another child is crying, or two children are having difficulty sharing something or there is a bee in the classroom....and all of these things mean that I can't focus on this AMAZING story that one student wants to tell me. And sadly, once the moment is gone, it's lost. Because time and time again, when I've gone back to the student to ask them to tell me their story, the passion and excitement behind it is lost and more often, the story is forgotten.
I truly do value my students stories. They need to be encouraged to use their voices, and to express themselves. But if a student is continually dismissed or cut off, let's face it, they loose interest and give up sharing their stories. If they were able to use their i-pads to capture their stories then we, or I alone, could watch the stories at a time that there wouldn't be any interruptions. Children could work alone or with partners in recording their stories. They could watch them back with the teacher and even post them to a blog. Oral stories stored on a blog, or in a storage space (cloud) be saved. Maybe these stories could become an idea for a written story at another time. These oral stories may just be a very important part of the student's portfolio.
After watching this video :
I realized how important it is to keep connected to all of our stories. Technological resources that are available and accessible to all individuals can accomplish this. By keeping connected to all of our own personal stories we will learn to listen carefully and appreciate the stories of others. I believe that by listening to the stories of others, we will gain understanding, appreciation and learn to truly honour one another as unique and special individuals.
I will end this reflection with one of my most favourite poems of all time. It tells a story, and it also comments on the lack of appreciation that others have of his story.
Here is a video of my son reading a book to me. I read this book to him, about 3 months ago. You will see that he gets tired towards the end of the story, and that's why I jump in and help him out!
After we read the story he wanted to watch the video.
So that was a great opportunity to talk about some of the great things he was doing in his reading
and....
talk about some of the things that he could do to improve his reading.
I went for ..
fluency.
After we talked about how well he had done,
I suggested that the next time he read it he could try to
talk like the big bad wolf.
We went back to one of the pages with big bad wolf text and I modelled what it would sound like for him and then gave him a chance to try it. He did, and we both laughed! He did a great job.
The next night, I gave him the i-Pad to take to his room and record himself reading the book. I told him I wanted to listen to it later as my bed time story and I asked him not to make the big bad wolf sound too scary! (A little reminder of what we'd talked about the last time).
I've decided to post this, because I think it shows another great way to use the video/audio record on the i-Pad. It's a great way for students to hear and see themselves read. They love to watch their video's afterwards which creates a wonderful opportunity to do some conferencing and goal setting.
When children record themselves reading they can post it to their blog or email it to someone that they would like to share it with. It let's the parent/grandparent/caregiver see on-going growth in reading and creates an opportunity for them to give immediate feedback to the child.
These recordings form the beginnings of a beautiful portfolio and provide great opportunities for
If you click or tap onto the links below they will take you directly to the App Store where you can quickly download these awesome Apps that your young reader is sure to enjoy.
I've included images of the Apps, video reviews and video demonstrations for most.
As a Grade Primary Teacher and someone who has worked in remediation support, I have taken the time to carefully look at each App and consider it's validity in providing solid support for our early and struggling readers (Grades Primary and One). Some of the Apps provide some remediation support for students who have not yet learned some early concepts of print such as directionality, one to one matching, page turning and letter identification/sound associations.
For students who have established early concepts of print, some of the Apps below incorporate compensatory strategies for students who are early readers. Many of the Apps have options for word highlighting, voice recording, simplistic versions of popular stories as well as libraries where books to match the level of individual children can be chosen.
Most of all the Apps are highly engaging but not overwhelming. They are easy to navigate and visually pleasing. They have options where sounds can be changed or turned off. These Apps also offer a multi-levelled learning approach which caters the App to the needs of individual children. Some even provide feedback to parents/teachers on the progress that the child is making.
The most important thing that you should know about these Apps is that I have tested them out on my own early reader, my son, who is in Grade One this year. So I can officially say that they are all "kid approved", "teacher approved" and "parent approved"!
But first, let me tell you that:
my new favourite store is for sure the ......
Apps to support letter identification:
Z is for Zebra - Learn Letter Sounds:
The images are beautiful in this fun, engaging and interactive App that teaches children the letters of the alphabet and letter sound associations. This App can be used for remediation for those children who need a little extra time practicing the letters/sounds of the alphabet. The screenshot below shows you how you can record over the letter names and sounds. Hearing yourself saying the letters is a powerful learning tool and a great way for adults (teachers, parents, caregivers etc.) to check in on how the child is doing. There are several different activities including upper/lower case letter matching as well as matching letters with initial word sound
This is a highly engaging App, it's got music, action and it will appeal to just about every child out there. I love the way it provides several anchor images and objects for each letter. It's a remediation App for those children who need lots of repetition, but it is one that a child will not grow tired of. Here is a video sample of the Starfall ABC's App for i-Pad :
Dr. Seuss's ABC :
This App offers a brand new format for a well loved alphabet book. There is a free version of the App which is great. It offers a read to me, read it by myself and an auto play option. Words and pictures are be highlighted and spoken if they are tapped. This is a wonderful format for teaching letter recognition because it does it in a repetitive and fun way. Children are also learning early literacy skills such as letter sound associations, word matching, and page turning. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is so clear on the i-Pad. It's a great compensatory app for children who require support when they read books.
This is a remediation App that teaches children about the links between letters and words. It also supports developing one to one matching skills as children move shaped pieces to complete puzzles. There is a huge selection of puzzles to choose from and an option for increasing the level of difficulty of the puzzles. The pictures are lovely and clear and the App is very easy for children to use. There are several options available to the child as he or she completes the puzzle.
Here is a great video that gives you a run down on how the App works.
This App has it all! Word letter recognition, phonics, spelling, tracing letters and rhyming. It's connected with a popular children's television show and follows a similar style to the show. Children get to join the characters as they go on various adventures. Children love to connect with superhero's and princesses and this has both! This is a remediation App that children just don't seem to get tired of. The songs are fun, energetic and catchy. Children get motivated and inspired to become "SUPER READERS". What more could you ask for?
Players are transported into space with the little alien Zip. Zip prompts children on what to do. Colourful photographs of objects are displayed and the scrambled letters. The player has to drag the letters to the correct spot on the word. This remediation App builds on letter word associations and teaches children how to stretch out words to hear all of the letters. The App is really easy to use. It's interactive and provides numerous supports including audible, visual and adaptive hints.
Click on the link below to get the App and launch into space!
This remediation App creates opportunities whereby a child gains continued success in building words. The App offers a range of levels to accomodate the individual learning needs of each child while ensuring that the child has had plenty of opportunities for establishing their new knowledge and skills. I think it's great the way the App says the letter sounds slowly so that children can really start to connect how the sounds support word building. The pictures are clear and bright. The App has nice music that goes with it and includes several options for adjusting settings according to individual needs.
and you can watch a little video clip that explains the finer details of this awesome App
My Word Wall :
This remediation App gives children the opportunity to strengthen their reading skills. The App has four main games ( matching , spelling and which require the use of skills necessary in effective reading. The App has lots of music choices and it's easy to use. The voice over tells the user what to do as they play the games. There are lots of activities included in this App, there are customizing options including turning off the sound and adjusting when a voice over is used or not.
This App has student building their sight word vocabulary by matching letters up to create words. The words include the pre-primer Dolche words. The App has six types of activities including reading and saying the words, finding words and shooting them, unscrambling words, a memory game, and my favourite bingo! Players earn stickers and receive lots of positive reinforcement as they play the game successfully. The link to purchase it is:
This is a remediation App that gives lots of interactive and fun choices of games for children to play. Children can match up words to pictures, or pictures to words. There is also a great sequencing game that helps to build a child's vocabulary. The pictures are crisp and the entire App has a looseleaf image behind it which creates a very scholarly effect. The spelling game uses standard magnetic letter forms in upper case form. The letters are easy to move around and provide a nice clean letter form for early learners.
This is a highly engaging remediation App as children work to create their own words. Children feel a sense of independence and ownership as they feel like they truly are making words of their choice. The words are basic consonant vowel consonant words that establish skills for hearing letter sounds and connecting them to word building. This App prepares early readers for building sight words, accuracy in spelling CVC words which translates into their independence as writers. This App is also especially engaging because many children are familiar with Clifford books so they can quickly make connections with the characters and voices. This is the link so that you can get the App:
This is a phonics based App which provides remediation for early readers. There are many variations on the App that are available and provide a wide range of progression of difficulty. The App is one of the most highly recommended Apps for building early phonological awareness for children. The App contains simple illustrations with lots of space which keeps children focused on the teaching elements of the illustrations. It also uses consistency in it's illustrations and format and there is lots of repetition. The App shakes when errors are made, you can see it in action in this video:
As a remediation App, the phonics easy reader helps to build a child's phonological awareness. It offers a variety of levels moving from short vowel sounds, consonant vowel consonant combinations and endings to long vowel sounds, ending sounds and silent consonants. Research shows that a greater emphasis on developing early phonological skills helps to build strong readers. The variations on the App make it a great addition to the classroom because teachers can choose the level that matches the learning needs of individual students. Students are also given the option of reading the stories on their own or have them read for them, this is a nice compensatory element of this App. The link to buy it is here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/phonics-easy-reader-1-hd/id385344527?mt=8
Rhyme Sorts:
Some children require lots of practice with rhyming words. Learning to rhyme is a remediation App and a fundamental building block to early literacy. This is a great App for building up those skills. There is a nice blend of images that are appealing to all learners. The App is easy to use, check out the demo video to see it in action.
This is a super remediation App for developing early phonological skills in rhyming. Rhyming activities help students to hear the sounds in words that they say or hear. These skills form the fundamental beginnings for early readers, writers and speakers. Adults can help develop the child's critical thinking and language skills by asking the child to explain why certain selections were made. There are many ways to customize this App from voice over controls to adjustments in the number of pictures displayed on a page. Positive reinforcements are given when accurate selections are made which help to maintain engagement and motivation for players.
This is a popular App and it's easy to see why. The animal characters who include, flamingos, monkeys, lions etc. are adorable and maintain a high level of interest and engagement for young children. The App is an all encompassing one in the sense that it teaches letter identification, phonological awareness (word building), reading and spelling. The parent or teacher reporting element is very useful in monitoring student progress. The App has won the Parents' Choice Gold Award and the Children's Technology Review Editor's Choice Award. Here is the official trailer from the makers of the App :
This is a compensatory App because it gives students who are struggling with their reading an alternative to the books that we typically use in the classroom. Research has shown benefits to using books displayed on i-Pads for students who may struggle with traditional paper texts. The App supports early readers by establishing strong connections between text and picture cues. Readers can tap just below each word which causes it to light up. The custom recorder is a great addition to the App because it allows children or adults to record themselves reading the books. This is also a great way for teachers to monitor student progress. Book collections are sorted by level so that they can easily be matched to students reading level and thus ensure a sense of success for the struggling reader.
This compensatory App has several options for various learners, as outlined in the video review above. The App brings some popular children's films that have been made into books into the classroom or home at a very reasonable price. Children will want to read the stories over and over again. The App allows for children to read the books on their own and provides a great support for parents who struggle with reading who also want to read with their children.
Sentence reading magic offers two modes including sentence building and sentence reading, both of which would be used for remediation. There is a compensatory element to this App because sentence building tasks that are typically done with paper and glue in classrooms can be challenging for students with fine motor skill challenges and this offers an alternative. The App has an easy drag and drop format. Words are well spaced and clear, real to life pictures make the App a highly engaging and fun learning experience.
This is an awesome comprehensive literacy App that integrates art, science and social studies themes. It provides remediation support for early readers. It gradually builds up a child's confidence and knowledge of letters, letter sounds, phonics and literacy skills. The App is set up like an adventure and the child gets to choose between reading stories, or having stories read aloud, learning rhymes and playing games. Once a lesson has been completed the child gets to choose a reward activity; drawing an illustration or recording a related story. Stories and drawings are saved to the device. Parents are also able to track progress of several players. This is a highly engaging and informative App that has lots of choice activities built into it so children can quickly develop a sense of ownership when completing the activities. The great thing about this App is that it's free!
It's amazing how many fantastic Apps are available. These use of these Apps at home and at school are sure to support strong early literacy skills for a all types of children/learners.
