Thursday, December 12, 2013
5163 Acadia AT course: Ah-ha moments revealed
5163 Acadia AT course: Ah-ha moments revealed: Reflection Summary (Ah-ha moments revealed) This course has been eye opening and extremely useful. The reason I decided to take this c...
November 30, 2013
Sadly I missed the day to present case studies. I herniated a disc in my back and its sitting on my sciatic. The days have been a blurr of meds and sleeping. This week I started traction at physiotherapy and the relief and benefit are amazing! Looks like I will enjoy Christmas after all!
Happy Holidays to all!
I am making arrangements with Barb to present in an alternate format...true UDL at work!
November 16, 2013
Today was the BEST day EVER! I had the opportunity to sit with a wonderful partner and co create and construct an iTunesU course. At first the task seemed daunting...and it was. So much to learn in the HOW to do even once you knew WHAT to do. My partner Stephanie was an amazing techie and I had a pretty good handle on the what we were going to teach. We chose a Grade 4 science unit on Rocks and Minerals...its just grew from there. Our internet, curriculum, Apps and on line searching provided us with rich and engaging material that we provided in our course to students. In addition we were provided a very diverse group of students with a myriad of challenges when it comes to accessing the curriculum and expressing learning. Not only did we meet their challenges but I believe we created a continuum of activities, learning and enrichment that provided a level of rigor accepted for those excelling at school. It's a fun, interactive, alive way to learn. We loved this assignment and put much work and effort into its final look. This task really did seem overwhelming but in the end by far the best and most valuable piece of the course for me. I think it could easily be worth more than 20% based on time, effort and learning.
Today was the BEST day EVER! I had the opportunity to sit with a wonderful partner and co create and construct an iTunesU course. At first the task seemed daunting...and it was. So much to learn in the HOW to do even once you knew WHAT to do. My partner Stephanie was an amazing techie and I had a pretty good handle on the what we were going to teach. We chose a Grade 4 science unit on Rocks and Minerals...its just grew from there. Our internet, curriculum, Apps and on line searching provided us with rich and engaging material that we provided in our course to students. In addition we were provided a very diverse group of students with a myriad of challenges when it comes to accessing the curriculum and expressing learning. Not only did we meet their challenges but I believe we created a continuum of activities, learning and enrichment that provided a level of rigor accepted for those excelling at school. It's a fun, interactive, alive way to learn. We loved this assignment and put much work and effort into its final look. This task really did seem overwhelming but in the end by far the best and most valuable piece of the course for me. I think it could easily be worth more than 20% based on time, effort and learning.
November 2, 2013
Well, today we tried to take apart the writing process...and if we thought that understanding how a child reads was difficult? Boy! were we wrong! The review and discussion was mind boggling. It really brought home to me why the writing becomes so much more difficult for students than learning to read. It's an immense process and a place where AT and its access to literacy, specifically writing is invaluable. When I came home I found a great site that provided some of the best apps for dysgraphia and its is posted on my blog for all to view. Really worth a look. An inspiring day.
Well, today we tried to take apart the writing process...and if we thought that understanding how a child reads was difficult? Boy! were we wrong! The review and discussion was mind boggling. It really brought home to me why the writing becomes so much more difficult for students than learning to read. It's an immense process and a place where AT and its access to literacy, specifically writing is invaluable. When I came home I found a great site that provided some of the best apps for dysgraphia and its is posted on my blog for all to view. Really worth a look. An inspiring day.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Week 2 Reflections
"Inspiration" of Reading Process
It's hard to believe how much goes into learning to read and being able to absorb from print meaning and communication. I see every day struggling readers and no two have ever been alike. Reading success is deeply personal and ranges from influences such as nutrition and medication to vision, hearing, attention and cognitive ability. Our hopes are that children come to their learning intuitively, easily and positively, absorbing up what they need to know, learn and share in rich and engaging learning environments. For many reading success comes only with the supports and influence of explicit intervention in a myriad of ways. In our school we start with breakfast as a foundational step everyday. The APPs that I will be exploring this week for Reluctant Readers is just one direction to go to engage and motivate struggling readers....see below.
Top Apps: Digital Inspiration for Reluctant Readers
Raz Kids
Description: Online guided reading program with interactive e-books, downloadable books, and reading quizzes.
Remedial
Why Chosen? Students love it! Can be worked on at school, home or even on vacation in Cuba ! Teachers and parents love the tracking system, rewards and comprehension questions.
Who Benefits? Reluctant Readers. Struggling Readers needing practice and focus. Kids who are not coming to the reading process intuitively.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent readers needing quality practice in a structured and explicit manner.
Get this APP in ITunes
Timbuktu Magazine
Description: Digital Children's Magazine. Stories and games for parents and kids. Beautifully designed. Engaging and content orientated.
Compensatory and Remedial
Why Chosen? Easy to navigate and fun for kids. Provides content for struggling learners. Changes each month with new content.
Who Benefits? Ages 6-10+ who require content practice and success in literacy
Where does it support the Reading Process? Students who have become resistant to printed text. Transitional readers who are yet to achieve fluency.
See More? http://digital-storytime.com/review.php?id=771#sthash.jFeXAPqY.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
iBook
Description: is a free app that allows you to download and read books from the I-Bookstore, which features everything from contemporary bestsellers to classics.
Compensatory
Why Chosen? You also can bookmark pages, add notes to passages, change font sizes and select from six type-settings. Before you download a book, you can read a sample selection. HAs a read aloud section in which a narrator can read to you. Screen highlights words.
Who Benefits? Visually impaired. Those who struggle with auditory processing, children with LD-dyslexia
Where does it support the Reading Process? Supports readers who struggle with decoding and fluency which interrupts comprehension and focus on content. The work of reading and decoding is so hard that it thwarts or stops comprehension.
Get this APP in Itunes
Learn with Homer
Comixology's
Description: Over 30,000 digital comic books and graphic novels that you can read on your iPad, computer and numerous other devices.
Remedial and Compensatory
Why Chosen? Fits a growing need in school libraries for engaging materials of high interest and low level reading. You don't look different reading a comic book, but you do reading a picture book.
Who Benefits? Mostly boys who are disengaged from the reading process and who are intrigued with action and adventure.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Those who have the requisite base skill set but lack motivation, desire and the rewards of reading for learning and leisure.
Get this APP in Itunes
The Cat in the Hat
Description: This interactive storybook experience encourages reading by immersing the reader in the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss. Resources like animations, picture/word association and ‘tappable’ objects on every page allow children to truly delve into and explore the story
Compensatory. Subtle remediation
Why Chosen? Rich literature which can be adjusted to 3 different reading levels for age and ability. Humor, Fun Pleasing to children. Rhymes Great choice for a Literacy Centre. Reward time.
Who Benefits? Children who have not had rich exposure to literature of the imagination. Rhyme.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent Reading. Build reading fluency. Sound associations. Concepts of print.
See More at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.wvsvTCa9.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
The Reading Rainbow
Description: free app brings multimedia content to reading by mixing exciting e-books with video field trips for children aged 3 to 9. Readers travel to five themed ‘islands’, from ‘Animal Kingdom’ to ‘Genius Academy’, encountering exciting fiction and non-fiction books
Remedial
Why Chosen? Prevents boredom and adds engagement. Parents can measure children's progress and record reading minutes.
Who Benefits? Audio storytelling benefits many
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent Reading. Build reading fluency. Sound associations. Concepts of print.
See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.lp4NS0zK.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
Grace
Description: Designed specifically for people with Autism, this wonderful app encourages and aids sentence reading among other forms of interaction and communication.
Compensatory for oral communication which is foundational for future reading success.
Why Chosen? It is a non-speaking, simple picture communication system developed for people with Autism to communicate their needs independently. It can be constantly customized personalized and updated by adding pictures of your own
Who Benefits? Children with Autism and those struggling with oral communication with S&Language challenges, articulation or birth defect.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Even when they begin to speak, they may be difficult to understand, so they rely on a growing picture vocabulary which can become very unwieldy.
See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.wvsvTCa9.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
Brush Of Truth
Description: This great innovative app of interactive story that allows readers with choices at critical points during the story, the user must make their own decisions, leading to new twists and turns in a ‘choose your own adventure’ style story that might lead to glorious success or devastating despair!
Remedial and compensatory
Why Chosen? Also included along the way are challenges, riddles and mysteries to keep the reader engaged and make them want to get to the very end! Excellent for Upper elementary and Junior High.
Who Benefits? Reluctant Readers ages 8-12 On going with so many choices. Kids want to get to all the endings
Where does it support the Reading Process? Reading fluency and comprehension checks.
See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.lp4NS0zK.dpuf
Find this APP in ITunes
Reading Raven
Description: With beautiful graphics and a well designed interface, it is perfect for young beginning readers to practice phonemic awareness, phonics and letter recognition.
Remedial Lower elementary
Why Chosen? Parents and teachers can set up individual accounts to monitor progress. Can be done in class independently with check ins by teachers. Consistent and progressive learning.
Who Benefits? Child requires explicit engagement to learn.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent learners. Possibly those who have not come from a literacy rich environment.
Get this APP in ITunes
Description: Interactive book adapted from a popular children's book. A different read each time.
Remedial
Why Chosen? This book is really fun. Sharks are always engaging with kids
Who Benefits? Children with attention difficulties requiring a high level of engagement.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Transitional readers who require a high level of engagement. Those who need help with focused attention.
Get this APP in ITunes
Description: A series of interactive decodable readers for K-1 students in an engaging and delightful manner that helps to develop a lifelong love of learning.
Remedial for lower elementary and emergent readers
Why Chosen? Highlights individual words. An excellent resource for independent reading time extra practice and those who require a higher level of engagement with books
Who Benefits? Children who require a high level of interactive engagement.
Where does it support the Reading Process. Emergent readers who require high frequency word practice creating imbedded recognition. Decodable words lead to successful reading.
Phonics Focus
Get this APP in ITunes
"Inspiration" of Reading Process
It's hard to believe how much goes into learning to read and being able to absorb from print meaning and communication. I see every day struggling readers and no two have ever been alike. Reading success is deeply personal and ranges from influences such as nutrition and medication to vision, hearing, attention and cognitive ability. Our hopes are that children come to their learning intuitively, easily and positively, absorbing up what they need to know, learn and share in rich and engaging learning environments. For many reading success comes only with the supports and influence of explicit intervention in a myriad of ways. In our school we start with breakfast as a foundational step everyday. The APPs that I will be exploring this week for Reluctant Readers is just one direction to go to engage and motivate struggling readers....see below.
Top Apps: Digital Inspiration for Reluctant Readers
Raz Kids
Description: Online guided reading program with interactive e-books, downloadable books, and reading quizzes.
Remedial
Why Chosen? Students love it! Can be worked on at school, home or even on vacation in Cuba ! Teachers and parents love the tracking system, rewards and comprehension questions.
Who Benefits? Reluctant Readers. Struggling Readers needing practice and focus. Kids who are not coming to the reading process intuitively.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent readers needing quality practice in a structured and explicit manner.
Get this APP in ITunes
Timbuktu Magazine
Description: Digital Children's Magazine. Stories and games for parents and kids. Beautifully designed. Engaging and content orientated.Compensatory and Remedial
Why Chosen? Easy to navigate and fun for kids. Provides content for struggling learners. Changes each month with new content.
Who Benefits? Ages 6-10+ who require content practice and success in literacy
Where does it support the Reading Process? Students who have become resistant to printed text. Transitional readers who are yet to achieve fluency.
See More? http://digital-storytime.com/review.php?id=771#sthash.jFeXAPqY.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
iBook
Description: is a free app that allows you to download and read books from the I-Bookstore, which features everything from contemporary bestsellers to classics.Compensatory
Why Chosen? You also can bookmark pages, add notes to passages, change font sizes and select from six type-settings. Before you download a book, you can read a sample selection. HAs a read aloud section in which a narrator can read to you. Screen highlights words.
Who Benefits? Visually impaired. Those who struggle with auditory processing, children with LD-dyslexia
Where does it support the Reading Process? Supports readers who struggle with decoding and fluency which interrupts comprehension and focus on content. The work of reading and decoding is so hard that it thwarts or stops comprehension.
Get this APP in Itunes
Learn with Homer
Description: Learn to read for ages 3-6 includes a complete phonics program, a library of beautifully illustrated stories, hundreds of science field trips, and exciting art and recording tools.— includes many different literary formats, such as short stories, fables, folklore, poems, nursery rhymes and songs.
Remedial
Why Chosen? Has a complete phonics program providing exposure to every sound in English language. Integrates across curriculum Arts Science, Social Studies. Rewards are built in.
Who Benefits? Ages 3-6 needing explicit progression through
Where does it support the Reading Process? Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Get this APP in Itunes
Remedial and Compensatory
Why Chosen? Fits a growing need in school libraries for engaging materials of high interest and low level reading. You don't look different reading a comic book, but you do reading a picture book.
Who Benefits? Mostly boys who are disengaged from the reading process and who are intrigued with action and adventure.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Those who have the requisite base skill set but lack motivation, desire and the rewards of reading for learning and leisure.
Get this APP in Itunes
The Cat in the Hat
Description: This interactive storybook experience encourages reading by immersing the reader in the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss. Resources like animations, picture/word association and ‘tappable’ objects on every page allow children to truly delve into and explore the story
Compensatory. Subtle remediation
Why Chosen? Rich literature which can be adjusted to 3 different reading levels for age and ability. Humor, Fun Pleasing to children. Rhymes Great choice for a Literacy Centre. Reward time.
Who Benefits? Children who have not had rich exposure to literature of the imagination. Rhyme.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent Reading. Build reading fluency. Sound associations. Concepts of print.
See More at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.wvsvTCa9.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
The Reading Rainbow
Description: free app brings multimedia content to reading by mixing exciting e-books with video field trips for children aged 3 to 9. Readers travel to five themed ‘islands’, from ‘Animal Kingdom’ to ‘Genius Academy’, encountering exciting fiction and non-fiction books
Remedial
Why Chosen? Prevents boredom and adds engagement. Parents can measure children's progress and record reading minutes.
Who Benefits? Audio storytelling benefits many
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent Reading. Build reading fluency. Sound associations. Concepts of print.
See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.lp4NS0zK.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
Grace
Description: Designed specifically for people with Autism, this wonderful app encourages and aids sentence reading among other forms of interaction and communication.
Compensatory for oral communication which is foundational for future reading success.
Why Chosen? It is a non-speaking, simple picture communication system developed for people with Autism to communicate their needs independently. It can be constantly customized personalized and updated by adding pictures of your own
Who Benefits? Children with Autism and those struggling with oral communication with S&Language challenges, articulation or birth defect.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Even when they begin to speak, they may be difficult to understand, so they rely on a growing picture vocabulary which can become very unwieldy.
See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.wvsvTCa9.dpuf
Get this APP in Itunes
Brush Of Truth
Description: This great innovative app of interactive story that allows readers with choices at critical points during the story, the user must make their own decisions, leading to new twists and turns in a ‘choose your own adventure’ style story that might lead to glorious success or devastating despair!
Remedial and compensatory
Why Chosen? Also included along the way are challenges, riddles and mysteries to keep the reader engaged and make them want to get to the very end! Excellent for Upper elementary and Junior High.
Who Benefits? Reluctant Readers ages 8-12 On going with so many choices. Kids want to get to all the endings
Where does it support the Reading Process? Reading fluency and comprehension checks.
See more at: http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/12/14/apps-for-reluctant-readers/#sthash.lp4NS0zK.dpuf
Find this APP in ITunes
Reading Raven
Remedial Lower elementary
Why Chosen? Parents and teachers can set up individual accounts to monitor progress. Can be done in class independently with check ins by teachers. Consistent and progressive learning.
Who Benefits? Child requires explicit engagement to learn.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Emergent learners. Possibly those who have not come from a literacy rich environment.
Get this APP in ITunes
Treasure Kai and the Lost Gold of Shark Island
Remedial
Why Chosen? This book is really fun. Sharks are always engaging with kids
Who Benefits? Children with attention difficulties requiring a high level of engagement.
Where does it support the Reading Process? Transitional readers who require a high level of engagement. Those who need help with focused attention.
Get this APP in ITunes
Watch this You Tube Video!!! FUN!
Word Monsters
Description: A series of interactive decodable readers for K-1 students in an engaging and delightful manner that helps to develop a lifelong love of learning.Remedial for lower elementary and emergent readers
Why Chosen? Highlights individual words. An excellent resource for independent reading time extra practice and those who require a higher level of engagement with books
Who Benefits? Children who require a high level of interactive engagement.
Where does it support the Reading Process. Emergent readers who require high frequency word practice creating imbedded recognition. Decodable words lead to successful reading.
Phonics Focus
Get this APP in ITunes
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Sunday September 22- Reflections
Blogger Logger-September 22, 2013
The advantage of driving in and out of a course is the reflection
time that driving offers. When I left
the course yesterday I was feeling pretty low.
I am not used to being behind the class and feeling inept. It’s not a space I am comfortable in, nor one
I plan to remain complacently in. By the
time I arrived home to my curious family…can you imagine Mom all day on an I
pad? I had re-framed my lackluster experience
and come to understand better why I was working from such a deficit model when
my peers were more than competently maneuvering through the day.
First of all I am more liner than I thought! I was desperate for just ONE hand out with
the clearly define directions of how to do any one of the steps. None of this exploration,
exploration, exploration…it goes against my most efficient and effective manner. Surprisingly this is not a natural state for
me as I know I was the creative, artistic, out of the box child who pushed all the
limits and found all the new ways to do the mundane things. I am hoping I can
access that inner child and let her come forward. Clearly I NEED her.
Secondly I am (currently) technology illiterate. I am TSL ...technology as a second language,
perhaps even third, fourth or fifth. Although I spend my days on a computer I am
limited to the world of a Toshiba, a Blackberry, emails, and word documents and
excel spreadsheets for data. You folks
have a language of words, acronyms, labels and vocabulary that is truly foreign
to me. I know you are speaking English
but it’s not the same language I use every day.
Do you remember how tough Shakespeare could be in high school?? The world has definitely moved on. My
mother had a great laugh at me last night...when she texts her grandchildren
her tag name is “G’Ma” and she more up on the family news than I am. I don’t even text or FaceBook.
Thirdly I could not “drive” my I pad. It was like trying to go on a fantastic road
trip across Canada when I did not know how to turn the key in the ignition. I couldn’t see, enjoy the trip because I was
so focused on the vehicle and not the journey. Where was my trusty mouse? Backspace? Delete button?
Spell check? Escape button? I did much
better at home when I tried the same things on my laptop…maybe my laptop will
be my adaptation for a while. So I spend
several hours last night learning to drive. I listened to music, watched a documentary on
CBC and looked at what my daughter is up to and was delighted to discover that my daughter left me a digital rose with
an “I love you” sign and encouraging words imbedded in notebooks, song lists
and background pictures. I am also more reward driven than I thought. What a gift of encouragement.
Speaking in terms and analogies, which I love, it was also
like taking a wonderful cruise to the Caribbean but not knowing there were
islands out there to explore. Notice in my first analogy I was trying to take a
Point A to B trip across Canada? I am
sure I never left the ship and of course missed much of what the day had to
offer. The islands and clouds (literally) is a broader technology framework that I lack
understanding of…let alone the technology convergence ideology. I will continue to get my head around it.
So by 10 last night I was ready to go again and with the help
of a great husband I was able to
create a Google account and successfully open my Blog for the curse…I mean
course…Freudian slip I guess. The You
Tube video was useful but I still wanted to take notes or have a linear set of
notes/directions to follow. I also
created an Apple ID with my own account separate from my husband and kids and
downloaded the ITunes course manager. I
loaded on my I pad “Book Creator”...and my daughter made a book lying in bed
last night…about 15 minutes. I have the IMovie
ready to go and enjoyed TED before bed.
Some struggles left to solve are…
- · Resist the urge to print all the course materials and place in a binder. I use a highlighter with great success. That used to be known as assistive technology J
- · Figure out how to “find” and attached the Acadia course into my course manager.
- · Air server software. There was much to choose from so I have decided to wait on this step for further clarification.
- · Is Wordle, PollEv and Kidspiration/ Inspiration APPs I can down load or a site to use? hmmmm
- · I need to “design” my blog with links
So for Class #1 I have been down and bounced back. I am persistent and I can see this will serve
me well in the Saturdays ahead. Wish me
luck as in the next few days I attempt to solve my remaining issues.
See you soon
Crystal
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