Assistive Technology {Chapter 13 Synthesis}

What I Do Right...

During one of my first years teaching, I had a student who used a form of assistive technology. If I remember correctly, he had a learning disability in writing. He had a machine that he would use that he could type into instead of having to write with a pencil onto paper. I remember that he had LOTS of trouble with this machine, and I really couldn't figure it out either. He did a lot of frustrated growls and fist shaking at the gadget {and I think I did, too}. Boy, would I love to go back in time to just sit in my classroom during those first years...I bet I would get TONS of laughs.

Since then, I have not had any students with a documented need {in their IEP} for any assistive technology. I use technology in my classroom, however, to assist students in many ways.

SMART board
I have a SMART board in my classroom. We use it every day. I use it a lot for whole class instruction. Smart Exchange is a website that offers tons of free lessons and resources that can be downloaded for instant classroom use. I also use the SMART board for word study and math games. The games prove to be a great strategy to use while I am teaching a small group because I can see exactly what is going on from any point in my classroom! A SMART board is an excellent tool to use for students with learning disabilities because it enables them to interact with the content through tactile manipulation and movement.

{we nicknamed our SMART board "Smarty Pants"}

Flip Camera 
I received a flip camera two years ago as part of a grant that I wrote for Donor's Chose. I use this camera to record students performing in reader's theater, presenting information as a group, or presenting reports and poems individually to the class. The Flip camera is an excellent tool to use for students with disabilities because it creates a motivational tool for them to participate with their group. It also helps them to go back and see themselves after their presentation or part is finished. 


MAP testing and Odyssey
One of the BIGGEST assessment tools that we use at my school is the MAP test {Measure of Academic Progress}. I love this test because it takes students from where they are at the beginning of the year, and then shows me how they grow throughout the course of the school year. Paper-pencil reading comprehension tests are so difficult for my students who have learning disabilities or perform below grade level. The MAP test, however, shows me that my struggling learners have indeed learned something. 


This year, I have started to use the Odyssey program. It links directly to the scores that students have made on the MAP test. I can pull up each child's page and see which areas they need to work on in reading and math. Odyssey will then provide computerized instruction, reinforcement, and games on the material that the children need extra practice with. 


What I Do Wrong...
There are two BIG issues with technology: time and money. There has to be money for the technology to be purchased, and then there has to be time for me as the teacher to be trained to become a proficient user of the technology. Unfortunately, the budget in my school district has been so tight these past few years. Our computer lab teacher was taken out and replaced with an assistant. We have two computer labs, but I have to be the one to sign up for a time slot and develop the lessons to teach. I have no classroom computers for the students to use. Anything that I want to learn or implement has to be researched and developed on my own.

How I'm Going to Fix It...
My school does seem to be turning around economically. I think that in any budget, however, that teachers need to be creative when utilizing technology. I have learned to think about what I have, rather that about what I do not. For example, I use my smart phone {such as an iPhone or Droid} in my classroom to snap and upload pictures and videos. I can then email them to myself and then upload them to my webpage. I also have found so many AMAZING and FREE websites out there for my students to use. The great thing about these sites is that they are all perfect for differentiating instruction. Here are a few of my {and my student's} favorites:

Fun 4 the Brain

IXL Math

Starfall

Spelling City

I also have a ton of websites already bookmarked on my school webpage. Just click here.

It does take time to search for websites, to explore them to see if they are appropriate, and to train ourselves and our students. Truthfully, however, I believe that it is necessary. Teachers HAVE to stay current for the sake of our students who come to us as digital natives in a techno world. 

Written Expression {Chapter EIGHT Synthesis}

What I Do Right...

Writing is such a fun subject to teach! Students get easily excited about topics, and writing can directly link to and flow from into our reading lessons. I have read a lot about teaching writing from Ralph Fletcher, Katie Wood Ray, and Ruth Culham and adopted some favorite strategies in my classroom that I think truly help my students become better writers.

A Special Place to Write...A Writer's Notebook

At the beginning of each year, my students decorate a marble composition notebook with pictures, foamies, and stickers. This becomes their writer's notebook. I am always AMAZED at how they are inspired to write just by having their own special place to record their thoughts. I show them my writers notebook, too, and even read some pieces that I have written. 

 {using the "watermelon/seed" strategy to zoom into details...all in her WRITER'S NOTEBOOK}

 

6+1 Writing Traits 

I use Ruth Culhams' 6+1 Writing Traits method of teaching writing in my classroom. This method teaches writing by looking closely at the 6 traits that good writers use {ideas, organization, voice, sentence fluency, word choice, and conventions...and the plus is for presentation}. The traits are an AMAZING tool to use because so many second graders think that writing is mostly about spelling words, but it's not! Spelling is just one small piece! 

Each trait includes a rubric that students can learn and practice when writing. Once they are familiar with that rubric, the teacher can conduct "The Writing Olympics." Students can go to the Education Northwest website and practice scoring authentic student writing. There is a section where the teacher can type in the comments that students generate, and then click to view the actual score the paper received. 

 

Practice scoring the traits!

Mini-Lessons and Mentor Texts

I am a strong believer that students become better writers when they see and hear good writing in the classroom. When we study a particular trait, we read lots of books. These books exhibit the traits at their best! Students can see what the author does, and then they can become inspired. I also model a lot in the classroom. Students, for whatever reason, love to read my writing...especially when it is in MY writer's notebook. But, I also model writing on chart paper for examples and anchor charts.

Here is a favorite book of mine to read for each trait:

Ideas  

Organization

 Voice

Sentence Fluency

Word Choice

Conventions

Conferencing

I strive to have conferencing time each week with my students. I keep a notebook at my back table to track what we discuss, make notes of student questions, jot about writing issues, and mention concerns that I may have for them as writers. Most students want help with spelling when they request a conference, and I think that is fine. I tell them that second graders SHOULDN'T know how to spell every word. I do want them to try those "big" words, though, so I give LOTS of praise for attempts. I then try to dig deep into the trait that we are studying. What did they pick up from the mini-lesson? What strategy did they use correctly? What is their writing still missing?  

Publishing

I celebrate the writing that my students complete in many different ways. We have an author's chair where they can read stories to the class. We also publish one book during the year {from barebooks.com}, complete art projects to illustrate our writing, hang our writing in the halls, publish across genres, and collect our writing in a growth portfolio. 

 {author's chair}

{art to illustrate his writing}

What I Do Wrong...

As the chapter suggests, writing is such a critical subject. I have found that my students who have disabilities {or ones that perform below grade level} struggle getting their thoughts down on paper. They need extra help and extra support when writing. As a classroom teacher, I often struggle differentiating my instruction due to time constraints and class size. I fear that some of my students that struggle are still making some of the mistakes, and are relying on some of the habits that they used at the beginning of the year. Some students need more guided writing practice because they lack the monitoring, self-regulation, and motivation strategies necessary to revise and edit their written pieces. I need to slow down my instruction so that I can better meet the needs of students who need help with handwriting, word spacing, sight words, and basic sentence formulation. 

How I'm Going to Fix It...

I really want to look back at the notes that I take during conferences. These notes can tell me volumes about what my students still need to work on. I really need to include more time for guided writing groups during our writing time each week. More advanced writers could form a group during this time to revise their work as a team, assess themselves with the rubric, and reflect on how they are using the trait that we are studying in their own writing. Meanwhile, I can pull those students who need remediation so that I can reteach skills that should have been mastered in kindergarten, first grade, or the beginning of second grade. 

High-Incidence Disabilities {Chapter TWO Synthesis}

What I Do Right...
I teach a variety of students with high-incidence disabilities such as Learning Disabilities {LD}, Attention Deficit/Hyper Activity Disorder {ADHD}, and Speech and Language Imparments {SLI}. One way that I try to reach these students is through differentiated instruction. I have learned ways to teach students in small groups so that they are instructed on their individual level. During my school day I have:

• small math groups
• small guided reading groups
• small writing groups
• individual writing conferences
• spelling groups and word study instruction 

Another way that I try to reach students with high-incidence disabilities is through lots of interactive, hands-on lessons. I do not think that students learn best when they are stuck in their desks all day long. Here are some examples:

This little girl is reading a book that she has checked out from our classroom library. Students are instructed on how to select "just right books" for themselves to read independently. Students then have to keep up with their tasks and reading logs in their reading folder. This strategy is great for kids with LD because it is totally designed for their level.

These students are enjoying our word study games. I find that learning games are a great way to break up the monotonous day for students who really need to get up and move during the day. This strategy is great for students with ADHD.


What I do Wrong...
I think that I really need to better analyze the work of my low-incidence disability students. In the CRAZY, busy schedule that I keep as a classroom teacher, mom, and student, it is so hard to find time to carefully investigate the work that students turn in to me each day. I take running records often in reading, and this is soooo effective when I am planning for the next week. However, I rarely do the same type of observation in math, writing, and word study. If I take more time to analyze areas of weakness in math, spelling, and writing, then I will be able to gain more insight as to HOW I can better assist these students. 


How I'm Going to Fix it...
I want to design some forms that I can keep with my lesson plans. These forms will be designed to specific content areas, and will include space for analysis of reading, word study, writing, reading, and math groups. The forms will provide me with the chance to reflect on my teaching, the mistakes students are making, and the strategies that I am going to use to help them improve. 


I also want to better differentiate my spelling instruction. I have tried to implement a program that challenges students who need it, but I still find that my students with LD and SLI struggle with sight words. I want to differentiate their spelling words so that students are learning words ON THEIR LEVEL rather than just giving them all a one-size-fits-all spelling list.