Assistive technology is a great way to make the classroom more inclusive. Assistive technology is used to help those with disabilities. These disabilities can be physical, communicative or something else. Assistive technologies are important to a classroom. Some student’s have disabilities that can inhibit their learning. Assistive technologies allow students to overcome these obstacles. Learning has to accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. Assistive technologies help to make education accessible to all students. Although, they can be expensive assistive technologies are a necessary tool for teachers to complete their mission of educating all students. In a perfect world all students will have everything they need to get through school.
One use of assistive technologies is Universal Design. This is combination of different methods to help accommodate a variety of different learners (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html). It works off of the idea that all children learn in different ways, so teachers should teach in a variety of ways. This is a great method. Variety in education makes sure that every child is learning. Universal Design is a form of assistive technology, because it is used to make a classroom inclusive to all learners. Universal Design can be used for children with learning disabilities, students whose first language is not English, students with emotional and/or behavioral problems, students who just do not find the curriculum engaging and those with sensory and physical disabilities (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html). Universal Design is a wonderful tool, but only one of many options teachers have opened to them.
Section 508 is Rehabilitation Act Recommendations (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm). It deals with getting assistive technologies for those who need them. According to the law the federal government will help to get assistive technologies for those who need them (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm). This helps to take the burden off the community to fund expensive technologies. Obvious tax dollars are going to this and the money issue is still there, but with the governments help schools will be more able to provide assistive technologies to their students. This is not the solution to all problems, but it has been a step in the right direction.
There are many different types of technologies that can make a classroom more inclusive. LOMAC is a device for someone who does not have use of his or her hands, but does have muscle function in the neck region. A headset with a laser pointer is put on the person’s head. The person can type using this headset. The person points to the letter or action it wants the keyboard to take on a keyboard and then confirms the action. What the laser points to appear on the screen. The only problem with this technology is that it is very time consuming. For students that do not have use of their hands it is great for typing papers. An aid tech should still be employed, however, to take notes for the student, because the class cannot be slowed down enough for the student to take notes with just the LOMAC alone. Another wonderful assistive technology is Hip Talk 4. This is a communication device. If a student is mute that student can program key phrases that he or she may need to use during the day. This will help the student communicate with someone who does not know sign language. The child’s teacher should still learn sign language, because the device can only record four different sayings. It is helpful when the teacher and student are still in the learning process. Assistive technology can be less complicated and help learning disorders as well as those with physical handicaps. A fraction stack, which shows how many of a certain fraction it takes to make a whole, is a wonderful manipulative for a student who is struggling in math and has trouble going from concrete to abstract ideas. One more form of assistive technology is Braille embossers. They print out what is typed on a computer in Braille (http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx). This is helpful to students with a visual impairment. The teacher can give out the same handout to all students. One will be printed in Braille and handed out as if it was no different than the rest. These are just some of the assistive technologies that are out there to help teachers accommodate their students.
Assistive technologies are a wonderful tool. It is amazing how many are out there. They are not just for those with physical disabilities. There are ones for learning disabilities and many others as well. Every school should provide these to their teachers.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Blog C
Assistive technology is a great way to make the classroom more inclusive. Assistive technology is used to help those with disabilities. These disabilities can be physical, communicative or something else. Assistive technologies are important to a classroom. Some student’s have disabilities that can inhibit their learning. Assistive technologies allow students to overcome these obstacles. Learning has to accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. Assistive technologies help to make education accessible to all students. Although, they can be expensive assistive technologies are a necessary tool for teachers to complete their mission of educating all students. In a perfect world all students will have everything they need to get through school.
One use of assistive technologies is Universal Design. This is combination of different methods to help accommodate a variety of different learners (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html). It works off of the idea that all children learn in different ways, so teachers should teach in a variety of ways. This is a great method. Variety in education makes sure that every child is learning. Universal Design is a form of assistive technology, because it is used to make a classroom inclusive to all learners. Universal Design can be used for children with learning disabilities, students whose first language is not English, students with emotional and/or behavioral problems, students who just do not find the curriculum engaging and those with sensory and physical disabilities (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html). Universal Design is a wonderful tool, but only one of many options teachers have opened to them.
Section 508 is Rehabilitation Act Recommendations (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm). It deals with getting assistive technologies for those who need them. According to the law the federal government will help to get assistive technologies for those who need them (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm). This helps to take the burden off the community to fund expensive technologies. Obvious tax dollars are going to this and the money issue is still there, but with the governments help schools will be more able to provide assistive technologies to their students. This is not the solution to all problems, but it has been a step in the right direction.
There are many different types of technologies that can make a classroom more inclusive. LOMAC is a device for someone who does not have use of his or her hands, but does have muscle function in the neck region. A headset with a laser pointer is put on the person’s head. The person can type using this headset. The person points to the letter or action it wants the keyboard to take on a keyboard and then confirms the action. What the laser points to appear on the screen. The only problem with this technology is that it is very time consuming. For students that do not have use of their hands it is great for typing papers. An aid tech should still be employed, however, to take notes for the student, because the class cannot be slowed down enough for the student to take notes with just the LOMAC alone. Another wonderful assistive technology is Hip Talk 4. This is a communication device. If a student is mute that student can program key phrases that he or she may need to use during the day. This will help the student communicate with someone who does not know sign language. The child’s teacher should still learn sign language, because the device can only record four different sayings. It is helpful when the teacher and student are still in the learning process. Assistive technology can be less complicated and help learning disorders as well as those with physical handicaps. A fraction stack, which shows how many of a certain fraction it takes to make a whole, is a wonderful manipulative for a student who is struggling in math and has trouble going from concrete to abstract ideas. One more form of assistive technology is Braille embossers. They print out what is typed on a computer in Braille (http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx). This is helpful to students with a visual impairment. The teacher can give out the same handout to all students. One will be printed in Braille and handed out as if it was no different than the rest. These are just some of the assistive technologies that are out there to help teachers accommodate their students.
Assistive technologies are a wonderful tool. It is amazing how many are out there. They are not just for those with physical disabilities. There are ones for learning disabilities and many others as well. Every school should provide these to their teachers.
One use of assistive technologies is Universal Design. This is combination of different methods to help accommodate a variety of different learners (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html). It works off of the idea that all children learn in different ways, so teachers should teach in a variety of ways. This is a great method. Variety in education makes sure that every child is learning. Universal Design is a form of assistive technology, because it is used to make a classroom inclusive to all learners. Universal Design can be used for children with learning disabilities, students whose first language is not English, students with emotional and/or behavioral problems, students who just do not find the curriculum engaging and those with sensory and physical disabilities (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html). Universal Design is a wonderful tool, but only one of many options teachers have opened to them.
Section 508 is Rehabilitation Act Recommendations (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm). It deals with getting assistive technologies for those who need them. According to the law the federal government will help to get assistive technologies for those who need them (http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm). This helps to take the burden off the community to fund expensive technologies. Obvious tax dollars are going to this and the money issue is still there, but with the governments help schools will be more able to provide assistive technologies to their students. This is not the solution to all problems, but it has been a step in the right direction.
There are many different types of technologies that can make a classroom more inclusive. LOMAC is a device for someone who does not have use of his or her hands, but does have muscle function in the neck region. A headset with a laser pointer is put on the person’s head. The person can type using this headset. The person points to the letter or action it wants the keyboard to take on a keyboard and then confirms the action. What the laser points to appear on the screen. The only problem with this technology is that it is very time consuming. For students that do not have use of their hands it is great for typing papers. An aid tech should still be employed, however, to take notes for the student, because the class cannot be slowed down enough for the student to take notes with just the LOMAC alone. Another wonderful assistive technology is Hip Talk 4. This is a communication device. If a student is mute that student can program key phrases that he or she may need to use during the day. This will help the student communicate with someone who does not know sign language. The child’s teacher should still learn sign language, because the device can only record four different sayings. It is helpful when the teacher and student are still in the learning process. Assistive technology can be less complicated and help learning disorders as well as those with physical handicaps. A fraction stack, which shows how many of a certain fraction it takes to make a whole, is a wonderful manipulative for a student who is struggling in math and has trouble going from concrete to abstract ideas. One more form of assistive technology is Braille embossers. They print out what is typed on a computer in Braille (http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx). This is helpful to students with a visual impairment. The teacher can give out the same handout to all students. One will be printed in Braille and handed out as if it was no different than the rest. These are just some of the assistive technologies that are out there to help teachers accommodate their students.
Assistive technologies are a wonderful tool. It is amazing how many are out there. They are not just for those with physical disabilities. There are ones for learning disabilities and many others as well. Every school should provide these to their teachers.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Science Unit
Idea 1: This assignment would be for third graders. They will learn about systems of the body. They will use this knowledge to draw an image in pixie and write a brief description. The students will put each of their pages together to make a book. I will photocopy the book and sent it home for parents to view. The parents will have to send back a comment on the book. If the parents do not give back comments the student will not be penalized. These comments are just to try to get parents that may be less inclined to view their children's work to look at it and maybe spend some time talking to their child about the child's school work.
Idea 2: Students will do a lesson on rocks and use Nvu to make web pages based on their learning. This is for third or fourth graders. Students will be split into groups. Each group will be given a different type of rock. They will be asked to find a picture of the rock and post it on the web page. They will be asked to find three facts about the rocks that they were assigned. They will put these three facts on their websites as well. The whole thing will be put together as one big class website.
Idea 3: I will do a lesson on animals. This will be for first graders. I will teach them about farm animals. I will do this by reading them a book. We will play Old MacDonald with some of the animals they have learned. The class will use garage band to compose a song in the style of Old MacDonald for the animals they have learned about.
Idea 4: Students will learn about Owls using chat and e-mail. I will teach them some things about Owls and they will dissect Owl pellets. They will then send an e-mail to an expert on Owls using my e-mail account. They will ask the expert questions and set up a time to chat with the person, so they can ask follow up questions as they think of them.
Idea 5: Students will learn about the four seasons. They will use inspiration to make a timeline of the seasons. They will do this by rotation of the earth. They will learn about the earth's rotation and use inspiration to get pictures of the earth in relation to the sun and how that effects the seasons.
I will use idea 1.
Idea 2: Students will do a lesson on rocks and use Nvu to make web pages based on their learning. This is for third or fourth graders. Students will be split into groups. Each group will be given a different type of rock. They will be asked to find a picture of the rock and post it on the web page. They will be asked to find three facts about the rocks that they were assigned. They will put these three facts on their websites as well. The whole thing will be put together as one big class website.
Idea 3: I will do a lesson on animals. This will be for first graders. I will teach them about farm animals. I will do this by reading them a book. We will play Old MacDonald with some of the animals they have learned. The class will use garage band to compose a song in the style of Old MacDonald for the animals they have learned about.
Idea 4: Students will learn about Owls using chat and e-mail. I will teach them some things about Owls and they will dissect Owl pellets. They will then send an e-mail to an expert on Owls using my e-mail account. They will ask the expert questions and set up a time to chat with the person, so they can ask follow up questions as they think of them.
Idea 5: Students will learn about the four seasons. They will use inspiration to make a timeline of the seasons. They will do this by rotation of the earth. They will learn about the earth's rotation and use inspiration to get pictures of the earth in relation to the sun and how that effects the seasons.
I will use idea 1.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Language Arts Curriculum Unit
Lizzie was scared. She had been dragged away from her home and now was being stuck in this strange new place. The government man brought her to the desk. The nurse their looked mean.
"I have a patient for you," said the government man. "This is Lizzie Bright. She is with the other feeble-mind's from Malaga Island."
"I am not feeble-minded." Lizzie yelled.
"The state of Maine decided you are!" yelled the government man. He pushed Lizzie over to the nurse and walked out. Lizzie fought against the nurses grip, but the woman was too strong for her. Finally, exhausted Lizzie let the nurse drag her up to her room.
The nurse pushed Lizzie into the room.
"You stay here. All meals are down stairs in the cafeteria. Breakfast is at 8, lunch at noon and dinner at 6. At 2 O'clock every day you will be let outside for a supervised walk. After you eat everyday you will wash the dishes. At 10 everyday you will meet with the doctor for therapy. All other times will be spent in your room. If you act up we will have you tied to the bed and you will not be able to leave." After saying all this the nurse slammed the door, locked it and walked back down stairs.
Lizzie ran to the door and pounded on it. She was crying her eyes out.
"Turner! Turner! Turner come help me." she cried.
Then, worn out from the day Lizzie flopped down on the bed and cried. Life seemed over. She sagged into a depression. She did not even complain when the nurse stormed into the room and tied her to the bed.
The next few days went by in a haze. She was escorted to every meal, but she never ate. She cleaned every plate without noticing her body was acting without her mind. She met with the doctor but said nothing. She did not even move when she was brought outside. Every night she went to bed hoping to die. On the fourth night of her stay at Pownal Lizzie Bright got her wish.
She was buried in a grave with the rest of the residents of Malaga Island. Now in Heaven she was finally home. Home with her family, home with the sea, home, happy and waiting for the day Turner would join her on the other side of the Pearly Gates.
"I have a patient for you," said the government man. "This is Lizzie Bright. She is with the other feeble-mind's from Malaga Island."
"I am not feeble-minded." Lizzie yelled.
"The state of Maine decided you are!" yelled the government man. He pushed Lizzie over to the nurse and walked out. Lizzie fought against the nurses grip, but the woman was too strong for her. Finally, exhausted Lizzie let the nurse drag her up to her room.
The nurse pushed Lizzie into the room.
"You stay here. All meals are down stairs in the cafeteria. Breakfast is at 8, lunch at noon and dinner at 6. At 2 O'clock every day you will be let outside for a supervised walk. After you eat everyday you will wash the dishes. At 10 everyday you will meet with the doctor for therapy. All other times will be spent in your room. If you act up we will have you tied to the bed and you will not be able to leave." After saying all this the nurse slammed the door, locked it and walked back down stairs.
Lizzie ran to the door and pounded on it. She was crying her eyes out.
"Turner! Turner! Turner come help me." she cried.
Then, worn out from the day Lizzie flopped down on the bed and cried. Life seemed over. She sagged into a depression. She did not even complain when the nurse stormed into the room and tied her to the bed.
The next few days went by in a haze. She was escorted to every meal, but she never ate. She cleaned every plate without noticing her body was acting without her mind. She met with the doctor but said nothing. She did not even move when she was brought outside. Every night she went to bed hoping to die. On the fourth night of her stay at Pownal Lizzie Bright got her wish.
She was buried in a grave with the rest of the residents of Malaga Island. Now in Heaven she was finally home. Home with her family, home with the sea, home, happy and waiting for the day Turner would join her on the other side of the Pearly Gates.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Blog b
- Spanish Lesson
This podcast is teaching Spanish. It goes over phrases, words and numbers. Since World Language is part of the Maine Learning Results, this podcast could be a good tool in the classroom. This can help struggling students and help those that may have missed a day. It can also be good review. I could also use it to introduce a Spanish lesson. Another use is to give the material to students who were out in an easily accessible fashion.Podcasts are useful tools. They can be used for the same reasons that I gave for using the above podcast. They are also useful to help those that are auditory learners or who have hard times seeing. I can record my lesson in a podcast before I teach it to the class. Then as I am addressing the class the student with the visual impairment could listen to the podcast on the computer with a set of headphones. This will help to get rid of background noise and allow the student to focus on the podcast. They would get the same information, but I would describe on the podcast what I would be writing on the board for the other students.
I think podcasts can be useful in a classroom. They can help the teacher and the students. When going over reading fluency, students can make a podcast of their reading and the teacher can listen to the podcast. The teacher can listen to the podcast and then analysis the students reading. Podcasts can be listened to more than once so the teacher can pick up all the miscues. Podcasts can also be used as another form of teaching. I think that podcasts are an interesting for teaching. They take some time to put together, but they are useful. I would not use them for every lesson, but I might use them for some lessons. I might use them as extra help methods. I don’t think they can replace a live teacher.
Podcasts can be used to support literacy instruction. Students can use them for think aloud. Laura Robb uses think aloud to tell her students how she uses certain strategies to help her reading. It would be hard to make sure students are using their literary strategies when most of these are done silently. A teacher could have the students make a podcast, where they read a section of a book and then tell what strategies they are using when they read. For example, if a student is struggling with the meaning of a word he could say how he used context clues to figure out the meaning of the word. The teachers could then analysis these podcasts and determine who is on par and who needs more help. This is more beneficial for the students. If a teacher just lets the students read the teacher cannot tell if they are applying the rules. Even if she asks the students to explain the rules they may only do so at that one time. Podcasting makes it so they would have to be doing it continually throughout the whole period. I also can help the teacher to assess the students better, because she can listen to it more than once.
5 Ways to use podcast in the practicum classroom:
1. Reinforce a lesson
2. teach a lesson
3. have students make for activity with a lesson
4. use if a student is out so they can get caught up on the work
5. Model for an activity
Monday, February 11, 2008
Language Arts Unit Ideas
Idea 1: Students will read a book and answer questions about the book. The questions will be found on my webpage. This is for a third grade reading level. Students will read short chapter books. There will be questions posted on my site that will test the students’ retention of the material. They will answer basic questions about character and plot. This will test reading comprehension. It will incorporate technology because the students will be answering questions found on my website. The answers to the questions will be corrected quickly, so that the students can go back and reread the parts they had trouble with.
Idea 2: Student will read a book and answer questions that they post to a blog. The questions will be handed out to each student. They will post the answers to their questions in a blog. The students will be able to see everyone else answers and comment on what they agree and disagree with. This will help to build peer to peer relationships. I will also make comments. The students can then work together and with me to correct any errors they have. It will quickly allow me to see who is understanding and remembering the information in the book.
Idea 3: Students will read a book and make an imovie based on the book. After completing the book, students will write another chapter of the book that they turn into an imovie. This will see if students understand the book. They will have to take what they have learned about the characters and make a credible movie that deals with events and themes raised in the book. The students will make cut out characters and take pictures of the characters in action. They will turn these pictures into an imovie. This should be educational and fun.
Idea 4: After reading a book students can make a web with Inspiration based on a theme of the book. They will have at least 5 webs of the main theme and two examples of each from the book. They will had pictures and colors to make them more astatically pleasing. They will present their webs when they are completed. Webs are good organizers and using Inspiration will make it more interesting for the students. The pictures used will have to apply to the novel. All aspects of the web will be explained in the presentation. This lends itself well to group work, so I will have the students work in groups of 3 or 4 to make the web and present it.
Idea 5: After reading a book students will pick out a topic in the book that they want to learn more about. They will use the internet to find good sources of information on the topic. They will work in group of 3 or 4. They will present the information they have found to the class. It may be an oral presentation, a poster presentation or any other format that the group decides to use.
Idea 2: Student will read a book and answer questions that they post to a blog. The questions will be handed out to each student. They will post the answers to their questions in a blog. The students will be able to see everyone else answers and comment on what they agree and disagree with. This will help to build peer to peer relationships. I will also make comments. The students can then work together and with me to correct any errors they have. It will quickly allow me to see who is understanding and remembering the information in the book.
Idea 3: Students will read a book and make an imovie based on the book. After completing the book, students will write another chapter of the book that they turn into an imovie. This will see if students understand the book. They will have to take what they have learned about the characters and make a credible movie that deals with events and themes raised in the book. The students will make cut out characters and take pictures of the characters in action. They will turn these pictures into an imovie. This should be educational and fun.
Idea 4: After reading a book students can make a web with Inspiration based on a theme of the book. They will have at least 5 webs of the main theme and two examples of each from the book. They will had pictures and colors to make them more astatically pleasing. They will present their webs when they are completed. Webs are good organizers and using Inspiration will make it more interesting for the students. The pictures used will have to apply to the novel. All aspects of the web will be explained in the presentation. This lends itself well to group work, so I will have the students work in groups of 3 or 4 to make the web and present it.
Idea 5: After reading a book students will pick out a topic in the book that they want to learn more about. They will use the internet to find good sources of information on the topic. They will work in group of 3 or 4. They will present the information they have found to the class. It may be an oral presentation, a poster presentation or any other format that the group decides to use.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
I believe in technology
I believe that technology is a good tool for education, but it is also one that needs to be heavily monitored and regulated. Technology can be used to engage students but it also opens the door for students to use it for noneducational purposes at a time they should not be. Making public student work through blogs can set up problems. I believe all students should in their first blog write that this blog is for educational purposes only that way other people will not be tempted to use it for social means. Children should feel free to have a social blog but they should keep that one separate from their educational blog. I believe this fits for more than just blogs. It can apply to websites and anything else that makes the students educational work public.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)