Our last class was our presentations of our case studies. It was great to see everyone's case study and what worked and what did not work with the students. I especially loved to hear the stories of the students who had such a great improvement. It made me remember why I am a teacher. The successes the students have and how proud you feel is the best reward of the job of teaching. Sometimes you can get caught up in the negativeness, the unfairness, the not feeling supported, and the stress of it all. But, when a student you have worked and worked with shows confidence he never had before, or raised his hand when he usually stays quiet, or put so much effort into his work, you are as proud and happy for them as if you were their mother. It is always great to be reminded of that.
I think the whole point of the case study was to match assistive technology to the students. Making a good match is often times life changing for the student and that is the best success of all. Knowing more about assistive technology and how to match it with the sutdent's needs is going to benefit my teaching greatly. I have learned so much about what is out there for students. Many people are afraid of technology because it is unfamiliar to them. After taking this course, it has given me more confidence to use the technology myself and with my students.
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Saturday, 19 November 2011
CLASS 5 - REFLECTION
http://misunderstoodmindsld.blogspot.com/
During this class, we watched videos from the above website (Misunderstood Minds). We went through a series of writing activities summarizing the videos. The activities were staged for us to really see how difficult it can be for a student to write. We first wrote with a pen and paper, then we typed on our computers, and finally we used apps called Tiki Notes and Typ-O. In groups we discussed the pros and cons of each way. This activity was very useful to get into the minds of a struggling writer. We also took a look at a couple programs that focused on word prediction - Word Q and Co-Writer. A discussion was raised about these programs being a "cheat" for the students. In my opinion, it is just what it should be: asstisitve technology. I feel like some people who do not understand the difficulties students have and what they need to learn, are quick to dismiss something that they do not know much about (i.e. Co-Writer not being allowed on Provincial testing - JHLA).
TikiNotes Video
Co-Writer Video
The videos we watched on the Misunderstood Minds website were captivating. We were taken through a few children's lives. There was one boy who looked like he was going to be a star in all aspects of his life before he went to school. He was an exceptional child, athletic, well-spoken, and a leader with the other children. His parents thought he could read, but in actuality, he was memorizing the books.
It was surprising to learn that the parents did not realize any troubles before the school told them their son could not read. Learning this was devastating to the boy's parents, which made me realize that any type of learning difficulties is not just an issue for the child, it is an issue for the entire family.
Another video talked about parents' struggle with making a decision whether or not to put their daughter on medication to help her concentrate. As a teacher, I see the benefits of medication in certain situations; however, I do not know how I would feel if it was my own son and needing to make the decision. I would hope I would try whatever possible to get him the help he would need. But, that is easier said than done when I am not in the situation myself.
It was eye-opening to get glimpse into the lives of some families dealing with different learning difficulties. You never know what a family goes through when trying to find help for their child who has learning difficulties. It is informative to know what types of struggles the student and their families have gone through before they end up in my classroom.
During this class, we watched videos from the above website (Misunderstood Minds). We went through a series of writing activities summarizing the videos. The activities were staged for us to really see how difficult it can be for a student to write. We first wrote with a pen and paper, then we typed on our computers, and finally we used apps called Tiki Notes and Typ-O. In groups we discussed the pros and cons of each way. This activity was very useful to get into the minds of a struggling writer. We also took a look at a couple programs that focused on word prediction - Word Q and Co-Writer. A discussion was raised about these programs being a "cheat" for the students. In my opinion, it is just what it should be: asstisitve technology. I feel like some people who do not understand the difficulties students have and what they need to learn, are quick to dismiss something that they do not know much about (i.e. Co-Writer not being allowed on Provincial testing - JHLA).
TikiNotes Video
Co-Writer Video
The videos we watched on the Misunderstood Minds website were captivating. We were taken through a few children's lives. There was one boy who looked like he was going to be a star in all aspects of his life before he went to school. He was an exceptional child, athletic, well-spoken, and a leader with the other children. His parents thought he could read, but in actuality, he was memorizing the books.
It was surprising to learn that the parents did not realize any troubles before the school told them their son could not read. Learning this was devastating to the boy's parents, which made me realize that any type of learning difficulties is not just an issue for the child, it is an issue for the entire family.
Another video talked about parents' struggle with making a decision whether or not to put their daughter on medication to help her concentrate. As a teacher, I see the benefits of medication in certain situations; however, I do not know how I would feel if it was my own son and needing to make the decision. I would hope I would try whatever possible to get him the help he would need. But, that is easier said than done when I am not in the situation myself.
It was eye-opening to get glimpse into the lives of some families dealing with different learning difficulties. You never know what a family goes through when trying to find help for their child who has learning difficulties. It is informative to know what types of struggles the student and their families have gone through before they end up in my classroom.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
10 USEFUL APPS FOR STUDENTS
1. Math Bingo
What is it?
An APP that helps develop number sense and operations – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division – through BINGO game play.
Cost?
$0.99
How do you use it?
The goal is to get a pattern of FIVE BINGO bugs in a row by answering math questions correctly. The question is displayed at the top of the screen and you select the correct answer on the BINGO board below. You can choose what operation to focus on (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and the level of difficulty (easy, medium, hard). It is a timed game – the quicker you solve the problems, the better your score. You can keep track of your high scores through the player profile option.
Who will it benefit?
This APP will benefit students who need extra practice with basic number sense and operational skills. Students who are reluctant to practice math will benefit from the great sound effects, colorful games, individualized profiles/avatars, and BINGO bug rewards! Once a student achieves a high score, he/she will be awarded a BINGO bug. Players collect these bugs and interact with them by making them move around, giggle and jump.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because we are math teachers and know the importance of having an understanding of basic number sense and operations. Students need to practice these skills on a regular basis, but often find it tedious. This APP is an exciting way to develop these skills, as well as challenge students. The “hard” level is a nice way to provide enrichment for students in this area.
Check out these Math Bingo videos on YouTube:
2. Word Wizard
What is it?
An APP that helps develop word building and spelling through a movable alphabet.
Cost?
$3.99
How do you use it?
Touch the letters at the bottom of the screen to create words and sentences. You can check the pronunciation of the word as you add or remove letters. The APP reads the letter phonetically or reads the name of the letter. You can choose upper or lower case letters, to adjust the speed and tone of the voice, or to alter the background colors and/or grid. To use this APP for spelling, select the appropriate option from the menu. Choose from 173 pre-made spelling lists, or create your own. The APP reads a word aloud and you spell it using the movable alphabet. If you get stuck, choose the “hint” option at the top of the screen to help you spell the word. Word Wizard keeps track of your spelling quizzes and reports the results, giving you animated rewards to enjoy when you are done.
Who will it benefit?
This APP will benefit students who need support with letter recognition, phonological awareness, and spelling. It gives students the opportunity to self-correct as the APP reads the letters (as written, or phonetically) and the words aloud as they are created. This APP will encourage reluctant writers to create/write words and sentences. This APP also has a spelling component. Students can choose pre-made spelling lists or create their own in an effort to develop their spelling skills.
This APP would also benefit ESL students as they learn the English language. It would help support the proper way to write words, as well as speaking and pronunciation.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because of its text-to-speech capability that allows students to play with letter combinations and to practice building meaningful words as they practice their spelling. The result turns any word a student creates into spoken words. This APP is very easy to use and has many helpful options built into the program. The talking and movable alphabet, the spell-checker, the hint button, the included word lists, etc. It is highly motivating and very engaging.
Check out these Word Wizard videos on YouTube:
3. Dexteria
4. iTalk Recorder (Premium)
Check out these iTalk Recorder videos on YouTube:
5. TextKraft English
6. Story Land
Check out these Story Land videos on YouTube:
7. Cram
Check out these Cram videos on YouTube:
8. vBookz
Check out these vBookz videos on YouTube:
9. Evernote
Check out these Evernote videos on YouTube:
10. Algebra Touch
Check out these Algebra Touch videos on YouTube:
What is it?
An APP that helps develop number sense and operations – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division – through BINGO game play.
Cost?
$0.99
How do you use it?
The goal is to get a pattern of FIVE BINGO bugs in a row by answering math questions correctly. The question is displayed at the top of the screen and you select the correct answer on the BINGO board below. You can choose what operation to focus on (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and the level of difficulty (easy, medium, hard). It is a timed game – the quicker you solve the problems, the better your score. You can keep track of your high scores through the player profile option.
Who will it benefit?
This APP will benefit students who need extra practice with basic number sense and operational skills. Students who are reluctant to practice math will benefit from the great sound effects, colorful games, individualized profiles/avatars, and BINGO bug rewards! Once a student achieves a high score, he/she will be awarded a BINGO bug. Players collect these bugs and interact with them by making them move around, giggle and jump.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because we are math teachers and know the importance of having an understanding of basic number sense and operations. Students need to practice these skills on a regular basis, but often find it tedious. This APP is an exciting way to develop these skills, as well as challenge students. The “hard” level is a nice way to provide enrichment for students in this area.
Check out these Math Bingo videos on YouTube:
2. Word Wizard
What is it?
An APP that helps develop word building and spelling through a movable alphabet.
Cost?
$3.99
How do you use it?
Touch the letters at the bottom of the screen to create words and sentences. You can check the pronunciation of the word as you add or remove letters. The APP reads the letter phonetically or reads the name of the letter. You can choose upper or lower case letters, to adjust the speed and tone of the voice, or to alter the background colors and/or grid. To use this APP for spelling, select the appropriate option from the menu. Choose from 173 pre-made spelling lists, or create your own. The APP reads a word aloud and you spell it using the movable alphabet. If you get stuck, choose the “hint” option at the top of the screen to help you spell the word. Word Wizard keeps track of your spelling quizzes and reports the results, giving you animated rewards to enjoy when you are done.
Who will it benefit?
This APP will benefit students who need support with letter recognition, phonological awareness, and spelling. It gives students the opportunity to self-correct as the APP reads the letters (as written, or phonetically) and the words aloud as they are created. This APP will encourage reluctant writers to create/write words and sentences. This APP also has a spelling component. Students can choose pre-made spelling lists or create their own in an effort to develop their spelling skills.
This APP would also benefit ESL students as they learn the English language. It would help support the proper way to write words, as well as speaking and pronunciation.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because of its text-to-speech capability that allows students to play with letter combinations and to practice building meaningful words as they practice their spelling. The result turns any word a student creates into spoken words. This APP is very easy to use and has many helpful options built into the program. The talking and movable alphabet, the spell-checker, the hint button, the included word lists, etc. It is highly motivating and very engaging.
Check out these Word Wizard videos on YouTube:
3. Dexteria
An APP that works as a therapeutic tool to help develop fine motor skills through unique hand and finger exercises.
Cost?
$4.99
How do you use it?
There are three different exercises to help build strength, control, and dexterity. The first one is “TAP IT”. The goal is to practice finger dexterity and isolation. You place your hand on the screen and the APP recognizes the placement of your hand. It then places various colored dots on the screen for you to “tap” thus promoting hand manipulation. You can use either hand to perform this exercise. As the difficulty increases with each level mastered, the colored dots are displayed at an increased rate and are increasingly smaller in size (less surface area to “tap”).
The second exercise is “PINCH IT”. The goal is to develop pincer grasp skills. Crab icons appear on the screen and you have to pinch the “crabs” to make them disappear. This is a timed activity. As the difficulty increases, the crabs start to move around the screen, making it more difficult to track and “pinch”.
The third exercise is the “WRITE IT” activity. This is a tracing exercise to help students learn how to print letters. The goal is to trace the indicated letter using your finger, as you connect the dots along the proper path. You can choose to trace lower or upper case letters. The difficulty increases as you challenge yourself to trace the letters at an increasing rate of speed.
Who will it benefit?
Students who will benefit from this APP are those who need support to help increase their coordination and fine motor control. This APP was developed with assistance from occupational therapists to support their work in developing skills involved in fine motor integration, fine motor precision, hand exercises, handwriting, and writing speed. It is a useful APP to support recovery from injuries that have left people struggling with fine motor strength and coordination.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because of its effectiveness for a wide range of people and situations. It is very motivating and appealing. The exercises are fun yet challenging. We really liked the tracking and reporting feature that makes it easy for teachers and/or support people see an individual’s progress and time spent exercising. These reports can even be emailed to the teacher/support person. It is an inexpensive therapeutic tool that is portable, convenient, and stimulating.
Check out these Dexteria videos on YouTube:
4. iTalk Recorder (Premium)
What is it?
An APP that helps you quickly and easily record important sounds for later reference.
Cost?
FREE – for the Lite version
$1.99 – for the Premium version
How do you use it?
This APP is very easy and intuitive to use. Once you have launched the APP, press the big red button to record sound and press it again to stop and/or pause recording. You can name/title the recording, as well as add text notes. You can also select the quality of the recordings created – good, better, best. The quality and length of recording determines the size of the file created. You can access previous recordings with the touch of a button. You can also email your recordings through iTalk, direct file share via iTunes, and/or share your recordings via iTalk Sync (free download) for drag and drop file transfers.
Who will it benefit?
This APP will benefit many students, especially those who are auditory learners and have difficulty taking notes/writing, or are reluctant writers. Students could record important information during class, during extra help sessions, etc. and listen to it at a later time. The ease of use would benefit many students as many could pick iTalk up and operate immediately, even early elementary-aged children. Due to its quality sound output, it is useful for a wide range of individuals, including business professional, musicians, etc. Teachers could use this APP to record information for students that could be emailed out to them.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because it was easy to use, the price was great, and the quality of sound was quite good. The ability to adjust the recordable sound quality was appealing and the capacity to add text notes was beneficial. It is a convenient way to record sound that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of people.
5. TextKraft English
What is it?
An APP that functions as an iPad word processor that allows users to write, correct, research, and share text.
Cost?
$5.99
How do you use it?
This APP has many useful features, such as the ability to find the correct word, check spelling, research, refine/edit your text, and share text via several options. TextKraft English instantly allows you to type into five different documents, continue to work exactly where you left off, correct/edit your text using numerous suggested words/phrases/synonyms/follow-up words, and research text via several online dictionaries.
As you begin typing each word, you have access to additional supports that are designed to improve your writing. Below the word you have typed will be various words in boxes of different colours. Words in green are ones that the dictionary has recognized as being correct. Words in red are ones the dictionary is not familiar with. Words in grey are ones you have already used and have exchanged out of the text. Words in yellow are ones that are synonyms or other related words. Words in purple are words that are close to the spelling of the given word. Words in blue are word extensions. Every word you type creates its own extensive list of options and suggestions.
If you tap on a particular word you have access to various online dictionaries (Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Oxford Dictionaries, Online Etymology Dictionary). With just a tap, you can move from one resource to another. One more tap takes you back to the document screen. This APP also contains features such as word count, number of characters, date and time created, how long you worked on the piece of writing, and the ability to put into “reading mode” to prevent accidental keyboard additions to the text. You can also export your text to email or other word processors such as Pages, as well as to DropBox or share via iTunes.
Who will it benefit?
This APP will benefit students who need extra support when writing with skills such as spelling, grammar, research, word prediction, and vocabulary enrichment. It would definitely benefit reluctant writers and students with dyslexia. It would give students greater independence when writing, as all of the necessary tools (dictionary, spelling and grammar check, word prediction, vocabulary support, thesaurus) are readily available with just a tap. The colour-coded word supports are also a benefit for students as it helps students who struggle with writing to identify the best, most appropriate word. The text prediction feature would benefit students with dyslexia and phonological awareness difficulties.
Why we chose it?
We chose this APP because of the numerous features listed above. The ability of this APP to provide word prediction, vocabulary support, research capabilities, spelling and grammar support, and self-correction was fantastic. It is a great APP to help you coordinate your writing and research as it allows you to work on five documents at once. It was easy to use as all features are merely a tap away. The benefits to the classroom and individual were remarkable. The TextKraft English APP is an engaging and motivating way to improve writing.
Check out these TextKraft English videos on YouTube:
6. Story Land
What is it?
This app allows you to create and build a story using characters, accessories, backgrounds, etc.
Cost?
$2.99
How do you use it?
To use this app you will go through a series of tool bars and boxes that give you options for your story. You can add people, animals, aliens, accessories, food, furniture, buildings, dinosaurs, etc. You can move them around, put one in front/back of the other, turn them, and resize them. You can choose the background you want and also change the colours in the backgrounds. You can change the weather from snow to rain to wind, or even add a tornado. You can also choose music to go along with your story.
Each scene of your story can be printed, as well! You just have to take a screenshot of each scene and then print it.
Who will it benefit?
Many students who have trouble expressing themselves verbally and/or in writing would benefit from this app. The stories can help with building imagination, learning things like big/little, colours, alike/different, etc. This app could also help with getting ideas for stories, then writing the text to go along with them. It is a great app for preschool and elementary school aged children to help develop storytelling skills.
Why we chose it?
We chose this app because we feel it is a great tool for students who are reluctant writers and/or for those who are just starting to develop their writing skills. It is an app that helps motivate students, encourages them to use their imagination, and have fun creating interesting pieces of writing.Check out these Story Land videos on YouTube:
7. Cram
What is it?
This is an app that allows you to create study flashcards and practice tests to help you “cram” for your tests and exams.
Cost?
$3.99
How do you use it?
There are three main areas of Cram: flash cards, multiple choice tests, and pictures. You can create your tests by adding each question and possible answers. You check off the correct answer, which will determine whether you get the question correct when you complete the test. Flash cards are formed for you with the same questions you are using to create your tests. You can set a time to complete your tests (i.e. 20 minutes) and it will run for that amount of time. Cram will record the average scores of your tests and your highest scores. It will also give you the date of the last time you completed the test. A great feature of Cram is being able to apply pictures to your tests and flash cards. The picture is related to a question (i.e. a diagram of the stages of mitosis when the question is about mitosis). The picture is linked to that question and is used as a hint. You just need to click on the picture button to bring it up.
Who will it benefit?
All students would benefit from Cram. It helps students study and review concepts. It is great for students who need extra reinforcement of concepts. For teachers, it is a nice tool to use for review before tests and exams.
Why we chose it?
We chose this app because it allows students to review concepts that they may be struggling with. It also gives teachers an excellent way to review with a whole class (i.e. on a smart board) that is interactive with flash cards and pictures.
Check out these Cram videos on YouTube:
8. vBookz
What is it?
This is an app that reads books out loud.
Cost?
$3.99
How do you use it?
There are over 30,000 books to download, free of charge! To select a book in your collection, you just tap on the book in your “bookcase” and it will read it for you. You can bookmark the page you left off the last time you read. You can also manually move the magnifying glass to the last word you read, or move it to wherever you want on the page. You can follow along when the book is being read to you by following the magnifying glass through the sentences. You can flip through the pages by doing a finger swipe. The speed and voices can be adjusted to your preference. If you want to search and download new books, you just tap on “New Book”. vBookz supports 15 languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. You have to purchase the in-App language, if it is not English, after you have placed a book and pressed the “Play” button. The price for a language add-on is $4.99. Here is a list of the books that are included with vBookz:
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm
Gulliver's travel by Jonathan Swift
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Mark Twain's Burlesque Autobiography by Mark Twain
Mexico by C. Reginald Enoch
Moby Dick, or, the whale by Herman Melville
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Poems by Emily Dickinson
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas Pere
The Deluge by David Graham Phillips
The Divine Comedy by Dante
The Double Spy by Dan T. Moore
The Green Helmet and Other Poems by W. B. Yeats
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Wonderful wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas père
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Theodore Roosevelt an Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
Ulysses by James Joyce
There are also samples of:
20000 Lieues Sous Les Mers by Jules Verne | French
Don Qijote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra | Spanish
Don Quichot by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra | Dutch
Romeo und Julia by William Shakespeare | German
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm
Gulliver's travel by Jonathan Swift
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Mark Twain's Burlesque Autobiography by Mark Twain
Mexico by C. Reginald Enoch
Moby Dick, or, the whale by Herman Melville
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Poems by Emily Dickinson
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas Pere
The Deluge by David Graham Phillips
The Divine Comedy by Dante
The Double Spy by Dan T. Moore
The Green Helmet and Other Poems by W. B. Yeats
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Wonderful wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas père
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Theodore Roosevelt an Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
Ulysses by James Joyce
There are also samples of:
20000 Lieues Sous Les Mers by Jules Verne | French
Don Qijote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra | Spanish
Don Quichot by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra | Dutch
Romeo und Julia by William Shakespeare | German
Who will it benefit?
This app will benefit many students who struggle with reading and decoding. You can follow along, which helps with decoding and fluency of reading. It is also a wonderful idea for anyone who does not have time to read, or does not want to carry a book around with them (i.e. waiting in the doctor’s office – you have a book with you when you carry your iPod with you). It can benefit teachers, as well. If students missed the story that was read in class, they can listen to it at home (i.e. if the student is sick).
Why we chose it?
We chose this app because it is a great way to have books electronically without having to pay an additional cost for an e-reader. It is beneficial to students who struggle with reading. We liked the MANY choices of books this app had to offer.Check out these vBookz videos on YouTube:
9. Evernote
What is it?
This is an organizing app that allows you to store notes, images, audio clips, videos, Web information, etc.
Cost?
Free!! For more features it is $5 per month, or $45 per year.
How do you use it?
When you are searching the Internet, you can highlight images, etc and save them into Evernotes. You can easily find whatever you have saved by searching for key words. You can also tag some key words that will allow the program to bring up your image more quickly. This app allows you to organize your life. You can store all your notes in different notebooks to organize yourself. For example, if you were a student, you can have different notebooks for each subject you take. You can store audio notes and images, as well. One of the best things about this app is you can take snapshots of anything and store them. All of those random “sticky notes” can be saved by taking a snapshot of them and then organized within Evernotes, instead of forgotten about and spread around your desk or bulletin board.
Another great thing about this app is that if you sign-up for the premium features and pay the monthly or yearly fee, you can gain extra options like sharing your notes and notebooks with individuals and/or the world via the Internet.
Who will it benefit?
This app will definitely benefit STUDENTS WITH ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS! In our classroom, we see MANY students who misplace their notes and information. This app would help them organize everything into one place and they would only have to carry an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or computer. They do not have to keep binders of notes and information. Anything that they cannot type themselves; they can take a snapshot of and store it along with their notes. It is also a wonderful app for teachers. If the teacher has access to the premium features, they can share their notes over the Internet with their students. Teachers can leave their class notes, images, reminders, reviews, tests, etc on the Internet for their students to access at home. This app is also great for the “everyday person” who needs assistance with organization (i.e. the busy mom/parent).
Why we chose it?
We chose this app because organization is a HUGE issue for students! The more organized a student is, the more focused he/she is on learning. It is also a great benefit to teachers, as it would help organize their lives, courses, materials, as well. Evernote is also very accessible because it can be accessed on PCs, Mac products, and the Internet.Check out these Evernote videos on YouTube:
10. Algebra Touch
What is it?
This is an app that teaches algebraic concepts and allows you to practice these skills.
Cost?
$2.99
How do you use it?
The app will give you algebraic questions to complete. To answer them, you need to tap on the function between two terms. The questions will start to simplify. Depending on the problem, the question can be factored or combined to isolate the variable. There are different levels – from easy to hard. You just swipe with your finger to change the level. You can answer the problem that is given to you, or you can create your own problems. The problems you create will be saved within the app and you can access them the same way as the other problems included in the app.
Who will it benefit?
This app would benefit students who need to visually see how the terms move in an algebraic expression. It would be an excellent tool for teachers to either introduce concepts or review concepts in algebra. It can also be used for extra support, alternative assessment for some students, and general practice in algebra.
Why we chose it?
We chose this app because we are math teachers and we feel algebra is a major unit in math that students have a lot of trouble learning. It is an important unit for high school math and it would benefit many students by reinforcing the skills and concepts.
Check out these Algebra Touch videos on YouTube:
CLASS 4 - REFLECTION
Our 4th class we taught ourselves to use the "ReelDirector" app. Here is the YouTube video we viewed to learn how to use the app:
Our task was to create a 60 second commerical on assistive technology. My partner and I created a short script and filmed our commerical. We found out quickly that this app was very easy to figure out and we went through the process of editing our commerical with little trouble. Although we ended up with a 60 second commerical that was a couple minutes long, it was a fun process and I definately see the benefit of using this app in my classroom. It is very engaging and allows you to incorporate so many skills into one project.
If I were to create a project using "ReelDirector", I would assess many different skills. Some of these skills would be:
- Speaking and Listening outcomes
- social skills
- group work
- collboration
- leading
- communication skills
- etc.
- Sequencing
- Problem Solving
- Planning
- Script Writing
- Researching
- Technolgy Skills
- Purpose/Audience
- Persuasive Skills
- Content Outcomes
There are MANY ELA outcomes that could be assessed, plus any outcomes that other subject areas may include (i.e. showing a lab experiment for a science course). The great thing about this app and using it in the classroom is it will often bring the students to an "even playing field". There are many roles that each student could take on during the project and for a student that struggles with reading and/or writing, it is a great way to "blend in" and contribute equally within a group. The social aspects of a project like this are probably the most benefical and rewarding.
Our task was to create a 60 second commerical on assistive technology. My partner and I created a short script and filmed our commerical. We found out quickly that this app was very easy to figure out and we went through the process of editing our commerical with little trouble. Although we ended up with a 60 second commerical that was a couple minutes long, it was a fun process and I definately see the benefit of using this app in my classroom. It is very engaging and allows you to incorporate so many skills into one project.
If I were to create a project using "ReelDirector", I would assess many different skills. Some of these skills would be:
- Speaking and Listening outcomes
- social skills
- group work
- collboration
- leading
- communication skills
- etc.
- Sequencing
- Problem Solving
- Planning
- Script Writing
- Researching
- Technolgy Skills
- Purpose/Audience
- Persuasive Skills
- Content Outcomes
There are MANY ELA outcomes that could be assessed, plus any outcomes that other subject areas may include (i.e. showing a lab experiment for a science course). The great thing about this app and using it in the classroom is it will often bring the students to an "even playing field". There are many roles that each student could take on during the project and for a student that struggles with reading and/or writing, it is a great way to "blend in" and contribute equally within a group. The social aspects of a project like this are probably the most benefical and rewarding.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
CLASS 3 - REFLECTION
We played around with the iPod Touches in class! I never used one before, so it was great to see all the stuff you can do on it. The apps were overwhelming at first. Not being used to apps and how they work, was daunting; however, I quickly figured it out and wished I owned one! :)
As I was looking through the apps, I came across a few apps that assist ESL students. I have a couple exchange students, one who is very capable with English and one who needs a lot of support. The apps I found that help translate would be very helpful for her! She is very shy, so an app that she can work herself to help with her school work would be a great tool for her.
I have a few students that need more support with mental math than the 5 to 10 minutes we do as a class each day. The "Tic Tac Math" app was awesome and one of my favourites! It is a fun and competitive way for students to do math mentally, or just work on basic skills of math.
I have a few students who are SLD. The dragon app would be very beneficial for them. It is often hard for them to get started. It is also difficult to write when they are worried about sounding out words. This causes them to get stuck with ideas because they can't make them "flow" onto their papers. The dragon app would allow them to speak their ideas, stories, etc and it would type it for them.
The great thing about an iPod is being able to listen to the text you need to read. For struggling readers, this is perfect and would allow them to move much faster than if they had to read something themselves. It is also great for people who do not have time to read all the text they need to read. The app that allows you to scan the text and reads it, is amazing! I forget what the app is called, but I wanted to mention it because, as teachers, we have a lot of materials that are not on our computers. This app would allow us to scan text for our students and it can read it to them.
Pictello was easy to use and if I had it in my classroom, many students would enjoy working with it to create stories, videos, presentations, etc. The five unique ideas of why Pictello would be great to use in the classroom are:
1) To create storyboards before writing or filming. I usually have my students film a commercial or create a power point commercial. Pictello would assist with the ideas or storyboard, or students could complete their entire project on it without having to film, import, and edit separately.
2) For students with higher needs that need reminders of the process of activities (i.e. brushing teeth). Pictello can be used to show the process of the student or someone else performing the task.
3) For students who have anxiety about presenting in front of people, they can create their presentation and record their voice to go with their presentation, instead of getting up in front of the class.
4) As a parent, it would be a great tool to have as my son learns to read and write. I can record him reading, we can create stories together to read, we can create photo albums and record the story of each picture so we don't forget the memories. It would a wonderful "keep sake" for families.
5) For students who are non-verbal, Pictello is a powerful tool for communication. Students can put pictures together to communication, tell stories, share experiences, and ultimately become more independent.
As I was looking through the apps, I came across a few apps that assist ESL students. I have a couple exchange students, one who is very capable with English and one who needs a lot of support. The apps I found that help translate would be very helpful for her! She is very shy, so an app that she can work herself to help with her school work would be a great tool for her.
I have a few students that need more support with mental math than the 5 to 10 minutes we do as a class each day. The "Tic Tac Math" app was awesome and one of my favourites! It is a fun and competitive way for students to do math mentally, or just work on basic skills of math.
I have a few students who are SLD. The dragon app would be very beneficial for them. It is often hard for them to get started. It is also difficult to write when they are worried about sounding out words. This causes them to get stuck with ideas because they can't make them "flow" onto their papers. The dragon app would allow them to speak their ideas, stories, etc and it would type it for them.
The great thing about an iPod is being able to listen to the text you need to read. For struggling readers, this is perfect and would allow them to move much faster than if they had to read something themselves. It is also great for people who do not have time to read all the text they need to read. The app that allows you to scan the text and reads it, is amazing! I forget what the app is called, but I wanted to mention it because, as teachers, we have a lot of materials that are not on our computers. This app would allow us to scan text for our students and it can read it to them.
Pictello was easy to use and if I had it in my classroom, many students would enjoy working with it to create stories, videos, presentations, etc. The five unique ideas of why Pictello would be great to use in the classroom are:
1) To create storyboards before writing or filming. I usually have my students film a commercial or create a power point commercial. Pictello would assist with the ideas or storyboard, or students could complete their entire project on it without having to film, import, and edit separately.
2) For students with higher needs that need reminders of the process of activities (i.e. brushing teeth). Pictello can be used to show the process of the student or someone else performing the task.
3) For students who have anxiety about presenting in front of people, they can create their presentation and record their voice to go with their presentation, instead of getting up in front of the class.
4) As a parent, it would be a great tool to have as my son learns to read and write. I can record him reading, we can create stories together to read, we can create photo albums and record the story of each picture so we don't forget the memories. It would a wonderful "keep sake" for families.
5) For students who are non-verbal, Pictello is a powerful tool for communication. Students can put pictures together to communication, tell stories, share experiences, and ultimately become more independent.
Monday, 10 October 2011
CLASS 2 - WEBSITE ACTIVITY
As I looked through Earobics I found many activities that were great. This site is geared towards younger children, so when I look at it, I am thinking about my son, who is 3 years old. One activity I liked for my son was the 'Paw Park Alphabet Bears'. This gets the children to put letters of the alphabet in order by looking at the first letter of a word on the bears' shirt, then place the bears in order. It gets the children to think of the letters from the alphabet without singing the entire song to know where they go in order.
When I looked at Starfall, I thought of my son as well, since the students I teach are 14 or 15 years old and in grade 9. I really enjoyed the activity that shows the letters of the alphabet and the sign for them in sign language. I think it is so wonderful for children to learn sign language, especially at a young age, like this site is for. It is a neat activity where you just click on the letter and the picture shows you the sign for the letter, as well as the sound for the letter.
http://ca.ixl.com/
The first website I am going to talk about is IXL. This is a math site that gives students help with math skills and math literacy. The first thing I like about the site is all the outcomes are available from Kindergarten to Grade 9. You just have to click on your province to receive them, along with activities for each outcome. You can track the progress of your students as they are working through practice activities on the site, which is a great tool. My school is involved with accelerated math. It is a program that we purchase and it allows the students to work at their own pace and level. It tacks their progress as well, and I find that is such a great tool to have in a program for teachers to use with their students. Something that makes tracking and marking easier is a treat! IXL is a great tool as well because of the ease of clicking on an outcome and getting an activity for the outcome. One problem with the site is it only goes up to grade 9. Searching through sites and finding a select few that hits the grade 9 level allows me to see the challenge in locating technology for the grade I teach. If I taught at the high school level, this site would not be very helpful to me or my students.
http://www.storylineonline.net/
The next website is Storyline Online. This website is interesting because books are read aloud by famous people. As the book is read, the picture from he book 'come to life' and move around as the story goes on. Having the stories read by actors, especially, gives animation to the story. There are activities to go along with the stories, which is a great way to check for understanding. The one problem would be younger children would not necessarily know who the people are that are reading the stories, which adds to it for me. However, for a child who may not know the famous person, it would not have the added effect.
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/
The third website I looked at was Vocabulary Games and Resources. This website seems to be a website that can be for younger and older children, depending on their individual level. There is a lot of games that have to do with vocabulary, to make it fun for the students. Some of the games include: ESL homophones, ESL suffix meaning, English Spanish vocabulary, unscramble, word search, build words, match game, crosswords, slang game, quiz, etc. I used to teach ESL and I wish I came across this website at the time. The Slang Game is great for ESL because so many ESL students do not understand when it is not literal. I teach a few exchange students and one is not advances well with English and cannot function that well within the classroom. I think I will introduce her to this website. A problem with this site may be if you are an ESL student and are starting at a very low English vocabulary level, it may be difficult to navigate around the site and games.
When I looked at Starfall, I thought of my son as well, since the students I teach are 14 or 15 years old and in grade 9. I really enjoyed the activity that shows the letters of the alphabet and the sign for them in sign language. I think it is so wonderful for children to learn sign language, especially at a young age, like this site is for. It is a neat activity where you just click on the letter and the picture shows you the sign for the letter, as well as the sound for the letter.
http://ca.ixl.com/
The first website I am going to talk about is IXL. This is a math site that gives students help with math skills and math literacy. The first thing I like about the site is all the outcomes are available from Kindergarten to Grade 9. You just have to click on your province to receive them, along with activities for each outcome. You can track the progress of your students as they are working through practice activities on the site, which is a great tool. My school is involved with accelerated math. It is a program that we purchase and it allows the students to work at their own pace and level. It tacks their progress as well, and I find that is such a great tool to have in a program for teachers to use with their students. Something that makes tracking and marking easier is a treat! IXL is a great tool as well because of the ease of clicking on an outcome and getting an activity for the outcome. One problem with the site is it only goes up to grade 9. Searching through sites and finding a select few that hits the grade 9 level allows me to see the challenge in locating technology for the grade I teach. If I taught at the high school level, this site would not be very helpful to me or my students.
http://www.storylineonline.net/
The next website is Storyline Online. This website is interesting because books are read aloud by famous people. As the book is read, the picture from he book 'come to life' and move around as the story goes on. Having the stories read by actors, especially, gives animation to the story. There are activities to go along with the stories, which is a great way to check for understanding. The one problem would be younger children would not necessarily know who the people are that are reading the stories, which adds to it for me. However, for a child who may not know the famous person, it would not have the added effect.
http://www.vocabulary.co.il/
The third website I looked at was Vocabulary Games and Resources. This website seems to be a website that can be for younger and older children, depending on their individual level. There is a lot of games that have to do with vocabulary, to make it fun for the students. Some of the games include: ESL homophones, ESL suffix meaning, English Spanish vocabulary, unscramble, word search, build words, match game, crosswords, slang game, quiz, etc. I used to teach ESL and I wish I came across this website at the time. The Slang Game is great for ESL because so many ESL students do not understand when it is not literal. I teach a few exchange students and one is not advances well with English and cannot function that well within the classroom. I think I will introduce her to this website. A problem with this site may be if you are an ESL student and are starting at a very low English vocabulary level, it may be difficult to navigate around the site and games.
Saturday, 1 October 2011
CLASS 2 - REFLECTION
The Reading Analysis assignment was eye-opening. We take for granted that we can just do all these steps automatically and not even think about it. Going through the process of this assignment has allowed me to see where some students may "get stuck". It was also validating to see the other presentations have the same steps, though presented in different ways.
The websites activity we did in class was awesome! I just wish I had hours in my day to sit and search through them all. Some of the websites I had a chance to glance at were amazing for elementary. Since I am a middle school teacher, particularly grade 9, I kept searching for sites that were not "childish". One website that I looked at was called "Tumble Books". This site was exciting to me because it had interesting books for middle level students. I find that many students in middle level have trouble reading and it is partly because they just don't read anymore. Having books online for them to read, or get help to read, that are of interest to them and they won't feel "childish" for reading is great!
Other websites I found exciting were some math websites. I teach math and English, which is a combination of subjects that the majority of students have issues with (English, math, or both). It is great to find sites that can assist me with introducing a topics in a different way, or have games or activities for the students to do, etc. I am always looking for different ways to teach that will change things up a little. Some of these sites have videos that help explain a topic or give examples. This would be great for the entire class, or if a student is home sick and missed some time, or if a student needs extra support.
I have tried to link many of the websites I came across while doing the activity and what others in the class found on my blog.
The websites activity we did in class was awesome! I just wish I had hours in my day to sit and search through them all. Some of the websites I had a chance to glance at were amazing for elementary. Since I am a middle school teacher, particularly grade 9, I kept searching for sites that were not "childish". One website that I looked at was called "Tumble Books". This site was exciting to me because it had interesting books for middle level students. I find that many students in middle level have trouble reading and it is partly because they just don't read anymore. Having books online for them to read, or get help to read, that are of interest to them and they won't feel "childish" for reading is great!
Other websites I found exciting were some math websites. I teach math and English, which is a combination of subjects that the majority of students have issues with (English, math, or both). It is great to find sites that can assist me with introducing a topics in a different way, or have games or activities for the students to do, etc. I am always looking for different ways to teach that will change things up a little. Some of these sites have videos that help explain a topic or give examples. This would be great for the entire class, or if a student is home sick and missed some time, or if a student needs extra support.
I have tried to link many of the websites I came across while doing the activity and what others in the class found on my blog.
Saturday, 24 September 2011
CLASS 1 - REFLECTION
What is Assistive Technology?
For me, this class is going to open many doors to the assistance I can give to my students. I am a person who is a little afraid of trying new technolgy out in my classroom. What if it doesn't work? However, after the first class of Assistive Technology, I am thinking what if I don't use it? The benefits of the technology far out weigh the troubles of figuring out a program or device.
Assistive technology is a process and it NOT IT (information technology). It should also be described as is a NEED, not a want. Access to technology that would help someone throughout school and their life is key to their successes in life. To think of the many children in my school, and schools around the world, that do not have access to the technology that would allow them to achieve goals higher than we every expected, is disappointing.
I enjoyed watching the videos of the students who are using assitive technology in some way, i.e. students who have autism, visual impairment, ADHD, blind, dysgraphia, gifted and LD, etc. The successes they achieved were AMAZING! The "gadgets" I was especially drawn to were the ones associated with ADHD: move'n'sit cushion, fridget toy, and pencil grip. Of course I am interested in all the technology that was shown; however, teaching so many students throughout the years with ADHD, I saw how those "gadgets" would give them the opportunity to concentrate and show their true potential.
I am very excited to learn more about the technology out there! I am looking forward to trying and learning how to use an iPod. I know that sounds unbelieveable, but I have never used one. I think I know what may be on my Santa list this Christmas :)
I am currently at a school that has smartboards in each classroom. This is a dream to the teacher who knows how to use them; however, when there is little to no training to go with this technology, it is hard to use it to its full potential. I found a video on YouTube that introduces classrooms that are using technology along the same lines as the smartboard. I wanted to post it because I wish I was able to take advantage of the technology in my classroom like the teachers in the video. Teachers NEED MORE TRAINING!!
For me, this class is going to open many doors to the assistance I can give to my students. I am a person who is a little afraid of trying new technolgy out in my classroom. What if it doesn't work? However, after the first class of Assistive Technology, I am thinking what if I don't use it? The benefits of the technology far out weigh the troubles of figuring out a program or device.
Assistive technology is a process and it NOT IT (information technology). It should also be described as is a NEED, not a want. Access to technology that would help someone throughout school and their life is key to their successes in life. To think of the many children in my school, and schools around the world, that do not have access to the technology that would allow them to achieve goals higher than we every expected, is disappointing.
I enjoyed watching the videos of the students who are using assitive technology in some way, i.e. students who have autism, visual impairment, ADHD, blind, dysgraphia, gifted and LD, etc. The successes they achieved were AMAZING! The "gadgets" I was especially drawn to were the ones associated with ADHD: move'n'sit cushion, fridget toy, and pencil grip. Of course I am interested in all the technology that was shown; however, teaching so many students throughout the years with ADHD, I saw how those "gadgets" would give them the opportunity to concentrate and show their true potential.
I am very excited to learn more about the technology out there! I am looking forward to trying and learning how to use an iPod. I know that sounds unbelieveable, but I have never used one. I think I know what may be on my Santa list this Christmas :)
I am currently at a school that has smartboards in each classroom. This is a dream to the teacher who knows how to use them; however, when there is little to no training to go with this technology, it is hard to use it to its full potential. I found a video on YouTube that introduces classrooms that are using technology along the same lines as the smartboard. I wanted to post it because I wish I was able to take advantage of the technology in my classroom like the teachers in the video. Teachers NEED MORE TRAINING!!
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