Social Bookmarking

And here is my social bookmarking list! https://delicious.com/brittanycdahl

Assistive Technology

            My teaching philosophy consists of every child having the ability to learn. This does not mean they all learn the same way – only that they have the ability to gain knowledge. Students face many different challenges in schooling. As teachers we need to be able to provide support to help students learn in their best possible manner and to the highest level they can achieve. Students with mild disabilities, moderate to severe disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, at risk behaviors/situations, and gifts and talents are all able to learn to their best ability with the help of assistive technology.

            Depending on the level of severity of cognitive disabilities, there are many different assistive technologies available to help students learn. According to Roblyer & Doering, mild cognitive disabilities can range from learning disabilities to mental retardation. For these students, they mostly need help with reading, math, and writing skills (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 406). For math, there is an app called Math by fishdog.net. Math allows for children to play games that allow for them to practice math. For students who are struggling with reading there are a number of interactive books available for the iPad or computer. Many of these can be downloaded for free. The internet is your friend when it comes to resources. Here is a list of online interactive Clifford stories. Now for students who have more severe cognitive disabilities, the focus of instruction should be on basic function skills for them to be ready for the world (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 408). A list of apps for children struggling with autism can be found here. These can be used for a variety of severe cognitive disabilities – not just autism – because they focus on functional and social skills. Another assistive technology for students with severe cognitive disabilities comes in the form of alternative keyboards (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 408). These can be used for a variety of needs because they have several different functions. An example of alternative keyboards is the Intellikeys keyboard by Intellitools. Using these resources can help students with cognitive disabilities to get a leg up on the curriculum.

      Students with physical and sensory disabilities have a different kind of challenge with learning. Not all resources for learning are applicable to them. For students with physical disabilities, they need assistive technology that allows for instructional activities to be available to them. Simple things such as using a joystick or switches give them better access to computers and other curricular activities (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 408). For students who have sensory disabilities, there are assistive technologies for blindness and hearing loss. For students who are completely blind, there is optical character recognition software that allows for print materials to be converted into audio (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 409). An example of this is found here. For students who have hearing loss, teachers can use FM amplification systems to help students hear their teacher’s voice through the use of microphones and receivers (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 409). An example of an FM amplification system can be found here. These are all resources a teacher can use for students who have physical or sensory disabilities.

            Students who are constantly failing in school academics are considered at-risk. These students are often unmotivated and have little confidence in their ability to do school tasks (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 409). For these students, assistive technology helps with work on skills that are troubling to students and on motivation. Giving students extra tools to be successful can make all the difference in these students. Allowing them to manage their own to-do list with a website like http://my.yahoo.com/ can help keep them accountable to the tasks that are expected and required from them. Teachers can use a website called Trackstar to help create engaging and motivating activities that go with the curriculum. 

For students who are gifted, sometimes the pace and level of instruction don’t seem enough. For these students, allowing different forms of learning should be encouraged. For showing what they learned, gifted students can create a project using technology. Glogster is a great tool for this. Also, finding out what gifted students are interested in gives a huge motivational boost to class work. If students are interested in space, allow them to navigate and research on NASA’s homepage. Little things like these go a long way in keeping gifted students engaged.

            Students with mild disabilities, moderate to severe disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, at risk behaviors/situations, and gifts and talents are all able to learn to their best ability with the help of assistive technology. These few technologies are only the tip of the iceberg as to what is available to students, teachers, and classrooms. Providing students with their best chance to succeed should be every teacher’s dream and with assistive technology, it becomes a little bit easier!

References: 
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating educational technology into teaching

            5th edition.  Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall. 

So much in one post!

Hey, all! This post will have a lot! I am going to be combining my Web 2.0 resources along with talking about my Google Reader experience. First things first, Web 2.0!

Web 2.0

My theme is plants. I really enjoyed doing this. My favorites were the ones from Big Huge Labs. Here are three of my projects from that:

Here is my mosaic. Now, students can compare plant parts for this and different ecosystems and habitats. Then, they can choose one habitat they want to focus on and create a mosaic with pictures of plants that live in them.

__________________________________________________

And here is a movie poster for photosynthesis. This would be great for an introduction to a unit or to send home to parents to keep them informed.

__________________________________________________

Finally from Big Huge Labs, here is a little funny motivational poster I created to encourage students to finish their homework. 

__________________________________________________

I also created a concept map for plants:

For this, students can elaborate on the points, pick subtopics to focus on, or lead a discussion. Also, we can add more bubbles as they learn more.

__________________________________________________

Here is my Glogster post: (This should be viewed in Internet Explorer. The video will not work with Google Chrome)

http://brittanycdahl.edu.glogster.com/glog/

__________________________________________________

And here is my Animoto video =)

http://animoto.com/play/0Lyd7dg6kNjTxu10BNIjOA#

 This can guide a discussion on different habitats and their effects on how trees grow.

__________________________________________________

Google Reader

The Google Reader assignment kept me quite busy. Every time I went on there, there was SO much to read! I enjoyed the experience because it provided me with a lot of resources I hadn't heard of before. Along with the blogs we subscribed to for the class, I subscribed to Teach with Picture Books and The Reading Workshop. I think literature should be incorporated into each subject and is so very important. This is why I chose these blogs. Though they did not update nearly as often as the others, their posts were thoughtful and gave me some new strategies to use in the classroom.

My favorite blog was Cool Cat Teacher Blog. Not only did she provide inspirational and educational stories, she also wrote things that didn't necessarily have to do with teaching, such as staying motivated yourself, looking on the bright side of things, etc. These are things that I like to see because it helps me keep things in perspective. As teachers, we can sometimes get defeated or over stressed and this blog provided motivation for me!

My favorite blog post was actually written quite frequently - YESTERDAY ;)! I love how much this blogger updates her blog. You should definitely check it out - she starts it out in the way I was telling you about earlier. She is talking about the classroom but also about life in general. She is super organized about her time. Apps are included in this blog but they are more for the person and not the students. It helps you plan out your day and get things done. The main point of this blog is making the most of your time. I definitely wished she posted this earlier in the semester because it has great advice that I needed to have! I am planning on continuing in following Cool Cat Teacher Blog after this semester ends.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my longest blog post ever. I hope you enjoyed my Web 2.0 resources. You should definitely check out my favorite blog link. You won't regret it! Have a great rest of your week! Thanks for reading!

Mobile apps for the classroom!

Another week is going by, my friends! This is an especially busy week since I am going to a job interview in northern Alabama Wednesday. I will be going up a day early to check out the community. Then I work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. So, needless to say, I am trying to get all assignments for this class done today! =) Onward to the mobile apps!

While reading Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day, I saw a link to a guideline of using mobile apps in a classroom. This is great information if you are unfamiliar with using technology in your classroom and want to introduce it into your curriculum. Here is the information. Also, just clicking on Larry's link in the beginning of this paragraph will give you lots of information for iPad resources. I really recommend bookmarking it for later reading.

Since I do not have my own classroom yet, I do not have a specific subject area to search apps for. However, I really enjoy language arts so I will be focusing on that today. Here are four language arts apps for the iPad:

1. iReading - This is a cheap buy on iTunes. There are many different versions of iReading and this link offers several classic fairy tales with illustrations and narration. It also can be read in Chinese. This could be used for Chinese students who are learning how to speak English.

2. The Frog Prince Storychimes - What is great about this app is that the child can chose to read by herself or have the story read to her. There are great illustrations and music for the story. The student will feel as if they are watching an interactive folk tale more than reading a book.

3. K-12 Timed Reading Practice - This apps helps students build their fluency in stories. It has informative and fictional texts which is great because students are able to get experience with both. I recommend teaching comprehension strategies to students before you set them loose on informative texts since the structure is different than most students are used to. It tracks each student's progress to help you decide what each child needs to improve on.

4. Hairy Letters - Amazing for young language learners! They are able to trace and manipulate the letters. Instead of having students trace letters in the air, let them do it on the iPad. This could work wonders in a small teacher group station. I love it.


Those are only four apps and not even the tip of the iceberg. This week has shown me just how many apps are available for teachers and students. I must say, it will be good to set a budget on how much to spend on apps. There are many which are free also. I'm excited to see what all you find!

Software, software, and MORE SOFTWARE!

Wow! This class is going by so fast. I can't believe how much I've learned in only a few short weeks. I hope everyone is having a great experience so far. Any ways, back to the software!

There are many types of software teachers can use to help with their teaching. Some are great for reinforcing knowledge while others are just great engagement activities.

I was reading Cool Cat Teacher Blog today and saw a link for some good learning tutorials. Now some of these are more for the teacher and focus on Microsoft PowerPoint (which in my opinion is kind of fading out and replaced with more interactive software) and how it can be used in different ways. There are lots of things on here that I have not seen before with Microsoft PowerPoint that can be quite interactive and engaging as a learning tutorial. You can use it to help students work a math problem step by step or look into the sequencing style of a story.

For drill and practice type software, here is a good activity for students to practice their multiplication facts. It is based as a grid and has 3 difficulty types. They get feedback if it is correct or incorrect. If students need extra help during free time, they can head on to the computer and practice. It's also great at home practice since there doesn't need to be a teacher to explain what to do.

This site gives great resources to simulations about weather and atmosphere topics. I did a few and thought they were able to be used for a number of grade levels. This could be great as a homework assignment or for enrichment time and as either a group or individual activity.

The internet is FULL of instructional game sites! My favorite is starfall. WOW! There are so many games. This is for early elementary grades who are learning their letters and are beginner readers. During play time in Kindergarten, 3 students were able to pick the computer to play games. They loved it! Plus, it was great at reinforcing their early reading skills!

SuperKids has a great number of links to problem solving software. These can be used for free time at the end of the day or during computer lab time on Fridays. Kids think they are getting to play but they are really developing problem solving skills that can give them a boost in all subjects. The links have a brief description as to what they are so you can pick the one suited for your learner and subject.

And finally, Waterford Early Learning has produced an integrated learning system for early readers. It is great for struggling students or students who just need a little extra practice. When students go to computer labs, this would be a great program for them to try as it tracks their success!

And that's all, folks! I hope this information is helpful for you!

The amazing world of apps!

     iPads are becoming more and more popular these days it seems. There are so many free apps to use! There are games to reinforce skills learned previously, behavior monitoring programs, and imaging software that allows for more ways to show understanding. My goodness! 

       I have not worked in a class that used iPads for all students. I did see how a special education classroom with severe disabilities used iPads for students to communicate or learn in ways that fit their needs. That was one revolutionary way I had never thought of using an iPad. How powerful was it for these students who couldn't speak to now be able to communicate through selecting pictures? Games were always on my mind! On that subject, there was a 5th grade classroom math teacher at the school where I was student teaching at who wrote a grant and received 2 iPads. She used these at station time. Students had a series of individual work assignments they had to complete in a week. Each day, she selected two students to use the iPad during individual work time. They played games that used multiplication, geometry, and algebra. They were excited to play! iPads help students keep engaged while practicing necessary skills.

       While on following Cool Cat Teacher Blog on Google Reader, I found a website to a remarkable app called Nearpod. Here is the link: http://www.nearpod.com/. Now, Nearpod has a teacher's version and a student's version. The teacher is control of what is seen on the students' screens. There are even assessment data aspects of this app.

The possibilities! This little app brings instruction much closer to the students - in their hands! Check out this video for this app's abilities in motion. This is a bilingual school, too. 

Check out this video. It has teacher testimonials from using Nearpod in all different kinds of grades! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IspEB1nutG0

        This app alone has almost seemingly endless uses and possibilities. iPads has thousands of apps that teachers can use to help their students. From helping students communicate through pictures, to reinforcing skills through games, to encouraging fluency through interactive books, to allowing students with visual problems to see the instruction up close; all of these are applications that can be used with iPads. The even cooler thing is, that as time goes on, more and more apps are being produced! 

Blogging with purpose!

        For years now I have followed several teacher's blogs and loved the creativity I saw in them. The amount of pins on Pinterest I have found from them is massive! Class blogging has definitely become my favorite technology.

        Check out this video about how a high school teacher who used podcasts to teach his students if they were away or sick, to reinforce student learning and understanding, and to use class time for more effective purposes. These he suggests are to be posted on YouTube but can easily be posted on the classroom blog under a sub-page. Any way, enough of my talk - check out how amazing this science class is: 

        There are so many opportunities for added communication and participation on a classroom blog. This site lists 10 reasons why having a classroom website is a great idea. It also gives information on how to create a website if you are unfamiliar with how they work. I encourage you to read it and take it to heart. 

http://www.kinderart.com/teachers/webpage.shtml

       Classroom teachers can put their weekly newsletters on the class blog instead of having to print several copies. Teachers can post pictures (only if they have parents permission) of students working and their finished projects for the whole family to see. Students can also publish writings on the blog, listen to oral readings of stories, comment on homework assignments if they have questions, and catch up on lessons they missed. The possibilities are enormous! 

        This blog I have been following talks about different applications you can use on your blog to help give it even more technology flair! It provides the links to the programs. If you are considering or have a classroom blog, then check this out! http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/04/four-good-ways-to-use-media-in-your.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+freetech4teachers%2FcGEY+%28Free+Technology+for+Teachers%29#.UWB4K5NvPEY 

Classroom blogs reinforce learning in several ways and they all differ based on what type of material can be found in them. Podcasts allow for students to pause or rewind if they come across a difficult concept. Students are able to learn on their own pace. Teachers can provide feedback on different assignments that help students understand what is expected of them. It helps students become technologically literate which Doering & Roblyer say they will need in their career or college tracks (Doering, A.H, & Roblyer M.D. 2013). Classroom blogs have a great amount of potential that only grows as the site does!

 References:

       

        Doering, A. H., & Roblyer, M. D. (2013). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (6 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.