Assistive Technology Blog: What's on my iPad? Assistive Apps I Use as a Dyslexic Student

Assistive Technology Blog: What's on my iPad? Assistive Apps I Use as a Dyslexic Student

Getting Rewards for Reading

The Sopris West reading program Rewards is an excellent way to teach decoding skills to older students who are not seriously disabled- possibly victims of whole language instruction. It works for students who need to learn to break down multisyllable words.

Check out the program:

http://www.voyagersopris.com/curriculum/subject/literacy/rewards

Learn the OVERT strategy for break words down with practice it begins a COVERT strategy that students can use when reading independently. 

Benefit of Audio Books

This year we will be working in a double block humanities class for struggling 5th graders. My co-teacher and I are excited about setting up centers for our students. One important center will be our listening center. This poster sums up all the reasons we want to include this in our class.

Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion

Every student needs to have teachers believe in them. I shudder when I hear teachers talk about their students in a negative way. Yes, we will all have students who challenge us, but we need to use them as learning experiences.

Teach Like a Champion: Getting everyone's attention in class

Have the battle keeping focused. I love Doug Lemov. He has written on improving instructional quality. I use his recommendations daily, and his book Teach Like a Champion comes with videos like the following. SO helpful.

Why reading matters....

I have a the pleasure and challenge of working with middle schoolers who struggle learning to read. For different reasons they are far below their classmates in this area and often have serious self-esteem issues and are beginning to doubt the necessity of reading. Part of my job is building up student moral and teaching them why learning to read is critical to their success. Here are some resources I turn to when tackling these issues

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1718254



.

www.theliteracynest.com

I love this website. The resources and websites never fail to inspire me. Also check out her facebook page.

SRSD

The 5th grade will be using Self-regulated Strategy Development to teach writing this fall. 4 teachers were trained by SRSD trainer Leslie Laud last fall. Leslie came again this spring for a follow-up and will be returning next year. This pilot program will be used in grades 5 and 6 with the hope that grades 7 and 8 will consider it for the following year.

Check out this website with information about the program and resources and videos.

http://www.thinksrsd.com/

So far my students have exceeded my expectations using these structured methods.

Summer Reading

Here is a quick survey to help plan our summer reading program:

http://goo.gl/forms/DXkjvFEOgh

Author highlight: Kate DiCamillo

Books will weave themselves through our days. One author in particular pops up frequently: Kate DiCamillo. We will read The Tiger Rising and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Students chose recommended books for independent reading and many of DiCamillo's novels are on the list. 

Please take a look at her website.

http://www.katedicamillo.com/

"Stories connect us"

Louisa Moats clip

Dr. Lousia Moats speaks to the issues plaguing our schools and how we are failing our students when it comes to reading instruction.

My First Blog:

This is a new experience for me! Here I am sitting in Williamstown learning how to blog. As I logged on I discovered that my 12 year-old daughter had beat me to it. Charlotte's Life already existed in cyberspace.

I am sharing information about kinesthetic learning. I knit while I think to help me focus. Here is an article on the subject, and a picture of one of the blankets knit while learning at The Reading Institute.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/kinesthetic-learning-new-model-education-kirin-sinha

Classroom knitting project:

Here is a blanket that I finished during our last class.