Keeble Accessible iPad Keyboard

Keeble Accessible iPad Keyboard

This keyboard works across all iPad apps.   

Here are just a few of the features:

• Word prediction

• Customized layout

• 3 color themes 

• Hold on Duration

• Switch on Release

. http://www.assistiveware.com/product/keeble

 

Writing Feedback Quote

Writing Feedback Quote

This quote is a 'takeoff' on the quote by Jo Phenix, "If you can read everything they write . . . they aren't writing enough." (1999). 

Many of the students I work with are using alternative pencils designed by Dr. Gretchen Hanser (download a flyer for the CD below):
Writing With Alternative Pencils Order Form

It is crucial to provide informative feedback to the letters that they scribble in response to prompts such as pictures. 

For more information on giving informative feedback, see the handout on iPad Video Feedback by Dr. Caroline Musselwhite and Erin Sheldon:
Video Feedback Handout

Jo Phenix Quote, 1999

Jo Phenix Quote, 1999

I remember the first time I read this quote, from her 1999 book,  Teaching Writing.  I literally gasped out loud, because the students I worked were doing 'real' writing (using the alphabet) rarely if ever.  Pati King-DeBaun had completed our book, Emergent Literacy Success, and were really pushing writing.  But this quote threw down the gauntlet, showing me that we were simply not writing enough. 

For our emergent writers who are scribbling with the alphabet, and getting informative feedback either live or through a video that they can watch over and over . . . here's how I would re-write this quote.  If you can give informative feedback to everything they're writing . . . they're not writing enough.

Hey, I think I feel a new Visual Quote coming on!!

Beware Quote

Beware Quote

This quote reminds ALL that – as facilitators – if we want to give a verbal prompt to a student who uses AAC, we MUST whisper the prompt.  Otherwise, the potential communication partner hears the prompt and there is no need to share the message.  Why?  Because we have just stolen their turn!

Drill & Kill Quote

Drill & Kill Quote

3-Word Bio Poems

3-Word Bio Poems

Bio Poems:  We had been describing characters, and were trying to come up with concise summaries for students who use AAC, and decided to write our own personal summaries.  Three word bio poems include:

• Adjective

• Adjective

• Noun that describes your essence (might be made from verb + er, such as hiker, reader, etc.)

Creating Poems: Students use various resources to create or co-create their poems.  For example, one student used her AAC device to choose words, while another first chose letters then had a partner suggest possible words. 

Samples from our Literacy Group include: 

-       sporty stylish martial-artist

-       sparkly bright-eyes friend

-       silly red-headed knitter

-       sweet brown-eyed gazer-reader

-       nice blond-hair dreamer

Using Poems for a Guessing Game:

1)   Put each poem into a hat

2)   Read off the first mystery poem, one word at a time.  Students guess who it could be.  For example, after ‘nice’ the group decided that that could be any of the students

3)   Read the second word of the mystery poem, and have students guess who it still could be.  For example, nice blond-hair might only apply to two people in the group

4)   Now read the 3^rd word and guess who it is

5)   The poem author then claims authorship

Publishing Bio Poems

Many fun apps can be used to publish these bio poems.  See sample apps at the following location:

http://spedapps2.wikispaces.com/Publishing+Writing 

Since they are so short, the TypeDrawing app is especially great for publishing 3-Word Bio Poems!

Don't Limit Me Quote

Don't Limit Me Quote
by Bethan McCutcheon

Beware of the Flyswatter!

Beware of the Flyswatter

Students with significant disabilities often get handed single-message devices or switches with inauthentic messages.  Students MUST be allowed to make a real choice before making it their voice!  See the related Tip of the Month, below:

Make a Real Choice

Shel Silverstein Videos

Shel Silverstein Poem Videos

Check out these well-done versions of eight Shel Silverstein Poems!

Shel Silverstein Videos

Jack Prelutsky Poem Videos

Jack Prelutsky Poem Videos

Follow this link to get to 200 videos of Jack Prelutsky poems!

Jack Prelutsky Poem videos

Note - as always, preview videos before showing them to students!!!

Musselwhite's 30 Second Rule

Musselwhite's 30 Second Rule Quote

'Nuf said!!

Good Literacy Instruction - Martine Smith Quote

Good Literacy Instruction:  Martine Smith Quote

This wonderful quote by Martine Smith is from:

Literacy in Ireland. The ASHA Leader, 12(10), 14-15. 

Also see the Tip of the Month by Dr. Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite

 The Three T's of Writing Tip

 

Shop Quote by Kelly Fonner

Shop on Your Own Computer (or Tablet) First

by Kelly Fonner

This quote reflects tow Big Ideas:

1) Saving money:  Assistive technology is often delayed or not used due to funding issues.  Kelly's quote reminds us that often we HAVE the tools we need on our computer, iPad etc.  Here are a few examples:

a) MS Word can be used to speak text, create multiple choice boxes, offer fill-in-the blanks, etc.

b) Many school districts do large buys of software such as Inspiration or Classroom Suite - teachers may only need to ask to have this software 'appear' on their classroom computers

c) Apps such as Keynote may come free with the iPad, and  PicCollage is a free app widely used by many school districts.

2) Comfort Zone:  Most people have 'fallback' software or apps that they are comfortable using.  Samples include MS Word, Keynote, Sticky and PicCollage.  If we show parents, educators, and therapists creative ways to use these tools to provide access or scaffolding for students with disabilities, they are far more likely to follow through.

So, please think about

using already existing software and apps, to save time and money!

Motivate, Model, Move Quote

Another great quote from Kate Ahern!

Be A Detective, Not a Director

Be A Detective, Not a Director

Students with significant disabilities often have trouble responding 'on demand'.  This can happen for several reasons:

1) Students have neurological problems such as apraxia or dyspraxia that make responding on command (signing, speaking, indicating a symbol on an AAC device or app) difficult if not impossible

2) Students respond better to authentic prompts and naturalistic situations - we can be 'detectives' and look for these meaningful interactions

3) Students have tired of 'dancing for Grandma'.  A student who has shown that they understand 'point to _______' requests multiple times may be unwilling rather than unable to respond to the request.

Use this graphic to remind your team to be a detective, not a director!!

Make A Choice Quote

Make a Real Choice Quote

Download Tip of the Month below:

Make A Read Choice Tip

Heckerty Cooks - Character Description Activity

Heckerty Cooks - Fun iPad AND Android App!

Dlownload app here:
Heckerty Cook

This interactive story is fun for multiple purposes:
1) Encouraging Requesting - BEST app ever for this purpose
- Many pictures have multiple actions.  For example, on the last page, patting the cat's full tummy, results in:
- burping
- meowing and stretching
- farting!

2) Playing Guess Who Characters
a)  First, do a picture walk
b) Next, have each student choose a character from the pictures
-   Note, I put the 5 main characters on notes in Sticky app (see below)
c) Read the story, with each student listening for information about their character
d) Have each student write 3 clues about their character, with the first clue more subtle, and the last clue more obvious
e) Remaining students make guesses after each clue
-  Note, I made text notes for each set of clues, again using Sticky  

 

Sticky App

iWrite: Conventional Writing Workshop

iWrite:  Can iDevices Support Conventional Writers with Disabilities?  APPSolutely!

Austin, TX, Region 13 Education Service Center
Thursday, November 13, 2014

Link to Registration Below:
iWrite Conventional Writing Workshop

iWrite Emergent Writing Workshop - Austin, TX

iWrite:  Can iDevices Support Emergent Literacy for Students with Significant Disabilities?  APPSolutely!

Workshop for Region 13, Austin, TX

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Link to workshop description and registration below:

iWrite Emergent Writing Workshop

Balanced Literacy Club Workshop - Lethbridge, Alberta

The Balanced Literacy Club for Students with Disabilities - Apps Included

Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
November 3, 2014

Click below for more info and registration:
Balanced Lit Club Workshop info

AAC in the Desert Conference!

AAC In the Desert:  February 17-19, 2015

3-Day Conference in Phoenix, AZ

Speakers include:
Dr. Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite
Dr. Gretchen Hanser
Erin Sheldon, MA

For more information, follow this link:

AAC In the Desert Information

 

Communication Circles PLUS CTG handout

Scaffolding Conversations Through Communication Circles & Social Scripts:  Apps Included!

Download Handout Below:

Communication Circles Handout

PHONICS PHUN HANDOUT 2014

Phonics Phun – Without the Drill!  (Apps Included)

Download Handout Here:

Phonics Phun CTG Handout

Interactive Alphabet USE CTG 14

Interactive Alphabet USE:  It's Way More Than Just Letter Identification!

Download Handout here:

Interactive Alphabet USE Handout

Sign In, Sign Up, Sign Off Handout

CTG 14 Handout:  Sign In, Sign Up, Sign Off - Authentic Name Writing PLUS!

Download Handout Here:

Sign In, Sign Up, Sign Off Handout

CTG GETTING STARTED WITH WRITING HANDOUT

Preconference Handout:  Getting Started with Writing for Students with Significant Disabilities:  Mission IS Possible

Download link here:
Getting Started with Writing Handout

Digital Texts CTG Handout

Digital Texts Handout - October, 2014


Download handout here:
Digital Texts Handout

Video Feedback Handout

Video Feedback:  Closing the Gap, 2014

Download handout here:
Video Feedback handout

The Writing Pyramid Handout: Closing the Gap 2014

CTG Handout - The Writing Pyramid
Dr. Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite, October, 2014

Download handout:
The Writing Pyramid CTG 14

The Names Book: – 10 Years Old and Still a GREAT Resource!!

The Names Book:  Using Names to Teach Reading, Writing, and Math in the Primary Grades, by Dorothy Hall & Patricia Cunningham (2004)

Names are powerful for all of us.  I am always thrilled to see how many students who are considered to have significant intellectual impairment are able to recognize the names of so many of their classmates.  This is likely due to two factors:

1)   Names are important to all of us

2)   We actually teach names, even if incidentally, using name cards during Circle Time/ Morning Meeting, for schedules, etc.

If students are able to learn to recognize their names as sight words, how much more could we do using their names for instruction?  Hall and Cunningham have done this, using names to support emergent and early conventional writing (e.g., Predictable Chart Writing), phonemic awareness and phonics, and math skills.  This book is clearly written and presents ideas in a way that will support teachers, aides, therapists, and parents.  Enjoy!