Embracing Introversion (and shy/quiet learners)

This article really caught my eye (after it caught Paula Kluth's eye-see end note). 
While I was reading it and came across this line:

...while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating...

 Though the article is about Introverts and has statements like:
Introverts need space,...Introverts need time...Asynchronous learning environments..
 
my mind right away went to people on the Autism Spectrum.  

Please do check out this article as a different way to think about learning opportunities and environments for students that do need space, time, etc.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introverted-students-in-classroom-tony-baldasaro



and as always: a big shout-out to Paula Kluth's Differentiation Daily Blog, found at:

http://differentiationdaily.com/

Reading Comprehension and Autism

Awesome thoughts and strategies that may help some students gain new skills and improve their ability to communicate about written material, "show what they know" brought to us by the awesome Paula Kluth

http://www.homeschoolconvention.com/blog/he-doesnt-understand-comprehension-support-for-children-with-autism/

Story Map Anchor Chart

Yet another winning idea from Paula Kluth's Differentiation Daily and Funky in First blog:

Story map anchor chart: a visual strategy to help students organize and expand upon concepts from literature.

http://differentiationdaily.com/2012/02/23/story-map-anchor-chart/

"Inside voice, Outside Voice"...

Big thanks as always to Paula Kluth's awesome blog: Differentiation Daily; chock full of ideas, strategies, materials and more for inclusion of the wide variety of learners we know!

I posted the link to this idea (and thanks to Mrs. Johnson's post with the idea and image) for a visual to pair with what is oh so often heard in the halls of our schools; whether its "Use an indoor voice" or "You can use a 1 voice when writing..."

Enjoy.

http://differentiationdaily.com/2012/02/24/fun-friday-outside-voice-or-inside-voice/

Blog Love: November

I can hardly believe that December is almost here! Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday. I am especially thankful for lots of great ideas being available to us all out on the grand Internet. Here are my favorites from the past month.

The Assistive Technology Blog

• Have any students that are interested in space travel or being an astronaut? This post highlighted a new resource from NASA for teaching all learners about space science.

• This feature shares one of the best sites out there for anyone interested in AAC (alternative and augmentative communication), AAC Intervention. This was a nice reminder to put Caroline Musselwhite's blog, AAC Girls, on my must-read list!
  

Differentiation Daily

• Using comics in the classroom: So many of our learners, not even just those on the spectrum, benefit from visual supports - and I have tons of students who love, love, love comics. Try clicking through to the Graphic Classroom for more general ideas and the one that Paula liked the best, their use in informal assessments.

• Differentiating graphic organizers: Ms. Montalbano at Charmed in Third Grade posted AMAZING graphic organizers for persuasive essays. I am printing these off to use with my older students. Really useful tool!

• Apps in the upper grades: Struggling to figure out the best apps for your secondary level students? Bookmark the OTs with Apps site for great ideas, especially in this area. I printed off this list that they link to for the 100 iPad apps to try with middle schoolers.

• Different days, different trays: Having just painted a section of our basement in chalkboard paint, I can attest to how fantastic it is! These trays from blogger, Miss Kindergarten, would be great for our learners who benefit from structured work systems and have the potential to be incredibly versatile. This is one I might use at home and at school - a definite dollar store delight!

• Apps for learners with autism: This post highlights the 60 Minutes piece that focused on this topic, however I think this blog is worthy of a read on a regular basis.
  

• After looking around, I am adding Free Technology for Teachers to my blog roll.

• Drama, "speed dating books", and 16 more ideas for reaching them all: Great ideas for engaging students around the subjects of science and social studies. This is also a new blog that I am now following after reading Paula's feature.

First Grader ... at Last!

• This teacher always has super fun and crafty ideas for units and how to engage her first graders. In this post, I really loved her use of visuals for the Daily Five. Kids love being the visual models for these kinds of charts!
  

Teaching Learners with Multiple Disabilities

• Who doesn't have a tupperware container or Ziploc bag full of rogue picture symbols? If you're afraid to give up the beautifully laminated and velcroed items you made centuries ago, consider these ideas for putting them back to good use! My favorite was the MadLibs creation idea!

• Mock Facebook! Need I say more?!? This is my favorite idea in A LONG TIME! This is so age appropriate, motivating, and engaging for our older students. Especially for those places where you are blocked from using Facebook or similar sites at school, this is a great way to create a parallel learning experience. Can't wait to use it with a student/team!
  

Blog Love: October

Here's another round of blog posts I loved this month! Hope you enjoy these ideas!

Differentiation Daily (Paula Kluth)

• A new website devoted to visual recipes: Recipics! I appreciate that this site has more complex recipes versus the perennial favorites - Gorp, Chex Mix, and Mud Pies. Something that would be great for those cooking groups that we might have in our schools, some differentiated instruction for FCE classes, and/or some daily living skills instruction that might need to take place.

• Fun idea for getting all learners involved with vocabulary learning - whether it be synonyms, antonyms, idioms, figurative language ....
  

• A visual rubric for the entire classroom! Love it.

• Notebooking for social studies - can be used by the student as a learning support AND by the team as a running record of the student's progress and work.

• Multiplication punch card: as a person who may hoard cute paper items, I had to say "aww" about this. It also might be a good motivator for some of our students!

• Blackout poetry: great idea for literacy instruction. I am excited to try this with many of my more poetic-leaning students and teams.

• Reader of the Week: what a memorable experience for students! I can only imagine how special they must feel! And how yummy is it that it's around literacy experiences?

• Entrance slip math problems: what a great informal assessment for all learners in a classroom!

• The Educator's PLN - cool website where educators give tips to one another, including tips for DI.

• Online teleprompter at CuePrompter.com: great visual support for learners who benefit from them for presentations and beyond!

• Have any Legos or Duplos hanging around your house or classroom? Here's a fun repurposing of them with literacy in mind! Great idea for those who find writing to be burdensome (or those who have a passion for everything Legos!).

Assistive Technology Blog (Virginia Department of Education)

• Free printable art booklet from Crayola: "Creative Art Experiences for Children with Special Needs". Cool new resource to check out for art ideas for those who may need a little tweaking or even for those who need a replacement activity.

• Coordinate grid stamper: how did I not think of this? I just bought a name stamp for a student the other day! What a time saver.

• You know I love an opportunity to use a highlighter. Try it in math!

• Coinulator. Wow!

• If you're trying desperately to keep up with all the new AAC (alternative and augmentative communication) apps that are available for Apple products, use this site to lessen the weight of your load!

LetterSoup

• Stickman stories: a cool potential twist on social narratives or even a way to engage kids in literacy instruction/activities.

Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs

• The ultimate list of communication symbol sets, sites, and so on! Bookmark this one.

• Getting tired of velcro and manipulatives as pencil and paper alternatives? Magnetic math tiles: 'nuff said.

• Masking devices: I've been using this one at a bunch of my schools this year. A great support solution for focusing attention.

• I have used an adaptation toolbox for many years, thanks to the teachings of one of my graduate school professors. Here is a helpful listing of items you might want to include. I am definitely planning some of these to my kit!

• Need ideas for adaptations to science experiments and curricula? Follow these two sites for ideas that people across the country are sharing!

Blog Love: Differentiation Daily

Blogs are such a great way to share ideas and see what other educators are using successfully in their classrooms. I was beyond excited when Paula Kluth started her own blog, Differentiation Daily, last year. It is fantastic and has amazing tips from around the web for all disciplines! I especially appreciate her theme days, Todd's Tech Tuesdays (courtesy of her engineer husband) and Fun Fridays.

Here are my recent favorites:

• Classroom community builder links (at multiple levels)
• Fun visual AND a fantastic natural support for the classroom
• Possible lesson for kids about differentiation
• Multiple choice fans
  

I know you'll love Paula's blog and website, so while you're at it ... check out her Facebook page (she has a personal Facebook account and one for her book, From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks). Paula is the quintessential resource!