Thursday, November 6, 2008
Programs for elementary students
I really was involved in our last class since the programs discussed and worked with were ones that I am becoming quite familiar. The children in my grade one classroon really enjoy Simon Sounds It Out and Earobics. Even during free time at the end of the day, they want these programs on the computer to play with. I am fortunate to have a full time PSA in my classroom to work on the computer with my child with Autism and CP. Otherwise I would not have had the success with these programs and the children would not be learning at their individual levels. I look forward to learn more programs that I can use in my class to help these children cope with the curriculum.
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5 comments:
Kathy, you're lucky that the kids enjoy the programs and like to use them in their free time! It's also very fortunate that you have a PSA who is able to work with them as needed. Your post relates a lot to something that's been on my mind since last night. I was wondering if there is any opportunity to have PSA's trained in the AT that is recommended to our students. The PSA that works in my room is very receptive to technology, but has not had a lot of experience with it. I find that half the battle in incorporating AT into the classroom is training the teacher (me in this case), the PSA and students so that the AT can be incorporated and used the way it is intended. I'd love to have time to sit down with my students using AT and their shared PSA, to give them all the training they need, interruption free. However, finding this time is difficult. I'm working on it!
Beth you are correct - everyone needs to be trained. We regularly offer trainings in the ATC and beyond, in schools. We bring teams in as often as possible to ensure effective implementation. We have also ran PSA AT courses in the past. Having everyone trained is important. If the teachers isn't aware of the program he/she won't be able to provide direction to the PSA. Team training works the best...and is so collaborative.
Hi Kathy
Having supports put in place so that you are able to work so dilegently and closely with students can be very tricky not to mention overwhelming when you do not have such supports. Support from your PSA's is vital to the programming that you do for your students because no matter what you do or put in place if the PSA's do not support you you are limited as to what you can do and how much you can work with them. My own PSA's and I work well together they are very supportive with respect to what I have asked of them this year in placing supports in for our students.
You are lucky to have extra support for the students. In the Learning Center at the end of the day I have some time to introduce some of the programs we are talking about in class. Simon Sounds it Out and Wordmaker are popular!!! They really enjoy it!!!!
Hi Kathy: It was interesting reading your comments this week. I am at the high school level and hadn't heard of these programs and was interested in reading that your students want to use them in their free time. What would we do if we didn't have PSAs. I couldn't implement some of the programs I have for my special needs students if it wasn't for the PSA assisting that individual student in a class of 20.
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