Friday, 20 July 2012

Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Differentiated Curriculum

Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Differentiated Curriculum

Deafness and hearing impairments are defined by the Ministry of Education as follows:

*an impairment characterized by deficits in language and speech development because of a diminished or non-existent auditory response to sound.

Many students who are deaf or hard of hearing will make use of some form of amplification as recommended by an audiologist, and may require the use of specialized equipment.

Personal FM Systems:

-Personal FM systems are designated to compensate for noise, distance, and reverberation in classroom settings

-Personal FM systems have two main components: a transmitter worn by the speaker (e.g., the teacher) and a receiver worn by the student. A wireless link between the two components is essential so that the speaker's voice can always be heard by the student through his or her personal hearing aid.

-Personal FM systems and portable sound field systems can be used virtually anywhere – in the classroom, auditorium, or outdoors.

-A free-field sound system is similar to a personal FM system, except that the students are not required to wear a receiver. The teacher wears a transmitter, but the signal is sent to speakers strategically placed in the classroom.

Teachers and educational assistants working with students who require amplification devices may wish to consider the following suggestions:

-Check the amplification device daily to ensure that it works properly

-Consult resource personnel to determine the proper procedures for daily listening checks.

-Arrange for students to carry the transmitter/microphone from class to class for the use of the next teacher.

-Make use of FM systems during assemblies by guest speakers and on field trips.

The following video will help to better explain the multiple advantages of a personal FM system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l37lzLIgQU

Resources:

The Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner: Special Education Companion Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2002

Blind and Low Vision - Differential Skills Based Curriculum

Sensory Impairments

Differential Skills Based Curriculum-Primary, Junior, Secondary

Blind and Low Vision

“Blindness and low vision are defined by the Ministry of Education follows:

*a condition of partial or total impairment of sight or vision that even with affects educational performance adversely.

Orientation and Mobility

O&M is taught by an individual specifically trained to access and teach independent travel. This type of training is designed to teach students with visual impairments about using their other senses. It should be a part of the student's IEP.

Examples of what students will learn through O&M training are different. Preschoolers are taught about space at home and at school. Elementary school students may learn how to cross the street safely. Secondary students may learn to locate stores in large areas.

O&M training provides students with visual impairments with tools to make transitions from different places and settings simpler.

Depending on the degree of impairment there are many different types of alternatives for teachers and educational assistants to use.

Suggested Tools:

-Braille-writers, Braille display computer systems or portable electronic Braille note takers such as Braille Mate, Type’n’Speak, or Braille Lite 40

-Enlarge and print graphic materials.

-Magnifying devices, used to enhance the size of print on a page or blackboard.

-Audiotapes, used to provide students with an alternative learning mode when Braille is not available.

-Closed-circuit TV (CCTV), which electronically enlarges print material on a TV screen Magnification, contrast, and illumination can be adjusted as needed to view various sizes of print and handwriting.

-Screen-reader/speech-synthesis software (ASAP for DOS, JAWS for Windows), which provides auditory feedback to students with limited or no reading vision when they are using the keyboard, as well as auditory access to information displayed on the monitor when using such hardware as Doubletalk, Dectalk or Accent Speech

-Screen-enlarging software, such as Zoomtext, MAGic, and Mac inLARGE1, which display information on a computer screen in a variety of magnifications.

-Electronic reading systems, which allow printed material to be scanned and, with the use of a voice synthesizer, the scanned text to be spoken aloud.

-Braille translation and printing software, such as Duxbury or Mega Dots, which allow for the production of Braille documents from print or electronic data

-Alternative devices for note taking, such as Braille Lite Refreshable Braille display

-Tilt-top desks and book stands, which brings work closer to the eyes for optimum reading angles and lighting

-Enhanced lighting, set up on the student's desk.

Learning Disabilities: Differential Skills Based Curriculum

Learning Disabilities:

Differential Skills Based Curriculum

Differentiated Instruction: An approach requiring teachers to “begin where students are, not the front of the curriculum guide. It is a teaching strategy that accepts and builds upon the premise that learners differ in important ways”. (Carol Ann Tomlinson, 1999)

Learning Disability: A learning disorder is evident in both academic and social situations.

General teaching Strategies for some of the areas a child with a learning disabilities may struggle with!:

v Trouble Sustaining Attention: Provide “body breaks”, Try to avoid long periods of sitting. Also appoint classroom jobs to individual students. This will help students to feel needed and will help with their attention spans.

v Anxiety Management: Discuss strategies on how to manage anxiety. Provide an area for unwinding. Provide stress balls or special chairs.

v Time Management Skills: Use a visual timer, Break tasks down into different parts, Use checklists, Reduce quantity of work.

Primary Strategies:

Use visual aids such as calendars
Use cue cards with pictures
Provide hands on materials
Allow power breaks
Assign the students important jobs within the classroom: example feeding the fish in the tank, watering classroom plants, erasing white boards.

Junior Strategies:

Involve the child in setting his/her own goals
Make sure to be checking in with the student frequently
Allow opportunities for role playing on how to read and respond to appropriate body language
Encourage the student to make lists
Allow additional time to complete assignments

Secondary Strategies:

Allow additional time for work
Come up with signals regarding when the student will be called upon
Have frequent meetings to talk about progress and any concerns
Less quantity of work
Provide notebook for planning
Set goals and have rewards
Give options to choose formats for assignments

Friday, 13 July 2012

Intellectual Disabilities: Check out these resources!

Great sites to get your students learning right!

http://www.kerpoof.com (K-Gr.8)

This website provides ways for students to create stories on the computer, including

novel ways to work on brainstorming and sequencing.

http://www.edu.glogster.com/ (all ages)

‘Glog’ is an interactive visual platform in which users create a ‘poster’ or ‘web page’ containing multimedia elements including text, audio, video, images, graphics, drawings and data. It fulfils UDL principles by providing multiple means of representation, action, expression and engagement.

Learn with excitement http://www.uncw.edu/ertzbergerj/ppt_games.html (all ages)

For example: ‘Space Decoder’ game

A simple space based drill and practice game. Put in your questions, and then blast off. Contains five mini games that students progress through. Each game gets progressively harder as the student successfully completes each level (Single Student Game).

Clicker 5 by Crick software (all ages)

This program provides built in word lists, easy insertion of photos and images from the Crick library, an easy to use interface which is visually appealing and teacher led activities based around a grid system

http://www.ontariovirtualschool.ca/?gclid=CLGbmLOCkLECFQ8CQAodLjKrew (Secondary level)

Another way to earn high school credits at your own pace. There is a fee per course.


Learning and Fun...	A good combination!

http://www.dttrainer.com/ (all ages)

Evidence-based, direct instructional software program.

Intellectual Disabilities: Differentiated Skills Based Curriculum

Differentiated Instruction – embraces the fact that we all have preferred ways to absorb information, prefer different ways to show what we have learned and learn best when we are interested, motivated and challenged.

For the student with intellectual disability, differentiated instruction in the classroom would look like this:

A variety of learning materials – including hands-on models

Positive and student-centred lessons

Multiple resources

Choice in learning and assessment activities

Individual projects – to reflect interests

Variety of groupings and learning environments

Fieldtrips – to engage interest and motivate

All 3 theories or approaches represent a better way to teach all students and especially those students with exceptionalities.

Best Practice Tips – Primary, Junior and Secondary levels

Environmental

reduce visual and auditory distractions
use preferential seating, student to sit close to teacher
post reference material in class (periodic tables, multiplication sheets, etc.)

Instructional

use methods that relate to strengths and interests of the student
use differentiated instruction methods frequently
use repetition
use concrete pictures, models and hands-on materials (students with I.D. are often strong visual learners)

Learning about renewable energy with Lego

Learning Numbers with Shut the Box

Assessment

quiet work locations and additional time
oral or scribed tests
reference sheet for tests
written instructions and rubric
chunk assignments into smaller parts (task analysis)
immediate feedback for each chunk

Positive attitudes - recognition and acceptance that these are students like any other with likes and dislikes, and idiosyncratic behaviours and a capacity to learn (albeit at a slower rate). Professionals must have faith, patience, effort, flexibility, a sense of humour and enlightened instruction.

Drill and Repetition- in a motivating manner using games, puzzles or other activities

Technology - lends itself to auditory and visual learning styles and can enable non-readers and writers to express their ideas. Students are instantly rewarded, thereby increasing their motivation, and are provided with immediate feedback about correct or incorrect answers.

Speech and Language: Differentiated Skills Based Curriculum

Speech and Language – Differentiated Skills Based Curriculum

Differentiated instruction is defined as the teaching methods that focus on a variety of techniques to meet student learning needs by varying the content, process or products of learning. These teaching methods are based on the learner’s readiness and interests.

Scaffolding is a teaching style that matches the amount of necessary assistance to the learners needs, giving help but not more than is needed. Allowing children to take on more of a task as they master its different elements, will help children learn more effectively.

Creating a Language Rich Classroom Using Scaffolding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLXxcspCeK8&feature=related

Tongue Twisters and Speech

Tongue twisters are phrases or sentences which are hard to speak fast, usually because of alliteration or a sequence of words with very similar sounds. Tongue twisters help develop speech skills in young children as well as older children who need additional help with speech therapy. Selecting tongue twisters that feature phonemes that are particularly difficult for a student will provide a fun way to learn.