Lab Workout 13: Assistive Technology Integration

The Activity

For my activity for Artifact Proposal 1, I would start off giving the students worksheets, which tell the students to trace and identify certain shapes.  At the bottom of the worksheet, the students are asked to color in or point out the shape it tells them to identify.  After a quick review of shapes, I would use the Shapes and Nature website, shown on the projector to show the students how shapes can be seen in all types of nature.  Since identifying shapes in esoteric images can be a little more difficult than pointing them on a worksheet, the first time I would go though each picture and help them figure out its shapes by giving them clues.  I would then move on to the National Geographic website, asking the students to raise their hands and tell me which shapes are involved in each photograph.  After discussing and sharing both of these resources with them, I would show them the video, which incorporates nature and shapes.  Ending the lesson with this fascinating video will hopefully help the children get a final grasp on how shapes and nature go hand and hand.  To evaluate students on what they learned, I would chose random photos that we discussed during the lesson and make a slideshow out of them, numbering each slide.  Then I would give the students a quiz which has numbers and spaces for them to write in which shapes are involved in each slide that I put up on the screen.

 

The Student

Jasmine has mild dyslexia, which affects her work in all of her classes as she struggles to read and write her assignments. She often loses her place while she is reading and mixes up letters when reading and writing words. To help with her comprehension, she reads written text very slowly and sometimes several times over. Jasmine has already been held back for two years and could really benefit from positive reinforcement and possible assistive technologies.

How to incorporate Assistant Technology

In order to help Jasmine refresh her memory on shapes, I would have her start off by using the computer available in the classroom. I would open the worksheet that the rest of the students are working on using Kurzweil 3000. This way, Jasmine would be able to have the shapes read to her if they were unable to read them on her own. I would have her plug in some headphones and practice listening to how each word is spelled and how it is defined. By being able to have the words read to her aloud and spelled out, she will familiarize herself with each shape and how it sounds out loud.

I would then open up Widget symbols for Jasmine to be able to use. I would have her practice typing the shapes into the program, and then put her mouse over the word so she would be able to see the picture of the shape that goes along with the word. By being able to match the word to the shape, she will be able to take the shape quiz along with the rest of the class. She would be able to watch the PowerPoint presentation that I show the entire class.

After showing the students the Shapes in Nature PowerPoint I created, Jasmine would need some assistance with her quiz. Jasmine would benefit from programs like Widget Symbols and Kurzeil 3000; this way she will be able to look up the words and their spellings.

 

 

 

Templates for Students to Use

In exploring the Microsoft website, I found several templates that my future students can use to aid them in productivity.

1.) Multiplication Flash Cards
This template is full of blank multiplication flash cards that I could easily print off and cut out and use them with my students. The multiplication starts with 1 x 1 and goes all the way up to 12 x 12.
For this template, I would print all of the flash cards out that apply to the level of math my class is studying. I would print them out on brightly colored paper so they tend to stand out and then after I printed them I would cut them out. Next, I would sit in a chair and have all of the students gather around on the floor and I would flip through them and I would have the students practice shout out the answer to the problem on the card.

2.) Handwriting Practice Paper
This template is very useful when a student needs to practice their handwriting. It contains solid and dotted lines so the students are able to practice the size and the technique of their letters.
For this template, I would handout 4 of these handwriting practice papers to each student. Next, I would have them practice writing all of the capital letters of the alphabet in cursive on two of the sheets of paper and I would have them write all of the lowercase letters in cursive on the other two sheets.

3.) Multiplication Table
This template is very effective in teaching students their multiplication facts. It is a a plain multiplication table that teaches kids how to multiply all the way up to 10 x 10.
At the beginning of the year, I would print out however many students were in my class that year and I would cut them out and tape a multiplication table on each of the students desks. When they first start learning multiplication, they will be able to look at their little chart and find the product, which will eventually help them learn their multiplication facts.

Critique of Kelly Jacobs' Blog

Kelly found a resource that gave her ideas on how to teach first graders how to count whole numbers up to 100.  The purpose of the activity was for students to look for patterns while counting, reading, and writing whole numbers to 100.  The lesson required students to add blocks and keep track of their place value, regrouping when necessary.  Kelly made note of a website, illuminations.nctm.org that virtually allowed students to add the blocks on the computer.  The technology incorporated into this lesson helped make it more efficient, effective, and enhanced.  Kelly argued that by doing this activity online, the teacher was saved from a mess, while the students remained more focused with technology being incorporated.

Critique of Kelly's blog: I really liked her idea and concepts illustrated on how she was going to teach first graders to grasp the concept of counting whole numbers to 100.  The website she listed, illuminations.nctm.org seemed to have a lot of neat, helpful activities; however, I was not able to find the activity she planned on using for this lesson.  I think it could have been more useful if she would have provided to actual link to the activity.  I still think this is a great idea in order to teach young children how to count and the concepts of regrouping.  I think this activity would work best if the teacher demonstrated it first, then decided to let the kids play around with it by themselves, allowing them to be familiar with the program before they are face with it alone.

Standards Workout for Lab 3

For this workout, I went to the Indiana State Standards Website. The subject area I explored was English/Language Arts for the 2nd Grade. I examined the standard indicator 2.5.3., which is "Write a friendly letter complete with the date, salutation (greeting, such as Dear Mr. Smith), body, closing, and signature."

The resource I decided to use was from the standards website, which explored the format used in writing a letter. The purpose of this activity was for students to "write a friendly letter complete with the date, salutation (greeting), body, closing, and signature."

The lesson requires the teacher to discuss with the class how special pets can be to people and then have each student pick a particular pet to talk about. The pet can be either theirs, a relative's, or a neighbor's. The students then are asked to describe what the pet looks like and why this pet is so special to them. They are then told that they are going to learn how to write a letter to a friend. This letter will be called, "Can you find my pet?" and will consist of the several characteristics that the student recalls about their pet and what their pet means to them. One way to incorporate technology into this activity is allowing the students to go to the computer lab and type up their letters, focusing on the correct format used for friendly letters. Also, maybe have the students find a picture of a pet that looks like theirs using google images. Then, have the students print out their letters so they are able to see how the format is neat and precise.

Technology was integrated into this lesson to make it more efficient, effective and enhanced. By encouraging students to type their letter, not only were they learning the format of a friendly letter, but they were also becoming more familiar and efficient typing on a keyboard. The activity is effective because it allows students to get a better view of a letter printed out, making them feel special and professional. The lesson is enhanced due to the pictures of their pet they included either attached to their letters, or directly on the front.