Link to Growth Plan

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13f3V0oU4PysA_1KGU0e5xyJScnksN5jnjwRhtuArO1A/edit?usp=sharing

Prezi Link -Reflecting on Technology

http://prezi.com/n5verqdv67v3/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Parent Communication

Home & School Communication Tool -Seesaw

Two apps from Seesaw Learning Inc. Right side-Educator App, Left side-Parent Download

Students use IPADS to scan this QR code to begin their portfolio in SeeSaw

Some typical items we might add to Seesaw from reading tutorial to share with parents 

Nonsense word hunt and build 

Fluency game-spin the dreidel and add the punctuation, read expressively!

Syllabication strategy /counting syllables 

Classroom Management for Small Group and Individual Instruction

When you work 1:1 or 1:2 or 3 with students all day, classroom management looks very different than when you are in a classroom with 20 or more students. I rarely have to deal with circumstances being too loud, or any real behavior issues, because I am working side by side with each student in close proximity and engagement. What I tend to use most to manage transitions between student tutorials and groups is a visual executive function strategy called Get Ready, Do, Done, (demonstrated above in Youtube video) which outlines our tasks/goals for the lesson and circles back to see if we have met our goals. Within this strategy I use a visual time timer, so that students can see how much time we have remaining to complete their tasks or objectives.

I also use various apps that I have discovered in class, so that I can break up groupings. If I want to work 1:1, for example with a student, listening to him read, taking a running record, or checking in on comprehension, yet have a group of 2 or 3 students in my room, I often have the other students log on to Google Classroom, access Quizlet to work on vocabulary, or go onto Vocabulary Spelling City to access their account and work on spelling or vocabulary assignments. When behavior expectations have been met for several days in a row, I will create a Kahoot (game show format-dashboard pictured below) and we will challenge each other in teams, to answer questions about our current reading book, or even Wilson reading skills. The students can share the results with me and they can be uploaded to my drive for me to look at and assess later.

Kahoot Results can be uploaded into my drive 

Troubleshooting Common Problems on Promethean and Smart Boards

Promethean Boards:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6s6m1H65Wncdm85RFpQUWVaY2s/view?usp=sharing


Smart Boards:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6s6m1H65WncazItSHAtdzRZdUU/view?usp=sharing

Troubleshooting the calendar feature on Google Classroom

For troubleshooting needs I often start with Google Help Forum. I wanted to know how to input more than just assignment due dates in my Google Classroom calendar. I wanted to be able to add school meetings, field trips etc. Also, how to share the calendar with other teachers. I find the Google Help Forum to be a great place to start.

https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/7184151?hl=en&ref_topic=6163300

Google Classroom Home Page

This is a screen shot of the home screen for the Google Classroom I created. I only work with a few students a day, but I am excited that we are all quickly connected through this platform. I have linked and added the Quizlets that we create and use in class, so they can be revisited for practice. The students no longer have to log into Quizlet, they can go right to Google Classroom and get right on!
I also have begun to add a few assignments through Formative and these are available here as well.
Link to Google Classroom:
https://classroom.google.com/c/ODExNjI0OTI4

New to Google Clasroom? Set up Support Link

https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6020279?hl=en

Formative-A new way to track and assess student learning

Check out this youtube video on how to get started!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFiQhikysqw

I have just begun to experiment with Formative and have posted a few assignments to try this out. What excites me about the potential of formative is the opportunity to see the students working "live". As a teacher, this allows you to see what is going well (mastery of a taught skill) and also to see where skills are breaking down and need to be retaught. Formative offers great potential for both pre and post assessing students within a unit. A quick skills check in the form of a drawn and labeled math problem at the start of a unit, shows the teacher where to concentrate energy, correct misconceptions and even differentiate instruction groups based on errors or understanding of the concept.

Here's a peek at one ELA assignment I made for a student to answer:

Student Response to Question 4: (Screen Shot from Formative)

Google Maps and Virtual Field Trips with Skype in the Classroom

I was really excited to find out about Skype virtual field trips to the National Parks as I thought about how to connect my students to the greater world and to concepts they are learning. 

We recently learned about Wolverines and how scientists study and track them to learn more about these elusive animals with GPS tracking. We used Google maps and satellites to look at the mountainous terrain where the wolverines live in Wyoming and Colorado. They loved seeing the mountains up close and could understand why it was hard for the scientists to find the wolverines in that vast and harsh environment. (vocab words :)) 

https://goo.gl/maps/LmixWkQKD3q

Skype in the classroom getting started    (link to Microsoft in Education-Skype)

PebbleGo- A Student Research Tool

Student Research on PebbleGo

The Dashboard Is Neatly Organized and Child Friendly

Once logged in, the student has a good array of options to listen to, in this case, they can search famous people by topic, athlete, explorer, etc....

There are also games to challenge children and reinforce learning. This is a match game where a picture of a famous person would appear and the occupation would appear on the other side of the flip cards, when they are a match, the student clicks "match" in the center.

One feature I liked was the highlighted reading (Short sample below). As a reading specialist, I like to have the children track along with their eyes as the text is being read. This is a nice multi-sensory feature that supports emerging and struggling readers .

Audio Highlight Reading

Custom Search Engine-Endangered Animals Research

The custom search is designed to search specific sites that you have linked, to guide students right to reputable sources. This is safer and more efficient for young children who have not been taught about domains and valid sources.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends......see you on Monday!

https://goo.gl/images/zT4mSS

Applying Boardmaker Pictures to Graphic Organizer Summarizer to Support Learning

Pictures created in Boardmaker program for use with summarizer graphic organizer

A printed, laminated copy of two the boards I created, before it is cut and used with the summarizer sheet

Cut pieces ready for manipulation when using small writing summarizer or large class poster organizer (below)

Basic directions for using and troubleshooting Boardmaker

Getting Started Using Boardmaker  

http://www.mayer-johnson.com/category/education/boardmaker-family-software?product_type=142

When the program first opens, after the logo, this is the first choice screen you will be directed to

From this menu you can choose to open a new page (left) open a saved board or add on (center) or open a template (right) 

When you open the new page, it functions much like graph paper. You click on the tool bar picture button and then drag to the measurement you want. I chose a 3x3 inch square. You can quickly form a page of 6 or 9 boxes by clicking the "spray" button from the tool bar. 

Now search for pictures by clicking on the tool bar "boardmaker person icon". A side box will pop up with a search bar to put words into, scroll through picture options, add your own words, and save or print! (Trouble shooting search: use very general words in the search bar, or it will turn up nothing: for example: use "who" to find characters, and "place" to find settings)

Once you are happy with your board, you can save it to return to later if you need to modify.

Voicethread showing the basics of Read & Write Extension for Google Chrome

https://voicethread.com/share/8452833/

Troubleshooting Microphone for Google Chrome-Read&Write

For Read & Write access problems you may have to "grant permission", for speech access:
Open the link below and follow directions. Text Help was a good resource for information and is linked below:

https://support.texthelp.com/index.php?action=artikel&cat=5&id=100&artlang=en

For a Mac, when speech to text microphone is not recording:
Go to System Preferences
Under Hardware, locate Sound (speaker icon) and click on it

You will then see this screen (below)

Highlight Input button to access your computers built in

microphone, 

Adjust input level to desired volume under settings for input 

volume

How to set up Read & Write Extension with Google Chrome

https://rwchrome.texthelp.com/drive/Support/Start

The process of making RSS feeds useful for you-graphic from Feedly tutorial

Apps discoverd in feedly at http://bdmtech.blogspot.com/2014/08/back-to-school-guide-for-dyslexic.html

Back to school technology apps to benefit students with language based LD

Another great app from Adaptive Technology Blog

Inspiration Maps Updated with iPhone Support and More

The mind mapping and outlining app Inspiration Maps, which was previously only available on the iPad, is now available on the iPhone as well. The app is a valuable tool to help students organize their ideas and start the writing process. Users can drag text boxes around the screen to easily produce webs of ideas. Inspiration Maps is particularly helpful when writing about complex topics that require a well planned and organized essay. Inspiration Maps can be also be helpful when beginning an essay to visualize the structure that the written piece will take.

With the larger screen iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus in makes sense to bring the app to the iPhone. If you are concerned about not having enough room to effectively use the app on your iPhone, a free version is available here.

The update also makes in easier to select multiple text boxes or images at the same time. Now users can press and hold on the screen in order to lasso a group of images.

The updated app is available for $10 is the App Store. Click here to download the app. Click read more below to view more screenshots of Inspiration Maps for iPhone.

Following on Feedly...

When following an assistive technology blog by Brian Meersma, I found this interesting new add on for OneNote:

Link to my voicethread video of student tutorials

https://voicethread.com/share/8397168/

Mrs.Lestage's Reading Blog: Popplet Brainstorming App

Mrs.Lestage's Reading Blog: Popplet Brainstorming App: Click here to see the scribing app/brainstorming tool  "Popplet"  I tried out with my student for brainstorming. http://poppl...

Popplet Brainstorming App

Click here to see the scribing app/brainstorming tool  "Popplet"  I tried out with my student for brainstorming.



http://popplet.com/app/#/3575307

Information for Parents on Assistive Technology for Students

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/finding-an-assistive-technology/checklist-what-to-consider-when-looking-at-assistive-technology

Graphic of Scarborough's Many Strand Braid for Understanding the Reading Process

Parent letter

Parent Letter