Assistive Technology

I was able to learn of some other ways technology can be used in the classroom through this activity. What a great teacher Marilyn was to have planned out such a detailed lesson, and to have Oscar in her mind the whole time she was brainstorming ideas. Google Docs was pretty easy to use, I just had to remember to ask it to spell check, I am kind of spoiled to the auto spell check in Word. But the Google Docs allows another way to create a document with an easier way to share it. Here is the link to my Google Doc http://http://docs.google.com/View?id=ddp8sr3z_0gvdhd6hb

Reflection Question 1.

Lynette Hart-Balius

IT 465

November 16, 2009

Reflection Questions:

    

    1.  To ensure that students with varying learning styles are getting quality instruction, it is important to tailor activities to meet those different needs. Students with special needs can benefit greatly from group activities where they can interact and learn from students without special needs. Struggling students also benefit from group activities where they can learn from their peers. Another way to help struggling students is to provide one-on-one assistance. Teachers can also group students according to their skill level and provide differentiated instruction to each group. I think that it is also important to include many resources and real life examples in a lesson. A lecture can be backed up with a PowerPoint presentation, a picture slide show, or a video and students should be provided with hands-on activities that relate to the lesson. Providing various examples and media allows for students with different learning abilities to understand parts of the lesson that they may otherwise not understand.

 

    2.  I think that it was very wise for Marilyn to consult with Juanita the reading specialist so that she could share her ideas and get input on how to implement them. I feel that all teachers can benefit from having a mentor or just another teacher to collaborate with, as we can all learn from each other. Consulting with specialists such as behavior specialists, reading specialists, counselors, and special education teachers can provide us with more specific ideas and plans to accommodate students with special needs or learning disabilities. The students would also benefit from such collaboration because the instruction would be designed to fit their needs.

 

    3.  Marilyn is using graphic organizers to enhance her lesson by mapping out main story components such as characters, setting, problem, and solution. She is also having the students fill out their own graphic organizer so that they can become familiar with the process and develop their thoughts about the story. Using the graphic organizer will help Oscar to map out his thoughts and ideas about the story as well. Since Oscar is visually impaired and learning disabled he will probably need some assistance with this activity.

 

    4.  I think that the Internet is an extremely valuable source of information. When I was in elementary school, there was no such thing. Research was done in the library using books, dictionaries, and encyclopedias. I have had lots of experience in my college years using the Internet to search for various information. Sometimes I immediately get what I am looking for and sometimes I do not. From time to time I will stumble upon too much information making it hard to narrow down just what I need and sometimes I do not find what I am looking for at all. A WebQuest can teach students how to search for relative information. Teachers can make finding specific information easier for students by setting up specific resources using a WebQuest.

 

    5.  Oscar and the four other children all benefited from a small group instruction on Eric Carle. Through the small group activity, Oscar was able to be included with his peers and was also able to learn from them and his comprehension equalled theirs. The group was tiered so that the other students received different Eric Carle books to read based on their level. Juanita continued to work closely with this group throughout the lesson and was amazed at Oscar's progress using speech-synthesis.

 

    6.  I do not think that Oscar's experience would have been as powerful if he had worked solely with Juanita instead of being included in the small group. It was clear that being included with other students was beneficial to not only Oscar, but the other students as well. Students with learning disabilities and special needs need to feel accepted and by being part of the group, I think Oscar felt equal to the other students. It is important to mesh students with different learning needs and styles so that they can all learn from each other.

    

    7.  Marilyn's use of technology in her lesson allowed for a pleasing way for all of her students to be a part of the activities. Oscar was able to participate due to the use of speech-synthesis. The whole class learned more about Eric Carle and his artistic style by viewing the video about him. By creating the guided notes, Marilyn ensured that the class would pay closer attention to the video and remember key points. By allowing the students to create iMovies about their books, she provided them with a fun and creative way to share their books. Because the students were so enthusiastic about their projects, most of them included them in their school portfolios.