supporting
Diversity
Supporting Diversity
Reflection:
This assignment allowed me to really delve into the individual programs that can be used with the diverse students in my classroom. I was able to think critically about what issues I will face as a teacher, which can be varied and difficult, and how technology can help me bridge the gap. These technologies are so amazing, especially Proloquo2Go and Moosti, for their ingenuity! It is such a simple thing, to download an app, that can make such a huge difference. Standards: ISTE STandards4.B:
Moosti
IStudiez
My Study screenshot
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![]() PART ONE: Matrix for Romeo and Juliet unit:
You have a student who has ‘autism-like’ characteristics, but has not been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, so they do not have special education supports, but you need to find strategies and tools to help this student learn and manage their behavior in the classroom.
ADVANTAGES: This software is easy to use and can be easily adapted to the needs of specific students or classrooms. DISADVANTAGES: Some images are not always available and the visuals can look childish if used in a secondary education classroom. EXAMPLE: “When I’m upset I can: • Count to 10 • Take five deep breaths • Squeeze my hands • Take a break” Since many emotional behaviors are caused by frustration, having the resources to self-regulate his/her emotions will be powerful for students whose learning is impacted by those emotions. • If the key issue is communication, use a tablet (iPad, iPod touch) with the app Proloquo2Go. Proloquo2go is an app for iOS, which allows students to use a simple, visual touch-screen to make requests. It uses a human voice with visuals, for all kinds of communication. This tool can be used across grade levels and abilities. Students can use the tool to ask for help, to express needs and opinions, and to communicate with their peers when they lack the verbal skills to do so. ADVANTAGES: Portable, easy to use, developed with autism spectrum disorder symptoms in mind. DISADVANTAGES: Students use pre-programmed buttons to speak. For example, a button might say, “Help” and have a symbol representing help. A student could press the button on the app and the app will read “help” out loud. This could be difficult to use in a classroom discussion, when the student may develop a thought that they would like to contribute, but it may be too long or difficult to program into the app. Also, without special education supports, it may be difficult or expensive to access an iPad or iPhone, unless the student can provide it, or a refurbished/donated model can be used. EXAMPLE: A student who is limited verbally could ask for help from a partner or teacher, could express confusion or the need to take a break from the task, using an iPod they keep in their pocket or an iPad kept in the classroom.
DISADVANTAGES: The novelty of the fidget toy may wear off for some students, who may forget or misplace their toy. Study corrals are very obvious, and may single out the student in a classroom as needing special accommodation. EXAMPLE: A student has high anxiety in a large group. Create a homemade ‘fidget toy’ out of balloons and sand to give the student to squeeze (similar to a stress ball). The pressure can also be beneficial in de-escalating an upset child. Study corrals are inexpensive tools to allow students a break from visual stimulation in the classroom. TIME-MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION RESOURCES When in high school, proper time-management and organization is essential. Students need to balance at least six different classes worth of homework and material, not to mention any outside activities such as sports, theater, band or orchestra, clubs, youth group, etc. To help ease the stress of balancing all of life's activities, I've compiled a list of a few resources if you have a student with organizational difficulties: MOOSTI Moosti is a free, time-management software that is available for download in the Chrome Web Store. Moosti is a fairly simple tool but it has a lot of potential to make your life easier. If working on a project, Moosti allows you to choose an amount of time to work while also including a small break and a long break for yourself. Once the timer starts, Moosti will notify you when it is time to take each break. PROS: Great for students who have trouble focusing for long periods of times, as it gives them breaks to look forward to. The software is simple and easy to use. CONS: Currently it's only available from the Chrome Web Store only, so you can't get it on all devices. It's fairly limited in its capabilities as well; it's only going to track time and that's it. WHEN CAN I USE IT?: Moosti can be used for virtually any project, whether it's homework assignments, household chores, piano practice, etc. For example, I used it when writing this blog post! I decided to spend at least 60 minutes working on this post, plugged in a short 5 minute break to grab a snack, then a longer break to clear my head. It worked great! ISTUDIEZ (LITE OR PRO): iStudiez is an app available in two forms: either iStudiez Lite (free to download) or iStudiez Pro ($2.99 in the Apple App Store.) It is available for both Windows and Mac computers, as well as ios and android phones. This app was designed for students to be able to balance their schedules, including their homework and grades. iStudiez Lite allows students to plug the individual classes they take, the names of their teachers, school holidays, and homework assignments. It can also track grades for you! iStudiez Pro adds a few more features, such as additional languages, notifications, data backup, schedule sharing, among more. PROS: This is a really great app! It's very easy to use, with simple plug-ins for classes and homework assignments. You can choose whether to view your schedule in weekly or monthly view. It also can link up to your phone's own calendar and contact list for easy sharing. CONS: The biggest issue is that students are required to enter everything manually. Currently, there is no ability for teachers to send the information to the student's phone. iStudiez Pro also costs money, and although it is fairly cheap, free is always better. WHEN CAN I USE IT?: Anyone who is a student can take advantage of this program! An 11th-grade student, let's call her Jane, is taking AP English, Pre-Calc, Chemistry, Current World Events, Choir, and PE could plug each class in. Jane plugs in a reminder for the AP exam on May 15th, then adds all of her homework due for the week. With iStudiez Pro, Jane gets notification reminders to study for the AP exam. MY STUDY LIFE It is available for ALL devices AND it's completely free. (They also promise to never use advertisements.) Students are presented with a dashboard that includes: a scrolling bar with updated information for the day (whether there are any upcoming exams in the next 3 days, what classes you have to attend, and what tasks are due), a detailed list of classes and tasks due for that day, as well as a detailed list of classes and tasks due the next upcoming day. Information is also presented on a full calendar as well. PROS: Best perk: schools can sign up for My Study Life, allowing students to be connected easily to the schedule of classes, assignments, and teachers there. Also helpful: when entering data for the school year, My Study Life allows for multiple type of academic schedules; students can add classes based on a fixed schedule, or a weekly or daily rotation. Last pro? It just looks really nice. CONS: If the school is not registered with My Study Life, much like iStudiez, the biggest issue is that students will be required to type all information in themselves. WHEN CAN I USE IT?: Anyone who is a student - including those in University level courses - can use this app. In fact, I'm using it myself for getting my grad degree! The dashboard is an easy way for me to keep track of all my assignments and tests, without having to flip through page after page of my planner. Check out a screenshot of my dash below! |