Engaging boys in literacy - Forest Hill, Session 5

Session Five – May 30th – May 31st

During Session Five, the students have continued with their culminating projects. As they have been challenged to include more than one type of media format, they are making decisions about how to effectively organize their presentation (e.g., insert Bitstrips image into a Notebook file, add mp3 voice recordings). Referring students to the student created rubric helped them to critically analyze and evaluate their own projects. This week, a number of students have combined different assistive technology programs such as Audacity, Read and Write Gold, iMovie and Notebook to communicate their ideas.

Itinerant Observation: It is exciting to see students combining some of their own technology skills (e.g., with website creation or Comic Life) with the assistive technology we have explored.

Photos:

Creating a bibliography using the iPod	Using Audacity, Bitstrips and Notebook
Creating a website: John Diefenbaker using html.	Creating a website: Pierre Elliot Trudeau using a website builder.

Interactive Whiteboards in KELI classrooms - Importing and scanning images to aid in retell

The KELI students experience another delivery of their current storybook. Images and sound are imported to reinforce the storybook narrative. (Blake P.S.)

Interactive Whiteboards in KELI classrooms - using images and imported student work to aid in retell

Here the KELI team has made use of scanned images created by the students and adults to aid in a retell of their storybook. Images can be imported using the document camera or a scanner for use with the Interactive Whiteboard.

Interactive Whiteboards in KELI classrooms - Matching Game

Here Ms. B., the Speech and language pathology student, leads KELI students in a matching game. Students match character pictures from the story. They practice story vocabulary of characters during the game.

KELI classrooms - Guess and Check using IWB - Blake P.S.

Here the KELI team has designed a lesson that helps student to retell and a guess-and-check strategy.

iPad in ASD Classrooms - Earl Grey S.P.S.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Buchanan Public School

Ms. G shares how the Reading Buddies program is enhanced with student iPad use.

Video to come here.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Cedarvale C.S. fine motor

In this video, the Handwriting Without Tears program meets the iPad.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Winchester P.S. Ms. D speaks about student schedules

Ms. D discusses how students' transitions and organization are helped during this pilot project.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Winchester P.S. Ms. D speaks about student esteem building

Ms. D discusses how a math app supports one of her student's academic and socio-emotional needs.

iPads in ASD classrooms - Finch P.S. social skills and group dynamics

Students use iPad as part of group learning activity practicing fine motor skills. The teacher facilitates sharing and encouragement among the students.

iPad in ASD classrooms - Winchester token economy for iPad

Students discuss their iPad use after reaching goals and earning token rewards to exchange for iPad use.

   

iPad in ASD classrooms - Earl Grey Senior Public School Student links M.I. with iPad use

This student discussed how using the iPad helps him address his multiple intelligence preference as well as his social interaction with peers.

iPad in ASD classrooms - Winchester - Student use in integrated classes

Ms. D and her student discuss his iPad use in integrated classes.

IWB Implementation: KELI partnership classroom use: "Morning message"

Earl Grey P.S. - Ms. M discusses student regulation

Engaging Boys in Literacy - iMovie spotlight example

iPad in ASD classrooms - C.E. Webster P.S. slideshow

Video to come.

iPad in ASD classes - Finch P.S. slideshow

 iPad shared in two primary classrooms.

iPad in ASD classes - Winchester P.S. slideshow

iPad in an intermediate classroom.

iPad in ASD classes - Shaughnessy P.S. slideshow

The mobility of the iPad, linked with Skype communication software, allows for integration and access to learning in a variety of models.

iPad in ASD classes - Kensington C.S. slideshow

iPad in primary classroom: Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) 

iPad in ASD classes - Earl Grey P.S. slideshow

iPad use in an intermediate ISP class.

iPad in ASD classes - Cedarvale slideshow

iPad in primary classroom: support self-regulation and transitioning.

iPad in ASD classes - Buchanan P.S. slideshow

Buchanan iPad use.

Why Interactive Whiteboards?

Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) implementation?
Some examples of why we use IWB for differentiated instruction to help student learning.

Engaging Boys in literacy - Forest Hill P.S. May 16-24 update

Session Four – May 16^th – May 24^th 

In Session Four, the students began their culminating projects.  Students had submitted a proposal to their teacher in which they had to persuade their teacher to approve their choice for the project.  The projects are differentiated by content (choice of Canadian) and format.  A variety of formats have been chosen including graphic texts (Bitstrips, Comic Touch), video (iMovie, Windows Movie Maker), Smart Notebook Multimedia Presentation and audio podcast.  Many students have chosen to incorporate more than one type of media into their final project.  Students continue to use assistive technology such as Read and Write Gold for note taking and to create audio podcasts, Notebook software to communicate using written work and visuals, as well as the iPod to communicate orally and with visuals.

Itinerant Observation:  “Using Read and Write Gold has enabled the students to see whether they have enough information for each of the 4 content areas (early life, achievements, impact, additional information) specified in the rubric.”

Famous Canadian Proposal.

Combining Bitstrips with Notebook	Format and choice: Bitstrips
Format and choice: iMovie.	Format and choice: Notebook
	Format and choice: Windows MovieMaker

Research notes using Read and Write Gold (above)

Engaging Boys in literacy - Forest Hill P.S. May 12-13 update

Session Three – May 12^th – May 13^th 

The goal of Session Three was to prepare the students for the culminating project and how they would be assessed.  Students used the Smart Response System to provide feedback about a student created project they viewed.  Most students in all 4 classes assessed the project at Level Three.  Student suggestions to move the project from Level Three to Level Four included adding unique and unknown information, using less repetition, including a personal opinion or point of view, using speech bubbles as well as captions to communicate information, including evidence and using the media in an engaging way (e.g., real voice for the audio, link to a video).  Students, then, brainstormed and contributed to a rubric to assess their culminating projects.  Student work was shared using the document camera and the Smart Board.

Encouraging Student Feedback Using the Response Systems

Reviewing response System results

Rubric creation using  the Document Camera

Itinerant Observation:  “The students provided a lot of meaningful input when evaluating the student sample, which we will reference when helping the students evaluate their own work.”

iPads in Autism Classrooms - Earl Grey P.S.

Videos to come here:

Everyone learns in a way specific to their strengths and needs.
Earl Grey students have explored and discussed their individual learning preferences - known as Multiple Intelligences (MI). Some people have one dominant MI, others have a combination of learning styles/preferences. Awareness of what your strengths are also helps to inform where you might need help and need to work on in school and at home in your everyday life.

Earl Grey student videos about iPad use to come here:

Forest Hill - Engaging Boys in Literacy - session 2: May 5-9

Session Two – May 5^th – May 9^th 

Session two focused on exposing students to other media formats that could be used to communicate their information.  They evaluated the effectiveness of a graphic text (e.g., comic created using bitstrips) and then had the opportunity to create their own graphic texts.  Assistive technology used this week included the iPod (Comic Touch Lite and iMovie) and the IWB.  Students continued to refer to their research notes created using Read and Write Gold when producing their media work.

Teacher Quote:  “It is important for the students to learn about the different types of technology available to them so that they can use it when they are in secondary school.

A Canadian moment using Bitstripsforschools.com - Java programming language creator James Gosling.

The above video about James Cameron was created by a student using the Comic Touch app.

Kensington Community School following instructions / iEarn rewards

In this video, the student asks to go to her backpack using Proloquo2go. Instead of running out of the class, using her iPad to communicate, she is able to wait and then leaves the class at an appropriate time.

The second part of this video show the team incorporating a new token board system - iPad app iEarn. 

Kensington Community School What is today's date?

Kensington C.S. May 2 - Interpersonal interaction

Kensington Community School videos mid-term early April

  

Student use for guided reading and written expression (writing). She builds her vocabulary to add to interpersonal communication.

Growth: Updated learning expectation for Term 3: (Student) will “use her mastered spelling words in full sentences when typing a journal entry, writing in her agenda, participating in community circle with an iPad, and engaging in a dialogue through typing.”

April 6, 2011: Beginning use of Proloquo2 for telling time.

Kensington Community School videos May 2

Videos:

Social Interaction - responding to a peer's question

Community circle - today's date

Moving towards independence - Going to my backpack

In this video, the student asks to go to her backpack using Proloquo2go. Instead of running out of the class, using her iPad to communicate, she is able to wait and then leaves the class at an appropriate time.

The second part of this video show the team incorporating a new token board system - iPad app iEarn. 

Interactive White Boards and KELI program - JEPL

Job Embedded Professional Learning (JEPL)

Different types of support were provided by the

itinerant teachers on the AT Team. 

1. Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings took place in East and West teams.  PLC meetings occurred four times throughout the year, a few weeks prior to the start of a new unit.  The goal of the PLC meetings was to expose KELI team members to features of the IWB that could be used to support expressive and receptive language and to design learning activities incorporating the IWB based on the KELI  curriculum.

2. Individual Classroom Support was provided to all KELI classrooms.  KELI team members made regular use of the individual classroom support throughout the school year.  Co-planning sessions enabled the itinerant teacher, classroom teacher and SLP to modify learning activities to suit the needs of their students, explore new ways to use the technology (e.g., document camera) and to design their own lessons.



Co-planning with the itinerant teacher slideshow click here.

Interactive White Boards and KELI program - reflection

Reflection:
There are many KELI schools throughout the TDSB. Here is one school team's reflection on the interactive white board journey so far this year.

KELI job-embedded professional learning (Yorkwoods)

Professional Learning opportunities in PLC, 

KELI and school: click KELI-PLC

Using IWB and tools with KELI students: 

click the morning message.

Surprises using Interactive White Boards in KELI program this year: click IWB

Working partnership between KELI and Itinerant SEA teacher: click KELI-AT

Professional Learning Communities - Visual Literacy (learning in action)

Hosted at Terreview Learning Centre, home of Assistive Technology training in the East, the final Professional Learning Communities learning sessions were held in early May. All schools involved with  interactive white board groups claims were invited to participate in learning sessions and sharing throughout the school year. There were four PLCs in the East and four in the West. The number of schools varied.