Day 3- May 13th, 2017

There were a few fellow classmates absent today, from class. Due to this I was able witness how Blackboard Collaborate works. It was pretty neat how Mrs. Welsford was able to record the whole 6 hour class, for those students absent. I would like to look into/explore this program more. I wonder if this could be used for a teacher to record lessons for their students, which they could do in their absence (with the substitute present)?

We then looked over our reading task analysis, that we started last day. When Mrs. Welsford read over the task analyses of three classmates, I couldn’t help but notices there were a lot of similarities, in thinking.

Some of these similarities: attention to task, brain processing that you need while thinking of this task (automatic neuro muscle control), short term and working memory, and needing experience and vocabulary to be able to make an inference. 

                

*Reading Task Analysis- from Mrs. Welsford's notes 

Marilyn Jager Adams’ Model of reading

*picture is from http://onceuponathirdgradeclassroom.blogspot.ca/2012/05/cafe-10-things-and-reading-brain.html

Today we were posed the question, "What is short term memory vs working memory ?" 

I sadly had to Google the definitions….

Short Term Memory : The duration of short term memory seems to be between 15 and 30 seconds, according to Atkinson and Shiffrin (1971). Items can be kept in short term memory by repeating them verbally (acoustic encoding), a process known as rehearsal. (https://www.simplypsychology.org/short-term-memory.html)

Working Memory:  is a system for temporarily storing and managing the information required to carry out complex cognitive tasks such as learning, reasoning, and comprehension. (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7143)

Below are 3 video's that we watched in class to help clarify how the eye works, how neurons work, and how we hear. 

 How the Eye Works

    How the Ear Works

How Neurons Work 

Apps that we were shown today:

                                                                                               

Hear Builder

Memory King 

Montessori Crosswords (good to use for an assessment)

Tumble Book Cloud Junior
(I will be giving this idea to parents, for over the summer)

Bits Board
(we made ours we could use it for vocabulary, social studies, science)

Duck Duck Moose 

Symbol Support

*Very important to make sure to change the setting (for each app)  to individualize the apps to the student you are working with.



In pairs, we were asked to explore Chrome Store, Google Play Story, iTunes Store and Microsoft store, While exploring we needed to to look for two Reading Remediation Apps that we find interesting (for our laptops).

Chrome Store apps we found:

1- TTSReader 

2- Active learning Early Literacy 

Microsoft Store apps we found:

1- ABC Letters and Phonics for PreSchool Kids

2-  Endless Reader

iTunes Store apps we found:

1- Endless Alphabet

2- Starfall Learn to Read

Google Play Store apps we found:

1- Kids Learn to Read

2-  Learn to read - Monkey Junior 

Day 2 - May 6th, 2017

It was nice to have the beginning of today’s class to work on our first assignment. I am not going to lie, I did find this first assignment stressful. The stress came from my inexperience with the technology that we used, for this assignment. I think I was just overthinking the whole thing. In the end everything turned out and I survived. Although, there was a whole lot of sighing long the way. During the time we had this morning to work on the AppSmash assignment, there were a few  issues that arose; I kept getting kicked off the internet, the app I wanted to use (Video Scribe) kept kicking me out. When Video Scribe kicked me out I would lose everything I just did. I learned I would have to do save every time I got a chance. This stress that came with doing something very new to me, made me think about my grade 3 students. I was able to be put into their shoes and have a reality check on some of the feelings they feel on a regular bases.

Also, during this work time I am thankful to one of my fellow classmates for taking the time to help me with Type Drawing app and how to make images accessible, on Book Creator.

Fellow Classmates Presentations

**it was nice to what other apps look like, from fellow classmates presentations. Ones we didn’t get a chance to use in ours. 

Abby- I really liked all the variety of apps she used. She used the app KidsDoodle and I really think my grade 3 students would really have fun exploring this app. Helpful video she used:

Katie and Allison- I really liked the comic feel they had to theirs. Helpful video they used:

Teresa and Catherine - Apps they used that I really would like to explore myself; Word Art and Explain Everything Video.  Helpful video they used:

Jolene and Amanda- two pictures that they used, that I really liked. 

  

Damion and Katie- I really enjoyed their video they made (in iMovie) from the Channing Tatum and Carly interview. It was very realistic. The original video: 

Nick and Sue- I really liked how they created a website to help explain the MPT model. I think my students would really enjoy using the Visual Poetry app they used.

Allison and Sarah- I liked how honest they were about the difficulties they had with the 53 Paper. It’s good to know which ones might take a little longer to learn.

Two groups used the app Telestory. I think this app would be fun for my students to use for their weekly journal entries.

Assistive technology today SSRSB- Professor Directive

It was nice to see Mrs. Welsford use the apps we were to learn for our first assignment. Example: she made an iMovie video.

Important things I need to take away from today lesson:

-       - Get to know assistive tech person in my board

-      -  Mrs. Welsford has seen a huge difference/change over her career in the use of AT

-       - Mrs. Welsford is involved with the early intervention program in her board. She sees students a year before they enter school  

-       - AT definition-Enhancing performance of individual with disabilities and providing independent access to a task.

-       - Assistive tech specialists use SET framework

-      -  Read iris- take a picture if text and then it readaloud the text – my class could use this- access for everyone

Current curriculum has the ‘disability’

Principles of UDL enables us to recognize and celebrate that variance across individuals is the norm.