Using Text-to-Speech (TTS) narration has been found to be helpful for struggling readers in the areas of increased reading rate and improved reading comprehension. Although it has been around since the 1960s, it has become cheaper and more accessible to the general public in the past decade. Now, there are user-friendly technology tools to support reading… Read More Read Aloud Google Tools for Reading
Summer PD From the Comfort of Your Home
Quality literacy instruction is essential for all students. As many students with intellectual disabilities may read and write below grade level, finding meaningful professional development and curriculum resources can prove challenging. The key is to remember that we must provide instruction at a student’s developmental level. As such, consider the following resources from the perspective… Read More Summer PD From the Comfort of Your Home
Using Storybooks to Teach Math
Our students who have intellectual disabilities represent a broad range of academic skills. Many such students are emergent readers and mathematicians who are working on pre-school or primary school-level concepts. With this in mind, let’s explore some pertinent research and resources related to math instruction. Existing research indicates that teaching basic math skills in the… Read More Using Storybooks to Teach Math
Leadership Tools and Literacy Walk-through Protocols
Walk-throughs provide a snap shot of student learning. Protocols can effectively structure classroom visits and focus them to observe for components of effective instruction. Brief, frequent, routine classroom visits with explicit “look-fors” can be powerful opportunities for collaboration between educational leaders and teachers (Protheroe, 2009). Literacy Walk-throughs Principals and literacy leaders can access this collection… Read More Leadership Tools and Literacy Walk-through Protocols
Professional Development Modules to Increase Communication
Communication looks different for everyone. Some may communicate using words, gestures, behaviors, sounds, refusals, and more. It can be different for each learner. Analyzing the form of expressive communication your student uses, can assist educational staff in designing a communication system with and for the student (Downing, Hanreddy, & Peckham-Hardin, 2015, pp. 60-61). Project Core,… Read More Professional Development Modules to Increase Communication
Building Co-Teaching Relationships Together
Co-teachers can create a collaborative atmosphere and set the stage for a positive relationship by following some suggestions featured in the Virginia Department of Education publication, Stepping Stones to Success II; Collaboration: Working Together for All Students. Suggestions in the section entitled, Culture of Collaboration: What it Looks Like and How We Do It include; remain… Read More Building Co-Teaching Relationships Together
Writing Across the Content Areas
It is important for students to have daily opportunities to write. One way to provide regular writing practice for students is to ask them to write about what they are learning during math, science, and social studies lessons. A great benefit of writing about a specific content area is that it increases comprehension. Research… Read More Writing Across the Content Areas
