Dyslexia

Dyslexia is more than just mixing up letters and words according to this New York Times article published August 1, 2011.  Written by: Pam Belluck

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that people with dyslexia have more trouble recognizing voices than those without dyslexia.


This research shows that normal reading involves a “circuit, the ability to have all of those components integrated absolutely automatically,” said Maryanne Wolf, a dyslexia expert at Tufts University. “One of the great weaknesses in dyslexia is that the system is not able to integrate these phoneme-driven systems” with other aspects of language comprehension.


If a teacher asked, “ ‘Oh, Sally, what is the capital of  Nova Scotia?,’ Sally will go, ‘Um, um, um,’ and the teacher will say, ‘Oh, gee, you don’t know it,’  Dr. Sally Shaywitz, a director of the Center for Dyslexia and Creativity at Yale University, said. “It’s more likely to be a problem of word retrieval than knowledge. If she reframes it as, ‘Is the capital Halifax or Charlottetown?,’ Sally is more likely to answer correctly.”

Read Full Article Here:   http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/health/research/02dyslexia.html?_r=2
   

Mouse Skill Web Sites

Mouse Skills - Help Kidz Learn
Some early learners need help using and controlling the mouse for computer navigation. Several sites help teach this skill.  The HelpKidzLearn site teaches mouse skills. Click on the Early Years Tab and then scroll down to and select Big Bang Bugs.

site link:  http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/early.html

Additional mouse skill sites:

• I See You!
• Mouse Program
• Drag the Hats on the Monkey - teaches click and drag
• Flower Garden - teaches mouse click and click and drag
• Bubble Wrap - who doesn't love Bubble wrap?? teaches mouse click
• Build a Snowman - timely, teaches click and drag
• Mr. Smiley Brushes His Teeth - click and drag the toothbrush to help Mr. Smiley brush his teeth, very cute. 
• Feed the Monster - click and drag

Parenting Special Needs is a very informative online magazine.

There are some great articles in this issue.
Please click here to begin reading:  http://parentingspecialneeds.org/currentissue.

What's "APP"ening? is on page 57

A Song About Feelings/Facial Cues

In this cute video, a cartoon fish asks how are you today. The fish answers he is thirsty, hungry, hot, cold, happy, and angry. Pictures are shown that match the feeling and the fish's facial cues match what he is feeling. This could be used to teaching rhyming words, to teach feelings, and to also help those special needs students who have a hard time with feelings and matching appropriate facial cue.  http://www.watchknowlearn.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=27088&CategoryID=7367 From YouTube, produced by DJC Kids

Dragon Tales Sing "Hum"-Coping with Fear, Trying New Things

This is another cute animated video that will help students with some conflict resolution techniques when they are nervous and scared. The words to the song appear on the screen and each word is highlighted as it is sung. Content is appropriate for elementary students. http://www.watchknowlearn.org/Category.aspx?CategoryID=7367 From YouTube, produced by PBS

Zac Browser
The Zac Browser will simplify using a computer for children who find the options too overwhelming or if you are wanting to be able to control the Internet for your child in a friendly way. PC games generally have too many functions children accidentally turn on with a keystroke, too much going on visually to take it in all at once and often getting lost and not knowing how to go back to what they really wanted is.
  
View a UTube video introduction to Zac Browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJGncJatGUg&feature=player_embedded#at=34

Zac Browser presents hand-picked choices from free, public Web sites, with an emphasis on educational games, music, videos and visually entertaining images, like a virtual aquarium. It is designed to go beyond other browsers that are designed for kids.
To direct play or to download Zac browser go to www.zacbrowser.com

WatchKnow.org

Well free doesn’t always mean better, but free and more video resources can be better for children/youth.  WatchKnow.org is a website with a compilation of free videos  for primary thru secondary aged students organized with a wide range of topics from sciences to  history, math to life skills. The videos are carefully organized by subject with the capability of searching by age using a slider tool on the web page to narrow your search.  Videos are also rated. They also provide a video of how to use the website for ease of use.

What a fabulous resource for instruction, building background knowledge or reinforce educational concepts to your children and youth.

Here are web based links to support literacy learning for emergent learners. 

1. Shiny Learning: http://www.shinylearning.co.uk/

2. Helpkidzlearn: http://www.helpkidzlearn.com/

3. Starfall.com: http://www.starfall.com/

4. Literacy Center: http://www.literacycenter.net/lessonview_en.php

Ever find websites that you wonder how you could have ever missed them in the past? Here’s one:

www.literactive.com

Literactive is a fabulous resource that has Guided Reading activities, phonics activities and worksheet activities available from Nursery Rhyme to early primer books.

Students can have the books read aloud to them or read the books themselves. Games and sequencing activities are also offered.  Registration is free.

      On the Job (Curious George)                         

http://pbskids.org/cgi-registry/curiousgeorge/on_the_job.pl
Each person has a special job. Pick the tool that best matches their job. Fun and engaging for preschool to early elementary.

        Cyberquoll

Interactive adventures to assist children in using the internet safely!
Designed for upper elementary students.
A candid look at possible scenarios and good advice.

http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/cyberquoll/index.html



"Follow these cousins through six epic adventures as they stumble through the pitfalls and triumphs of using the internet safely." This quirky interactive from Austrailia will have you exploring the good, the great, the bad and the ugly sides of the Internet.

CyberQuoll Parent’s Guide   (PDF 261Kb - this link opens a new window)
Family Internet Safety Contract   (PDF 194Kb - this link opens a new window)
Family Internet Safety Contract (blank)   (PDF 109Kb - this link opens a new window)
Internet Safety Checklist   (PDF 177Kb - this link opens a new window)
Internet Safety Contacts   (PDF 174Kb - this link opens a new window)
Internet Safety House Rules (PDF 188Kb - this link opens a new window)
Internet Safety House Rules (blank) (

                       

 

 

 

Spotlight on Learning: Becoming Agents of Change

       
          Spotlight on Learning: Becoming Agents of Change Conference  

 Your destination to find information, videos, resources, and much, much more.
                             
                             
                                      http://www.spotlightonlearning.ca/

The purpose of this site is to feed the momentum and energy in the field with continued learning, news updates and stories of change that have been inspired by learning. Couldn't make it to the conference? No matter - watch workshop videos and download the resources so you too can become an Agent of Change. Don't forget to keep coming back as this site will be continually updated with new tools and resources to better our work and stay current.

To Do APP ~ "TeuxDeux"

TeuxDeux is a simple, designy to-do app and the first collaboration between studiomates swissmiss and Fictive Kin. If you like making to-do lists, you will love TeuxDeux.  

                           http://teuxdeux.com/ 

           TeuxDeux features include:

• - week overview
• - check off, delete, or move tasks
• - someday bucket
• - jump to a date in the future
• - automatic rollover of unchecked tasks
• - edit existing tasks
• - sync with mobile version (iPhone app)
• - Multiple accounts (iPhone app only)

            New to TeuxDeux? Watch our intro.

            Already a pro? Explore our new features!

                    NEW: iPhone App video

              

More sites of interest:

Awesome site for keyboarding skills and much more:
      http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games.html

Acedemic Interventions for Reading Comprehension and Writing Fluency:

     http://www.interventioncentral.org/index.php/academic-resources

Keyboarding for everyone, regardless of limitations:

      http://www.special-education-soft.com/

    Celebrate Easter                                      

     

http://www.2learn.ca/enjoy/easter/easter.aspx

           Earth Day

      

http://www.2learn.ca/enjoy/earthday/earthday.aspx

        Enjoy Spring

      

http://www.2learn.ca/enjoy/spring/spring.aspx

 

   Build a Flag (Arthur)

          
http://pbskids.org/buster/games/flag/index.html

Build your own flag with Buster.
Choose items on the left and drag them over to your flag.
What flag represents you?

Grade 1

Nina loves to Name Things

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bll/nina/index.htm

Choose a place to visit and then help Nina find all of the things
that belong in that place. You will need to drag each item and
put it in the box.

Grade 2

Canadian Geographic Kids Atlas: Culture Club

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/cgKidsAtlas/culture.asp


This interactive site from Canadian Geographic provides you with
videos, images, games, wordsearch puzzles, and a quiz on the culture of Canada.