AT Tip 4 - For Reading and Writing

A. From Read-Write-Think, a vast resource for students, families, and teachers, comes reading, and letter exploration (under Student Materials):
http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/index.asp
Build letter fluency through experience with letter recognition and letter sounds.

• KiddoNet Alphabet http://www.kiddonet.com/gb/flash/phonics/Intro.html
• Poisson Rouge Alphabet http://www.poissonrouge.com/abc/index.htm
• Julia’s Rainbow Corner http://www.juliasrainbowcorner.com/html/a2z.html
• Match Pictures to Letter Sounds: In this activity, students type their name to start, and print their picture matches when they are finished - a nice tangible product. http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/picturematch/
  

B. . Students using word processing - How to Format a Word Document
It’s helpful for students, who use word processing, to know some basics about Microsoft Word.
I've posted 2 resources about basic formatting, you'll find these in "Microsoft Handouts"; one is a PDF handout "Basic Formatting in Word", and the other is a Presentation in QuickTime of the same name (can also be opened in Power Point). Use this presentation in the computer lab or classroom before you begin a writing assignment.
Skills in this lesson include: using the menu bar, how to find & open toolbars, using text alignment tools, zoom, and the ability to properly format an assignment.

AT Tip 3 - Computer Tools

A. Software available for home purchase at discounted prices. I’m often asked how families can purchase software we use at school; some companies offer special pricing to families when their school district owns particular software. Microsoft Office and Inspiration are two examples. For information about how to apply for software discounts look in my 'General Handouts' for "Home Software Discounts”.

B. For struggling readers - try using “Text-To-Speech” on your Mac computer. Available on all Mac computers through the System Preferences, anyone can use it to read all text on the computer including Internet sites, word documents, and PDF's.
For how to activate this setting on a Mac, I have information in two formats under 'Macintosh Handouts' - "Text to Speech PDF handout", and "Text to Speech Presentation". The presentation could be used for group instruction in the classroom.

AT Tip 2 - Learning Supports

Tech tip two, here are a couple more free resources, i.e. web sites.

A. For young learners and those with special learning needs: Do2Learn http://www.do2learn.com/ A free online resource for students with special needs.




B. For older students (upper elementary and middle school) check out Wordsmyth: http://www.wordsmyth.net/ This is an electronic dictionary, thesaurus, PLUS has some great teacher tools.

Registration is free. The children's dictionary has a nice layout. In addition to the dictionary feature there are some fabulous teacher tools: use the Glossary Maker to create a topic dictionary, use Quiz Builder to create a vocabulary study guide, Vocabulary has "words of the week", and check out Anagram Solver and Crossword Puzzle Helper.

AT Tip 1 - Reading / Learning

I started publishing a Technology Tip-a-week for Special Education Teachers and staff, both early learning and older student tips. Now I'm posting those tips here for anyone to reference. So here is Tip number one.

A. For young students and early readers: Starfall http://www.starfall.com/
Starfall.com© has literacy activities for students pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade, and beyond for students with special learning needs.
Choose from a variety of activity levels, such as "Learn to Read". Within each activity there are letter & word games and interactive books.

In the books, click on a word to have it spoken.


B. Older students with limited reading skills – an Online Newspaper
The Key: http://www.keynews.org/
The Key is a newspaper written for people with limited reading skills. It provides news & information about current events, and is published monthly.