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I should state that I have never used an iPad in my classroom. It is something I would love to use, but simply like most teachers just don't have the funds at this time. I co-teach Language Arts with the special education teacher in my third grade classroom. Together we work out strategies and methods to help all of our students meet their learning goals. We recently had the conversation about how helpful iPad could possibly be in our classroom with our students in special education. We thought that not only could certain apps help those students but they could benefit all of our students. I had to admit that while I had done some research on assistive technology I had never researched iPads as a possibility. I knew they had capabilities to assist students but I was not familiar with any apps or how they were used. So I'm thinking these thoughts and along come an assignment in one of my graduate classes to research assistive technologies and share what I find with the world. I went to researching apps for iPad that I felt would be assist special needs students in my classroom. I put this information into a
Google Presentation and gave examples of how I envision students using ten different apps. Some of them are free and some you have to pay for. I personally think that these apps can be used with any age level and will make their learning easier and allow students to feel less anxiety. I also found myself wishing I had an iPad so I could try out some of these apps myself. I guess that will hit my wish list for the next year.
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Joni-
ReplyDeletePictello sounds very interesting. Though I'm not in the classroom, I see its potential. This would be a great way to combine students of all levels in creating a project together!
I have not had the opportunity to use the iPad in the classroom yet either, but I can definitely see the potential at our grade levels. True, it may start as novelty motivation, but eventually I believe students will benefit from the assistance and enrichment that the applications can bring to them.
ReplyDeleteCool collection, Joni! I am really intrigued by the Dragon app. I worked with a blind student for three years who used the Dragon program a lot. This was before the time of the iPad, so I will wonder if that would have helped him - and I'm guessing yes, considering the running the kid had to do from my classroom to the resource room so he could hop on and dictate his writing. Well done!
ReplyDeleteJoni, I love the Pictello app you shared. I am just in the process of ordering some Ipads for students with learning disabilities. I have seen a lot of articles/videos about how autistics in particular, really love these and have "come alive." Thanks for the the doc!
ReplyDeleteI just got finished reviewing the apps that Jami found and you didn't repeat any of the ones she had. That just goes to show that there are so many apps out there to help students with various learning styles! I've never used and ipad but I just got an Android and I'm sure that there are a lot of apps out there for the Android that would be similar to the ones you found. I will have to see what is out there for my phone that would be helpful. The story builder app sounds very interesting. It would be something that kids could work on to get their creative juices flowing instead of playing a game.
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