I think that this course is going to be incredibly practical and rewarding - not just as a credit, but in my day-to-day work as an educator. Today's class made me think about the remediation versus accomodation debate going on in many classrooms.
I had a conversation with a Grade 2 teacher just last week about a student in her class who is experiencing difficulties with writing. The OT specialist has provided us with special paper to help improve spacing and letter formation, but this child also has difficulty focusing on a task and getting his ideas down on paper. I suggested the computer, with software such as SOLO, as a means of engaging this student to record his ideas for longer writing tasks. His teacher is worried that he won't get enough practice putting pencil to paper to improve his fine motor skills. I think we will need to try a few things to see what works best with this child to support his success in the classroom.
Finding the best fit when it comes to assistive technology seems to involve a lot of research into the student's strengths and needs and some trial and error. I am excited about the prospect of learning about new resources that may be able to help my current and future students.
Paula
Saturday, September 27, 2008
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