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I agree especially with the point that technology shouldn’t just be used for the sake of it. With children with autism the right programme can be really motivating but it still needs to have a clear purpose. I also like the idea of using digital numeracy activities alongside concrete materials rather than replacing them. In my class I would probably use something like Topmarks alongside actual counters number lines or Numicon so the child is getting both experiences. I think reviewing what is actually working for each child is really important too.
I really like how you have looked at the actual difficulties the child is having before choosing the technology. The speech to text would be particularly useful as it would allow him to show what he knows without his handwriting and spelling holding him back. I also like that you included simple things like the reading overlay and picture checklists as sometimes it doesn’t have to be high tech to make a difference. I think the review part is really important too as something that works for a child now might need to be changed as they become more independent.
I really like this idea especially using the photos and voice recording instead of relying on written work. I think it would work really well with some of my pupils too as a lot of them respond much better to visual activities and familiar routines. I also like that the child is still working on literacy but without the pressure of having to write everything down. I hadn’t really thought about using PowerPoint in this way before. The voice recording and Dictate features could be a great way of giving some of our pupils more independence and letting them show what they actually know.
I agree I was surprised at how much is already built into Microsoft 365 that I had never really looked at before. Immersive Reader was completely new to me but I can see myself using it with some of my pupils who are just starting to show an interest in reading. I could use short familiar sentences with pictures and let them listen to the sentence while following the words on screen. I also really like Dictate as some of our pupils have lots to say but find the actual writing part much harder. It could give them a bit more independence and another way to show what they know.
I agree especially around helping pupils become more independent. In a special school it can be very easy for children to become reliant on adult support so using technology to give them another way to communicate or complete a task can make a big difference. I also agree that staff training is really important as having the technology is only useful if everyone knows how to use it.
I teach children with autism and MLD and we use technology quite a lot throughout the day. The levels can be very different from child to child so what works for one definitely won’t work for everyone.
For literacy I would use things like Starfall for early reading phonics and matching words and pictures. Immersive Reader would be useful for children who are starting to show an interest in text and some of our children also use TD Snap for communication. For children who are further along with reading LightSail could be useful as they can read on the device and answer questions about what they have read.
For numeracy I like simple programmes where the children can practise the same skill over and over. Topmarks is one I would use for counting number recognition shapes and basic addition. The module also gave ideas like Maths Duel Khan Academy and OneNote Maths Assistant.
The School Development Planning part made me think about how we use technology across the whole school. We have lots of iPads tablets AAC devices and different programmes but I think it is important to actually look at what is being used and what is working.
I think as a school we could agree on a few good literacy and numeracy programmes and make sure everyone knows how to use them. Staff training is a big part of this too. There is no point buying new technology if it ends up sitting in a press because nobody is confident using it. We also need to keep reviewing what we have and whether it is actually making a difference for the children.
I would use the SETT framework alongside the pupils School Support File. I would look at the student their environment and what I actually want them to be able to do before deciding what technology might help
For assessment I would keep it fairly simple. Teacher and SNA observations work samples and information already in the School Support File. I would look at reading spelling and understanding through simple activities and questions. I would also look at how much adult help they need and hopefully see this reduce over time
For my SETT plan I chose an 8 year old pupil with autism and a Mild General Learning Difficulty. He can read familiar words and has a huge interest in Peppa Pig. He can read all the character names and lots of words linked to Peppa so I thought this would be a good place to start
I would use technology to work on his reading spelling and understanding of what he is actually reading. For example he could read Peppa is swimming and then answer a simple yes or no question. I would add pictures and visual supports too
I liked the SETT approach as it made me think about what I actually want the child to achieve before choosing the technology. I would also be looking to see if he becomes more independent and needs less adult help as he gets used to using the computer
For my activity I created a simple reading activity in Word to use with Immersive Reader. I teach children with autism and Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), and some of our pupils are only starting to read or are just beginning to show an interest in written words and text. The activity uses very short and familiar sentences . The pupil can use Immersive Reader to listen to each sentence while following the words on the screen. I would also add simple pictures or symbols beside each sentence to help the pupil understand what the words mean. For some of our pupils, even looking at a page of writing can be difficult, so I think keeping it simple and using pictures alongside the text would work well. I would hope that over time the pupil might start recognising some of the familiar words themselves. It also gives them another way of accessing text without always needing an adult to read it for them.
Part 2
I definitely think teachers are lifelong learners. I know from working in special education that I am learning all the time. Every child is different and what works for one child might not work for another. CPD is important because it gives us new ideas and makes us think about how we are doing things in our own classrooms. This course is a good example because I have learned about features that were already available to me, but I didn’t really know how to use them. For me, this is what Cosán is about. We learn through courses and training, but we also learn every day from other teachers, SNAs, therapists and the children themselves. I think especially in special education, you are always adapting and learning as the needs of the children change.
I found Immersive Reader really interesting in this module. I knew some of these features were available on Microsoft but I definitely wasn’t aware of everything it could do.Some of the children in our school have dyslexia and Specific Language Disorder (SLD), so I can see us getting a lot of use out of it. Being able to have text read aloud while following along on the screen would be really helpful for some of our pupils. I also liked the line focus and picture dictionary features, as sometimes a full page of text can just be too much.
I think the biggest thing for me is the independence it could give some pupils. Instead of always needing an adult to read something for them, they could use Immersive Reader and have a go themselves.I was also surprised that so many of these features are already built into things like Word, Teams and Edge. We can be very quick to go looking for a new app when sometimes what we need is already sitting there and we just don’t know about it!
The main thing I took from Module One is that assistive technology doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s really about finding something that works for the individual child rather than just using a device or app because it is available.
Working in a special school, we use technology every day without really thinking about it. We have iPads and tablets in classrooms and some of our pupils use AAC, such as TD Snap, to communicate throughout the day. This module made me think more about whether we are always using technology in the best way for each child and whether we take enough time to look at what is actually working.
I really liked the SETT Framework because it is simple and makes sense. Looking at the Student, Environment, Tasks and then the Tools means you are not starting with the technology. You are starting with the child and what they actually need support with, which I think is really important.
I also found it interesting to think about how many accessibility features are already built into the devices we use every day. Things like speech-to-text, text-to-speech and visual supports can be useful for lots of pupils, not just those with additional needs.
Going forward, I think I will be more aware of why I am choosing a particular piece of technology and whether it is actually making things easier and helping the pupil to be more independent.