[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I agree with you Michael. It is important to plan based on a previous assessment so we can know the strengths and needs of our students, even previous approaches or methodologies used with the student. Better than starting from scratch, we could see what it is and is not working with this particular student and decide what we are going to do next.

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

Last year, I worked as a SET teacher and I taught two students from 5th and 6th class. Their main needs were reading comprehension applied to Maths and poor mathematical foundation. So, in this case, even though the hours allocation were focused on Maths I decided to have an hour every week for reading comprehension too. Regarding Maths, I focused on mathematical thinking and counting strategies. Apart from manipulative resources such as cubes, frames and board games, we also use the WordWall and topMarks website. They used them on the iPads and enjoyed the fact they could see their score, so the next time they could challenge themselves and improve this mark. On the other side, I focused on reading comprehension through different reading resources: books, magazines, articles. I used the literacy shed website and they loved it. Through short videos, they had to answer follow up questions and make predictions. I felt that by using these resources, my students were more engaged and they could learn at their pace which is related to the Inclusive Education Framework and the idea of promoting a flexible and meaningful context so the students can learn and progress independently.

 

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

Part 1

 

The SETT framework in conjunction with the student support plan could guide us on how to offer support to our students. In the student’s support file, we can gather information about the student’s interests, background, diagnosis and specialists who work with the student such as occupational therapist, nurse or speech and language therapist. This information is vital so we can picture the student in different areas. On the other hand, the SETT takes into consideration the environment such as the school and home which is also important as they will affect the progression of the student’s learning. We as teachers should start by getting to know the student before planning which resources and strategies to use in the classroom.

 

Part 2

Student: 10 years old girl. She can read CVC words but struggles with CCVC and CVCC words. She can copy texts from a book or the whiteboard but finds it difficult to follow spelling and dictation activities. E loves PE classes and outdoor activities. She needs frequent sensory breaks along the day as she loses attention easily and acts up in the class.

 

Environment: E lives with her parents in a house near to the school. She has a small sister in Junior Infants class. E is in 4th class and is being withdrawn with a SET teacher three times a week in a small group of 3. She also takes part in Maths and literacy stations joining the weakest group twice a week.

 

Task: E will create a word document with CCVC and CVCC words with Immersive Reader so she can listen back to the pronunciation of these words. The teacher will pick 4 words every week and E will use the magnetic letters for creating simple sentences and use them in contexts. E will join the Reading eggs programme on the iPad twice a week.

 

Tools: office 365 with Immersive Reader, magnetic letters, iPad.

 

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I like the way you have incorporated Immersive Reader into your planning. Magnetic letters could also have been a great resource for this student.

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I like the way you are thinking to support your student Niamh. The idea of picture dictionary could be an excellent tool for tricky words helping the student to remember it with a picture beside.

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

Part 1

 

For this assignment, I have designed a CVC, CCVC and CVCC book for children in the early stages of reading using PowerPoint. The idea is to start by asking the student to write, read and use a CVC word per slide. The student can record his own voice, draw a picture, pick a photo or use the word in a sentence. It is recommendable to select words they could use on a daily basis. After this, the students should move on to CCVC and CCVC words, more complex and we could even ask them to think of longer sentences or more complex contexts. Finally, we can combine two or three words per slide and encourage the students to read aloud, write a story or design a song. The purpose of this activity is adding more difficulty gradually and motivating the students to use the words in different ways.

 

Part 2

I agree with the idea that teachers are lifelong learners especially if you are working in a SET position. Technology changes very quickly and we need to be trained to offer the students the best teaching possible. Devices evolved, websites upgraded and the only way to know how to use them is constantly learning and putting this knowledge into practice in the classroom.

 

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I enjoy this module and the resources I can now incorporate into my planning. Last term I worked as a SET teacher in my school and Immersive Reader could have been an excellent tool. I had two Polish students who struggled reading and writing in English. With Immersive Reader, I could have small texts translated in their languages and audios with the right pronunciation in English.

I found interesting the possible use of the smart pen in the classroom. We can create our own resources and materials adding our own voices and guiding the students during their learning.

I didn’t know about SpacePoint and how easily it can be introduced in the classroom as extra resources and support for our students. From previous experience, it is also important to train parents with videos, workshops or manuals about how to use these digital resources so they can be used efficiently at home too.

 

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I agree with you Robin. Accessibility checker is a great tool and can helps to improve our materials before using them in the class. Little details such as font, highlighting or adding pictures could enrich the quality of our resources if it is done properly.

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I have found this first module very informative and useful. I didn’t know about the classification of the AT according to the students’ needs. Magnetic letters or digital pens are resources that we usually have in a classroom but the way we use them should be different depending on the group and their needs. For example, this term I worked as a SET teacher and I used magnetic letters for blending sounds during stations in Senior Infants class, however I did also use them for spelling with a withdrawal group. AT could be a powerful tool for working with students with special needs but it is important to be flexible and understand that some students find this technology disturbing or difficult to use. I tried to teach a student how to use a Toby device as a way for expressing her needs and references. Despite trying to teach the pictures one by one and gradually introducing more, the student was not interested in using it, getting frustrated and agitated. As a result, I ended up using visual aids instead.

On the other hand, I found really handy the overview provided about the SETT framework. I like how the framework takes into consideration all aspects of the student: strengths, performance and weakness. Sometimes when we plan to introduce this technology in the class we are looking to support the student’s weaknesses and we don’t look at the overall picture.

Furthermore, the incorporation of the environment which is the class and the whole school could give us the opportunity for example of using this technology in small groups or for stations.

 

[Nieves De La Calle Ferrere]

I agree with you Robin. The SETT framework is very helpful providing a guide, context and tips about how to match AT according to the students needs.

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