Its a new school year and ALDI will be providing details soon on the ALDI online PLC for 2014/2015. There’s an exciting webinar coming up in September-details to follow!
The online PLC is a webinar series for resource teachers and resource based teams. Join your colleagues from across the province to discuss innovative teaching and learning practices for our students with special needs.
Access a provincial professional learning community without even leaving your school. Check out our archived webinars from winter 2014 here:
Are you interested in enabling the free accessibility tools already available on your student’s laptop? Whether your student is using a PC or mac, there are a number of free, effective options for both text to speech and speech recognition. Check out the ALDI links for enabling these features:
You can send feedback to your colleagues across the province on how you’re using these tools with your students in the resource setting through the contact form. We’ll (happily) post your comments on the ALDI blog.
I just read an interesting article in edudemic that changed my perspective of the writing process with new technologies.
“Five myths about writing with mobile devices” discusses the fact that many educators feel that mobile devices are not an effective tool for writing (in the traditional sense). The article looks at our definition of “writing” and reevaluates what is it to write in a 21st century learning environment on a mobile device. Below are three myths that really challenge our assumptions as educators, and are also extrememly relevant for our students with special needs.
1. Writing=word processing
The author makes an important point: we have no idea what platform and tools students will be using when they enter the workforce, many years from now. The tool is irrelevant-what’s important is the process of writing, and we need to think beyond Microsoft Word.
“For example, Drive allows for collaborative writing, while AudioNote (iPad or Android) syncs recorded audio with typed or written words, and Evernote makes written content available on any device.”
2. Writing=text
Let’s redefine the representation of the writing process as text. When we incorporate multiple means of representation this opens up a whole new world of possibilities for our students with special needs.
“With mobile devices, we have instant access to cameras and microphones as well as the ability to write, type, draw, capture images, and create videos. As a result of these tools and capabilities, the writing process no longer needs to be limited to solely text-based output. In fact, by leveraging these capabilities, students who would otherwise be labeled as having “output issues” suddenly have a voice.”
3. Writing=essays
Rather than a traditional paragraph or essay, how can students demonstrate their understanding with an alternative means of expression?
“What if….
Students created eBooks that included text, images, audio recordings of their own reflections, videos, and/or screencasts to demonstrate their understanding rather than type a standard essay or report.
Students created and maintained blogs such that they not only posted articles but also wrote and responded to comments that challenged them to think critically in new directions.
Students created and curated digital magazines that combined their own writing as well as digital artifacts, images, and other articles.
ALDI Edcamp, a session provided at the ALDI Symposium this year, was a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other in a relaxed, but highly engaging environment.
If you’re not familiar with the Edcamp movement, check out our previous post on “What is an Edcamp?”
Our participants (a great representation of teachers from all of our boards as well as the private sector)
came to the session ready to discuss their topics. And what a HUGE variety of topics-from the role of
the resource teacher, to the integration of new assistive technologies and mobile devices in the
resource setting, to Universal Design for Learning, to best teaching practices for students with
learning disabilities…and many more. We had excellent discussions surrounding these topics,
and input from a wide range of teaching backgrounds as well as years of experience provided us with
very unique perspectives. All in all, a great success!
If you are interested in bringing an Edcamp to a resource teacher network meeting, or planning a
larger event within your school board, please contact the ALDI coordinator.
Check out our feedback board with exit cards (above) to see what we learned, and what we’d like to know more about!
A new professional development opportunity is in the works…and its coming to the ALDI 2013 Symposium!
Get ready for ALDI edcamp-the first “unconference” for resource teachers in the province!
What is an unconference? Its a movement that is changing the way we think and experience professional development as teachers. Essentially, an unconference is driven by the participants, who prepare presentations or discussion topics beforehand but announce and schedule them the day of the conference. Anyone attending can host a session or discussion-all you need is the desire to learn from your peers and the willingness to lead and guide a discussion. Its an interesting model for resource teachers, as we all have a wealth of knowledge and strategies that we would like to share.
For more information on the edcamp movement and to see it in action, check out this short video:
If you will be signing up for the ALDI edcamp at the ALDI symposium 2013, these are the pre-requisites:
Be interested in learning from your fellow teachers in an active discussion.
Come prepared to lead a discussion about a topic, project or PDIG you have completed, area you would like to explore, classroom strategy or instructional methodology that you would like to learn more about.
You do not have to be an expert in the topic, just be willing to lead a discussion.
We’re busy preparing for the upcoming ALDI Symposium on September 24th and 25th, 2013. It promises to be an inspiring event featuring professional development in four strands: literacy, numeracy, assistive technology and resource models.
Each year we welcome approximately 250 resource teachers from the nine English boards, who engage in interactive sessions and discussion surrounding cutting-edge topics in teaching and learning for students with special needs. A special welcome goes out this year to teachers in the Adult Education sectors in each of our boards.
We thank our school boards, CEGEPs and universities who have submitted proposals from across the province. The two-day program is packed full of sessions, sure to motivate, engage and build knowledge and skills!
We have some exciting keynotes this year:
Dr. Tara Flanagan is a professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology at McGill University. She will be discussing the connections between transition planning, inclusive education, and social inclusion for people with disabilities.
Mr. Frederic Fovet is Director of the Office for Students with Disabilities at McGill University. He will be discussing the Universal Design for Learning framework and its application in the classroom.
In addition, Dr. Marian Small from the University of New Brunswick will be providing in depth professional development sessions on supporting struggling students in upper elementary and secondary mathematics.
Just a sample of our sessions:
Daily 5 Math-a model for differentiation (numeracy)
Digital storytelling for the 21st century resource teacher (technology)
Introduction to ALERT self-regulation training (resource models)
Literacy and language in the work-oriented training path classroom (literacy)
iPad apps resource guide for adults with special needs (technology)
Non-fiction texts to support writing (literacy)
ALDI edcamp-an “unconference” within our conference (resource models/professional development)
Session for resource teachers new to the role (resource models/professional development)
Literacy, numeracy and mental health: Helping students get better grades by focusing on emotional competency (literacy/numeracy/mental health)
And don’t forget our exciting onsite exhibitors…plenty of resources to access while attending the symposium.
Register here for the symposium and to access all session descriptions.
A new professional development opportunity is in the works…and its coming to the ALDI 2013 Symposium!