Links for Practical Help with Behaviour
Behaviour: Social Stories (Autism, Aspergers') Practical pre-made pdfs to download, ready made on a wide variety of topics
Geneva Center: Toronto, ON - Autism Spectrum Power Cards How to make, how to use. |
Strategies for solving social difficulties, teaching desired behaviours
Kids' Mental Health: Where to get help in Simcoe County Bringing School Home: Sign up for an eBulletin sent to your email, or download past issues in pdf format. |
Welcome to Emma King Learning Center Web Site
My little friend is checking out the roots, prior to planting a few geraniums. It was such a lovely day to "borrow" my friend's daughter and see the world through her eyes. She took great delight in finding a lady bug, and in checking out the fuzzy leaves. Taking one plant apart was worth it to talk about all the parts of the plant and to describe what we were looking at.
Our teachers are deep into preparing our grade 3 and 6 students for EQAO testing. However, they were talking today about how the test will be marked and what we consider to be a thoughtful answer. It was very clear that our teachers are demanding critical thinking, even if it doesn't fit the lines provided by the EQAO test! We looked carefully at our students strengths in applying the strategies taught: Accountable talk prior to answering a question leads to children expressing their ideas, listening to each other, and revising their thinking based on new information. This talk doesn't happen in a test, but we want our children to pay close attention to reading, rereading, confirming, looking for proof in the text prior to answering. Some will have prior knowledge. Some won't, but will be able to look for relevant information in the text. Although the students are taught to answer, and look for 2 proofs, they are encouraged to make connections and extend their answer with their own thinking. There may not be room for all this on an EQAO test booklet, but you can bet that the teaching is there to move our students into thoughtful readers. And, that is the goal of our teachers, and of the EQAO test--good questions, interesting text, and in spite of the controversy around testing, our teachers are taking the long view--teach good reading strategies, pull it apart, and put it back together again in your own mind. A lot like Addie and I exploring and pulling apart a plant to really appreciate the rest of the growth in our garden!
Check out bitstrips.com on the front page. Read a few books on line: Tumblebooks are linked to the main page of emmaking.com.
Our teachers are deep into preparing our grade 3 and 6 students for EQAO testing. However, they were talking today about how the test will be marked and what we consider to be a thoughtful answer. It was very clear that our teachers are demanding critical thinking, even if it doesn't fit the lines provided by the EQAO test! We looked carefully at our students strengths in applying the strategies taught: Accountable talk prior to answering a question leads to children expressing their ideas, listening to each other, and revising their thinking based on new information. This talk doesn't happen in a test, but we want our children to pay close attention to reading, rereading, confirming, looking for proof in the text prior to answering. Some will have prior knowledge. Some won't, but will be able to look for relevant information in the text. Although the students are taught to answer, and look for 2 proofs, they are encouraged to make connections and extend their answer with their own thinking. There may not be room for all this on an EQAO test booklet, but you can bet that the teaching is there to move our students into thoughtful readers. And, that is the goal of our teachers, and of the EQAO test--good questions, interesting text, and in spite of the controversy around testing, our teachers are taking the long view--teach good reading strategies, pull it apart, and put it back together again in your own mind. A lot like Addie and I exploring and pulling apart a plant to really appreciate the rest of the growth in our garden!
Check out bitstrips.com on the front page. Read a few books on line: Tumblebooks are linked to the main page of emmaking.com.
Collaboration Computer Use
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All students must follow school policy regarding computer use. This includes using their own student login. Student must not share their password with others. There is to be no harassment, no use of unacceptable language, name calling, or viewing or downloading of inappropriate sites.
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- Some of the Board licensed computer software that we train the students to use are: Kurzweil which is a text to voice sofware which allows students to hear texts as they read. They can make notes, add sticky notes, or a voice file to help record their thoughts on the text as it is read to them. WordQ is a predicted spelling list that drops down as the children type their thoughts on a Word Document. WordQ reads the student's typing back to them, which helps them to revise and edit.
- Students are taught to use Inspiration, which creates a graphic organizer to brainstorm and research topics and makes a draft outline of their thinking. Google some of these and see if a 30 day trial can be downloaded at home.
