Written Expression
ChallengeWritten expression is the ability to put your thoughts on paper. Many students struggle with written expression for a variety of reasons. For some students, dysgraphia will make the act of writing difficult. Dyslexia also makes it difficult for those students to spell words as they are writing. For many students, there are deficits in the area of vocabulary, word retrieval, and information processing. There are many programs that will assist students in many of these areas.
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Helpful Websiteshttp://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dysgraphia/seven-important-facts-about-supporting-students-with-writing-learning-disability
Facts about writing difficulties for students with learning disabilities. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2012/10/ten-terrific-mind-mapping-and.html#.UI6mlGl27bp 10 Mind mapping and brainstorming tools for struggling writers. http://www.dyslexia-speld.com/LearningtoRead/TeachingWrittenExpression/tabid/100/language/en-AU/Default.aspx Teaching written expression for children with dyslexia. http://www.projectread.com/pages/Written-Expression.cfm Access a written expression curriculum geared towards sentence and paragraph development. http://www.accessproject.colostate.edu/disability/modules/LD/tut_written_exp_dis.php Learn the definition, learning strategies and assistive technology available to students with a written expression learning disability. |
Solution #1: Clicker 6
Clicker 6 is a widely used writing program by Crick Software. The program is designed for a wide range of disabilities, and is easy to customize for individual students. Clicker 6 is great for students with dyslexia, learning difficulties, speech or language impairments, physical disabilities, low vision, autism, and down's syndrome.
Features of Clicker 6 include:
Teachers could choose to implement this program on an individual or class wide basis, depending on the class and technology available. Teachers could show the program on an interactive board and having the students come up to write their own story, have the class write a story together as a whole, or demonstrate the use of the program to the whole class.
Alternatively, the program can be used on individual computers, and the students can work independently. The program is designed so that Clicker 6 can be set up for individual preferences or level of support needed. To learn more, visit: http://www.cricksoft.com/us/products/tools/clicker/home.aspx |
ResearchA study done on 22 K-6 special education students by Rose Racicot, an assistive technology specialist and occupational therapist, showed the following findings:
TutorialFor many other great tutorials, visit: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL31AC8E3681407475
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Solution #2: Inspiration
Inspiration offers a variety of visual thinking tools to help students write. Inspiration will help students with:
Features of Inspiration include:
Video Overview |
Inspiration is a program that can be used with the class as a whole for brainstorming sessions or cooperative writing.
This is also a program that would be highly beneficial for students to have on an individual basis if they need additional support for writing. For more information, visit: http://www.inspiration.com/Inspiration TutorialResearchThe Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education completed a report in which twenty-nine studies were identified and evaluated as scientifically based research. The studies provided evidence in support of the instructional effectiveness of the use of visual learning techniques. The studies also found that visual learning techniques improve student performance in; reading comprehension, thinking and learning skills, organizing and communicating ideas, seeing patterns and relationships, categorizing ideas, and retention.
(The Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education (IARE) at AEL, 2003) |
Solution #3: iBrainstorm
iBrainstorm is an app for the iPad and iPhone that allows the user to capture and share their thoughts. The app allows you to create notes, and then drag the notes to create visual maps and hierarchies. The notes can also be color coded to separate ideas or assign priority. On the iPad, the user can also draw and capture the image for later. The app also allows you to share your notes and drawings.
This app would be perfect for students who struggle to write on topics that are presented in class. iBrainstorm would allow the student to create notes, and organize the notes as they are taking them. Students could also create drawings to help them remember what they would like to write about later. iBrainstorm would be a great app for a student to have on their phone to take notes during class, and refer to those notes later when they are completing assignments or writing a paper about the topics presented.
The app would also be beneficial for teachers and students to use in cooperative learning. The app has a great sharing feature so that students could complete their own individual work, and then share and compare with their classmates. For more information, visit: http://www.ibrainstormapp.com/ ResearchResearch previously presented by The Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education also supports the use of programs like iBrainstorm. This app is yet another visual learning technique that would improve students' abilities to retain information, organize and communicate their ideas, and categorize information. (The Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education (IARE) at AEL, 2003)
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Demonstration |
References
The Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education (IARE) at AEL. (2003). Graphic organizers: A review of scientifically based research. Retrieved from website: http://www.inspiration.com/sites/default/files/documents/Detailed-Summary.pdf
Racicot, R. (2009). The effect of multimedia writing support software on written productivity . (Master's thesis, San Jose State University)Retrieved from http://www.cricksoft.com/Files/research/RACICOT_Thesis.pdf
Racicot, R. (2009). The effect of multimedia writing support software on written productivity . (Master's thesis, San Jose State University)Retrieved from http://www.cricksoft.com/Files/research/RACICOT_Thesis.pdf