For all you technophiles who are loving using the iPad with your students and children, this website – Apps for Children with Special Needs – is going to knock your socks off. They’re completely on top of all the new educational apps coming out. They list each one, explaining their features in detail and even provide a video of the app in use so you can decide if it’s right for you before shelling out the money. This is a GREAT site that we highly recommend!
Tag Archives: teaching tools
Pick of the Week: Emotions Flashcards
You’re in luck because this week’s pick is a whole CATEGORY of products! We’re highlighting our wonderful Emotions flashcards this week and offering them to you at a 15% discount. Click here to see the full list of products on sale this week. There are basics such as the Emotions Language Cards which are an ideal introduction to teaching feelings to young learners as well as the more advanced Faces & Feelings Listening Lotto which is a creative way to work on auditory processing and emotions. With 9 different sets of Emotions Flashcards on sale this week, you’re sure to find a set that’s right for your child or student.
Today through March 1, visit Difflearn.com to save 15% on our Emotions Flashcards by entering the Promo Code BLOGEM22 at checkout.
*Offer expires on March 1, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer.
President’s Day
President’s day is on Monday and it is likely that there may be some gaps in your child’s home program or perhaps they are home without therapy because school is closed. Either way we all know that structure and the maintenance of routine play a big role in a child’s success. Your best bet is to not leave anything to chance. Create a picture schedule of the planned activities for the day substituting any gaps with activities that your child has had success with independently or activities you can facilitate. Depending on your child’s abilities and his or her individual interests this schedule may include some new activities mapped out by using pictures of each step involved. I’ve really enjoyed simple cooking activities with my students lately. The simple act of making lemonade together provides so many opportunities to expand language, turn-taking, following directions and sequencing. The best part is that when you are done you have delicious lemonade to drink. Whenever I include kitchen activities I like to draw up a pictorial recipe before hand that the child can follow along with. It is also important to keep in mind that not everything has to be explicitly therapeutic or educational. You can have structure without it necessarily including direct instruction. In fact I think that holidays are the best time to mix in some more varied activities. Try printing out images of your child’s favorite storybook character and paste them into a journal while writing your own story to go along with the pictures. Parents and caregivers sometimes shy away from incorporating novel activities into a schedule but with some preparation and guidance it can be an enjoyable “day off” for all.
What does at day off look like in your household? Maybe you can share a fun activity you’ve recently tried?
Discoveries Program at the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art
We just found out about this program and think it’s fantastic! Discoveries is a Sunday program offered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for adults and children with learning and/or developmental disabilities and their friends and family members. Each Discoveries workshop focuses on a theme and includes a gallery tour followed by a related art activity. The program is free of charge but advance reservations are necessary. Here’s the upcoming schedule:
Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York
March 20
11 am – Ages 6-17
2 pm – Ages 18 and above
April 10
11 am – Ages 18 and above
2 pm – Ages 6-17
Rooms with a View: The Open Window in the 19th Century
May 1
11 am – Ages 18 and above
2 pm – Ages 6-17
May 15
11 am – Ages 6-17
2 pm – Ages 18 and above
Group Residences and Organizations:
The Museum offers customized programs for adult group residences and other agencies that serve adults with developmental disabilities. For scheduling and fee information, call (212) 650-2010 or email access@metmuseum.org.
For anyone living in or visiting New York, the museum is an absolute gem and a lovely place to spend a day roaming about. We’re thrilled about the Discoveries Program!
Pick of the Week: Community Helpers Listening Lotto
This week’s pick is the Community Helpers Listening Lotto at a 15% discount. This is a creative way to teach young learners about community helpers in their neighborhood. The 12 photographic game boards depict the mailman, firefighter, police officer, teacher and more. The audio CD asks players to “find the person on your game card that helps children learn to read and write.” This is a fun and interactive way to make the community come to life.
Today through February 22, visit our site at https://www.difflearn.com to save 15% on the Community Helpers Listening Lotto by entering the Promo Code BLOGCH3 at checkout.
*Offer expires on February 22, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer.
Pick of the Week: Shopping List Memory Game
This week’s pick is the delightful Shopping List Memory Game. The goal of the game is to fill your cart with all of the items on your shopping list. The fun is twofold as the classic memory game also develops personal and social skills.
Today through February 15, visit our site at https://www.difflearn.com to save 15% on the Shopping List game by entering the Promo Code SLDRTL2 at checkout.
*Offer expires on February 15, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer.
Free Downloads
I’ve never been busier during the start of a new year than I have been in 2011. It seems like many of my students were off to an ambitious start this month as well. Some students made such significant progress that the revisions seem to never end. Other students have required a lot of creativity and extra effort in finding ways to reach them and facilitate learning. I found myself re-evaluating many program books, behavior plans and strategies. I won’t further bore you with my lengthy “To Do” list but I will share some of the rewards of my work. The end result is that there are new and improved versions of the free DRL data sheets and graphs along with brief descriptions for each. I hope you find them as useful as I have. You can find them under the “DRL Downloads” tab underneath the Different Roads to Learning banner. Now off to work!
Enter to win a free iPad from the HollyRod Foundation
The HollyRod Foundation is raising money to provide free iPads to families in need. Applications are being accepted until December 31, 2010. In trying to donate to the those in the most need, the guidelines stipulate that the child is non-verbal or minimally verbal and that the family falls below a certain income level. We applaud the HollyRod Foundation for trying to make a real difference in the lives of families in our community.
Fire Safety Resources
There is no one piece of advice that I offer more than “Prepare your child.” We all know that children with autism tend to be inflexible in their adherence to routine. Any unexpected change in their daily schedule can present emotional and behavioral difficulties for all involved. That is why it is important to prepare your child for any potential disruptions. This includes fire safety and it just so happens that the National Fire Protection Association has created some great resources to help you. Check out the social story that can be customized to include your child’s personal information below!
Thinking About All the Parents Out There…
With the holidays approaching we all know that gift giving will soon be in full swing. This undoubtedly means that your families will be generously bestowed with electronic cause and effect toys. These types of toys help to stimulate development as your child discovers the function of the toy and how to elicit certain responses from the object. Children with special needs tend to have a longer relationship with these types of toys as they often serve as powerful reinforcers, meet ongoing sensory needs and continue to provide opportunities to address language and motor development. Additionally, it may take a special needs child longer to master this type of play before moving onto more imaginative and creative play. What I’m getting at is that these toys are going to be in your house longer and some of them are LOUD. So when I came across the following post on Apartment Therapy the other day it jumped out at me as a piece vital information for all of you special needs parents out there. We are always thinking about adaptations for toys and games for the kids but what about the parents? A former sound engineer for children’s sound books shares a secret on how to turn down the volume on these toys.
Check it out and Happy Holidays!