New Braille Tech

We've been given a new braille display to learn to use. It's the Focus 40 Blue Braille Display from Freedom Scientific...

It's an amazing little machine! So, I've been learning how to navigate it to better support my student who is learning to use it with his new laptop.

I've created a large laminated mapping picture of the braille display and added braille labels to help learning the function of each of the buttons on the new machine. Little steps will help learning this machine.

Stunning Hoarfrost

This morning there was a thick fog everywhere and it caused a deposit of needle-like ice crystals to form on everything because of  the condensation and temperatures below freezing point.

It was so beautiful I just wanted to share...

 

Tactile Journal Binder

Last week I created a new journal binder for a student with a visual disability. He told me his idea from the material we had on hand. I then hot glue gunned his lay out all down.

The binders must be very textural, visually appealing doesn't matter when creating these.

 From the side.....

 

 

This was the previous journal binder...

 

 He was hungry for some spaghetti and meatballs....

Close up...

 

So much fun to create these!!

 



Learning New Methods

I have spent the last few years discovering and learning about myself and enjoying every minute.

One big accomplishment was learning about Louis Braille. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Braille

I've found myself in a new situation where I am working with students who are visually-impaired. This opportunity has given me a glimpse of a world that I had no experience in.

I have taken, so far, a couple of on-line courses through a well established school for the blind, Hadley Institute for the blind and Visually Impaired. https://www.hadley.edu/

It has been an awesome experience learning about brailling and the history of it. If you are interested I highly recommend this school because you can set your schedule. They also offer scholarships for the courses they offer and the courses are also tailored to specific learners and learning environments.
I've learned how to use a Perkins Brailler:

and a more mobile device the slate and stylus:

The slate and stylus where a bit difficult to learn at first because not only are you using a new language but to braille it out properly on the paper you need to braille it backwards!! YIKES!

Teddy Bear Picnic

This week we were celebrating the arrival of spring by creating a 'Teddy Bear Picnic' that is now hanging in the school hallway. My children are so proud of the work  they did.

This is a close up of one the teddy bears with an ant crawling over the picture:

 We took stuffed bears and pushed them face first into paint and then smooshed the paint dipped bears onto black paper, so you can see the impression of the bear when lifted off. The children then glued googly eyes onto the bears where they thought the eyes would be.

This is the complete mounted class picnic:

Early Literacy/Sensory Activity

This activity was used in a child drop-in centre. I set it up so that the child could participate with minimal adult direction, depending on their age, of course.

The bin is filled with foam pieces and are mixed together with letters that have magnets on the back of them. So the children have the sensory experience of looking through the foam to find letters to stick to the small whiteboard.

The directions are for the guardian/parent to read to the child. Usually the child just enjoyed pushing the foam around to find the letters under it.

Teaching Numeracy with Ants

One of my favourite songs to sing as a child was "The Ants Go Marching". The person who wrote it is unknown, but if anyone knows who did please let me know. I have created visuals to go with the song as the children are singing the verses.

Here are some shots:

Number six picks up sticks. . .

Number three climbs a tree. . .

Number four closes the door. . .

This song is great for teaching the order of the numbers through chanting and rhythm.