Implementation of iPads for AAC in a Specialist School

5 Comments

  I recently had an article published in Perspectives on AAC that I wanted to share here as I thought it could be useful for others who are on the same journey.  You can access the original article at http://sig12perspectives.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2322984. And to give you a visual to go with the article – the video below

Read More

Writing in Our Classrooms

3 Comments

Chloe re-writing a favourite book from Tar Heel Reader Writing is a complex task, involving ideas, language, words, spelling and transcribing or selecting letters. We need to teach all of these skills – and eventually students need to be able to do all of these, within the one task, to become writers. Overall guidelines Do

Read More

Shared Reading: Focus on Interaction

8 Comments

Shared reading is a collaborative learning activity that emulates and builds on the bedtime book experiences that many children and parents have together. The focus during shared reading is on the interaction. Shared reading is appropriate for any emergent reader, no matter their age and can be done individually or in small groups. Focus on

Read More

Leading to Literacy

6 Comments

I was very privileged to be invited to do a plenary presentation at the Queensland Association of Special Education Leaders‘ annual conference.   Below is the presentation I gave on “Leading to Literacy” where I got to talk about the fabulous Willans Hill School and the four years of our journey implementing balanced literacy instruction

Read More

Working with Letters, Sounds and Words in our Classrooms

4 Comments

Working with letters, sounds and words are important components of literacy instruction in our classrooms. Emergent students need explicit and incidental instruction around the alphabet and sounds, to improve their alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness.  Conventional students need to learn how words work. Below is a checklist I use with teachers in working through the

Read More

Self-Selected Reading in Our Classrooms

4 Comments

Self-selected reading is often seen as the easiest literacy block.  However, to develop a student’s love of reading requires careful resource curation and an awareness of their interests and preferences.  Below is a checklist I use with teachers in working through the self-selected reading block in their classroom. The two main guiding rules are: It

Read More

AAC and Literacy in Partnership to Develop Language

Today I was lucky enough to present at the AGOSCI 2015 National Conference with the amazing Helen Tainsh on using literacy and AAC intervention to develop language. Helen works in both early intervention at the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre and in private practice, where she supports a number of students in mainstream schools.  Currently, I’m

Read More

Self-Selected Reading: Books for Every Reader

1 Comment

The AGOSCI Conference continued today.  My first presentation for the day was with the fabulous Sally Clendon on the topic of Self-Selected Reading.  As promised, the handout for the presentation is shared here. Display content from SlideShare Click here to display content from SlideShare. Learn more in SlideShare’s privacy policy. Always display content from SlideShare

Read More