One sensory system, often under-recognized but important, is the vestibular system. Download a free poster with vestibular activities.
32 Sensory Play Activities For Kids With Autism. Sensory Play helps all children learn, but for kids on the autism spectrum, it can
Do you wonder if your child has more sensory related difficulties that you aren't aware of? Don't miss these sensory red flags.
AMPLIFYING your ESL instruction is all about increasing comprehensible input for your students. In other words, ELLs learn best when you use instructional strategies that make your teaching (input) as easy to understand as possible (comprehensible). Makes sense, right? Amplification strategies are easy to adapt to whatever content you are teaching, and they are naturally differentiating (meaning students of all language abilities will benefit from their use). AMPLIFICATION STRATEGY: Use realia and hands-on activities Realia is a fancy word for everyday objects. You are using realia whenever you show your students actual objects (rather than an image or explanation of the object). Even something as simple as using real coins during math lessons counts as realia. Research shows us that the more ways we allow students to interact with the material we teach, the better they learn it. Realia and hands-on activities encourage students to participate and interact to the fullest. By handling, manipulating, and observing objects, ELLs are able to use more than just language to help them construct meaning. They are receiving information through interacting with the objects you present, which helps them understand your lesson in a deeper way. We've created a sample Five Senses unit to give you an idea of how easy it is to incorporate realia and hands-on activities into your teaching. Remember, amplification strategies can be added to any lesson to make it more comprehensible for ELLs! Below are a few ideas to get your wheels turning. 1.) Assemble a collection of objects. Have each student pick an object (secretly, if you want to add some drama) to describe using their five senses. They can write their description as a paragraph if they're more advanced students, or in list form if their English skills are intermediate. A true beginner may decide to create a drawing with labels or select from a collection of words you’ve supplied in a word bank. Pre-literate students may give an oral description of their objects. Allowing students to choose how to participate in this activity gives you the opportunity to assess their mastery of the content, regardless of their language abilities. 2.) Read “touch and feel” books. These relatively simple books are wonderful for helping students understand the more subtle variations in texture that we try to describe. They may seem inappropriate for older ELLs, but a more advanced activity could include asking the students to feel the texture and then come up with an appropriate word to describe its feel. Providing a word bank or the first letter of the target word makes this exercise slightly easier. Usborne has a series of books that are great for teaching vocabulary words about the sense of touch. In each of these books, a mouse is searching for something, but each time he thinks he’s found it, he realizes “it’s too (insert vocabulary word here).” The accompanying pictures allow students to feel the texture while hearing the word that describes the feeling. You can find many of the books in this series on amazon.com. 3.) Brainstorm a list of words that describe touch and texture with your students. Then ask them to go out and find objects that illustrate those words. Your class can create a poster of the different vocabulary words and objects they find. If you allow students access to this poster throughout the year, even beginner ELLs will be able to incorporate more advanced vocabulary into their writing. These sensory words are very useful when teaching students to "stretch their writing" in Small Moments units! For added cuteness, young students could trace their hands or even make a handprint using paint. The bottom line: Integrating hands-on experiences whenever possible is an important way to reinforce new concepts and vocabulary for ELLs. It encourages students of all language levels to participate to their abilities and is naturally differentiating. Not to mention, it motivates students, helps them stay focused (especially those kinesthetic learners), and encourages interaction with peers. Did you find this post helpful? Check out some of our other posts for more ideas about amplifying for ELLs. Here you'll find a printable list of questions for parents to ask their children to encourage deeper reading comprehension. For more tips on involving families in their children's schooling, visit our ELL Family Resources page and print out some of the forms on our post about parent communication. Want more suggestions foranchor charts and graphic organizers? Or take our quiz to find out how you're doing in terms of amplifying instruction for the ELLs in your classroom.
This is another 5-senses activity. We did 10 different materials, ranging from feathers to sandpaper and everything in between. We had the kids feel each piece of material and then had them glue them onto the hands. We asked the kids to describe the material and what if felt like to them. I LOVE the answers that we got from some of the kids. My own little girl, had some that made me crack up. The sandpaper felt like Poppa's face, the fake leather felt like a couch and one of them felt like her dog Brody. It was fun to hear their answers. Fabric stores are great to look for material for this project. A remnant can go a long way when your talking about 1 inch pieces. Also look at the craft supplies and hardware stores. We used sponges and Brillo pads, the possibilities are endless.
Sensory Diet: Practical Ways to Incorporate Sensory Input for children and students. Includes Discussion of Sensory Systems, Evidence Base Research on Sensory Diets, and free printables to create a Sensory Diet.
BrainWorks: The Sensory Diet Creator Tool Just as youngsters with Asperger’s and High-Functioning Autism need food throughout the day, their need for sensory input must also be met. A “sensory diet” is a personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input “special needs” children must have in order to stay focused and organized throughout the day. Children and teens with mild to severe sensory issues can all benefit from a personalized sensory diet. Each Asperger’s or HFA youngster has a unique set of sensory needs. Generally, a youngster who is more lethargic or tired needs more arousing input, while a youngster whose nervous system is energetic or hyper needs more calming input. Occupational therapists can use their training and evaluation skills to develop a sensory diet for the youngster on the autism spectrum, but it’s up to parents and the youngster to implement it throughout the day. Effects of a sensory diet are usually immediate and cumulative. In other words, activities that stimulate the youngster or soothe her are not only effective in the moment – they help to restructure the youngster’s nervous system over time so that she is better able to handle transitions with less stress, limit sensory seeking and sensory avoiding behaviors, regulate her alertness and increase attention span, and tolerate sensations and situations she finds challenging. Each Asperger’s and HFA youngster is different and has unique requirements. But if parents take a close look at what their child is doing, he is telling his parents in the only way he knows how (with his behavior) what he needs. Parents can take what their child is already doing and make it safer and more appropriate. That's the beginning of a good sensory diet. BrainWorks simplifies the process of creating sensory diets and teaches self-modulation through its use. Click here to join BrainWorks. Brainworks Is The Premier Sensory Diet Creation Tool. Sensory Diets Are Designed Primarily For Those With Autism And Other Sensory Processing Disorders.
Hi friends! I am excited to share another DIY project: a sensory light bridge! This is another easy peasy project that you can make...
What is Inquiry Based Leaning in Kindergarten? In simple form, inquiry-based learning is more of a student-directed way of learning rather than teacher-directed. In some cases, the teaching team may set the general framework for learning, but for the most part, the learning is based on the students questions, ideas and passions. This is similar to the emergent curriculum if that is a term you are more familiar with. Rather than working off set lesson plans that are theme-based and not necessarily developmentally appropriate for all children, your teaching is guided by the students interests thus making the learning more meaningful to them. We know from research that children achieve optimal learning when they are given plenty of opportunities to become fully engaged in their play. Most often while children are engaged, their natural curiosity of the world around them comes forth. They take notice of everything and have a beautiful sense of wonder about people, places, objects, and nature. Through noticing and wondering, the children come up with questions and observations about their thinking. It is important that children are given the opportunity to investigate their inquiry, gather information, make observations and share their findings with others. It is the role of the teaching team in kindergarten to act as facilitators. We use these opportunities of inquiry to help guide the children with more open-ended questions allowing them to extend and clarify their thinking and make connections, while modeling the inquiry process. We provide the children with the tools, materials and resources they need to investigate these inquiries. What is the Inquiry Process? The Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program clearly defines the inquiry process in the curriculum document and I have included the table for you below: There is also an article I enjoyed named "The Plan: Building on Children's Interests" by Hilary Jo Seitz through NAEYC, that you can read here, that offers a very interesting perspective on the inquiry process. It has many similarities to the one in the Full Day Kindergarten document, but I enjoyed the way Hilary explained her four step process. I also now love the term SPARKS which refers to anything that promotes deeper thinking. Open-Ended Questions to Promote Inquiry The key to open-ended questions is that they promote further thinking and explanation. Questions that begin with "what, why, how, if etc." are usually open-ended questions. Anything that can be answered with yes or no are typically closed-ended questions and a lot of the time may begin with "can, do etc." I created the sheet above to carry with me on my clipboard when I am doing observations during the day as a reminder or suggestion. Very quickly these just became natural for me and it is just part of my normal conversations throughout the day with the children. This certainly won't be my last post on inquiry, but I hope this answers some questions for those who were wondering just what inquiry-based learning is.
Autism effects a wide spread demographic. One therapy that is often sought out to help those effected with Autism. ABA refers to Applied Behavior Analysis. It used to be referred to as behavior mod…
Vision and eyesight are not the same thing. Eyesight is the ability to see something clearly (Known as Visual Acuity 20/20). Eyesight is tested with Eye Charts by pediatricians, schools and at regular optometrist visits. Vision, on the other hand, is Read More ...
If you (or your preschooler) has ever asked the question, "what is blood made of?", you must check out this fun activity to learn about the parts of blood.
The death of David Cameron's son has turned the spotlight on a very special group of schools, says Caroline Roberts
Researchers at UCSF have found that children with sensory processing disorders have decreased structural brain connections in specific sensory regions different than those in autism, further establishing SPD as a clinically important neurodevelopmental disorder.
Blurting Out is a FREE Social Story to help students learn to listen to others while they are speaking and why it is important to follow the classroom rules. Social Stories are a great way to promote positive behaviors in the classroom. Social Stories are a visual guide to describe interactions, situations, behaviors, skills or concepts. This story will help children on the autism spectrum, children in your special education class, children in primary grades, or children in an inclusive classroom. This story will help ease anxiety and stress during playtime and during instructional time. It will also help teach the children how to respond appropriately. Parents are welcome to a copy of this resource as well. You can use the black and white version as a printable booklet for students to read and color, or use the color slides to project and read with the class to guide your discussion. Print out the color version to make a class book for your library! There are many other social stories bundled in my store, so please take a look if this is a resource that will help your students. If you would like to view of my other products just click on the links below. Interactive Notebook- Social Skills Social And Emotional Activity Pack Social Skills - How Would You Feel? Social Stories: Sharing Lunch Time No Pushing Social Story How To Make Eye Contact Restroom Procedures The Fire Drill How To Use My Voice In Class *************************************************************************** Teacher Tips: How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: Please go to your My Purchases page to find a Provide Feedback button. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases! I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom! DOWNLOADING AND PRINTING If you have any trouble with downloading or printing your documents, please read the help on this page: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Help If you still need troubleshooting, please email [email protected] and the TPT tech team will be happy to help you. Bundles are collected in a compressed ZIP file and include all clip art on the cover, my logo, a preview image, and a link to my TOU. You can read more about zip files by clicking HERE. Thank you for visiting my store! —————————————————— Copyright ©Educating Everyone 4 Life. All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY. *Not for commercial purposes such as Outschool.
Yes, ANOTHER free printable this week. I know, if I could pinch you from here I would; free stuff is so dreamy! This is a quick matching manners worksheet I made tonight as a supplement to a Manner…
Sensory Integration Disorder The link between the way the brain works and a person's behaviour is sensory integration. This occurs naturally in most people. After receiving sensory information about things through your five senses as well as from pain...
Interoception is like our body's warning system. This 8th sensory system is an important factor for self-regulation in children.
Help kids learn impulse control skills using these practical strategies to support development of executive functioning.
Sensory bins hold the building blocks for bilingual learning in the classroom. Using letter identification activities encourages learners to develop new skills.
Learn more about the vestibular system - what is it, why is it important to growth and development, and what can you do to support it in your child?
Heavy work activities are powerful tools for self-regulation, attention, focus, body awareness, and calming sensory input.
Unlock effective communication for students with autism using this comprehensive packet of over 35 visuals. Tailored for both special and general education classrooms, these visuals aid children struggling with expressive and receptive language skills. Perfect for inclusive environments, these resources cover a range of needs, including "I Want" visuals, big labels for various classroom areas, behavior cues, home visuals, and more. Print, laminate, cut, and empower your students to better navigate their surroundings and express themselves.
When you enter into the world of Early Childhood Education it’s no doubt just about play and teaching! Educator’s alike would agree that observing and documenting children’s learn…
I saw this picture today on fb and it really hit home! I have always thought a majority of my kids have undiagnosed vision issues that no one ever does anything about. I have expressed concern to parents and they think everything is fine because the doctors haven't said anything or because they pass the vision screening Half of my kids cannot even understand how to do the screening test and none of them would be able to express if they couldn't see correctly. How many of us have gotten new glasses or contacts and thought "WOW! I didn't know what I was missing!". I can only imagine how clueless my little ones with special needs are especially if it's a condition they've had their whole lives. Do other teachers have this issue? How do you address these concerns with parents who think everything is fine? Do you think vision issues are more prevalent in kids with special needs, particularly Autism? Leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism
The multi-store model of memory (also known as the modal model) was proposed by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin (1968) and is a structural model. They
(This post contains affiliate links.)Hi everyone! It's back to school time and I'm sure you're busy getting all your classrooms prepared and supplies organized. I work with students all year round, but I certainly use
Students are expected to come to every art class with a PENCIL & ERASER. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR ART PROGRAM Even though we do not have an art studio this claymation…
This post was originally posted back in 2015 on my blog and has been a popular post since that time. I worked for a decade as a family counselor and elementary school counselor before staying
Resonance Board By: Dr. Lilli Nielsen The Resonance Board is made of 4 mm plywood size 150 x 150 cm (120 x 120 cm if the child is very small.) Along the edge of the underside you apply a wooden strip, which is 2 x 2 cm. It is very important to apply the strip
BREATHING EXERCISES for YOUR TRAUMA SENSITIVE CLASSROOM, CALM CORNER, DISTANCE LEARNING or HOME The Breathing Exercises for Kids Book, Task Cards, Mindfulness Brain Breaks and Posters is now also in Google Slides™ for distance learning social emotional learning support. These exercises will help bring mindfulness, focus and calm into your classroom or home. This resource teaches 15 different fun and effective mindful breathing techniques, reinforced with (adorable) illustrations that provide detailed visual support for all learners. Perfect for your Trauma Informed Classroom and Take a Break or Calm Corner space. For More Distance Learning Ready Breathing Exercises, check out: Digital Mindfulness Breathing Exercises & Video SEL Lesson for Distance Learning Self-Regulation Breaks & Mindfulness Breathing Videos for SEL Distance Learning WHY TEACH MINDFUL BREATHING EXERCISES? Mindful breathing helps us to feel calmer, more focused, and better able to make thoughtful decisions about what to do next. Mindful breathing also improves self-control, problem-solving skills, self-awareness, attention, memory, and even sleep (which we know is critical for child development and learning). Mindful breathing is a great routine educators can implement in their classrooms. It hardly takes much time, is a quiet activity, can work wonders with transitions, and helps to shift chaos energy into peaceful energy. When we pay attention to our breathing, and "breathe on purpose," the oxygen that we take in literally sends a message to the brain that everything is okay. In other words, mindful breathing helps us to move out of a reactive state into a receptive state, which also means we are more ready to learn and can make better decisions in whatever context we find ourselves in. How many times have we told young people, "Just take a deep breath" without really showing them different ways they can do this? This resource is a concrete guide to do such! WHAT'S INCLUDED: in digital format: ✔ Google Slides™ with and without Interactive Feelings Check-In ✔ PowerPoint File of each Breathing Exercise in printable format: ✔ Breathing Exercise Interactive Book (with and without tabs) ✔ Task Cards: Square and Circle Frames ✔ Posters and Checklists ✔ Reminder Breathing Bracelets and Bookmarks ✔ Breathing Exercise Guide Take Home Handouts ✔ Breathing BINGO Challenge ✔ Detailed Instructions ✔ Color and Black/White Printing Options IDEAS FOR USE: -Incorporate into morning meeting and transition routines. -Use as Mindfulness Brain Breaks -Use book, poster and/or task cards in your Calm Corner or Take a Break Spot -Hang 18"X24" poster up for easy visual reminder -Kids can wear their favorite breathing exercise on their wrist as a visual cue to help them self-regulate or focus when needed -Invite students and their families to practice breathing exercises at home...send home copies of the Breathing Exercise Guide and Breathing BINGO Challenge for homework -Use them yourself....when feeling stressed or overwhelmed (my personal go-to is the Ocean Waves; I use it all the time with my own very loud kids :) You May Also Enjoy: ⭐ Trauma Sensitive Classroom Rules, Values & Expectations: Editable Banner Decor ⭐ Our Classroom Calm Corner Toolbox ⭐ Feelings Check-In and Calming Strategies Choice Board ⭐ Self-Regulation Coping Tools Desk Reference Name Tags ⭐ Self-Regulation Coping Strategies Spinner Craft
