The Writing Process...Just a Complicated!!

With the eye opener class on Day 3 about the reading process, we should not have been surprised that the writing process was just as complicated. We were a little more knowledgeable going into the task analysis for writing, but we still did not have an exhaustive  list. When we looked at the process as a class, attention to task was essential, just like in the reading process. Looking at how we sit and our posture, and how long we had to sit would all have an effect on our writing. Position of paper, choosing the proper tool, lined paper or blank? All of these things are before we even put the writing utensil down to write! All of these are cognitive frontal lobe processes. We could also look at poor organizational issues and students who don’t have the tools to start the writing process. We pull from our long term memory for information such as where to start on the page, shapes and ability to construct letters, cursive or printing, knowledge of grammar, spelling…. And the list goes on! Metacognitive skills such as focus, self control, correcting, and manipulating are all part of the process as well. There is also prior knowledge automaticity of grammar, shape, size, spacing etc. And finally, with all this and much more that I have not included, students are expected to complete the task in a time limit.

This activity makes you realize as an educator, how important it is to do a task analysis of what we are expecting students to do. We need to be aware of what is involved and ask ourselves how ALL of our students will be able to complete the task. With this knowledge, we can make the appropriate match of assistive technology, if needed.  If assistive technology can enhance performance and we have access to the technology, it essential we expose students who could benefit.

We as educators, also have to remember that when people write they are expressing themselves and that we can express ourselves in other ways then just writing. Teachers get caught up in assessing writing skills but we can find out what students know through other processes. Writing should not be the only way to demonstrate knowledge. Speech to text for students who are expressive and can organize their ideas is an option if writing is laborious. But even students who have these traits, need to be taught how to use speech to text effectively. Students need to be able to speak clearly and with confidence, and they need to keep it simple. You are dictating to a machine and teachers cannot make the assumption that students know how to do this. We have to remember that students can have rich language but not be able to get it down on paper. We can teach these students that have difficulty getting started in the writing process how to use strategies such as graphic organizers.

We were introduced to some low assistive technology through a video and our professor showed us a few as well. These low tech options may be all that a particular student may need, and as educators we shouldn’t get too tied up in the high tech if there is a low tech option. Simple and effective to enhance performance may be best.

Just a few low tech items you can use for students. I use the page holder often when students are typing from something they wrote on paper and the timer that visually shows the time going away is really effective. I also found some left handed items that spoke to me, as I am a lefty. I really like the notebook with the ring on the opposite side. No more hands hitting the ring!

We also did a group activity where we made a visual representation of the many APPs available on Mac, Microsoft, Android and Chromebook. Our group looked for APPs for Chromebook. There were many but any of the extensions would need to go through our school boards to get permission to have them put on as extensions for our students. It can be quite a process, but if the extension seems invaluable, it is worth it.

The Reading Process....Not So Simple

Today we started the class with an in-depth analysis of what happens when we read. Those of us that enjoy reading, don’t think about what we do when we read, and those who struggle don’t think about why they find reading difficult. When you dissect the reading process, you quickly realize that there are ample opportunities for something to go wrong. We first look at the motivation to read. If that is not in place, which happens for many students who find the reading process difficult, the battle begins. If a student is not motivated, they already have a perceived attitude about the process, which can make it difficult to be willing to engage in the activity with an open mind. Students need to be emotionally engaged when reading, and if they can’t make connections because they lack experiences, being engaged can be difficult. Long term memory to recognize patterns and symbols, predicting, sequencing, visualizing and reflecting are a few of the processes involved the reading process. All of this is just for the first sentence and then we start the process all over again for sentence two. No wonder some students feel so defeated.

We also looked at the difference between remediation and compensatory strategies. With reading remediation, we are involved in the process of learning how to read. Through phonetic awareness, students are encouraged to enhance the reading process. Through APPs such as duckduckmoose, bitspro, and montessori crosswords and many more, students can develop the phonemic awareness that is a prerequisite to learning to read with efficiency. With compensatory strategies, teachers need to ask what the next step is after remediation has been exhausted and students have plateaued. As we have discovered, the reading process is a very complicated task and there are so many opportunities for something a student to struggle. What do you do to supplement the reading process to help with understanding when something does go wrong?Through compensatory strategies, students are still immersed in the reading process, and APPS such as voice dream, NaviDys web browser,  speak selection on devices and simple language on wikipedia, all help students who struggle with the reading process, to get access to the content of the text. 

The students I support are in high school and have received reading remediation since early elementary. Some have become better readers that can read the text successfully but most continue to struggle with comprehension, context, inferences and scanning for pertinent information. Academics are coming at them full speed and if they struggle with the reading process, they better figure something out or they will quickly be left behind. This is when compensatory strategies are crucial for success.  Something as simple as digitizing text gives access to the student. High school students want to be able to read the text and complete the assignments their classmates complete. Using Apps that can digitize the one dimensional piece of paper and have it read out loud, change size of text, character spacing etc. open up opportunity for students who want to be independent. Digitizing can also help students who struggle with organization because they can send it electronically, so no paper to lose.

We looked at how language was innate and that we are programmed to learn language. Reading is not….The visual system mostly evolved so that monkeys could find fruit high up in the trees amongst the leaves. Writing was only invented 5000 years ago. I found these facts to be really interesting because I think a lot of people assume reading is something we just do, and we should be able to do it easily. Obviously if humans have not always been involved in the reading process, it had to be learned. And with it being learned and not an innate trait some people will struggle with the process.

We also looked at Chrome Web Store, Google Play and the Microsoft store for APPs that would help with reading remediation or compensatory strategies. Chrome Web Store has a few APPs such as Early Literacy and Read with Me, which help with the fundamentals with reading. Google play had hundreds of APPs to choose from for early literacy. Phonics with Phonzy helps young children practice letter sounds and words. Kids Alphabet Game Lite helps children learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet. The APPs for Microsoft were limited but had a few APPs for early literacy. ABC Letter and Phonics for Preschool and ABC Book 3D.

We also used the APP Read Iris, which let us take a picture of a document and instantly digitize it. No more scanners! This type of APP can give students the option to be able to digitize a piece of text easily. Once it is digitized, they can manipulate the text to help them be independent learners.

Universal Design for Learning

Rather than looking up definitions, and writing them down to learn some concepts that may have been new to us, we were emerged into an activity where we learned to collaborate, problem solve, investigate, be creative, finish and present a product. With this assignment we learned the definitions thoroughly because each group presented in a new and creative way. That is Universal Design. Students learning in different ways to meet the needs of all the different types of learners. It was engaging, but it also took us out of our comfort zone and that is when great learning can take place. Most of us felt apprehensive and unsure of our final product and probably over thought the process. When we saw the final projects, we realized that everyone tried their best and wanted to produce the best possible product that they could. All of us learned from each other which is quite exciting because we did not know how to use the APPs a week ago. We learned and then we taught. Through the process we learned that it is ok to “tinker” around with the APPs and see what features they have. You can always delete what you don’t like and start over. You can’t really learn the features of APPS without taking some risks and most of the APPs are quite user friendly.

Lots of great points were discussed in the “Assistive Technology Today” powerpoint. Everything has changed so dramatically with technology and continues to change. With students having access to handheld technology, teachers need to take advantage of this resource and become proficient enough to keep up with most changes.  If we don’t learn what is available to us, we become stagnant and Universal Learning is definitely not taking place.   The powerpoint slide that showed the different types of students you could have in the classroom, was powerful. We all have students that are LD, ADHD, ASD, physically challenged etc. As teachers, if we teach to one type of learner, we are probably not meeting the needs of most of our students in the classroom. I find the “invisible disability” of LD can easily be disregarded, because teachers don’t see anything physically wrong, so they assume these students are not trying hard enough. Giving out a handout to all students (which happens more often than not) is not Universal Design. At the very least digitize the document so students can have it read to them from the computer and enlarge print if needed.

Matching up appropriate AT was something I never really thought about before. With something like speech to text, I just assumed anyone can learn to talk to the computer. I tried using Google Read and Write with one of my grade twelves and he kept saying it was junk and didn’t work for him. I was perplexed because it seems to easy to use. I just assumed he was using it correctly, but now I will sit with him and see if maybe it just isn’t a good match.

Technology is changing everything. Students can get documents in seconds, which means easier access. When looking at technology we need to take into consideration that students, the environment and the task will change as they get older. I think of the LD students I see that have much different expectations put on them academically in high school than junior high and also the changes in their lives outside of school. Part time jobs, relationships  and trying to be more independent, add a new dynamic to juggle.