My RSS Feed

May 9, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-05-09T15:35:34-04:00

Contents:

Notes from Kay
Note from Laura
Notes from Mandy
Note from Michelle Handley
ASL Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Glogster EDU
Pinterest as a Teaching Tool?
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES FROM KAY

Reminder: I mentioned our new Professional Development Library in the last Tech Notes. If you missed it, you can read all about it and see a lit of the titles we currently have in our Tech Notes Archives. Think about checking some out for summer reading!

********************************************************

NOTE FROM LAURA

As the end of the school year approaches please take a look around your classroom, office, or home for any stray RMTC/OSBD materials that were borrowed during the school year but never returned. If you need a return label please call 1-800-356-6731 or email Laura at mcdonaldl@fsdb.k12.fl.us. I'll send you a prepaid label so there is no charge to you. We appreciate your cooperation in getting our materials returned to us so others can use them as well. Thanks. Have a great summer.

Laura McDonald
Resource Materials & Technology Center: Deaf/ Hard of Hearing
1-800-356-6731
Florida School for the Deaf and Blind
207 North San Marco Ave.
St. Augustine, FL 32084

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

The Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (IT-MAIS) is a structured interview schedule designed to assess a deaf or hard of hearing child's spontaneous responses to sound in their everyday environment. This assessment is now available on the iPad!!!
CLIX is the first installment in a suite of rehabilitation applications that make up the Advanced Bionics Listening Exercises. This free app is for adults using hearing aids or cochlear implants who want to practice listening for word differences in both quiet and noise.
Check out this website for Language and Listening FREE printables!!
Shadow Interpreted Performances Sleeping Beauty at The Orlando Shakespeare Theater June 29th For more information on this show and other shows, go to the website. A flyer <SLEEPING_BEAUTY_ASL.pdf> for Sleeping Beauty is attached. Please share it.

Find me on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter: @MandyLongoSLP

********************************************************
NOTE FROM MICHELLE HANDLEY
Thank you to all the Teachers of the Deaf that completed my survey! The winners of the three $50 VISA gift cards have been selected and are from Broward County, St. Johns County, and the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Thank you, again, and have a great end to your year!
********************************************************

ASL Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with
Deaf/Hard of Hearing children in the state of Florida!
No experience necessary!

FSDB is proud to bring educational presentations, meetings and online classes to parents, professionals and the community. We host free online Sign Language Interactive Classes for parents, family members and professionals who communicate and work directly with Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing children. This project is made possible by the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Foundation.

This 8-week course is available to participants located Statewide who are looking to increase their communication skills with the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing. Individuals with skill levels ranging from beginner to intermediate are welcome to participate. This opportunity is presented through an online video chat room setting from the comfort of your own home, where participants learn vocabulary, grammar and culture. Each participant’s sign language needs are met through online surveys and weekly correspondence.

Our next Signing Interactive sessions will be during Summer 2013!
[A flyer is attached that you can share with parents and co-workers. <ASLOnlineCoursesFlyer_SA.pdf>]

Please register online at:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osli Contact: Aimee McDonald at mcdonalda@fsdb.k12.fl.us

*Note: The availability of your selected date/time may not be guaranteed.

Eligibility is determined upon the following conditions:
■      Open to Florida residents only
■      Available to parents and Deaf Educational staff (not intended for interpreter training)
■      Classes are first come-first-serve; you may be put on a waiting list if there are a large number of participants
■      The course is fully online, and you must have access to and check e-mail regularly
■      You must have
1      a computer no more than 3-5 years old (no mobile devices – iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, etc.)
2      a high-speed Internet connection (speeds above 500kbps/.5mbps download/upload – Please refer to www.speedtest.net and click on “Begin Test” or check with your internet provider)
3      a better than average Web camera

Comments from recent students:
“…I really enjoyed the two classes I took with you. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you again.”
“…the entire course was fantastic and I truly look forward to furthering my ASL education with you and your team!”

Points former students liked about the class:
■      “The practice with other students.”
■      “The video follow up from the lesson Interaction during the lesson.”
■      “Teacher’s patience and clear delivery.”
■      “That I can review what we learned in the video messages.”
■      “The face-to-face teaching and the ability to see classmates and the teacher. Also, the convenience of being able to be home.”
■      “I like how the teacher was very kind and patient with us and was very likeable. I was able to relax and learn better.”
■      “Lots of teachable moments! I liked the instructor’s explanations based on her experience & her flexibility in answering questions.”
■      “I really like the teacher’s attitude and willingness to help us when we are so lost. I like to use the most simple words daily when I go to work and at home to practice. It does takes away some of the stress we live daily.”

********************************************************

Glogster EDU has released a Free Ebook on Blended Learning and Technology Integration in the Classroom.

Chapters:

Ways to share creative learning experiences in a personalized, secure environment
How to apply Digital Learning Tools to help Flip Your Classroom
Doing assessment and maintaining effective communication in the digital age
A Guide to good digital content

Give me the Ebook

********************************************************

PINTEREST AS A TEACHING TOOL?

I talked about Pinterest last year, and have noted Pinterest Boards for specific topics. Have you tried it? Do you "pin" recipes, crafts, or ideas for home? eSchool News recently had an article about using Pinterest as a Teaching Tool. I thought I would share some of the ideas with you, and list some of the boards you might be specifically interested in. You can read the entire article by clicking the link above.

You can sign up for a free Pinterest account using an email address, and create boards for different topics. Search for specific ideas, or "pins", or browse through popular pins and filter by subject. When you find something you want to use or learn more about, click the picture. It will open in a new window. Click the picture again to link to the original site. You can also choose to re-pin something to your board.

Pinterest is public; users can follow other pinners -- similar to the way you "like" somone on Facebook or "follow" someone on Twitter. When you first join Pinterest, you can put a "Pin It" button on your browser's Task Bar. As you search the web, you can "pin" or click that link to pin something to your Pinterest Board. Pinterest automatically links a pin back to the original site -- so you don't have to copy and paste URLs or anything.

Pinners and Boards you might want to check out the following. You can choose to Follow all of a pinner's boards, or just select the ones you are most interested in.

Lisa Johnson has a company called TechChef4u. These are some of her Pinterest Boards: iPad Lessons, iSnap 2 Learn: SnapGuides 4 the Classroom, Kids & Tech, Classroom Resources, Educational Crafts, Tech Fun, Children's Books, Blogging Tips, The Teacher Spot, and more!
Curriculum Chicks are a group of four teachers that have pins of educational interest. Some of the boards are: Back to School, Bulletin Boards/Class decor, Character Ed, Educational Blogs, Educational PowerPoints, Elementary Social Studies, Elementary E/LA, Elementary Math, Elementary Science, Foldables, iPad, Pre-School/Kinder, QR Codes in the Classroom, RTI, Secondary E/LA, Secondary Math, Secondary Science, Secondary Social Studies, Special Accommodations, Smartboard Stuff, Teaching Tools, etc.
Library Ladies focus on library media ideas. Some of their boards are Teen Crafts, Rhyming Booklist, Alphabet Activities, YA Books, Crafts for Littles, Holidays, and Resources.
The Dallas Independent School District uses its Pinterest page to keep district students and parents up to date on events, and also announces important news and accomplishments on the page.

These were not mentioned in the article, but have good boards:

Technology in Education focuses on using technology in education with an emphasis on special education.
Surviving a Teacher's Salary is a collection of cool and education things from around the web.
Lori Rosenberg is a primary teacher that has pinned sites that are teaching related.

Useful Tips

In the Settings tab, turn off the setting that shares recent pins on Twitter and Facebook.
When you are following someone, you can turn off boards that you aren't interested in by clicking the 'unfollow' button.
Make your boards specific so that users can find your resources more quickly. For example, instead of creating a board called Second Grade, you could create ones for Second Grade Math, Second Grade Reading, Second Grade Science, etc.
Use Pinterest as a resource for you and for teachers. Do not use it directly with students. There is no way to specify which material students can or can't view. Most of what is on Pinterest is appropriate, but better safe than sorry.

WARNING! PINTEREST CAN BE ADDICTING!!!

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

10 of the best Apple and Android apps for education in 2013
I mentioned this blog entry in the last Tech Notes, but thought I would list the 10 apps just in case you haven't had an opportunity to look it up.

Animoto for iOS / Animoto for Android (free)
HMH FUSE Algebra 1 for iOS / HMH FUSE Algebra 1 for Android coming soon (check the HMH website) (free, but unit costs $19.99)
Oxford Picture Dictionary, 2nd Edition for iOS ($9.99)
PBS Parents Play & Learn HD for iOS / PBS Parents Play & Learn HD for Android (free)
POETRY from the Poetry Foundation for iOS / POETRY from the Poetry Foundation for Android (free)
School Fuel for iOS / School Fuel for Android (free)
See. Touch. Learn for iOS (free, but PRO version available for $34.99)
SlateMath for Kids for iOS (free)
Springpad for iOS / Springpad for Android (free)
Wonders of the Universe for iOS ($5.99)

The following apps were mentioned in the comments section:

Read2Go for iOS ($19.99)
Go Read for Android (free)

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Yummy Math
The developers of this site provide resources to bring real-life into math classrooms. They believe that when math is explored in contexts that are familiar and of interest to students, students will be more engaged to do math, reason, think critically, question and communicate. The activities are written to correspond with the NCTM Process Standards and the CCSS Standards for Mathematical Practice. They are in the process of adding CCSS correlation to each of our activities.

My Wonderful World: Games & Cool Stuff
National Geographic's My Wonderful World campaign was designed to expand geographic learning in school, at home, and in communities. Today's students need to know more about the world around them. A National Geographic-Roper survey shows that half of young Americans can't locate world powers like Japan and India. Twenty percent can't even find the Pacific Ocean. Without geography, our children aren't ready for the world. You can join the campaign on their home page. The link above is for some interactive games and activities to help children learn more about our world.

Johnnie's Math Page
This site has hundreds of math learning and math teaching resources and games for kids and their teachers. The categories are number, geometry, fractions, multiplication, statistics, fun, measurement, and probability.

Johnnie's Middle School Math
This page is the same as the previous site, but is for middle school students. The categories are algebra, number, geometry, logic, statistics, probability, fun, and calculators.

National Geographic Education
National Geographic's Education site has lots of teaching resources, reference resources, mapping, games for students, and resources for families.

KenKen
KenKen is a grid-based numerical puzzle that use the basic math operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—while also challenging your logic and problem-solving skills. You can use five different difficulty levels by altering the size of a KENKEN grid from 3x3 up to 9x9, and using different combinations of the math operations. Try the online puzzles, or try the iPad app.

********************************************************

April 26, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-04-26T14:38:46-04:00

********************************************************
Contents:

Notes
Professional Development Materials Added to Library
Summer Camps
SERID 2013 Conference
2013 Summit on Childhood Deafness
Notes from Mandy
What is it Like to Have an Auditory Processing Disorder?
Dyslexia Workarounds
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES
If you haven't completed our survey yet, this is your opportunity to participate in our planning for next year. We know that many of you have asked about us offering specific trainings on certain topics. When you take the survey you can let us know about your needs, and your district's needs. We will use the survey results to plan for next year. So make sure your voices are heard!

NEW RMTC VIDEO ON VIMEO!
Here is a video that RMTC has put together to demonstrate appropriate ways to get the attention of others. It is the first in a series of videos involving classroom expectations for students who are Deaf/HH that we will be creating.

Appropriate Ways to Get Someone's Attention

********************************************************

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS ADDED TO LIBRARY

We recently added 27 new books for professional development to RMTC/OSBD's free online lending library. These materials are free for you to borrow. Materials will arrive to you via UPS and inside the box there will be a prepaid return label so there is no charge to you. Go to the link above and create an account. Once you've created an account you can start ordering. Just type what you're looking for in the search box and add what you want to borrow to your queue. Then I'll send them out to you. It's that easy :) Here are the titles of the professional development books just added.

#1500 Multidisciplinary Units for Grades 3-5
#1501 Structured Writing: Using Inspiration Software to Teach Paragraph Development
#1502 Classroom Blogging
#1503 Closing the Achievement Gap: A Vision for Changing Beliefs and Practices
#1504 A Celebration of Neurons: An Educator's Guide to the Human Brain
#1505 Schooling for Life: Reclaiming the Essence of Learning
#1506 Cooperative Learning in the Classroom
#1507 Teaching as Inquiry: Asking Hard Questions to Improve Practice and Student Achievement
#1508 Designs for Learning: A New Architecture for Professional Development in Schools
#1509 Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction
#1510 Finding Time for Professional Learning
#1511 Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction
#1512 Project-Based Learning Using Information Technology
#1513 Visual Strategies for Improving Communication
#1514 Multiple Intelligences and Instructional Technology: A Manual for Every Mind
#1515 Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning
#1516 A Mind at a Time
#1517 Mentoring Guidebook: Exploring Teaching Strategies, Level 2
#1518 A Room with a Differentiated View: How to Serve ALL Children as Individual Learners
#1519 Modifying the Four Blocks for Upper Grades: Matching Strategies for Students' Needs
#1520 Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms
#1521 Teaching with Digital Images: Acquire, Analyze, Create, Communicate
#1522 Weaving Technology Into Your Teaching
#1523 Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
#1524 Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works
#1525 The Test-Taking Strategy
#1526 Integrating Technology in the Classroom
#1527 Differentiating Instruction With Technology in K-5 Classrooms

We also have hundreds of interpreter training books and videos and captioned educational videos for loan as well.

Laura McDonald
Resource Materials & Technology Center: Deaf/ Hard of Hearing
1-800-356-6731
Florida School for the Deaf and Blind
207 North San Marco Ave., St. Augustine, FL 32084

********************************************************

SUMMER CAMPS

FSDB Summer Programs - FSDB is offering four options this year. Visit the website or download the attached brochure <FSDB_camp_Brochure.pdf> for more information. An application is also attached <2013SummerApplication.pdf>. The deadline for applications is June 10.

- Summer Quest - June 16-21 for non-FSDB students, age 8-14, who are either deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and reside in the state of Florida.
- Leadership Camp - June 23-28 for non-FSDB students, age 13-17, who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and reside in the state of Florida.
- Family Weekend - June 21-23
- Summer Day Camp - June 17-28 for students, age 5-12, who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and are currently enrolled at FSDB or reside in St. Johns County.

Camp Endeavor - Sertoma Camp Endeavor is located in Dundee, Florida. They are open to deaf and hard of hearing children; hearing siblings of deaf and hard of hearing children and hearing children of deaf adults (CODA) are also welcome to apply. All children must be between the ages of 7-17. This year’s exciting theme will be “Camp Rocks!” This year, camp will run two weeks, from July 7-20, 2013. Interested applicants can visit our website at www.sertomacampendeavor.org for more information or to print an application. The application deadline has been extended to May 20th.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater - Two Summer camps at Orlando Shakespeare Theater to allow students with and without special needs to work together. Sign Language Interpreter will be provided. Anyone interested in registering should contact: Anne Hering, Director of Education, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, 407-447-1700 ext 208

- Acting with Heart: Middle and High School Students, June 10-14, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Tuition: $155, Curriculum: Acting, Description: All students participate in daily voice, movement, and warm-up activities before rehearsing assigned scenes. The program culminates in a showcase of scenes.
- Shakespeare With Heart: Grades 7 - 12, July 15-26, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Tuition: $180, Curriculum: Production Camp, Description: All students participate in daily voice, movement and warm-up activities before rehearsing together over a two-week period. The camp culminates in a performance of a Shakespeare's As You Like It. Limited scholarships available.

********************************************************

SERID 2013 CONFERENCE

We invite you to come to SERID 2013 (Southeast Regional Institute on Deafness) Conference on Oct. 28-30, 2013 in beautiful and exciting Florida.

The SERID 2013 theme “Weathering the Storms of Change” addresses our need as professionals and providers to be prepared for the changes that come every day in our work: the amazing technology, the amended legislation and updated regulation, the ground breaking research, the governmental and social service mantra “do more with less”, the areas of access that are being opened, and the newest movement with advocacy.

SERID 2013 Conference will bring you some of this important information. The conference will be held at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort.

Register now to attend the learning and the fun at SERID 2013 in Orlando on October 28-30, 2013!

If you are interested in presenting, the call for papers has been extended to May 15. See the website to download the Call for Proposal package.

********************************************************

2013 SUMMIT ON CHILDHOOD DEAFNESS

The planning committee for the 2013 Summit on Childhood Deafness includes representatives from:

AGBell-Florida
Educational Interpreter Project (EIP)
Flagler College
Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS)
Florida Department of Health – Children’s Medical Services/Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Florida Hands & Voices
Florida Educators of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals (FEHI)
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB)
Florida Association of Speech and Hearing (FLASHA)
Resource Materials & Technology Center for the Deaf/HH (RMTC)
University of Central Florida (UCF)
University of North Florida (UNF)
University of South Florida (USF)
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

The Committee is happy to announce that the Florida Summit on Childhood Deafness will take place on November 8 and 9 at the WESTIN Hotel in Lake Mary. Please save the date and mark your calendars! Check FEHI.org in the next couple of weeks for updated information and details.

Looking forward to seeing you!
Nada El-Khoury
Conference Coordinator

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

FLASHA Convention:

I will be presenting at The FLASHA 2013 Annual Convention next month! This year's convention will be a great opportunity for SLPs to learn about working with students with hearing loss. Some of the sessions are:

Acoustics - Unlocking the Treasures of Excellent Speech Production
Developmental & Behavioral Problems Among Children with Hearing Loss: How to Identify and When to Refer
From Cochlear Implant "Programming/Mapping" to Real World: What Does it All Mean?
Audiology for the SLP
(Re)habilitation and FM for Cochlear Implants
A Comprehensive Overview of Cochlear Implantation in Young Children
Cued Speech: Supporting Literacy in Children With Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss and Intellectual Disabilities (ID)
Cochlear Implants: From Assessment to Rehabilitation
Florida's Communication Plan for D/HH Students\Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks for Cochlear Implants and Baha

FLASHA (Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists)
2013 Annual Convention
May 23-26, 2013 at Marco Island, FL
Early Bird pricing extended through April 28th
See the website for more details

Florida Hands and Voices Events

1. Shadow Interpreted Performances at The Orlando Shakespeare Theater

- Miss Nelson Has a Field Day TOMORROW at 2:00
- Sleeping Beauty June 29th - 2 shows at 2:00 and 4:30

For tickets and more info: www.orlandoshakes.org

2. Family Meeting TOMORROW 9-11
Kids Together Child Development Center
1288 Sanctuary Drive, Oviedo, FL 32766
Topic: "Getting to know Florida Hands & Voices"

Have you heard the buzz about Florida Hands & Voices? Come find out what we’re all about this Saturday at our Family Meeting. Join our parents and professionals to learn more about FL H&V, our programs and events, and how you can get involved and meet other families of deaf and hard of hearing children.

3. Tons of summer events for children and familes! Keep checking for details:

Facebook
Website

Do you "like" me?
"Like" me on facebook. I post all kinds of info related to hearing loss, interpreting, workshops, CEUs, scholarships, iPad apps, and much more.

********************************************************

What Is It like to Have an Auditory Processing Disorder?

Excellent presentation on auditory processing disorders! It is often difficult to understand what it may be like for people with auditory processing disorders (APD) to deal with information they receive through their auditory systems. One way to have a better understanding is to simulate what it is like to have a problem processing verbal information. This resource simulates some of the behaviors often seen in children and adults who have various types of APD so you can get a better sense of the disorder's impact.

read more >>

********************************************************

Dyslexia Workarounds: Creativity Without a Lot of Reading
(from the Wall Street Journal, April 1, 2013)

Actor Henry Winkler was told he was stupid. A teacher labeled Dan Malloy, the future governor of Connecticut, "mentally retarded." Delos Cosgrove recalls "hanging on by my fingernails" in high school and college before becoming a thoracic surgeon and the Cleveland Clinic's chief executive officer. Each has dyslexia, a condition that makes reading difficult but has little to do with intelligence. Mounting evidence shows that many people with dyslexia are highly creative, out-of-the-box thinkers, and neuroimaging studies demonstrate that their brains really do think differently.

read more >>

********************************************************

iPAD HIGHLIGHTS

A Story Before Bed
Some teachers in the Panhandle told me about this app a couple of weeks ago. I played with it, and it is really neat. It is actually designed for parents and/or grandparents as a way to tell bedtime stories if they live somewhere else or have to be away from home. They can record a children's book with audio and video. Kids can play back the recording as often as they like on iPad, iPhone, Mac, or PC. There is also a website where you can do the same thing. You can record three stories for free. After that, there is a $9.99 per month charge. On the website, it says you can record most books a la carte for $6.99. I don't see that option on the iPad. The website also offers a site license for schools for $499.95 per year.

I recorded The Itsy Bitsy Spider (on the iPad) — many times! The first time, my hand kept coming in front of the camera when I went to turn the page. The next couple of times, it recorded okay. Looked fine on the iPad. Then I tried to look at it on the website, and I was upside down. I learned that you have to make sure the power button on the iPad is on the left. I also learned that the picture you see as you are recording is not the same angle that actually records. I'm not sure why this happens, but you may have to change where you sit or something. If you have a webcam on your camera, you can also choose to record with that. You can then email a link for the story to anyone.

Anyway, here is the last recording I made. The angle isn't good and the signing isn't great, but it gives you an idea of what you can do with this app. If Brian had been in town, I would have made him do it! 😄
Click here to view The Itsy Bitsy Spider in your web browser right now.

* New from eSchool News: 10 of the best Apple and Android apps for education in 2013

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Bill of Rights Institute
The purpose of this site is to educate young people about the Constitution. There are lots of resources available. You can also subscribe to the Constitution Courier (free newsletter) to receive historical content, connections to real life, classroom activities, downloadable PDFs, answer keys, discussion questions, and/or suggestions for further reading. The Courier comes twice a month.

Wonder Farm
This is actually a homeschool blog, but it is focused on writing with kids. Look through some of her blogs for ideas you might be able to use in the classroom. Look on the right to see some of her most popular topics.

PhET Interactive Simulations
This site has fun, interactive research-based simulations of physical phenomena from the PhET project at the University of Colorado. Students can visually comprehend concepts by using click & drag and buttons. There are simulations for Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Math, and is designed for Elementary through College. I'm not sure how it works on a Win computer. On my Mac, I had to choose the Download option and open it with Jar (built into the operating system).

Spaghetti Box Kids
This site is another blog, but is focused on strategies, tips, and activities for learning through playtime. Though it is focused more for parents, there are great ideas that teachers can incorporate into the classroom.

ARKive
Explore 15,000 of the world's endangered species. With over 100,000 photos and videos, discover what these animals, plants, and fungi look like, what makes them special, and why we should protect them. I checked out the pages for penguins and tigers. There are excellent photos and videos, and each page gives facts. The videos that I watched only had environmental sounds, so there were no captions.

********************************************************

☀ SUMMER CAMPS ☀

FSDB Summer Programs - FSDB is offering four options this year. Visit the website or download the attached brochure for more information. An application is also attached <2013SummerApplication.pdf>. The deadline for applications is June 10.

- Summer Quest - June 16-21 for non-FSDB students, age 8-14, who are either deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and reside in the state of Florida.
- Leadership Camp - June 23-28 for non-FSDB students, age 13-17, who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and reside in the state of Florida.
- Family Weekend - June 21-23
- Summer Day Camp - June 17-28 for students, age 5-12, who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and are currently enrolled at FSDB or reside in St. Johns County.

Camp Endeavor - Sertoma Camp Endeavor is located in Dundee, Florida. They are open to deaf and hard of hearing children; hearing siblings of deaf and hard of hearing children and hearing children of deaf adults (CODA) are also welcome to apply. All children must be between the ages of 7-17. This year’s exciting theme will be “Camp Rocks!” This year, camp will run two weeks, from July 7-20, 2013. Interested applicants can visit our website at www.sertomacampendeavor.org for more information or to print an application. The application deadline has been extended to May 20th.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater - Two Summer camps at Orlando Shakespeare Theater to allow students with and without special needs to work together. Sign Language Interpreter will be provided. Anyone interested in registering should contact: Anne Hering, Director of Education, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, 407-447-1700 ext 208

- Acting with Heart: Middle and High School Students, June 10-14, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Tuition: $155, Curriculum: Acting, Description: All students participate in daily voice, movement, and warm-up activities before rehearsing assigned scenes. The program culminates in a showcase of scenes.
- Shakespeare With Heart: Grades 7 - 12, July 15-26, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Tuition: $180, Curriculum: Production Camp, Description: All students participate in daily voice, movement and warm-up activities before rehearsing together over a two-week period. The camp culminates in a performance of a Shakespeare's As You Like It. Limited scholarships available.

AGBell-Florida
Educational Interpreter Project (EIP)
Flagler College
Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS)
Florida Department of Health – Children’s Medical Services/Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI)
Florida Hands & Voices
Florida Educators of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals (FEHI)
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB)
Florida Association of Speech and Hearing (FLASHA)
Resource Materials & Technology Center for the Deaf/HH (RMTC)
University of Central Florida (UCF)
University of North Florida (UNF)
University of South Florida (USF)
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

The Committee is happy to announce that the Florida Summit on Childhood Deafness will take place on November 8 and 9 at the WESTIN Hotel in Lake Mary. Please save the date and mark your calendars! Check FEHI.org in the next couple of weeks for updated information and details.

Looking forward to seeing you!
Nada El-Khoury
Conference Coordinator

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

FLASHA Convention:
I will be presenting at The FLASHA 2013 Annual Convention next month! This year's convention will be a great opportunity for SLPs to learn about working with students with hearing loss. Some of the sessions are:

Acoustics - Unlocking the Treasures of Excellent Speech Production
Developmental & Behavioral Problems Among Children with Hearing Loss: How to Identify and When to Refer
From Cochlear Implant "Programming/Mapping" to Real World: What Does it All Mean?
Audiology for the SLP
(Re)habilitation and FM for Cochlear Implants
A Comprehensive Overview of Cochlear Implantation in Young Children
Cued Speech: Supporting Literacy in Children With Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss and Intellectual Disabilities (ID)
Cochlear Implants: From Assessment to Rehabilitation
Florida's Communication Plan for D/HH Students\Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks for Cochlear Implants and Baha

- Miss Nelson Has a Field Day TOMORROW at 2:00
- Sleeping Beauty June 29th - 2 shows at 2:00 and 4:30

For tickets and more info: www.orlandoshakes.org

2. Family Meeting TOMORROW 9-11
Kids Together Child Development Center
1288 Sanctuary Drive, Oviedo, FL 32766
Topic: "Getting to know Florida Hands & Voices"

Have you heard the buzz about Florida Hands & Voices? Come find out what we’re all about this Saturday at our Family Meeting. Join our parents and professionals to learn more about FL H&V, our programs and events, and how you can get involved and meet other families of deaf and hard of hearing children.

3. Tons of summer events for children and familes! Keep checking for details:
Facebook
Website

Do you "like" me?
"Like" me on facebook. I post all kinds of info related to hearing loss, interpreting, workshops, CEUs, scholarships, iPad apps, and much more.

********************************************************

What Is It like to Have an Auditory Processing Disorder?

Excellent presentation on auditory processing disorders! It is often difficult to understand what it may be like for people with auditory processing disorders (APD) to deal with information they receive through their auditory systems. One way to have a better understanding is to simulate what it is like to have a problem processing verbal information. This resource simulates some of the behaviors often seen in children and adults who have various types of APD so you can get a better sense of the disorder's impact.

read more >>

********************************************************

Dyslexia Workarounds: Creativity Without a Lot of Reading
(from the Wall Street Journal, April 1, 2013)

Actor Henry Winkler was told he was stupid. A teacher labeled Dan Malloy, the future governor of Connecticut, "mentally retarded." Delos Cosgrove recalls "hanging on by my fingernails" in high school and college before becoming a thoracic surgeon and the Cleveland Clinic's chief executive officer. Each has dyslexia, a condition that makes reading difficult but has little to do with intelligence. Mounting evidence shows that many people with dyslexia are highly creative, out-of-the-box thinkers, and neuroimaging studies demonstrate that their brains really do think differently.

read more >>

********************************************************

iPAD HIGHLIGHTS

A Story Before Bed
Some teachers in the Panhandle told me about this app a couple of weeks ago. I played with it, and it is really neat. It is actually designed for parents and/or grandparents as a way to tell bedtime stories if they live somewhere else or have to be away from home. They can record a children's book with audio and video. Kids can play back the recording as often as they like on iPad, iPhone, Mac, or PC. There is also a website where you can do the same thing. You can record three stories for free. After that, there is a $9.99 per month charge. On the website, it says you can record most books a la carte for $6.99. I don't see that option on the iPad. The website also offers a site license for schools for $499.95 per year.

I recorded The Itsy Bitsy Spider (on the iPad) — many times! The first time, my hand kept coming in front of the camera when I went to turn the page. The next couple of times, it recorded okay. Looked fine on the iPad. Then I tried to look at it on the website, and I was upside down. I learned that you have to make sure the power button on the iPad is on the left. I also learned that the picture you see as you are recording is not the same angle that actually records. I'm not sure why this happens, but you may have to change where you sit or something. If you have a webcam on your camera, you can also choose to record with that. You can then email a link for the story to anyone.

Anyway, here is the last recording I made. The angle isn't good and the signing isn't great, but it gives you an idea of what you can do with this app. If Brian had been in town, I would have made him do it! 😄
Click here to view The Itsy Bitsy Spider in your web browser right now.

* New from eSchool News: 10 of the best Apple and Android apps for education in 2013

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Bill of Rights Institute
The purpose of this site is to educate young people about the Constitution. There are lots of resources available. You can also subscribe to the Constitution Courier (free newsletter) to receive historical content, connections to real life, classroom activities, downloadable PDFs, answer keys, discussion questions, and/or suggestions for further reading. The Courier comes twice a month.

Wonder Farm
This is actually a homeschool blog, but it is focused on writing with kids. Look through some of her blogs for ideas you might be able to use in the classroom. Look on the right to see some of her most popular topics.

PhET Interactive Simulations
This site has fun, interactive research-based simulations of physical phenomena from the PhET project at the University of Colorado. Students can visually comprehend concepts by using click & drag and buttons. There are simulations for Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Math, and is designed for Elementary through College. I'm not sure how it works on a Win computer. On my Mac, I had to choose the Download option and open it with Jar (built into the operating system).

Spaghetti Box Kids
This site is another blog, but is focused on strategies, tips, and activities for learning through playtime. Though it is focused more for parents, there are great ideas that teachers can incorporate into the classroom.

ARKive
Explore 15,000 of the world's endangered species. With over 100,000 photos and videos, discover what these animals, plants, and fungi look like, what makes them special, and why we should protect them. I checked out the pages for penguins and tigers. There are excellent photos and videos, and each page gives facts. The videos that I watched only had environmental sounds, so there were no captions.

********************************************************

April 4, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-04-04T16:51:15-04:00

Contents:

Notes from Kay
Notes from Mandy
Survey Request (Repeat)
Mini-Reading Lessons in Jacksonville (Correction)
iTunes U
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES FROM KAY

If you haven't had a chance to complete our survey, please take a few minutes to do it. We want to make sure we get all of your input as we plan our budget, trainings, and resources for the 2013-2014 school year. Your participation in the survey is VERY important to us and to DOE. Please take a few minutes to complete it. We really do appreciate your help!

Click here to complete the Survey

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

Florida Hands & Voices is offering Family Sign Languge Classes at the Winter Park Public Library beginning April 20th. Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens April 1st. Flyer is attached with more details.

Florida Hands & Voices and the Orlando Shakespeare Theater have partnered yet again to provide a Shadow Interpreted performance. This production is Miss Nelson Has a Field Day and it is on Saturday April 27th. Buy tickets online at www.orlandoshakes.org using coupon code "ASL" to get $8 tickets. Flyer is attached.

Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Outreach Specialist
RMTC/OSBD

Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mandy-Longo-MS-CCC-SLP/160108737437352

Follow me on Twitter: @MandyLongoSLP

********************************************************

SURVEY REQUEST (REPEAT FROM 3/22/2013)

Teachers of the Deaf,

My name is Michele Handley and I am a student at the University of Northern Colorado. For my dissertation, I am conducting a survey and I need your help! If you are a certified teacher of the deaf and are currently working as a teacher, I am asking that you please complete a brief survey related to how you teach your students. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and your responses are totally anonymous. And, for completing the survey, you can have the chance to win one of three $50 VISA gift cards!
Please click on the link below to access the survey. Your participation is very important! Thank you, in advance, for your time!
Teacher of the Deaf Survey

********************************************************

MINI-READING LESSONS IN JACKSONVILLE (CORRECTION FROM 3/22/2013)

UNF Masters Students are at it again!! Saturday, April 13th, the UNF graduate students enrolled in Teaching Reading to Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, will be teaching mini-reading lessons from 10-12 at the Pablo Creek Regional Library on Beach and Hodges. We would greatly appreciate you sharing this flyer with your children and their families (see attached flyer <STAR reader April 13 Pablo Creek.pdf>).

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL HAPPENINGS:

CART will be provided to demonstrate this special service to parents and children.
Parents will be taught how to download free E-books and auditory books while children are busy doing the mini-lessons.
One of the mini-lessons will be taught using Ipads to provide children with hands-on technology use!!

On the computer, you need to turn on closed captioning in the iTunes preferences (under the Playback tab). See Picture 1 below.
On the iPad, you need to go into the iPad Settings. Scroll the left frame until you see iTunes U. Turn on Closed Captioning. See Picture 2 below.

1. 2.

Let me know if you have any problems using iTunes U and I will try to help you!

********************************************************

WEBSITES

LessonSense.com
LessonSense.com has worksheets, lesson ideas, & plans for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, and other elementary/primary school students on a wide range of themes and topics. Their original lesson material is free to download for use in your classroom. Each topic comes with ideas, crafts, and materials for lessons. The suggestions, worksheets, and other materials can be used to create your own lessons. LessonSense is a place for teachers, student teachers, esl learners, kids, and parents. You will find lots of free downloadable printables for free. Use the menu to browse through the site. New stuff is being added all the time.

Classroom Collective
This website isn't very "pretty", but has some good ideas and resources on topics like lessons, technology, special education and behavior, professional development, relationships, assessment, etc. You can find the list of topics down at the bottom under About.

Quick and Easy Easter Bags
I KNOW Easter is over, but I thought this was a great idea that teachers could use for lots of classroom activities -- author studies, curriculum units, Earth Day activities, Mother's Day, etc.

Happy Birthday, Florida!
Scholastic has an article to help celebrate the day when Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de León, first set foot on its shores 500 years ago.

Earth Day
This year, Earth Day will be on April 22. Here are some resources:

********************************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!
Florida Hands & Voices & the Orlando Shakespeare Theater Shadow Interpreted performance
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day -- Saturday April 27
Buy tickets online at www.orlandoshakes.org using cupon code "ASL" to get $8 tickets.

FEHI
November 9-10, 2012
Westin Hotel, Lake Mary, FL

FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference)
January 28-31, 2013
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

March 22, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-03-22T20:52:42-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Survey Request for Teachers of the Deaf
ASL Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
News Flash from Gallaudet University Regional Center
Survey from GURC Southeast
Library of Congress Teacher-in-Residence Application
News from pepnet 2
Mini-Reading Lessons in Jacksonville
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Correction: In the last Tech Notes, I told you about Tar Heel Reader, and how to use it on the iPad. I said that you can't turn on the voice on the iPad, but you can. Click on the settings icon, and it works just like the website.

********************************************************

SURVEY REQUEST

Teachers of the Deaf,

My name is Michele Handley and I am a student at the University of Northern Colorado. For my dissertation, I am conducting a survey and I need your help! If you are a certified teacher of the deaf and are currently working as a teacher, I am asking that you please complete a brief survey related to how you teach your students. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and your responses are totally anonymous. And, for completing the survey, you can have the chance to win one of three $50 VISA gift cards!
Please click on the link below to access the survey. Your participation is very important! Thank you, in advance, for your time!
Teacher of the Deaf Survey

********************************************************

ASL Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!

Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children in the state of Florida!No experience necessary!

Next sessions start the week of April 8th.

Register today to select your most convenient date/time at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osli.
*Note: The availability of your selected date/time may not be guaranteed.

We host free online Sign Language Interactive Classes for parents, family members and professionals who communicate and work directly with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children. This project is made possible by the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Foundation. This 8-week course is available to participants located statewide who are looking to increase their communication skills with the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Individuals with skill levels ranging from beginner to intermediate are welcome to participate. This opportunity is presented through an online video chat room setting from the comfort of your own home, where participants learn vocabulary, grammar and culture. Each participant’s sign language needs are met through online surveys and weekly correspondence.

Eligibility is determined upon the following conditions:

Open to Florida residents only
Available to parents and deaf educational staff (not intended for interpreter training)
Classes are first come-first-serve; you may be placed on a waiting list if there are a large number of participants
The course is fully online, and you must have access to and check e-mail regularly
You must have:
A computer no more than 3-5 years old (no mobile devices – iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, etc.)
A high-speed Internet connection (speeds above 500kbps/.5mbps download/upload – Please refer to www.speedtest.net and click on “Begin Test” or check with your internet provider)
A better than average web camera

Please register online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osli
Contact: Aimee McDonald at mcdonalda@fsdb.k12.fl.us

Comments from recent students:

“…I really enjoyed the two classes I took with you. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you again.”“…the entire course was fantastic and I truly look forward to furthering my ASL education with you and your team!”

Points former students liked about the class:

“The practice with other students.”
“The video follow up from the lesson Interaction during the lesson.”
“Teacher’s patience and clear delivery.”
“That I can review what we learned in the video messages.”
“The face-to-face teaching and the ability to see classmates and the ~teacher. Also, the convenience of being able to be home.”
“I like how the teacher was very kind and patient with us and was very likeable. ~I was able to relax and learn better.”
“Lots of teachable moments! I liked the instructor’s explanations based on her experience & her flexibility in answering questions.”
“I really like the teacher’s attitude and willingness to help us when we are so lost. I like to use the most simple words daily when I go to work and at home to practice. It does takes away some of the stress we live daily.”

********************************************************

NEWS FLASH FROM GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY REGIONAL CENTER (GURC)

Gallaudet University Deaf Education teacher preparation program is now offering the first-ever graduate certificate program designed for pre-service and in-service professionals in American Sign Language/English Bilingual Early Childhood Deaf Education: Birth to 5, beginning this summer 2013. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

This certificate program is developed in response to the pressing need expressed by early childhood educators and advocates as well as our partner schools/programs for additional course work and instruction on integrating American Sign Language and English bilingual practices in early childhood education and home settings.

Please look at the attached flyer <ECECERTFICATE-F.2013> for more information.

********************************************************

SURVEY FROM GURC SOUTHEAST

To better fulfill GURC Southeast mission, they are conducting this needs assessment to help guide them as they design programs and services.

This needs assessment is completely voluntary and anonymous. You will have the option to request inclusion in their listserv at the end of the needs assessment. By using SurveyMonkey, they are guaranteeing anonymity.

Please complete this survey by May 1, 2013.

Please forward this needs assessment to anyone you think might benefit from the services of the Gallaudet University Regional Centers such as parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing-children and professionals working with deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Here is the link to the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Needs_Assessments

********************************************************

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TEACHER-IN-RESIDENCE APPLICATION

The 2013-14 Library of Congress Teacher-in-Residence Application is now available.
Only current K-12 teachers or library/media specialists are eligible. Applicants should also have:

significant experience teaching with Library of Congress primary sources
a record of leadership in professional development
excellent written and oral communication skills

The Teacher-in-Residence will work full-time in Washington, DC on the Library's Educational Outreach team for the duration of the 2013-14 school year. The awarding of the position is subject to availability of funds. At this time, there is no stipend or reimbursement for travel or housing expenses incurred as a part of the position.
Please review the website and application carefully for more details.
Applications are due Tuesday, April 9th.

********************************************************

FROM PEPNET 2

Pepnet 2 is celebrating Deaf History Month (March 13-April 15)! Watch pepnet 2’s Facebook page every day this month for the Deaf Person of the Day. We will provide links to famous figures in the history of deaf people. Come “like” our page for daily updates or follow us on Twitter.
We invite you to connect with us at on our home page and help us as we work to improve the postsecondary outcomes for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, including those with co-occurring disabilities. Explore our resources, take our trainings or ask us a question through our Live Chat feature.

********************************************************

MINI-READING LESSONS IN JACKSONVILLE
UNF Masters Students are at it again!! Saturday, April 13th, the UNF graduate students enrolled in Teaching Reading to Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, will be teaching mini-reading lessons from 10-11:30 at the Regency Square Library. We would greatly appreciate you sharing this flyer with your children and their families (see attached flyer <star_reader_april2013.jpg>).

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL HAPPENINGS:

CART will be provided to demonstrate this special service to parents and children.
Parents will be taught how to download free E-books and auditory books while children are busy doing the mini-lessons.
One of the mini-lessons will be taught using Ipads to provide children with hands-on technology use!!

Caroline Guardino, Ph.D.
University of North Florida
Department of Exceptional, Deaf, & Interpreter Education
1 UNF Drive 57/3520
Jacksonville, FL 32224
(904) 620-1818 office
(904) 620-3895 fax

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

Philadelphia History This Way
I came across this app, and love it! This interactive iPhone/iPad app is a virtual tour guide. View informative videos IN ASL, explore the points of interest, or explore their interactive, GPS-enabled map. It's actually designed for someone that is touring Philadelphia, but I think it could be a great classroom tool for learning about our nation's history. $0.99

GeoQuest Zion DeafTV
I haven't actually seen this app, but it was developed by the same company that developed the one above. This virtual tour IN ASL is for Zion National Park. $4.99

********************************************************

WEBSITES

DLTK's Crafts for Kids
DLTK's Crafts for Kids features a variety of printable children's crafts, coloring pages and activities including projects for holidays, educational themes and some of our children's favorite cartoon characters.

Kids Farm
Kids Farm is about animals and people that live and work on a ranch in Colorado. It is a place for young children to learn about farm and wild animals, animal sounds, what grows, farm equipment and a wildlife rehab center. We also have spelling, puzzles, horses, cows, chickens, sheep, goats, elk, kids rodeo, and guest pets. It is also a tool for teachers who teach farm units.

Kids Math Games
Free math games, interactive learning activities and fun educational resources that will engage students while they learn mathematics. Find cool math games, interesting facts, printable worksheets, quizzes, videos and so much more!

KrazyDad
KrazyDad has hundreds of printable puzzles. There are different types of puzzles, including: word puzzles, math puzzles, Sudoku, Kakuro, mazes, Kidoku, crosswords, etc.

Little Worksheets
This site was put together by preschool and Kindergarten teachers. You'll find lots of free printable worksheets and activities for preschool through grade 5.

Lil' Fingers
Lil' Fingers is a storybook site for toddlers with educational games, storybooks, and printable coloring pages. Their FREE toddler stories, activities, & holiday sections are designed with bright colors & big buttons for little fingers.

United States Mint
Most people can't make the trip to Philadelphia or Denver to take a tour of the U.S. Mint to see how coins are made. This site gives you a choice of virtual tour or an animated overview. Click on 'For Educators' on the left to find lesson plans, curricula, and activities/resources. Click on 'For Kids' to find games and activities for your students.

NRICH
This website is sponsored by Cambridge University, but is for Lower Primary, Upper Primary, Lower Secondary, and Upper Secondary. The site enriches math curricula for all learners by providing free, engaging, interactive math activities to provoke mathematical thinking. It uses unusual problems to provide a deeper understanding of math concepts. There are many great resources here. Just remember that it is based in the UK, so will use the metric system.

World Wonders Project
The Google World Wonders Project is a platform which brings world heritage sites of the modern and ancient world online. Using Street View, 3D modeling and other Google technologies, these amazing sites become accessible to everyone across the globe. With videos, photos, and in-depth information, teachers and students can virtually visit some of the most famous places on earth. The project offers an innovative way to teach history and geography to students o primary and secondary schools all over the world. Visit places like Stonehenge, the Palace of Versailles, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Great Barrier Reef, the Ruins of Pompeii, Independence Hall, etc. Click on Education at the top right to access teacher guides. [NOTE: I watched videos for the Grand Canyon and for Prague. None of the videos were captions. Some videos had no narration. Others did offer automatic captions (speech-to-text), but had many mistakes. Some videos may be captioned.]

MathPickle
MathPickle is for K-12 teachers. Here you will find curricular games, puzzles, and mini-competitions for the classrooms. A Canadian mathematician and teacher, Dr. Gordon Hamilton, created this site to assist classroom teachers in using challenging and engaging activities and games as they address multiple math skills. These games and activities are demonstrated on videos that are designed for teachers to view in preparing for teaching a lesson. There is a menu so that you can look for solutions by grade level:
[Note: The videos are not captioned. You can turn on the automatic captioning, but there are many mistakes.]

K-2: math activities based on literature, games that teach patterns, matching games, skip counting, addition, symmetry, Fibonnaci numbers, etc.
3-4: dot-to-dot measuring puzzles, subtraction, graphs, area and perimeter
5-6: division, problem solving, origami, prime numbers, factoring, etc
7-9: subtracting fractions, cipher breaking, strategizing, squaring and cubing, exponents and polygons, area of a cone, Archimedes and finding the area and volume of a sphere
10-12: games and puzzles for algebra, scientific notation, Pythagoras' theorem, physics, trigonometry, calculus through song

********************************************************

March 7, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-03-07T16:11:28-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Draft DHH Communication Plan Survey
Note from Mandy
Tar Heel Reader
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

This is a very abbreviated Tech Notes -- the second this week. You know that is unusual for me! Please look at the draft of the Communication Plan that is attached and complete the survey! Everyone needs to be involved!

I am also attaching Flyer 1 and Flyer 2 for the special interpreted performance from the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre's performance. I told about this in the Tech Notes I sent on Monday, March 4, but I failed to attach the flyers. If you missed Monday's Tech Notes, please check the archives.

If you know anyone that would like to receive Tech Notes, they can sign up on our website OR email me directly.

********************************************************

DRAFT DHH COMMUNICATION PLAN SURVEY

The DRAFT FL DHH Communication Plan Survey is now ready. Please click the link and complete the Survey. It will be open through March 22. Your feedback will help develop a state form to support IEP development for students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing throughout the State of Florida. Thank you for your participation.

A copy of the draft is attached <1213 DRAFT FL Communication Plan.pdf>

Shelley Ardis
Executive Director of Technology Service
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
904-827-2666
ardiss@fsdb.k12.fl.us
http://technology.fsdb.k12.fl.us
Like Us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FloridaDeafandBlind
Like Me on Facebook - Mrs. Shelley Ardis

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

Mandy will be presenting at The FLASHA 2013 Annual Convention! This year's convention will be a great opportunity for SLPs to learn about working with students with hearing loss. Some of the sessions in this area are:

Acoustics - Unlocking the Treasures of Excellent Speech Production
Developmental & Behavioral Problems Among Children with Hearing Loss: How to Identify and When to Refer
From Cochlear Implant "Programming/Mapping" to Real World: What Does it All Mean?
Audiology for the SLP
(Re)habilitation and FM for Cochlear Implants
A Comprehensive Overview of Cochlear Implantation in Young Children
Cued Speech: Supporting Literacy in Children With Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss and Intellectual Disabilities (ID)
Cochlear Implants: From Assessment to Rehabilitation
Florida's Communication Plan for D/HH Students
Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks for Cochlear Implants and Baha

FLASHA (Florida Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists) 2013 Annual Convention
May 23-26, 2013
Marco Island, FL
Early Bird pricing through April 21st
See the FLASHA website for more details

Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Outreach Specialist
RMTC/OSBD

Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mandy-Longo-MS-CCC-SLP/160108737437352
Follow me on Twitter: @MandyLongoSLP

********************************************************

TAR HEEL READER

Tar Heel Reader is a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. Most would be good for preschool/kindergarten and low-level students. Each book can be speech enabled. You may also write your own books using your own pictures, or pictures from the huge collection at Flickr. You can also choose to see the books in Spanish, Italian, German, or Turkish.

If you would like to use the books on the iPad, there is not an app, but you CAN do it. You have access to the books, but I haven't seen a way to turn on the voice on the iPad.

Open Safari on your iPad/iPhone/iTouch and go to the Tar Heel Reader website.
Click the arrow on the menu bar - see the red circle in the first picture below.
A menu will pop up. Choose 'Add to Home Screen'. See the second picture below.
An icon (that looks like an app) will appear on your desktop. Click it, and it will open Tar Heel Reader.

Note: You can follow this procedure to create website shortcuts for your favorite websites!

********************************************************

March 4, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-03-04T15:04:35-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Free Interactive Book - Must Sign Up Today (March 4th)
Notes from Mandy
Free Educational Video Sites
Grant Opportunities
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I'm rushing to get this out to give you the opportunity to sign up for the following free interactive book from FableVision. I have a hard copy of this book, and it has a wonderful message. I can't wait to see the interactive version. But you MUST SIGN UP TODAY - MARCH 4TH! I apologize for the late notice, but I didn't get the message until this morning. I hope you are able to get it.

********************************************************

FREE INTERACTIVE BOOK - MUST SIGN UP TODAY (MARCH 4th)

In celebration of World Read Aloud Day on March 6th, FableVision is offering a FREE
copy of the digitally enhanced version of Peter H. Reynolds' inspiring book The Dot! You'll receive a license to install the software on one Mac or PC.

Please sign up for your free copy by end of day March 4, 2013!

They will email instructions for downloading the software on March 5th.

Visit their website to learn more about this wonderful way to explore Peter's award-winning story.

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

The "Read My Lips" App is a great tool for working on lipreading/speechreading skills with your deaf or hard of hearing students. Check out this YouTube video for more information: http://youtu.be/8PqBuqm18Ek

The Clerc Center at Gallaudet is hosting a FREE webinar on deaf and hard of hearig children with Autism. More info here: http://www.gallaudet.edu/x65418.xml and an article on this same topic written by the presenter can be found here: http://www.gallaudet.edu/Images/Clerc/articles/Odyssey_SPR_2012_Szymanski.pdf

Florida Hands and Voices is partnering with The Orlando Shakespeare Theater for the third time to offer a shadow interpreted performance of Miss Nelson Has a Field Day. The theater is taking reservations for schools who would like to come for a field trip on Thursday April 25th. The tickets for the public performance on Saturday April 27th are on sale now at www.orlandoshakes.org. Flyers are attached.

The Moog Center for Deaf Education has received a one-year pilot grant to develop a protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of tele-intervention for children with hearing loss under the age of three and their families when spoken language is the mode of communication that the family has chosen for their child. More information can be found on the Moog Center website www.moogcenter.org Parents who are interested in learning more about this project should contact Betsy Moog Brooks at bbrooks@moogcenter.org or call 314-692-7172.

Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Outreach Specialist
RMTC/OSBD

Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mandy-Longo-MS-CCC-SLP/160108737437352

Follow me on Twitter: @MandyLongoSLP

********************************************************

Free Educational Science Videos

This was the February 27 blog entry on Bargain Babe, a homeschooling mom who has this blog on saving money. You can go read her comments about each site. She didn't have a direct link to some of the sites, so I am listing each one below. Most of the videos are actually stored on YouTube servers so they may be blocked at school. In the past, I've told you ways to download YouTube videos. If you need this information again, let me know.

Sick Science Videos - I checked two of the videos, and they did not need captions. There was music, but it was entirely visual. NOTE: When you go to the site, a form will come up wanting you to subscribe. If you are a science teacher, you might want to get their newsletter. (They also have a store.) If you aren't interested, just click off to the side and it will disappear.
NASA - NASA has lots of videos, so explore. I checked three videos. Two were captioned. You have to click the small CC symbol on the lower right side of the video. You can also search for NASA on YouTube and find lots of videos.
Periodic Table of Elements - Videos for the elements in the periodic table. Click on the symbol to go to the video. The video I checked was captioned. The captions are small, so you will definitely need to click the symbol in the lower right of the video to watch it in full screen. Hit ESC to get out of full screen.
Hooplakidz - Hooplakidz offers a great tool to teach kids some of the classic nursery rhymes, Indian folk tales and fables with ultimate video guide for children. The videos I watched are NOT captioned.
Edutopia - Edutopia's collection of their best STEM videos for all grade levels, K - 12. The video I checked was captioned. You will need to click the CC symbol if you don't have your YouTube settings set up to automatically show captions.
CrashCourse - These videos are from an Internet show created by two brothers. Once creates science videos, and the other creates history videos. The videos are not captioned. You can turn on automatic captions, but there are many errors using this speech-to-text method.

This site was added in the comments section of the blog entry:

Nova Education - I watched three videos; only one was captioned. This surprised me since this is a PBS site.

I will add this listing of science videos from the Next Vista for Learning. These are videos that teachers and/or classes have submitted. I checked several that were not captioned, but one of those did not have any narration.

********************************************************

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

ING Unsung Heroes Awards
The ING Unsung Heroes Awards recognize K-12 educators who are pioneering new methods and techniques that improve student learning. Educators’ projects are judged on innovative method, creativity, and ability to make a positive influence on the children they teach. Full-time K-12 education professionals from public and private schools are invited to apply. One hundred finalists will be selected, with at least one award given in each state, provided one or more qualified applications are received from each state. Each of the 100 finalists will receive a $2,000 award. Of the 100 finalists, the three top winners will receive an additional $5,000, $10,000, or $25,000 award. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2013.

Target Accepting Applications for K-12 Arts Education Programs
Arts, Culture & Design in Schools, a charitable initiative of national retailer Target, is accepting applications from schools for programs that bring arts and cultural experiences directly to K-12 students. The company awards grants of $2,000 for programs that enhance the classroom curricula by bringing the arts and cultural experiences to schools via in-school performances, artist-in-residency programs, workshops, and so on. Programs must take place between September 2013 and August 2014. Grants are restricted to K-12 educational institutions and organizations with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications are accepted between March 1 and April 30 each year, with grant awards announced in September. See the Target Web site for eligibility and application guidelines. Link to Complete RFP

Crayola Invites Proposals from Elementary Schools for 2013 Creative Leadership Grants
Crayola, in collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, is accepting applications for the 2013 Creative Leadership Grant program. The program will award up to twenty grants of $2,500 to elementary schools working to develop a team of leaders who can help increase arts-infused education within school and beyond. In addition, each program will receive an in-kind grant of Crayola products valued at $1,000. Applications will only be accepted from principals who are members of NAESP. Every school that submits an application by June 10 will receive a Crayola product Classpack!
Link to Complete RFP

Carol M. White Physical Education Program
Deadline: 4/12/2013
Agency: U.S. Department of Education (ED)
Sub-Agency: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)
Program URL: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/...13-02-26/html/2013-04414.htm
Summary: The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) provides grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to initiate, expand, and improve physical education for students in grades K-12. Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting State physical education standards. The priority is: Programs Designed To Create Quality Physical Education Programs. Under this priority, an applicant is required to develop, expand, or improve its physical education program and address its State's physical education standards by undertaking the following activities: (1) Instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition and (2) physical fitness activities that must include at least one of the following: (a) Fitness education and assessment to help students understand, improve, or maintain their physical well-being; (b) instruction in a variety of motor skills and physical activities designed to enhance the physical, mental, and social or emotional development of every student; (c) development of, and instruction in, cognitive concepts about motor skills and physical fitness that support a lifelong healthy lifestyle; (d) opportunities to develop positive social and cooperative skills through physical activity participation; or (e) opportunities for professional development for teachers of physical education to stay abreast of the latest research, issues, and trends in the field of physical education.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Texas Math Sign Language Dictionary
This is an online sign language dictionary for math terms.

Free Printables
FreePrintable.net provides beautiful printable files that you can customize and print on your inkjet or laser printer. There are 87 sites in the Free Printable network: click one of the links on the right to get started. You can find stationary, business cards, cover letters, calendars, greeting cards, banners, maps, chore charts, puzzles, coloring pages, writing templates, play money, seasonal printables, etc.

Simpson's Math
The Simpsons has established itself as an award-winning international pop culture phenomenon. It is the longest-running sitcom of all time and it is also one of the most literate television programs on the air, containing many references to subject matter and scholars from various academic fields, including mathematics. Since The Simpsons has been airing in prime-time for most of our students' lives, they likely are familiar with the program and its large cast of characters, including a resident scientist. The Simpsons also contains over a hundred instances of mathematics ranging from arithmetic to geometry to calculus, many designed to expose and poke fun at innumeracy. Several episodes of The Simpsons contain significant mathematics that relates to material we normally cover in our classes. For these reasons, this program is an ideal source of fun ways to introduce important concepts to students. [NOTE: You would need to have your own copy of the program. Make sure you know your school/district policy for showing videos. I would also suggest that you preview the program before showing, especially for younger students.]

Liberty's Kids
This YouTube channel features animated history videos about our country's fight for liberty. They are NOT captioned. You can turn on automatic captioning, but there are MANY errors if you do this. If you are signing, the captions may be more of a distraction.

********************************************************

February 13, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-02-13T13:41:12-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Notes from Mandy
Schools' Obligation to Provide Equal Opportunity to Students with Disabilities for Athletics
FAD Scholarship Reminder
Lintor Publishing Make-a-Book
Dinah Zike Foldables
FDA Approves Clinical Trial of Auditory Brainstem Implant Procedure for U.S. Children
Facebook Pages on Deafness and Hearing
iPad Highlights
Websites (including Valentine sites)
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Happy Valentine's Day!

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

We recently hosted a Cued Speech workshop in Sumter County, with instructors from The Cued Speech Initiative at USF. Danielle Milanese (workshop instructor) has offered to hold a practice session at the Panera Bread Company located at 1010 Lake Sumter Landing, The Villages. These sessions are open not only to workshop participants, but to anyone who would like to attend. If you are interested, please mark your calendars for: · March 16 (Sat), 2pm-4pm This is an informal gathering….we’ll break up into groups and practice at a level that’s right for you. If there’s something in particular you want to work on (common phrases you use in class or at home, books you would like to read to your children, etc), bring it along. Or, just show up – we will have games and practice materials on hand. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Danielle at danielle.milanese@gmail.com by 10am on March 15, so that we have an idea of how many people to expect and can plan accordingly. Hope to see you there!

Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Outreach Specialist
RMTC/OSBD

********************************************************

SCHOOLS' OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FOR ATHLETICS

Blog Post

The U.S. Department of Education has clarified schools' obligation to provide equal opportunity to students with disabilities to participate in extracurricular athletics. See the above article and blog entry for more information.

********************************************************

FAD SCHOLARSHIP REMINDER

The deadline for applications for FAD Scholarships is April 1. There are two scholarships available. See the attached flyer for more information. Please share with students and parents!

********************************************************

LINTOR MAKE-A-BOOK

Lintor Make-a-Book provides schools and organizations with all the book binding materials students need to make professional-looking hardcover books right in their classrooms...in minutes! Students (PK-Adult) can meet national and state standards (including the Common Core State Standards) for writing, content, and technology while having fun creating books. The binding materials are inexpensive, fun, and easy to use. This is an innovative way to enrich and expand writing, language, and technology skills...across all content areas and all grade levels. And now...publishing with Lintor Make-a-Book will support the Common Core State Standards that require "Production and Distribution of Writing." Students can hand-write their stories and reports or use the power of Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, InDesign, etc. to create a vast assortment of books...from simple, hand-illustrated stories to sophisticated manuscripts which can include computer graphics, digital photos, internet resources, and scanned images. Students can participate in the writing process in its entirety...from concept to final publication. As you can well imagine (and as research shows), students are much more motivated to write when they see their works "published" in a hardcover book...especially one that they have actually bound themselves!

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY! Every week, share a publishing idea with Lintor Make-a-Book and you will be entered into their weekly drawing for a Lintor Start-up Publishing Package. This page has a list of previous winners. You can read their publishing ideas. Visit the Contact page to sign up to participate in the weekly drawings. But you still must enter weekly!

********************************************************

Dinah Zike Foldables

I've been getting updates from Dinah Zike's website for several years. I've never used any of her materials, but always thought that I would like using some of her strategies and materials if I was still in the classroom. She is known for her manipulatives and "Foldables". Foldables® are three-dimensional graphic organizers that take complicated data and information and make it visual and kinesthetic. The main idea is written on the outside and supporting facts/supplemental details are written under the tabs. By chunking information in this way, students are encouraged to self-question/self-check as the Foldable® is manipulated. Foldables® help students learn how to "organize their thoughts."

Visit the website to learn more about Dinah Zike, see examples of her products, and find out if she will be presenting workshops in your area.

********************************************************

FDA APPROVES CLINICAL TRIAL OF AUDITORY BRAINSTEM IMPLANT PROCEDURE FOR U.S. CHILDREN

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given final approval to begin a clinical trial of an Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI) procedure for children.

There is a video and graphic on this site: House Research Institute

********************************************************

FACEBOOK PAGES ON DEAFNESS AND HEARING

Are you on Facebook? Below are some pages you might want to "like". [NOTE: These are Facebook Pages and Groups. Please do NOT send us personal links. We can not endorse individuals. Thanks!]

The MOST important one: RMTC and OSBD

Florida

Miscellaneous

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

This blog entry on February 4 listed some e-books that feature both ASL and English.

The Baobab
Gallaudet University, $6.99 - The Baobab is an original story about a curious little girl who embarks on an adventure. Complete with enthralling illustrations and talented American Sign Language (ASL) storytelling, this bilingual interactive storybook app features a rich American Sign Language glossary with 170 English to ASL words. Available for iPad and iPad mini
Zoey Goes To The Dog Park
Rachel Berman Blythe, $4.99 - Meet Zoey, a Deaf dog, who loves to see new places with her human partner, Fir. Zoey invites you to join her adventure at the dog park narrated in American Sign Language and written English. Available for iBooks on iPad and iPad mini
Signed Stories
ITV, Free (with paid in-app purchases) - Stories come to life when Dexter the robot reads to his friends from the magical story chair – come and explore the wonderful world of children’s books with Signed Stories. Signed Stories is the world’s first animated storytelling app with both British and American Sign Language! Download the free app now and get The Three Billy Goats Gruff for free – you choose whether you want it in ASL or BSL. Available for the iPad, iPad mini, iPhone, and iPod Touch
Pointy Three
Adam Stone, $4.99 - Presented in American Sign Language (ASL) and English! The story of a fork who’s missing one of his prongs, but not his brave spirit. Follow Pointy Three on his journey through the land of Dinnertime as he meets characters left and right and looks for a place where he belongs. Available for iBooks on iPad and iPad mini
Strollin' With Little Baby Owen
OwenTales, $5.99 - Do you remember being a baby? Will fluffy Little Baby Owen going for rides in a stroller with his mom? What was it like being a puppy in NYC? Available for iBooks on iPad and iPad mini
Danny and the Dragon Meets Jimmy
zuuka incorporated, $0.99 ($2.99 for HD, iPad and iPad mini only) - Danny The Dragon Meets Jimmy is a captivating, multi-award winning tale about a delightful, polite and lovable dragon named Danny, and his sidekick Skipper. In a most unusual way, they stumble upon the home of a boy named Jimmy. Danny’s mode of transportation – he shrinks and travels in a green sea shell! Reading the story, children are also transported – from our fast-paced multimedia world to a simpler place and time. Available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch

One not mentioned here is Adapted Book - 5 Pumpkins. It is $0.99 and is available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Vocational Information Center
Explore vocational and technical careers, check out the skills employers really want, find a trade school, research technical topics and take a look at the current job market.

Google Lit Trips
I haven't mentioned Google Lit Trips recently. I love this site! Google Lit Trips are free downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the surface of Google Earth (free software). At each location along the journey there are placemarks with pop-up windows containing a variety of resources including relevant media, thought provoking discussion starters, and links to supplementary information about “real world” references made in that particular portion of the story. Some of the stories include Make Way for Ducklings, Anne Frank Secret Annex, Frankenstein, A Walk in London, The Slave Dancer, Hana's Suitcase, and lots more. The stories are listed as K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Try it!

Mr. Martini's Classroom
Mr. Martini's Classroom has free, interactive math flash cards, worksheets, and quizzes for elementary and middle school students. It includes fractions, negative numbers, order of operations, decimals & percentages, multiplication, pre-algebra equations, geometry, exponents & radicals, and inequalities.

Monthly Teacher
Sign up to receive a monthly email from this site. They search for FREE resources all over the web, and in their email they highlight those they think you might like.

Busy Teacher Cafe
Busy Teacher's Cafe is a K-6 resource site for busy teachers! Here you will find resources, ideas, lessons, free printables, and more!

Valentine Websites

********************************************************

January 25, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-01-25T15:39:40-05:00

Contents:

Sign Language Dictionaries for FCAT
Just a note from the heart...from Brian…
Notes from Mandy
ASL Power with Austin Andrews
Accommodations on ACT/SAT Testing
Hand Craft Ed ASL Now on Etsy
Plant Camp 2013
Making Math Meaningful with Online Games and Videos
More Than Meets the Eye: An Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders
New webinar on Usher Syndrome
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

SIGN LANGUAGE DICTIONARIES FOR FCAT

The FCAT manual states:

"Students who use sign language as their primary means of communication may use an English/sign or sign/English translation dictionary. The dictionary must be similar to one used in instructional setting and may not contain definitions of words. The dictionary may contain the sign picture, the word, synonyms, and an index. Use of electronic dictionaries is strictly prohibited and may be cause for invalidation."

These are the sign language dictionaries that FSDB uses. They are an allowed accommodation for FCAT.

Elementary students are using the American Sign Language Dictionary by Martin Sternberg.

Middle and high school students are using the American Sign Language Concise Dictionary, also by Martin Sternberg.

We've had questions about the use of "homemade" dictionaries. We're trying to get more information about using those in testing situations. I will let you know in the next Tech Notes.

********************************************************

JUST A NOTE FROM THE HEART… FROM BRIAN...

Howdy, folks. I will be attending both FETC and ATIA next week. At FETC, I will be perusing the exhibits and presentations to see what is new with ed tech, but will also be at the FETC Hands-On Lab. There, I, along with my colleagues, will be available to answer any questions you may have … about ed tech/deaf ed … NOT tacos. I will NOT be answering any questions about tacos. So please, don't ask! We are a project geared towards helping those involved in the education of Deaf/HH students! So I don't understand why you would even want to ask us about tacos!

I will also be at ATIA. I will be presenting there on how to use different software programs together, rather than independent of one another. The title of my presentation is "Bringing It All Together". The presentation will be Thursday, January 31, from 8:00-9:00 AM in room ET-02. I hope to see you there!!!

Take care,

Brian

Brian Newton
Technology Resource Specialist
RMTC/FDLRS Center Located in Walker Annex
SMART-Board Certified Trainer for Notebook 11 (Windows and Mac)
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 North San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, Fl 32084-2799
website
email
(904) 827-2683

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

1. FLASHA Annual Convention is coming to Marco Island, FL in May. Click here for more information.
2. Florida Hands & Voices is offering Family Sign Language Classes in Winter Park. Check out their website or Facebook page for more information.
3. 6.5 ASHA CEUs offered in Miami Course, "Managing Hearing Loss in Children".
4. Florida's Newborn Screening Program is excited to provide to you a wonderful tool to educate parents, expectant parents, and families whose infant did not pass the newborn hearing screening. With assistance from the National Hands & Voices Organization, Florida's Newborn Screening Follow-Up Program has customized a short video designed to prompt families whose babies did not pass the newborn hearing screening to pursue follow-up of the repeat hearing screening. Our goal is to have all expecting and new parents view this video to educate them on the importance of newborn hearing screening as well as advise them on the process, should their baby not pass the hearing screening. The video in English, Spanish and English with subtitles.

********************************************************
ASL POWER! WITH AUSTIN ANDREWS

ASL Power! with Austin Andrews will be at the Nease High School Performing Arts Center in Ponte Vedra, FL on February 1, 2013. See the attached for more information.

********************************************************

ACCOMMODATIONS ON SAT/ACT TESTING

ACT does permit some of the same accommodations as FCAT (i.e. extended time), but they're generally stricter about them (i.e. triple time is the maximum students can have - even Braille students). Other accommodations that are permitted on the FCAT for ESE and ELL students (i.e. sign language or heritage language dictionaries) are not allowed on the ACT. I've attached their Special Testing guidelines that will give you a lot more information.

As for the SAT, they are much stricter than ACT regarding accommodations. Many of our students are turned down for extended time, etc. even though these are listed on their IEPs!

********************************************************

HAND CRAFT ED ASL NOW ON ETSY

Most of the products available from Hand Craft Ed ASL.com are now available on Etsy. Search for the username 'HandCraftEdASL'.

********************************************************

PLANT CAMP 2013 (FOR TEACHERS ONLY)

The University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants is looking for 24 science teachers (upper elementary, middle or high school) who are interested in attending PLANT CAMP 2013. This 5-day workshop, slated for June 17-21, 2013, is designed for teachers interested in learning more about the 130-plus invasive plant species silently invading Florida's natural areas and neighborhoods, along with the native flora and fauna that make our state so unique. Lots of hands-on field and lab experiences will strengthen background knowledge and confidence for teaching this subject, while also providing 32 hours of professional development credit. PLANT CAMP graduates return to their classrooms with an abundance of activities and resource materials (estimated $500 value). There is no cost for the workshop.* Twenty-four participants are chosen through a competitive process; a committee of science teachers and UF/IFAS staff select applicants based on demonstrated history of sharing new knowledge with teachers and enthusiasm for the topic.

The workshop is an annual event of the Florida Invasive Plant Education Initiative, made possible by the Invasive Plant Management Section of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in partnership with UF/IFAS: http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/education. Applications will be accepted starting January 6 and are due by February 24, 2013. For more information: http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/education/plant_camp.

Contact: Amy Richard / Education Initiative Coordinator UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
352.392.6843 CAIP-education@ufl.edu

*There is no fee for the workshop; lodging and most meals are provided.

********************************************************

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: AN INTRODUCTION TO AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
A new webinar with Dr. Christen Szymanski Thursday, April 18, 2013 3 to 4 p.m. EST In this second webinar on deaf and hard of hearing students with autism, Dr. Christen Szymanski will explain the early warning signs of autism that may present in young deaf or hard of hearing children. She will also discuss how some of the current characteristics, warning signs, and tools for diagnosing autism in deaf or hard of hearing children may not apply. Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders are diagnoses that consist of lifelong challenges in communication, socialization, and behavior for both the children who are given the diagnoses and their families. Children who receive early and accurate diagnoses often receive earlier interventionsâ€”supports, services, and treatmentâ€”that can lead to greater benefits later in life.
Register today for this free webinar.
http://www.123contactform.com/form-469281/Autism-Webinar-2013

********************************************************

NEW WEBINAR ON USHER SYNDROME

"Remembering "US" in Usher Syndrome"

Presenter: Rene Pellerin, BSW

Live! Thursday, January 24, 2013
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST

A recording will be available after the 24th to view and earn CEUs if you can't make the live session. Just register for the live session and the recording link will be sent to you.

.15 CEUs (sponsored by Mill Neck Interpreting Service)

Description:
The life journey of a person with Usher Syndrome can be one of ever-increasing isolation. The transition from being Deaf to Deaf-Blind is an extremely emotional experience. This webinar will demonstrate to participants what it is like to be Deaf-Blind through personal stories of the presenter who has Usher Syndrome. The stories will be humorous and detailed, highlighting specific barriers that are caused by Deaf-Blindness. These will include attending Deaf events, using Video Relay Service, traveling, and regular, daily life experiences.

The presenter will explain how Deaf-Blind interpreting and SSP services can be the bridge that gives consistency for someone with Usher Syndrome thus leading to identity acceptance. Discussion on how interpreters and SSPs can work effectively with people who have Usher Syndrome will be covered at the end of the webinar.

Cost: $29.99. Payment by PayPal or check accepted.

To register: http://www.instantpresenter.com/PIID=EB55D6878148

Feel free to email deafblindtip@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Hope you can join us!

--
Susanne Morgan Morrow, MA, CI, CT
Owner
Deaf-Blind Training, Interpreting, & Professional Development
www.deafblindtip.com

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop
This site has educational games, projects, songs, activities, skits, plays, textbooks, and hands-on science exhibits. Some items are for sale, but there are some free downloads. Spend some time exploring here! There are some great curricula for these subjects: plants, animals, human body, earth science, chemistry, physical science, history/social studies, Bible history, geography/maps, math, art, language arts, drama, Latin, and French.

Defining the Core
Broward County has developed this well-designed and helpful resource to support the common core curriculum.

Terrific Science
This site has award-winning publications and professional development, but they also have some FREEBIES -- hundreds of free science activities and lessons for you to download.

Air Force One
This National Geographic site is an interactive graphic showing the parts of Air Force One. They also have an hour-long video on YouTube that gives a tour of the plane and explores its history. Print this PDF file to create a paper airplane version of Air Force One.

Hold the Fort!
This is a free and interactive multimedia game and curriculum to teach students about the War of 1812 from the National Park Service and the Fort McHenry National Historic Monument. Click on 'About the History' to find a link to Teaching Resources.

Making Math Meaningful With Online Games and Videos
Math can be made meaningful when connected to students’ experiences. With video clips and interactive games from public media students practice math concepts while exploring real world concepts. Learn how to decorate an intricate cake, play the role of the pharmacist, roof a house and more using PBS LearningMedia resources to measure with math.

Homonym Game
Homonyms are words with the same sound and spelling, but different meanings. Homophones are words with the same sound, but different spellings and meanings. Puns are homonyms and homophones that are funny. This is a fun game to guess homonyms or visual puns. These can be hard, but would a great group activity -

Mathematical Interactivities
Interactive puzzles, games, and other online educational resources.

Heritage History
Heritage History promotes traditional narrative history. Their online library contains biographies, letends, adapted literature, and introductory histories. All were written for the general reader and are easy and enjoyable to read.

8 Planets
The site from the UK with everything you want to know about the solar system.

********************************************************

January 10, 2013

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2013-01-10T11:25:12-05:00

Contents:

Notes
FEHI News
New Book for Parents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
Free Books For Read Across America Day
Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institute
Free Software
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I hope you all had a great holiday! Sure did fly by!

I'm still working on resources for January and MLK Day, but I will be adding them here:

********************************************************

FEHI NEWS
FEHI Board Members would like to remind teachers that applications for "Teacher of the Year" and the 2 "$500 grants", as well as nominations for "Honors of the Association" are being accepted. The deadline is February 9. Please note that you must be a paid member to apply for the grant and the teacher you nominate for Teacher of the year should also be a member. Please email your grant proposal to Mattie Bozzo, the President: bozzo.mattie@gmail.com The forms are available on fehi.org under the tab "Forms".
Links:

********************************************************
NEW BOOK FOR PARENTS OF DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING CHILDREN

We received a notice about a book for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. The Parenting Journey, Raising Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children is available on Amazon in paperback for $12.95 and Kindle for $7.99. If you are interested in bulk copies for your school: 20-50 copies $10 each plus shipping; over 100: $8.00 each plus shipping.

The author, Karen Putz is happy to come to your school to talk with students, staff, and parents. She has several different presentations which might be a good fit. She is also working on her next book which will inspire deaf and hard-of-hearing teens and adults.

For more info on the author: www.karenputz.com. She also has a blog called Deaf Mom World.
She is a mom, writer, speaker, and competitive barefoot water skier.

********************************************************

FREE BOOKS FOR READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY

The Literacy Empowerment Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, invites your school or other literacy project to apply for FREE books for Read Across America Day. During the past year, LEF has distributed over 3,000,000 books to schools all across the country for Read Across America Day and other literacy projects.

Resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Orders must be received by February 16th, 2013.

Please share this information with your fellow educators!

Free Books for Read Across America Day: Order Form at http://www.lefbooks.org

LEF
1311 West Chester Pike
West Chester, PA 19382
Phone: 610-719-6448
Web site: http://www.lefbooks.org
E-mail: info@lefbooks.org

********************************************************

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SUMMER TEACHER INSTITUTE
The application for the Library of Congress Summer Teacher Institute is now available. The five-day institute provides educators with tools and resources to effectively integrate primary sources into the K-12 classroom.
Teachers and school librarians of all grade levels and curriculum areas are encouraged to apply.
Tuition and materials are provided at no cost to participants. Breakfast and lunch are also provided. However, participants are responsible for transportation to and from the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and any required overnight accommodations. Interested participants have the option of completing additional requirements (and paying a fee) to earn three graduate credits from George Mason University.
Interested? Check your calendar–Institute dates are listed below.

June 10-14
June 17-21
July 22-26
July 29-August 2
August 5-9

The application deadline is February 4, 2013. Additional information and the application form can be found here!

********************************************************

FREE SOFTWARE

LibreOffice is an excellent alternative, and is available for both Mac and Windows. It offers six programs, and you'll find most of them instantly familiar, and is compatible with the most popular document formats, including Office documents.

Microsoft Office is the gold standard for productivity software; everyone from students to major corporations use it. That popularity is definitely reflected in the price tag. What if you can't afford Microsoft Office? Perhaps you just need something for a short-term project and can't justify the investment right now. Good news: There are several free alternatives to Office. Depending on your needs, some work just as well as Microsoft's productivity suite.

Writer is a Word clone.

Calc is a spreadsheet like Excel

Impress is a presentation program similar to PowerPoint

Draw is a drawing program

Base is a database program

Math is an equation program

All of these combined make for an excellent replacement to pricier suites.

Kim Komando, 12/21/12

from

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Medical Games for Kids
Interactive games that focus on medical topics: anatomy, human blood, nutrition & substance abuse, and disease & prevention.

Grammar Revolution
Most of you may not know sentence diagramming, but I attribute my grasp of English grammar to doing a lot of this when I was in school. Even now, I picture a diagrammed sentence when I need to know a part of speech or whether I need to use "I" or "me" or "who" or "whom". Sentence diagramming is an effective way to learn grammar, and it's like a word game. On this site, you will find exercises, lessons, and oodles of sentence diagrams.

The Classroom
A one-stop FREE education resource for elementary, middle, and high school students, teachers, administrators, and parents. You can type in a keyword in the search engine box, click on the Index or Site Map, or click the links in the main body of the site. You will find sites, articles, ebooks, journals, databases, videos, and lectures.

YouTube's Next EDU Gurus
I've mentioned Khan Academy many times. Google teamed up with Khan Academy to identify ten new EDU Gurus of YouTube. You can subscribe to their channels to find videos on science, math, history, art history, and languages.

TypingWeb
TypingWeb is a FREE online typing tutor & keyboarding tutorial for typists of all skill levels. TypingWeb includes entertaining typing games, typing tests, and free official typing certification. It is perfect for all ages and skill levels. Click on the Teacher Portal to access lesson plans, and track your students' progress.

Weather Wiz Kids
A meteorologist, Crystal Wicker, designed this website especially for kids to allow them to learn more about the fascinating world of weather. It’s also a wonderful educational website for teachers and parents to give them the right tools to explain the different types of weather to children.

Exploring Weather
A companion site to Weather Wiz Kids, this site is a comprehensive website that explores all of the different types of weather from hurricanes to winter storms.

A to Z Kids Stuff
Resources for educators and others to use in a preschool or elementary classroom, child care center, or home. There are lesson plan themes, monthly calendars, and educational activities appropriate for use with young learners.

********************************************************

December 18, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-12-18T12:07:11-05:00

Contents:

Notes
ASL Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Classroom Resources for talking about Tragedies and Violence
Online Reference Resources
Youth Service America Accepting Applications for Disney Friends for Change Grants
Free Software
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

From all of us at RMTC and OSBD, we hope all of you have a wonderful holiday and vacation!

********************************************************

Open to Florida residents only
Available to parents and deaf educational staff (not intended for interpreter training)
Classes are first come-first-serve; you may be placed on a waiting list if there are a large number of participants
The course is fully online, and you must have access to and check e-mail regularly
You must have:
A computer no more than 3-5 years old (no mobile devices – iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, etc.)
A high-speed Internet connection (speeds above 500kbps/.5mbps download/upload – Please refer to www.speedtest.net and click on “Begin Test” or check with your internet provider)
A better than average web camera

Please register online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osli
Contact: Aimee McDonald at mcdonalda@fsdb.k12.fl.us

Comments from recent students:
“…I really enjoyed the two classes I took with you. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you again.”
“…the entire course was fantastic and I truly look forward to furthering my ASL education with you and your team!”

Points former students liked about the class:

“The practice with other students.”
“The video follow up from the lesson Interaction during the lesson.”
“Teacher’s patience and clear delivery.”
“That I can review what we learned in the video messages.”
“The face-to-face teaching and the ability to see classmates and the ~teacher. Also, the convenience of being able to be home.”
“I like how the teacher was very kind and patient with us and was very likeable. ~I was able to relax and learn better.”
“Lots of teachable moments! I liked the instructor’s explanations based on her experience & her flexibility in answering questions.”
“I really like the teacher’s attitude and willingness to help us when we are so lost. I like to use the most simple words daily when I go to work and at home to practice. It does takes away some of the stress we live daily.”

Richard Flores
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V

********************************************************

CLASSROOM RESOURCES FOR TALKING ABOUT TRAGEDIES AND VIOLENCE

You can access most of these on our Diigo Tragedy list. I haven't been able to bookmark PDF files and PowerPoint files. All of those files listed above came from the front page of the NASP website. I'm just not sure how long those will remain on their front page. The last link above is also from that website. Perhaps they will be added to that page.

********************************************************

Online Reference Resources

Simple English Dictionaries

Longman's Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wordsmyth Choose Beginner's Dictionary or Children's Dictionary before you search by keyword.
Beginner's English Dictionary

Picture Dictionaries

Picture Dictionary (also has ability to add other languages)
Online Picture Dictionary
The Internet Picture Dictionary
Photographic Dictionary
Visual Dictionary Online

Simple English Encyclopedias

********************************************************

YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA ACCEPTING APPLICATION: DISNEY FRIENDS FOR CHANGE GRANTS

Administered by Youth Service America, the Disney Friends for Change grants program is designed to help young people make lasting, positive change in the world. The program will support community-service projects that highlight the creativity and commitment of young people working to meet the needs of others. Grants of $1,000 will be awarded for youth-led service projects that demonstrate youth leadership, creativity, and a commitment to making a positive community impact. Service projects can be in any field, including the environment, human services, the arts, and athletics.

Youth between the ages of 5 and 18 in all fifty states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. Youth younger than 13 years of age must have an adult prepare and submit their application. Deadline: February 10, 2013

For complete program guidelines, the application, and information on past Friends for Change projects, visit the YSA Web site.

Contact:
Link to Complete Grant Application

Follow this link to see 2012 projects that were funded if you want to get some ideas.

********************************************************

FREE SOFTWARE

I hope most of you saw the link to download the free math software from Funnix last week. That offer ended on December 15, but you can now download their Beginning Reading program until December 31. I haven't seen the software, but go ahead and try it! It's FREE! Share the news with the parents of your students.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

These iPad apps were recommended during the Itinerant Roundtable last week:

Spellboard - $4.99
Mathboard - $4.99

Top 35 Must-Have Educational iPhone and iPad Apps Used by Real Teachers in the Classroom
This list was just published on December 11. How many are you using?

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Speakaboos
Speakaboos has animated stories and songs (captioned), along with worksheets and games. There are some good stories, including Gingerbread Man, Christmas Carol, and The Story of Hanukkah. There are a few other holiday stories and songs if you click on Holidays in the scrolling list of categories at the top.

Mummy's Message
An ancient Egyptian educational game designed to educate middle and high school students about Egyptian civilization.

Longwood SMART Notebook Lessons
Ready-Made SMART Notebook lessons for all age groups.

K-3 Teacher Resources
This site has some free resources available under Teacher Resources. If you pay $25 a year, you can access all of the printable concept books and early readers; early alphabet printables; more advanced phonics printables; general writing and reading activities; short poems, songs, and nursery rhyme activities; primary school maths printables; classroom themes picture/word cards; Dolch sight word games and printables; printable flashcards; general/display teaching resources; and, school clipart.

Harvey's Home Page
Free SMART Board Notebooks for Number Sense; Computation Estimation; Patterns, Algebra, and Functions; Geometry; Measurement; Probability Statistics; Utilities; PODS/Games; other Curriculums; Staff Development; and some miscellaneous files.

TweenTribune
This is a daily news site for teens and tweens. Each day they post the most compelling, relevant, and interesing news for kids aged 8-18. Stories are selected by teens and tweens working closely with professional journalists. Teens and tweens can comment upon the stories. Unlike other news sites for kids, TeenTribune and TweenTribune are easy to use, updated daily and allow teens and tweens to participate in so many ways. But most importantly, these sites encourage teens and tweens to seek out news on a daily basis.

Vocab Test
This site has free vocabulary test to help students boost their verbal skills. They can make their own quiz using words they want to master. They have tests for common prefixes and suffixes to help students decipher new words based on word parts. The website has tests available for middle school, high school, and advanced senior levels. There are Levels A-H from Jerome Shostak's Vocabulary Workshop books. There are also books from the Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT series available. All FREE!

********************************************************

December 7, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-12-07T13:45:09-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Revised Interpreting Services Technical Assistance Paper
Resource for Iep Issues and Idea Law Information
Worksheet Creators
News From the Gallaudet Regional Center Southeast
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I know everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays. This Tech Notes has some information about upcoming workshops you might be interested in, a revised TAP, an IEP resource parents might be interested in using, resources for creating worksheets, news from our new Gallaudet University Regional Center Director, and some resources. I hope you will take the time to read through to find information most relevant to you.

I have bookmarked some resources in Diigo for you:

Flipped Classroom - Have you read about flipped classrooms? With teacher-created videos and interactive lessons, instruction that used to occur in class is now accessed at home, in advance of class. Class becomes the place to work through problems, advance concepts, and engage in collaborative learning.
December - I have now bookmarked the December sites (Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, etc) in Diigo. These were originally on our RMTC December page. There are a lot of sites listed in December. You could also try searching by keyword. For example, type "Kwanzaa" in the search box in the top right. You will get all of the results from all of Diigo -- not just from RMTC's December list.

********************************************************

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS: DEAF/HARD OF HEARING

Managing Hearing Loss: Advocacy Skill Development for Children with Hearing Loss
Presented by Lynne H. Price

The Management of Hearing Loss--Scope and Sequence is a program designed to help a student who is deaf or hard of hearing become an effective listener, a successful communicator, a proficient reader, and a knowledgeable consumer of goods and services. It consists of ten goal areas. Each goal area is divided into several strands of instruction. Each strand presents specific activities appropriate to the age / developmental levels of instruction. The sequence of ten goal areas (skill sets) is organized into the areas of perception, processing, knowledge of self, and advocacy. It can be used as a stand-alone habilitation program or a collaborative rehabilitation tool when used in conjunction with a language curriculum, content vocabulary instruction, and/ or an auditory skills development program. Each attendee will receive a manual of the program.

Workshop Agenda attached < WWE Lynne P. Agenda.pdf >

[Note: This is the same workshop that we offered in October. If you attended that, please do not register again.]

The following one-day regional trainings are being offered. Click on the date to register for that workshop.

Jan. 18, 2013
Village Meeting Hall
6800 Sunset Strip
Sunrise, FL 33313

Feb. 11, 2013
Educational Leadership Center in Orlando
445 West Amelia Street
Room #3A
Bring your School ID. You'll need to show it.
Orlando, FL 32801

Contact
Laura McDonald
RMTC/OSBD
1-800-356-6731
mcdonaldl@fsdb.k12.fl.us

********************************************************

REVISED INTERPRETING SERVICES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PAPER

The Interpreting Services for Students Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Paper (formerly the Educational Interpreter TAP) has been issued. The revised TAP may be viewed at http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-6580/dps-2012-200.pdf.

Thank you for sharing this information with all that may have interest. If you have any questions, please contact me at (850) 245-0478 or leanne.grillot@fldoe.org.

********************************************************

RESOURCE FOR IEP ISSUES AND IDEA LAW INFORMATION

From the December 2012 Update from Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss:

"I’m pleased to receive questions from parents and professionals dealing with issues related to student’s eligibility, services or supports within the school setting. Specific to the US, I’ve developed a new webpage titled IEP Issues and IDEA Law Information. The information provided has been gleaned from www.idea.ed.gov and consists of specific sections of IDEA and commentary/discussion from their website to assist in interpretation. Topics include: (1) Eligibility, (2) FM/Speech-to-Text Translation (assistive technology), (3) Models of DHH Service, and (4) Hearing Loss/Hearing Aids. This is a resource that is available through both the Parent and Professional resources and has been written specifically to assist individuals in understanding the IDEA underpinnings that should influence decisions for students."

********************************************************

WORKSHEET CREATORS

A teacher asked for a tool that could use to input weekly spelling vocabulary and create worksheets. I searched, and came up with the following web resources. Most are free.

Tools for Educators
Worksheet Genius
QuickWorksheets.net
School Express
edHelper.com (must be a member to use some of the features)
Have Fun Teaching
A to Z Teacher Stuff Tools
WorksheetWorks.com
TeAch-nology (free worksheets)
TeAch-nology (worksheet creator)

In the future, you can find these bookmarked on our Teacher Tools Diigo list. As I find other tools, they will be added to the list.

********************************************************

NEWS FROM THE GALLAUDET REGIONAL CENTER SOUTHEAST

Make sure you check out what is happening in our Region for this Spring!
Stay Busy with Gallaudet’s Center for Continuing Studies Spring Courses:
January – May

Keep up with VL2 current information and announcements, in the new year, at their

Or sign up for their weekly newsletter: tap.gallaudet.edu/vl2signup
Come and support your team at the Academic Bowl Southeast Regional Competition January 10 – 13 at Model Secondary School for the Deaf, in Washington, D.C. Participating Schools in the Southeast region will be:

Alabama School for the Deaf
Atlanta Area School for the Deaf
Berkmar High School
Delaware School for the Deaf
Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
Georgia School for the Deaf
Maryland School for the Deaf
Model Secondary School for the Deaf
North Carolina School for the Deaf
Pinellas Park High School
Tennessee School for the Deaf
Virginia School for the Deaf
Wisconsin School for the Deaf
W. T. Woodson High School
WV Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

And don't forget to register for conferences that are happening this spring: ASL and English Bilingual

Consortium for ECE Summit IV Building Bilingual Partnerships: Home, School and Community Hosted by the Texas School for the Deaf March 21-23, 2013 To register, visit: www.bilingualece.org or contact: ECE.SUMMIT@gmail.com

Triennial National Deaf people of Color Conference III--- June 6-9, 2013 Register now till May 31, 2013 For more information you can contact them at:
Homepage: www.ndpc2013.com
E-mail: ndpc@gallaudet.edu
For more conference, event listings and links visit our calender on our website here.
For current updates on what is happening around the Southeast Region

Like our Facebook Page
Check out our Website
Or e-mail us for more information

We hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!
Karen Sheffer, M.A.
Director, Gallaudet University Regional Center, Southeast Region
800 Florida Avenue, NE HMB S-438
Washington, DC 20002
VP/Phone (local): 202-250-2648 VP/Phone (toll free): 866-279-0886 Fax: 202-651-5692

Sharing the resources between Gallaudet University and the Southeast:
Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands
Through their host institutions and Gallaudet University, the Gallaudet University Regional Centers (GURCs) offer extension courses, training workshops, and technical assistance to address the educational, transition, and professional development needs of deaf and hard of hearing people. Families and professionals also benefit. Information on the GURCs can be found at http://www.gallaudet.edu/outreach_programs.html.
If you would like to be on the GURC e-mailing list, please e-mail us asking to be added.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

10 of the best Apple apps for education in 2012
This article appeared in eSchool News back in April. These are the apps they listed at that time:

Be sure to read the Comments to see apps that other people think should be in the list.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Learning Abilities Books
Resources for PreK-5th Grade Regular and Special Education children's books about handicaps focus on the ability to learn.

The Electric Educator
The author of this blog believes that when used appropriately, classroom technology can engage students, teach them valuable life skills, and provide them with new opportunities to learn and demonstrate their learning. In his blog, he shares his skills and tools.

Jog the Web
I mentioned this site several years ago. It is a web-based tool that allows anyone to create a synchronous guide to a series of websites. Its step-by-step approach of taking viewers through websites allows the author to annotate and ask guiding questions for each page. Check out some of the sample Jogs.

Free Kids Coloring
Lots of coloring pages for various seasons and themes.

Colonial Williamsburg
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation website can give students an idea of what colonial life was really about. There are games, interactives, and podcasts you can use to help with this. Some features of the site even change with the season. Right now, you can learn about 12th Night Cake, Sugar Cakes, and Holiday Decor.

TSL Books
This site has a variety of free printable worksheets for home and school use. There are numerous worksheets for students in preschool-sixth grade which you may use to supplement your curriculum. You can find their Christmas worksheets here, too.

********************************************************

November 12, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-11-17T17:07:15-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Project Access & Itinerant Roundtable
RTI
CARD Conference
ASL for Professionals, Families & Children touched by Autism
Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss
Rule the School
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

It was great seeing so many of you at the Summit last week. I thought it was one of our best conferences ever! Keep an eye on the FEHI website. Nada will be uploading the handouts and PowerPoints soon!

We all hope that you have a fantastic Thanksgiving! Don't eat too much!

********************************************************

Project Access & Itinerant Roundtable
December 11, 2012
FSDB – Moore Hall 215

Registration

See attached for agenda <Dec 11 Agenda.pdf>

********************************************************

RTI

Do you know what RTI is? The RTI Action Network website explains it this way:

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs. The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom. Struggling learners are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity to accelerate their rate of learning. These services may be provided by a variety of personnel, including general education teachers, special educators, and specialists. Progress is closely monitored to assess both the learning rate and level of performance of individual students. Educational decisions about the intensity and duration of interventions are based on individual student response to instruction. RTI is designed for use when making decisions in both general education and special education, creating a well-integrated system of instruction and intervention guided by child outcome data.

You will be hearing a lot about RTI in the future. There was a discussion at the DHH/BVI Contact Meeting about RTI, and how it will affect our D/HH and B/VI students. One important thing to remember is that there should be tests conducted to identifiy sensory impairments before the RTI process begins. See Florida Statute 6A-6.0331. You can download a copy of this statute by clicking here.

********************************************************

CARD CONFERENCE

The 20th Annual CARD Conference will be held at the Tradewinds Island Grand Resort in St. Petersburg Beach. On Friday, January 11, 2013, the FOP (Florida Outreach Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind) welcome Philip Schweigert. His topic will be Understanding and Nurturing the Communication Development of Children with Autism, Deaf-Blindness, severe & Multiple Disabilities. See the attached flyer for more information < CARD_January 11 2013.pdf >.

********************************************************

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE FOR PROFESSIONALS, FAMILIES & CHILDREN TOUCHED BY AUTISM
(also for speech delays and other related disabilities)

This class is for those who want a true short cut to American Sign Language to facilitate communication. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, caregiver, or professional this class is designed for anyone wishing to begin signing immediately to enable communication with children having autism or other related disabilities.

For children who are verbal, signing can help to accelerate acquisition of speech. Children who may be non verbal, simply signing solutions help to transform day-to-day life for everyone. Learn your first few hundred signs and understand a child’s wants and needs, reducing temper tantrums caused by inability to communicate.

The benefits of American Sign Language for children with special needs is significant. Parents, teachers, and professionals providing support and education have difficulties locating one-stop solutions.

By the end of the class, participants will be able to:

Understand the benefits of American Sign Language. (the scope is much greater than imagined)
Have greater clarity on some of the myths and misconceptions of ASL and children with disabilities.
Know how to quickly create a child and family specific program.
Learn how to get everyone involved including immediate family, extended family, friends, neighbors, and the child's professional educators
Have clarity on just want you need to learn and no more
Understanding current resources available and how to use them
Parents will have a step-by step communication plan in place to begin with family and friends, copies of hundreds of signs needed to begin along with practice phrases and questions. For those who would like greater guidance with “hands-on assistance” we will volunteer additional help for 8 weeks following class to help with your family’s personal program.

Upon completion of class December 8th, instruction and help is provided by phone and email so no need to worry about attending additional classes. It’s easier than you think.

Where: University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida

When: December 8th, Saturday

Time: 9:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.

Cost: $ 18.00

Class size is limited.

Program is open to anyone (adult) wishing to attend. Please feel free to forward this email to others who may be interested.

Registration form is attached <Registration Form Sign Language Seminar- UNF.pdf>.

Candice Chakhtoura
Signing Autistic Lives
"Transforming Communication for children & families living with Autism"
904.596.8538 office | 904.226.1663 cell
Candice@signingautisticlives.com
www.signingautisticlives.com

********************************************************

SUPPORTING SUCCESS FOR CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS

I've mentioned this website before, but wanted to remind you about this great resource. Sign up for their monthly updates. We just purchased a copy of the new book by Diane Anderson & Kathleen Arnoldi, Building Skills for Success in the Fast-Paced Classroom: Optimizing Achievement for Students with Hearing Loss. This book has some great resources and information for working with our D/HH students. We will be putting one copy of this book in our lending library, and we would be glad to check it out to you for a three-week loan. But if possible, you might want to consider purchasing the book for your school or district so that you always have it to access as needed.

********************************************************

RULE THE SCHOOL

I mentioned Rule the School last year after they exhibited at FEHI. They exhibited at the Summit last week, and I thought I would once again emphasize some of their materials. Their board games are developed as a fun and engaging way to teach and practice a wide range of self-advocacy skills including: Self Knowledge, Preferential Seating, Communication Repair, Securing Accommodations, and Amplification Equipment Management. They also have four iPad apps:

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

Lazy Larry Lizard
This cute interactive story is currently free, so be sure to check it out.

Chegg Flashcards
Chegg usually creates materials for college students, but this flashcard app can be used for all ages. I particularly like that you can add pictures.

Flashcards* (aka Flashcardlet)
This is another favorite flashcard app. You can create your flashcards online or search through the many existing flashcards that have been created online in Quizlet. You can also create flashcards within the app, but you can't add pictures. You have to do that online.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Sara Says
Sara Says is a book review site that specializes in baby/toddler, children, adult, and teacher resources and lesson plans. Check back often for fun and easy holiday activities, book reviews, and lesson plans.

Mr. Williams Class
A teacher created this site to help communicate with his students about Science, English, and Elective class projects. The links are good resources for all students.

Styraki
Styraki is a series of educational picture books with an appeal to children of many ages. The books feature Styraki, the apatosaurus, and his lovable styracosaurus cousins who together embark on Earth Science related adventures. You can purchase the books on the site, but there are free activities and coloring books that you can use for units on earth science.

Super Teacher Worksheets
Membership is $19.95 per year, and you can print as many ready-made K-5 worksheets as you want. The site features thousands of printable PDF files. Their collections include math worksheets, spelling lists, reading comprehension passages, educational board games, graphic organizers, handwriting practice pages, educational card games, flashcards, and manipulative teaching materials.

VocabularySpellingCity
Typically, teachers integrate the weekly word list with skill-building such as handwriting, vocabulary, reading, fluency, and reading. VocabularySpellingCity facilitates this integration while dramatically simplifying and automating the process. Plus, kids and teachers love it! Some features are free, but others are available with a premium membership. They have also recently released an app that works in conjunction with your membership (free or premium) online.

********************************************************

October 30, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-10-30T17:06:38-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Summit Update
Cued Speech Workshop
High School Seniors! Scholarship Information
Common Core Standards
Online Textbooks
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

We're looking forward to seeing all of you next week at the Summit! We're going to have a Q&A time so that you can talk to all of us one-on-one! Brian will even have a SMART Board set up so that you can get some tips. So get your questions ready!

You can see a Schedule-at-a-Glance for the Summit by going to the FEHI website.

********************************************************

SUMMIT UPDATE

Hotel Information: If you do not have reservations already made
The block of rooms reserved for the Summit on Childhood Deafness at the WESTIN has been filled. We have made arrangements with another hotel with a special rate. Of course, you can stay wherever you prefer. We were able to block 20 Kings and 4 double queens (that is what is available). Please note that you need to do your reservations ASAP because there are several events happening in the area and not many rooms are available. Please call the following number between the hours of 9:00 to 6:00. They have assigned us a specific team to do the reservations for the Summit participants. If you call and get a voice mail, please leave them a message and they will call you back. Phone Number: 407.995.5553 - ASK TO SPEAK TO ANDREW WRIGHT.

Please mention you are with: (please do not worry about the name not being applicable to you)
Simon Interpreters and use the rate code “G-SINT”.

Hyatt Place Lake Mary/Orlando North
1255 S International Parkway, Lake Mary, FL 32746

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks
Nada
Summit Coordinator

********************************************************

CUED SPEECH WORKSHOP

We are hosting a Cued Speech Workshop November 30 and December 1 in Central Florida. Click this link for the details and to register. 1.1 ASHA CEUs are offered and this workshop is FREE.

Thanks,
Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Outreach Specialist
RMTC/OSBD

********************************************************

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS! SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

See the attached file <FAD_Scholarship.pdf> for information high school seniors need to know to apply for the 2012-2013 FAD Scholarship. There will be two $1000 scholarships awarded this year. One scholarship will be awarded to a student from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and the other to a student in a mainstream school in the state of Florida.

********************************************************

COMMON CORE CURRICULUM

In the August 23 Tech Notes, I gave you some links to support the Common Core Curriculum. (Click the link to access those again.) I have added all of those links to Diigo, and you can now access them directly. As I find new links, I will bookmark them in Diigo.

This week, I want to highlight CoreStand. If you sign up for their FREE account, they will send you weekly links to literacy templates for lessons about current events. Great resource!

********************************************************

ONLINE TEXTBOOKS

cK-12 Foundation
This site has standards-aligned FlexBooks. The books are customizable. You can rearrange the chapters, or even add, remove, and edit content. That is a great option for our students with reading challenges. There are videos and multimedia simulations, and activities and teaching materials to support lessons.

Flat World Knowledge
Subscription-based access to textbooks for Science, Math, Business & Economics, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Professional & Applied Sciences. These books have been written by expert authors, peer-reviewed, and professionally edited and developed. You can also download MIYO (Make It Your Own) to customize your books.

Curriki
A hub for free, open course materials. Find thousands of course materials in a variety of subjects and grade levels, including free courses and textbooks.

Everything Science
Curriculum-aligned, collaboratively authored, open textbooks available for free to read, download and adapt. These are high-school science textbooks.

Everything Maths
Curriculum-aligned, collaboratively authored, open textbooks available for free to read, download and adapt. These are high-school math textbooks.

Digital Textbook Initiative
Links to free and open textbook resources that are aligned to California content standards.

Open Culture
A hub for free, open course materials. Find thousands of course materials in a variety of subjects and grade levels, including free courses and textbooks.

Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is a collection of more than 40,000 free ebooks. These are free in the United States because their copyright has expired. You can find many classics here.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

This article from eSchoolNews lists 10 of the best Apple apps for education in 2012. If you don't want to forward through each page, you can subscribe to eSchoolNews (it's free). After you log in, you have a Print option. This lets you see all of the apps on one page.

One suggestion: It is usually a good idea to read comments on blogs like this. On this blog entry, many have added their favorite educational apps.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Pumpkin Science
Questions to investigate on the seasonally interesting topic of pumpkins.

Visual Fractions
This site is just what the title implies -- it shows fractions visually. There are games, worksheets, and investigations. The Investigate Fractions page has introductory units in PDF files or PowerPoint files.

KidsKnowIt Network
High-quality educational activities, products, movies, music, games, articles, textbooks, learning programs, lesson plans, and worksheets. This site has lots of good resources. The movies are very basic, but accessible.

what the teacher wants Blog
Two elementary teachers share tips and ideas for teaching.

Terrific Teacher Blogs
I have seen some great teacher blogs, and have shared many of them with you. This particular blog entry links to some terrific teacher blogs that they have seen. I thought you would like to explore on your own!

********************************************************

October 23, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-10-23T15:49:08-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Updates on the Florida Summit for Childhood Deafness
That Deaf Guy
FL Telecommunication Relay Kit
Signed Stories by Keith Wann
Sign Language Doll
Want Your Own Website?
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Congratulations to Brian and Karen Newton on their marriage on October 21! And yes, it was this beautiful!

********************************************************

UPDATES ON THE FLORIDA SUMMIT FOR CHILDHOOD DEAFNESS

Deadline for registration has been extended without late fee till: October 29, 2012
Here is the link: Conference Registration
Quick Glance Agenda Available on the FEHI website.

Hotel Information: If you do not have reservations already made
The block of rooms reserved for the Summit on Childhood Deafness at the WESTIN has been filled. We have made arrangements with another hotel with a special rate. Of course, you can stay wherever you prefer. We were able to block 20 Kings and 4 double queens (that is what is available). Please note that you need to do your reservations ASAP because there are several events happening in the area and not many rooms are available. The deadline is OCTOBER 29,2012
Please call the following number between the hours of 9:00 to 6:00. They have assigned us a specific team to do the reservations for the Summit participants. If you call and get a voice mail, please leave them a message and they will call you back. Phone Number: 407.995.5553

Please mention you are with: (please do not worry about the name not being applicable to you)
Simon Interpreters and use the rate code “G-SINT”.

Hyatt Place Lake Mary/Orlando North
1255 S International Parkway, Lake Mary, FL 32746

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks
Nada
Summit Coordinator

********************************************************

That Deaf Guy

Have you seen this comic strip? Tune in weekly for the new strip.

********************************************************

FLORIDA TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY INC KIT

During the recent Working with the Experts: D/HH Workshop, Lynne Price mentioned the FTRI Kit. It is available here:
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI) in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) are proud to offer “Kids Keeping in Touch through Florida Relay”, an educational awareness program for children in grades 3-5. This program has been designed to help teachers and educators increase awareness and sensitivity to the communication barriers faced by individuals with hearing loss and speech disabilities. The lesson plans below cover such diverse and interesting topics as The Human Body, Society and Culture, Technology and Communication, and much more. All of the lesson plans meet the benchmarks for the Sunshine State Standards, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), and English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) Standards
FTRI is a not-for-profit organization and the lesson plans may be downloaded at no cost. The lesson plans may be downloaded as one entire package, or by individual units.

Lesson plans:

Complete Kit (Intro, Units 1, 2, 3, 4)
Kids Keeping in Touch - Hearing Loss Awareness
Unit 1 - The Human Body
Unit 2 - Society and Culture
Unit 3 - Technology and Communication
Unit 4 - Students to Students

********************************************************

SIGNED STORIES BY KEITH WANN

Keith Wann is a well-known ASL storyteller. Here are a few of his children's stories. These are on YouTube, so you will only be able to view them if your school does not have it blocked. You could also send the links to the parents of your students so they can see them at home (if they have Internet access). [Note: Some of the videos are not voiced.]

Keith Wann has many other videos on YouTube, but they may not all be appropriate for younger students. Make sure you preview the videos. Some of the videos might be good if you're working on advocacy skills with your older students. Click on the "213 videos" button at the top. Then you can click on 'See all 213 videos'. You will see thumbnail pictures and titles for all of his videos.

********************************************************

SIGN LANGUAGE DOLL

Visit this site to donate or purchase dolls that have flexible fingers. You can use the fingers to make signs. I think this might be good to help some young children learn sign language, or even teach signs to their families. You can get a better idea of what the dolls do if you click on the Media tab and watch the movies there.
[Note: Unfortunately, the movies on the site are not captioned or signed.]

********************************************************

WANT YOUR OWN WEBSITE?

I've mentioned Google Sites as a good place to create your own website. This particular Google Site is actually a tutorial for creating your own site.

This is the description given on the front page of the site. It gives ideas for how you can use your own website in your classroom and/or curriculum.

"Welcome to my site that is set up to provide great tips on web site building using Google Sites. You will be able to create sites and banners from scratch. You can learn how to add images, tables, sound, video and much more. This online session will also demonstrate how to create a Google Form and then embed it on your website. Google Sites are a great way to communicate with your students, parents and staff. Make your students' lives easier by having a site they can go for resources so they can be successful in your classroom. Provide communication opportunities for parents who might want to know what their kids are doing. I have my 6-8th grade students create Google sites. It is a great opportunity for them to learn about design and web site building. My eighth graders get to create sites about an imaginary country, museum or business. Those sites have Animoto videos, home made videos, thoughtfully cropped images, creative write-ups and much more. My 6th and 7th graders make a one page website about a creature they create on SwitchZoo. They add audio stories and a creative writing piece. You can have your students collaborate as a class on a unit where everyone can positively contribute information and ideas."

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

I just found a wonderful app called "Signed Stories". You can download the app for free. When you open it, there are no books on the bookshelf. Click on Store. There is one free book -- Three Billy Goats Gruff. You can purchase other stories in the app. There are currently 14 stories, and more on the way. They currently range from $4.99 to $6.99. You can click on 'Preview' to see a sample of each story. When you first open the app, you will be asked to choose between ASL (American Sign Language) and BSL (British Sign Language). You can also switch between the two in the preferences. You can also choose to turn the signer and/or subtitles off, and change the color and size of the font. Click on the 'i' icon in the left frame to learn more about levels of the available stories. This is where you can learn about purple books, blue books, yellow books, and red books. The free story I downloaded has two games to reinforce the story and the sign language. Once you download your first story, you will also see a book called My Signs. This is a sign dictionary that will grow with each story you purchase. [Note: The stories and dictionary use ASL -- not SEE.]

Stories currently available

Dingo Dog and the Billabong Storm
First Time Nursery
Hansel and Gretel
Rabbit Cooks up a Cunning Plan
Stone Soup
The Ant and the Big Bad Bully Goat
The Cloud
The Cockerel, the Mouse and the Little Red Hen
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Flower
The Frog Prince
The Lost Stars
Three Billy Goats Gruff
Three Little Pigs

********************************************************

WEBSITES

PrintWhatYouLike
Do you ever get tired of all the ads and extraneous information that prints along with the great article, story, or recipe that you wanted? Copy the web address and go to the PrintWhatYouLike website. Paste the address into the box, and click Start. You can choose to remove backgrounds, images, and/or margins in the left frame. You can also click various parts of the page, and then choose to remove - or you can click on the section you want to keep, and choose to isolate or save.

Young Writers Program
National Novel Writing Month happens every November! It's a fun, seat-of-your-pants writing event where the challenge is to complete an entire novel in just 30 days. For one month, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create! That means participants begin writing November 1 and must finish by midnight, November 30. The word-count goal for the adult program is 50,000 words, but the Young Writers Program (YWP) allows 17-and-under participants to set reasonable, yet challenging, individual word-count goals. Encourage your students to sign up now!
Visuwords
Visuwords is an online graphical dictionary and thesaurus that shows word meanings, and how words relate to each other.

How to Start a Blog
Have you ever wanted to start your own blog? This blog gives basics about blogging, but this particular entry is how to get started. Use this one to start, and then look at her other entries for more information.

Stossel in the Classroom
The Stossel in the Classroom program is sponsored by the Center for Independent Thought, an IRS 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit educational foundation that serves as the parent foundation for a number of educational activities. Stossel in the Classroom offers a new DVD free to teachers each school year. The DVDs include video segments from John Stossel's television programs and specials, along with a teacher guide with lesson plans and ideas for complementary activities. The videos are intended for Advanced Middle School, High School, and College Students. There are Teacher Guides avaialble on the website in both English and Spanish.

********************************************************

September 28, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-09-28T15:26:01-04:00

Contents:

Notes
District Contact Meeting / Summit - New Information
SKI-HI Training
Notes from Mandy
Hispanic Heritage Month 2012 Recommended Reading List
Interactive Whiteboard Resources
SMORE
Grants
iPad Highlights
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Reminder - The first Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing is coming soon!

October 8 - FSDB in St. Augustine
October 10 - FDLRS Island Coast in Ft. Myers
October 12 - FDLRS PAEC in Chipley

See the website for more information
The link in the previous Tech Notes was not complete. I hope most of you were able to find the correct link in emails and on Facebook!

We are in the process of updating our website. Instead of listing a lot of resources directly on our site, I'm bookmarking them in Diigo. This link takes you to the Lists that I have created so far. Some don't have resources yet, but will soon. You can check our Lists, or you can search for what you want by keyword. This will find resources that anyone has posted on the topic. I hope you find this easy to use. It is a quicker and easier way for me to bookmark sites for you, and also allows others in our Centers to add bookmarks. I will highlight specific Lists in Tech Notes as I add to them.

********************************************************

DISTRICT CONTACTS MEETING / FLORIDA SUMMIT -- NEW INFORMATION

November 8th in Lake Mary

Leanne Grillot, FLDOE Program Liaison for students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Blind/Visually Impaired, or Deaf-Blind will be holding a face-to-face meeting for the Deaf/HHH and Blind/VI District Contacts. This is the first face-to-face meeting for this group in about six years. Leanne is able to sponsor up to two district contacts to attend this very special joint meeting. Lunch will also be provided. Attached is an agenda.

Survey for assistance with district travel: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DHHVI
Please fill out the survey ASAP so that we may make hotel and lunch arrangements.

November 9th and 10th in Lake Mary

Directly following the joint DHH and VI District Contact meeting is the Florida Summit on Childhood Deafness in conjunction with the FEHI Conference. Leanne is again able to provide the conference fee for up to two participants per district.

This conference combines the resources of Florida groups related to deafness and offers one joint conference with a focus on children who are deaf or hard of hearing ages 0-22 and their families. The mission of the Florida Summit on Childhood Deafness is to bring together those working in the field of childhood deafness ages birth through twenty two (22) in order to provide an inclusive forum for exchange of information, closer collaborations, and opportunities for building shared support systems for Florida’s children and families. Those who attend will include: teachers, parents, caregivers, speech pathologists, educational audiologists, program administrators, students, early interventionists, physicians, other related service providers, nurses, and other interested parties. By combining the conferences of the representative groups, families and professionals will be together in one forum, reducing the financial and time demands of multiple conferences on the exhibitors, the participants, and state agencies and school districts.

To Register for the Summit using the District Fee Waiver option and for more information go to: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=nozl6lfab&oeidk=a07e6bkqo1g0abd365c

Additional participants can register at: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=nozl6lfab&oeidk=a07e5x23oide441efbd

Carmelina Hollingsworth
Coordinator of District Outreach Programs
RESOURCE MATERIALS and TECHNOLOGY CENTER: D/HH and
OUTREACH SERVICES: B/VI AND D/HH
904-827-2660
800-356-6731

********************************************************

SKI-HI TRAINING

SKI-HI is a complete curriculum with research-based information and unbiased resources for professionals who are providing family-centered programming to families with young children ages 0-5 who are deaf or hard of hearing. The SKI-HI Training contains information about:

Early Language Development
Communication Options
Working with Infants 0-12 Months
Natural Environments and Routines
Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants
Assessment
Literacy
Building Partnerships

SKI-HI Training is available for school district personnel, FL Department of Education professionals, university affiliates, ITDSs and others with backgrounds in fields related to deafness such as deaf education, special education, speech therapy, audiology, and early childhood education who are currently working with or interested in working with families with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families are welcome to attend. You must have at least a Bachelors degree to take this course.

SKI-HI Training will be held at FSDB January 25-27 and February 22-24. Registration information is in the attached flyer.

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

Hey SLPs! Here are some great resources for you to check out:

Here is a link to a FREE online course that helps you write IEP goals and objectives related to audition, language development and speech production. You can earn 1.0 LSLS CEUs too!
Here are some great iPad Apps for working on speech and listening skills:

- iBaldi: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibaldi/id504464546?mt=8
- Bla Bla Bla: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bla-bla-bla/id430815432?mt=8
- Speech4Good: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speech4good/id467558411?mt=8

Come see A Year with Frog and Toad (a musical production with shadow interpretation) and encourage your students to attend too:
“Like” my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter. I’m always posting new tips, trick, and information.
Do you have students working on Listening and Spoken Language Skills? Do you have students with cochlear implants? Do you have the SPICE kit but have no idea how to use it? Do you want an all-in-one tool to use for diagnostics, progress monitoring, goal development and therapy ideas? If you answered YES to any of these questions, click this survey link to help us set up a training for the CID SPICE for this spring:

Contact me any time if you have questions or need support in working with your D/HH students: longom@fsdb.k12.fl.us. See you at the Summit!

Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Outreach Specialist
RMTC/OSBD

********************************************************

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2012 RECOMMENDED READING LIST

Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15, 2012. Visit the Just Read, Families webpage for the recommended reading list, which may be found at: http://www.justreadfamilies.org/Reading/HHM.asp.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
I've collected a list of resources for Hispanic Heritage Month. You can access them on our Diigo page.

********************************************************

INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD RESOURCES

The Whiteboard Blog
This blog has a lot of resources and tutorials for all brands of interactive whiteboards.

As I find resources for interactive whiteboards, I will bookmark them on our Interactive Whiteboards List on Diigo. I currenly have some for SMART Boards and one for the InterWrite board. I will be looking for some for the Promethean Board.

This Diigo List is specifically for Games and Activities for Interactive Whiteboards.

********************************************************

SMORE

SMORE is a tool for creating flyers and brochures. It's FREE and easy to use. I quickly created this flyer. You need to check it out just to see Brian's picture! For your own page, you can choose a template and add pictures. I think it would be a great way to make classroom posters and parent announcements.

********************************************************

GRANTS

Excellence in Youth Service Recognized
Nestlé Very Best in Youth Program
The Nestlé Very Best in Youth Program honors teens who have excelled in school and whose efforts are making a profound difference in the lives of others. Young people between 14 and 18 years of age are eligible to apply. Applicants must demonstrate good citizenship, a strong academic record, and show how they have made a special contribution to their school, church, or community. Nestle will donate $1,000 in the name of each winner to the charity of his or her choice. The winners will also receive a trip for them and a parent or guardian to Los Angeles, CA, for the Nestlé Very Best in Youth awards ceremony. The application deadline is November 8, 2012.

Teen Driver Safety Programs Funded
Project Ignition
Project Ignition, sponsored by State Farm and coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council, provides grants for public high schools to support their students in addressing teen driver safety through service-learning. Students and teachers develop innovative service-learning projects that are intended to influence driving behaviors and save lives on the road through public awareness and engagement campaigns. Public high schools that enroll students in grades 9-12 in the U.S. are invited to apply. Twenty-five schools will be chosen to receive $2,000 grants to support the implementation of their campaigns from January to April 2013. Ten of these 25 schools will be selected to receive an additional $7,500 to continue their project in the following school year and to participate in the National Service-Learning Conference in 2014. The application deadline is November 15, 2012. Visit the Project Ignition website for the application guidelines.

Grants Enhance Quality of Life in Company Communities
Georgia-Pacific Foundation
The Georgia-Pacific Foundation supports a wide range of nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life in communities where Georgia-Pacific operates (Palatka close enough that St. Augustine is eligible) and where company employees live and work. The Foundation has identified the following key investment areas: education, including job readiness and literacy; community enrichment, including affordable housing, cultural, and safety programs; environment, including resource conservation and clean air/clean water; and entrepreneurship, especially among youth, women, and minorities. Grant applications must be submitted by October 31, 2012.

Creative Learning Programs Supported
LEGO Children's Fund
The LEGO Children's Fund is committed to helping children (age birth to 14) develop their creativity and learning skills through constructive play. The Fund provides grants to local and national nonprofit organizations that address the following areas of support: early childhood education and development that is directly related to creativity, and/or technology and communication projects that advance learning opportunities. Grants generally range from $500 to $5,000. Requests are reviewed quarterly; the next application deadline is October 15, 2012.

Grants Promote Youth Running Programs
Road Runners Club of America: Kids Run the Nation Fund
The mission of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is to promote the sport of running through the development and growth of running clubs and running events throughout the country. The Kids Run the Nation Fund, an initiative of the RRCA, supports nonprofit organizations and schools in the U.S. that are interested in implementing or currently have a youth running program. Grants of $500 to $1,000 are provided to running clubs and other nonprofit organizations such as parent booster clubs, PTAs, etc. Elementary and middle schools that provide an organized after-school running program are also eligible to apply. Since the goal of the grant program is to have kids running at least once a week for multiple weeks, funded youth running programs should be more than just a one time event. The application deadline is October 31, 2012.
********************************************************
IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

There is now a SMART Board iPad app. Teachers and/or students can open any SMART Notebook file from an email or file-sharing website (like Dropbox). It lets you write, erase, add text, move objects, and insert images. You can use the iPad camera to take pictures and drop them into the Notebook pages. These features will let students use their iPad to review material and complete activities that can then be saved and emailed back to you for evaluation or to share with the entire class via the SMART Board.

********************************************************

September 4, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-09-04T21:17:22-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
RMTC/OSBD Digital Lending Library
Virtual Field Trip
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

If you know someone that isn't getting Tech Notes, be sure to send them to our website to subscribe or email me with their name and email address!

Don't forget to let us know how we can help you!!!

********************************************************

Working With the Experts:

Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Managing Hearing Loss: Advocacy Skill Development for Children with Hearing Loss

Presented by Lynne H. Price

The Management of Hearing Loss--Scope and Sequence is a program designed to help a student who is deaf or hard of hearing become an effective listener, a successful communicator, a proficient reader, and a knowledgeable consumer of goods and services. It consists of ten goal areas. Each goal area is divided into several strands of instruction. Each strand presents specific activities appropriate to the age / developmental levels of instruction. The sequence of ten goal areas (skill sets) is organized into the areas of perception, processing, knowledge of self, and advocacy. It can be used as a stand-alone habilitation program or a collaborative rehabilitation tool when used in conjunction with a language curriculum, content vocabulary instruction, and/ or an auditory skills development program. Each attendee will receive a manual of the program.

Three one-day regional trainings are being offered.

October 8, 2012
North East Florida
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine 32084

October 10, 2012
South West Florida
FDLRS/Island Coast
2855 Colonial Blvd
Ft. Myers 33966

October 12, 2012
North West Florida / Panhandle
FDLRS/PAEC
753 West Boulevard
Chipley 32428

To Register go to: https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/Events and choose your location.

Carmelina Hollingsworth
Coordinator of District Outreach Programs
RESOURCE MATERIALS and TECHNOLOGY CENTER: D/HH and
OUTREACH SERVICES: B/VI AND D/HH
904-827-2660
800-356-6731

********************************************************

DIGITAL LENDING LIBRARY

I thought I would repeat this announcement in case some of you missed it:

The Resource Materials and Technology Center: D/HH (RMTC) and Outreach Services for the Blind/Visually Impaired (OSBD) are happy to announce our New Online Lending Library!! We offer educational captioned videos, interpreting/ASL practice videos and books, and we will be adding professional development books soon. Just go to the link below and create an account. Once you've created an account, type in the search box anything you are looking for. A list of everything we have related to that topic will appear. See something you like, add it to your queue, and we'll get it ready for you. This is a FREE service. There is no charge to you. The materials will arrive at your school via UPS. Enclosed in the box you will find a pouch with a return label inside. Affix this pouch to the outside of your box and drop it off at any UPS store or where UPS picks up and drops off at your school.

********************************************************

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP

For the entire month of September, Colonial Williamsburg is offering FREE access to its Electronic Field Trip "The Will of the People". Three video segments, supported by student activities and teacher resources, examine the presidential election of 1800 and provide a surprising lesson for the 21st-century student. Thomas Jefferson explains how negative campaigning, partisan politics and contested elections have been a part of our political system since the earliest days of the republic.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

AppAble
This blog helps promote apps that benefit the Special Needs Community. People can ask and give app advice to SN parents and teachers.

The Top Educational iPad Apps Every Teacher and Student Should Know About (100+)
This is the Educational Technology and Mobile Learning Blog, and this particular entry discusses apps every teacher and student should know about. There are apps for the following categories:

21st Century Skills & Literacies for iPads

- Information Literacy
- Media Literacy
- Network Literacy
- Global Literacy
- Create / Critical Thinking
- Communicate / Collaborate

Bloom's Taxonomy for iPads

- Creating
- Evaluating
- Analyzing
- Applying
- Understanding
- Remembering

Digital Curation Toolbox

- Tools
- Interactive

- Sharing
- Collaboration
- Filter
- Information

The Digital Learning Farm: Apps for iPads

- Curriculum Reviewer
- Tutorial Designer
- Collaboration Coordinator
- Official Scribe
- Researcher

- Contributor to Society

Gardner's Multiple Intelligences for iPads

- Intrapersonal
- Interpersonal
- Visual Spacial
- Musical
- Linguistics
- Logical Mathematical

The iTune Store listed these nine Back-to-School Apps:

********************************************************

WEBSITES

White House WebQuest
A WebQuest with lots interesting facts about the White House and some of its former inhabitants.

Education Resources for Teachers of Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Students
This website from the University of Minnesota was designed as a resource for teachers serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing in a variety of educational settings. The goal is to equip teachers with the most appropriate tools and resources to maximize deaf and hard-of-hearing students' academic growth. The website includes instructional strategies and activities in the areas of:

Language development
Reading
Writing (under development)
Assessment (under development)
Academic progress monitoring webinars

Five Strategies to Infuse Common Core State Standards with Social Studies Instruction
I found this site after I sent the list in the last Tech Notes. It includes excellent strategies for social studies teachers.

Living Locurto
This blog features things like recipes and crafts, but she does have some printables that you can download. There are some calendars and planners. And her back-to-school printables includes more than 50 ideas.

Cybrary Man's Educational Web Sites
This website identifies useful or interesting resources for teachers, students, parents, and administrators.

Steven L. Layne Resources
Steven Layne is an author of children's books, but is also a full-time professor of Literacy Education. This site has resources that you can download. Some are some of his former keynote speeches, but others are focused on literacy -- Picture Books as a Springboard to Literacy, Using Children's Books to Excite Young Writers, Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers, etc.

FCAT 2
This is the home site for FCAT2. Here you will find information about the assessments, results, and sample questions.

Microsoft in Education Teacher Resources
Microsoft's site for education -- Find lesson plans, free tools, training, and other information for teachers to make the best use of technology in the classroom.

National History Bee
This is the home site for the National History Bee. They are now taking applications for the 2012-2013 Bee. It is open to elementary and middle-school students. Homeschool students will also be included in this year's competition.

WeAreTeachers
WeAreTeachers provides a powerful online community for teachers, combining the expertise of their member community, the resources and knowledge base of their partners and the momentum of social media to recognize and reward innovative teaching ideas. With thousands of teaching ideas submitted for cash and prizes, WeAreTeachers offers a unique forum for innovation and collaboration. Sign up for their email alerts. They often offer small teacher grants!

Angela Maier's Back to School Blog Entry
This particular blog entry includes a special back-to-school list of resources and reminders.

Public Domain Images
Public Domain pictures -- that means they are copyright free, and you are free to use them.

My Web4Ed
This is Carol Mortenson's website and blog about integrating technology into the classroom. She has 18 public Symbaloos (visual bookmarking system). Use the pull-down Categories menu to find all the topics she has discussed in her blog -- Symbaloo, iPads, iPhones, Cool Tools for Schools, specific curriculum topics, etc.

********************************************************

August 23, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-08-23T15:53:52-04:00

Notes
Signing Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
FEHI Update
Online RMTC Movies
WeGiveBooks
Grants
Common Core Resources
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I hope you're having a good week with your students! If you have new teachers in your district, please tell them to go to our website and subscribe to Tech Notes. And remember that you can always go back to the archives to find past Tech Notes.

For you Facebook users, don't forget to LIKE us. Sometimes we post quick announcements, ideas, and resources. It's a lot quicker than Tech Notes.

Do you have students working on Listening and Spoken Language Skills? Do you have students with cochlear implants? Do you have the SPICE kit but have no idea how to use it? Do you want an all-in-one tool to use for diagnostics, progress monitoring, goal development and therapy ideas? If you answered YES to any of these questions, click this survey to help us set up a training for the CID SPICE for this spring. [NOTE: If you answered this survey last week, you do not need to do it again.]

********************************************************

SIGNING INTERACTIVE: ONLINE SIGN LANGUAGE COURSES AVAILABLE!

Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with deaf children! No experience necessary!

Next sessions start the week of September 10th

(Click here for more information and to register)

Richard Flores
Coordinator of Distance Learning
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V
(904) 827-2338 F

http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us
http://technology.fsdb.k12.fl.us
http://www.vimeo.com/fsdb
http://www.youtube.com/fsdbvideos
http://www.facebook.com/FloridaDeafandBlind

********************************************************

FEHI UPDATE

FEHI would like to remind you that this year's conference "The Summit on Childhood Deafness" combines the resources of Florida groups related to deafness, and offers one joint conference with a focus on children who are deaf or hard of hearing, ages 0-22, and their families. The deadline for early registration for the conference is October 19, 2012. The deadline for a Hotel reservation at the Westin Lake Mary with the group rate is October 17.

Please visit fehi.org for information about the hotel, and conference registration. We will be posting the tentative agenda soon.

If there are no more rooms available at the conference rate, the Hampton Inn & Suites is offering rooms at the rate of $89.00 for FEHI attendees. When you call just say FEHI Summit.
Phone : 407-995-9000
850 Village Oak Lane, Lake Mary, FL, 32746

Thank you and hope to see you at the Summit.
Nada El-Khoury
Past-President
Summit Coordinator

********************************************************

ONLINE RMTC MOVIES

RMTC has the following movies available on Vimeo if you are a teacher that has not studied Deaf Ed, or if you have students in classes with teachers that have no experience with D/HH students. There are also some movies for those working with the blind. You can do a search for 'blind' in Vimeo, or you can contact us for titles and links.

How do I talk to the student if he can't hear me? (Runtime 0:48)
Should I sit my student in front of the classroom? (Runtime 0:31)
Available resources to assist teachers with the needs of students who are deaf/hard of hearing in their classroom (Runtime 0:24)
What are some other strategies that will be helpful to me in my classroom? (Runtime 2:26)
My student wears a hearing aid. Does that mean he should be able to talk? (Runtime 1:04)
What if I'm showing a video or DVD as part of my lesson? Do I need to turn the volume up really loud? (Runtime 0:18)
Do all students that are deaf know sign language? Does that mean that I have to learn sign language, too? (Runtime 0:25)
The student in my class has an interpreter. Should the interpreter assist the student and monitor his behavior too? (Runtime 0:51)

********************************************************

WeGiveBooks

This is one of the best children’s libraries available online, with award-winning books that you can read anytime, anywhere, for free.There are lots of well-known children's books. Choose the one you want, and read. And every time you read a book, you give a book. The more you read, the more we give, so let’s get started! Sign in to We Give Books and visit your new home page. From there, simply choose the campaign partner you want to read for and then select the books you’d like to read. For each free book you read online, we donate a book on your behalf to the campaign partner you choose.

While your home page will also provide you with updated news, promotions and connections to reading communities and new book releases, your profile keeps track of how many books you’ve read and how many books have been donated. Your profile also stores a personal library of books that you’ve indicated you would like to read in the future, so that you can keep reading and we can keep giving!

********************************************************

GRANTS

Innovative K-12 Projects Funded
Kids in Need Foundation
The Kids in Need Foundation is dedicated to engaging students in the learning process by providing grants towards the purchase of supplies for students to participate in special classroom learning experiences. Kids in Need Teacher Grants, sponsored by retailers and education credit unions, help K-12 educators develop innovative learning opportunities for their students. The purpose of the grants is to provide support for classroom teachers who have innovative, meritorious ideas but lack the budget to bring them to life. Projects qualify for funding if they make creative use of common teaching aids, approach the curriculum from an imaginative angle, or tie nontraditional concepts together for the purpose of illustrating commonalities. Approximately 200 to 300 grants from $100 to $500 are awarded each year. The application deadline is September 30, 2012. Visit the Foundation's website to submit an online application.

Implementation Funds for K-12 Healthy Eating Program
National Dairy Council: Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school nutrition and physical activity program founded by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League, focuses on helping schools increase student awareness of and access to healthy eating and physical activity, and promoting sustainable changes in making schools healthier places. A nationwide funding program for K-12 schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60 provides up to $4,000 per enrolled school to help implement the program. Funding may be used to support a range of program-related activities from in-school promotions to a kickoff and launch of the program. The upcoming application deadline is October 1, 2012. Visit the Fuel Up to Play 60 website to learn more about the program and to submit an online application.

Programs Support a Variety of Records Projects
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission offers several programs relating to records and archives. The Innovation in Archives and Documentary Editing program supports projects that explore innovative methods to improve the preservation, public discovery, or use of historical records. The Documenting Democracy: Access to Historical Records Projects program provides support to projects that promote the preservation and use of the nation's most valuable archival resources. The Publishing Historical Records program provides support for collecting, describing, preserving, compiling, editing, and publishing documentary source materials. The application deadline is October 4, 2012.

********************************************************

COMMON CORE RESOURCES

We've been hearing a lot about Common Core. Nearly every state in the country has adopted the CCSS, which present grade-by-grade goals devised to help students gain skills needed for college, career, and citizenship. I think it's great that states are beginning to use the same standards. I started looking for some resources for all of you, and just kept finding more and more great resources. Here are some some that I found. I'm sure I'll find more during the year. I will share them with you as I find them! And I hope that you will share with me if you find some!

Blogs, Wikis, and Pinterest Boards

Common Core Classrooms Blog
Common Core Reading Lessons Blog
Common Core Math Lessons Blog
HoJo's Common Core Resources (for Grades 1-6)
Laura Smith's Pinterest Common Core Board
2nd Grade Common Core Exemplar Texts
Tools for the Common Core Standards
Pinterest Common Core Board
Lori Rosenberg's Pinterest Common Core Board
Nicki Thigpen's Pinterest Common Core Standards Board
Leslee Shepler's Common Core Standards Pinterest Board
Michael Fisher's Best of Common Core Resources Pinterest Board
Teach 123 Blog (has links to some things you must purchase, but others are free)
What the Teacher Wants Blog (has some downloads and links to things you can purchase to use with common core lessons)
BSHS Common Core Wiki
A Less Scary Common Core (has a great handout/poster for Kindergarten students)
A Less Scary CCSS Part 2 (has handout/posters for first and second grades)

The following blog entries are all from the Kleinspiration blog. She goes into detail about how to use some of the sites in the following section, like: MasterConnect, ReadWorks, etc:

Articles, Resources, Etc

MasteryConnect: Focusing on the Core
PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)
Nine Ways the Common Core Will Change Classroom Practice
Five Myths About the Common Core State Standards
Common Core Lessons
Symbaloo Gallery: Common Core
5 Things Every Teacher Should be Doing to Meet the Common Core State Standards (book to download)
Achieve the Core
All Things Common Core
CoreStand
Primary Sources and the Common Core Standards (Fall 2012 Issue of The Teaching with Primary Sources Journal)
Teaching Channel: Confused about Common Core?
IXL Common Core Math Standards
Comparison Chart for NET*S Standards to Common Core Standards (pdf file)
ReadWorks
Common Core Scoop It!

Be sure to check out iTunesU! Search for 'Common Core'.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

There are also some iPad apps that support the Common Core Standards:

Common Core Standards (from Mastery Connect) - free
Common Core Look-fors - $2.99
Common Core (Math) - $0.99
New York Common Core Language (includes preschool; can be used in any state) - $0.99
HMH Fuse: Geometry, Common Core Edition - free
Common Core K-6 - Free
Kendall Hunt Common Core Math - Free
Common Core Early Language Screener - $29.99
CS Core - Free
EZ Language Core - $1.99
EZ Math Core - $1.99
Math K-12 Common Core Standards and Strategies - $19.99
ELA K-12 Common Core Standards and Strategies - $19.99

Resources

Apps to Meet the Core Standards

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Media and Technology Resources for Educators
The Educators section of the Common Sense Media website. There are lots of resources and lessons for teaching kids about media and the digital world. Be sure to check out the Digital Literacy and Citizenship Classroom Curriculum!

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
This nonprofit organization has developed an array of programs for schools, teachers, and students that now operate in all fifty states, including this website that features more than 60,000 historical documents in the collection.

HoJo
Follow HoJo on Pinterest. She has some amazing resources for the classroom.

BestPractices4Teaching Blog
A blog featuring free lessons for teachers around the country.

Peace, Love & Learning
A great blog by a Kindergarten teacher

Knowmia
This site has more than 7,000 video lessons. They are not captioned. They also have an iPad app called Knowmia Teach that allows you to add creative videos.

Interactive Websites
This Live Binder has links to lots of interactive websites for all subject areas and ages.

Center for Accessible Technology in Sign
I've mentioned this site many time, but the address has changed several times. Be sure to keep it bookmarked. Here you will find a sign dictionary, signed cartoons and stories, and links to other signed resources on the Internet.

Teaching in Room 6
A blog with ideas and thoughts from an upper grade teacher. The following are blog entries I thought I would highlight. They are foldables that this teacher has created and shared.

********************************************************

August 16, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-08-16T18:19:18-04:00

Contents:

Notes
New Online Lending Library
Notes from Mandy
Notes from Brian
A Lesson Plan for Teaching Young Students about Online Safety
Image Editors
Free Fonts
iPad Highlights
Websites

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Welcome back! We hope you're all rested, and ready to go! Please remember that we are all here to support you! Give us a call at 1-800-356-6731 or email us individually at the addresses above. Carmelina is the manager of our Center. Laura tries to keep up with all of us, and is the one that organizes and sends you videos and materials. Brian, Nada, and I work with teachers and support staff with deaf and hard-of-hearing students. We usually work with technology, but can also provide support in other areas. Mark works with parents of deaf/hard-or-hearing students or visually impaired students. Diana works with teachers of the visually impaired, so share her name with others who may need her support. Mandy is an SLP. She has a note below that explains her services. Please contact us!

We are working on ideas for workshops for this year. We already have the first Working with the Experts workshop planned, and will be sharing that information in the near future. We are also considering a workshop on OID SPICE kits. We have created a survey to determine how many of you already have the kits, or might be interested in a workshop on these. Please take a minute to complete this short survey. Our surveys are usually anonymous, but we have required names and contact info for this survey so that we will know who to contact if we are able to arrange this.

Looking for some ways to purchase iPads, computers, or even just school supplies? This blog entry has some ideas for you.

All of you have IPDP plans. Let us know if there is any way we can help with these.

********************************************************

NEW ONLINE LENDING LIBRARY

We are excited to announce our New Online Lending Library!! You will find educational videos and books in the library. The videos are captioned or signed. The books are a new addition, and are all professional development materials. So type 'professional development' in the keyword search to find these materials.

Go to the link above and create an account. Once you've created an account, type in the search box anything you are looking for. A list of everything we have related to that topic will appear. See something you like, add it to your queue, and we'll send it out to you.

Programs may be checked out for three weeks at a time, and you may borrow as many as you can use during that time. This is a FREE service. There is no charge to you. The materials will arrive at your school via UPS. Enclosed in the box you will find a pouch with a return label inside. Affix this pouch to the outside of your box and drop it off at any UPS store or where UPS picks up and drops off at your school.

Those of you that have used our videos in the past never really knew about new materials that were added to the database during the year. You relied on the printed catalog that we sent out once a year, or you checked our old online database. Now, new materials will be added when we get them, when we finish making them, or when we finish captioning them. We hope you will take advantage of this great FREE resource!

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

If you are an SLP with a deaf or hard-of-hearing student on your caseload, or an administrator seeking more training for your staff, I am ready to offer guidance and support in the areas of speech and language diagnostics, therapy ideas, classroom accommodations, hearing technology, and more. I can be reached at longom@fsdb.k12.fl.us.

Florida Hands & Voices has partnered with The Orlando Shakespeare Theater to offer an interpreted performance of their next children's play: A Year with Frog and Toad. This fun musical is going to be interpreted for the public on Sunday, November 4th at 4:30, and there is a special performance on Thursday, November 1st at 10:15 that is being reserved for school groups with deaf and hard-of-hearing students to come on field trips! For more information or to get a flyer with more details, contact me at mandygo@aol.com.

Mandy Longo

********************************************************

NOTES FROM BRIAN

Welcome back to school, folks!!!

I hope all of you had an amazing break!...if you had one...

Well, with the start of the new year, some of you may have returned to a classroom computer that is now home to the latest version of SMART Notebook. Version 11 has been released and with it, you will notice a lot of changes. If you are not familiar with these changes or aren't yet as comfortable with them as you would like to be, we have a few options that may help you out:

You can watch a webinar on the new features in Notebook 11. There is a link to the archive on our Wiki page. Just click on the link below for access ... https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/Webinar+Archives
You can spend your free time re-watching the recent Royal Wedding. It won't help you become familiar with Notebook 11, but it will make you feel those goosebumps you haven't felt since you saw Titanic in the theater.
You can request a visit from yours truly or one of our other fabulous RMTC staff to come out and provide you with a one-on-one training or a workshop for your school/district. Just ask! It's free and it's so much fun!

Ok, that's it! I hope you all have an amazing year and that I get to see most of you!!!

Brian!!!

********************************************************

A LESSON PLAN FOR TEACHING YOUNG STUDENTS ONLINE SAFETY

Young students need to be taught Internet safety, with specific attention to helping them recognize and deal with online "stranger danger," writes elementary-level computer teacher Mary Beth Hertz in this blog post. Hertz provides a lesson plan for teaching students how to protect private information online that includes a BrainPop video and additional online resources. Edutopia.org/Mary Beth Hertz's blog (6/4)

********************************************************

ONLINE IMAGE EDITORS

Have you ever wanted to use tools to edit your pictures, but can't afford Photoshop or other expensive software? There are online sites that have many image editing tools. They may not have the power of Photoshop, but they do a lot -- remove red eye, remove flaws, convert to black & white, etc. Most of the following tools allow you to do most of these free. You can do more by subscribing.

********************************************************

FREE FONTS

Would you like to add to the number of fonts on your computer? Here are some sites with free fonts! If you don't know how to install the fonts, let me know. I will send you directions.

AtoZ Fonts (Here is their fingerspelling font)
Amanda & Kevin
DaFont.com
Fontspace (Do a search for 'sign language' to find fingerspelling fonts - This is an example of 'Finger Alphabet Graphitti'.)

Fonts101.com
1001 Free Fonts
Urban Fonts
fonts.com (This link is for their free fonts. I did a search for fingerspelling fonts. There is a really cool one with a letter background -- and both right and left hand versions -- but it costs $20. See below.)

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

I haven't done a lot with my iPad this summer -- well, except play Words with Friends, Draw Something, and Dice with Buddies. :-) I need to look for new apps that may have been released recently. Have you tried an app that you think is really awesome? Let me know!

BUT I did read this great blog entry on five awesome apps for a low-tech classroom. These are the apps she discusses:

Evernote - I LOVE this app. I use it on my computer, and it syncs with my iPad, my iPhone, and online. I can access and edit my notes from anywhere!
Socrative - I mentioned this great app last year. Great tool!
Collaborize Classroom
Voice Thread
Google

In the Comments, someone mentioned GoSoapBox as an alternative to Socrative. I haven't tried it, but it looks interesting.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Color with Leo
The Color with Leo® site aims to nurture a child's boundless creativity and insatiable curiosity. A young Leonardo da Vinci, Leo, guides them through interactive games and activities as they learn the principles of art and other vital educational skills. Parents and teachers can also benefit by downloading the free lessons and activities that can be easily implemented into an elementary art curriculum.

The Great Water Odyssey
The Great Water Odyssey is a fun, interactive, web-based educational program that teaches about water resources and their protection and conservation. It is available free to educators.

Catlin Tucker
This is a blog with entries about blending learning and technology in the classroom. Check out the July 18th entry on Tech Tools Perfect for Teaching Common Core Math Standards, and the May 21st entry on Making the Most of Google Docs.

Teacher's Notebook
Teachers Notebook is an online venue for teachers to share original teaching resources with their peers. The site gives an educator access to the resources they can use in their classroom that saves them an enormous amount of time and money. Be aware that many items are for sale. You can sell things that you have made, and you can purchase things other teachers have made. For example, there are some sign language posters for 50 cents each in Teacher Resources.

The Organized Classroom Blog
This blog has up-to-date ideas, giveaways, and freebies. There is also a video library with good tips. You can turn on automatic captions, but be aware that no one has captioned the videos. The automatic captions uses speech-to-text technology, and is often inaccurate. Here are a few blog entries I'd like to highlight:

Classroom Freebies
This is a blog where teachers who are willing to share their great ideas for free can all be pooled together and have a central place for which all other teachers can come and "shop" around, even with minimal classroom budgets. All teachers K-12 can benefit, and the posts are actually only labeled according to the relevant grade levels, which makes it super easy to search.

Classroom Freebies Too
This blog is an extension of Classroom Freebies. The blogging app only allows 100 contributors, so she created this blog to allow more bloggers.

Read to Me
Read To Me is a website with over 100 digital books that are read by the author. It's completely FREE! All the videos will work better if you let them stream completely before you try to play them. You can see the streaming status by looking at the play bar. [Note: The videos are not captioned. Mr. Walrus and the Old School Bus and Hooray José are signed. Remember to click the icon to the right of the play bar to watch in full-screen mode. Press the ESC key to get out of full-screen mode.]

********************************************************

May 25, 2012 - Survey

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-05-25T13:37:48-04:00

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

Please take a few minutes to complete our end-of-year survey. This information is important as we assess the past year, and plan for next year. You should be able to take the survey in five minutes or less. We appreciate your help!

Click here for the 2012 RMTC End-of-Year Survey

*****************************************************

May 21, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-05-21T11:25:05-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Next Webinar
Reminder from Laura
Job Announcement
Online Sign Language Classes
Notes from Mandy
Deaf-Blind Awareness Celebration
News-2-You FREE until June 30
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I know some of you are finishing up in the next week or two. I will be sending our end-of-year survey soon. Please take the time to participate. It really helps us as we prepare our final report to Tallahassee, and as we plan for next year!

Share this site about FSDB's Summer Programs with parents - Free 2012 Summer Camps

********************************************************

NEXT WEBINAR

Like webinars? Like SMART Notebook? Like the number 11? If so, DO WE HAVE NEWS FOR YOU!!! On June 5th at 4:00, RMTC/OSBD will be presenting a webinar on the latest changes that have taken place in Notebook from version 10.8 to 11. We will be discussing how several of the new tools create a much more stimulating learning experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Great visual tools will keep the eyes of your deaf children glued to the board, and some audio tools that will allow for a richer experience for your students with less severe hearing losses. We hope you can make it for our live presentation; but remember, if you are unable to attend, live, you can always access our webinars from our archives!

To join the webinar:
http://connect.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmtc
Log in as Guest, but please put your name in the name box. We want to know who is joining us!

Handouts, resources, and information for our webinars can be found on our wiki at http://rmtc.wikispaces.com. Be sure to JOIN so that you can participate in discussions. Links to webinar archives can also be found on the Wiki.

********************************************************

REMINDER FROM LAURA

As the end of another school year approaches please take a look around your classroom and home for any videotapes, DVDs, or books that you borrowed during the year and haven't returned to RMTC. We are in the process of building a new online lending library for you and need all of our materials returned to do an inventory. If you do not have a return label please call 1-800-356-6731 or email mcdonaldl@fsdb.k12.fl.us and we'll get one set up for you. Thank you for your cooperation and have a wonderful summer.

********************************************************

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

The School District of Manatee County has a position opening for a full time Deaf/Hard of Hearing Itinerant Teacher. If interested please contact Dr. Jeff Schneiderman at 941-209-7540 x-2004

********************************************************

ONLINE SIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES

Signing Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with deaf children!
No experience necessary!

Next sessions start the week of June 19

(Click here for more information and to register)

Richard Flores
Coordinator of Distance Learning
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V
(904) 827-2338 F

********************************************************

NOTES FROM MANDY

The Shared Reading Project
The Hearing Me Support Group in Orlando is going to be offering two sessions of The Shared Reading Project, one this summer and one in the fall. The Shared Reading Project teaches hearing parents of deaf children how to read to their child using American Sign Language. These sessions are free, but registration is required. Click the link to download more details.

Facebook Page for SLPs
If you are a speech-language pathologist who works with children with a hearing loss, "like" Mandy Longo's page. She posts therapy ideas, CEU courses, and other information.

Florida Hands & Voices
Florida Hands & Voices is a non-profit organization that offers support to children with a hearing loss and their families and professionals who work with them. This summer they have many opportunities for children, families, and professionals to get involved. Check out their website and "like" their Facebook page. Some of the summer activities include: weekly Signed Story Times, Teen Event at Deaf Day at Wet n' Wild on July 21st, and an interpreted performance of Cinderella at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater on July 14th (click for the flyer).

New Training's Available for SLPs
If you are a speech-language pathologist and need support in meeting the needs of your D/HH students, Mandy Longo is available to meet with you one-on-one, or she can travel to your district and do an in-service training for a group of SLPs and/or D/HH itinerants. Presentations can be customized to meet the specific need of your group, or you can select from one of the following:

An Introduction to Working with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students for the Speech-Language Pathologist: This training highlights all the areas of communication that need to be considered when working with a student with a hearing loss.
It's All About Access: This training describes the necessary steps to take to ensure that a deaf or hard-of-hearing student has visual and/or auditory access to instruction in the classroom setting.

********************************************************

DEAF-BLIND AWARENESS CELEBRATION

There will be a Deaf-Blind awareness celebration in Daytona on June 22 and June 23

Here are details for our gathering to celebrate the Helen Keller DeafBlind Awareness. It is going to be a fun-filled weekend. Friday, June 22nd: Pool and Pizza Party at Ramada Inn on Speedway at 5 P.M. to 10 P.M. Each DeafBlind brings a party snack and a liter of soda or juice to share.

Saturday, June 23rd: Celebration at Conklin Center (1 and 1/2 miles from Ramada) at 9:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. $20 dollars each DeafBlind for luncheon. Free for SSPs and interpreters.

Ramada Speedway Hotel
1794 W. International Speedway Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Call now to reserve your room at 59.95 plus taxes per night. Tell them you are with Helen Keller Conklin Center to get this special rate of 59.95. The number to call is 386-255-2422.

Mail $20 by June 15th to:

Kathy Zarate, Treasurer
12055 SW Elsinore Drive
Port St. Lucie, FL 34987

Come one!! Come all!! Let's get together for the blast. We are one big FAMILY!

********************************************************

NEWS-2-YOU FREE UNTIL JUNE 30

Due to popular demand and the forthcoming Olympics, Inclusive Technology have decided to extend the FREE trial period of News-2-You until the 30th June, 2012. See a picture of News-2-You below. This will enable many more children to have the lasting value of experiencing the London Olympics and will also give teachers the chance to try out this fantastic educational resource.

Papers to be published during the FREE period:
(subject to change)

May 11, 2012 Falklands War Anniversary
May 25, 2012 Charles Dickens Festival Medway
June 8, 2012 Isle of Wight Festival
June 22, 2012 Wimbledon

Click here to use News-2-You for FREE!

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

iPad Academic - Blog that has reviews, tutorials, and educational resources for iPad users.

Math Apps

Fractions App by Tap 2 Learn - Great tutorial and practice with fractions
Graphs by Tap 2 Learn - Great tutorial and practice with graphs
Math Blaster Hyperblast - Remember the old Math Blaster games. Now they are available for the iPad, and are still great fun and educational.
Math Blaster Space Zapper - Remember the old Math Blaster games. Now they are available for the iPad, and are still great fun and educational.
Happi 123 - Teaches counting, addition, subtraction, number series, and pattern recognition. You can start with easy levels or jump right into something more difficult. Includes puzzles to reinforce concepts.
Motion Math Zoom - The number line is missing some numbers; zoom the number line to drop the numbers in the right place.
Visual Math 1 and 2 - Users visual figure out patterns, identify shapes, recognize numbers, read clocks, and master concepts of measurement.

Tell how you are using iPads in your classrooms or with your students.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Alphabetimals
You're going to love Alphabetimals! The online book has a cartoon animal in letter shapes. Lick one speaker to hear the sound of the animal, and the other speaker to hear the word. Go further down the page and type your name (or something else) in the box. You can see an example below of what I created when I typed 'RMTC' in the box. Go even further down the page to download flashcards, coloring pages, and a wall poster.

21st Century HI Teachers & Colleagues
A wiki for D/HH teachers featuring pages for Advocacy, Auditory Memory, Equipment, Language, Oral Comprehension, Perception & Phonology, Study Skills, Vocabulary, and Written Expression.

The Mailbox
Remember The Mailbox magazine with lots of teacher resources? Or maybe you still subscribe to it. Have you visited their website. There are lots of free resources, and you can subscribe to the online site for even more.

SparkleBox
SparkleBox has lots of useful downloadable resources for younger students. Every resource is FREE!

Adams Elementary All-Stars
This wiki from Okaloosa County features Florida Treasures online ebooks from Macmillan/McGraw-Hill for Kindergarten - Fifth Grade.

Parents of Children with Hearing Loss
A site with resources and information for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Talk-It-Out
A wiki for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. [Teachers may want to explore the wiki, too!]

Virtual Amazon Tour
Move your mouse around the picture. When you see a picture appear, click to learn more about it.

Recycled Crayons
Use broken crayons to create really neat recycled crayons.

Homeschool Share
Yes, this says "homeschool", but there are some GREAT free but quality literature-based unit studies and resources. Click on the links on the blue bar to find unit studies. The Unit Studies have some great lapbooks. And try the Lapbook Templates. There are lots of blank templates for you to create your own! I found this site when I did a search for "Going on a Bear Hunt resources". Check out this great lapbook, but go down the page to watch the video of the author, Michael Rosen, telling and acting out the story!

********************************************************

May 4, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-05-04T10:00:00-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Summer Fun
Learning A-Z Teacher Appreciation Week
ASL Checklist Standardization
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

This will be a short Tech Notes, but there are a couple of time-sensitive notices that I want to share!

How do you like our new logo?

********************************************************

Summer Fun

As you're preparing for the end of the school year, be sure to share our Summer Fun webpage with parents. These are sites that are safe and fun for their children to use during the summer. I will try to check the links in the next few weeks, but if you find any bad links, let me know!

********************************************************

Learning A-Z Teacher Appreciation Week

I try to tell you about this every year. This is a great group of sites, and they open them up during Teacher Appreciation Week. Register now to explore their six sites during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7-11). All six sites, including the three sites that make up the Reading Solution, will be open all week long! Ten lucky trialers will win a free classroom license each day of the Open House! You can always download some free samples from the site, but register and use this free opportunity to download as much as you can! All of the sites are great, but I especially like Reading A-Z. It is well-known for its vast library of printable and projectable readers at 27 levels of difficulty. But the leveled readers are just the beginning! There are also books in many genres and formats, fluency passages for timed reading, customizable worksheets, poetry, reader's theater scripts, Spanish resources, and dozens of other classroom resources and tools. Try it!

********************************************************

ASL Checklist Standardization

Attached is a recruitment flyer < ASL_standardization.pdf > for participants to assist with the standardization of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children's Visual Communication and Sign Language Milestones Checklist birth-five years of age (commonly referred to as the ASL checklist).

Drs. Laurene Simms, Sharon Baker, and M. Diane Clark have been working over the past three years to merge existing checklists into one comprehensive instrument. It has been field tested by teachers at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School. In addition, linguists, psychologists, and other educators provided feedback regarding the checklist's items.

The new assessment tool is now ready for standardization and through support from VL2, we have an online system to facilitate the standardization process.

We are recruiting teachers (and parents working with teachers as a team) to participate and hope to complete the process by June 30, 2012. To register, click here to email.

Please forward this to schools, programs, and individuals that you feel may be interested in participating.

Thanks,

Sharon Baker
Applied Professor and Director of Deaf Education
University of Tulsa
800 S. Tucker Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74104
tel: 918-631-2910

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

Since I mentioned the Learning A-Z site above, have you seen their apps?

Learning A-Z is for those that have subscriptions. They can log in and use the materials on their iPads.

ReadSmart Apps - Language Technologies has partnered with Learning A-Z to bring their great materials to the iPad. At this time, there is a free app from each level. That's great! But there are also inexpensive libraries that include 12 books in a single app. You can do a search for ReadSmart in the iTunes library, or you can click the following links to find the following:

Winter Library ($2.99) - includes three winter tales at different levels. This apps includes some video.
Level Libraries ($6.99 each) - have 12 titles in each level.
List of Books by Level - gives you a list of books for each level. You can purchase individual books for $.99 each or a set of 12 for $6.99 (see Level Libraries).
List of Free Apps - a list of the free title for each level.

I will share some Math apps in the next Tech Notes. Do you have a favorite Math app? Or do you have a specific Math topic you need to cover? Let me know!

********************************************************

WEBSITES

CNN Student News
CNN's Student News page has free, daily 10-minute current event newscasts along with materials, including downloadable maps and discussion questions. The problem is that the videos are NOT captioned. The archived videos do have transcripts, but is this a substitute for captions? I don't think it should be! Click the 'Contact Us' button at the bottom of the screen and let them know how you feel!

Free Rice
I've mentioned this site before, but I love it! Take a quiz. For every correct answer, they donate 10 grains of rice through the World Food Program to help end hunger. There are quizes for English Vocabulary, English Grammar, Basic Math (Pre-Algebra), Multiplication Table, Flags of the World, Countries on a Map, World Capitals, World Landmarks, SAT, German Language, Spanish Language, French Language, Italian Language, Literature, Famous Paintings, Chemical Symbols, and Human Anatomy. This is a great way to teach your students to help others!

Virtual Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Click on the interactive map to find illustrations and photos representing Paul Revere's Ride through on April 18, 1775.

Dositey
This site has free interactive games and printable worksheets that help kids practice math and language skills.

Math and Science Lesson Activities
This Scholastic site has ready-made SMART Notebook activities for math and science. These may give you an idea of the extensive activities you can create yourself!

********************************************************

April 11, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-04-11T21:02:25-04:00

See the attached flyer for information about the upcoming Language-Reading Connection: Deaf/Hard of Hearing Workshop.

LRC Flyer

April 20, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-04-20T20:42:38-04:00

Contents:

Notes
SMART Notes from Brian
Participants Needed for ASL Content Standards, K-12 Feedback Group
Screening Guide for Usher Syndrome
AG Bell Meet and Greet
Pediatric Cochlear Implantation: All You Need to Know and More!
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I had to delete some names from our listserv last week since they had bounced so many times. Don't forget to change your email address or contact us if your email address changes! We don't want to lose contact with you. And remember that you can "catch up" with Tech Notes in the archives.

Be sure to like Florida Hands and Voices on Facebook!

There are still a few openings for the Language-Reading Connection Workshop, May 14-16, at the Westin Hotel in Lake Mary. Click here for more information or call 1-800-356-6731. This is the same workshop that has been offered the last few years. If you have already attended, please do not register. We want to give others an opportunity to attend. We will be making an announcement about an online version in the next few months. Stay tuned!

********************************************************

SMART NOTES FROM BRIAN

Howdy folks!

Moose out front should have told you, but if it didn't, here is the latest on SMART Notebook!

SMART Notebook 11 is going to be released pretty soon. It has more new features than I have seen them release under one version in a long time. Here is a list of the things you can expect to see in this update:

Features

Activity builder – Creates activity objects that react to actions with animations or sound
Embedded web browser – Inserts web browsers directly onto a SMART Notebook software page
Enhanced contextual toolbar – Responds to actions by giving users the required tool choices when they choose a certain object
Crayon – Creates authentic crayon drawings on a SMART interactive whiteboard
Customized creative pen – Builds a unique creative pen from any image
Reset page – Brings SMART Notebook software page back to its last saved state to instantly start again
Gesture recognition – Supports four-touch interactivity for the SMART Board 800 series interactive whiteboard and the SMART Board 8070i interactive display. Also recognizes new shake gesture to group or ungroup objects.
Audio recording – Records sounds directly into a file
Shape image fill – Adjusts the size of an image to fit into a specific shape
Updated tables – Supports scaling, moving and interacting within tables more easily
New text engine – Provides improved text formatting and consistency
Fade ink – Fades any regular ink
Full-page frame – Allows borders of the page layout to be displayed

I can tell you that SMART has made it clear that even their trainers out and about have to get recertified at this point under the new program! Just emphasizing how much new content there is! Once I have a full grasp of all that is offered, I will be doing a webinar and probably offering some trainings of that sort. That's it! I hope you are having a great spring!

See you soon!

Brian

Brian Newton
Technology Resource Specialist
RMTC/FDLRS Center Located in Walker Annex
SMART-Board Certified Trainer for Notebook 10 (Windows and Mac)
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 North San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, Fl 32084-2799
RMTC.FSDB.K12.fl.us
NewtonB@fsdb.k12.fl.us

********************************************************

PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR ASL CONTENT STANDARDS, K-12 FEEDBACK GROUP

ASL Content Standards, K-12 Update
The Clerc Center continues to support the development of American Sign Language (ASL) Content Standards and benchmarks for grades K-12. The ASL Standards Contract Team of researchers and school professionals has been busy for the last several months preparing the initial draft of the standards and benchmarks, which will be ready in June of this year. This is a preliminary step in the process towards the final draft of the ASL Content Standards which will be ready in 2013. A feedback group of ASL teachers and specialists from around the country will meet in July to review the initial draft. The Clerc Center is seeking ASL teachers and specialists to be a part of this important group.

See below for more information on the feedback group and how to apply.

I. Purpose of the Feedback Group
The Clerc Center is seeking both self-nominations and nominations of other individuals who are ASL teachers and/or specialists to participate in a feedback group (8-12 participants) focusing on the initial draft of the ASL Content Standards, K-12. Feedback group participants will review, analyze, and discuss the ASL Content Standards as part of the process to provide feedback to the ASL Standards Contract Team.

II. Characteristics of the Participants The Clerc Center will convene a diverse group of participants who have experience with K-12 ASL instruction with deaf and hard of hearing students. The Clerc Center seeks participants from a range of educational settings (e.g., residential schools for the deaf, public schools, private schools, charter schools) throughout the United States who:

Have experience teaching within specific grade levels:

- Elementary school (K-5)
- Middle school (6-8)
- High school (9-12)

Are currently serving in a K-12 environment with a minimum of three years of teaching and/or work experience in K-12 settings

Have taught deaf or hard of hearing students on topics related to language arts and language development

Have completed coursework related to ASL linguistics, language development, and ASL literature

Hold a leadership role in ASL instruction, development, curriculum, and/or assessment in a K-12 environment

Are affiliated with any of the following organizations:

- Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf
- American Sign Language Teachers Association
- American Sign Language Round Table
- State-level professional organization of teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students (e.g., CAL-ED)
- Other related organizations

III. Feedback Group Logistics
The feedback group will convene July 16-17, 2012, at the Clerc Center on the campus of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Travel, food, lodging, and a small honorarium will be provided for individuals selected to participate.

IV. How to Apply
Interested individuals should send a resume and a brief description of their qualifications (in writing) to ASLFeedbackGroup@gallaudet.edu. Self-nominations and nominations of other individuals are encouraged.
Submission Deadline
The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 27.

Contact Information
For more information, please contact Liz Stone Nirenberg or Janet Weinstock, co-leaders of the ASL Content Standards, K-12 project, via e-mail at Elizabeth.Stone@gallaudet.edu and Janet.Weinstock@gallaudet.edu, respectively. You can also visit ASL Content Standards for additional information about this important national project.

********************************************************

SCREENING GUIDE FOR USHER SYNDROME

The Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services is pleased to announce the publication of a new Screening Guide for Usher Syndrome, available online at http://www.fldoe.org/ese/pdf/Usher.pdf. The earlier parents and school personnel know that a child has Usher Syndrome, the sooner that child can begin special education training programs to manage the loss of hearing and vision. If you need further information regarding Usher Syndrome or sensory impairments, please contact Leanne Grillot, Program Specialist, at Leanne.Grillot@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478

********************************************************

AG BELL MEET AND GREET

As part of Florida AG Bell’s mission, we recognize that families advocating for the needs of children and adults with hearing loss using listening and spoken language need support in their communities.
In an effort to provide this support, the FL AG Bell chapter is hosting a MEET AND GREET on Thursday, April 26th from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Schultz Center (rm. # 162) located at 4019 Boulevard Center Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
Families of children with hearing loss, adults with hearing loss and professional organizations throughout the Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia communities are invited to attend this inaugural event. An ASL Interpreter will be present.
The intent of the event is to foster networking among families, adults and professionals in the Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia communities. Additionally, AG Bell Florida’s current vision for the state will be shared to expose participants to the vast resources available in the state and Jacksonville area.
In addition to the inaugural Meet and Greet night, future workshops and fundraisers are being planned on various topics and with speakers who can support the families and adults dealing with hearing loss in our communities.
As part of this initiative, FL AG Bell is inviting you to take part in this and future workshops by attending, hosting a workshop in your facility, advertising the events or helping to raise the funds to cover the costs of the events.
Please contact Virgi Mills, M.E.D. or Taylor Sands, LSLS Cert.AVEd for further information. See contact information below.
Thank you, in advance, for your support of the Jacksonville FL AG Bell events. Together, we can positively impact the lives of children and adults living with hearing loss in Jacksonville!
Flyer attached <http://jax_agbell_meet_greet.pdf>

********************************************************

PEDIATRIC COCHLEAR IMPLANTATION: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW AND MORE!

This FREE course will meet June 12, 2012 at the University of Central Florida. It is designed for educators, parents, therapists, early interventionists, audiologists, and any other interested health care providers. Complimentary educational materials will be provided. See the attached flyer <http://orlando_course_fl_b.pdf> for more information, an agenda, and registration information.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

Resources

Moms with Apps - This blog features apps that are good for children. Every Friday, they feature apps that are on special that particular day.
Applicable2u - iPad and iTouch review blog
Teach with your iPad - Great news articles about iPads. One current article lists free autism apps for the month of April in honor Autism Awareness month.
Apps for Children with Special Needs - This blog reviews apps for children with special needs.
iPads in Education - Explores the use of iPads and eBooks in schools.
Bridging Apps - This site used to be SNApps4Kids. It is a volunteer community of parents, therapists, doctors, and teachers who share information on how they are using the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android devices with people who have special needs.

App Highlight

UPAD - Do you get frustrated trying to draw or write on the iPad? UPAD has a space that you can move up and down. You can rest your palm on the space and it doesn't interfere with what you're trying to write or draw. Makes writing on the iPad more like writing on paper.

Happi Spells - I have not seen these apps, but teachers can sign up to test them for free. At this time, they have Happi 123, Happi Spells, and Happi Reads.

Do you have a favorite app? Send me the name. Tell me how why you like it and how you are using it in your classroom or with your students.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

CK-12
Customizable, free, curriculum-aligned student textbooks for K-12 students. At this point, I don't see much for younger students, but I think they will be adding. There is a lot for high school science and math.

iSmartboard.com - Smartboard games, activities and lessons for Reading, Writing ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art, Health, Physical Education P.E., Library, Music and Foreign Language. This site was created for K-12 teachers and educators who use a Smartboard interactive whiteboard in their classroom. The Smartboard allows teachers to display notes, accommodate different learning styles and engage learners in fun games, activities and lessons!

Puzzles, Games, and More on the Net
Links to lots of games, puzzles, scavenger hunts, etc.

Ideas for Using Digital Cameras in the Early Learning Classroom
A few ways you can use digital cameras and the digital images you and your students take in your classroom to enhance learning.

KiddieRecords.com
This site may be more for teachers than for students. I looked through the pages, remembering the hours I spent listening to Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, and Bozo the Clown -- last year. Just teasing. Though I did go through all of those long-playing records a few years ago when I was cleaning out my dad's house. This site has LOTS of these old stories available for you to listen to online, or even download to listen to again and again. Great site!

The Teaching with Primary Sources Journal
Read the inaugural issue of The Teaching with Primary Sources Journal, which explores teaching about the Civil War with primary sources across disciplines. Formerly known as Teaching with Primary Sources Quarterly, this online journal presents strategies and resources for the K-12 classroom from the Library of Congress.

SchoolExpress.com
This site has been around a long time. They have a lot of free worksheets, but you can also subscribe for access to even more materials.

Florida Forest Service: Training and Education
Education resources that have been developed by the Florida Forestry Service for tree planting programs and other educational programs.

********************************************************

March 19, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-03-19T17:54:00-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Online Sign Language Classes
Sharing Autism Research on Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students
YouTube Makes Captioning More Accessible for Deaf Viewers
Sign Language Interpreters in Mainstream Classrooms: Heartbroken and Gagged
Free Training Opportunities at Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
We Connect Now
iPad Highlights
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I went through the list of email addresses that bounced on the last Tech Notes. I deleted some names, but I corrected misspellings and changed email addresses on others. If you are receiving a Tech Notes for the first time in a long time, you can read past issues in the Tech Notes Archives.

Remember to mark your calendars! The next Language Reading Connection: Deaf/Hard of Hearing Workshop will be May 14-16 at the Westin Hotel in Lake Mary. We are waiting for official approval before we can open registration. We're expecting that any day. We will be sending more information as soon as we get that confirmation. Note: This will only be open to those that have NOT attended previously.

********************************************************

Online Signing Interactive Classes

There are still openings for our Online Signing Interactive Classes starting next week. Click this link for the website that has more information. Here are some comments from students who have just recently taken the classes.

"...I really enjoyed the two classes I took with you. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you again."

"...the entire course was fantastic and I truly look forward to furthering my ASL education with you and your team!"

Other points former students liked from the class:

- "The practice with other students."

- "The video follow up from the lesson Interaction during the lesson."

- "Teacher's patience and clear delivery."

- "That I can review what we learned in the video messages."

- "I like how the teacher was very kind and patient with us and was very likeable and I was able to relax and learn better."

- "Lots of teachable moments! I liked the instructor's explanations based on her experience & her flexibility in answering questions."

- "I really like the teacher's attitude and willing to help us when we are so lost. I like to use the most simple words daily when I go to work and at home to practice. It does takes away some of the stress we live daily."

Richard Flores
Coordinator of Distance Learning
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V
(904) 827-2338 F

********************************************************

SHARING AUTISM RESEARCH ON DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING STUDENTS

When: Thursday, April 19, 2012, 3:30-4:30 p.m. (EST)
Presenter: Dr. Christen Szymanski
NOTE: Presented in American Sign Language (ASL) with a spoken English translation and captions

Click here to register.

Following up on her article, “Managing Behavior by Managing the Classroom: Tips for Making Classrooms Accessible for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” which will be published in the 2012 issue of the Odyssey, Dr. Christen Szymanski will give guidance to teachers and professionals on how to provide their students with the best possible interventions.

Presenter Information:
Dr. Christen Szymanski is a recognized leader and researcher in the field of autism and hearing loss. She has research and clinical experience involving diagnostic practices and intervention implementations for children with both hearing loss and autism. Her experiences took place at a range of settings, including community-based summer camps; clinics and hospitals; and mainstream, residential, and public schools.

********************************************************

YOUTUBE MAKES CAPTIONING MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR DEAF VIEWERS
By Maura Judkis

Millions of people enjoy viral videos each day, but some people aren't getting the jokes -- and it's not for a lack of humor, either. Because many videos on YouTube do not include closed captioning, deaf viewers can be left out. But thanks to a new change at YouTube, more hard-of-hearing people will be able to indulge in the wealth of online videos.

The video sharing site enabled caption support in 2006, but it announced Tuesday options that make user-uploaded videos more accessible for those who rely on closed captioning, with new languages, search options, and settings for video text.

YouTube now supports automatic captions in Japanese, Korean and English, and captions can be added in 155 languages and dialects. New settings can also change the caption color — not an aesthetic choice, but rather, to make the captions easier to read against the background of videos where the colors may blend in. Videos uploaded with broadcast caption support, which positions text near the character speaking, are now visible on YouTube in the same format. It’s also easier to upload videos that already have captions embedded in them.

Visit this YouTube Blog entry for more information.

********************************************************

SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN MAINSTREAM CLASSROOMS: HEARTBROKEN AND GAGGED

I thought that some of you might be interested in reading this article. I'm not including it as a reflection of our opinion or beliefs. It' is an interesting perspective.

********************************************************

FREE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT LAURENT CLERC NATIONAL DEAF EDUCATION CENTER

There is a new webinar on Deaf Students with Autism on April 19 at 3:30 - Register now
Dr. Christen Szymanski, a recognized leader and researcher in the field of autism and hearing loss, will answer questions about her Odyssey article: Sharing Autism Research for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in a new webinar this April.

Laurent Clerc National Education Center webinars now archived online! No worries if you missed the opportunity to get on webinar, visit Clerc Center's Online Program to view the new webinar archives. Check out the archives for this year's Clerc Center webinars:

"Sharing Power: Practical Strategies for Power Struggles with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students"
"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About ASL/English Bimodal Bilingual Education"

As always, feel free to contact Chachie Joseph at gurcsoutheast@gallaudet.edu if you have questions or want to offer feedback!

Karen Sheffer, M.A.
Director, Gallaudet University Regional Center, Southeast Region
800 Florida Avenue, NE
HMB S-438
Washington, DC 20002
VP/Phone (local): 202-250-2648
VP/Phone (toll free): 866-279-0886
Fax: 202-651-5692

********************************************************

WE CONNECT NOW

Someone sent this resource to Mandy. Looks like a good one. Please share! It may be helpful to your students that are going on for post-secondary education.

I would like to share with you the link to the We Connect Now website. The website was created while I was a college student with a grant I received from YP4 to develop a website to serve college students with disabilities. The website was developed in an effort to connect and integrate college students with disabilities as a virtual community with a voice on important issues. The We Connect Now website has been up and serving college students with disabilities since April of 2008. I wanted to share the We Connect Now website with you so that you may post it as a resource in your website or otherwise share it with students that you serve or have contact with. The website has been used as a resource by institutions of higher learning and has been linked to by colleges and universities and groups serving people with disabilities in 50 states and at least 9 foreign countries.

********************************************************

IPAD HIGHLIGHTS

Apps in Education in a good blog that features educational apps. This link goes to their March 7th entry which focused on apps for Early Childhood Education. Click on Home to go to their most current entry.

Connecting a SMART Board to your iPad
I've gotten questions about this. There are several articles online about how to connect your iPad to your SMART Board, but they are misleading. You are connecting your iPad so that your entire class can see the device, but they do NOT let you use your SMART Board to interact with your iPad. You still have to use the iPad to interact. You could just as easily use a screen or dry erase board to see the iPad. Some of the apps mentioned in these articles let you log into your computer from your iPad. This would let you walk around the room with your iPad, and interact with SMART Notebook. But then you are interacting with your computer. You are not using iPad Apps with the SMART Board.

Articles about connecting the iPad to the SMART Board

Apps in Education Blog Entry
eHow: How to Connect an iPad to a SMART Board
Opportunities for Integrating your SMART Board and and iPad (from the SMART website)
No Smartboard? Use an iPad

One option may be to use an interactive projector. I really don't know since I haven't tried it. I was just reading about the Epson Bright Link projectors. I will share more information when I get it.

Apps that Connect to Computer

These apps pair with your computer and allow you to use the iPad as a portable slate to annotate and use computer programs.

Splashtop Remote Desktop
Splashtop Whiteboard (acts like remote interactive board, but must connect to computer)
Doceri Remote
Remoter: Remote Desktop
Air Display

Whiteboard Apps

There are some apps that let you draw and create much like you can do in SMART Notebook. The following are good because they also have a record feature. This lets you record what you are doing, and is good for creating movies that your students can use later: math problems, maps, illustrations, brainstorming, stories, etc.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Class Dojo

ClassDojo is a classroom tool that helps teachers manage behavior and boost engagement in class really quickly and easily. It enables teachers to recognize specific behaviors and accomplishments in real-time, with just one click of a smartphone or laptop button. It is currently in Beta. Those who participate in the Beta will continue to use it for free.

iBooks Author
If you're a Mac user and have the latest operating system (Lion), be sure to download this program. You can use it to create your own interactive multi-touch textbooks to use on the iPad. I don't have Lion yet, but really want to try this!

Educational Technology Guy
Free resources for teachers, educational ideas and tips, educational topics, personal learning networks, project-based learning, Google, Evernote, Discovery Education, and more.

Science Kids
Science Kids is the home of science & technology on the Internet for children around the world. Learn more about the amazing world of science by enjoying fun science experiments, cool facts, online games, free activities, ideas, lesson plans, photos, quizzes, videos & science fair projects.
NBC Learn: Free Resources
NBC has free resources for teachers. These include standards-aligned activities and videos for science and math topics. Be sure to click the CC button to see the captions. You can also click the Transcript tab to get a copy of the text. This can be very helpful to pre-teach the material, and also for the interpreter. The current topics include:

Science Behind the News
Science of NHL Hockey
Chemistry Now
Changing Planet
Science of NFL Football
Finishing the Dream: Learning from the Civil Rights Era
Science of the Olympic Winter Games

[Note: You can go to the site on your iPad. Most of the site works fine -- the video picture is amazing -- but the captions are not there, and the transcripts are not there.]

Lessonopoly
Lessonopoly is a free tool that lets you manage your classroom, find and share lesson plans, and connect with other teachers. Lessonopoly has also partnered with NBC Learn to provide lesson plans for their videos.

********************************************************

March 2, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-03-02T15:56:52-05:00

Contents:

Notes
RMTC Webinars
Signing Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Supporting Success for Children With Hearing Loss
Collaborative Online Community for Educators
Highlighted App: Builder Apps
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

I'm rushing to send this out today! Please note the webinar for March 7, and also the upcoming online sign language class! These classes fill up fast, so please alert families in your area! The requirements are on the registration page.

********************************************************

RMTC WEBINARS

Our next webinar:

What's New In SMART - Wednesday, March 7, 3:00 PM EST
During this brief, but informative webinar, we will look at all of the latest features available in the last few editions of SMART Notebook. This webinar will benefit anyone in the classroom who has a SMART Board with the latest edition of SMART Notebook installed on their computers. In addition, we will look at some of the new features that are available to SMART document camera owners that will make educating the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing student that much more exciting!
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Identify features available on SMART Notebook Version 10.8
Use the new tools to enhance the educational experience of your D/HH children
Know how to use the "Mixed Reality" cube feature of the SMART Document camera

Signing Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with deaf children!
No experience necessary!

Next sessions start the week of March 26th

(Click here for more information and to register)

Richard Flores
Coordinator of Distance Learning
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V
(904) 827-2338 F

********************************************************

SUPPORTING SUCCESS FOR CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS

This ‘go-to’ site for professional and parent resources has been up for only four months and has grown to 2100 visitors in the past month, 60% of them new to the site and over 100 more people have signed up to receive these monthly updates! Forward this update to share Supporting Success with parents and colleagues!

Highlighted resources
Professionals

Social Needs & “I hate my hearing aids!” This NEW professional resource page shares some insights into the psychosocial reasons for children rejecting hearing aids and provides some ideas for addressing these challenges. Beware – starting early is the key!

Classroom Acoustics & Perceiving Speech in School You may not have noticed that there is another page that is attached to this one that is devoted to Classroom Acoustics – Design Requirements for Schools. Useful for knowledgeable individuals and for those with little background in acoustics, this page now includes the actual ANSI standards for download. Take a second to listen to the simulated reverberation time for 0.5 and 1.0 seconds that is in the last section: How can reverberation be measured?

Families

Growing up with Hearing Loss: Challenges & Resistance This parent resource page (school-aged children) now has an added section: “Teens (and tweens) supporting one another” that describes the importance of children with hearing loss interacting with one another.
What are the possible effects the hearing loss can cause at school? Added to this parent resource page (school-aged children – Preparing for your child to start school) is a section on social needs including a NEW handout Improving Your Child’s Social Needs.

CONSULTATION – Know someone with a question who needs to talk to an experienced professional?Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss is very pleased to be offering personalized consultation services. Whether you are a parent seeking advice and an outside perspective or a professional searching for ideas to better meet student needs, consultation services are a convenient, personalized and caring resource. Sample questions that parents or professionals may ask have been posted as have the qualifications of our highly experienced Consultants. Pass the word…

Be sure to browse the tremendous resources on this website AND subscribe to get their newsletter!
Supporting Success for Children with Hearing Loss 1775 Garland Ln Minneapolis, MN 55447 US

********************************************************

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAUNCHES
COLLABORATIVE ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR TEACHERS

TALLAHASSEE – Florida's teachers have a new way to communicate and collaborate with other teachers across the state through a private social network called the “Florida Teacher Community.” The Florida Department of Education, in partnership with Novachi, today launched a new, easy-to-use tool developed specifically for Florida's teachers. Kelly Seay, Teacher Liaison at the Florida Department of Education, will manage the communication and collaboration interface. Novachi will provide hosting and technical support.

“Communication with teachers is incredibly important in Florida and I am delighted that our educators will have additional tools and resources available to them,” said Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. “This will provide our teachers with another medium to collaborate and share ideas to boost student achievement, and ultimately, Florida’s education system.”

The Florida Teacher Community integrates Novachi's industry-leading Integrated Education System with the Ning social platform, the world's leading platform for custom private social websites, to provide Florida teachers with the means to collaborate and host discussions on various aspects of their profession. Teachers will be able to work together to establish best practices, communicate about what works in the classroom, share solutions or suggestions for changes to support Florida’s students, and help shape education policies and practice. The private online community features blogging, forum and group discussion, as well as photo and video sharing capability.

In addition to the social community, teachers will have access to a variety of educational resources to support daily teaching responsibilities. As other tools and resources prove to be useful for teachers, they will be added to the Novachi Apps launchpad. The Florida Teacher Community is private for teachers; however, the resource applications on the platform can be shared with parents and students to enhance collaboration beyond the classroom.

Each teacher will soon receive an email directly from Novachi Support with account access information allowing them to sign on to the Florida Teacher Community. For more information, visit http://www.fldoe.org/JustForTeachers/.

********************************************************

HIGHLIGHTED APP: BUILDER APPS

We love all the apps from Mobile Education. They range in price from $3.99 to $9.99. You can search for them in the iTunes Store. They have the following titles available at this time:

Story Builder
Sentence Builder Teen
Sentence Builder
Question Builder
Conversation Builder
Language Builder
Preposition Builder
Rainbow Sentences
Speech Journal (This is the only one I haven't seen.)

Sentence Builder

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Portaportal.com

This is another online bookmarking site similar to Diigo and Delicious.

Symbaloo
You can use Symbaloo to create an online desktop (webmix). Add the websites you visit the most often, and you can just click to get there. You could create a webmix for school that your students could use, and another webmix that you can use personally. Here are some good examples:

Signed Stories

This great site has signed stories for young children, but be aware that it is in BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE.

Zimmer Twins
Make your own movie making using cartoon characters. It's FREE!

Have Fun Teaching
This site has lots of worksheets, songs, coloring pages, flash cards, videos of songs (not free), tools, and activities.

Brightstorm

Brightstorm has filmed teachers teaching curriculum in Math, Science, SAT, ACT, and AP subjects. The Math and Science videos are available free. [Note: not captioned, but there is a transcript available.] There are more than 2500 videos available at this time.

********************************************************
SAVE THESE DATES!
FEHI
November 9-10, 2012
Westin Hotel, Lake Mary, FL

FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference)
January 28-31, 2013
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

Kay Ezzell, Technology Resource Specialist
Resource Materials and Technology Center:
Deaf and Hard of Hearing/FDLRS
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
1-904-827-2684
1-800-356-6731
ezzell_k@firn.edu
rmtc78@gmail.com
http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/

*****************************************************

The Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FDLRS/RMTC) is funded by the State of Florida, Department of Education, Division of Public Schools and Community Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education Student Services through federal assistance under IDEA Part B, IDEA Trust, and general revenue funds.

*****************************************************

February 22, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-02-22T15:18:18-05:00

Contents:

Notes
RMTC Webinars
Job Opening
FEHI Notice
iPads in the Classroom
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

In the last Tech Notes, I mentioned that Mandy Longo has joined our group on a part-time basis. Now you can contact her directly at longom@fsdb.k12.fl.us. She is available to work primarily with small/rural districts providing observations and needs assessments, consultation with staff, and possibly some student evaluations. Mandy has created a Facebook page. Be sure to LIKE her!!! Search for "Mandy Longo, M.S. CCC-SLP" on Facebook.

Mark your calendars! The next Language Reading Connection: Deaf/Hard of Hearing Workshop will be May 14-16 at the Westin Hotel in Lake Mary. We will be sending more information when we are ready to start accepting registrations. Note: This will only be open to those that have NOT attended previously.

********************************************************

RMTC WEBINARS

Our next webinar:

What's New In SMART - Wednesday, March 7, 3:00 PM EST
During this brief, but informative webinar, we will look at all of the latest features available in the last few editions of SMART Notebook. This webinar will benefit anyone in the classroom who has a SMART Board with the latest edition of SMART Notebook installed on their computers. In addition, we will look at some of the new features that are available to SMART document camera owners that will make educating the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing student that much more exciting!
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Identify features available on SMART Notebook Version 10.8
Use the new tools to enhance the educational experience of your D/HH children
Know how to use the "Mixed Reality" cube feature of the SMART Document camera

To join the webinar:
http://connect.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmtc
Log in as Guest, but please put your name in the name box. We want to know who is joining us!

Handouts, resources, and information for our webinars can be found on our wiki at http://rmtc.wikispaces.com. Be sure to JOIN so that you can participate in discussions. Links to webinar archives can also be found on the Wiki.

********************************************************

JOB OPENING

Lake Sybelia Elementary School in Orlando has an immediate opening for a self-contained D/HH teacher. If interested, please contact Dr. Julie Paradise at Julie.paradise@ocps.net

********************************************************

FEHI NOTICE

This is a reminder to submit Teacher of the Year Nominations, Mini Grant Proposals, and Honor of the Association Award nominations. Please forward this email to colleagues since we do not have an updated contact list and many email addresses are bouncing back.

The deadline for submission has been extended to March 5th, 2012. The board meeting will be held on March 10th.

All the forms are available at http://fehi.org under FORMS. Just a reminder that you have to be a paid member to qualify. If you are not and would like to join our professional group click here for the membership form (pdf file).

It is never too late!

Teacher of the Year Nomination (pdf file)
Mini Grant Proposal (pdf file)
Honor of the Association (pdf file)

Looking forward to receiving Nominations and Grant proposals.
Sincerely,
Nada El-Khoury
Past President

********************************************************

iPADS IN THE CLASSROOM

We have created a spreadsheet listing iPad apps by subject area. These are apps that we like and recommend. We will be adding apps as we find them. Let us know if you find apps that aren't on the list.

Here are some other iPad resources:

iPad Lessons (Pinterest page)
Complete Guide to Educational and Special Needs Apps (Excellent resource!)
iPads in the Classroom (Kathy Schrock - always good!)
TechChef4U (great; up-to-date)
Teachers with Apps
Apps in Education
75 Interesting Ways to Use an iPad in the Classroom
APPitic (1300+ Education Apps by categories like Bloom's Taxonomy, Special Ed, Preschool, Themes, Teachers, and Multiple Intelligences)
iPad Recommended Educational App Lists
iPad Lessons
iPads in Schools
Apps for Social Studies
iPads in Special Education
iPads AND iPod Resources and Lessons
Android4Schools (for you Android users)
Cool Apps for Schools

If you want suggestions about tools to use with the iPad, let us know.

Let me highlight just a few apps that I've recently discovered.

Socrative is a FREE tool for creating quizzes. There is a teacher app and a student app. You can create quizes on your iPad or on their website. Your students can take the quiz from any device (including computers) that has Internet access.

PuppetPals is a FREE app for creating stories with characters. It's worth it to pay the $2.99 to add the PuppetPals Directors Pass to add more characters and themes. My only objection to this app is that you can't add text to your stories, but you can export your videos and add text in the iMovie app ($4.99).

ASL Zoo ($0.99) is a sign dictionary for zoo animals. I like this one because it shows the printed word, a picture of the animal, a movie of the sign, and also a movie of the animal.

Flashcardlet is a great FREE app for creating flashcards. If you want, you can create your flashcards in Quizlet (online), and import them into Flashcardlet. (Use the link to download Flashcardlet. There are MANY flashcard apps, so it may be hard to find by searching.)

Cardboard ($1.99) is another good flashcard app. You can also import from Quizlet in this app.

I like both of these flashcard apps because you can add pictures to the cards.

Are you looking for an app for a specific need? Let me know! If I don't already know of something, I will look for you!

AND ... would you like for us to feature iPad Apps in each issue of Tech Notes? Let me know!

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Deaf Planet
Thought I would remind you of this site (and show). Step into the unique, cultural world of Deaf Planet native, Kendra, her hearing friend Max, and his robotic interpreter sidekick, WILMA. Each episode brings both deaf and hearing-enabled kids into a world of learning and discovery, and is as educational as it is entertaining. The website features include a wide array of interactive content to engage users such as ASL and LSQ video sign language glossaries as well as educational games and activities. Additionally, users can also watch their favorite episodes from the show. The website brings together four languages and features video, animation, and interactivity to make learning about science, math, or new languages fun for everyone. [NOTE: We have a couple of these on DVD that you can check out. You have to use them on the computer since they are interactive.]

ICTmagic
This wiki won the award for best educational wiki for 2011. It is a collection of IT resources for students and teachers, and it’s sure to give you more ideas than you could possibly have time to try.

Resouces for History Teachers
This wiki won second place for best education wiki for 2011. It features primary source, multicultural, and multimedia resources for teaching history in K-12 schools based on the Massachusetts K-12 History & Social Science Curriculum Framework, the AP World History Key Concepts, and the AP U.S. History Themes. [Note: Even though it is based on the Massachusetts curriculum, most of the concepts are also in the Sunshine State Standards! It applies!]

Educational Origami
This wiki is a resource hub, where those who contribute to the wiki can share resources on a wide range of technology and education based topics ranging from Pedagogy to Leadership and management. They have starter sheets for different technologies and rubrics for their use, plus links to readings that challenge the reader to think and question their teaching practice.

BalancEdTech
This wiki's blog posts, articles, presentations, workshops, and consulting focus on helping educators weave curriculum, pedagogy, and technology into engaging and rigorous learning.

Web 2.0: Cool Tools for Schools
This wiki highlights some of the great online tools that are available now. Check out the categories in the left frame: Presentation Tools, Collaborative Tools, Research Tools, Video Tools, Slideshow Tools, Audio Tools, Image Tools, Drawing Tools, Writing Tools, Music Tools, Organizing Tools, Converting Tools, Mapping Tools, Quiz and Poll Tools, Graphing Tools, Creativity Tools, Widgets, File Storage & Web Pages, and Other Helpful Sites.

Some LiveBinders to check out:

********************************************************
SAVE THESE DATES!
FEHI
November 9-10, 2012
Westin Hotel, Lake Mary, FL

FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference)
January 28-31, 2013
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

Kay Ezzell, Technology Resource Specialist
Resource Materials and Technology Center:
Deaf and Hard of Hearing/FDLRS
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
1-904-827-2684
1-800-356-6731
ezzell_k@firn.edu
rmtc78@gmail.com
http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/

*****************************************************

The Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FDLRS/RMTC) is funded by the State of Florida, Department of Education, Division of Public Schools and Community Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education Student Services through federal assistance under IDEA Part B, IDEA Trust, and general revenue funds.

*****************************************************

February 1, 2012

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2012-02-01T15:14:18-05:00

Contents:

Notes
RMTC Webinars
Notes from Brian
Project Endeavor
AG Bell Video Contest
Summer Activities
Healthy Kids Challenge Recipe Contest for Middle School Students
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Did you think we had forgotten you? We haven't! We have really been busy, but now all our Usher Screening Trainings and Focus Groups are finished, and we hope to get back to normal — or as normal as we can! Please remember to let us know how we can support you, whether it's technology, classroom strategies, family situations, etc. If we don't know the answer, we will try to find someone that does!

We are working to schedule the next Language-Reading Connection for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Workshop. Be looking for an announcement in the near future! This workshop fills up fast!

Have you liked us on Facebook? Look for 'RMTC and OSBD'! Have you followed us on Twitter: rmtcosbd

We want to welcome a new member to our team! Mandy Longo is a Speech/Language Pathologist with extensive experience in working with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. She is joining RMTC and OSBD on a part-time basis. She is available to work primarily with small/rural districts providing observations and needs assessments, consultation with staff, and possibly some student evaluations. You can email Carmelina at the address above if you would like Mandy to visit your district.

********************************************************

RMTC WEBINARS

Brian has two webinars scheduled.

Internet Safety - Monday, February 6, 3:00 EST
This webinar will explore some of the dangers that teens face while using the internet. The content is focused on preparing parents/guardians and school staff with knowledge about what children may encounter online. Hopefully, the content will give those supervising Deaf and Hard of Hearing children insight into things they should be on the lookout for online. We will discuss signs teens may display that adults should be aware of. In addition, we will take a look at some measures adults can take to create a safer browsing environment for children.
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Recognize warning signs that their child may be involved in inappropriate online activity
Better prepare your home for a safer online experience
Know what topics to discuss with your child before they begin exploring online

What's New In SMART - Wednesday, March 7, 3:00 PM EST
During this brief, but informative webinar, we will look at all of the latest features available in the last few editions of SMART Notebook. This webinar will benefit anyone in the classroom who has a SMART Board with the latest edition of SMART Notebook installed on their computers. In addition, we will look at some of the new features that are available to SMART document camera owners that will make educating the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing student that much more exciting!
As a result of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Identify features available on SMART Notebook Version 10.8
Use the new tools to enhance the educational experience of your D/HH children
Know how to use the "Mixed Reality" cube feature of the SMART Document camera

Look on your toolbar, or right-click on your toolbar to customize it, and find the icon that looks like this. This is the new "Clear Ink" tool. It allows you to erase all of the digital ink on the page without using an eraser. It will leave any pictures you have on the page. So your notebook page will look new again (see below), ready for use with your next class!

I hope you find this helpful! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

Hope to see you soon!

Brian

Brian Newton
Technology Resource Specialist
RMTC/FDLRS Center Located in Walker Annex
SMART-Board Certified Trainer for Notebook 10 (Windows and Mac)
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 North San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, Fl 32084-2799
RMTC.FSDB.K12.fl.us
NewtonB@fsdb.k12.fl.us

********************************************************

PROJECT ENDEAVOR

Project Endeavor is a program of CSD, funded by a two year contract with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This program focuses on providing deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans with access to broadband or high speed internet through discounted internet service plans and internet devices. Project Endeavor also provides an array of training materials and educational resources for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

This program is for everyone includIng teachers and staff. For more information, go to http://www.projectendeavor.com

For eligibility information, download this file.

********************************************************

AG BELL VIDEO CONTEST: WHY I LOVE HEARING TECHNOLOGY
http://nc.agbell.org/page.aspx?pid=1433
Enter the "Why I Love Hearing Technology" video contest for a chance to win a $250 Apple gift card! AG Bell is now accepting video entries featuring professionals, groups and organizations who support, use or know someone who uses hearing technology to listen and talk in the following categories:

Kids and families
Organizations
Professionals in training
Professionals in the field
Adults with hearing loss

Professionals are encouraged to submit a 60-second video in response to the question that demonstrates how hearing technology has affected the lives of the families and children they work with. Submitting a video is easy: videos should be captioned and uploaded to the submitter's YouTube account, and a submission form filled out on the AG Bell website, http://www.agbell.org. The contest deadline is May 1, 2012 by 5 p.m. EDT. Click here to learn more.

********************************************************

SUMMER ACTIVITIES

ALABAMA
Summer Sports Camp for Youth
July 2012
http://www.gallaudetathletics.com/camps/index

DELAWARE
National American Sign Language and English Bilingual Consortium for Early Childhood Education: Summit III
March 16-17, 2012
Mission: to promote the development, management, and coordination of ASL/English bilingual early childhood education for children who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families so that...families are afforded the option of choosing ASL/English bilingual early childhood education for their child.
Hosted by the Delaware School for the Deaf
630 E. Chestnut Hill Road
Newark DE 19713
Registration Fee: $150.00 per person
Limited to 150 participants on a first come, first served basis
Contact Information: ECE.SUMMIT@gmail.com
For more information, visit: http://bilingualece.org/

Gallaudet University’s Summer Programs
May 14 – August 10, 2012
Gallaudet University's Summer Programs offers a comprehensive array of exemplary personal and professional development, leadership, and outreach programs for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, their families, communities, and professionals working with them across the globe. Programs and services are developed to address the needs and interests of diverse constituencies through the offering of graduate, undergraduate, professional studies, and non-credit courses and programs.
For more information visit: http://www.gallaudet.edu/summer_programs.html

********************************************************

HEALTHY KIDS CHALLENGE RECIPE CONTEST FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

All over the country, educators and parents are using the Healthy Kids Challenge Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest as a way to model and help kids build healthy habits. Seventh and eighth graders are learning healthy eating skills while creating a healthy recipe or making an existing recipe healthier. In the words of a middle school educator, “I feel I am making a difference by educating my students to make healthy and wise food choices that will impact their overall health in the future.”
Frost Middle School

1. Use the Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest to
a. Build skills and appeal for healthy food choices.
b. Use life skill situations for students to apply math, language arts, and science.
c. Have students use process skills to collect data, analyze, conclude, and strategize.

2. Enter recipes as individuals or a group and have a chance to win a school/youth organization visit from a Johnson and Wales University chef. Johnson and Wales is a leading culinary arts school whose alumni include well-known television personalities.

3. Use the recipe contest essay guidelines to help kids set healthy goals.

The Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest ends March 2, 2012.

See classroom ideas and entry information at: http://www.healthykidschallenge.com/content/2010-2011-classroom-ideas.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

FlexBooks
FlexBooks are customizable textbooks that you can use online or as printed books. You can share FlexBooks, and you can customize them. They provide high-quality online materials that are aligned with national textbook standards, and -- because FlexBooks are online -- they can keep them up to date much more easily than printed textbooks. You can use the books just as they provide them, or use only parts of them, or add you own materials or material from the web. FlexBooks are as flexible as you make them by adding or deleting material (including graphics and videos), adjusting the difficulty of the language, and making any other changes you need. You can then make them available online -- including in PDF readers that allow students to annotate them -- or print all or part of your FlexBook. FlexBooks are free, so you can modify your FlexBook each time you find something that works better in your classroom.

BatchGeo
BathGeo is a quick and easy tool to map multiple locations on a single map. You can create a local map by showing where your students live. But you can also create US or international maps. What if you paste in places along the Oregon Trail and create a map? Or Westward Expansion? Or Columbus's or Magellan's voyages? This is a great tool!!!

Health Information
This website where your students can type in their communication preferences and then print out a card that they carry with them at all times in their wallet/purse, so they can show it to anyone they may encounter to let them know how they communicate and gives their emergency contact info, etc.

General Mathematics and Teaching Resources
This page is a compilation of resources for math professionals and teachers, including various teaching styles, links to mathematics journals for inspiration, and an abundance of sites dedicated to making math instruction accessible, fun, and worthwhile.

SNApps4Kids
SNApps4Kids is a community of parents, therapists, doctors, and teachers who share information on how they are using the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android devices with children who have special needs.

********************************************************

December 15, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-12-15T12:59:07-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Signing Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Signing with Babies and Children
FEHI Update
Pinterest
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

We hope all of you have a great vacation! Happy Holidays!

********************************************************

SIGNING INTERACTIVE: ONLINE SIGN LANGUAGE COURSES AVAILABLE!

Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with deaf children!
No experience necessary!

Signing Interactive is an opportunity for families and professionals to learn Sign Language through an online video chat room setting. While learning vocabulary, grammar, and culture, each individual’s specific sign language needs will be met through online surveys and weekly correspondence. This experience as an eight-week course built around each participant can range from beginner to intermediate levels. This approach is a new endeavor for many parents and professionals. These participants have requested this support to increase communication with their deaf and hard-of-hearing children at home and in the classroom. While there is no cost for the course, we hope those wishing to be involved are able to commit the necessary time and effort. We also ask for constructive input to better shape the courses for future participants. As this is an online course, this easy ONLINE SURVEY / REGISTRY LINK will get you started! Questions – Contact Aimee McDonald. Project made possible from the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Foundation.

Next sessions start the week of January 9th.

Richard Flores
Coordinator of Distance Learning
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V
(904) 827-2338 F

http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us
http://technology.fsdb.k12.fl.us
http://www.vimeo.com/fsdb
http://www.youtube.com/fsdbvideos
http://www.facebook.com/FloridaDeafandBlind

********************************************************

SIGNING WITH BABIES AND CHILDREN

This article is a summary of research findings for parents and professionals on the impact of signing on babies and children. There is a good reference section at the end.

********************************************************

FEHI UPDATE

Mark your calendars! The FEHI conference will be November 9 and 10, 2012 at the Westin in Lake Mary.

If you missed the opportunity to attend this year's conference and would like to see the keynote speaker's presentation you can see a recoding on the FEHI Website. You can also download or open the PowerPoint presentations of the sessions as pdf files. All files will be uploaded by the end of next week.

Thank you
Nada El-Khoury
Past-President

********************************************************

Pinterest

Have you heard of Pinterest? This is the description from their About page:
Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite.

This is my home page. You can see that I haven't added a lot to my pages. I started creating a Pinterest board for Math 4 Teachers. BUT then I realized that there are already good pages. So why re-create? Here is one a teacher created for younger students. It's called Math Stuff for School. This same teacher has a page for Projects 4 School.

Here are some other good Pinterest boards you may be "pinterested" in:

Okay, I quit!!! I get lost reading all the good sites I find. You need to search yourselves!!!

How can you create your own Pinterest Boards? Go to the Pinterest website and click "Request an Invite". Then learn your way around by exploring different boards. You can "Follow" people, or particular boards. Then you will be notified when they make changes. Click on 'About' and then 'Help' to find directions for creating your own boards, following, etc.Direct

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Poster Street
This site has free posters that you can download and print. Click on 'Teacher' to find great ones for teachers — both for the classroom, and inspirational. 'Kids' has great ones for your students, and 'Teen' for your older students. They also have a store if you want to get the same posters printed on cups, totes, etc.

Teaching Blog Addict
This is a blog that links to fabulous teaching blogs that are filled with creative teaching tips and fun educational resources.

Lory's Page
Lory is a second-grade teacher that likes to create things for her students and her classroom. On this blog, she shares a lot of the things she has made. Download to your heart's content, but please read her disclaimer about not selling her products.

SpaceWeather
This is a good site to check on what is happening with the earth, sun, and space — eclipses, meteror showers, asteroids, etc.

Dots-n-Spots
The blog of a fourth-grade teacher that loves polka dots. She shares ideas from her classroom.

Create-Teach-Share
This blog is by another fourth-grade teacher. She shares lots of ideas and things she has made for her classroom.

ICT Magic
This wiki was named the best educational wiki of 2011. A primary teacher in the UK developed the site to share the many online resources he uses in his classroom. Click on the subject area on the left to find resources for what you teach. [Note: some parts of the site might not work due to your school's firewall. Explore the site at home if you can.]

Lose the Chalk
This UK teacher's blog reflects her use of technology with her students. In her post from 12/11/11, she has pictures of some of the displays in her classroom.

KB...Konnected
KB is a teacher of art and reading/writing to students with special behavioral, emotional, and educational needs. This blog is a reflection of tools and resources she has found online.

Celebrating Winter
This is a resource for free holiday and seasonal educational activities. Click on the icons to find free learning resources for all of your favorite winter holidays including learning games, language activities, writing prompts, songs, action rhymes, fingerplays, printable worksheets, flash cards, word walls, puzzles, coloring pages, arts and crafts, ELL resources, and other winter fun.

YouTube for Schools
YouTube has create this site for educational use. I hope it isn't blocked in your districts! Access thousands of free high quality educational videos on YouTube in a controlled environment.

Mummy's Message
Mummy's Message is an ancient Egyptian educational game designed to educate middle and high school students about Egyptian civilization. This interactive classroom game brings the history of ancient Egypt to life, incorporating the use of pharaohs, pyramids, mummies, and hieroglyphic messages.

Classroom Antarctica Classroom Antarctica - a comprehensive online teaching resource produced by the Australian Antarctic Division. It is particularly aimed at grades 5 to 8. Each unit has a selection of activities you can mix and match to meet your own school or state's learning objectives. You can adapt the activities to the range of abilities in your class and the particular interests of your students.

********************************************************
SAVE THESE DATES!

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
• January 17: Chipley, FL

FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference)
January 23-26, 2012
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

FEHI
November 9-10, 2012
Westin Hotel, Lake Mary, FL

*****************************************************

December 8, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-12-08T13:00:00-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Can I Use that YouTube Movie?
Workshops
Florida Hands and Voices
New DVD on Support Service Providers for Deaf-Blind Individuals
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Don't forget our Holiday Resources page. There are lots of links to pages for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, and other December happenings.

********************************************************

CAN I USE THAT YOUTUBE MOVIE?

Items on the internet have the same intellectual property rights as any other type of media. Your use of someone else's creation, in any format, is subject to Fair Use Guidelines to protect the creator's intellectual property.
To determine Fair Use, consider the following...

the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
the nature of the copyrighted work;
the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

If you are using these clips in an educational environment, and captions are being added for accessibility; you most likely fall under fair use. If the modified clips are housed on a "closed" system (password protected) that only your students are accessing, then you are even safer.

**Keep in mind, Fair Use is not a rule or a law.. Fair Use Guidelines can be used as a defense if the intellectual property owner files a suit. In addition, citing your sources is always good practice.

Resources for more information on Captioning, Copyright and Citing :

Captioning
        www.dcmp.org/CIY

Copyright and Fair Use
        www.techlearning.com/article/3398

Citing Digital Sources
         www.umich.edu/~ece/resources/citations.html#images

********************************************************

WORKSHOPS

Differentiated Instruction! Using Technology to Develop Literacy Skills for Students with Additional Developmental Disabilities
Use technology to help students read, write, create, and collaborate! Presenter Nada El-Khoury will demonstrate the use of Comic Life, Photostory—and other free or low- cost technology resources—for instruction and evaluation. Nada will share the impact of digital stories on language, vocabulary development, reading, and writing skills.
When: January 14, 2012
Where: The Florida Hotel and Conference Center, Orlando, FL
For more Info:

Strategies for Understanding and Enhancing the Communicative and Cognitive Competencies of Children with Severe and Multiple Disabilities, sponsored by the University of Florida and the Florida Outreach Project for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind
When: February 2-3, 2012!
Where: Hawthorne Suites, Lake Buena Vista, 8303 Palm Parkway, Orlando 32836 (near Walt Disney World)
Presenter: Philip Schweigert, Early Communication Consultant for the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Target Audience: This is intended for professionals, para-professionals, parents, and other caregivers who work and care for these learners.
Workshop Description: This is a workshop on communication and concept skill development for individuals with deaf-blindness, as well as other severe and multiple disabilities. The workshop includes both instruction and practical exercises. These are designed to support participants understanding of ways to encourage children with significant and disabilities in developing skills for participation in their social and physical worlds. The content of this workshop is based on the Design to Learn model developed by Rowland and Schweigert.
$50 REGI ST RATI ON: Limited scholarships AVAILABLE!
Parents are always FREE! Individual consultation sessions!
Contact Pam Kissoondyal at 352-273-7529 or 800-667-4052 or pamsk@ufl.edu for more information.

********************************************************

FLORIDA HANDS & VOICES

Florida Hands and Voices has a new website. Be sure to check it out. And visit their Facebook Page.

We have three upcoming events in the Orlando area that we would like to share with you!

1. Silent Saturdays
We will gather once a month at Panera on Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando for Silent Saturdays. This is an opportunity for parents, professionals, ASL students, or anyone who is interested in practicing their sign language skills. Grab a cup of coffee, turn off your voice, and jump in! (no children please). We had our first "Silent Saturday" this past weekend, and it was a huge success! We had parents of deaf children, deaf adults, interpreters, high school ASL students, speech-language pathologists, and more! We had every skill level present, from the very beginning signer, all the way up to native signers. Same time, same place each month. Our next Silent Saturday is going to be on January 14th at the Panera on Lake Eola at 10AM. We hope you can join us!

2. Signed Stories at Barnes & Noble
We have partnered with Barnes & Noble on Colonial Drive to be able to offer Signed Stories in their children's department. We are going to be working with the guest story tellers, as well as The Orlando Repertory Theater, to bring signed stories to our community. Our first signed story is THIS Friday night (December 9)! Students from Edgewater High School are going to be reading the story, The Polar Express, and it will be told in Sign Language by deaf adult, Joe Kramlinger. He is an amazing storyteller!

3. The Annual Holiday Gala for deaf/hard of hearing children and their families, presented by Hearing Me. The theme for this event is "A Pirate and Princess Holiday" and children can come wearing their costumes! This event is on December 15, 2011 from 6:30 - 8:30pm at The Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Classrooms 1 and 2. This is located at 83 Miller Street, Orlando, FL 32805.
If you would like to attend, you must RSVP to Tanya Williams by 12/12/11. You can contact Tanya by email at: Tanya.williams@Orlandohealth.com

Remember, all of our events are posted on Facebook, so you can always check there for updates or more information, or you can contact me at any time.
        Happy Holidays from Florida Hands & Voices!

Mandy Longo
Child & Family Program Coordinator
Florida Hands & Voices
Email: mandygo@aol.com

Florida Hands & Voices is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Mailing Address:
Florida Hands & Voices, Inc.
P.O. Box 620756
Oviedo, FL 32762-0756

********************************************************

NEW DVD ON SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR DEAF-BLIND INDIVIDUALS

We received an announcement about a newly released DVD on Support Service Providers for Deaf-Blind Individuals. As you may know, there are estimated to be 1.2 million Americans who are both deaf and visually impaired. Dealing with this dual sensory loss can be challenging at the very least and devastating at its worst, causing profound isolation and loneliness. Support Service Providers can make a huge difference in improving the quality of lives for people who are deaf-blind.

The attached flyer describes this informative and engaging documentary which portrays SSPs at work with deaf-blind individuals on a cruise to Alaska. Personal testimonials by Donna Ragland of Morrison, Colorado, and other deaf-blind travelers from all over the United States, describe the value of support service providers: how their services enable them to access the world around them, participate in their communities, and maintain and enjoy an active life.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this DVD will benefit future trips of the Deaf-Blind Explorers. An order form is attached. For more information on this DVD and other books go to the website.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Mrs. Hahn's Resources
This high school Biology teacher keeps a running list of resources that she uses in class, or that she comes across and seem like they would be a good idea.

Mrs. Volak's Second Grade
This second-grade teacher shares lots of her classroom resources. Click on 2 Reading to find Keynote and PowerPoint interactive games she created to support her lessons. Some of the other pages list other online resources to support that topic.

Your Next Read
When nearing the end of a great book it’s natural to want more books like the one that is about to come to an end. YourNextRead takes the book you’re reading and suggests follow up books to match it. For each book you plug in you get eight suggestions. You can click on one of the suggestions to read more or, if you’re already familiar with the book, give it a thumbs up or thumbs down to refine the search. Click on the Children tab to find suggestions for children's books. [Thanks for the link, Rebecca!]
Craft Ideas: Winter/Christmas
Free craft ideas, patterns, and tutorials for the Winter and Christmas season. Visit the Home page to find materials for other times of the year.

NeoK12
Educational collection of videos, lessons, quizzes, puzzles, and games for K-12 School Kids. There are also good pictures you can download to use in presentations or worksheets. [Note: Very good videos, but not captioned!]

OpenCourt Resources
Free preK-6 resources created by teachers for teachers.

Math Worksheets World
Good math worksheets for K-12 students. A yearly subscription is $30 right now.

How Candy Canes Are Made
Video showing a candy cane factory. [Note: not captioned]

********************************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
• January 17: Chipley, FL

FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference)
January 23-26, 2012
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

Working with the Experts Reminder

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-11-07T12:55:00-05:00

This is a reminder of the upcoming Working with Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing sessions. We realize this is a busy time of year, but we needed to complete these before the end of the year.

If you would like to attend these sessions in St. Augustine, be aware that the city celebrates the beginning of "Nights of Lights" on November 19. This is when they light the Christmas lights. Make your hotel reservations as soon as possible. This is beautiful time to go downtown, but there is a LOT of traffic that night. The lights will be on all through December and January, so you can see them if you attend WWE 3 and/or 4, too. If you attend WWE 3, you might also be interested in the First Friday Art Walk. This is an opportunity to visit art galleries downtown.

Let us know if you have any questions!

______________________________________________________________

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS (WWE): DEAF / HARD OF HEARING

WWE 2 (November 19-20 Sat/Sun)
Itinerant Make and Take
Gail Wright and Lindsey Siegel

Two days of jam packed sessions with Two Veteran Itinerant Teachers.
Topics will include:

An approach to teaching and getting students to implement advocacy strategies using "13 tools"
An "Itinerant Trunk " featuring our favorite materials, websites, apps, and resources
Ideas for Mainstream Teacher Inservices and how to help Mainstream Teachers trouble shoot HA's and FM's
Hands on work from a Case Study Evaluation all the way to Data Collection on goals.
Ideas for inservices all the way from Kindergarten-High School! (not just another PowerPoint!)
Implementing National Noise Awareness Activities in the schools
Itinerant Organization Ideas

Walk out of these two days having actually MADE materials relating to the 13 tools and Classroom In-service Trainings!

________________

WWE 3 (December 3-4, Sat/Sun)
Advocacy & Protection to Enhance Teaching, Learning & Performance of Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Note: a particular emphasis will be placed on ethnically diverse and deaf+ students
Harold Johnson, Ashley Koe, Gabe Lomas, Caroline Guardino

“O.U.R. Children: Observing, Understanding, Responding & Preventing Violence Against Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing”
Harold Johnson, Ashley Koe, Gabe Lomas, Caroline Guardino

Children with disabilities are three to four times more likely to experience maltreatment than their nondisabled peers. This horrific reality can be prevented, or at least mitigated, if parents and professionals are aware of the risks, how to reduce the risks, how recognize and then report a suspicions of maltreatment, and finally, when instances of maltreatment have occurred, how to provide support to children and their family.

Topically this WWE will share information, stories, insights and resources concerning the prevention, recognition, reporting and response to child maltreatment from birth through adulthood. Topics such as neglect, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, plus “cyber risk,” “teen dating violence,” and domestic abuse will be dealt with in a sensitive, open, interactive and hopeful manner. Participants will be encouraged to share their goals, questions and resources at the WWE.

Participants will also be invited to join a well established online “community of learners” who are collaboratively supporting one another as we share what we know and learn what we need to protect our children from maltreatment.

Please join us for a weekend of knowledge, hope, and support for together we CAN make a difference.
________________

Host Site (face-to-face presentation)
Location: Music Building
Hotel Information:

- Holiday Inn St. Augustine Historic District - http://tinyurl.com/3bnjhwu

- Courtyard Marriott St. Augustine I-95 - http://tinyurl.com/3how7c8

Panama City

Location: Gulf Coast State College, 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
Remote Site with Live Streaming
Hotel Information:

- Towneplace Suites - http://tinyurl.com/3p3fb4a
- LaQuinta - http://tinyurl.com/3phxfq5

Bartow (Session 4 only)

Location: Polk County FDLRS/ESE Office, Bartow Municipal Airport #270
Remote Site with Live Streaming

Ft. Lauderdale

Location to be determined
Remote Site with Live Streaming

For more information:

Carmelina Hollingsworth at hollingswoc@fsdb.k12.fl.us or 800-356-6731 or
Leanne Grillot at leanne.grillot@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478

November 16, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-11-16T12:54:00-05:00

Contents:

Notes
Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Itinerant Round Table
The Idea Book for Educators Magazine
SKI-HI Training
Resources
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

It was great seeing many of you at FEHI! I think it was one of our best conferences ever! There were some great presentations! Thanks to the FEHI Board!

For those of you that wanted the extra handouts that Lynne Price had in her presentation, I have scanned them, and posted them on the D/HH Itinerant Wiki. Click on FEHI 2011 in the left column. While you are on the wiki, check out some of the other resources there!

Please note under Save these Dates that the Usher Training for the Panhandle has been rescheduled for January 17.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

********************************************************

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS (WWE): DEAF / HARD OF HEARING

WWE 3 (December 3-4, Sat/Sun)
"O.U.R. Children: Observing, Understanding, Responding & Preventing Violence Against Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing"
Harold Johnson, Ashley Koe, Gabe Lomas, Caroline Guardino

Children with disabilities are three to four times more likely to experience maltreatment than their nondisabled peers. This horrific reality can be prevented, or at least mitigated, if parents and professionals are aware of the risks, how to reduce the risks, how recognize and then report a suspicions of maltreatment, and finally, when instances of maltreatment have occurred, how to provide support to children and their family.

Topically this WWE will share information, stories, insights and resources concerning the prevention, recognition, reporting and response to child maltreatment from birth through adulthood. Topics such as neglect, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, plus “cyber risk,” “teen dating violence,” and domestic abuse will be dealt with in a sensitive, open, interactive and hopeful manner. Participants will be encouraged to share their goals, questions and resources at the WWE.

Participants will also be invited to join a well established online “community of learners” who are collaboratively supporting one another as we share what we know and learn what we need to protect our children from maltreatment.

Please join us for a weekend of knowledge, hope, and support for together we CAN make a difference.

________________

WWE 4 (December 9-10, Fri/Sat)
TLC: Teaching Language To Children - A Communication Curriculum for Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Amy Sijan

The TLC Curriculum was conceived in the hearts of Janice Hope Cook and Amy O’Brien Sijan in 1985. Jan is a teacher of the deaf and was instructed in the oral philosophy. Amy grew up in a deaf household, and was a speech/language pathologist who used sign language. Both professionals realized, early on, that the “curriculum” established for children who are deaf did not address the single most primary need for deafness: COMMUNICATION. As a result, both Jan and Amy decided that they would produce their own curriculum of communication, beginning with pre-single words and progressing to complex communication structures, with associated vocabulary, grammar, and social skills.

TLC is the curriculum basis for the Hearing Impaired Program in the Lee County School District. It is the basis from which the Lee County Language Curriculum was established (LCLC), under the direction of Dr. Lawrence D. Tihen, Editor of the TLC. Both curricula continue to be used in the Lee County School District. It was used in the Florida School for the Deaf and the California School for the Deaf under the direction of Mary Hanlon, a contributor to TLC.

IN FOUR LOCATIONS

St. Augustine - on the campus of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Host Site (face-to-face presentation)
Location: Music Building
Hotel Information:

- Holiday Inn St. Augustine Historic District - http://tinyurl.com/3bnjhwu

- Courtyard Marriott St. Augustine I-95 - http://tinyurl.com/3how7c8

Panama City

Location: Gulf Coast State College, 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
Remote Site with Live Streaming
Hotel Information:

- Towneplace Suites - http://tinyurl.com/3p3fb4a
- LaQuinta - http://tinyurl.com/3phxfq5

Bartow (WWE 4 only)

Location: Polk County FDLRS/ESE Office, Bartow Municipal Airport #270
Remote Site with Live Streaming

Ft. Lauderdale

Location to be determined
Remote Site with Live Streaming

For more information:

Carmelina Hollingsworth at hollingswoc@fsdb.k12.fl.us or 800-356-6731 or
Leanne Grillot at leanne.grillot@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478

********************************************************

ITINERANT ROUND TABLE

There will not be an Itinerant Round Table this year. Instead, RMTC is going to be having working type meetings where we will work on solving the problems we discussed at previous Round Table discussions. Also, the State Leadership Team is helping us to address these concerns. The Roundtable is evolving to a working meeting to address our specific concerns. RMTC is helping to support us by providing the funding and bringing the workshops to us.

Major Concerns:
1. What is the curriculum for Itinerant Teachers of the D/HH?
2. How to determine amount of service provided to the student with a hearing loss?
3. How do you provide services? (Direct and Indirect)
4. How to determine an appropriate case load for each Itinerant Teacher of D/HH? When is it time to hire another teacher?

At the WWE for Itinerants we are trying to address 1 & 3.

Cara Wilmot, M.Ed.
Teacher of Deaf/Hard of Hearing
wilmotc@duvalschools.org (Best way to contact me.)
858-3518 (Voicemail Only)
858-3534 (Fax)

********************************************************

THE IDEA BOOK FOR EDUCATORS MAGAZINE (free bi-annual subscription) Teachers: sign up to receive A+E Networks' free bi-annual magazine The Idea Book For Educators. In each magazine you'll find Classroom guides, program information and our Creative Ideas From Our Teachers contest in which educators can win $1,000 for submitting their innovative classroom lessons. You can also email the subscription information on the form to classroom@aetn.com
********************************************************

SKI-HI TRAINING

SKI - HI training will be offered in Saint Augustine at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. The training will start in January.

A flyer and registration form are attached.

For more information, please contact Kathy Kelly at 904-827-2437 or by email at kellyk@fsdb.k12.fl.us

********************************************************

Resources

There were a couple of vendors at FEHI with materials specifically for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing:

Rule the School: Self-Advocacy Tools for Students with Hearing Loss has a Board Game, TicTacToe Bingo Games, Apps for the iPhone, iPad iTouch, and Mac computers, and a Helping Hands CD. You can get more information on their site.

HandCraftEdASL© is an accessible and FUN way to build competence and confidence in your child! The products are designed to educate and entertain using classic play patterns, simple card decks, and colorful imagery.

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Playdough Recipe
Lots of recipes for making different kinds and colors of playdough -- even edible.

Robert Subada
Robert Subada creates pop-up books, and has some pop-ups that you can download to create your own. This includes a turkey if you want to try it for Thanksgiving.

Have Fun Teaching Blog
I mentioned the Have Fun Teaching website before, but you might want to subscribe to the blog. They feature new worksheets on a regular basis.

We Give Books
We Give Books is a free website that provides parents, caregivers, and educators with immediate access to a growing digital collection of Penguin Group's classic children's literature – stories that they can enjoy in the classroom or at home to enhance early reading experiences. For every Penguin or DK book read online at wegivebooks.org, the Pearson Foundation donates a book to a child in partnership with one of the exemplary international, national, and local literacy organizations that the We Give Books program helps to support. Some good books for next week are Two Bad Pilgrims, T is for Turkey, and Pardon That Turkey. You can search for books by topic if you're looking for something specific.

Vocabulary.com
A free site that allows students at all levels to acquire and retain vocabulary. Each free session has three levels and contains puzzles and activities. This site is updated continuously.
Free Word Puzzles for Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Day

Maggie's Earth Adventures
Free educational resources available in both English and Spanish.

The English Teacher's Friend
This site picks through the best of the excellent teaching materials for middle and high school English teachers, and features tons of resources and lessons -- all FREE. You can also subscribe to The Monday Morning Connection Newsletter for engaging and time-saving lessons for middle and high school English classes.

Thanksgiving Math Worksheets
Thanksgiving Themed Math Pages
Thanksgiving Resources and Activities
Thanksgiving Mazes
November Worksheets
DLTK Crafts for Kids: Thanksgiving

********************************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
• December 1: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• January 17: Chipley, FL

Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Session 3: Advocacy & Protection to Enhance Teaching, Learning, and Performance of Students
Who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
December 3-4
Session 4: TLC: Teaching Language to Children—A Communication Curriculum for D/HH Children
December 9-10

FETC (Florida Educational Technology Conference)
January 23-26, 2012
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

October 18, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-10-18T12:52:00-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
FEHI Update
PEPNet Update
K-12 Interpreting Resources
Low-Cost Internet Services
Signapalooza
PocketMods
MTV’s Next Reality Star: University for the Deaf
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

There are several time-sensitive notes here. Please read these as soon as you can. Especially the note about making your FEHI reservations!

********************************************************

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS (WWE): DEAF / HARD OF HEARING

WWE 2 (November 19-20 Sat/Sun)
Itinerant Make and Take
Gail Wright and Lindsey Siegel

Two days of jam packed sessions with Two Veteran Itinerant Teachers.
Topics will include:

An approach to teaching and getting students to implement advocacy strategies using "13 tools"
An "Itinerant Trunk " featuring our favorite materials, websites, apps, and resources
Ideas for Mainstream Teacher Inservices and how to help Mainstream Teachers trouble shoot HA's and FM's
Hands on work from a Case Study Evaluation all the way to Data Collection on goals.
Ideas for inservices all the way from Kindergarten-High School! (not just another PowerPoint!)
Implementing National Noise Awareness Activities in the schools
Itinerant Organization Ideas

Walk out of these two days having actually MADE materials relating to the 13 tools and Classroom In-service Trainings!

________________

Host Site (face-to-face presentation)
Location: Music Building
Hotel Information:

- Holiday Inn St. Augustine Historic District - http://tinyurl.com/3bnjhwu

- Courtyard Marriott St. Augustine I-95 - http://tinyurl.com/3how7c8

Panama City

Location: Gulf Coast State College, 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
Remote Site with Live Streaming
Hotel Information:

- Towneplace Suites - http://tinyurl.com/3p3fb4a
- LaQuinta - http://tinyurl.com/3phxfq5

Bartow

Location: Polk County FDLRS/ESE Office, Bartow Municipal Airport #270
Remote Site with Live Streaming

Ft. Lauderdale

Location to be determined
Remote Site with Live Streaming

For more information:

Carmelina Hollingsworth at hollingswoc@fsdb.k12.fl.us or 800-356-6731 or
Leanne Grillot at leanne.grillot@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478

********************************************************

FEHI UPDATE

This is a friendly reminder about FEHI Conference. Visit our website for a list of presentations. If you have not registered the deadline is October 20 if you wish the regular registration cost.

Hotel Reservations: You need to have your reservation made by October 20th. The room block reserved for FEHI will be released on October 20th.

If you need to make reservations for the FEHI rate you will have to call Mary Blunt at the
WESTIN LAKE MARY
2974 International Parkway, Lake Mary, FL 32746
D 321.249.8021

Looking forward to seeing you there.
Nada

********************************************************

PEPNet Update

As you may know, PEPNet's 2006 - 2011 grant cycle ended on September 30, 2011. But PEPNet services will continue in the future under a new model!

In the next project cycle, the model will shift to one national center instead of four regional centers. The national center will be located at California State University Northridge (CSUN.) Additional information about activities and services will be posted on the PEPNet website. The new funding cycle began on October 1.

As of October 1, 2011 the GA/FL PEPNet-South Outreach Site office will be closed.

For a long time it has been my plan to retire at the end of this funding cycle. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve Georgia for many years and - - - Georgia & Florida in the last five years through the GA/FL PEPNet-South Outreach Site. Thank You! I am glad that PEPNet will continue, and I hope you will call on PEPNet again in the future through its new model as one national center at CSUN.

Katherine J. Bruni katherine.bruni@pepnet.org Outreach Specialist, Georgia/Florida PEPNet-SOUTH Outreach Site 404-406-8194 cell/TEXT/voice/office/FACETIME; 770-928-6785 tdd only; FAX: 770-928-9929 PEPNet-South Satellite Office: 324 Knots Circle Woodstock, GA 30188

The Georgia/Florida PEPNet-SOUTH Outreach Site is part of a federal grant PEPNet (Postsecondary Education Programs Network) that is supported by contracts with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs. We provide 1. training and professional development, 2. technical assistance (we answer your questions,) 3. technology use activities, and 4. materials regarding services, accommodations, and education to people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in postsecondary institutions and high schools. Your GA/FL PEPNet-SOUTH Outreach Site is a free resource.

********************************************************

K-12 Interpreting Resources: Three Powerful, Free Online Tools

If you work in the K-12 environment or are a parent of a young student who is deaf or hard of hearing, PEPNet wants to introduce you to three resources that contain useful information on many of the topics on your mind, and can lead you to additional helpful sites.

Classroominterpreting.org
Classroominterpreting.org was developed by Dr. Brenda Schick, Ph.D., CED, Professor, University of Colorado Boulder, with U.S. Department of Education funding, and is maintained/housed by Boys Town National Research Hospital, the site of the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) Center. Teachers, parents, students, administrators, and interpreters will find something useful at the site. Parents can find information about what it means for their children to have an interpreted education, the rights and responsibilities of everyone involved, and what they can learn from case studies. Administrators can quickly gather information about supervising interpreters, qualifications, and legal issues. Students can analyze their learning styles to discover if they are more visual or more auditory, or read about their communication rights at school. Interpreters can find solid information about the work of K-12 interpreters, effective preparation, professional guidelines, and tutoring. This site has carefully organized information, and provides a plethora of additional resources and links. RID Educational Interpreter

RID Educational Interpreter Resources Toolkit
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) provides all types of interpreting resources, but houses a unique collection of information related to interpreting in the K-12 education environment. The Educational Interpreter Resources Toolkit was developed by the 2007-09 RID Educational Interpreting Committee under the leadership of Committee Chair Pam Brodie. This rich resource is perfect for any K-12 staff member wanting detailed information ranging from laws/policies, related organizations, books/journals of interest, state specific interpreting guidelines, and resources for school personnel, students, and parents. It differs from the above resource in that it was produced mostly to meet the needs of K-12 interpreters whose work often is different than that of interpreters working in the community with adults.

RID K-12 Educational Interpreting Standard Practice
A third useful resource is the RID Overview of K-12 Educational Interpreting Standard Practice, written by the RID Professional Standards Committee. It was updated in 2010 by the RID Educational Interpreter Task Force, under the leadership of Chair Susan Brown. This is one of 17 Standard Practice Papers on the RID website, and the only one tailored to the K-12 environment. The paper is useful to guide best practices in schools across the country, to encourage high standards by all those working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and to emphasize again that schools that have not worked with interpreters have available resources. The paper touches on related laws, qualifications, the role of K-12 interpreters, ethics, and supervision.

********************************************************

LOW-COST INTERNET SERVICES

We know that receiving internet services can be crucial, but costly. We hope this information helps to provide better access for videophones, computers/webcams or to download audiobooks, etc.

Any family with at least one child who qualifies for the free lunch program at public schools can subscribe to a low-speed (1.5Mbps) Comcast Internet connection for $9.95 a month

How to qualify
To qualify for $9.95 a month Internet service and a low-cost computer, your household must meet all these criteria:

Be located where Comcast offers Internet service
Have at least one child receiving free school lunches through the National School Lunch Program
Have not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days
Not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment

How to apply

Call 1-855-8-INTERNET (1-855-846-8376) to request an application
We will mail you an application. Complete and return it, along with lunch program documents from your child's school
We will notify you by mail about the status of your application. Allow 7-10 days for a response

For information about local Comcast services in your area:
http://www.comcast.com/Corporate/shop/Products/local/florida.cspx

********************************************************

SIGNAPALOOZA

The UNF Interpreting Program is partnering with Jacksonville Deaf Club to sponsor a day of Deaf Pride activities for the whole family that will include: Workshop for Deaf Community Members about Deaf Interpreting, Deaf Teen Theatre (Hands-On Theatre) Workshop and Evening Performance, Language and Fun Activities for Deaf Children who use ASL, and classes and networking opportunities for Parents of Deaf Children. Please mark your calendars and pass this along to any families, teens, or others you know who might be interested in attending...more information coming soon with registration available on Facebook. All activities are FREE!

Thanks!
Sherry

Dr. Sherry Shaw, Ed.D., CSC
Program Director, Associate Professor
ASL/English Interpreting
University of North Florida
1 UNF Drive, 57/3500
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Phone: 904.620.1811 VP: 904.385.4395 Fax: 904.620.3895

Click here for the event flyer: Signapalooza

********************************************************

POCKETMODS

The PocketMod is a new way to keep yourself organized. Lets face it, PDAs are too expensive and cumbersome, and organizers are bulky and hard to carry around. Nothing beats a folded up piece of paper. That is until now. With the PocketMod, you can carry around the days notes, keep them organized in any way you wish, then easily transfer the notes to your PDA, spreadsheet, or planner. The PocketMod is a small book with guides on each page. These guides or templates, combined with a unique folding style, enable a normal piece of paper to become the ultimate note card. It is hard to describe just how incredibly useful the PocketMod is.

The PocketMod application is completely online at this time, but they are working on a new version. For Windows users, there is already a program you can download to convert PDFs to PocketMods. The online creator has guides for writing paper, calendars, organizers, references, games (like Sudoku), and emergency information. The information you put on the pages is endless. You can also use blank pages and make story starters, or stories.

Onion Mountain Tech PocketMods
This site is collecting PocketMods. You can download some that others have made, and you can contribute some of your own. An example of some that are already there are Solar System, Coins, Letter A, Money ID, Shapes, Halloween, and Oceans. Try some of these to get an idea of what you can do yourself!

********************************************************

MTV’S NEXT REALITY STAR: UNIVERSITY FOR THE DEAF
MTV's college channel, mtvU, which has taken its cameras and microphones into lectures, concerts and protests at schools across the country, will next attempt to capture university life of an entirely different nature: a campus where nearly all students are deaf.

On Monday, the cable network will formally announce the debut of a short-form series, "Quiet Campus," that will follow four students at Gallaudet University, the four-year school for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington, D.C. (You can watch a clip from the series on this website.)

********************************************************

WEBSITES

iPads in Education
This Ning explores the use of iPads and eBooks in education. There are lots of good resources, and you can join discussions with other iPad users.

YouTube Space Lab
I hope that you are able to see this page. It's unfortunate that they put this amazing site on YouTube since it is often blocked in schools. This page is the YouTube Space Lab, launching with Lenovo and Space Adventures in cooperation with NASA, ESA, and JAXA. Watch amazing space and science videos and, if you're 14 to 18 years old, submit a space experiment idea for your chance to win out-of-this-world prizes. Check this Educator page to learn more about the Space Lab. [Note: The one I saw was captioned -- you just need to click the CC button (which doesn't show up until you click play).]

Lanternfish ESL
I've mentioned this website before, but it was called Boggle's World. There are worksheets, flashcards, games, and activities already created.

Qwiki
Check out this unusual search engine. Type in your keyword, and the search engine creates movies of the websites. Very cool! And very visual!

WebMATH
Webmath is a math-help web site from Discovery Education that generates answers to specific math questions and problems, as entered by a user, at any particular moment. The math answers are generated and displayed real-time, at the moment a web user types in their math problem and clicks "solve." In addition to the answers, Webmath also shows the student how to arrive at the answer.

November 11, 2011
11/11/11 is coming soon -- an event that won't happen for another thousand years. These sites have ideas for preparing for this day:

These ideas came from Diane Flynn Keith's ClickSchooling newsletter:
Plan eleven fun activities. Dress in 11's - wear stripes! Color with 11 crayons. Listen to 11 songs. Read 11 pages in a book. Visit 11 friends. Plant 11 seeds. Do 11 sit-ups. Give 11 gifts. Solve 11 math problems. Go on an "11 Hunt" - find eleven things, or search for the number 11 wherever you go. You can also eat meals made up of 11's with tasty treats such as:

Carrot Sticks
Celery Sticks
Pretzel Sticks
String Cheese
French Fries
Bread Sticks

Do you have other ideas?

********************************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
http://conta.cc/ushertrng
• September 21: Ft Myers, FL
• October 19: Jacksonville, FL
• November 3: Lake Mary, FL
• November 17: Tampa, FL
• Date TBD: Chipley, FL

Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/Working+With+the+Experts
Session 1: Deaf Literacy with Connie Mayer
October 7-8, 2011
Session 2: Make & Take for the Itinerant Teacher
November 19-20
Session 3: Advocacy & Protection to Enhance Teaching, Learning, and Performance of Students
Who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
December 3-4
Session 4: TLC: Teaching Language to Children—A Communication Curriculum for D/HH Children
December 9-10

FEHI
http://fehi.org
November 4-5, 2011
Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, FL

FETC
http://fetc.org
January 23-26, 2012
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

September 23, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-09-23T12:49:00-04:00

Contents:

Notes
WWE: D/HH 1 - October 7-8
Other WWE Topics and Dates
FEHI Update
New IDEA Rules for Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities Released
Institute Launches Web Clearinghouse for Parents of Deaf Children
Job Opportunity
October: National Bullying and Disabilities Month
Deaf Sprinter Wins Right to Visual 'Starter Gun'
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

There is a lot of information in this Tech Notes. The date-sensitive topics are regarding our WWE sessions and FEHI. There is now an Events page on our wiki: http://rmtc.wikispaces.com/events
Click on the link for each event to go directly to the registration page.

We are still taking registrations for Usher's Screening Training. The next two trainings are October 19 in Jacksonville (prior to the CEC Conference) and November 3 in Lake Mary (prior to the FEHI Conference). Early diagnosis of Usher's Syndrome is very important, so we want to make sure every district sends at least one person. The other dates, and the link for registration for all trainings, is below in the Save the Dates! section.

I told you about Focus Groups in the September 11 Tech Notes. You can refer to that information and the dates and locations here: http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/technotes/

I'm trying a blog format to post Tech Notes archives. Check it out and let me know what you think. Do you like this, or would you prefer the old format (on the website)?

New - http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/technotes/
Old - http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/technotes/index2011.html

I mentioned in the last Tech Notes that our Google Search was not working. I have fixed that, so you should be able to search both our website and our wiki with one search. You can find the search on our Home page:
http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us

********************************************************

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS (WWE): DEAF / HARD OF HEARING

We are pleased to announce the first of four trainings for professionals working with students who are deaf/hard of hearing. A flyer is attached with this information. Check the wiki for any updates.
https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/Working+With+the+Experts

OCTOBER 7 & 8, 2011
Dr. Connie Mayer and Beverly Trezek
New(?) Answers to Old Questions: Literacy Development in DHH Learners

In this two-day workshop, participants will be introduced to a framework for understanding literacy learning (i.e., reading and writing) in students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Answers to long-standing questions about the nature of literacy development and effective instructional strategies will be explored, with an emphasis on the changing context in the field (i.e., UNHS, cochlear implants, evidence-based practice). Instructional strategies for teaching reading and writing will be presented, demonstrated, and practiced.

Outcomes:

Explore literacy development for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, given the recent changes in research-based practices and technological advances
View and discuss effective instructional strategies for teaching reading and writing to students who are deaf or hard of hearing
Identify instructional routines that can be implemented to advance reading comprehension and written English skills

IN THREE LOCATIONS

St. Augustine - on the campus of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Host Site (face-to-face presentation)
Location: Music Building
Hotel Information:

- Holiday Inn St. Augustine Historic District - http://tinyurl.com/3bnjhwu

- Courtyard Marriott St. Augustine I-95 - http://tinyurl.com/3how7c8

Panama City

Location: Gulf Coast State College, 5230 West U.S. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401
Remote Site with Live Streaming
Hotel Information:

- Towneplace Suites - http://tinyurl.com/3p3fb4a
- LaQuinta - http://tinyurl.com/3phxfq5

Bartow

Location: Polk County FDLRS/ESE Office, Bartow Municipal Airport #270
Remote Site with Live Streaming
Hotel Information: Coming Soon

Ft. Lauderdale

Location to be determined
Remote Site with Live Streaming
Hotel Information:

- Coming Soon

To register for the workshop:
http://conta.cc/wwedhh1 or
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=nozl6lfab&oeidk=a07e4txxwif0d3adaa8
.
For more information:
Carmelina Hollingsworth at hollingswoc@fsdb.k12.fl.us or 800-356-6731 or
Leanne Grillot at leanne.grillot@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0478

********************************************************

OTHER WWE WEEKENDS AND TOPICS
https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/Working+With+the+Experts

The following dates and topics have been confirmed. The locations will be the same as WWE1 (above). You can visit the link above for our wiki page to register, or get updated information.

________________

WWE 2 (November 19-20 Sat/Sun)
Itinerant Make and Take
Gail Wright and Lindsey Siegel

Two days of jam packed sessions with Two Veteran Itinerant Teachers.
Topics will include:

An approach to teaching and getting students to implement advocacy strategies using "13 tools"
An "Itinerant Trunk " featuring our favorite materials, websites, apps, and resources
Ideas for Mainstream Teacher Inservices and how to help Mainstream Teachers trouble shoot HA's and FM's
Hands on work from a Case Study Evaluation all the way to Data Collection on goals.
Ideas for inservices all the way from Kindergarten-High School! (not just another PowerPoint!)
Implementing National Noise Awareness Activities in the schools
Itinerant Organization Ideas

Walk out of these two days having actually MADE materials relating to the 13 tools and Classroom In-service Trainings!

________________

WWE 4 (December 9-10, Fri/Sat)
TLC: Teaching Language To Children A Communication Curriculum for Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Amy Sijan

The TLC Curriculum was conceived in the hearts of Janice Hope Cook and Amy O’Brien Sijan in 1985. Jan is a teacher of the deaf and was instructed in the oral philosophy. Amy grew up in a deaf household, and was a speech/language pathologist who used sign language. Both professionals realized, early on, that the “curriculum” established for children who are deaf did not address the single most primary need for deafness: COMMUNICATION. As a result, both Jan and Amy decided that they would produce their own curriculum of communication, beginning with pre-single words and progressing to complex communication structures, with associated vocabulary, grammar, and social skills.

TLC is the curriculum basis for the Hearing Impaired Program in the Lee County School District. It is the basis from which the Lee County Language Curriculum was established (LCLC), under the direction of Dr. Lawrence D. Tihen, Editor of the TLC. Both curricula continue to be used in the Lee County School District. It was used in the Florida School for the Deaf and the California School for the Deaf under the direction of Mary Hanlon, a contributor to TLC.

********************************************************

FEHI UPDATE

The FEHI Conference will be held November 4 and 5 at the Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, Florida. We are very lucky this year because the Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (RMTC) and Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (FSDB) are Platinum Sponsors which means that they are contributing funds to pay for interpreting services and presenters.

Thanks to their contribution, we were able to lower our registration prices this year and extend the audience to include SLPs, audiologists, parents, early childhood, and other professionals who work with d/hh students.

We are still looking for presenters and I know for a fact that many of you develop great resources for your classrooms. So, if you are willing to share with other professionals, we would greatly appreciate it. Here is the link for the Call for Papers < http://fehi.org/images/Call_for_Papers_2011.pdf > and the Rubric < http://fehi.org/images/Proposal_Evaluation_Rubric_2011.pdf > used to evaluate proposals.

For more information please visit our website: http://fehi.org
Hotel and registration: Conference 2011 < http://fehi.org/conference2011.html >
Agenda: Conference Agenda < http://fehi.org/conferenceagenda2011.html >
Please check our website periodically. The agenda is updated as soon as presenters are confirmed.

Additional forms for Teacher of the Year, Honors of the Association, Membership, etc are available under the tab titled Forms < http://fehi.org/forms.html >.

In the past, PEPNet was able to assist teachers with funds to attend FEHI. Unfortunately, they are no longer able to do that. Their funding structure has changed with their new budget.

********************************************************

NEW IDEA RULES FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES RELEASED

Following is information on new rules being issued dealing with Part C of IDEA concerning identification, referrals, evaluation, and what language evaluations should take place in.

________________

Rules Finally Issued on Infants, Toddlers With Disabilities, by Nirvi Shah on September 6, 2011 12:12 PM
< http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/speced/2011/09/six_years_after_the_individual.html >

UPDATED Six years after the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act was renewed, the U.S. Department of Education today finalized regulations that address how to work with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Babies and toddlers with disabilities come under the law's Part C program, a $436 million program that serves about 340,000 children through age 2 who have developmental delays or a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of leading to a developmental delay. The regulations cover essentially the whole of Part C, including how quickly children must be identified and referred to those who can work with them, what language they should be evaluated in, and whether parents should be consulted before their insurance is tapped to pay for some of the services. (That's why the regulations are more than 900 pages long.) Some highlights:

Children must be referred to the Part C program "as soon as possible but in no case more than seven days" after identification.
The new regulations clarify the transition requirements that apply to children receiving services as they move to preschool, kindergarten or elementary school.
The regulations clarify when and what transition requirements apply to toddlers with disabilities, including toddlers in a state that elects to offer services beyond the age of 3. "Children are so young," said Deborah Zeigler, the associate executive director of policy and advocacy services for the Council for Exceptional Children. "The timelines are important."
Also, the Education Department said the regulations have been revised to include the law's existing "maintenance of effort" requirements (which govern how much states and school districts spend on students with disabilities from year to year). But the agency will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking on these provisions and give the public a chance to comment on the proposal. That's important because whenever there are new regulations, there are expenses. "We certainly kept that in mind as we were developing these," said Ruth E. Ryder, deputy director of the Education Department's Office of Special Education Programs. "We feel like the benefit to children and families greatly outweighs any cost."
States must get a parent's permission before requiring a parent to enroll in a public benefits or an insurance program for services for their child or if the use of funds from a public benefits or insurance program imposes certain costs on the parent. When the regulations were offered up for comment, this particular issue drew many comments. "It was a big issue-a big issue that needed clarification," said Mary Louise Dirrigl, director of the Office of Policy and Planning IDEA Team.
Another area that needed clarifying was what language to use when evaluating a very young child, Ms. Dirrigl said. The regulations now say that those evaluating a child can use either the native language of the child or his or her parents.

Separately today, the Education Department < http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/reg/idea/part-b/index.html > is proposing new regulations regarding when a state or district wants to use a child's or parent's public benefits or insurance to pay for services under the IDEA. They want to hear your thoughts, too.

********************************************************

INSTITUTE LAUNCHES WEB CLEARINGHOUSE FOR PARENTS OF DEAF CHILDREN
http://www.rit.edu/ntid/educatingdeafchildren/

The Center for Education Research Partnerships at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of Rochester Institute of Technology, has launched a website intended as a source of unbiased information for parents, teachers, and other professionals who work with deaf children. About 90 percent of deaf children have hearing parents, "so many times those parents feel overwhelmed and at a loss to find resources to answer questions they may have," said a press release from the center.

I like that the information is presented in a Q&A format and covers a lot of ground, from acceptance of cochlear implants in the deaf community, to issues of social development. But the site will be even better when there are more questions archived there. The people answering the questions are experts in this field, so readers who are interested in this topic should definitely take advantage of this resource.

********************************************************

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Knoxville Center of the Deaf (KCD) is seeking an Executive Director. Please help me pass this on to anyone you know who may be interested. The deadline is approaching. I have attached a job description.

Thank you,

Kimberly A. Wolbers, Ph.D., CI/CT
Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Deaf Education
The University of Tennessee Department of Theory & Practice in Teacher Education
A214 Bailey Education Complex
1122 Volunteer Blvd
Knoxville, TN 37996-3442
865.974.2375 (voice)
865.622.2306 (videophone)
865.974.6302 (fax)

********************************************************

OCTOBER: DISABILITY AWARENESS AND BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH

October is both Disability Awareness month and National Bullying Prevention Month. There will be many state campaigns on these topics.

As noted above, we are planning a Working with the Experts (December 3-4) session to address Bullying and other topics. DCMP (Described Captioned Media Project) is focusing on Bullying issues and has resources that may be useful to FSDB and teachers in the state. Of course you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and the DCMP just captioned this 45 second video to promote it:
http://www.schooltube.com/video/59fd42293e8681ba8540/National-Bullying-Prevention-Month-Captions

You can download four recently developed Bullying Tip Sheets here:

What Should You Do if Your Blind or Visually Impaired Child is Bullied? (4-page paper)

- http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/files/110906_bullying_blv_web.pdf

What Should You Do if Your Blind or Visually Impaired Child is Bullied? (2-page print flyer)

- http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/files/110906_bullying_blv_print.pdf

What Should You Do if Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child is Bullied? (4-page paper)

- http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/files/110906_bullying_dhh_web.pdf

What Should You Do if Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child is Bullied? (2-page print flyer)

- http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/files/110906_bullying_dhh_print.pdf

There are more bullying resources described on this special DCMP Web page: < http://www.dcmp.org/bullying >. You will note links on it to three PACER videos on the DCMP YouTube channel that anyone can view. Additional resources listed on this Web Page are available to DCMP members only, but of course all teachers and parents with D/HH or B/VI children all qualify for DCMP membership. Most all of their media offerings can be viewed online, and they also still offer a DVD loan service. You can register for membership here: http://dcmp.org

“Protecting your Deaf Child from Sexual Abuse: A Parent’s Guide,” the DVD produced by the Washington School for the Deaf, is now a part of the Described and Captioned Media Program collection.

The URL to view the description on the DCMP website is:
http://www.dcmp.org/Catalog/TitleDetail.aspx?TID=6760

Described and Captioned Media Program members may borrow a copy of the DVD or may view the title via streaming from the DCMP Web site. However, in order to encourage the widest circulation and use of the production, anyone else may view it online only here:
http://www.dcmp.org/FlashLanding/SecureFlash.aspx?G=33595

********************************************************

DEAF SPRINTER WINS RIGHT TO VISUAL 'STARTER GUN'

Dewi Cooke September 15, 2011

AN 11-YEAR-OLD deaf athlete will be allowed to compete in a national sports competition using a visual prompt instead of a starter's gun after he took his case to the Australian Human Rights Commission. In an outcome closely watched by disability rights groups and Victoria's own government school sports body, Brisbane sprinter Sekou Kanneh will compete this week at the School Sport Australia Primary Track and Field Exchange in Darwin after School Sport Australia agreed to provide a visual prompt for him. Kanneh placed second in the 100 metre and 200 metre events in the Queensland track and field championships last month, but relied on watching other competitors to know when the race gun had fired. School Sport Australia initially refused to provide the additional prompt but agreed to it after meeting with representatives from Deaf Sports Australia in the commission on Monday.

Disability advocate Julie Phillips said the decision was important. ''Whenever you have a precedent, it means that the next person who has the same request refers to that precedent and any sensible organisation or person will see that the writing is on the wall,'' she said.

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/436p8b2

********************************************************

WEBSITES

Math Moves U
http://www.mathmovesu.com/
This site was Cool Site of the Day for September 12, 2011. It is designed to engage middle school students in math and science through interactive learning programs, contests, live events, scholarships, and more.

U Tech Tips Wiki
http://wiki.utechtips.com/
This site has software recommendations for educators. See a piece of software that you use and love not listed? Add it by clicking on the easyedit button on the appropriate page. There are recommendations for Macs, Windows, Linux, Internet-based apps, and Firefox extensions.

Imagination Soup
http://imaginationsoup.net/
This blog writer has entries several times a week on topics she feels are interesting – especially about reading and writing, book recommendations, education and learning issues, imaginative play, and products that make learning fun.

Energy Balance
http://energybalance101.com/
Too many children today are at risk for serious diseases at an early age. They need resources and leadership to maintain a balance between the energy they consume and the energy they expend through physical activity. Energy Balance: 101 is based on that foundation, offering communities the guidance they need to support children.

SUBWAY'S RANDOM ACTS OF FITNESS
http://www.subwaykids.com/grownups/classroom/RandomActsOfFitness.aspx
You can still take register and take part in the fun, and even host your own Field Day! Mini-field day activities along with Field Day prep info are available. Register today to get your free kit in the mail or visit the website for downloadables.

********************************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
http://conta.cc/ushertrng
• September 21: Ft Myers, FL
• October 19: Jacksonville, FL
• November 3: Lake Mary, FL
• November 17: Tampa, FL
• Date TBD: Chipley, FL

Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/Working+With+the+Experts
Session 1: Deaf Literacy with Connie Mayer
October 7-8, 2011
Session 2: Make & Take for the Itinerant Teacher
November 19-20
Session 3: Advocacy & Protection to Enhance Teaching, Learning, and Performance of Students
Who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
December 3-4
Session 4: TLC: Teaching Language to Children—A Communication Curriculum for D/HH Children
December 9-10

FEHI
http://fehi.org
November 4-5, 2011
Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, FL

FETC
http://fetc.org
January 23-26, 2012
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

*****************************************************

September 9, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-09-09T14:55:02-04:00

Contents:

Notes
DOE Survey
Focus Groups
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

This is a short Tech Notes, but I wanted to share this DOE Survey as soon as possible. It is very important that teachers of the deaf and teachers of the blind complete this survey. Please complete it and also share with others that may not subscribe to Tech Notes.

*************************************

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SURVEY

The Florida Department of Education needs your help gathering information regarding online learning opportunities for students with sensory impairments. House Bill 7191 requires all high school students, starting with this year's ninth graders, have at least one high school course completed through online learning for graduation.

Anticipating access concerns, we are looking for information from teachers assisting students with sensory impairments. Please forward this survey on to any teachers you feel would be able to give any input into students with sensory impairments. Knowing the knowledge these teachers currently have, and what training they need, will be valuable for discretionary projects. Knowing how students currently take these courses, and what works and what doesn't, will be valuable to the companies trying to offer accessible online courses to districts.

Your feedback is very valuable. The survey will close September 23rd.

To begin the survey, click the link.

http://www.cvent.com/d/bcqjfq

Thank you. Your time is appreciated.

*************************************

FOCUS GROUPS

Between now and the new year, OSBD, in collaboration with FLDOE, will be conducting a series of focus groups with ESE directors. The focus groups have been developed to look at the state of education for children who are deaf/hard or hearing or blind/visually impaired. The purpose of these focus groups is to develop a better understanding of the issues, concerns, and successes for these students, what issues, trends, and concerns that districts have for the future in educating these children, and what the needs of the districts are and will be in educating these students.

Every ESE Director is being asked to participate in one of these meetings. If you cannot attend, please send someone from your district who can speak for the district on these topics. The meetings will run about two hours, and are scheduled from 10:00 AM to noon at each location.

Currently, there are seven focus groups planned. Here are the following dates and locations, as well as which districts are being requested to attend which meetings. (There is also a list attached in case you aren't able to read the following table.)

*************************************

WEBSITES

Have Fun Teaching
http://www.havefunteaching.com/
This site is a teacher resource that is free for everyone! Have Fun Teaching is updated on a daily basis with new worksheets, songs, videos, flash cards, coloring pages, fun activities and blog articles released every day.

Teachers With Apps
http://teacherswithapps.com/
This blog discusses new iPad apps that work well in classrooms.

i-Itch
http://www.i-itch.com/
For those of you that work with preschool children, this blog discusses apps that "develop and delight".

Signing Savvy Teaching Tips
http://www.signingsavvy.com/blog/teachingtips
This blog is part of a series of Teaching Tips for teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. However, many of the ideas would work well in ANY teaching situation where you are working with children and parents (families).

Deaf World as Eye See It
http://www.deafeyeseeit.com/
This blog consists of the collection of blogs and vlogs created by Amy Cohen Efron. DEAF WORLD AS EYE SEE IT will allow you to join Amy’s observations of “DEAF WORLD” through her “EYE”, and find out how Amy “SEES IT” as absurd and funny! Watch her witty, knee-slapping funny, thought-provoking, serious and sometimes, controversial commentaries.
*************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE Discussion Re: Test Equity for Students who are D/HH
http://www.pepnet.org/cal.asp
September 16, 2011
Valencia College West Campus, Orlando, FL

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
http://conta.cc/ushertrng
• September 21: Ft Myers, FL
• October 19: Jacksonville, FL
• November 3: Lake Mary, FL
• November 17: Tampa, FL
• Date TBD: Chipley, FL

Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Session 1: Deaf Literacy with Connie Mayer
October 7-8, 2011
Location to be Determined
More information later ...

FEHI
http://fehi.org
November 4-5, 2011
Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, FL

*************************************

September 6, 2011

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-09-06T14:50:34-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Signing Interactive: Online Sign Language Courses Available!
Regional Roundtable Discussion Re: Test Equity for Students who are D/HH
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Are you using an iPad in your classroom? We would be glad to talk to you about ways to use them and apps that we really like.

Rena Carney and I created this site to share resources about iPads.

- < https://sites.google.com/site/ipads4fdlrs/home >

We also have some resources on our wiki.

- < https://rmtc.wikispaces.com/iPads+%26+iTouches+in+the+Classroom >

Kathy Schrock has created a great iPad site: iPads in the Classroom

- < https://sites.google.com/site/schrockipad/ >

I just realized that the Google search tool on the front page of our website isn't working. I'll try to figure out what the problem is. Also, don't forget to share with new teachers that they can subscribe to Tech Notes on our front page. < http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us >

Don't forget our September page. There are resources for National Hispanic Heritage Month and Constitution Day. < http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/monthly/sept.html >
This year's student contests focus on the theme, "Celebrating Hispanic Leaders in Business — Past, Present, and Future". Information about the contests and Florida's Hispanic Heritage is available on Florida's HIspanic Heritage Month website. < http://www.floridahispanicheritage.com/ >

*************************************

USHER SYNDROME SCREENING TRAINING

http://conta.cc/ushertrng

There is nothing new concerning the Florida Usher's Training. Be aware that every deaf/hard-of-hearing student is required to be tested for Usher's between grades 6 and 12. Of course it is best to test them as early as possible so that they can start getting help if needed. Please check the link to the site above for information. Click on the site in your area to register. You should check with the ESE Coordinator from your district before registering. It would be best to have a team of three from each district: a teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing, a teacher of the visually impaired, and a nurse. At least one person from every district should attend. Participants will be reimbursed for mileage over 50 miles round-trip for up to three participants per district. Additional participants from each district will be at the district's expense. This training will provide hands-on training and the materials needed to complete the screening in their districts.

*************************************

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS: DEAF/HARD OF HEARING (WWE: D/HH)

The WWE session for October 7-8 will be held at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. We are hoping to also have it telecast to two remote locations. We will have more details about this soon.

This is the topic of the workshop and bios for the two presenters:

New(?) Answers to Old Questions: Literacy Development in DHH Learners
Dr. Connie Mayer & Dr. Beverly Trezek

In this two-day workshop, participants will be introduced to a framework for understanding literacy learning (i.e., reading and writing) in deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals. Answers to long-standing questions about the nature of literacy development and effective instructional strategies will be explored with an emphasis on considering the changing context in the field (i.e., UNHS, cochlear implants, evidence-based practice). Instructional strategies for teaching reading and writing across the age and grade range will also be presented and demonstrated. Data from recent studies on the literacy achievements of learners with cochlear implants and those in bilingual settings will also be discussed.

Dr. Connie Mayer, Ed.D. Associate Professor, York University-Toronto
Dr. Mayer is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at York University in Toronto, Canada where she works in the graduate programs in both Education and Linguistics, and in the teacher preparation program in the education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) students. Prior to joining York, Dr. Mayer worked for more than twenty years in the field as a consultant, administrator and teacher at both schools for the deaf and in school boards. She is currently an Associate Editor for the Volta Review and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education and the American Annals of the Deaf. Her current research focuses on written language and literacy development in D/HH learners, early literacy and early intervention, cochlear implantation, bilingualism and models of teacher education. She has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters on these topics, and presented at more than ninety national and international conferences. In 2007, her article "Can the Linguistic Interdependence Theory support a Bilingual-Bicultural Model of Literacy Education for Deaf Students?" published in the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education was selected by Oxford University Press as one of the seminal papers published in the past century.

Dr. Beverly Trezek, Ph.D. Associate Professor, DePaul University-Chicago
Dr. Trezek is an Assistant Professor of Special Education and the director of the Reading Specialist: Reading and Learning Disabilities program at DePaul University. Dr. Trezek has more than twelve years of experience working as a cross-categorical special education teacher and a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing in the K-12 public school setting. Her research interests focus on reading instruction for beginning and struggling readers with a particular emphasis on investigating the role that phonemic awareness and phonics play in the development of literacy skills for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Dr. Trezek has recently published articles in Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, American Annals of the Deaf, Behavioral Disorders, The Clearing House, Theory Into Practice, Journal of Balanced Reading Instruction and International Journal of Inclusive Education and is the lead author of the book Reading and Deafness: Theory, Research and Practice.

*************************************

SIGNING INTERACTIVE: ONLINE SIGN LANGUAGE COURSES AVAILABLE!

Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with deaf children in Florida! No experience necessary!

Next sessions start the week of September 19th

(Click here for more information and to register)
< http://technology.fsdb.k12.fl.us/distance-learning/sign-language-interactive/ >

Richard Flores
Coordinator of Distance Learning
Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-2614 V
(904) 827-2338 F

*************************************

Your Georgia/Florida PEPNet-South Outreach Site
INVITES YOU
to a
REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE Discussion
Re: Test Equity for Students who are
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(this is a free training activity)

Hosted by
Valencia College
West Campus
1800 Kirkman Road
Orlando, Florida

When: FRIDAY, September 16, 2011; 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Where: Valencia College, West Campus – 1800 Kirkman Road, Orlando, Florida
Professional Development Awards may be available to participants from Georgia and Florida to help defray the costs of travel. Please contact Katherine Bruni if you are interested in a PDA to attend this training.
What Is a REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE Discussion?
This Regional Roundtable will focus on Test Equity issues:

Understanding English and How to Explain it to Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing; teaching reading/writing/English to students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
PEPNet’s 2008 Test Equity Summit and Outcomes
Interpreting TESTS ??

We will also benefit from a Student Panel that will discuss the academic challenges of going to college.
Trainers will present information and share resources. Trainers will also be available to answer your specific questions and discuss your concerns in a question and answer session.

The general purpose of a REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE is to disseminate information and resources and to provide professional development regarding services, accommodations, and education for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Roundtables allow professionals in a specific region the opportunity to discuss Deaf/Hard of Hearing services, network with colleagues, and to become familiar with national and regional resources. PEPNet welcomes the opportunity to offer training, answer your questions, and to discuss technology use activities regarding students and clients who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. All postsecondary and secondary systems, as well as other professionals, are welcome to attend the Regional Roundtable on September 16, 2011.
Completion of the Registration Form below will reserve a seat for you at the REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Katherine Bruni. Katherine is the PEPNet-South Outreach Specialist for Florida/Georgia. katherine.bruni@pepnet.org
404-406-8194 cell/TEXT/voice/office,FACETIME; 770-928-6785 tdd ONLY; 770-928-9929 fax.

The Florida/Georgia PEPNet-SOUTH Outreach Site is part of a federal grant PEPNet (Postsecondary Education Programs Network.) We provide 1. training and professional development, 2. technical assistance (we answer your questions,) 3. technology use activities, and 4. materials regarding services, accommodations, and education to people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in postsecondary institutions and high schools. Your GA/FL PEPNet-SOUTH Outreach Site is a free resource. Visit our web site: www.PEPNet.org

*************************************

WEBSITES

iWork 4 School
http://www.iwork4school.com/
iWork for School is a resource for iWork users (Apple's Pages, Numbers, and Keynote) who find themselves in and around schools. There are loads of templates to fit your needs and they are 100% free. Whether you're a colege student, teacher, or parent you'll be able to find the iWork templates you need on iwork4school.com!

Animaps
http://www.animaps.com/
Animaps extends the My Maps feature of Google Maps by letting you create maps with markers that move, images and text that pop up on cue, and lines and shapes that change over time. When you send your Animap to friends it appears like a video - they can play, pause, slow and speed up the action!

Digital Storytelling
http://livebinders.com/play/present?id=166980
Jerry Swiatek created this livebinder to share resources about digital storytelling. We also have resources on this topic on our website < http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/tutorials/photostory.html >.

TitanPad
http://titanpad.com/
TitalPad lets you create a notepad to use simultaneously with other users. Each user is color-coded. Students can work in teams from different computers, or even from each of their homes. It's a great tool, and easy to use!

Marzano's Instructional Strategies
http://www.tltguide.ccsd.k12.co.us/instructional_tools/Strategies/Strategies.html
This site is based on the research from Classroom Instruction that Works, by Robert J. Marzano, Debra J. Pickering, and Jane E. Pollock. These authors have examined decades of research to determine which teaching strategies have positive effects on student learning. To learn more about these strategies, click on Building Better Instruction by Kathy Brabec, Kim Fisher, and Howard Pitler. Another article, Focus on Instruction, by NREL, gives K - 12 examples of classroom activities. The activities on this site above offer technology resources to give students the opportunity to increase their academic achievement.

Makes Sense Strategies
http://www.graphicorganizers.com/
These research-based graphic organizers are available to purchase, but there are lots of free samples you can download if you register.

Catlin Tucker
http://catlintucker.com/
This is the blog for an Honors English Teacher, but is great to follow no matter what you teach. She discusses a lot of online tools and classroom strategies.

Math Dude's Quick & Dirty Tips to Make Math Easier
http://mathdude.quickanddirtytips.com/
This is another great blog to follow. There are a lot of ads on the page, but the content of his blog is great. Some of his recent topics are: Can a math problem have more than one answer?; How to use Venn diagrams to solve problems; How to add quickly; and, What are numerators and denominators?

*************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE Discussion Re: Test Equity for Students who are D/HH
http://www.pepnet.org/cal.asp
September 16, 2011
Valencia College West Campus, Orlando, FL

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
http://conta.cc/ushertrng
• September 21: Ft Myers, FL
• October 19: Jacksonville, FL
• November 3: Lake Mary, FL
• November 17: Tampa, FL
• Date TBD: Chipley, FL

Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Session 1: Deaf Literacy with Connie Mayer
October 7-8, 2011
Location to be Determined
More information later ...

FEHI
http://fehi.org
November 4-5, 2011
Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, FL

*************************************

Welcome Back to School!

ezzell_k@firn.edu — 2011-08-24T14:03:00-04:00

Contents:

Notes
Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
MATA-Sign Language Media EXPO 2011 - Florida
Download YouTube Movies
Websites
Save these Dates!

?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?ø?º°`°º?ø,¸¸,ø?º°`°º?

NOTES

Welcome back to school! I think everyone is probably back in the groove by now. I hope you all had a wonderful summer. Please remember that Nada, Brian, and I are here to support you in any way that we can. Contact us!!!

Notice the two names I've added to our header above. Last year, we joined our services with FSDB's Outreach Services for Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) and Blind/Visually Impaired (BVI). They had previously been working in small and rural districts only, but are now expanding their services. Diana is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist and Visual Education Specialist for BVI. Mark works with parents and families of both BVI and DHH. Contact them if you have any questions or need any support.

Don't forget our August resources page. There are links to lots of Back-to-School Resources here!
http://rmtc.fsdb.k12.fl.us/monthly/aug.html

*************************************

USHER SYNDROME SCREENING TRAINING

http://conta.cc/ushertrng

In June, I told you about our upcoming Usher's Syndrome Trainings. We had to postpone our August training in Chipley. We are still looking for a date for that session, but all other sessions have been set up. Please check the link to the site above for information. Click on the site in your area to register. You should check with the ESE Coordinator from your district before registering. It would be best to have a team of three from each district: a teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing, a teacher of the visually impaired, and a nurse. At least one person from every district should attend. Participants will be reimbursed for mileage over 50 miles round-trip for up to three participants per district. Additional participants from each district will be at the district's expense.

*************************************

WORKING WITH THE EXPERTS: DEAF/HARD OF HEARING (WWE: D/HH)

We are working on dates and presenters for Working with the Experts, but the first was has been confirmed. Mark October 7 and 8 on your calendars. Connie Mayer from York University in Toronto will be speaking about Deaf Literacy. You can read a bio for Connie Mayer here: http://edu.apps01.yorku.ca/profiles/main/mayer-connie

Look for more information about WWE: D/HH in future Tech Notes. I will let you know as soon as we are ready to accept registrations.

Note: You do NOT have to attend all of the WWE sessions. Also, you do NOT have to obtain permission from your District Coordinator.

*************************************

MATA-SIGN LANGUAGE MEDIA EXPO 2011 - FLORIDA
http://www.mataexpo.com/fl

September 17, 2011 | Saturday | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Hall B | Osceola Heritage Park
1901 Chief Osceola Trail, Kissimmee, FL 34744

FREE ADMISSION! BEFORE September 7, 2011
Please register for your free pass ticket at the site given above.

Activities:
Social Gatherings.
Amazing booths.
ASL comedy shows and games
Raffle prizes contest. Chance to win!

Please email info@mataexpo.com or fax 951 346 5678 for more information.

MATA-Sign Language Media EXPO 2011 is coming back!!! MATA EXPO 2010 (Ontario Convention Center on November 5-6, 2010) was a huge success event and attracted to 7,123 participants.

"As the ever expanding US Deaf market continues to evolve and its purchasing power increases year after year, understanding its cultural factor, their unique behavior market, and utilizing the adequate mediums and technologies becomes key when targeting this market. Some of the approaches that have been successful include the use of social networking and affiliate marketing". This event mirrors society's increased awareness of Deaf people's media-tech-culture needs

About MATA EXPO

'MATA' means 'See you later or again" in the Japanese language and "Eyes" in tagalog language. Mata is a symbolic word "visual concept + small world" in the Deaf-related community.

MATA EXPO is considered one of the nation's largest multicultural marketing events in US Deaf history. It is an opportunity for companies, organizations, and individuals with talents to show off their deaf/hard-of-hearing products to thousands of people at once and make announcements about new products and services. It is also a showcase for deaf performing artists in various media types (deaf films, deaf celebrities and cultural arts presented from US nationwide and International). MATA EXPO empowers Deaf Culture, Diversity, and Media Technology.

A paramount emphasis will be on the changes and progress made in quality of life for Deaf-related, Deaf and Hard-of -hearing consumers.

Part of the show's focus will be a celebration of society's increasing awareness of the needs of the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing. Included will be a detailed look at the recent legislation passed and written into laws that positively impact the quality of life for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing.

Open to the public, the show targets not only Deaf people but also their employers, friends and family, government and nonprofit organizations, as well as students enrolled in sign language and Deaf culture classes.

*************************************

DOWNLOADING YOUTUBE MOVIES

I've talked about downloading YouTube movies before, but there are always changes.

Zamzar - http://zamzar.com/
You can paste the URL (web address) for the YouTube video you want to download in Step 1 (click on URL first). Be aware that you are limited to converting files that are less than 100 mb unless you subscribe to a paid plan. In Step 2, click on the drop-down menu. Scroll down to the video formats. If you have QuickTime and/or iTunes (free for both Mac and Windows), you can play .mov, .m4v, or .mp4 files. You can play .wmv files on Windows, and some Macs (use the free VLC player or QuickTime if you have the correct plugin). iPads use .mp4 files only. You can also choose iPhone or iPad from the list. Put your email address in Step 3. Click the Convert button in Step 4. They will email you when your file is complete. Click on the link in your email to download the file.

RealPlayer Downloader - http://www.real.com/
I've started using this method to download videos. When you download RealPlayer, you can also get RealPlayer Downloader. In RealPlayer, go to Window and choose Open RealPlayer Downloader. I usually just keep this running at all times. Anytime I watch a movie in YouTube, it shows up in RealPlayer Downloader. I can then click on 'Download' in the Downloader. It downloads the file to a RealPlayer Downloads folder inside my Movies folder.
[Note: This is how it works on a Mac. I assume it works the same in Windows. I will try it when I get a chance, and let you know if it's different.]

After you use one of thee methods to download your file, you can transfer the file to a flash drive or whatever way is best for you to take it to school with you.

*************************************

WEBSITES

Google Squared
http://www.google.com/squared
Have you seen this Google tool? This tool is in beta, and they are going to phase it out on September 5. So think of any search tools you might want to use, and try it. You can export them as CSV files, and import into Microsoft Excel. Or you can export it directly to Google Docs (Spreadsheet). How do you use Google Squared? Go to the site and type in your search term ... like "dinosaurs". Google Squared AUTOMATICALLY builds a table for you with the Name, Image, Description, Class, Genus, Phylum, and Kingdom. You can even add your own columns, or delete columns you don't want. Try it!!!
Here are some that I made. You can use them in Google Docs, or download to use in Excel.

Planets - http://tinyurl.com/3t6edq8
US States - http://tinyurl.com/3k742o7
Continents - http://tinyurl.com/3k742o7
Countries - http://tinyurl.com/423jbsw

Quizlet
http://quizlet.com/

Quizlet is the largest flash cards and study games website with over 6 million free sets of flashcards covering every possible subject. It's the best place to play educational games, memorize vocabulary and study online. And it's FREE!

Word Walls
http://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/reading/wordwall.htm
This page explains word walls, and has many pictures to give you ideas.
More Resources for Word Walls

- http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/wordwall/
- http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4380
- http://www.abcteach.com/directory/teaching_extras/word_walls/
- http://www.teachingfirst.net/wordwall.htm
- http://edhelper.com/word_walls.htm
- http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson328.shtml
- http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/ese/PDF/MathWordWall.pdf (PDF File)
- http://mrsmcgowan.com/flashcards/all_words.html
- http://www.ndreadon.com/wordwall.htm

All Kids Network
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/
All Kids Network is a network of websites dedicated to providing fun and educational activities for parents and teachers to do with their kids. There are hundreds of kids craft ideas, kids worksheets, printable kids activities and more. So far, there are two main sites - allkidsnetwork.com and kidslearningstation.com. Kids Learning Station is the website dedicated to printable learning worksheets for kids.

Khan Academy
http://www.khanacademy.org/
Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that has created a library of over 2,400 FREE videos covering everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and 125 practice exercises. Unlike the last time I checked this site, the videos seem to be all captioned. Unfortunately, the videos are stored on YouTube's server. This means they may be blocked in your school/district. Check the Downloading YouTube section above for information about downloading the videos at home.

The School Bell
http://www.theschoolbell.com/
The School Bell has a lot of great information for elementary teachers. Check the pages on word walls, word games, number families, and Dolch words. There are also links for theme-based topics: science, dinosaurs, penguins, snow, etc.

50+ Web 2.0 Ways to Tell a Story
http://50ways.wikispaces.com/
This great wiki walks you through ways to tell a story, and links to many different online tools to do it.

Web 2.0: Cool Tools for School
http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/
This wiki introduces you to lots of Web 2.0 tools arranged by type of tool. Some of the tools have links to demos or tutorials. Great collection!

Free Technology4Teachers
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
Free Technology4Teachers is one of my favorite sites. On this blog, they regularly review and share information about online resources.

Reading Is Fundamental
Check these sites for some online stories.

Leading to Reading (Ages 0-5)

- http://www.rif.org/kids/leadingtoreading/en/leadingtoreading.htm

Semillitas de Aprendizaje (Spanish version of Leading to Reading)

- http://www.rif.org/kids/leadingtoreading/es/leadingtoreading.htm

Reading Planet (Ages 6-15)

- http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet.htm

Leamos en Familia (Spanish version of Let's Read as a Family)

- http://www.rif.org/kids/leer/es/leerhome.htm

Let's Read as a Family

- http://www.rif.org/kids/leer/en/leerhome_english.htm

WatchKnowLearn
http://www.watchknowlearn.org/
WatchKnowLearn has indexed over 20,000 educational videos, placing them into a directory of over 3,000 categories. The videos are available without any registration or fees to teachers in the classroom and to students at home 24/7. Users can dive into their innovative directory or search for videos by subject and age level. Video titles, descriptions, age level information, and ratings are all edited for usefulness. [Note: These videos come from all over the Internet. Some may be captioned, but most are not.]

Flubaroo
http://www.flubaroo.com/
Flubaroo is a free tool that helps you quickly grade multiple-choice or fill-in-blank assignments. It works in conjunction with Google Docs. Besides being a grading tool, it computes average assignment scores; computes average scores per question, and flags low-scoring questions; shows you a grade distribution graph; and, gives you the option to email each student their grade with an answer key. The site gives step-by-step directions. Try it!

Socrative
http://www.socrative.com/
Would you like to have student response systems for your classroom, but don't have the money? Socrative is a smart student response system that empowers teachers to engage their classrooms through a series of educational exercises and games via smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

Homeschool Creations
http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/2011/08/animal-classification-cards-before-five.html
The Homeschool Creations blog has some free Animal Classification cards that you can download and print out (August 23, 2011 entry).

Before Five in a Row
http://homeschoolcreations.com/BeforeFiveinaRow.html
This page is from the Homeschool Creations site above. She has created activity packs for 23 literature-based studies (some aren't finished yet). Some of these books may be some you're using in your classrooms: Caps for Sale, Angus Lost, Blueberries for Sale, The Snowy Day, etc).

Geography Resources
http://homeschoolcreations.com/Geography.html
This page is also from the Homeschool Creations site. Click on the country names under "Printables by Country" to find available printables and lesson plans. Go further down the page to find printable sheets for notetaking and research factsheets.

DotToDots.net
http://www.dottodots.net/
DotToDots.net Puzzles has 125 free downloadable dot-to-dot puzzles. You can choose puzzles that include animals, buildings, transportation, and more from nearly a dozen different categories. They're all available for free, and all you need is a copy of Adobe Acrobat or any other application that lets you open and print PDF files, and you're in business. You can download individual puzzles and activities for free, or you can download the entire collection all at once for $9.00.

*************************************

SAVE THESE DATES!

Usher's Syndrome Screening Training
http://conta.cc/ushertrng
• September 21: Ft Myers, FL
• October 19: Jacksonville, FL
• November 3: Lake Mary, FL
• November 17: Tampa, FL
• Date TBD: Chipley, FL

Working with the Experts: Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Session 1: Deaf Literacy with Connie Mayer
October 7-8, 2011
Location to be Determined
More information later ...

FEHI
http://fehi.org
November 4-5, 2011
Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, FL

*************************************

My RSS Feed

May 9, 2013

April 26, 2013

April 4, 2013

March 22, 2013

Free to family members and professionals communicating and working directly with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children in the state of Florida!No experience necessary!

“…I really enjoyed the two classes I took with you. You are an excellent teacher. Thank you again.”“…the entire course was fantastic and I truly look forward to furthering my ASL education with you and your team!”

“The practice with other students.”

“The video follow up from the lesson Interaction during the lesson.”

“Teacher’s patience and clear delivery.”

“That I can review what we learned in the video messages.”

“The face-to-face teaching and the ability to see classmates and the ~teacher. Also, the convenience of being able to be home.”

“I like how the teacher was very kind and patient with us and was very likeable. ~I was able to relax and learn better.”

“Lots of teachable moments! I liked the instructor’s explanations based on her experience & her flexibility in answering questions.”

“I really like the teacher’s attitude and willingness to help us when we are so lost. I like to use the most simple words daily when I go to work and at home to practice. It does takes away some of the stress we live daily.”

March 7, 2013

March 4, 2013

February 13, 2013

January 25, 2013

January 10, 2013

December 18, 2012

December 7, 2012

November 12, 2012

October 30, 2012

October 23, 2012

September 28, 2012

September 4, 2012

August 23, 2012

August 16, 2012

May 25, 2012 - Survey

May 21, 2012

May 4, 2012

April 11, 2012

April 20, 2012

March 19, 2012

March 2, 2012

February 22, 2012

February 1, 2012

December 15, 2011

December 8, 2011

Working with the Experts Reminder

November 16, 2011

October 18, 2011

September 23, 2011

September 9, 2011

September 6, 2011

Welcome Back to School!