Teacher Assistant Professional

Development DaySupporting Students with Visual

Impairments with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Kathy Wood (TVI/O&M Specialist)

October 20, 2014

Common Board ConfigurationDate: October 20, 2014

LAFS.5.RL.4.AP.10b Use a variety of strategies to derive meaning from a variety of texts.LAFS.3.RI.1.AP.2a Determine the main idea of text read, read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively and orally.

Bell Ringer: Imagine what it’s like to be visually impaired. Wear impairment glasses.

Essential Question: How do I place photos or picture symbols in Go Talk Now and print with speech?

Common Language: Go Talk Now, Visually Impaired, Photo, Picture, record

Objective: Place 1-4 pictures and recorded voice or synthesized voice in a lesson.

Agenda:

I DO Overview of VI. Guided Lesson with Classroom teacher’s current lesson.

WE DO Create a page and Create 1-4 picture symbols with speech on a page.

YOU DO Create a page with 4 picture symbols with speech for current lesson. Summarizing Activity: Use teacher created lesson & place pictures and speech in Go Talk Now for VI students

Next Steps:Implement what you’ve learned in the classroom to assist the teacher with a visually impaired student or other students too who benefit from auditory feedback.

Learning Goals: Participants will be able to place pictures and recording in Go Talk Now to provide assistance with materials for VI students

Lake County Schools

Vision Statement

• A dynamic, progressive and collaborative learning community embracing change and diversity where every student will graduate with the skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education and the workplace.

 

Mission Statement

• The mission of the Lake County Schools is to provide every student with individual opportunities to excel.

• Lake County Schools is committed to excellence in all curricular opportunities and instructional best practices. This focus area addresses closing the achievement gap, increased graduation rate, decreased dropout rate, increase in Level 3 and above scores on the FCAT, achieving an increase in the number of students enrolled in advanced placement and dual enrollment opportunities and implementing the best practices in instructional methodology.

Lake County Schools College and Career Readiness

Instructional FrameworkKey Performance

IndicatorsSchool

Improvement Plan

Florida Standards

Professional Learning

Community

FCIM MTSS LESSON STUDY

Personalized Learning

Desired Student Outcomes

Statement of Work

Content Cultural Behavior

Process Interventions Capacity Building

Autonomy of Learning

1.Increase proficiency rates on FLKRS/ECHOES & FAIR (PreK - 2nd grade) 2.Increase proficiency rates on ELA and Math FL Standards Assessment3.Increase proficiency rates on FCAT 2.0 Science4. Increase proficiency rates on EOC’s Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology, Civics and US History5. Increase participation and performance in rigorous course work (Honors, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment and Industry Certification)6. Increase participationand performance on PERT, SAT and ACT7. Increase AMOpercentages for allsubgroups (Achievement Gap)8. Increase the graduation rate9. Increase attendance rate10. Decrease disciplinary infractions

The School Improvement Plan (SIP) is the written plan of how we will reach our goals each year. The critical elements include:Organize:Stakeholders plan and assess needs based on data.Plan:Stakeholders set goals and objectives, identify strategies and measures of success.Implement:Implement activities and monitor progress.Sustain:Identify success of current plan, evaluate and adjust to sustain growth.

Florida Standards are a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA). These standards outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. 6 Key Elements for Instruction:1. Knowledge and Use of Florida Standards2. Common and Collaborative Planning Time3. Interdisciplinary Content Integration4. Frequency of Project-Based Learning5. Student Collaboration6. Integrated Technology

The guiding principles of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) govern the behavior of our school professionals. The big ideas are:

Focus on Learning: All students can learn and we are responsible to ensure learning occurs.Focus on Collaborative Culture: Time is specifically reserved for collaboration on teaching and learning.Focus on Results:Effectiveness is measured by results, not intent.

The Florida’s Continuous Improvement Model (FCIM) is a systematic process for planning, teaching, assessing and re-evaluating results. It is the road map that directs our actions. Plan Do Check Act

Multi-Tiered System of Supports is a problem solving model that represents the integration of MTSS for academics and MTSS for behavior into a unified model of service. The basic problem-solving components include:1. Problem Identification2. Problem Analysis3. Intervention Design4. Response to Instruction/ Intervention

Lesson Study provides a structure for teachers to collaboratively plan lessons share, observe, record and analyze data to improve instruction. The key concepts are:1. Collaborative Planning2. Lesson Observation by Teachers3. Data Collection and Analysis Guided by Student Thinking, Learning, Engagement and Behavior4. Reflection, Refinement and Re-teaching as Necessary

Personalized Learning (PL) is a system that cultivates independence and self-governance of learning expectations through the expansion of choice and inclusion of voice in a flexible learning environment.PL Key Elements:1. Student-directed Learning2.Learner Profiles and Paths 3. Competency-based Learning4. Flexible Learning Environments5. Structures of Accountability, Continuous Improvement and Innovation

PDCA Instructional Cycle

PLAN

ACT

DO

CHECK

• Data Disaggregation

• Calendar Development• Direct Instructional

Focus

• Tutorials

• Enrichment

• Assessment

• Maintenance

• Monitoring

21st Century Skills Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap

1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving2. Collaboration and Leadership3. Agility and Adaptability4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism5. Effective Oral and Written Communication6. Accessing and Analyzing Information7. Curiosity and Imagination

1 Common Cause of Visual Impairment:Cortical Visual Impairment An Overview of Current Knowledge Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

by Tanni L. Anthony, Anchorage, Alaska

Cortical visual impairment (CVI) occurs when there is damage to the visual cortex, or to the posterior visual pathways, or to both places in the brain. The eye generally does not have any internal damage although CVI can also be evident in children who do have ocular damage. The reduction of vision is due to neurological damage which hinders visual stimulation from being organized and interpreted by the brain. It is analogous to an imperfect computer chip which cannot fully process the input from the keyboard.

The diagnosis of cortical visual impairment can be made by an ophthalmologist and/or neurologist.

Each characteristic of CVI may or may not fit an individual child. The information that does “fit” will help parents and teachers to design a home and/or school program that is tailored to each child’s needs.

Visual performance can be quite variable, simply put, some days are better than others. Visual functioning can even change from hour to hour with some children. Factors which might influence the fluctuation include: fatigue, noisy environments, illness, medications, seizure activity, and unfamiliarity of environment.

Movement cues, especially in the peripheral fields can often stimulate a visual response. Visual interpretation of the environment may be improved for some children when they are actually moving as opposed to standing still. Parents of some children with CVI have reported improved visual responsiveness when the child is riding in a car.

Color vision does not seem to be affected. In fact, some colors appear to be “better received” that others such as red, orange, and purple.

Reduce extraneous sensory information from the child’s “working/playing environment”. Eliminate unnecessary noise or visual distractions. Present one item at a time as much as possible.

The use of touch should be a primary means of introducing information. Continue to place the objects of daily care or “learning activities” in the child’s hand when presenting the item.

Language is very important for information about the object or visual situation. Use labels that include description words. Tell the child what she/he is “seeing”. Voice intonation is important as far as providing meaning to a situation. When disciplining, for example, a firm voice should be used to match the words being used.

Familiarity is also an extremely important consideration. Parent and teacher experience has shown objects that are familiar often result in increased visual attention to that object as opposed to one that is new to the child. Think about what objects the child is involved with during his/her daily care activities. Make these objects part of his/her vocabulary (touch, function, sight). Examples might include: bottle/cup – drinking bowl/plate/spoon – eating comb – morning grooming washcloth or favorite bath toy –

bathing music toy – bedtime diaper – diaper changes “security toy” – time to go

somewhere outside of the home

Parents and teachers should decide what objects are typically used with the child during everyday activities or routines. To establish familiarity, the same object(s) should be used each time. The object should be visually, tactually, and verbally presented at the onset of the activity and then talked about as the child experiences their function. The exact style of presentation will vary according to each child’s general learning style and needs.

The colors red and yellow are thought to be more readily perceived so may be used to enhance a visual target.

Repetition is important for all children, practice is how they learn to integrate their new knowledge and put it to use. This especially is true for children who experience a sight loss.

Be aware the child might fatigue easily in situations which require visual/auditory/tactile deciphering of information. Build in breaks and allow for extra response time before giving the child more information.

Proper positioning is important for the child. If she/he is not in an aligned or supported body posture, the child cannot fully concentrate on the task at hand. This is true for all children, but especially important for the child with CVI and cerebral palsy. Consultation with a therapist should be utilized to promote optimal positioning.

Each child’s family knows their child the best, their knowledge of what he/she likes, dislikes, etc. should be built into his/her learning activities.

Placing Pictures and Voice for a Lesson in Go Talk Now

• Gather information from teacher/lesson

• Open Go Talk Now

• Edit in Go Talk Now.

• Name the Lesson. Choose 1-25 spaces.

• Find picture symbol or photo in photo gallery.

• Choose text size and background color.

• Place photo in 1-4 spaces. Add voice.

• Press play in Go Talk Now Lesson.

• Test the lesson to see if needs any editing.

• Edit if needed.

• During Lesson pair object with picture symbol or photo

Home Page of Go Talk Now

Edit Page and Page Options

Naming a Page

Edit Page; Page Options, 1 Choice

I choice

2 choices

Edit Page 4 choice Option

9 choice option

16 choice option

25 choice option

How to Add a Page

Adding Speech

Record Audio/Add Speech by

Adding Text

Adding Images/Pictures

Adding Background

Adding Voice

SummaryGather Information from Teacher such as photos

needed or images needed.

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