After the goal I set for myself in my last blog I’m starting to understand why in my four years of teaching and actively seeking an answer to this question I’ve not yet found a solution (not that I’m giving up). After a great deal of searching, the same program kept coming up as a solution for kids with expressive language disorders: Kidspiration. Towards the middle of the page on this site http://www.synapseadaptive.com/learning_disorders.html there is a brief outline on the various types of language disorders (articulation, expressive and reception which are just to name a few). The site then provides a link to Visual Thinking Software which is this site http://www.synapseadaptive.com/inspiration/default.htm discussing Inspiration.
I must say I am a bit disappointed and not because Inspiration and Kidspiration aren’t fantastic programs—they truly are. I use Kidspiration in my classroom already and kids enjoy it. I should actually say that some kids enjoy it because others, the same that I keep in mind when searching for writing programs, are completely frustrated by it. The blank screen stays blank until they get direct assistance. If they work with a peer, the peer ends up doing it for them. Pre-made graphic organizers remain blank as well. I routinely get the question, “What am I supposed to put here?” And before any reader thinks I leave my students directionless, please let me assure you I typically spend 2-3 class periods preparing for writing before asking students to put the first word on paper. We go through an extensive process of brain storming and modeling. It works well for probably 85% of them. I still have a few that are unable to produce a single sentence. Kidspiration doesn’t help them. So what now? More searching.
1 comment:
Well, it is pretty difficult to use a product like Kidspiration when the students do not understand what to put in the blanks of the graphic organizer. I use Kidspiration and like to use it with partners using the mobile lab. Having the older students to help the younger students solves the problem of not knowing what to do. Hope your search helps you find something that works. i am going out of town for a few days, I'll have access to our group but when I return I am going to ask some of the teachers at our school if they know of anything that would help with you project.
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