July 11

Assistive Technology

Webinar on Executive Functioning

 

Notes

·         Frontal Lobe:

o   behaviour regulation and time management

o   CEO or the brain

o   When not functioning the CEO has been replaced by a less competent organiser

o   Think, decide, react (what many students are not able to do)

o   Every psychiatric disorder affects frontal lobe and EF

o   Students cannot see outcomes of the behaviour (the results of my behaviour

·         In school:

o   Teacher scaffolds the process in students who have EF difficulties to break down the process (the surrogate frontal lobe)

o   Creating a high structured learning environment

§  Perhaps the high structure learning environment gets in the way of the students performing, especially when you think of boys and how schools put them in a very inflexible environment.

o   Production requires the use of EF

o   See disorganisation, engagement, time management; often not know how to start an activity

o   EF is involved in every process in reading, writing and math

o   The major affect is during production time (e.g. students independent activities)

o   Structured activities are not so affected because EF not so required

o   Students need activities of production chunking

o   SLP (Ward): during the production phase students need help with prioritising activities, time management, long terms goals, regulating behaviour

·         APPS

o   Thinking

o   Manage time

o   Thinking about thinking

o   Doing (inhibit behaviour)

 

Apps

1.    .Tools for students

a.    Graphic organisers ($0.99)

b.    Audio or type into G.O.

c.    It organises

d.    Use LDC cable on a smartboard and student can collaborate building with the teacher

2.    .Take a chill

a.    For adolescence

b.    ($1.99)

c.    Need gd reading ability

d.    Awareness of the moment

e.    Self regulation activities

f.     Stress indicator

                                          i.    This may actually create stress. It may tell a student that they could be in a stressful situation and get them thinking this way.

3.    .Let panic go!

a.    Gd reading ability and working memory

b.    Very high stress levels

4.    ibooks

a.    Available ibooks that can be interactive

5.    Time Timers

a.    Not enough to follow the child

b.    Expensive

c.    App is ($0.99) and be with the student

This is a great app. I would like to buy and use this. It is something that can be transported from class to class and is less expensive than purchasing the actual time timer. A couple of disadvantages pon time timers are that some students like to watch the time elapse and so get distracted whilst others are stressed by the elapsed time being so visual.

 

6.    ipad calendar

a.    Already installed

b.    Easy to use

Great for anyone trying to get organised with events such as longer trem projects that students have in high school. I have used similar and would use this.

7.    Wait Strip

a.    Reward for completions

b.    Crossing off tasks

c.    ($0.99)

8.    irewards

a.    For younger children

b.    Rewards

c.    Add your own tasks, stars numbers and rewards

d.    Add children to it

e.    People busy on their machines and not interacting with people. All toys and games. I could see the appeal of this app but I don't really like the gaming style of keeping acconts of child behaviour.

f.     Earning and balance chart

9.    Pictello

a.    Voice record, pictures, text

b.    Social stories

c.    Teach role play and prepare for situations

d.    Can be used well with the PEERS Autism program

e.    ($18.99)

This is great for using with students for social stories and I wonder if there is an alternative way to make them or something that is free. I guess using camera or video, voice over, text, book creator could work.

10.  Social skills sampler

a.    Videomodelling

b.    Can also use video where can I save the video and add text and audio to it separately?

11.  Book creator and ibook creator

a.    Storybooks on ibook book shelf

12.  Imove for social stories and video modelling

13.  Sosh

a.    More expensive

b.    Shredder ($0.99) – get thoughts out and shreds these negative thoughts

14.  Sock puppets

a.    Fun social stories

b.    Engaging

I made one immediately and saved it for my family to see and have a laugh about. I loved this. it could be used as a breaker activity for students to greet eachother in a funny way to get to know eachother.

15.  Games

a.    Turn taking

b.    Winning and losing

You cabn learn so much about people when they play games. They way they respond tells you so much. It is a very good oportunity for etting people together, making friends and teaching important social skills (taking turns, winning, losing, sharing, being polite, strategy, etc).

 

Great webinar and lots of useful apps.

 

Simon