Playful Way to Teach Grid Reading or You Sunk My Battleship

So Mudge pulled out my travel Battleship to play this afternoon.  And he tried to explain to me that he "knows how to play it."  But in actuality, this nearly 6 y.o. did not.

Battleship is a classic game.  It started out as a pen and paper a long, long time ago. Then Milton Bradley created the one we know and love today that requires fine motor coordination, letter and number recognition, spatial awareness, and grid reading skills.  Grid reading can be broken down further into following a vertical and horizontal line to the place at which they intersect.  This is not necessarily easy to get.  This is a precursor skill to being able to manage charts and graphs, maps, multiplication tables, or super geeky: plotting points on a Cartesian plane.

Of course, we played. And, of course, he thought it was great to sink my battleship.  But it took time to get there. He needed the demonstration of how to read a grid.  Now that I think of it, Battleship appears to teach plotting a little backwards because you state A,1 for example which is actually the Y axis first. True plotting is x axis first.  If the first number in the ordered pair is positive, move to the right. If it's negative, move to the left. Hmmmmmm. Anyway...

I found a website called FunBrain.com which has little educational games from grade K through 8th, that has some plotting activities.  You can also sign up for Khan Academy.  If you haven't already, Khan Academy is a free website that parents, teachers and students, or anyone for that matter, can test their math IQ then challenge themselves by learning new concepts, or get support in something they are struggling.   This is a PHENOMENAL resource.  The founder of Khan Academy originally just made YouTube videos to help his struggling niece; now it is a educational platform supporting millions of users at home and at school.

So math can FUNdamental, not just mental.  Sometimes you have to look at things outside the quadrilateral parallelogram in order to find the joy….

Oh, and just for a modification, the plastic travel version that I have had no contrast between the raised letters and numbers and the background which made it difficult to read. So I just use a black  permanent marker to highlight the raised alphanumerics.  Result- higher contrast, happier eyes.

Before, no real contrast

After, with contrast

'Appy Hour: ATEval2Go

After hearing about ATEval2Go app on a podcast to which I listen (ATTipsCast, go check it out~) I had to try it.

ATEval2Go is a very comprehensive evaluation app by SmartyEars that allows the user to enter and export data on child/client specific and classroom specific assistive technology needs.  There are some great features:

1. Ability to take and import photos/audio files/video

This is a nice feature for a couple of reasons. If there is a complex set up, sometimes it is nice to take a picture than attempt to describe it.  It also helps to put faces to names, if you happen to work with a lot of clients.

2. Direct access to a data bank with common recommendations, accommodations, modifications, technology, etc

Being new to the ATP evaluation process, I am still learning different kinds of options out in the world. The data banks provided a visual list of things to look for.  So now, I am using it to evaluate classrooms, to see what is available already in it.  It includes accommodations, modifications and available tools that are commonly found in math, reading, composition, organization, sensory based, etc.  This saves time and helps to individualize modifications and accommodations for the IEP. 

3. Ability to save new and commonly used items to the data bank

My school is full of technology. I have customized my data banks with my recommendations and items in use so that future evaluations will be even more quickly completed.

4. Easy to use

It really couldn't be more simple.  Drop down menus, typing capacity, easy delete and add. 

5. Access to a how to video!

If you wondering if this app will be useful for you, or you downloaded it and want to get started, check out SmartyEars YouTube video.

6. Exportability

You have a couple of different options to get the information from the iPad to a printer. You can email it, directly print to an AirPrint enabled printer, and upload to iBooks or iTunes.  So what I have done, is emailed it to myself and then cut and pasted into a Microsoft Word document, usually one of my progress notes or evaluations.  Then I am able to add any other information I wish or need.

Aspects to consider:

1. Cost

This app is expensive.  At $39.99 I was reluctant to purchase it, which is one of the reasons I reached out to the company.  I like to trial lite versions or have access to a free sample before investing in an app of over 5.99; this app is it. There is no lite or option for free trial.

2. iTunes uploading

This app features the ability to upload an evaluation to iTunes file share.  I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I am hesitant to upload client specific information to the cloud, though I am sure it is secure. I just won't do it.

Hopes:

1. I really would love to see an OTEval2Go! I love the comprehensive nature of the evaluation. It is easy to use and could easily see a version that was friendly to the OT evaluator.

2. I also hope for SmartyEars to consider a free trial period or develop a lite version as I am sure I am not the only one hesitant to purchase prior to hands on use.

3. I would love to see additional software items in the pre-determined data bank.  Though I know technology is changing every time I blink, it would be nice to have commonly used software included.  Many of them have built in accessibility options, which again will help guide educators to use recommendations that are already a classroom resource.

Overall, I see ATEval2Go as a very useful tool for the school assistive tech designee, the SLP or the OT.  It helps guide the evaluator, not do it for him/her which is very important for the efficacy of practice.  If this app is something that you would like to have access to, you may want to present the request to your administrator to cover the cost.  Never hurts to ask!

Disclaimer: I received a promo code to provide feedback and my thoughts about it.
This did/does not influence my discussion of the app.

Tech Tip: Using the Clock Timer on your iDevice to Teach "Help"

I'm kinda evil sometimes.  And the other night, I had a 3 am epiphany: Use the Clock Timer to teach the concept of Help.

Many of the students with whom I work are non-verbal and use a picture exchange system to communicate. With any learning experience, repetition is key to learning a new concept.  And help is sometimes a difficult one to teach.  So, you have to set up the opportunity.  With iPads and iPhones pretty prevalent at school and home, this opportunity knocked.  It takes a little finesse, but I tried it with a student with autism with really good results.

First, Create and Set your Passcode, if you haven't already…
Go to General
Then Passcode Lock

Enter an EASY TO REMEMBER passcode and set it to Immediately

Now, can exit out and find your Clock. Go to Timer. Scroll all the way down until you see Stop Playing, and select it.  This will shut off what ever you are doing when the timer goes off instead of playing Waves or Twinkle.

Here is the fun part. Before you hand the iWhatever to the child, set the timer.  I usually just set it for a minute. Then put them into whichever app you chose.

As the child is playing in the app, the timer is going and going.  When the time is done…. it goes to your lock screen. Poof.

I have a picture card of HELP placed near the child and at first had to do some physical prompting.  But eventually, the child will hand me the picture. "Help." When they do, I put in my Passcode.  But before I give it back to them to play,  I quickly set the alarm again.

When the alarm is set for brief amounts of time, there are plenty of opportunities for "Help".  Be sure to keep an eye on the frustration level, you don't want it to get to elevated. This little trick might be a good option for many children who need to learn or generalized the concept of Help.