Past projects 2
Learn, Wiggle, and Play Every Day!
Funded Nov 19, 2019I can't even begin to tell you how fantastic it was to receive two boxes chock-full of much-needed supplies for my speech and language students, and the enormous impact your support made both inside the speech room when we were learning in-person and online during remote learning. As you know, making learning fun, engaging, and applicable to each student's curriculum is always the aim in speech therapy. The students and I were able to use all the supplies you funded to make learning important concepts related to language, reading, and social communication a true joy, both in-person and remotely!
When we were in school, the wiggle cushions, especially, were a HUGE hit with all of the students! When I first unpacked them, I intentionally did not introduce them to the students. Instead, I used a subtle technique called "milieu communication training" to set the stage for communicative interaction and positive reinforcement using these new and interesting objects. I placed the cushions behind my desk, but in view of the students. This purposeful arrangement of the environment created perfect opportunities for the students to practice a variety of important communication skills, including conversation initiation, requesting, and describing! There were numerous teachable moments, and the students were instantly intrigued!
After NYC schools transitioned to remote learning in March due to COVID-19, I provided speech-language therapy via live online teletherapy sessions almost identical to the services the students had received in-person. In this context, many of the supplies you funded, especially the grammar activities, were highly applicable and well used. We weaved grammar and syntax instruction into review of rich and engaging texts, using sentences directly from mentor texts to teach students how to shift gears from using the comparatively simple syntax of informal verbal communication to the more formal and complex syntax of written language, a skill necessary for both reading comprehension and writing.
All of the supplies you funded were tremendously needed and well-used to serve students with mostly "hidden" speech, language, and communication disabilities. The students were able to be successful within the context of rigorous and engaging activities and also feel internally that they were a success as a student, which is the key to motivation and further achievement.
I am extremely grateful to you!”
With gratitude,
Ms. F.
Sensational Seating for Extraordinary Students!
Funded Aug 18, 2018The 3 new ergonomic, adjustable chairs you have funded for the speech/language therapy room are so awesome! I cannot thank you enough! I provide speech/language services to students in Kindergarten through 5th grade, and the new chairs easily accommodate their various heights, from the littlest to the biggest (and let me tell you--the littlest ones are very little and the biggest ones are very big!)
All of my students were so surprised and excited to see the new chairs when school started! The beautiful new chairs are a stark contrast to the old aluminum-framed chairs, and the students love that they get to sit in them. Even after sitting in them for a few weeks, MJ, one of my students, recently declared, "I love these chairs!"
Now, while they explore various ways to listen, speak, read, write, and build social and academic language, my students can sit comfortably around a table, share ideas, listen and respond to peers, transfer their ideas into writing, and create fun pictures and crafts, all from the comfort of chairs that are actually designed to accommodate their various sizes.
Due to their durable nature, the chairs you have purchased for us represent a lasting investment in the education of students with disabilities and will serve hundreds of students for years to come.
A million thanks for enabling me to support cooperative learning and proper positioning for my students in our amazing new ergonomic chairs!”
With gratitude,
Ms. F.