Past projects 5
Technology and Sensory Toolkit!
Funded Jan 3, 2024THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your contributions have made such a big difference for the students. Given the technology of the new iPad that you donated to our school, students are now able to be assessed more frequently to determine assistive technology needs. We can then move forward by showing that over time, they are learning how to recognize symbols on a device and use the device consistently to communicate. This is so impactful for the students! I see the smile on their faces everyday using the equipment especially because they are able to communicate what they want or need, describe something new they see, or greet a familiar staff member by pushing a button to simply say "hi". Simply saying "Thank you so much" just doesn't seem like enough, honestly.
Another donation you made was for the sensory items. Even this past week with the time change, a lot of the students came in to school a little bit tired. Giving them something to hold like a fidget toy, really helped calm them down and got the kids ready to learn! They also have so much fun working for these items as a reward. We even have the sensory space now that students can use with sensory tiles on the floor for the kids who need a break.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have made such a big difference.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lopez
Expanding Our Minds With Technology
Funded Oct 21, 2017Thank you so much for your generosity! The students at our school have been looking forward to our speech therapy sessions with computer access and the ability to print their work.
We use the Chrome Books and headphones at school access information from reputable websites. With so many websites misinforming us about what is taking place around the world, the students are learning to use the Internet as a valid resource tool and citing where they access information. Just last month, we used the Chrome Books to take career aptitude tests and learn about influential African American leaders during Black History Month. We have also used tech. to participate in grammar lessons and write papers. Students are already typing at a faster rate since we received the computers.
We have been printing work to share with teachers, other students and parents.
With the assistance of technology, our students are learning important skills that they can one day use when in college and employed. I cannot thank you enough for giving them the skills they need to keep up in our tech-driven society.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lopez
Projecting Students Toward Excellence Pt. 2
Funded May 16, 2016We recently ordered a projector with a previous Donors Choose project but did not have the appropriate adapters to connect it to a computer or an iPad. Now that we received those adapters along with some movie/book materials, we have been able to have interactive lessons in the speech room using these new and interesting materials! This has really improved the students' attention during activities in the speech room and students have recalled more information from the books that we have read with the visual reinforcement of the movie activities on the projector.
In addition, some of our students are working on following one-two step directions or using core vocabulary to request, comment, greet and protest across multiple environments. Students are succeeding and meeting these goals, by imitating gestures during singalong song activities using the projector. Our students are also using communication devices to request that their favorite video or song be played on the projector. They will ask staff or a peer, and the motivation to do this has increased their independence in the speech room.
In closing, thank you for making such a big difference for our students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lopez
Projecting Students Toward Excellence
Funded Apr 14, 2016Since receiving the donations, the students have really benefited from using the supplies in the speech room to increase their attention to activities and thus, to better absorb the information that has been presented! All of the students love the wireless headphones during earned free time at the end of a session as a reward, or during academic activities. Students with hearing impairment have especially benefited from using the headphones during academic activities and request them all of the time! The tennis balls on the chair legs in the room have helped the hearing impaired students or others who are easily distracted by noise to concentrate more during sessions. Less scraping noise has been really nice for the school staff as well!
The projector is a particularly amazing addition to the room. Recently, we read the Jungle Book and then we were able to watch it on the projector. Students recalled more information from the story with such a powerful visual and were also able to sequence events and identify story grammar, such as the characters, the setting, the problem and solution in the story. We also compared the old version of the movie to the new version which was a fun compare/contrast activity.
Laminate paper and computer ink were used to make more visuals such as decorating the room with a spring vocabulary word wall. Students who are learning how to read have enjoyed looking at the word wall to reinforce decoding strategies. I have also made manual communication boards using these supplies to help students communicate in functional everyday situations, such as lunchtime and social activities. Students are gaining independence using these boards as a method of communicating independently with peers. It's been a joy to see. Thank you for inspiring these children!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lopez
Communicating Wants and Needs in Color
Funded Feb 3, 2015The students have been thrilled to have more materials in color since all of your generous contributions. Recent projects in color include activity-specific and general picture symbol communication boards, that students use as a voice, as well as more color worksheets and more opportunities to print their own work in color. Additionally, many of their favorite books have been paired with color visuals to increase understanding of the material. The ink and laminating paper have also been used to make game boards, such as shape/color bingo games, which have made learning language while in the speech room more fun and vibrant.
For spring, we decorated the room with spring word walls of vocabulary with colorful picture symbols to go with the newly introduced words, in order to increase understanding. The word walls have also proved to be helpful for socialization as students point to the visuals and talk with one another about their knowledge of the vocabulary. I have used the color ink to make symbols in Spanish that the students have brought home in order to communicate with their family members, including picture symbols used in a static display visual communication device. Many colorful literacy activities have been created with the funding including laminated flowers with phonemes on them to increase phonemic awareness (we planted them in rice bowls for spring) and a large story grammar marker visual to help students learn aspects such as the character, setting, problem, and solution. It helps them to organize their thoughts and recall events in a story much easier. They also made their own small version of the story grammar marker visual to have on hand during literacy activities.
In closing, the students have become much more engaged once more interesting materials have been introduced and while explaining new concepts is still a challenge, it is definitely much easier with some help from visuals created using an efficient printer. While all children deserve the right to be engaged and highly motivated, these children are in a high-poverty area and really do need an extra helping hand from the community. I want to thank you for extending your hands out to them and for helping them to see their potential. As a first year speech teacher/therapist, it has been exciting to witness the students using materials that inspire and engage them in an academic setting.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Lopez