Assistive Technology

Using assistive technology is a new concept to me especially with Pre-K children.  I have actually only taught Pre-K for the past 2 years, and all of the students that I have worked with who have had IEPs have been deaf so recording a story for them on the computer does not useful.  However, for students with speech delays or other disorders, it would be very helpful.  Even though my deaf students cannot hear it, they will still enjoy using the mouse to turn the pages and look at the pictures.  Their interpreter would have to be present in order for them understand the words in the story.

In the past, I have taught older grades where we have used PowerPoint presentations to share research on animals that we have studied.  The students really enjoyed adding animation to their slides to make their presentations more interesting for their audience.  This was very effective for the students who struggled presenting in front of their classmates.  They were proud of their work and much more at ease presenting.

In the future, I hope to stay in Pre-K for a long time.  I would like to use this type of assistive technology with all of my students.  My students are constantly asking me to read a book to them in the reading center, but I am busy doing other things most of the time.  However, with this type of technology, they would be able to read the book by themselves on the computer.  This would also be great for those students who have speech problems.  They would be able to hear words pronounced correctly.  This is also a fantastic way to encourage reading skills in all students, but especially in those who don't visit the reading center often.  Using the computer to read the books may be a more appealing way for those children to take an interest in books and reading.

Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curriculum for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Task Analysis

My focus student is quite independent as long as her mother is not around.  Since an adult has to sign the Pre-K children each morning, her mother walks her in each morning.  In order to get my students ready for Kindergarten, I require them to come in each morning and unpack their own bookbag.  However, my focus child still has her mother unpacking her things for her.  After unpacking, their morning routine continues with washing their hands, playing in centers, and then going to breakfast.  This child also gets sidetracked and doesn't immediately wash her hands.  She sometimes washes her hands but stands around the classroom conversing with other students who can sign instead of playing in the centers.

My task analysis will focus on the morning routine that I want my focus child to complete.  I am going to take pictures of my other students doing the correct things each morning.  I plan on posting these near the cubbies where all of my students can see them each morning and follow these procedures.  By following them, they will become more independent and more ready for kindergarten.


Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Communication Skills

One of the IEP goals that I am working diligently on with my focus child is paying attention and answering questions about the content we are learning accurately.  She struggles with staying focused, so when she is asked questions during a lesson, she has not idea how to answer.  Part of her difficulty also has to do with her limited knowledge of sign language.  She does not have the expanded knowledge of signs that she should have at this point in order to answer these questions appropriately. 

In order to address these issues, I will uses the communication strategies "choices" and "manding."  I usually take a story I have read to the class and ask my focus child questions about it.  Instead of signing the answers, she tends to point to the pictures when she can.  I think that giving her some choices of answers will help build her sign language vocabulary and help her understand that I am looking for a more detailed answer, not just pointing.  As she begins to develop some new vocabulary, I will begin to use manding more.  I try to request more detailed responses from her now, but, again, her vocabulary is just not where it needs to be.  I can also use these strategies when I am just having a casual conversation with her.  She tends to sign the same things over and over because she doesn't know what else to sign.  So we will work on giving her choices for answers to questions I ask her and manding more detailed responses in the very near future.  As we work on these strategies, I also want to work with my focus child on expanding her answers to more than two words.  Even when she does give me an answer, it is one or two words.  I want her to expand these thoughts into more of a sentence form.


Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Motor and Self-Help Skills

My focus child has well-developed motor skills.  She is able to skip, hop on one foot, run, jump, swing on her own, and climb.  She is actually an excellent climber to be as small as she is.  She is one of the smallest in my class.  She swings like a monkey from bars on the playground.  She has no trouble keeping her balance when she is running or walking.  She is quiet good at walking on a balance beam as well.  She is able to catch and throw a ball too.  She can kick a ball also.

Her self-help skills are just as strong.  She is very independent.  This is her second year in my classroom.  When she first started, she was not potty-trained.  However, this year, she is able to take care of her bathroom needs on her own.  She feeds herself with a fork and spoon without difficulty.  Last year, she struggled with opening her milk and juice carton at snack and lunch.  Now she can do this task without assistance.  She is able to put on and take off her coat without help also.  She can zip her coat too.  Emily can clean up after herself when she is finished playing in a center.  She is a very strong-willed child who is independent.  Her self-help skills are very developed.

Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Colker, Laura J., Dodge, Diane T., & Heroman, C.  (2002).   The Creative Curriculum for Preschool.      Washington, D.C.:  Teaching Strategies.

Focus Behavior of the Social Story

My student stuggles with paying attention especially during group time and story time.  She is easily distracted by the smallest things.  One day this week, she had hit her head.  She spent the entire group time rubbing her head and complaining about it rather than paying attention to what I was teaching.  This is her "cop-out."  She complains often about scratches and other minor injuries in order to get out of doing her work.  If I get on to her about her behavior, she usually stops and begins to pay attention.  However, she struggled with focusing on many occasions this week.  Due to this behavior, she is falling behind in learning her numbers and some other skills.  One of her IEP goals is to answer questions appropriately when asked 80% of the time.  She is not able to do this either because of her inability to remain focused on a task.  As I work with her one-on-one to monitor her progress on her IEP goals, she has trouble staying on-task then as well.  Therefore, I am planning to focus my story on this behavior.

Embedding IEP goals into daily activities

My child's IEP goals are easy to embed into my class's daily activities.  One of her goals is to recognize and use the correct sign language to tell me the numbers 1-20.  She is also working on counting up to 20 objects.  These are skills we practice every day during our group time.  We count the days on our calendar.  While counting, they can see the numbers to help with recognition.  I also have pictures on the calendar, so we are actually counting objects while we count.  During this time, I also hold up number cards in random order to test their knowledge of number recognition.  As I work with this child in centers, there are many objects that she plays with that I ask her to count.  In the math center, she may play with number things and I ask her what the numbers are.

Another goal for my child is to respond appropriately with sign language to questions that she is asked.  In the past, she has given random answers to questions.  Throughout the day, we are constantly asking her questions.  If she gives an "off-the-wall" response, we repeat the question until we get one that fits the question.  This goal easily fits into our daily routines.  She is doing much better with responding correctly to questions.

Reflective Journal #4

IEP goals are set for a reason.  Continuous monitoring of these goals is necessary to guide the teaching of the student.  This is a sure way to be accountable for doing your job as a teacher.  In order to determine what successes you have had with meeting these goals, you must look at them periodically.  Monitoring the goals also makes the teacher responsible for stepping up the game and providing interventions to help these children get caught up if they are struggling with meeting their goals.

Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Reflective Journal #3 - IEP

The IEP is very important for educators.  It list in detail the strengths and weaknesses of the child.  It also states the goals set for the child so that the educator will be accountable for doing everything possible to help the child meet these goals.  Based on the goals set for the child, services are determined accordingly.  If the child has speech/language goals, then a speech teacher may be involved.  However, the goals on the IEP must be realistic for the child.  They cannot be too advanced or too easy to accomplish.  The IEP also includes assessments done in order to qualify the child for services.  It is always helpful to have these to refer back to in order to see what areas are of interest.  IEP progress reports are important so that parents and the educators can see what has been accomplished so far.  An annual review of the IEP is a time for everyone involved to sit down and discuss the things that were successful and things that were not.  This is an opportunity to reflect on what more the child needs.

Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Reflective Journal 2

Who knows their children better than anyone?  Parents, of course.  Without their inside knowledge of their child's abilities, writing an IEP would be virtually impossible.  The parents' insight is very valuable in writing IEPs.  The parents know their child's behaviors, skills, and abilities better than teachers who spend a few hours each day working with them.  Involving parents in writing IEPs also gives the parents a sense of empowerment.  The parents are made to feel like their opinions are important and worthwhile.  Once an IEP is agreed upon, it is important for the parents to know what goals have been set for their child.  Teachers are not the only ones who can help these children meet their goals.  Parents can take responsibility for this as well.  Many times, parents of students with disabilities feel helpless.  If we involve them and give them ideas of how to help their child at home, they begin to take a more positive interest in their child's education.  When the parents are more involved, the children are more successful.  This has always been my experience.

How Court Cases Have Effected Students with Disabilities

Beginning with Brown vs. the Board of Education concerning desegragation of schools, things have changed drastically in our schools in regards to serving students with disabilities.  Various court cases have led to difficult decisions about whether disabled students should have a place in a regular classroom or not.  In some cases, it was found to be an effective strategy for these students.  In other cases, not so much.  Some disabled students are more of a distraction and take away from the learning of the other students.  The teacher spends most of his/her time attending to the disabled student rather than teaching the other 15 or so students.  This, quite frankly, is an injustice.  You must look at the bigger picture.  Sure, you want to reach all students, but you can't just drop your other 15 (or more) students to serve the one disabled.  I understand wanting these students mainstreamed if possible.  It is good for nondisabled students to be around disabled students.  After all, that is what the real world is like.  However, some children are not suited for a regular classroom.  These court cases have helped ensure that all students regardless of color, race, ethnicity, or ability receive a fair and equitable education.  As a result, students with disabilities now must have IEPs with goals specifically designed for these students.  This way their needs are being met on their level.  However, it practically takes an act of congress to get these students served in the appropriate setting and to determine if they do have a disability.  I know from experience that I have spent an entire school year trying to get a student services for a disability.  Although, they are guaranteed an equal education, the process of getting everything in place to meets the needs of these students takes too long.

David R. vs. State Board of Education

This case is focused around a 6 year old handicapped boy by the name of David R.    David R. is mentally retarded and speech impaired due to Downs' Syndrome.  His academic level at the time was equal to a 2 year old.  His parents claimed that the State Board of Education refused to place their son in a classroom with nonhandicapped children which violated the Education of the Handicapped Act.  David completed one year in the Early Childhood Program.  Then his mother requested that he become a part of a class with nonhandicapped children.  Due to this request, David attended Pre-K for half a day and Early Childhood Program the other half.  However, David could not participate in class without constant one-on-one supervision.  The teacher became concerned that her other students were not getting the attention they deserved.  At this time, the Admission, Dismissal, and Review committee determined that a Pre-K classroom was not the appropriate setting for David.  It was then determined that David would only attend the Early Childhood Program, but he would be able to eat lunch with nonhandicapped peers.  David's mother and father appealed the decision that David could not participate in the regular education classroom on several occasions.  After viewing the evidence, it was still determined that a Pre-K classroom was not the place for David.  The committee stated that the curriculum was too advanced for David's level of ability and he was not receiving any educational benefit from being in a regular classroom.  Being displeased with the decisions of the school board and the committee, David's parents sent him to a private school.  Still, David's mother wanted him mainstreamed in order to provide him with interactions with nonhandicapped children.  After all was said and done, even after reviewing the mainstreaming act, the decision remained that the regular classroom was not the appropriate place to meet David's needs.
     As a result of this case, children who are mainstreamed into a regular classroom are looked at carefully to see if a regular classroom is the best place for them.  It is not fair for many other students to miss out on an education because one student who is severly disabled demands all of the teacher's attention.  For those students who do not fare well in a regular classroom, self-contained classrooms have been developed.  These classes have very few students as well as a teacher plus several assistants.  This allows for these students to get the attention they may need without being a disruption to many other students.  If possible, these students are mainstreamed into regular classrooms for certain portions of the day.  This way they can interact with nonhandicapped children.

Introduction to Regina Cook

Hi!  I am Regina Cook.  I have been married for 11 years to my husband, Shane.  We have a 4 1/2 year old son named Garrison.  I have been teaching for 14 years.  I have taught 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.  I currently teach Pre-K which I love!  This will be my last class in order to get my preschool add-on licensure.  Yippee!  I spend my free time crocheting, reading, and doing Sudoku puzzles.