# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The "literate home" for this age child only needs a few inexpensive materials, but parent involvement is key. Your young child or kindergartner continues to build her language base (understanding and using language) in preparation for learning to read, so she still benefits from lots of talk with adults that helps her learn new words. Young children and kindergartners are beginning to figure out how the written word works, and they are starting to use reading and writing in their daily lives. At this age, having a wide variety of books and writing materials available is crucial.

What You Need

Children's Books
For young children, nursery rhymes, ABC books, informational books and storybooks are most appropriate. Kindergartners will enjoy longer stories or chapter books, and some will be able to read very easy books by themselves by the end of the year. You can look for bargain children's books at used bookstores and yard sales, or purchase books at great prices through monthly book clubs offered through child care centers or schools.

Letters
Young children and kindergartners learn to identify the letters. In your home, it is important to have a number of types of letters that your child can move around. Alphabet blocks, foam letters for the bathtub, ABC puzzles, magnetic refrigerator letters, ABC cookie cutters, letter stamps and letter stickers are all ideal materials for children this age.

Writing Materials
Thick markers, paint brushes, pencils and crayons are ideal for the youngest writers since they are still developing the small muscles in their hands that help them hold tools. Likewise, large paper is best for young children. Your kindergartner will be able to use standard-sized writing tools and paper. He may also enjoy it if you make a "book" for him to write in by stapling paper together. Having a model of all the letters available for young writers allows them to refer to it if they have trouble remembering letter formations.

Reading and Writing Materials for Parents
When children see the adults around them using reading and writing in their everyday lives, they're more likely to become readers and writers themselves. Simply having a bookshelf full of books, reading the local newspaper, and having a notepad on which you write grocery lists and phone messages shows your child that reading and writing serve valuable everyday purposes.

Props for Pretend Play
Props such as dress-up clothes and play dishes encourage your young child or kindergartner to pretend, andpretend play actually contributes to literacy skills. Make props for pretend play from materials you already have at home. Empty cereal boxes, mom's old necklaces and an old pot and wooden spoon make ideal items for countless make-believe scenarios.

CDs
Books and children's music on CDs are another way for your child to enjoy stories and music. Most libraries have extensive collections of audio books and children's music CDs to borrow.

Videos
Videos can help your young child or kindergartner learn basic concepts and information. They are also another way to expose your child to quality children's literature. For children this age, concept videos such as ABCs or rhyming are appropriate, while young children and kindergartners will also enjoy watching videos of familiar books.

What You Can Do

Organize a bookshelf for your child's collection. A sturdy bookshelf located in an area accessible to your child is ideal. This way, he can reach books and use them without asking your permission. Having a special place for his books will demonstrate to your child that books are valuable.

Set up a writing area for your child. Having all of her materials in one accessible spot will encourage your young child or kindergartner to write. Having a special writing box or even a writing table or desk will help your child to see writing as an important activity.

Talk together about things that interest your child. Ask genuine questions, ones to which you do not already know the answer. Ask questions that help children think about why and how and not just what. When you talk, be sure to listen to your child's response and build upon what he has to say.

Introduce new vocabulary words when you talk with your child. When you use a new word, make sure to explain its meaning to your child and encourage your young child or kindergartner to ask when she does not know the meaning of a word.

Continue your daily read-aloud routine. Continue the routine that you established earlier in your child's life. Reading at the same time each day and in the same comfortable place, such as in bed or on the couch, make read-aloud a time to anticipate.

Point to the words when you read aloud. You need not do this for every page but pointing to the words in the book's title, or to the words of a repeated phrase in a picture book, is a good idea. When you point to the words, you show your child that there is a correspondence between spoken and written words and that print goes from left to right.

Listen to your child "read." By the end of kindergarten, most children will be able to "read" some very easy books aloud by relying mostly on the pictures and their memory of the story. Make sure to set aside some of your read-aloud time to listen to your child read as soon as he is ready. Avoid pushing your child to do this until he shows interest, however.

Incorporate literacy into outings. Visit your local library, bookmobile or bookstore to find new read-aloud ideas for your child. Many libraries feature free song and story hours that young children and kindergartners may enjoy.

Be a reader and writer yourself. One of the most effective ways to help children become readers and writers is to show them through your own example that you value literacy and that reading and writing have useful purposes. Make sure that you have a variety of printed and writing materials in your house that you use them on a regular basis, and that you talk to your child about what you are doing when you read and write.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Create a Literate Home: Young Child and Kindergartner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The "literate home" for this age child only needs a few inexpensive materials, but parent involvement is key. Your young child or kindergartner continues to build her language base (understanding and using language) in preparation for learning to read, so she still benefits from lots of talk with adults that helps her learn new words.

# data[].attributes.body
How parents can help...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Parents often ask how they can help their children learn to read; and it's no wonder that they're interested in this essential skill. Reading plays an important role in later school success. One study even demonstrates that how well 7-year-olds read predicts their income 35 years later!

Here are 11 practical recommendations for helping preschoolers and school-age students learn to read.

1. Teaching reading will only help.

Sometimes, parents are told early teaching is harmful, but it isn't true. You simply can't introduce literacy too early. I started reading to my own children on the days they were each born! The "dangers of early teaching" has been a topic of study for more than 100 years, and no one has ever found any convincing evidence of harm. Moreover, there are hundreds of studies showing the benefits of reading to your children when they are young.

2. Teaching literacy isn't different than teaching other skills.

You don't need a Ph.D. to raise a happy, healthy, smart child. Parents have been doing it for thousands of years. Mothers and fathers successfully teach their kids to eat with a spoon, use a potty, keep their fingers out of their noses, and say "please." These things can be taught pleasantly, or they can be made into a painful chore. Being unpleasant (e.g. yelling, punishing, pressuring) doesn't work, and it can be frustrating for everyone. This notion applies to teaching literacy, too. If you show your 18-month-old a book and she shows no interest, then put it away and come back to it later. If your child tries to write her name and ends up with a backwards "D," no problem. No pressure. No hassle. You should enjoy the journey, and so should your child.

3. Talk to your kids (a lot).

Last year, I spent lots of time with our brand new granddaughter, Emily. I drowned her in language. Although "just a baby," I talked - and sang - to her about everything. I talked about her eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and fingers. I told her all about her family - her mom, dad, and older brother. I talked to her about whatever she did (yawning, sleeping, eating, burping). I talked to her so much that her parents thought I was nuts; she couldn't possibly understand me yet. But reading is a language activity, and if you want to learn language, you'd better hear it, and eventually, speak it. Too many moms and dads feel a bit dopey talking to a baby or young child, but studies have shown that exposing your child to a variety of words helps in her development of literacy skills.

4. Read to your kids.

I know everyone says this, but it really is a good idea - at least with preschoolers. One of my colleagues refers to this advice as the "chicken soup" of reading education. We prescribe it for everything. (Does it help? It couldn't hurt.) If a parent or caregiver can't read or can't read English, there are alternatives, such as using audiobooks; but for those who can, reading a book or story to a child is a great, easy way to advance literacy skills. Research shows benefits for kids as young as 9-months-old, and it could be effective even earlier than that. Reading to kids exposes them to richer vocabulary than they usually hear from the adults who speak to them, and can have positive impacts on their language, intelligence, and later literacy achievement. What should you read to them? There are so many wonderful children's books. Visit your local library, and you can get an armful of adventure. You can find recommendations from kids at the Children's Book Council website or at the International Literacy Association Children's Choices site, as well as free books online at other websites like Search Lit or Unite for Literacy.

5. Have them tell you a "story."

One great way to introduce kids to literacy is to take their dictation. Have them recount an experience or make up a story. We're not talking "Moby Dick" here. A typical first story may be something like, "I like fish. I like my sister. I like grandpa." Write it as it is being told, and then read it aloud. Point at the words when you read them, or point at them when your child is trying to read the story. Over time, with lots of rereading, don't be surprised if your child starts to recognize words such as "I" or "like." (As children learn some of the words, you can write them on cards and keep them in a "word bank" for your child, using them to review later.)

6. Teach phonemic awareness.

Young children don't hear the sounds within words. Thus, they hear "dog," but not the "duh"-"aw"- "guh." To become readers, they have to learn to hear these sounds (or phonemes). Play language games with your child. For instance, say a word, perhaps her name, and then change it by one phoneme: Jen-Pen, Jen-Hen, Jen-Men. Or, just break a word apart: chair... ch-ch-ch-air. Follow this link to learn more about language development milestones in children.

7. Teach phonics (letter names and their sounds).

You can't sound out words or write them without knowing the letter sounds. Most kindergartens teach the letters, and parents can teach them, too. I just checked a toy store website and found 282 products based on letter names and another 88 on letter sounds, including ABC books, charts, cards, blocks, magnet letters, floor mats, puzzles, lampshades, bed sheets, and programs for tablets and computers. You don't need all of that (a pencil and paper are sufficient), but there is lots of support out there for parents to help kids learn these skills. Keep the lessons brief and fun, no more than 5-10 minutes for young'uns. Understanding the different developmental stages of reading and writing skills will help to guide your lessons and expectations.

8. Listen to your child read.

When your child starts bringing books home from school, have her read to you. If it doesn't sound good (mistakes, choppy reading), have her read it again. Or read it to her, and then have her try to read it herself. Studies show that this kind of repeated oral reading makes students better readers, even when it is done at home.

9. Promote writing.

Literacy involves reading and writing. Having books and magazines available for your child is a good idea, but it's also helpful to have pencils, crayons, markers, and paper. Encourage your child to write. One way to do this is to write notes or short letters to her. It won't be long before she is trying to write back to you.

10. Ask questions.

When your child reads, get her to retell the story or information. If it's a story, ask who it was about and what happened. If it's an informational text, have your child explain what it was about and how it worked, or what its parts were. Reading involves not just sounding out words, but thinking about and remembering ideas and events. Improving reading comprehension skills early will prepare her for subsequent success in more difficult texts.

11. Make reading a regular activity in your home.

Make reading a part of your daily life, and kids will learn to love it. When I was nine years old, my mom made me stay in for a half-hour after lunch to read. She took me to the library to get books to kick off this new part of my life. It made me a lifelong reader. Set aside some time when everyone turns off the TV and the web and does nothing but read. Make it fun, too. When my children finished reading a book that had been made into a film, we'd make popcorn and watch the movie together. The point is to make reading a regular enjoyable part of your family routine.

Happy reading!
Sources:
Ritchie, S.J., & Bates, T.C. (2013). Enduring links from childhood mathematics and reading achievement to adult socioeconomic status. Psychological Science, 24, 1301-1308.

Karass J., & Braungart-Rieker J. (2005). Effects of shared parent-infant reading on early language acquisition. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 133-148.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
11 Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Read

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Parents often ask how they can help their children learn to read; and it's no wonder that they're interested in this essential skill. Reading plays an important role in later school success. One study even demonstrates that how well 7-year-olds read predicts their income 35 years later!

# data[].attributes.body
Houston Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Education

Higher Education

Rice Disability Support Services
Provides support services and accommodations for all individuals with disabilities on the Rice University campus.
Allen Center, Room 111
713-348-5841, http://dss.rice.eduMailing address:
Disability Support Services, Rice University, MS 802
6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005
San Jacinto College Disabilities Services
North Campus
5800 Uvalde Rd., Houston, Tx 77049
281-458-4050

Employment

Extra-Curricular

Legal/Advocacy

ADD/ADHD

CHADD National non-profit organization which provides education, advocacy and support for individuals with ADHD. CHADD publishes a bi-monthly magazine and a variety of printed materials to keep members and professionals current on research advances, medications and treatments affecting individuals with ADHD.
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
301-306-7070, www.chadd.org

Gateway Academy
Serves 7 th-12th graders who have learning differences that impact social, academic, and critical thinking skills. Gateway Academy is committed to providing an environment that prepares students for successful experiences in the workplace and college settings.
3721 Dacoma Street, Houston, Texas 77092
713-659-7900, www.thegatewayacademy.org

Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Provides compassionate, safe and effective care of people with psychiatric and co-occurring disorders. Educates students, physicians, mental health professionals, and the general public in psychiatry and the behavioral sciences. Conducts innovative and relevant research into the understanding and treatment of people with psychiatric disorders, and into the prevention of these conditions.
BCM Medical Building
1977 Butler Boulevard
Suite E4.400 - Baylor Psychiatry Clinic
Suite E4.400 - Mood Disorders Center
Suite E4.400 - Administrative Office
Houston, Texas 77030
Administrative Office: 713-798-4876, www.bcm.edu

Autism

Autism Society of America
Meets the third Saturday of the month from 1pm-3pm.
7033 Southwest Freeway
MHMRA Conference
Houston, Texas 77252-2871
713-513-7575

Blindness

Brain and Spinal Injuries

Houston Spinal Cord Support Group:
Quentin Mease Hospital
3601 N. MacGregor Way, Houston, TX 77004
713-873-3845

Cerebral Palsy

Cystic Fibrosis

Deafness/Hearing Impairment

DiGeorge Syndrome VCSF/22 q 11.2

Diabetes

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Houston
Gulf Coast Chapter
2425 Fountain View Drive, Suite 280
Houston, Texas 77057
713-334-4400

Humble
9473 FM 1960 Bypass, Suite 300
Humble, TX 77338
832-237-3500

Pearland Medical Office Building
10970 Shadow Creek Parkway, Suite 270
Pearland, TX 77584
832-237-3500

Medical Building I
15200 S US 59 Hwy., Ste 360
Sugar Land, TX 77478
832-237-3500

North Houston
Branch Manager
nhouston@e-medco.com
Tel: (713) 986-5288 x1136, Cell: (713) 202-3413

Down Syndrome

Dyslexia

Epilepsy

Texas Medical & Sleep Specialists
Memorial City
Medical Plaza 1
902 Frostwood, Suite 210
Houston, Texas 77024
713-464-4107 or 877-770-8677(TMSS)
www.txmss.com

Fragile X

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

AIDS/HIV

Lupus

Muscuplar Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy Association - Houston
Gulf Coast/Metro
2900 Weslayan, Suite 375
Houston, TX 77027
713-522-8561, houstongulfcoast@mdausa.org

Tourettes
Tourette Syndrome Association of Texas, Support Groups
Katy/Sugarland/West Houston Support Group
281-395-5392
Meetings: Christus St. Catherine Hospital
Classroom B, Second Floor
701 Fry Rd., Katy 77450

Parkinson Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic
Department of Neurology Baylor College of Medicine
Smith Tower, 18th Floor
6550 Fannin, Suite 1801
Houston, Texas 77030
713-798-7438
www.bcm.edu/neurology/parkinsons/index.cfm?PMID=0

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Houston Area Special Needs Resource Guide | Houston Family Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rice Disability Support Services Provides support services and accommodations for all individuals with disabilities on the Rice University campus. Allen Center, Room 111 713-348-5841, http://dss.rice.eduMailing address: Disability Support Services, Rice University, MS 802 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005 San Jacinto College Disabilities Services North Campus 5800 Uvalde Rd., Houston, Tx 77049 281-458-4050 CHADD National non-profit organization which provides education, advocacy and support for individuals with ADHD.

# data[].attributes.body
By geographic area...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We have made the decision to no longer provide a web based resource directory - it was difficult to keep up to date and most people do their own Google searches these days. However, there are some resource directories that we would like to suggest for your use:

Navigate Life Texas - This website was created by parents for parents, and Texas Parent to Parent oversees all the resources and edits all the pages that are on this website. You'll find a lot of great information on diagnosis, insurance, Medicaid Waivers, family support, education and transition on this site. Try out the Search box to find whatever you need. There is a search page (Find Services, Groups and Events) for you to find services, groups and events. These resources are reviewed every 6 months and edited as needed. Most of the groups are parent groups of various kinds and the services are mostly nonprofits with no fees or who have a sliding fee scale. There are no therapy groups or doctors on this list. There are also a lot of great articles by parents and videos in both English & Spanish on this site.

Parent Companion - This website is a guide for Texas parents and caregivers of children with diagnosed or suspected disabilities from birth through 5 years of age. Again, it was created by parents for parents of young children and Texas Parent to Parent was one of the partners on the project. Check out this diagram of " Finding Help in Texas - a guide to the agencies, programs and services included in the Parent Companion Website."

Texas Project FIRST - A project of the Texas Education Agency committed to providing accurate and consistent information on Special Education to parents and families of students with disabilities, created by parents, for parents. You start with the age of your child and go into a directory especially created for that age group, but you can always look ahead to be prepared for what's coming.

SPEDTex - The Special Education Information Center (SPEDTex) works collaboratively with stakeholders to provide resources and facilitate collaboration that supports the development and delivery of services to children with disabilities in our State. If you have questions on special education, you should be able to find the answers on this website.

211 Texas - 2-1-1 Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, is committed to helping Texas citizens connect with the services they need. Whether by phone or internet, our goal is to present accurate, well-organized and easy-to-find information from state and local health and human services programs. 2-1-1 Texas is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. No matter where you live in Texas, you can dial 2-1-1, or (877) 541-7905, and find information about resources in your local community. Whether you need help finding food or housing, child care, crisis counseling or substance abuse treatment, one number is all you need to know.

See our newsletters starting from 2002 to current.

TxP2P maintains a library of information to assist parents on their journey with a child with a special health care need. Current topics include information about parents' experiences, self-care, transition to adulthood, ECI, advocacy, special education, Medicaid waivers, and much more. See our list.

Resources by Geographic Area:

State & National Resource List (PDF)
Amarillo and Vicinity (PDF)
Austin and Vicinity (PDF)
Corpus Christi and Vicinity (PDF)
Dallas/Ft. Worth and Vicinity (PDF)
El Paso and Vicinity (PDF)
Houston and Vicinity (PDF)
NICU State & National Resources (PDF)
Rio Grande Valley and Vicinity (PDF)
San Antonio and Vicinity (PDF)
Tyler & Vicinity (PDF)
Waco, Temple & Vicinity (PDF)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources for Families of Children with Disabilities & Professionals | Texas Parent to Parent

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We have made the decision to no longer provide a web based resource directory - it was difficult to keep up to date and most people do their own Google searches these days.

# data[].attributes.body
The ARD process

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Parent's Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process (Parent's Guide) implements Texas Education Code (TEC) Section 26.0081 requiring the TEA to create a comprehensive, easily understood document which explains the individualized education program (IEP) process for a student in a special education program. Additionally, the Parent's Guide incorporates a parents' rights and responsibilities concerning the ARD process.

The Parent's Guide contains information that parents need to effectively participate in an ARD committee meeting for their child. The Parent's Guide is intended to be a companion document to, not a replacement for, the Procedural Safeguards, which identifies parents' rights and responsibilities in federal law. The purpose of the Parent's Guide is to create a common understanding for parents, school personnel, and communities of the IEP process for a student with disabilities.

The Parent's Guide is a living document and is reviewed on a regular basis to reflect timely and accurate information. The Parent's Guide contains a production date on the cover and in the footer of the document.

Dissemination

LEAs must provide the most current version of the Parent's Guide to parents of students with disabilities before the first ARD committee meeting or when a parent requests it. LEAs are responsible for the initial dissemination of the Parent's Guide; however, LEAs may provide updated versions to the parent when requested.

Documentation

TEA encourages schools to maintain a record of dissemination in the child's eligibility folder in case of a compliance review through the State's monitoring system.

Language Requirements

Currently, the Parent's Guide is available in English and Spanish only.

Production

Education service centers (ESCs) assist the State in the production of the Parent's Guide. However, if an ESC cannot provide copies to a local education agency (LEA), the LEA (school district or charter school) is responsible to produce and disseminate the current version of the Parent's Guide to parents available on the Region 18 Education Service Center's Legal Framework IDEA 2004 web site.

Technical Assistance

LEAs may contact their regional ESC for the most current copies of the Parent's Guide or produce their own copies for dissemination. Parents should contact their school district or charter school for a copy of updates to the Parent's Guide. Parents can contact the following Parent Resources to help with understanding the special education process or call the Texas Education Agency's toll free Parent Information Line.

Parent Resources

Below are some additional parent resources:

The Texas Project FIRST (Families Information Resources Support and Training) is a project of TEA and with a commitment to provide accurate and consistent information to parents & families of students with disabilities.

The Partners Resource Network (PRN) is a non-profit agency that operates the statewide network of federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI's) in Texas. The programs and services of PRN are based on the concept of parents helping parents. The mission of PRN is to empower parents of children and youth with disabilities in their roles as parents, decision makers, and advocates for their children and to promote partnerships among parents and professionals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guidance on Admission, Review, and Dismissal Guide Production and Required Dissemination

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Parent's Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process (Parent's Guide) implements Texas Education Code (TEC) Section 26.0081 requiring the TEA to create a comprehensive, easily understood document which explains the individualized education program (IEP) process for a student in a special education program.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learning English Vocabulary
Vocabulary.co.il is a leading vocabulary website worldwide with the best flash online word games. The vocabulary games include an online word search, an online crossword puzzle, and hangman online (our version is called HangMouse). Users choose the vocabulary list that the online word game will use in the word game. The vocabulary games are popular for use on smart boards for word games to build vocabulary skills in classrooms.
Many people build their English vocabulary through a blend of methods - by taking English classes, reading books, watching movies in English, and studying English with English language software. Playing word and vocabulary games is a valuable part of learning English. There are thousands of vocabulary words in our vocabulary lists.

Vocabulary.co.il is a fun educational website dedicated to helping you build reading, phonics, or English language skills. We offer Free Online Word Games which are specifically designed to build vocabulary skills and to motivate people to learn through fun practice in spelling, phonics, and vocabulary.

Whether you are studying vocabulary as part of a homeschool curriculum, for afterschool enrichment, or a summer academic skills program, Vocabulary Learning Fun provides the premier free vocabulary-building resources and games.

If you are applying to American universities, you will probably have to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL test. Most American colleges, as well as schools in England, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand require all non-native English speakers to take the TOEFL exam, and a high score can be critical to admission. Vocabulary.co.il can also help build vocabulary skills for other high-stakes, vocabulary-rich exams such as the GRE, the SAT, and PSAT.

Many of Vocabulary Learning Fun's vocabulary word games are organized with dozens of categories of vocabulary lists. By making connections between words and ideas, and between words and pictures, we build vocabulary skills. Connections between vocabulary words make the process of building vocabulary skills faster and more efficient. This grouping of knowledge by topic is a cornerstone of the vocabulary.co.il learning website.

The fun of English vocabulary games can help both native and foreign speakers of English build their English language vocabulary skills. There are vocabulary word games for all levels of English.

For more vocabulary fun and games, visit our sister site VocabularySpellingCity. Students can learn literacy skills, in addition to word study. You'll find engaging vocabulary games like HangMan, Word Search and Word Find.

Please contact us with any questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Vocabulary Games, English Vocabulary Word Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning English VocabularyVocabulary.co.il is a leading vocabulary website worldwide with the best flash online word games. The vocabulary games include an online word search, an online crossword puzzle, and hangman online (our version is called HangMouse). Users choose the vocabulary list that the online word game will use in the word game.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many elementary schools are now integrating multimedia reading, writing, and presentation into their English language arts and content area curriculum. Students are learning to use different media - including audio, information graphics, slideshows, animation, and video - to create their own stories, understand a story, text, or topic more deeply, and share what they have learned with others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It feels like every week there is another huge leap forward with iPad apps that are released to open up enhanced creative methods with which to engage the educational needs of our students. With over two million available apps, it's good to have a bit of a guide sometimes before heading in. Since the release of the iPad I have worked on putting together the best collections of apps that work well specifically for students on the autism spectrum - on my website here you will find all of the free books, iTunes U courses and blog posts that detail the innovative ways we use iPad across our Aspect Hunter School for children with autism. Two books, ' The iPad Model Classroom' and ' Minecraft in your Classroom', are terrific introductions to our methods. You can also find our work featured on Apple.com - we are the only school in Australia, and the only special education school in the world, to be featured on the website due to our world class understanding and use of iPad.

To start the 2017 school year, I thought it was time to summarise some of the key iPad apps that our school will be using across our classrooms. These apps address both core competency needs (communication, social skills, emotional regulation) and academic needs. The apps are predominantly pitched at the early childhood and primary school years as this is the majority population of our school, with some apps that are very effective in our high school classes as well.

If you know of any apps that I haven't listed here that you think should be in a Special Educators toolbox for 2017, leave them in the comments below and I'll add them to this page. If you are interested in any of the workshops or consultancy opportunities I'll be running this year with Autism Spectrum Australia, you can contact me on Twitter at @wrenasmir

Communication

When we talk about communication needs, we are looking at ways to help our students best receptively process information that we share with them, and we are looking at the ways to help our students best communicate information they want to share with us.

Establishing a communication system for a student with autism is a process that requires collaborative input from the child, family, speech therapists and educators to best ensure that a system meets all the needs of the child and can be successfully implemented with consistency across home and school environments. The apps are positioned in the higher price bracket due to the incredible sophistication of the software in allowing it to be a fully functional communication system on your iPad. The apps I've noted above - Words For Life, Proloquo2Go, Proloquo4Text and Aacorn - all serve both similar and different purposes, depending on the child and the system that is going to best work for them. We have had success with all four - one of our Aspect schools, on the South Coast of Sydney, have been doing extensive work using Words For Life across classrooms for a number of years now and have developed a number of terrific resources for it that I am very impressed with.

Social Skills

There is little that I look more forward to with app releases then the release of a new Toca Boca app. Toca Boca is a company that make beautiful looking apps with no ads and a terrific play based educational philosophy behind them that make their apps the perfect tools for social skill practice and discussion in our classrooms. You have apps that encourage collaborative play with a friend, such as Toca Tea Party and Toca Shop, you have apps that can help with social sensory needs such as getting a haircut with Toca Hair Salon Me, and you have games that allow you to act out social situations such as in Toca School and Toca City.

One of our favourite things to do with an app like Toca School is to use the record feature in the app to record little social scenarios that we play out on the playground or in the class, which then allows us to talk about what's happening in those situations. As well, we often take screenshots inside the app and then put those screenshot images into an app like Book Creator or Explain Everything to create a little book or presentation where students can further annotate and describe what is happening in that particular school scene.

Emotional regulation

A very important skill for children to acquire is the capacity to emotionally regulate themselves when they are in all variety of situations. This means being able to recognise how they are feeling and to then choose an appropriate strategy to help respond to this feeling and hence regulate themselves to an emotional space that helps them to best manage the situation. We've huge fans of the Zones of Regulation program at the Aspect Hunter School, and luckily there are some terrific Zones of Regulation apps that have been a big help in our program.

The original Zones of Regulation app provides a good foundation, in support of the workbook program, on understanding the different emotional zones and how to recognise and respond to them. The follow up app, Exploring Emotions, provides further features and opportunities to not only better understand your emotions, but also to track them, with a fantastic data tracking opportunity where you can set up a timetable for your day and then emotionally track how you are feeling across the different events of the day.

Academic

The number of fantastic academic apps on the App Store are so plentiful it's hard to do justice here to all that is there. I will share a few of my favourites, but first let me show you where you should head in the App Store to best explore this side of the store. First, when you open the App Store you'll be on the Featured part of the store - scroll down the bottom of the screen until you find 'Education' (take note of the 'Accessibility' section as well, it has additional apps very applicable to the needs of children on the autism spectrum). Tap the 'Education' word and you'll be taken to the Education section of the App Store. Have a good look around here, there are always terrific resources to suit particular times of year, such as for Hour of Code, or for Anzac Day, and other events across the year. In the screenshots below you'll see a tile on the Education page called 'Learning at Every Grade' - tap on this and you'll be taken through to a page that lets you choose the grade level you want to find apps within, which then leads you to key learning areas to choose from. Explore all of these sections to get a handle on the best academic apps, the page is updated regularly to reflect new apps that come out.

Literacy

My favourite literacy apps for our students are the Reading Doctor series of apps. They are an Australian developed literacy series by a speech therapist who completed his doctoral studies in understanding how mnemonics help students to remember phonics and language constructs. Our students have had a lot of success with the apps with regards to learning letter sound correspondence and word decoding skills - they use a strong visual reinforcement system that beings with visual associations between images and letters, for example the letter 'a' is represented by an apple, an 's' is a snake, and so on. As students learn to associate the apple with an 'a', it fades out the apple and just leaves the letter 'a', reinforcing the sound of the letter in the child's mind. There are a whole range of Reading Doctor apps that you can check out that focus on different areas such as Letter Sounds through to Blending Sounds and Sight Words.

Numeracy

Thank you to Peta who left this link for free Math Learning Centre apps in the comments section of this blog ( http://catalog.mathlearningcenter.org/apps), I have not come across these apps before but after exploring them this morning, I definitely agree that they would be useful for your app toolbox this year. Clear, no fuss apps that explicitly provide a space in which to visually explore mathematical concepts on topics including fractions, using number frames and number lines, pattern shapes and many more. Check them out on the link above and download them straight to your iPad.

science

You can't go wrong with the Tiny Bop series of apps - they are beautifully designed and allow for terrific exploration of a range of scientific topics. Apps like 'The Human Body' show children how the inside of our bodies function, with many different layers of body to remove and place back to understand all the happenings within, and apps like 'The Everything Machine' allow students to code and connect objects and machines together to invent new tools that can actually work on the iPad, such as creating a new tool to change how the camera on your iPad works. It's all very cool, just search for Tiny Bop in the App Store or go to www.tinybop.com for more information.

More...

The best thing to do from here would be to further explore this website - particularly the Blog, Books and Projects sections - to find out about other apps that should be in your 2017 toolbox. I will be writing another post in a few days on some new tools we have picked up to work with our iPads this year, including new Osmo and Playdough resources. If you have any questions about anything iPad and special education related, please don't hesitate to contact me at @wrenasmir

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2017 iPad App Toolbox for Special Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It feels like every week there is another huge leap forward with iPad apps that are released to open up enhanced creative methods with which to engage the educational needs of our students. With over two million available apps, it's good to have a bit of a guide sometimes before heading in.

# data[].attributes.body
Create your own visual story book!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Develop your child's imagination, creativity and language skills with Imagistory, a wordless picture book app that inspires your child to create and tell stories.

# data[].attributes.body
Visual Social Story Creator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The talking visual story creator An easy way to create, playback and share visual stories and talking books

# data[].attributes.body
Using book creator with students with Autism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Faced with the challenge of motivating a group of disenchanted kids, this teacher had a brainwave.

I was teaching special education students in grades 5 and 6 in an inner city school in Canton, Ohio. Time was going by and students continued to struggle with writing. I was determined to make a difference and change these students for the better.

They were going to become great writers if it killed me.Jon Smith

While my goals were commendable, they weren't being achieved to the degree I wanted.

Then, two years ago, Apple introduced a software product called iBooks Author and things would change for me forever.

Within three months we had written and published three ebooks...

For the first time people were given the opportunity to self-publish in an easy manner. Students were excited to be writing for someone other than their teacher. Engagement increased. Time on task increased and the energy in the classroom changed to something you can normally only dream of.

Within three months we had written and published three ebooks in Apple's iBook Store. We were graphing the downloads in the hall on chart paper, estimating how many downloads we would have by the end of the year and planning our next books. Comments from all over the globe came pouring in and it meant a great deal to the students. For the first time in their lives, they had a real, authentic audience for their work.

I soon changed jobs and moved to Alliance City Schools. The iBook ideas continued and we soon published two more ebooks using iBooks Author. Again, things were going smoothly until one day when I met Pam, a speech and language pathologist for one of the elementary schools in Alliance.

Pam explained to me that she had a group of 4th grade autistic boys that needed some serious motivating and help. They weren't interested in doing any kind of work at all and she thought iMovie would help. I asked her what they were struggling with and she mentioned social skills. Immediately my mind went from iMovie mode into something else, something more powerful...

And then we started using Book Creator...

Book Creator was an app I'd recently learned about. I was looking for a group of guinea pigs and this was the perfect opportunity for me to try Book Creator out with a group of students. Pam explained to me this was a tough group of kids. She looked at me with cautious eyes when I explained that we were going to write a book using the Book Creator app.

She looked at me like I was on drugs when I told her that not only were we going to write a book but that we were also going to publish this book for the entire world to download!

I began meeting with her and her students once a week. I explained to the students that they would soon be globally published authors. They were so excited about their book it was contagious. We began using the Book Creator app to make videos of inappropriate social skills interactions (this wasn't difficult because this is what they did on a daily basis).

We also made videos of appropriate interactions (great learning opportunity for the kids). Students started using Pam's iPad to write their stories, information and author bios. The students also realized they could record their voices using the app and they did. They believed this would help them be better readers. Adding their own pictures was icing on the cake. After a month of work, the book was ready and we published it in the iBookstore. The downloads started flying in and this is where the real transformation occurred.

Tracking the downloads

The students in Pam's group were so excited about the downloads. They put a map in the hall and began to chart which countries had downloaded their book. This seems like such a small thing but to these students it was the world.

These students who were afraid of talking to others, had few friends and were thought of as outcasts soon became the stars of the school.

The students were talking to kids in the hall explaining why there was a red pin in Japan and Norway and Canada. One student's parent, who never came to any IEP meetings, showed up for the first time. She was so excited to see what her son had done that she came to the first meeting at the school in four years.

The students couldn't stop writing and wanted to make more and more books. They had so much fun and learned so much while using this app that they have started a series of social skills books. As of today, they have written and published three ebooks in the social skills series.

Future projects

I plan on using the Book Creator app with more and more elementary schools as the year goes on. I have teamed with other teachers in the district and we have written and published iBooks using the Book Creator app with kindergarten students, first graders, and of course our 4th and 5th graders.

The ideas are endless and the Book Creator app is the simplest and most robust app for writing books hands down. I would also like to expand the use of the app to the high school where I spend most of my days.

A final thought...

I would like to close this guest blog post with a few thoughts and a quote. I think students need to contribute more in the classroom. They need to be creating content and be a part of the learning process. They need to show us what they know and they need to be able to explain it.

Using Book Creator has the potential to transform learning for you and your students. Students and teachers need to share what they do. This really makes a difference in the authenticity of the learning. I truly believe that students want to share what they do and when they have a bigger audience, the work gets better.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Book Creator to support students with autism - Book Creator app

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Faced with the challenge of motivating a group of disenchanted kids, this teacher had a brainwave. I was teaching special education students in grades 5 and 6 in an inner city school in Canton, Ohio. Time was going by and students continued to struggle with writing.

# data[].attributes.body
Create your own book!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CAST UDL Book Builder has been made possible in part by generous support from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, NEC Foundation of America, The John W. Alden Trust, and The Pinkerton Foundation

# data[].attributes.body
Videos of stories read by actors.

# data[].attributes.body
For kids with special needs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
BY Becca Eisenberg

Are you looking for motivating ways to help develop your child's narrative skills? Helping to facilitate narrative development can foster improvement of language skills such as recalling information, sequencing, expanding vocabulary and improving expressive language. Below are five storytelling apps that approach storytelling in their own way ( e.g. creating your own story with pictures and/or text, modifying a story, reading a published book).

Imagistory is an app that allows you to create your story with wordless picture books. The app comes with two free stories, and other stories can be purchased via in-app purchases. The app is set up so that each time a new page in the story appears, it automatically records your speech. The process makes it easier for a child to record since there are fewer steps to the recording process. There is also a school edition that can be used for more within the classroom and with educators. I like this app because the child can create different stories from each book every time or it can be used in a group to see how each child has a different perspective.

Storypanda is an interesting storytelling app because it not only provides you with interactive stories but also gives the child the ability to modify the stories. They can change the background, characters, etc. to create their story so that it can be shared with others. For children who have difficulty creating their stories, it gives you the ability to start with a platform and then modify from there. This can help teach children with various language and learning concepts such as sequencing, answering " who, what, when, where, why " questions, retelling and much more!

Pictello is an app created by Assistiveware that can be used to create stories with using pictures, photographs, short video clips and text. You can create your story with your speech or computerized speech. When creating a story, choose between Wizard or Expert depending on how much support you need. Name your story and then choose your voice, transition feature and fill out the " About Me" section. As a speech-language pathologist, I have used Pictello to create social stories about specific events and/or goals that I would like that particular person to achieve. For example, if a child is working on greeting others, I would create a story about that particular pragmatic function ( e.g. child greeting teacher, child greeting peers and starting a conversation, etc.).

With this subscription-based app, you can access over 75 well known books including How I Became a Pirate, Bear books ( Barefoot Books), The Snowy Day and much more. With each book, the story is read to the individual with a voice that varies in intonation and matches the mood of the story. The story is accompanied by background music that helps maintains the student's focus. Additionally, the child needs to listen to each page before moving on with the book.

" Roll the cubes, make a story". Many years ago, I discovered Rory's Story Cubes at a game store. I loved the idea of cubes because you can use as many cubes as you like and create your story in many different ways. I would often use this game with my clients using AAC communication devices. After rolling the dice, they would create a sentence and/or story depending on their particular goal. I was happily surprised when I found out that Rory's Story Cubes turned into an app with all of the great features of the original game. Choose up to 9 cubes per story and create your story by rolling the dice, taking a photo of your cubes and then sharing it with others. Is nine too much? Start with one 1 or 2 and move up slowly as the child is gaining the skills to create the story. Other cubes are available for in-app purchases ( e.g. actions, voyages, clues, enchanted, etc.).

3 Strategies to Enhance Storytelling with these apps

Bluebee Pal Pro is a " plush learning tool to learn, communicate, and connect to technology " that comes in a variety of animals and colors. Once connected via Bluetooth to a tablet; Bluebee can add extra engagement to your storytelling experience. Instead of the voice coming directly from the iPad, allow Bluebee Pal Pro to tell your child's story. It also can be an excellent strategy to use in a group therapy or classroom with one Bluebee Pal or more. The Bluebee Pal Pro can be passed around, so each student gets the opportunity to use this helpful tool. This assistive technology tool is excellent for turn taking, increased engagement, language and learning goals.
Disclaimer: Although I am an app reviewer for this company, I do not receive a commission in any way from purchasing this product or any of the apps listed above. I was not paid to include this product in the article.
2. Print out your stories and share with others!

Most of these apps give you the ability to print out the stories via email or social media. Create a multi-sensory experience by having both the physical book and the e-book.

3. Create language and lesson plans with the books.

Take the book to the next level by making it into a language and learning lesson. Create questions, encourage problem-solving, and start classroom discussions. Ask questions such as " Why did you choose that character?" " How does this book make you feel?" etc.

Do YOU have any great storytelling apps to add to the list?

Leave your recommendations in the comments below!
Like this post? Pin it for later here:
Latest Special Needs Products

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Excellent Storytelling Apps for Kids with Special Needs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BY Becca Eisenberg Are you looking for motivating ways to help develop your child's narrative skills? Helping to facilitate narrative development can foster improvement of language skills such as recalling information, sequencing, expanding vocabulary and improving expressive language. Below are five storytelling apps that approach storytelling in their own way ( e.g.

# data[].attributes.body
guided reading

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Literacy and AAC Presentations from AGOSCI 2013

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Yesterday I was very lucky to present three papers around the topic of literacy instruction for students with complex communication needs (CCN) at the 2013 AGOSCI Conference. The first presentation was with the awesome Dr Sally Clendon. Sally and I both do similar consulting roles - although Sally is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

# data[].attributes.headline
Dr. Janice Light:: Literacy Instruction for Autism 

# data[].attributes.subject
Dr. Janice Light:: Literacy Instruction for Autism 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dr. Janice Light :: Literacy Instruction for Individuals with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Other Disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Research-based guidelines for early intervention designed to maximize the language and communication development of young children with complex communication needs including those with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities.