Assistive Technology

The Story...

John is a fifth grader who has been identified with learning disabilities in the area of language arts. He has a reading ability at a second grade level. His writing is legible, but immature with simple sentences of three or four words. He attempts to phonetically write words, but becomes easily frustrated with this. He does well in fifth grade science and social studies, which involve discussion, lectures, and text material read aloud by other students. The teacher administers tests to him orally. John is eager to respond verbally in science and social studies. Concern has been expressed about sixth grade which will require lots of independent reading and writing.


Analysis...

Student 5th grade
learning disability in language arts
read and write at 2nd grade level
frustrated with phonetic writing
Environment teacher administers tests orally
sixth grade will require lots of independent reading and writing
Task does well with discussion, lectures, and text material read aloud by others
responds verbally in science and social studies



Suggestions...

High-Tech


The roadrunner is a device for students with learning disabilities in reading. It allows the students to listen to audio files while reading the text on a screen. This will enhance the student's learning because he can hear the words with headphones as he sees them on the screen. This way he can improve his reading and comprehension skills.

Low-Tech


Elkonin blocks are used to teach phonemic awareness to struggling readers. Each different colored box represents a different phoneme and the student is able to break down the word and sound it out. This enhances the student's learning because he is able to visually differentiate the different pieces of the words and sound them out step by step. This activity also helps his writing.




The SETT framework definitely helped my decision to choose the Roadrunner and Elkonin boxes for John. I saw that he has a learning disability in language arts. However, I saw under task that he responds well to texts read aloud by his classmates. The Roadrunner will mimic his classmates read aloud. In environment, I saw that in sixth grade he will have to work more independently. With the Roadrunner, he does not need his peers to read aloud for him; he can complete the activities on his own. The teacher administers tests to him orally, so the Roadrunner will help him transition to written tests that will be given to him later in his academic career. I also saw under the information for student that he is easily frustrated when he tries phonetic writing. This tells me that he probably does not have a strong grip on phonetic awareness, so for the low-tech tool, I suggested Elkonin boxes. This tool allows John to master the basic building blocks of reading so he can perform better in language arts. This tool will help him prepare for sixth grade when he will have to read more difficult material. He already has an interest in science and social studies, but he just needs to develop his reading and writing skills so he can perform better in those subjects when forced to work independently. The Roadrunner and the Elkonin boxes will help him accomplish that goal.


Resources...

General Information about SETT

Roadrunner

Elkonin boxes

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