ADAPTED PENCIL GRIP
Take a tennis ball, stab a pen through it (ok, you may actually have to cut/drill the holes), and you've got an instant pencil grip. Many kids with fine motor issues or disabilities affecting hand strength/coordination struggle with the tripod grasp. This allows them to have control of their pencil/pen without requiring them to have such a tight or coordinated gripping technique.
SOCIAL MEDIA WALL
Kids of all ages LOVE social media, whether they have their own accounts or see their parents using it daily. This is an easy way to check for understanding in your classroom with simply a whiteboard and sticky notes. This example uses Facebook as the platform and asks the student "What would the character in the book you're reading post as their Facebook status?" I could see this used in many different ways for many different subjects. You could even ask the students what they would post as their Facebook status in relation to their understanding of the lesson as a reflection/self-assessment piece. You could use other social media platforms, such as Twitter (what would you, the character/key people in the lesson tweet?) using text/writing reflections. Another option would be to use Instagram or Snapchat and have them draw, illustrate, or use technology to create an image that checks their understanding. Here's another social media example where a class created a Facebook page for Vincent van Gogh:
OUT THE DOOR WORDS
For younger students, these could be their "I can read words" or spelling words for the week and they could read/spell the word and high-five the corresponding hand every time they walk out the door. For older students, they could be vocabulary words that they could high-five and tell the meaning of as they walk out the door. Another option for older students would be to write the meaning of one of the words on a sticky note and hand it to the teacher as they walk out as an exit ticket. GREAT for students who you know do not typically get their studying done at home.
I DON'T KNOW/I DON'T GET IT ALTERNATIVES
My least favorite phrase as a teacher was "I don't get it." What do you not get? How in the world can I help you when you tell me that? I would always tell my students, ""I don't get it" tells me nothing. Ask a specific question related to what you don't understand." I LOVE this poster because it helps students to learn to be more responsible for their own learning by teaching them to ask specific questions. This is a skill that will help them throughout their educational careers.
MORE GREAT ANCHOR CHARTS
I do love a good anchor chart. See my previous posts for even more examples. This example implores the students to tie new learning to prior learning. Very nice.
DRY ERASE MATS
These are cute. Laminated circles with corresponding number/letter lines. Guess what though? That table? It's dry erasable on it's own. Your student desks at school? Probably also dry erasable. Kids love writing on desks because it's kind of taboo. Keep the Clorox wipes handy and let them go to town. (Test your desks with a small dot first). Examples of when to use this: Practicing multiplication facts, working math problems along with the teacher, quick quizzes and checks for understanding, group answers for review games...the possibilities are endless.
EXPANDING SENTENCES
This teaches students to expand upon their writing, appropriately use and identify various parts of speech, and elaborate upon their thinking. The example pictured is very basic, but sentences can get much more elaborate at the middle and high school levels. You could also use this in social studies to gradually elaborate upon their thinking about a certain concept, adding facts and descriptions as they move down the page. An idea for mathematics would be to teach them how to properly write or solve equations using the order of operations.
I have so many more great strategies that I will share here. Every year I promise myself that I will update this more often and every year I fail miserably. Here's to hoping that 2016-2017 brings more blog posts with resources for you guys. If not, see you back here next year. ;) Have a great year!
