2018-03-29 ALSG This video is posted online with the following chapter markers: Chapter 1. Setting Up Your Classroom Chapter 2. Activity Walls Chapter 3. Classrooms Chapter 4. Centers Chapter 5. Ideas for Storage, Itinerant Teachers & Home Description of graphical content is included between Description Start and Description End. Transcript Start [Music] Fade up from black. Animation: Text for TSBVI transform into braille cells for TSBVI. [Music face out] Fade to black. Chapter 1. Setting Up Your Classroom Kate: Hello, welcome. Charlotte: Hi, everyone. It's been fun looking at people arriving and seeing that people are here from all around the world. We always give a special shout out to our friends in Australia, who are up super early. But we've got some folks from the West Coast, and the East Coast, and everywhere in between, welcome, everybody. I'm so glad that you are here, hope whenever you are, you are having as wonderful weather as we are having today here in Texas. After lots of rain and flooding, we have a beautiful sunshiny day and all of the wild flowers are in bloom, so it's very nice. Charlotte: Yes. Well, this is our fourth webinar of the year. So kind of amazing. Kate: Flying by. And Patty? I saw that she's here with her crew, I think. We're so glad to have our Penrickton friends... here with us. We were lucky, we had Patty down in February to do a couple of trainings in Texas. We're going to get her back in June, to do a little bit more. Glad to have you here, Patty. Patty: Hi Kate, hi Charlotte, hi everyone, nice to be here. Charlotte: And we're just waiting to show you our next slide... [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Webinar Dates Content: Additional ALSG webinar • May 17, 2018 Remember: You need to register separately for each session! https://txtsbvi.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=39337 Description End: Kate: Yeah, we have our final webinar of the year coming up; May 17th, 2018. And we're going to be looking at that one about how do you select equipment and materials? Which is something that we get a lot of questions about. I know Patty does an awful lot, when she does her training, explaining how you figure that out. I invite you all to come and join us for the last event in May and you'll get a lot of great information. If for some reason you can't make it, it will be recorded and archived, so you can always get to it later. A lot of good information. [ Slide end: ] Charlotte: We always like to remind people, even if you register for today, this is a separate registration for next time. Kate: Yes. And, of course, you can always view any of our recorded webinars on the Active Learning Space, the address is www.activelearningspace.org/webinars. Oh, and one other thing, we have a newsletter. It's an electronic newsletter that comes out every month to six weeks. And if you are not receiving that, all that you have to do is to go to the Active Learning Space site, on the home page, scroll all the way down to the bottom. You will see a place where you can sign up, and we'll get you on the list. We promise not to barrage you with stuff. It's just to get that email message out to you, so that you can keep up to date on any new developments on the active learning space website and, also, we always try to throw in-- I say we-- Charlotte tries to throw in some information about other things related to Active Learning. So please go on, get signed up if you're not already signed up. Control Room: You want to just cut to the video? Charlotte: I think we just wanted to let you know that we're going to be watching a prerecorded segment right now. You'll be able to put questions in the chat box. Then we're going to come back together live after the prerecorded part. So there are a lot of student videos, as well as a lot of information. So we'll see you after that. [ Video start: ] Charlotte Cushman: Today we’re going to talk about how to set up your classroom, both in terms of scheduling the day, as well as organizing the space. We always want to begin by reminding people that Active Learning is an APPROACH and not just a piece of equipment. Many people have heard of Little Rooms and believe that if they place a learner in a Little Room, they are using an Active Learning approach. Active Learning refers to the philosophy developed by Dr. Lilli Nielsen that is behind this particular piece of equipment. It starts with the belief that all individuals learn best through active participation. The concept is that a learner can be motivated to be an active participant in the environment by arranging developmentally appropriate materials, so that they are easily accessible for the learner to explore as independently as possible. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: General Considerations Content: • Age of learners • Location (school, home, residential setting) • Physical needs of learners (mobility, wheelchairs, etc.) • Preferred sensory channels • Staffing ratio Description End: When you’re setting up a classroom, here are some general considerations to keep in mind. The age of learners. The location, is it a school, or home, or residential setting. The physical needs of learners, for example, mobility, wheelchairs, etceteras. The preferred sensory channels and the staffing ratio. [ Slide end: ] Remember that Active Learning is an approach designed for learners under the developmental age of 4 years. Materials should be targeted for a learner’s developmental level. At the same time, it is important to look at the learner’s chronological age and plan accordingly. We’ll look at examples for both younger and older learners today. Active Learning can be done anywhere-- at home, school, or in a residential setting. Look at the physical needs of the learners when thinking about how they will access materials in the space. How will they get to each space? Where will their mobility devices, like their wheelchairs and walkers be stored? Preferred sensory channels should be looked at to think about questions, such as the level of noise, how much visual input is optimal, etceteras. The staffing ratio is important in trying to be realistic about how much supervision and interaction will be possible. One-on-one is very different from one-on-three, or one-to-five, when planning a space. Dr. Nielsen developed the FIELA Curriculum to help us determine which environments and experiences are appropriate for an individual at any point in his or her development, and how they can be provided in a number of different ways. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: FIELA Curriculum Content: left-side text: FIELA stands for: • Flexible • Individual • Enriched • Level • Appropriate http://www.activelearningspace.org/curriculum/fiela-curriculum right-side photo: Figure 5: FIELA Curriculum slide Description End: FIELA stands for Flexible, because it can be adapted to the child's interest, learning needs and the skill the child prefers to learn at any specific time. 'I' is for Individual, in that it recognizes the impact of the unique combination of disabilities on the way the child goes about acquiring psycho-social and cognitive-motor skills. 'E' stands for Enriched, because it maximizes varied neuronal activity. 'L' is Level Appropriate, because it meets the learning needs of the child at a specific point in time, according to his or her assessed level in all of the developmental areas. [ Slide end: ] The FIELA Curriculum is made up of a book, called "The FIELA Curriculum: 730 Learning Environments." It also includes a catalog of activities and a velcro board which is used to organize the child's week. It was developed by Dr. Nielsen to help us determine which environments and experiences are appropriate for an individual at any point in his or her development, and how they can be provided in a number of different ways. The manual, catalog of activities, and velcro board may all be purchased from LilliWorks. The FIELA Curriculum is a starting point, and encourages you to create other developmentally appropriate activities. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Key Points of the FIELA Curriculum Content: • Vary the type of movement required throughout the day (fine motor and gross motor) • Balance between solitary time, time with peers, and adult-child interaction • Include at least one 30-45 minute period of adult-child interaction daily Description End: Some of the key points are to vary the type of movement required throughout the day, alternating between fine motor and gross motor. Balance time between solitary time, time with peers, and adult-child interaction. Include at least one 30-45 minute period of adult-child interaction daily. [ Slide end: ] The learner’s educational program must provide a balance between fine motor and gross motor activity. The FIELA curriculum includes activity cards for each segment, for example, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, etceteras. And they're divided into Gross Movement, with the blue cards, Fine Movement with the yellow cards, and Gross and Fine Movement with the green cards. Some of the activity cards also have adult-child interactions. If the activity or learning environment can only be performed, or utilized by a child with some degree of vision an "S," for sight, will also appear on the card. Dr. Nielsen suggests an appropriate program will contain two parts; the individual's self activities and adult-child activities. It should also include opportunities to: repeat, experiment, explore, compare, understand spatial relations and object positions, work on number concepts, link new and familiar activities, play sequence games, take apart and put together, solve problems, share experiences with others, and interact. Dr. Nielsen recommends at least one 30-45 minute period daily be allocated for adult-child interactions. Remember, the adult typically interacts with the child before and after each activity, commenting on what has happened and what might happen next. The focus during the adult-child interaction times, though many other areas of development may be worked on, is primarily targeting the child's emotional development. Be sure to have alternate activities available at any given time, if the learner is not interested in the activity or materials that are offered. It is important to provide choices and to encourage self-determination, so that learners can feel empowered by making decisions about what they want to do. Okay, so we’ve looked at some things to keep in mind when planning the day. Now, we’re going to our attention to how to set up the space. Why is the organization of space important? Well, it's important to set up the space in a way that learners can access as independently as possible, because that helps to empower them, and let them be in control of their learning experience, as much as possible. And here's some points to think about. Is the space developmentally appropriate? Think about how materials for older learners might be different than those for younger students. For example, young students may have a sand and water table; whereas, older students may have a dishwashing station. Both could focus on exploration of water, the concepts of wet and dry, pouring water, and so forth, but the materials would be different. Is the space matched to learners’ needs and goals? This is something that teachers are well aware of, but it’s important to think about each individual’s needs and goals, as well as their preferences, when setting up the space. In terms of accessibility think about whether it is easy for the learner to physically access the materials. If he or she is not mobile, are there materials that are immediately available? Perhaps an activity vest or an activity wall might be nearby? This access is crucial to learners being active participants in the environment. If they are just sitting somewhere waiting for an adult to bring materials to them, they'll learn to be passive. If the child has more accessibility to the environment, they have more self-determination, as well as, a means of communication by traveling to the place they want to be. Think about how much time a student is in a wheelchair, and whether or not he or she can be out of it. Can the student be mobile on a scooter, where they have some amount of independent movement? Could they be in a HOPSA dress? Mobility is not just getting up and walking around the room. It can also be 'scooching,' rolling over, or any type of movement. Work with the student’s PT and Orientation & Mobility instructor to discuss ways to maximize independent mobility. We should always be thinking about safety! Are the equipment and materials sturdy enough to enable learners to explore them without interruption from adults? Is there adequate supervision available to monitor all students? [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Tips for Organizing Space Content: • Keep most useful equipment for that child in the environment. • Put one eye hook or one support structure in the classroom for use with multiple pieces of equipment. • Move bulkier pieces of equipment to therapy rooms or gyms. • Store equipment in the hallways or share equipment between classrooms. • Make use of vertical space as much as horizontal space. Description End: Allright, let's look at tips for organizing space. One of the challenges of Active Learning is finding a space that can house all the equipment. Most public school classrooms do not have the luxury of space that is seen at Penrickton Center for Blind Children or at Narbethong State Special School in Australia. [ Slide end: ] Try to keep the most useful equipment for that child in the environment the child is in most often, such as his/her classroom. Putting one eye hook in the ceiling of the classroom, or putting one support structure in the classroom, that can hold and eye hook, will help provide access to mobility activities and equipment. Improve access in a designated therapy room to house some of the bulkier pieces of equipment and take the child to that room multiple times during the day. You could store equipment in the hallways, or share equipment between classrooms. Make use of vertical space as much as horizontal space. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Qualities of AL Environments Content: • Should supply strong responses in multiple modes (auditory, tactual, visual). • A rich variety and quantity of materials should be available, so as to motivate learners. • Learner’s preferences should be taken into account. http://www.activelearningspace.org/materials Description End: What are some of the qualities of Active Learning? Materials hould supply strong responses in multiple modes; auditory, tactual, visual. A rich variety and quantity of materials should be available, so as to motivate learners. Learner’s preferences should be taken into account. [ Slide end: ] Before we show you any pictures, we want you to know that we understand that not every classroom will have as many resources as we’ll be looking at today. Many of you are itinerant teachers, or therapists, working in classrooms where there is very little space, and no Active Learning equipment. Don’t despair! We’ll discuss some ideas for that later this hour. For now, we just want to share lots and lots of ideas, in the hope that some of these may inspire you to try something similar. Chapter 2. Activity Walls We're going to start with Activity Walls. These are convenient, as they don’t need to take up much space. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Activity Walls Content: • Convenient, as they don’t need to take up much space • Motivating to learners to move and explore • Items can be at different heights for different learners • Can be placed next to a resonance board or HOPSA track Description End: They're motivating to learners to move and explore. The items can be at different heights for different learners. A resonance board can be placed next to an activity wall, or it can be located next to a HOPSA track. [ Slide end: ] As always, it’s important to take the learner’s developmental level and personal preferences into account when setting anything up. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this photo from Penrickton, we see an activity wall with two sections: the left side is made of pegboard, and the right side is made of Velcro. Pegboard can be mounted on a wall to create an activity wall. Items are attached to the pegboard, and suspended with elastic, protected by plastic tubing, so that the learner can explore materials independently. If multiple children will be using the activity wall, it's best to mount objects at a range of different heights, so that they can be manipulated by a user in various positions; standing, seated in a wheelchair, on the floor. [ Slide end: ] Objects should be selected according to their properties; metal, wood, plastic, bumpy, smooth, sound-producing, and so forth. Mounting more than one item together encourages the learner to engage with the objects using different play schemes. It is also nice to have an activity wall next to a HOPSA dress for the learner to explore, if they are unable to stand. Think about how often you’re going to change things out. It’s important to think this through before setting up an activity wall. If you’re not going to be able to change things easily, will they be appropriate for most students, and will they be durable? You can also hang a board with hinges at the top, so you could lift up the board up to change things out. They can be mounted with pieces of wood that are several inches thick, so you can get your arm in behind them. Activity walls can be mounted on the back of bookcases, also. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this photo, which is also from Penrickton, there are three large Position Boards on a wall with a variety of objects attached to each one. You can notice that a Resonance Board is located beneath them, with additional objects and toys on it. Some of the items included on the boards includes, flexible hose, a small container with a lock and keys attached to it, bristle brushes, bells, scrubbing brushes with long handles, a wooden shape, a weaving hoop, a tambourine, chains, ribbon, beads, toys that light up or make noise, a melmac coffee cup with beads attached inside it, a bunch of metal measuring spoons, and a bundle of metal measuring cups. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker We also wanted to include some ideas from public schools. The space here was designed by Hillary Keys and Johanna Burdge, primarily for a male student, at the high school level, who is very strong and tall. The space includes smooth foam mats with a Resonance Board inserted, Position Wall, Veltex wall, exploration bin, some bins with favored items, and object symbol on top of each bin, and a small electric piano. [ Slide end: ] With the receipt of a new gait trainer, his teacher turned the wall so that it was appropriate for use with the gait trainer, and hopefully a standing frame, soon. They are in the process of obtaining more pegboard and Veltex to enlarge Active Learning space, and add more materials that will appeal to other learners at various functional levels within the class. You’ll notice that the objects are hung at different heights. The high ones are for when a child is in gate trainer, or to encourage stretching. Most of the items at the top are high interest to encourage increased range of motion. The low ones are for students who crawl or knee walk. They can also use the floor to roll cars, compare car sizes, and roll the rolling pin. Chapter 3. Classrooms All right, now we're going to look at some Classrooms. These example all come from Narbethong in Australia. For those of you who don’t know Narbethong, the entire school uses an Active Learning approach. You’ll see, in some of the following examples, some classroom environments in which activities are set up to let students participate in gross, then fine, then gross motor activities throughout the day. Sometimes they can do this as they wish, and at other times it’s a little more structured. The students there have constant access to Active Learning environments, as everything is already set up. This allows the students to move and participate in activities with less effort, as the space is already ready for them. Many thanks to Trisha Borg and to the rest of the staff there for sharing these ideas! [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Here we see an Octagon with Position Boards and other activities on top, including a bucket with various types of brushes inside, a tub with dried beans and scooping equipment inside, and a metal tray with magnets on it. This is a great small area for students to explore. They climb in and out of it, side step within it, sit inside it and safely practice independent sitting balance. They can also sit on an Essef inside the Octagon. You can use the Octagon for so many activities. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker This photo shows a hallway set up with Active Learning materials and equipment. And while this type of set up probably wouldn’t be possible in most public schools, it can be helpful to take advantage of all available space. Students in this classroom had some vision and the contrast between the floor and the board was enough for them to identify it. It’s also possible to use tape on the edge of the board if clearer contrast is required. The keyboard was placed there to give a landmark half way down the hallway. The idea behind this set-up was also to limit kids that just roam with few play skills. For these students, they may have learned to walk early, but have no real purpose in their movement. In other words, their gross motor skills are well beyond their play skills. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this slide we see two examples of pretend play spaces. The one on the left includes a play kitchen, as well as a dollhouse. There is astroturff on the floor to help to define the different areas. In the photo on the right, there is a resonance board on the floor, which provides additional feedback. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this picture the piece of equipment on the left is a Den, and the one on the right is a Ball Forest. If the child is starting to move in-and-out of a Little Room, they can then move to a Den, and allow the students continued exploration in a bigger contained space. The Ball Forest has a Resonance board base, with Essef boards under it, and the Den has a solid non-moving base. The Ball Forest allows students to practice climbing up, onto and out of the space. By placing the Resonance Board on Essef boards, the students experience subtle movements during their active play, which gives them more sensory feedback and engages the child’s core and balance, especially when in sitting. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this example, you can see a resonance board that has been turned over, so that when objects that fall, they can stay contained. This would be done specifically for a child who has object permanence, and might like to retrieve an object. This allows more repetition of the child’s activity. The setup, here, is for a learner to play and practice fine motor skills, if they are around the 6-12 month level; for example with loose ping pong balls, Velcro objects and magnets. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker This example from Narbethong, shows how open shelving allows learners to select materials they wish to use. Large modular shelving also acts as a room divider. In this particular classroom, all students were mobile, so they have independent access to materials. Some cubes have Velcro for separating games; others have magnets to pull off. The doors open in different ways to sabotage the learner who always expects a door to open left-right or right-left. Higher cupboards promote a wider range of movements. Students can practice putting-into games, taking-out-of games. The environment is like one that could be reproduced at home, or compared to a home environment. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Younger students can be positioned on a floor chair with their legs out in front of them on a resonance board at a lower multi-function activity table. This set up suits students who are throwing. You would just turn the multi-function activity table around, so the student would throw towards the corner; and also students who are retrieving. Lilli Nielsen talked a lot about students working close to the ground while they are still learning how to locate and retrieve desired objects. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Simple pieces of hose and tubing have been attached to a pegboard, here. Learners can vocalize into them and hear the amplification of their voices. Small balls, or other items, can also be dropped into the tubes and roll out the other end. Different items can also be placed at the bottom of the tubes, or pipes, that would produce a variety of sounds for the learner to compare. For example, something heavy landing in a metal bucket would make a very different sound from something light, or soft, falling into a plastic bucket, or foam box. It’s also like a bigger version of a position board, and gives the opportunity for students to operate in a vertical space; to develop their auditory location of objects as they are being posted down the tubes. There are lots of different games to play at this board. It also gives the opportunity for more than one learner to play in parallel, or together, in a shared game. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Finally, we wanted to show a couple of photos of large spaces at Narbethong. Here on the left we can see a Resonance Board sitting on several ESSEF Boards with a ball pit on top of it. A variety of objects hang above it from strings. There is a child swing on a hook with a large drum placed where a child's feet can explore the surface; a number of balls sit on the head of the drum. There are large galvanized metal buckets with objects that can be lowered over a child in a supine position, so that they can experiment with vocalizing and manipulating objects. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this space we see a support bench on resonance board with a plastic tub next to it. Next to that is a Little Room on resonance board. And in the middle of the room is a bolster swing, and there is also a large mobile on a wooden sawhorse. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Going back to Penrickton again, here we see part of the music therapy room. Active Learning is a natural fit with music therapy! The auditory and vibratory qualities of musical instruments are very motivating to most students, even those who may have some difficulty hearing. In this picture we see items such as hand bells, jingle bells, combs, harp, drum, and various small percussion instruments. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker The ESSEF Board can be used to work on leg strength and balance. Here we see two different environments, at Penrickton Center, where the ESSEF board is used in combination with other equipment. The photo on the left shows it with a hammock swing positioned just above it, so the student can experiment with his legs. The photo on the right has the board positioned below a ladder that is attached to a column. This allows the student to stabilize himself as he experiments with pulling-up to standing, practicing bouncing and balancing on the ESSEF Board. The photo on the right really shows how you can use a pretty small space, or a space that might otherwise be unused, for some Active Learning equipment and activities. Chapter 4. Centers All right, let's switch now to Centers. One approach to setting up a classroom is to organize it into centers. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Centers Content: • Create distinct learning environments • Themes • Materials • Arrangement of furniture or equipment • Helps learners to make associations between activities, materials, and sensory experiences in each location Description End: This is a way to create distinct learning environments or differentiated from one another by themes, the materials stored there and the seating arrangements; tables and chairs, couches, beanbags, rugs; and the physical landmarks dividing them. [ Slide end: ] This organization can help learners to make associations between the centers and the interactions, the activities, materials and sensory experiences that occur in each. Now we're going to talk about Center-based classrooms for older learners. Another teacher from Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Suzanne Becker, explains how she has created a center-based classroom for older learners in her article “Developing my Classroom for Secondary-Aged Students Who Aren’t Actively Engaging with People or Objects.” This article is posted on the Active Learning Space website in the Implementation section. I encourage you to read the article, as it tells about Suzanne's multi-year journey to adopt Active Learning principles in her classroom with older students. She notes that she has helped her students to be in control of their learning experience, as much as possible, by structuring the classroom into these centers that are derived from natural occurring themes in their lives. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Centers for Older Learners Content: • Be more independent • Initiate activities • Increase motor skills as a result of more practice • Expand the ways in which they interact with objects (e.g. moving beyond mouthing, throwing and banging to shaking, scratching, sniffing) http://www.activelearningspace.org/classroom-environments/developing-my-classroom- for-secondary-aged-students Description End: Setting up centers gives students more time to explore, as they have access to available materials throughout the day. This can have many benefits, such as helping them to be more independent, and to initiate activities. It can also help them to increase their motor skills, as they have much more time to practice. In addition, having more time to explore helps learners to expand the ways in which they interact with objects. [ Slide end: ] For example, they may move beyond mouthing, throwing and banging, to shaking, scratching and sniffing. When setting up these centers, think about individual goals and learner preferences. It’s nice to have items in each center that appeal to the learner’s tastes. For example, Suzanne describes one student who loved tickling himself with apron strings, paper towels, his pillow or anything he could find. She made sure that there were familiar items, in each center, that he could use to tickle himself, as well as offering new items to help him to expand his repertoire. We’re going to look at some of the centers that were set up in the classroom, with some examples of materials and activities that took place in each of those locations. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker We’re starting here with the Sensory Center, which has a tactile vibration area with vibrating pillows of various sizes, and acoustic musical instruments; and an electronic visual/auditory center which contains the beloved keyboards, CDs, cassette players, light boxes and the computer. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this slide we see one of the students in the Vibration Center exploring an ocean drum. We’re going to watch that same student, now, in the Calming Center. [ Slide end: ] His teacher reported that he came to her classroom with well-established behaviors, such as self-abuse and aggression. You can see that having materials available to calm himself helped him to develop self-regulation skills. [ Video start: ] [someone playing electronic keyboard] [paper crinkles softly] [paper crinkles softly] [ Video end: ] Charlotte: Let’s watch a short video clip of that same student interacting with his teacher in the Sensory Area. They are sitting on the floor exploring various metal tins that make interesting, drum-like sounds. [ Video start: ] [Bang, bang, bang] Student: [vocalizing] [Bang] [Bang] [Bang, bang, bang] [Bang, bang] Suzanne: Tin. It's a tin. Student: [vocalizing] Suzanne: Tin. Student: [vocalizing] Suzanne: It's a tin. [Bang, bang, bang] Student: Shooo. Shoo. [vocalizing] [Bang] Student: [laughing, vocalizing] Suzanne: [imitates vocalization] [Bang, bang, bang, bang] Student: Ow. [laughing] Suzanne: Oh, with your teeth! Student: Ow! Suzanne: Your teeth hurt. Student: [vocalizing] [Bang] Student: [vocalizing] [Bang] [Bang, bang, bang] Student: [vocalizing] [Bang] [Bang] [Bang] [Bang, bang] [Bang, bang] [thump, thump, thump] [Bong!] [Bong] [Bong, bang!] Student: Ohhh! [vocalizing] Suzanne: [imitates vocalization] Student: [laughing] [ Video end: ] Charlotte: Okay, let’s move, next, to the Vocational Center. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this area, you can see we've got a can crusher, cans, trash receptacle on wheels, plastic bags, a broom, watering cans, smooth stones, planters, shovels, scoops, water hoses, paint rollers, dusters, mop heads and containers with various lids. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this slide we see a girl holding a paint roller and a feather duster in the Vocational area. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker And here she’s examining and empty tin can. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Now we see her with her shoes off with the feather duster on her bare foot. [ Slide end: ] Let’s look now at another video clip. In this one, we’ll see the same teenage boy we saw earlier, but this time he is exploring objects in the vocational center. [ Video start: ] Student: [Indiscernible] [Indiscernible speech] [vocalizing] [ Laughter ] [Indiscernible speech] [tapping] [vocalizing] [tapping softly] [tapping loudly] [ Laughter ] [vocalizing] [tapping softly] [ Video end: ] Charlotte: Here’s the kitchen or cooking center, [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker which includes utensils such as measuring cups, stirring spoons, mixing bowls, cups, placemats, and appliances, such as a microwave and refrigerator; as well as supplies such as food, spices. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker We see our friend, Nathan, sitting on the floor exploring kitchen items, such as cans, muffin tins, measuring cups, and food packaging. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Content: Description End: He explores items tactually, as well as sniffing them. [ Slide end: ] All right, let’s look at another video, this time of a different student in the kitchen center. You'll see him on a resonance board exploring various kitchen items. [ Video start: ] [quiet room] [indiscernible staff voices] [metal and plastic rattling] [metal clanging] [tap] [plop] [metal tinkling softly] [ Video end: ] Charlotte: Here’s a picture of another center. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker This is the throwing center with balls of various shapes, sizes, colors and weights, plastic bottles with different materials on the inside and textures glued to the outside. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker We see here a girl exploring some of the items on the wall-mounted position board, or activity wall. Note that these items are suspended with very long cords, so that they can safely be thrown and retrieved. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Here she has a big metal washtub with goosebump balls, and other types of balls that she can throw into the tub. Having a metal tub gives her a different type of feedback when she throws, as she can hear the sounds that different items make when they hit the metal. A plastic ball will not sound the same as a golf ball, for example. In this video we see the same teenage girl with a staff person. The girl is rubbing various types of balls on her bare feet in the throwing area. [ Video start: ] [other student verbalizing] [radio playing softly] Staff: Want to try this one? [radio playing softly] [items rattling] Staff: [Indiscernible] [ Video end: ] Charlotte: The last center I wanted to show you, today, is the hygiene center. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker This one has soaps and lotions of various smells and different sized containers, toothpastes and toothbrushes, hair brushes, sponges, foot baths and hand dryers. [ Slide end: ] We’re going to watch two short video clips of another student with his teacher in this center. This student is deafblind, and he is particularly withdrawn. Touch and interaction really stress him out, causing him to drop to the floor, and at times to remove his clothing. As you’ll see, he primarily stands in one place, twisting his upper-body rapidly from side-to-side, or he sits in a chair with his legs crossed close to his body, tucking his head and arms onto his legs. He can tolerate being in a center if it means he has room to sway, but he's fearful of touching anything. Presenting an object to him was too demanding, so the teacher hung objects where he could accidentally bump into them in the process of swaying back-n-forth. He felt extremely threatened by interaction, so the teacher’s goal was for him to allow her presence near him. She stood and imitated his swaying, near enough, so when he chose to reach out, he felt her resonating the same body movement as his. Over the entire school year, this non-demanding interaction built trust between them, and that trust helped him remain in contact with her, as she invited him to follow her, as she then reached out to experience objects in the centers. [ Video start: ] [other student verbalizing] [clapping] [other student verbalizing] Suzanne: It's good, right? [clap] [tapping] [patting] Suzanne: [Indiscernible] Finished. [ Video end: ] [ Video start: ] Student: [soft mouth noises] [tapping] Student: [soft vocalization] [tapping] [clapping] Camera person: Suzanne's copying some of the movements that she saw Franz doing; tapping. [clapping] [soft tapping] [plop] Camera person: He's requesting some pressure on his forhead. Student: [soft mouth noises] Student: [soft mouth noises] [plop] [clapping softly] [tapping] Student: [vocalizing] [vocalizing] [tapping] Student: [soft mouth noises] [tapping] [ Video end: ] Charlotte: We didn’t include photos of a few other centers in the classroom, since they’re similar to the ones we saw in the earlier video. These include a clothing center and a gross motor center. Chapter 5. Ideas for Storage, Itinerant Teachers & Home I’d like, now to take a look now at storage ideas, which are an important part of the organization of space. Again, we understand that not everyone will have the luxury of ample storage room, but we’d like to show you some things to think about. Storage is an issue in any classroom, especially when we’re talking about so much equipment, in addition to personal wheelchairs, walkers, standing frames, and so forth. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Storage Ideas Content: • Store items in bins labeled with their special characteristics, e.g. auditory, things that change shape, magnetic, vibrating • Store large equipment out of the way (strollers, car seats, etc.) Description End: First, it’s helpful if you can store items in bins labeled with their special characteristics, such as auditory, things that change shape, magnetic, vibrating, etceteras. If possible, it’s also helpful to store large equipment out of the way. Things like strollers, car seats, wheelchairs, take up a huge amount of room, so try to think about where they can be stored outside the classroom. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Here’s an example from Penrickton Center of items stored in plastic bins according to their properties. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this slide we can see 3 different ways to store big equipment. Again, we know that not all of you have the luxury to have this type of space, but we see that there are special cubbies for big items like wheelchair trays, strollers, and car seats. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Here are a couple more examples of storage at Penrickton. I think we all feel a bit jealous of this! Again, labeling things according to properties, about what the items 'do,' can be helpful; for example “open and close” containers. In the photo on the right, you can see some flat storage for position boards, trays and things that don’t need much vertical shelf space. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Finally, I wanted to show you this idea I love from the Penrickton Center with all of the different lids from Little Rooms stored in these special cubbies. This enables each of the learners to have a Little Room ceiling with items that have been specifically selected for that individual, according to his or her preferences and needs. [ Slide end: ] All right, so what about ideas for itinerant teachers or therapists? Well, it's important to keep in mind the idea that Active Learning is an APPROACH, rather than a piece of equipment. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Ideas for Itinerant Teachers Content: • Remember that Active Learning is an APPROACH and not a piece of equipment! • Position boards, elastic boards, tabletop mobiles, activity vests/aprons/gloves, and even a Resonance Board are portable and can be brought (and left) in any classroom. • Share ideas with classroom about how materials can be used to meet goals. • Help staff learn the benefits of an AL approach. Description End: If you do this, you’ll find that there is much more that you can bring with you and try; Position Boards, elastic boards, table top mobiles, activity vests, aprons, gloves, and even a Resonance Board are portable, and can be brought into any classroom. These are all things that could be left in the classroom for the student to use at any time. In order to get buy-in from classrooms, try introducing some of these materials to show what the child is doing with these things, and share ideas about some goals that may be worked on at any time. [ Slide end: ] Itinerants have an important role, but also challenges if they are the main ones bringing Active Learning into a classroom. As an itinerant, think about role release, so that students will get the maximum amount of time to practice. This approach would be most effective if others are carrying on the work when you’re not there. We acknowledge that a lot of the Active Learning equipment and all of the materials can be challenging in a typical classroom setting, and that’s where a team really needs to get creative. Is there a common space, such as an OT or a PT room where some of these materials can be used? Is there any kind of additional storage in the classroom that you could pull in the morning, and then put it away at the end of the day. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker These are some ideas that are easily portable and that can be left in the classroom. On the left, you see an activity vest in which strips of velcro are sewn onto an old vest, and items are attached that are attractive to the child. These could include a small brush, measuring spoons, toothbrushes and wooden dowels. On the right is an activity belt, which is great for kids who are ambulatory. This one has a slinky, some keys, and nail brushes attached to it. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker This Position board with bells and castanets is also really portable. There are lots more ideas of things you can make on the Active Learning Space site and we encourage you to take a look at those. [ Slide end: ] What are you doing every day in your classroom and how might you use more of an Active Learning approach for these same activities? For example, many classrooms start the day with Circle Time, where the attendance and the weather are discussed. Try including more singing, rhymes, finger play and other activities to make the child more actively engaged. Similarly with hygiene, rather than just taking the child in to get changed or brush their teeth, build in extra time for the child to explore the materials. Keep the wipes, lotion, powder, and diapers in a bin, and allow time for the student to explore these before getting changed. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Try using a tabletop mobile of toothbrushes, like this example from Penrickton. [ Slide end: ] So far we’ve focused on classrooms, but many families have also set up space within their homes using Active Learning materials. One big problem for many families is the number of materials and the amount of equipment that can be difficult to absorb into a typical family home. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker Description End: One family set up this great storage system, which allowed easy access to materials, while keeping them neat and organized. [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker TVI Liz Eagan worked with the mother of a 19-year-old young man to create several environments within their home. In these photos, we see the area around his bed. The foot area has different textures for him to feel, while the head area, and above the head, have materials for him to reach for. His mother reports that this young man now wants to go to bed, he stays in bed, and is happier in the mornings. It’s quite common for many of the students we’re talking about not to sleep well, which can have a negative impact on the family. This design can help everyone to sleep better. [ Slide end: ] One mother we know said that she had a hard time preparing dinner, or getting anything done around the house, because her child wanted her full attention. She was advised to bring in a resonance board into the corner of the kitchen and this ended up keeping her child happy and engaged while she cooked. Families could also use position boards, or create activity walls for similar types of engagement around the house. This is a great way to bring in some of the everyday items that the child will be experiencing, such as utensils, pots and pans, and fruit. Even if they’re not eating the fruit, or other food items, this can be a great way for them to experience these things. Of course it’s important to think about safety with allergies, and choking, and so forth. Why not give the child a leaf of lettuce, or a carrot to explore while you’re making dinner? [ Slide start: ] Described by speaker In this slide we see an example of a young child in a high chair comparing different types of balls and hair curlers. [ Slide end: ] This doesn’t take specialized equipment and is an easy type of activity to set up at home. [ Video end: ] Charlotte: You know, thank you everybody for being so active in the chat box. You know, I-- one comment that Patty made I really wanted to call out. Patty writes, "Remember making small changes over time will equal big changes eventually." I really love that. Because I think we often hear people who feel a little discouraged, oh, I can't do as much as Narbethong or Penrickton, I don't have all of that stuff, I'm an itinerant. Some of you have been very creative. Shout out to Sally in Nova Scotia with a resonance board that folds up. And really people have thought a lot very clever ways to get out there, and get the idea started, even without the perfect equipment. Kate: Yeah, it is an approach. Yes, we all dream of winning the lottery and buying a full suite of wonderful, fabulous equipment from LilliWorks. But in the meantime, we can still be doing an Active Learning approach even if we don't have all of those resources immediately. It will help the kid, that's great. Charlotte: Katherine just put an interesting idea in the chat box that I'm seeing, also, we had a picture of the tooth brush mobile from Penrickton, and, you know, Patty said she's had real luck with students allowing them to kind of explore in a non‑threatening way spoons, toothbrushes and different things. And Katherine had the idea of, you know, why not put some toothpaste out, also. Absolutely. Kate: I think that I would smear a little toothpaste on a brush or two and let them discover, that would be fun. Even if they just get it on their hands. Charlotte: Just to have that experience, so someone is not coming at you with a toothbrush to brush your teeth. Kate: Exactly. So many ways to be creative, there really is. And you know, for all of you, there's so much out there so, you know, just take a little bite. Take a little, little bite, see where it gets you and then you can go a little further with it. But think about what you're trying to do with it. Don't just throw stuff at the kid without some thought about what the child's skills are, what you're hoping the child will be able to do with the environment and, you know, give it some real thought. You know, I'm not saying just stuff won't have some benefit for a child. Of course it might. But get your -- your brain engaged in thinking about what do I want the child to be able to do in this learning environment? What am I focusing on? Is it gross motor, is it fine motor, am I working on hands and feet, arms and legs, finger skills, you know, mouth motor skills, vocalizing. You know, there's different things in each piece of equipment to work with. [ Slide start: ] Description Start: Title: Please Take our Survey! Content: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/active_learning_2018 Figure 47: Screenshot of Active Learning survey Description End: Charlotte: I think before we end today, we just wanted to invite everybody to take our survey. This link was sent out when you got your sign‑in information. It's here on the screen again. It's in the chat box. Please do share that link. It really does help us in planning. We have limited things that we can do for next year. So, the more that you have let us know about what's important to you, and what you would like, and don't like, and what you want to see more of, the better we can try to put things together that will work for you. [ Slide end: ] Kate: Absolutely, absolutely. And I know we're getting close on time. Is there-- is there any questions from any of the group out there? Or comments that you want to share? You can either put them in the chat or you can just speak up. Charlotte: And while people are typing, I wanted to mention that we're going to try to-- there were even some more videos that we weren't able to include today, we ran out of time. So we will keep adding more. And I'm so glad to see that some of you have been able to-- to find some ideas. Somebody is asking about getting the email from Sally. You know, what we'll do is we will go ahead and contact Sally privately and then we can post that on the website if Sally has some plans to share. Kate: We can [Multiple voices] Charlotte: TSBVI has some of those folding boards as well, but that would be a great resource to see up on the site. So great. Kate: Yeah. Charlotte: All right. Well, enjoy your vacation, those of you who are heading off on holidays in Australia; and the rest of you, we hope that we'll see you back in May. Meanwhile, good luck with your students and we wish you continued success! Kate: And don't forget to stay tuned for the code so that you can submit that in your evaluation and get credit for attending today. And, also, make sure that you have signed in, in the sign‑in pod below the chat box so that we know that you've been here today. Okay. Great, well, I'm going to turn it over to the guys in the control room to get the code out. [Silence] Fade up from black. Animation: Text for TSBVI transform into braille cells for TSBVI. Fade to black.