The Joseph Robert Shaw Foundation

Helping Children Recover from Brain Injury

Accessing Online Resources with AAC

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I rely heavily on the Pioneer Valley Book Builder subscription to create books for the children I work with. You can put a child’s name into the program and print out a book at the child’s guided reading level with their name within the text. This is a great resource, especially during this time of quarantine. As I was exploring the site the other day I came upon their Digital Reader, which is currently free. It allows you to access books digitally at your child’s specific reading level (they also have a free assessment if you are not sure where to start). There are even videos for some of the books that will guide the students through introducing the book, word work connected with the book, as well as writing connections with the book. 

As I watched my own kindergarten daughter participate in this virtual guided reading lesson from guided reading guru Jan Richardson, I couldn’t help but think of Joey – can these resources work for him as well?

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When Ideas Don’t Work…

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Shortly after Christmas I was meeting with Joey and noticed the newly opened card game – Sleeping Queens- sitting on his family’s couch. It happened to be a game I love, and one that I not only play with my own children, but also with many of the children I work with. I’ve never worked with a child who didn’t like this game. Joey’s older brother was also home from school, and I jumped on the chance to turn this into a meaningful learning and bonding moment.

The game has dragons, knights, queens, and kings – all vocabulary that Joey has. It also has number cards and encourages the players to make number sentences in order to get new cards (4 + 2 = 6, so that if you have the cards 4, 2, and 6, you can play all three). My mind was spinning. I could encourage Joey’s counting, adding, and back and forth turn taking and game play. All while engaging him in a game other kindergartners like. Sure, we’d have a lot to problem solve, but if we could figure out how to make this work there could be all sorts of opportunities to explore. 

Sometimes, I need to keep my ideas to myself. [Read more…]

Joey’s Insights

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Moments of Joey sharing his thoughts.

Joey and I were enjoying the Ninja Red Riding Hood and Three Ninja Pigs books, and so I thought I’d introduce another spin on the Red Riding Hood tale. Joey seemed excited at first, but shortly after beginning the book – The Cat, The Dog, Little Red, The Exploding Eggs, The Wolf, and Grandma, it was clear that this story was not nearly as interesting to him as the Ninja series. This book, by Diane Fox, tells the Red Riding Hood story from the perspective of a cat and a dog arguing over the story. The cat is trying to read the story, while the dog interrupts with questions and silly assumptions. Unfortunately, as we read, I realized this story has an older sense of humor than Joey is interested in.  [Read more…]

Which witch?

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The last time I worked with Joey he was fairly quiet, and not as engaged as he usually is. He had just worked hard during his in home occupational therapy, and he just seemed tired. I was wondering if he was with me when he scanned the room and then gave me a disapproving look.

“What’s up?” I asked. “What book do you want to read? What will Fat Cat Sit on? or What is Chasing Duck?” (I’m on a Jan Thomas kick since Joey told me he loved funny, silly books. You don’t get sillier or funnier than Jan Thomas.)

Joey looked past both books I was holding up and again scanned the area of the room behind me, obviously looking for something.

He turned back to his device. “Where a a which on?” he asked, then once again looking past me. [Read more…]

Fire Engines A Lot

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I held up two books and ask Joey which one he wanted to read. He said “fire engine” with his eye gaze device, and then looked at Curious George and the Fire Fighters that was hiding behind my chair and NOT one of the choices I offered. OK. Here’s the thing. When Joey and I read Curious George and the Fire Fighters we never actually get through the whole book. Sometimes I have a compulsion to finish a book, and so this pattern drives me a bit crazy. So I don’t always offer Curious George and the Fire Fighters as an option. “Fire engine” Joey said again. [Read more…]

Saturday Serenade

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Test post for Saturday Serenades https://www.musichealsglennjan.com/saturday-serenades

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