The most important skill a student with special needs can learn is self-efficacy. They need to learn that their actions have power. A tool like Osmo may be exciting/interesting for a general education student but it means access and participation and growth to a special education student.
Learning cause-and-effect early gives kids the grit to explore, experiment and try again academically, motorically and socially. Play is often overlooked as an important catalyst for learning. I recently tried Osmo with my 3rd-6th grade special education students and it was like seeing a whole new class! They were cheering, actively watching and interacting with the tool and each other.
I'm typically skeptical of high tech tools but from my experience, Osmo is an unprecedented hybrid of:
rewarding hands-on, tactile, fine motor play plus the high tech world so many of our students live in and are highly motivated by.
As an occupational therapist, I plan on using Osmo as an intervention modality and positive behavior support during individual treatment sessions, co-treats and small groups with our speech therapist and integrated small groups (with gen ed peers) at my elementary and middle schools (which is why the carrying case is requested for transport between school sites).
I want to provide an enriching alternative for my students who passively watch videos and play apps in isolation because they cannot access other activities. I believe early success on Osmo can be an important stepping stone towards increased participation & reducing the educational equity gap.
Additionally, I see Osmo as an important inclusion tool that can facilitate authentic structured play between my special education students and gen ed models.
I hope this tool facilitates a sense of curiosity about the world through a series of small, exciting successes to lights their fire to learn.
About my class
The most important skill a student with special needs can learn is self-efficacy. They need to learn that their actions have power. A tool like Osmo may be exciting/interesting for a general education student but it means access and participation and growth to a special education student.
Learning cause-and-effect early gives kids the grit to explore, experiment and try again academically, motorically and socially. Play is often overlooked as an important catalyst for learning. I recently tried Osmo with my 3rd-6th grade special education students and it was like seeing a whole new class! They were cheering, actively watching and interacting with the tool and each other.
I'm typically skeptical of high tech tools but from my experience, Osmo is an unprecedented hybrid of:
rewarding hands-on, tactile, fine motor play plus the high tech world so many of our students live in and are highly motivated by.
As an occupational therapist, I plan on using Osmo as an intervention modality and positive behavior support during individual treatment sessions, co-treats and small groups with our speech therapist and integrated small groups (with gen ed peers) at my elementary and middle schools (which is why the carrying case is requested for transport between school sites).
I want to provide an enriching alternative for my students who passively watch videos and play apps in isolation because they cannot access other activities. I believe early success on Osmo can be an important stepping stone towards increased participation & reducing the educational equity gap.
Additionally, I see Osmo as an important inclusion tool that can facilitate authentic structured play between my special education students and gen ed models.
I hope this tool facilitates a sense of curiosity about the world through a series of small, exciting successes to lights their fire to learn.