Communication Boards to Assist Children with Autism
My students need communication materials and supplies such as High Interest Reading, Smart Talk, Basic Skills Panel, a portable easel and Picture This CD ROM to help with their literacy needs.
Can you imagine what it would be like to have so much to say and not the ability to use your words to communicate. My students struggle in their ability to use and understand language and these vital skills are necessary to survive in school and life.
I am a Special Education teacher of grades K-8 at an Arabic based charter school.
Many of my students are Iraqi and struggle in reading, math and communication. Culturally there is not even a word of disability in the Arabic language and parents and Arabic society have a hard time grasping what it means when their child requires these extra necessary services. I have one particular first grade student who is non-verbal and Autistic. Mahdi loves to play with trains and uses pictures to communicate. He loves to line up cars, color and have stories read to him. I have several other students middle school age who are into sports and would like to be able to read but do not have an interest in low level reading materials. I know any help you could provide my students would be grateful, they are intelligent and hard working and with the right support services will be even more successful.
My Project
My students need communication materials and supplies such as Smart Talk, Basic Skills Panel, a portable easel and Picture This CD ROM to help with their literacy needs. With the software for making communication boards, nonverbal autistic children will be able to expand their vocabulary using their new picture boards. Communication I feel is a basic human right and my children have so much to say, even if they can not use their words. Give them a chance and I am sure they could tell you stories using these pictures. I have several very low reading ability middle school students who will enjoy reading high interest level books, books they will love to read due to the content and their ability to comprehend the materials.
This project is very important because many of my students are Iraqi refugees, their families came to the United States after the war.
Many of the families do no speak or read English and therefore it is vitally important that we provide their children with the best education possible to assist with their family situation and their community.
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