Each day, we wake up in a world that is familiar to us. We close our front doors and face society as individuals who can relate to the world and understand how people relate to us. But imagine if you woke up one day and spoke a different language than every other person around you, imagine if you lived in a world that functioned with different social expectations than your own. These are our students.
Many students in our classes are diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, while others are English Language Learners.
These students are faced with the challenge of succeeding in a world that they feel separated from. Our job as educators is to create an environment of inclusion in the classroom in order to facilitate mastery of either the language of instruction or the language of social expectation.
My Project
In the age of technology, linguistic and social barriers seem to be fading as we are more and more closely united through our access to information. When we struggle with understanding a word or concept, our first instinct is to look it up online, or to "Google it." But what if you don't have access to the technology necessary to help you understand the world around you?
We're requesting iPads in order to bring a world of social and linguistic understanding to our students.
When a child on the Autism Spectrum or an English Language learner has difficulty grasping an unfamiliar concept, he or she is best aided by visual aids or translations. However, these materials are often out of reach in classrooms without access to technology. Having iPads within reach can help students to up look translations, examples, and visual aids independently. Such independence leads to feelings of self-reliance and confidence over one's own learning and can contribute to personal growth both inside and outside of the classroom.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Haddad and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
