Animated Step-by-Steps®

Monday, May 30, 2016

Counting Snacks for Baby

Animated Step-by-Steps™ are designed to simultaneously address literacy, language and AAC (if you’ve purchased a symbol-supported version – SymbolStix/PCS). There are however, a variety of additional academic agendas that can be addressed in a fun way. A great example of this can be found in the resource, Counting Snacks for Baby.

Counting Snacks for Baby is designed to work on functional counting, number equivalency and the concept of how many. “Here are some snacks for your baby. Pick one!” Students are provided with five snack choices: raisins, animal crackers, cookies (vanilla wafers), Gerber puffs and veggie sticks.

After choosing a snack from a field of five, e.g., Gerber puffs, the program navigates to a page that allows the student to indicate how many Gerber puffs they plan to feed their baby. This is achieved by selecting a number on a number line (1 through 5).

If the student chose 4, for example, the program navigates to a page where the number four is prominently displayed in red and they can count out four Gerber puffs. Each click causes a Gerber puff to magically appear on the number line. “One” … “Two” … “Three” … “Four”. When the designated number has been reached, the unnecessary number(s)’, in this case number five, fades from view.

The student is then encouraged to “Feed” the baby. A further click causes the items to sequentially disappear amid eating sounds. The baby then announces, “All done”.

You may have noticed when counting … a pattern was emerging … pink puff, orange puff, pink puff …. orange puff. This particular ASbyS can also be used to address patterning as an optional agenda. Counting, number equivalency and patterning, all packaged in one great resource.

…’til the next post … (new posts every Monday)

Visit my website http://animatedstep-by-steps.com

Follow me on twitter @AnimStepbySteps

Follow me on facebook www.facebook.com/AnimatedStepBySteps

Follow my blog http://animatedstepbysteps.blogspot.com

Email me canadiangoosse@gmail.com

Visit my digital store http://teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bloom

Augmentative Communication Consultant

Speech-Language Pathologist

Special Educator

Monday, May 23, 2016

Chart for Remote Switch Access

There are many ways you can achieve remote switch access when using the Animated Step-by-Steps™. As you will recall, remote switch access is great for sharing the task of triggering animations within a group setting. It also provides a much simpler motor response for many students. So rather than having to approach the interactive whiteboard to tap, use a mouse to click or swipe to the left to trigger an animation, the child can press a switch to trigger the animations. So I've compiled a chart outlining the various options for a variety of formats used to display ASbySs: interactive whiteboard/computer, iPad, and large screen TV. What do you have 'on hand' in your AT/AAC closet that might provide the perfect fit for the needs of your students?

So check out that AT closet ... remote switch access might be closer than you think.

…’til the next post … (new posts every Monday)

Visit my website http://animatedstep-by-steps.com
Follow me on twitter @AnimStepbySteps
Follow me on facebook www.facebook.com/AnimatedStepBySteps
Follow my blog http://animatedstepbysteps.blogspot.com
Email me canadiangoosse@gmail.com
Visit my digital store http://teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bloom

©2016 Carol Goossens’, Ph.D.
Augmentative Communication Consultant
Speech-Language Pathologist
Special Educator

Monday, May 16, 2016

Using Pictello as a Followup Writing Activity

In a previous post I recommended conducting a writing activity as a followup to an Animated Step-by-Step project (recipe, craft, or science project). This involves taking digital pictures of each step in an ASbyS project, then importing those images into a writing template. http://bit.ly/1oiN5sY

An iPad app called Pictello (by AssistiveWare) is another great resource for adding a followup writing component to your ASbyS projects.

The software is described as a ‘talking visual story creator’. The program sells for $19.99 … a relative bargain. Pictello is a great way to help students review the steps of the project they just performed. It provides a wonderful, experience-based writing opportunity and can provide the Speech-language Pathologist with an excellent vehicle for emphasizing verb tense.

Depicted below is Pictello page created as a followup to an ASbyS craft activity, Baggie Butterflies.

Simply use your iPad to take digital photos of your students performing each step of their ASbyS project. Later you will import these images into the Pictello app, ready to add a written caption. An onscreen keyboard is provided to facilitate the writing process.

You may also opt to use Photoshop or Photoshop Elements to add some symbol support to the images BEFORE importing them into Pictello. Although it does add an extra step, it is well worth the effort, if your students can benefit from symbol support.

The program allows you to use a natural voice or a digital voice when reading. Selection of the latter allows you to highlight each word as it is spoken (great for literacy).

The program also allows you to add short video clips (up to 30 seconds which you can trim within the program). You can use the video clip audio or you can read the added caption using text-to-speech or recorded voice.

When the story is completed, you can create a .pdf of the story to send home or you can use the program’s dropbox link to share your story with other iPads possessing the Pictello app. For more information on how to use Pictello, check out these .pdf tutorials.

http://www.assistiveware.com/product/pictello/resources

Pictello can be purchased from the apple app store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pictello-talking-visual-story/id397858008?mt=8

Happy writing!