Early Childhood Special Education and Assistive Technology Blog

By: Laura Kazmierczak , EC-SEAT Scholar This past spring, I had the opportunity to do an independent study with Therese Willkomm . Part of my time was to document and record many assistive technology (AT) solutions using everyday materials both recycled and bought in stores (e.g., hardware stores, office supply stores, drug stores).  One of the projects we worked on together was creating tactile overlays for tablets, a fairly simple solution for teachers or caring adults working with children who have low vision or are blind. A tactile overlay is a sensory aid which guides a child's fingers using textured points of reference. We created an instructional video to show one way example of creating this solution using donated overhead film and the Garage Band app . Below you can view the video .  Using overhead film to create tactile graphic overlays

By: Kerri Hughes , EC-SEAT Scholar In my experience, social and emotional learning (SEL) has been an emphasis in public schools. Teachers and administrators’ accountability of student success on statewide assessments encourages teachers to instruct a large amount of academic content to students. SEL is pushed aside to make way for academic performance, leaving behind many students who have social and emotional needs. Google images Overview A variety of research supports SEL in kindergarten (Catalano, et al., 2003; Payton, et al., 2008; Sklad, et al., 2012). Social and emotional instruction for young children can improve children’s social skills, emotional well-being, and academic achievement (Catalano, et al., 2003; Payton, et al., 2008; Sklad, et al., 2012). Supporting students social and emotionally at a young age can help facilitate academic and social success which creates a better quality of life and decreases the likelihood of behavior difficulties (Payton, et al., 2008...

By: Kyleigh Pharris,  EC-SEAT Scholar, Seacoast Reads Coordinator While participating in an online course at the University of New Hampshire, EDUCATION 703/803 C Classroom Management: Creating Positive Learning Environments, I reflected upon the importance of teacher language in the early childhood classroom. Through this process of reflection I created a table outlining recommended guidelines for teacher language. Focusing on teacher language is important in the purpose of understanding how a teacher’s conveyed message can impact the management of the classroom. As Patenaude (2011) stated, “A teacher ’ s words affect the students who hear those words.” It is through language that teachers are able to create a welcoming atmosphere for children and families, establish a collaborative community, and engage children in learning encounters. As an EC-SEAT scholar I wanted to share these guidelines for positive teacher language with early childhood professionals to illustrate ...