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NarrativeExpository Peer InteractionReadingWritingPre-SchoolEarly ElementaryUpper ElementaryMiddle/High SchoolTechnologyParent and Professional Information


August 14, 2010

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Synergy Between MindWing and Social Thinking

I would first like to emphasize the concept of Friend Files, described in Michelle Garcia Winner’s Think Social: As Winner says, it is expected that we remember certain things about people we know by keeping an imaginary file in our brain (and first of all it is helpful to label our friend file with the person’s name)! Drawing from that file allows us to: a) use the oft-positively-received behavior of showing interest and b) have a wealth of conversation starters. Maryellen writes in It’s All About the Story about a kiddo we probably all know: “To make conversation, it would be essential for John to know that the classmate liked baseball, but more specifically liked the Red Sox, and disliked the Yankees.”...

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August 12, 2010

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Character, Social Thinking, and the Avatar

Many of us think of the word “avatar” and have trouble separating the idea from that blockbuster movie about tall blue people-ish beings on an alien planet. In Avatar, the main character is disabled and uses an avatar to assume the form of an alien being and interact with their civilization. So we’re not that far off; an avatar is a visual representation of someone within an environment, usually a computerized one. Because there are many simple websites that create avatars, they actually have a place in our interventions as well! Using avatar makers with kids motivates them to visually represent and describe themselves to peers...

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August 01, 2010

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Simple Machines Offer Language Learning Opportunities

This week I am blogging to tell you about a tech resource that is really simple to use - Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry's Simple Machines Game. This site is a perfect example of how resources that were not designed for SLPs actually provide wonderful language-learning opportunities. It is also one of the best-designed- and totally one of the cutest- sites I have seen of late. Additionally, it presents the perfect blend of narrative and expository structures as a context for intervention, and concerns a key and oft-tested (on state assessments) curriculum topic- simple machines such as lever, wheel-and-axle, etc.
Open publication - Free publishing - More science

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July 30, 2010

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The Importance of Narrative Development in School and in Life

Having worked within the dual fields of speech/language pathology and reading/writing disabilities for the past 35 years, I see the ability to comprehend and/or express a story as vital to both academic and social success. Our conversations with family and friends are made up of stories, about ourselves, and others. We take perspectives of others through stories, we are asked to analyze the actions of characters and even notice their facial expressions and feelings in stories (books and TV) and in life as we strive to understand human nature: why people do what they do...

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April 27, 2010

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MindWing Concepts and Instructional Technology

I have long had an interest in how technology can provide context within our interventions, much the same way a storybook can provide context.  In this approach to intervention, MindWing's tools have served as essential structure to help my students break down language, (as used with a website that provides information, for example) or organize and produce language (when used in conjunction with a creative “Web 2.0” resource that allows students to save and publish work). To focus on this latter "bottom-up" strategy, I suggest you check out Kerpoof, one of my favorite resources for its versatility and ease of use.

Kerpoof* is a free, interactive website recently acquired by Disney and is basically an online version of Kidpix Studio. Kerpoof's interface allows you to choose a background, characters and other setting elements, and add word/thought balloons and caption boxes (sounding promising?). You can create, share, export or print the resulting pictures or multi-picture story sequences...

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April 06, 2010

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Story-Based Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Since April is Autism Awareness Month, we thought that the contents of this blog entry should be about MindWing’s tools and methodology as a Story-based Intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders. In September, 2009, the National Autism Center announced the results of its multi-year National Standards Project1. This project “serves to support parents and professionals and answers one of the most pressing questions…

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April 01, 2010

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April is Autism Awareness Month

We are proud to finally (officially) introduce our NEW Autism Collection with two spiral-bound manuals (It’s All About the Story and Making Connections), games, activities, cards, stamps and more! Click here to see a picture of the Autism Collection and to learn more about this brand new product. The Autism Collection is available at a discounted, introductory price of $74.95 during the month of April.

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