25 Back-to-School Ideas from Paths to Literacy!
Submitted by Charlotte Cushman on Aug 28, 2016
It’s that time of the year again! The start of a new school year always brings a range of emotions: excitement, worry, anticipation, wistfulness to say goodbye to summer… We hope that these ideas and resources will help to get the new school year off to a good start for teachers, parents, and students!Getting Organized
A TVI shares tips to help get organized.
These documents can help COMS (Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists) get ready for their caseloads at the start of the school year.
Reinforce literacy and communication skills through these tactile journals.
Student Schedules
Tips to get started setting up a calendar system.
This tactile schedule has symbols and braille, and is a stepping-stone between an object calendar and a braille calendar.
Documentation
Documenting Progress: The IEP Objectives or Benchmark Is Created... Now What?
Strategies to track progress toward IEP goals, for teachers, consultants, and students.
Guidelines to document student work.
Download these free data sheets to track progress.
Setting Up the Classroom and School Day
Create name symbols with the students to label their cubbies, desks, and other locations around the classroom.
Is your job chart accessible to all students? Add object symbols and braille to be sure that everyone is fully included!
Make the classroom accessible to ALL students by labeling bins with objects, as well as print and braille.
Try these ideas to make literacy and choice-making part of daily circle or meeting time.
Make the classroom and school bulletin boards tactile and interactive, so that they are accessible to all students.
Invite your students to come up with a theme to decorate your braille classroom.
Promote beginning literacy through name symbols in this back-to-school book.
Tips for Parents
Back to School Shopping
Make your back-to-school shopping list accessible with objects and braille.
Create tactile and braille notes to send to school with your child on the first day.
Create a book to introduce your child to the other students in the classroom.
Tips for families to set up a schedule and prepare for the beginning of school.
General tips for parents and families to create books and activities to try at home with children who are blind, low vision, deafblind or multiply impaired.
Working with General Education Teachers
From Printed Material to Brailled Material…
Learn how to make a print document accessible to braille readers.
Tips for working together with general education teachers to be sure that students are getting the materials that are accessible.
Suggestions on how to collaborate and network with teachers and others.
Follow these guidelines to optimize learning for students with visual impairments and additional disabilities.
Taking Care of Yourself and Shifting Your Mindset
Make sure that you are taking care of yourself, as well as your students.
Reframe your attitude as you work with students who are blind or visually impaired with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Staying Connected!
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