[senco-forum] I.C.T. for S.E.N.

IT Support material.

Spelling.
Wordshark is  excellent for a structured spelling program.

Download free RnR spelling program . Excellent practice using Look Cover 
Write (Type) Check method. You add your own lists to practice. Its very 
simply laid out but the children of all ages seem to like using it.

http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/khughes/RnRspelling/

Coloured overlay ---  IT support
For those using colour overlays on paper can change the look of their 
working windows on the PC.
Click ----- Control Panel  ---- display ---  appearance ----- advanced ----  
click on  ACTIVE WINDOW  in the window then choose the colour ( 1) you want 
to use ( you may need to choose OTHER to get the pastel colours)   ---  
OK---- finish.

All your working windows will have that colour background. e.g Word window, 
Outlook express etc.   What you print out will still have a white 
background.

Text Help is  excellent for  oral  feed back of what has been typed.

Planning
There are quite a few mind map programs about. Inspiration is a good one. 
There is another younger  person version but I can't remember what its 
called right now. I can get it if you need it.
Mind maps are a good alternative method of recording work both on paper and 
on the PC.

Writing.
I think a touch typing program is very useful. So many children struggle 
with their typing speeds and lose their places when one finger typing. A few 
of my children have used "Touch type" and they are now fantastic typists and 
have made writing much easier for themselves.  They used to come to use my 
pc's  during registration  for 10 minutes three times a week.They don't look 
down at the keyboard and their speed is amazing. They seem a lot more 
confident about writing  essays.

Clicker is a good program for the young ones. Here they can click on words 
and pictures to build sentences etc.

For pupils with ASD there are two structured programs we have found useful. 
One is called Crucial Skills (Behaviour scenarios) and the other Mind 
Reading ( helping to recognise different expressions).

Hope that helps
Cheers
Sheridan 