The Pedagogy Project -

kmlopez January 14, 2023

The Best Tablets to Use In A Special Education Classroom

Technology has come a long way in recent years and has opened up a world of possibilities for special education students. Tablets are one of the most versatile and powerful tools for helping students with special needs learn and grow. But with so many options on the market, how do you know which tablet is the best for your special education classroom? Let's take a closer look at some of the top tablets for special education students:

Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet 8” HD Display, 32 GB

https://amzn.to/3QH3uX1 (amazon ad)
This budget-friendly tablet is perfect for special education students with its high-resolution display and access to the Amazon Appstore. It has many educational apps and games that can help with reading, writing, and math skills. It's like having a personal library in the palm of your hand!

2022 Apple iPad 10.9-inch, 256 GB, 10th generation

https://amzn.to/3CQyRc5 (amazon ad)
The iPad is the tablet of your dreams! With its high-resolution display, powerful processor, and access to the App Store, this tablet is perfect for online learning and research. Plus, its sleek and stylish design makes it the envy of the classroom!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 12.4” 64GB WiFi Android Tablet w/ Large Screen

https://amzn.to/3IQWuoK (amazon ad) With its high-resolution display, powerful processor, and high-end tablet is perfect for special education students which can be used for interactive learning experiences, online research, and note-taking. The built-in fingerprint scanner and stylus make navigating the device easy for students with motor difficulties. Teachers can also use it to monitor and manage the students’ progress.

Microsoft Surface Pro7 12.3" Touch-Screen,10th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD – Platinum

https://amzn.to/3GHdU4C (amazon ad)
This is an excellent tool for special education classrooms. Its high-resolution display and powerful processor make it perfect for online learning and research, and its built-in kickstand makes it easy to use in the classroom. Teachers can also use the Surface Pro to create interactive lessons and quizzes and to access educational apps that can help students with special needs.

The Lenovo Yoga 6 13 2-in-1 Laptop 13.3" Touchscreen, 8GB RAM 256GB SSD

https://amzn.to/3ZAONc6 (amazon ad)
This is an excellent option for special education classrooms, its 2-in-1 design allows it to be used as a tablet or laptop, and its high-resolution display and powerful processor make it perfect for interactive learning experiences, online research, and note-taking. The built-in kickstand makes it easy to use in the classroom, and teachers can also use it to monitor and manage the students’ progress.

Each of these tablets offers unique features to help special education students learn and grow. But what really sets them apart is how they can be used in the classroom. Teachers can use these tablets to create interactive lessons and quizzes, access educational apps, project visual aids, and videos, and monitor and manage the students’ progress. So, whether you're a teacher looking to incorporate technology into your special education classroom or a parent looking for a tablet to help your child learn, these tablets are sure to be helpful in the learning process. With the right tablet and the right apps, special education students can thrive in their learning experience and reach their full potential." In conclusion, tablets are a powerful tool for helping special education students learn and grow. They offer a wide range of features and capabilities that can be used in the classroom to create engaging and interactive learning experiences. When choosing a tablet for your special education classroom, consider the needs of your students and the features that will best support their learning.

kmlopez January 01, 2023

Positive Classroom Culture

All teachers and students want a positive classroom, this determines how the whole year will feel in the classroom. These are different ways you can achieve having a positive classroom culture:

Establish rules and expectations together as a class. This will help all students feel invested in the classroom and promote positive behavior.

• Working with students, writing classroom rules together, creates a positive classroom culture which will enhance the classroom, build community and accountability among everyone.

• Having a positive management system in the classroom such as a class dojo, clip charts, treasure boxes, and/or class incentives enhances a positive environment where good behaviors are rewarded throughout the day.

Make sure everyone feels included and respected. Use inclusive language, avoid making assumptions about students' abilities or backgrounds, and give everyone a chance to participate.

• Having classroom time is important for students to share their experiences and feelings in a safe/non-judgmental environment.

• Show your students how to accept others’ opinions even when it’s disagreeable with yours in a respectful manner.

Celebrate diversity and individual strengths. Highlight the unique perspectives and experiences that each student brings to the classroom.

• Letting students speak on their culture, family experiences in the classroom enhances other students’ cultural awareness in understanding one another.

• Celebrating different religions, beliefs, traditions, languages and speaking on ways we can all be sensitive and respectful of the diversity between everyone’s’ different experiences is important and should be taught in the classroom.

Promote a growth mindset. Help students understand that effort and practice lead to learning and growth.

• By learning about other students’ experiences, cultures, beliefs, they learn to be more empathetic and create a sense of community. This is beneficial in understanding different points of views.

• When students learn from one another’s problems and/or situations, they can better relate to their peers and also learn to overcome obstacles in different ways they might not have thought of.

Encourage positive social interactions. Model and encourage kind, helpful, and respectful behavior.

• Modelling good manners during discussions should be required by the teacher for students to learn to emulate positive behaviors.

• Letting them speak on what others might be feeling, giving compliments to one another, and being polite to one another are different ways to enhance classroom culture.

There are many different ways teachers can improve classroom culture. Listening to your students and understanding what might be needed can lead to a great classroom discussion on classroom culture. Be open to have these discussions throughout the year. Be aware that one thing might work in the beginning of the year and might have to change by the middle of the year. Remember creating a positive classroom culture provides a learning-focused environment and promotes good behavior between peers. How do you build a positive environment in your classroom? In addition, there is a very informative article on the importance of cultural diversity in the classroom written by the Drexel University School of Education that can be found at https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-classroom/