Classroom Accommodations- Wispy Reader

I began to notice that Hailey was struggling with her reading comprehension. She can read fine, but seemed to forget everything she had read when she got hung up on a word. I also noticed that if I read to her, she had better memory of what was read. So I knew something had to be done.

I found the Wispy Reader at the parent teacher store. With this she can read aloud (supposed to be in a whisper)  and she can hear herself reading. I tried it out and it really is like someone else is reading to you. My thought was that if she could hear herself in abstract, she would better comprehend what she had read.

She has been using it for a month now, and I have already seen improvement in her reading comprehension. She also seems to be able to read more fluently, and catches herself when she leaves out words.

You can get more information about this product at Imaginative Learning Tools. 

Classroom Accommodations #2

Noise Reducing Headphones/Ear Plugs ?

If you have a child with AD/HD, you know full well how hard it is for that child to focus with all the noise around them. I have found this to be true of how Hailey responds to the noise that her brothers make. Noise Reducing Headphones are not a new concept when dealing with children on the Autism scale. In fact, I’m sure many of you have given them a try. Just recently, I found myself at Wal-Mart purchasing a pare of them for $7.95. there are days when my little ones are extra loud, and if Hailey’s 4 year old brother is not at Mother’s Day Out, it is next to impossible for her to focus. I was excited for her to try them out, and had high hopes for them based on reviews I have read on so many other blogs. Here are my thoughts.

1. Hailey said that they hurt her ears, and that the air pressure was unbearable.  I put them on, and had the same result she did.
2. They look ridiculous, and I could never see her agreeing to wear them in a classroom full of peers. She would feel to self-conscious, and the other children would stare.
3. The need for something to cancel out the noise is so great that I was tempted to make her get used to them. I can see where these would be helpful, but just can’t see and older child agreeing to wear them. 

My solution:

Perfect-Fit^™ Custom-Fit Swimming Ear Plugs

Hailey was able to wear these without a glitch. It took her only one day to get used to them being in her ears. They are not visible when her hair is down, and barley noticeable when her hair is up. They cut out just enough noise for her to not be distracted by the noise.

These earplugs would be great for the public school classroom, as they are small enough to remain unseen by peers. Your child might be willing to use this accommodation, because they will not be teased by pears. You can find these at any drug store, or Wal-Mart.   

Classroom Accommodations #1

Homeschooling makes it easier for me to make classroom accommodations for my Hailey. But I thought some of you would like to see some of the things we are doing, that could also be used in a regular classroom. Hailey is in Second grade.

We recently started measuring to the 1/2 inch. I quickly noticed that Hailey was having a hard time seeing the lines on the ruler. After trying out several different rulers, and her still being unable to see the lines, I made and adaption to a wooden ruler. This adaption was such a wonderful solution, and gave her confidence in her ability to succeed. She is now measuring to the 1/2 inch with no problems. Oh, and she can also now measure to the 1/4 inch.