Field Advisory, March 11, 2008
Carlitta Tucker displays the PEC she
developed for one of her students
The second field advisory meeting for the Spring 2008 semester was held on March 11th. UIC students and CPS partners met and discussed the literacy artifacts with great eagerness. CPS partners brought in several interesting and illustrative literacy artifacts, while students asked a lot of questions and brought in educational issues to discuss in their respective groups.
Carlitta Tucker, brought in an individualized picture-exchange communication system (PECS) that she had developed for one of her students to support with weekly activities. In their group, she encouraged UIC students to think about how she could introduce this to her student and other students with autism. During the discussion, Wendy Scott, a UIC student, wondered how parents communicate with this child, and suggested connecting that with the classroom experience.
Maryan Fine, another CPS partner who teaches 6th-8th grade math special education inclusion, brought in examples of cards and other visual aides that her students use to remember math facts. How could students make a transition from these aides so that they are not dependent on these for all their work, she asked the group. UIC students suggested several possibilities, including moving the aides from the desk to the classroom walls, reviewing what is most difficult to align with students' needs, and simplifying only those ideas that are most complex.
Mary Stalzer brought in student work related to writing and a collage that students made to go along with the writing. UIC students made several observations: contradictions between collage and writing, more words in collage than in writing in some instances, made writing fun and creative. Mary said that though the students did the writing first and then the collage, the pictures further stimulated their writing. She also suggested a follow-up assignment could be to compare their writing to their collages for similarities and differences in style and content.
Paul Jedovnicky brought a sheet of actual student photos related to the process of doing laundry. We saw photographs of measuring the soap, pushing buttons, closing the door. He asked the UIC students what they could do with this and how they could use it with students who are not readers. UIC students offered several ideas such as: using it to pre-teach, numbering the steps and putting it on or near the washing machine, making a social story. Paul then highlighted the literacy learning by showing photographs of his students who are non-readers and how they followed the visual instructions as they did their laundry.
Mary Peasley brought a modified reading worksheet that she uses for her 1st through 4th graders. Her students pick a subject of their choice and write a few sentences. Then they read it to the teacher. Mary engaged UIC students in a discussion of the literacy artifact by asking them to make observations and offer hunches about the student work displayed on the table.
Mary Stalzer displays the writing
and collage that students created in her classroom
Paul shows the photos of one of
his students following the visual instructions
Mary Peasley asks UIC students to
observe and comment
on student work displayed on the table
