I personally have times when I get overstimulated by work. This could be due to the task being too big for me i the moment, thus making me feel overwhelmed, or focusing on one task for a long time. Many people who are neurodivergent deal with overstimulation.
The definition of overstimulation from Very Well Mind states that “Overstimulation is what happens when there’s too much sensory input for your brain to handle. It can make you feel overwhelmed, irritable, and uncomfortable.” Some people may have other feelings or might be overstimulated by noise, smell, touch, and more.
Personally, I feel like when my brain is very foggy, noise and sometimes visuals become too much for me. I also feel like I have an itch in my brain and in my body. This can be annoying for me when I am trying to do homework or a test. I have an accommodation where I can take a break during a test and take a walk in the building I am in. I find that very helpful to let my brain rest and to leave my work.
I think sometimes people think technology can aid with overstimulation and use it as a tool to help students or kids. However, technology can trigger overstimulation. It can be due to the screen, potential noise from a computer or the fact that there is too much information to be absorbed on their device.
It is fantastic when teachers use technology to help students with learning disabilites but it can be too much for students sometimes. Teachers should avoid technology with overstimulated students. Additonally, younger students will have trouble vocalizing how they feel. Teachers must recognize when students are struggling.
Instead of technology try these helpful methods for relaxing your brain. Going for a walk or finding a change of environment has worked really well for me and others. Fresh air, similarly, can work to calm the nerves and an overactive brain. You can also do something that stimulates a sense, like having a snack or using relaxing essential oils, to distract from your cluttered thoughts. If the space you’re in is loud, find another location or try noise cancelling headphones.
Works Cited:
Gupta, Sanjana. “Feeling Overwhelmed: Symptoms, Causes, and Coping.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 23 June 2022, https://www.verywellmind.com/feeling-overwhelmed-symptoms-causes-and-coping-5425548.
In this week’s class, we learned how to create an interactive video. I found the first initial steps to be easy but when it got to converting my video onto WordPress, I found it confusing. I sometimes find WordPress confusing as there are a lot of options on the side bar. With a little bit of trial and error, I figured it out.
I think this class was very useful because I can bring this skill into my teaching. There were many benefits mentioned regarding the use of interactive videos for teaching. Examples include being able to replay a part that you want to, more student participation and engagement, and fast and flexible delivery.
I did an interactive video about how to create a Pinterest board because I love Pinterest. Here is the link for it.
I think the best way to use video and audio at the grade two level would be to keep the text/word portion very simple and short, while making the visuals attention grabbing and meaningful.
I think H5P could be helpful for grade two as long as it is short and the questions are mostly reasonable to answer. I could do the videos for different topics for grade two like science, French, math, and more. It would also be useful if a student is sick and needs to catch up on work.
What if you did not have a friend to read over an assignment for you?
Google Read and Write is simply amazing. In my opinion, anyway. I’ve been using it since grade 7 and it has helped me through just about every assignment I’ve ever had to complete. I do pay for this software but it is worth EVERY PENNY.
Every time I’m having trouble reading a passage or a lengthy reading for an assignment? Google Read and Write.
Whenever I feel my concentration waning? Google Read and Write.
Whenever I feel the letters and words getting mixed up in my head? GRW.
Tired? GRW.
Confused? GRW.
Basically, I use Google Read and Write to help with all facets of my dyslexia, from typing to reading. Allow me to explain.
Google Read and Write is an extension tool for Google Chrome browser. If you have Google Docs, you can use this extension to have the text in your doc read out loud. You can change the pace and the voice to be something you’re comfortable with, and the best thing is that it never sounds robotic or monotonous, and so you never get sick of the voice reading your work back to you. This also includes pausing your reading so if you want to change anything that you typed, you can. What is great is you can also get articles online or PDFs read to you. I use that tool a lot when reading for an assignment. This also includes a talking dictionary and translator for anything that is in a different language. I have personally never used these features but I have heard they are pretty useful.
This extension will also type for you, which is a God send for me sometimes when I am better at getting my ideas out verbally. The program isn’t perfect, but it’s fairly accurate at translating what I say onto the document. Voice notes are another feature if you are editing a document and want to have side notes, it is just a voice recording of your note with the highlighted text.
One of the other tools I find helpful is the Predictive Text feature. It’s a lot like what you might see on your phone when you’re typing a message to someone and the device predicts what word you might want to use next. It isn’t always accurate but it can help me when I’m having trouble thinking of the word I want to use next.
The app has a bit of a lofty cost at $99 for a yearly description, but for someone like myself who experiences the difficulties associated with dyslexia, it’s proven worth it. There is also a free version you can try out which offers text-to-speech.
I went back home to Vancouver for Thanksgiving however, I was pretty sick with a cold. I thankfully had my mom take care of me. I had lots of soup and sat in my bed for the majority of the weekend. One thing that my mom always did when I was little was to put Vicks on my feet and put socks on when I got to bed. It helps with stuffy noses and coughs, and it works like charm.
It was nice to see my family as I haven’t seen them in a month. I was able to catch up with them and see my dog too. My parents made an excellent Thanksgiving dinner which included turkey, corn, potatoes, carrots, stuffing, and apple pie. Even though I could not really taste it, I knew it was really good.
Since I was sick, now I am catching up on a lot of assignments that I couldn’t do over the weekend. I am pretty happy to be back at school with my peers though. I am also very happy to see my roommates.
I feel like I have tried and tested almost every single piece of technology to aid with my learning disability. There are tried and true one’s that I will stick to forever. However, are there new technology programs being made or ones that have not been discovered yet?
I am always on the hunt for new technologies to aid my learning but most of them have a price.
I did some research for any new tech and Dyslexia Canada had some interesting suggestions for students to use on their computers. One of the computer programs that stood out to me the most was Dyslexie Font.
What is Dyslexie Font?
At the first glance, I was a little bit suspicious about Dyslexie Font which is suppose to be a font that is easier for dyslexic people to read. It is an extension for your computer so you can use your web browser with the font or type with it. The program is free however, if you want it for a school institution or a better version for yourself, it ranges from $80-$150 for “a lifetimes worth” (Dyslexie Font – An award winning Dyslexia font).
Additionally, “Dyslexia fonts use thicker lines in parts of letters. The letters are slanted a bit. And letters that have sticks and tails (b, d,and p) vary in length. Some people with dyslexia like this and find it helpful” (Do dyslexia fonts help?).
According to Understood “Researchers have studied these typefaces. So far, they haven’t found evidence that the fonts help kids or adults read faster and with fewer mistakes”(Do dyslexia fonts help?). It is interesting that Dyslexia Canada recommended this even though there are no real improvements in reading.
The test †ext from Dyslexie for Adults Source Dyslexie: “Dyslexie Font Example Page Adults.” Dyslexie Font, PINGONLINE, https://dyslexiefont.com/public/media-upload/PDF%20Bestanden/Dyslexie-font-example-page%20adults.pdf?_ga=2.206826641.348597750.1664925212-505056238.1664925212.
Does It Actually Work?
I decided to try this out for myself and see if it was actually helpful with my reading. Dyslexie Font has a test text for users to test out the font. I read a page about Pluto with the text (see above image) andI did not read any better than I usually do. I personally like larger text to read and with large spacing. I would suggest for people just to change the font size on their computer or just to zoom in on the page.
I did even further research into this company. I read reviews online and apparently according to users, it distorts websites with the font, which is a big negative. However, some people love the font, it just depends on the person.
Suspicions of the Company:
I started to become quite suspicious of Dyslexie so I decided to watch the founders Ted Talk from 2011. First off, what made me mad in his presentation is he said that there are “some jobs, you can’t do if you have dyslexia” (TEDxTalks). The founder is dyslexic himself and the fact he iss making this completely false statement about dyslexic people is very harmful. There are some struggles that people with dyslexia may face in the workforce but his statement completely diminishes people with dyslexia and their abilities. There are some other issues I have with his presentation which overall just perpetrate stereotypes on dyslexic people. The general narrative of his presentation is if you use his software, it will make your dyslexia better. Also he was suggesting that dyslexic people struggle more with visuals but “dyslexia is an issue with language, not vision” (Terada). The founder does not sound very fact based and more about selling a product.
I personally think this computer program just commodifies dyslexia for a profit with no real research to back it up. According to Edutopia, “Children with dyslexia do not read better when text is printed in the font Dyslexie than when text is printed in Arial or Times New Roman”(Terada). It may even “give students false hope—and result in disappointment […] ‘The most harm may come when students who have already experienced significant struggle and academic failures related to learning to read have yet another experience with failure when they are not able to read significantly better in a font designed to do so,’ they caution” (Terada).
Final Thoughts:
Overall, save your money and time and do not invest in dyslexic fonts. The British Dyslexic Association “[recommends] fonts designed for general legibility, like Arial, Verdana, and Tahoma. For better reading outcomes, font size should be between 12 and 14 points, and section headings should be used to create a consistent structure within your documents, easing navigation and supporting better sense-making”(Terada). Furthermore, “Classroom accommodations such as audiobooks, note-taking apps, video recordings of assignment instructions, and text-to-speech software can help students with dyslexia feel supported and accepted” (Terada). That type of tech support is what I have had almost all throughout my education. It has always been a huge support for me. This does not mean though that there is new technology that is worth trying. I have a hope that there is new and better tech being made to help people with learning disabilities.
Works Cited:
“Do Dyslexia Fonts Help?” Understood, Understood for All, https://www.understood.org/en/articles/dyslexia-friendly-font.
“A Dyslexia Typeface.” Dyslexie Font , PINGONLINE, https://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/typeface/.
“Dyslexie Font – An Award Winning Dyslexia Font.” Dyslexie Font, PINGONLINE, https://www.dyslexiefont.com/.
“Dyslexie Font Example Page Adults.” Dyslexie Font, PINGONLINE, https://dyslexiefont.com/public/media-upload/PDF%20Bestanden/Dyslexie-font-example-page%20adults.pdf?_ga=2.206826641.348597750.1664925212-505056238.1664925212.
TEDxTalks, director. TEDxDubai 2011 | Christian Boer | How a Typeface Can Help People. YouTube, YouTube, 24 Nov. 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gqus1wEbmA. Accessed 5 Oct. 2022.
Terada, Youki. “Do Dyslexia Fonts Actually Work?” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 24 June 2022, https://www.edutopia.org/article/do-dyslexia-fonts-actually-work.
Devices are becoming more and more a part of our daily lives. This also includes devices in the classroom, but when should there be a limit?
Some teachers have resorted to “phone jails” for students who “misuse” their phone during class. Is this appropriate?
I believe cell phone jails and or taking away students phones during class is over-exercising teacher authority over students. This includes taking away a single student’s phone when it is against class rules, or to take every students phones away before class.
There are many reasons why I think this is wrong. One of the biggest reasons is that it is taking away someone’s personal property. I believe this is not an appropriate way to approach a child who may be using their phone during class. Instead, the teacher could tell the student to put it back in their bag or have a chat with them after class.
I believe some teachers may forget/diminish why students use their phones in class. I think most teachers are under the assumption that students are bored in class and do not want to learn in class so that is why they go on their phones. However, students may actually have a legitimate reason to go on their phone during class. It may be due to a family circumstance, for example, regarding who may be picking them up after school, and more. This is not a reason for punishment.
Additionally, taking away students phones ruins the trust between students and educators because students are not deemed responsible enough to have their phones during class. It is a conflict when teachers have their phones out when they tell students they can not have them out.
Instead, I believe teachers should build trust with their students. I think if teachers tell students to keep their phones in their bag or on their desk flipped over where they can see them is more appropriate. If a student needs to make a text or phone call, they can leave the classroom to do so.
Hopefully, teachers will build trust with their students and create an adaptive environment for phones and other devices in the classroom. It is clear that handheld devices are not going anywhere in the near future, so we need to learn to adapt our learning environments to include them in appropriate ways.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of eight. My third grade teacher got my parents to get me tested, as she saw me struggle in school. When I got my diagnosis back, my parents were worried about how my future learning would look. They were nervous if I would fall behind or not, and if I would succeed in school or not. As they looked at my report more closely, all the things my parents struggled with in school is what I struggle with. They sadly did not get the support they needed because they did not have a “physical disability.” They were basically ignored for help in school. They also did not have the technology that I have now. I think if they did have the technology that I have access to now, their lives and learning would have been much different.
I am very fortunate to have incredibly supportive parents who always got me tutors, extra support and an IEP for my dyslexia. As I started to get older and understood what work/did not work with my learning, technology has always been one of the biggest helpers with my learning.
One thing that I did not even notice till now is the fact of how good I am at typing on my computer. Instead of learning cursive in elementary school, I learned how to type as it was easier for me to type out my thoughts then write them down. I was typing in front of my peers last week and they asked me “how can you type and not look at the key board or even the computer screen?” For me, I have always typed and it has just become muscle memory. I can close my eyes and type and look away while typing. It is just natural for me however, my peers saw it as some sort of super power I have. Technology has always been apart of my life and something that I have always been use to having.
I would not have gotten here if it was not for every single one of my teachers, they have all shaped my learning and who I am now. They always supported me and were patient with me. Additionally, they gave me tools and strategies to help me. They are the ones who introduced me to computer programs to support my learning.
My must have tools are Gramarly, to help with my spelling, Google Read & Write, to read my essays to me and Microsoft Edge, to read my textbooks to me. However, Google Read & Write and Gramarly all coast money and also to have personal computer is quite expensive. In my next blog post, I will be looking at some potential cheaper alternative programs and some tools that are more accessible to everyone.
Here is me the day before my first day of kindergarten. I struggled to read and write in kindergarten and I think my face says it all in this photo.
I really liked Jesse’s presentation on Monday. I think it was very insightful and interesting. He was quite engaging and brought up some amazing points. One point that stood out to me was “what does it mean to cross professional boundaries?” As I am becoming a teacher and going into practicum, I think it is vastly important to reflect on my social media and what is appropriate. I know I cannot post photos of my students online, which I completely understand. However, I also think about my social media as for EVERYONE to see, any information I post about myself can be found. I obviously need to look professional and make a good impression as employers, school districts, students and more can see my posts.
Another point that stood out to me was how teachers need to educate and regulate students on social media. I think children see the world as a safe place, when in reality it can be absolutely terrifying. I think educating and reminding students about social media use, lying about your age on social media, sharing personal information and more is very dangerous. When Jesse told the story about how a teacher saw a student on Grindr, I was thinking “what would I do if I saw a student on a dating platform?” I think the teacher made the right decision and told to the school about the situation because it could have turned dangerous very fast.
After his presentation, social media kinda scares me now. However, looking forward, we as future teachers need to think about our own social media use and our students social media use.
For my free inquiry topic I decided to explore technology as it relates to learning disabilities. I chose this topic since I am learning about technology in this class and I myself have a learning disability.
I was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of eight. Instead of learning cursive in elementary school, I would type. Additionally, I use a lot of technology to help me with my learning. My main struggles are spelling, reading, word-processing, and verbal output. I use many things to help me, like Google Read and Write to read my essays and to sometimes let me dictate. I also use Grammarly to help with my spelling and grammar. Recently, I discovered Microsoft Edge which will read my textbooks for me.
I am very fortunate enough to live in an era where technology can truly support people with learning disabilities like myself. My goal with this free inquiry is to discover which other technology sites or platforms work to help other people with different learning disabilities and report on them.
This would be me in class listening to my essays or textbooks
Even though we did not have class this week due to the Queen’s funeral, I am a little stressed. I am still new to technology and I do not consider myself a “techy person.” I still have a lot to learn about setting up my blog and making it look aesthetically pleasing. I also need to get comfortable with other platforms used for this class. I am concerned I will not post something properly or will mess up something along the way. I know my friends will help me throughout the semester and I know my teacher will help too.
Combined with figuring out technology for this class, using different platforms for my other classes is very confusing for me. I feel like there are a billion different things I have to upload to different classes. However, I think I will be able to figure it out. 🙂
