AT & the Writing Process- July 16 Blackboard Collaborate Class

July 16, AT & the Writing Process Blackboard Collaborative

A couple suggestions, or perhaps questions:
1) Should there not be a course for all BEd students about reading explicitly?
2) Should there not be a course for all BEd students about writing explicitly?

*Just think of the impact teachers could have if we all had a deeper understanding of the reading and writing process from a neurological and task analysis perspective. Being able to prescribe specific remedial and compensatory strategies to complement student growth at the exact spot(s) in the process where difficulty, or deficiencies exist- this would be huge. Sure we all have an understanding in terms of strategies that can be used to support the process, but more explicit instruction regarding the process should be a requirement of all BEd students prior to entering the school system- I know it would have helped me immensely. 

* While I know we have only scratched the surface of a very complex process, I have learned a tremendous amount of information about specific elements of the reading and writing process and AT compensatory and remedial strategies used to support students. Although this course has only been a few weeks in duration, I have learned far more than what I would have learned from any text or BEd course. Sorry for the lament.

Today's Blackboard Collaborate was an important three hour session regarding the writing process. Like the reading process, writing is a complex set of neurological variables that occur in unison allowing students to represent understanding through written expression. The writing process is an enormous process requiring students to encode text, instead of decode as they do while reading. Writing, unlike reading requires the coordination of fine motor skills in addition to the cognitive processing, arguably making writing a more difficult process than reading. As discussed, gross motor function is as important as fine motor- as one of the videos from today's presentation indicated, maintaining a strong core and good posture while attending to the task of writing is necessary .

Examination of low tech implements such as pencil grips combined with more engaging learning apps such as Co-Writer, Inspiration, Tools4Students and Click'r Connect are great high tech/low tech apps that support students in the writing process. Listed in the image are 100 AT apps that enhance student output.

Despite being overwhelmed by the complexity of the writing process, I found the webinar very productive and informative and look forward to using several of the listed apps to support student learning.