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From Behavior to Belonging: Using AI to Support Student Emotional Needs
Artificial IntelligenceSpecial Needs

From Behavior to Belonging: Using AI to Support Student Emotional Needs

by Dyann Wilson
written by Dyann Wilson

Behavior is communication. When a student shuts down, refuses work, escalates with peers, or disrupts learning, they are often expressing something deeper than defiance: I’m overwhelmed. I don’t feel safe. I don’t know how to say what I need. Behavior is always connected to something.

School counselors work at the intersection of behavior, emotion, and belonging every day. Yet rising caseloads, limited time, and increasing mental health needs make it harder to provide consistent, individualized support. This is where artificial intelligence, used intentionally and ethically, can serve as a powerful support tool. Not as a replacement for counseling, but as a way to amplify counselor capacity, streamline intervention design, and give students more voice.

AI tools such as ChatGPT, SchoolAI, Canva (including Canva Code), Diffit, and MagicSchoolai can help counselors move from a reactive, behavior-focused model to a proactive, belonging-centered approach, without losing the human connection that counseling requires.

Shifting the Lens: From Fixing Behavior to Meeting Needs

Traditional behavior systems often focus on compliance: stopping the behavior, reducing referrals, restoring order. While structure matters, this approach can miss the why behind student actions. A belonging-centered framework asks different questions:

Image Credit: ChatGPT, 2026

AI supports this shift by helping counselors quickly create reflection tools, skill-building resources, and student-centered plans, freeing time for relationship-building and follow-up.

 Ethical Guardrails for Using AI in Student Support

Before integrating AI into counseling practice, guardrails are essential:

Image Credit: ChatGPT, 2026

When used thoughtfully, AI becomes a planning partner, and does not play the role of the decision maker.

Behavior Interventions: Turning Incidents into Insight

Counselors often spend valuable time recreating behavior reflections, intervention plans, and staff supports. AI can streamline this work.

ChatGPT can generate non-punitive reflection forms that help students process incidents without shame. Counselors can request multiple formats, sentence starters, checklists, or visual-friendly versions, to meet diverse needs. This allows behavior incidents to become learning moments focused on self-awareness and repair.

MagicSchoolai excels at creating counselor- and teacher-facing resources, such as brief intervention plans, de-escalation scripts, and replacement-skill lessons. These tools support consistency across adults, reducing mixed messages and improving follow-through.

SchoolAI adds another layer by offering structured spaces for students to practice reflection or rehearse responses. For students who struggle to verbalize emotions in the moment, these guided check-ins can provide valuable insight for counselors before the next session.

Goal-Setting Conversations: From “I Don’t Know” to Ownership

Students are often asked to set goals before they have the language or skills to do so. AI can help counselors bridge that gap.

Using ChatGPT, counselors can translate vague goals (“I want to stop getting in trouble”) into small, student-friendly steps. AI can generate multiple goal options, empowering students to choose what feels realistic and meaningful, an important factor in motivation and buy-in.

Canva Code enhances this process by turning goals into visual, interactive tools. Goal ladders, progress trackers, and coping choice boards make abstract goals tangible. These visuals are especially effective for younger students or those with executive functioning challenges.

Diffit supports goal-setting by quickly generating leveled texts and activities tied to missing skills, such as emotional regulation, conflict resolution, or perspective-taking. Counselors can deliver brief, targeted lessons without spending hours searching for materials.

Social-Emotional Check-Ins: Catching Needs Early

Consistent SEL check-ins help counselors identify students who are struggling before behaviors escalate. AI makes this scalable without sacrificing authenticity.

SchoolAI can host routine check-ins that ask students about emotions, stressors, and support needs in a structured, predictable way. Over time, patterns emerge, allowing counselors to intervene proactively.

ChatGPT can generate check-in questions that feel natural rather than clinical, including multiple-choice or indirect prompts for students hesitant to share openly.

Canva Code can be used to design “belonging meters” or weekly wellness check-ins that visually capture how connected students feel to peers and adults. Since belonging strongly predicts behavior, attendance, and engagement, these insights are invaluable.

A Tier 2 Example: AI-Assisted, Counselor-Led Support

Consider a student with frequent classroom disruptions:

  1. Counselor drafts a trauma-informed reflection using ChatGPT.
  2. A short intervention plan and teacher support sheet is created with MagicSchoolai.
  3. The student completes weekly SchoolAI check-ins to identify triggers and coping attempts.
  4. A Canva Code goal ladder helps track progress visually.
  5. Diffit provides a short, leveled lesson on managing conflict.
  6. The counselor meets weekly to adjust supports and strengthen the relationship.

The result is not just reduced behavior incidents, but increased student voice, skill development, and connection.

The Bigger Picture: Belonging as Prevention

AI does not make counseling more human; counselors do. But AI removes barriers: repetitive drafting, resource hunting, and time constraints that pull counselors away from students. When used intentionally, AI supports consistency, responsiveness, and equity in student support.

By shifting from behavior management to belonging-building, schools create environments where students feel seen, supported, and capable of growth. AI, guided by counselor expertise, can help make that shift possible, one conversation, one check-in, and one relationship at a time.

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Teacher working on a laptop at her desk with IEP Individualized Education Program documents in the foreground while students, including one in a wheelchair, study in a classroom behind her
Artificial IntelligenceSpecial Needs

Artificial Intelligence in Special Education: How to Write FERPA-Safe IEPs with AI

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

You have a stack of IEPs to write, a caseload that keeps growing, and maybe thirty minutes before your next meeting. A colleague mentions she’s been using artificial intelligence to draft goals in seconds. Your first thought isn’t “That sounds efficient.” It’s “Is that even legal?”

It’s a smart question. IEPs contain some of the most sensitive information a school holds: disability diagnoses, medical history, behavioral data, and academic performance. Getting this wrong isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a potential FERPA violation.

Here’s the good news: you can use AI to write IEPs safely. The risk doesn’t live in the tool. It lives in what you type into it. Once you understand that distinction, everything changes.

The Real Risk Isn’t AI. It’s What You Type.

FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, protects what the law calls personally identifiable information (PII) in student education records. PII includes direct identifiers such as a student’s name or identification number, and indirect identifiers such as a student’s date of birth, or any other information that could be used to distinguish or trace a student’s identity.

When you type a student’s name, ID number, or diagnosis into a general-purpose AI tool that isn’t covered by a district-approved data agreement, you’re potentially disclosing PII to a third party without authorization. That’s the line you don’t want to cross.

About 12 states specifically stress the importance of avoiding inputting PII into AI systems, and roughly 21 states list data security concerns as a focus in their AI guidance for schools. Your district may already have its own policy. Check before you prompt.

The solution isn’t to avoid AI. It’s to anonymize before you type.

What a Safe AI Prompt Actually Looks Like

Laptop screen displaying a comparison between a risky prompt with personal student details and a safer prompt using general student information for writing a SMART IEP goal

Most teachers instinctively know not to type a student’s full name. What many don’t realize is that student ID numbers also count as PII under FERPA, a detail that catches even experienced educators off guard. Here’s what the difference looks like in practice:

Risky prompt: “Write an IEP reading goal for Marcus Johnson, student ID 48291, who reads at a second-grade level and has an auditory processing disorder.”

Safe, anonymized prompt: “Write a SMART IEP reading goal for a fourth-grade student who currently reads at a second-grade level and struggles with auditory processing. Target end-of-year benchmark.”

The second prompt gives the AI everything it needs to produce a strong draft. The student is protected. IEPs require detailed information about students’ disabilities, learning needs, medical history, and academic performance, which makes data privacy a critical concern when using generative AI tools. Stripping out identifiers before you prompt is the single most important habit you can build.

Three Practical AI Tips: No Subscription Required

You don’t need a specialized platform to use AI effectively for IEP drafting. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude can handle this work well when you know how to prompt them.

1. Use the Persona Prompt. General AI tools don’t automatically behave like special education experts. Tell them to. Open your session with something like: “You are a veteran Special Education Coordinator with 20 years of experience writing IDEA-compliant IEPs.” This single line shifts the quality and tone of every response that follows.

2. Build a Prompt Library. Stop rewriting the same instructions from scratch. Keep a simple document with ready-to-paste prompts for each IEP section: PLAAFP, SMART goals, accommodations, and behavior plans. When you’re under time pressure, you open the doc, swap in anonymized student descriptors, and paste. Two minutes of setup saves 20 minutes of drafting. Scroll down to access the link to the AI Prompt Bank for Special Education Teachers which includes an excellent set of prompts to get you started.

3. Use the Reverse Outline for Quality Checks. Already have a draft that feels off but you can’t pinpoint why? Paste it into an AI tool and ask: “Does this goal meet SMART criteria? Suggest two ways to make the measurement more specific.” This turns the AI into an editor, not just a generator, and it’s one of the most underused moves in the workflow.

The IEP Architect: Set It Once, Use It Every Time

The most powerful efficiency move isn’t a single prompt. It’s a system prompt. Paste the text below into the “Custom Instructions,” “System Instructions,” or the very first message of any AI chat. From that point forward, the AI will follow these rules automatically, including the privacy guardrails.

"You are an expert Special Education Consultant specializing in IDEA-compliant IEP development. Your rules: Write SMART goals only, with specific mastery criteria. Use a strength-based tone. Write so clearly that a teacher who has never met the student could implement the plan immediately. Never ask for or use real names, birthdates, or IDs. Refer to the subject as 'the student' or 'Student A.' When I provide data, draft the requested IEP section and suggest one executive functioning tip related to the goal. Acknowledge this role by saying: 'IEP Architect ready. What data are we working on today?'"

Once it responds that it’s ready, drop in your messy, anonymized notes. Three sentences of raw observation become a professional multi-paragraph draft, because the AI is already operating inside your standards, not its defaults.

Computer monitor in a school office with a yellow sticky note that reads No PII in Prompts, with a keyboard and office supplies on the desk

The Rule to Post Above Your Desk

Before you hit send on any AI prompt, ask yourself one question: Could someone use what I just typed to identify a specific student? If the answer is “yes,” or even “maybe,” rewrite it. No name, no ID, no birthdate, no combination of details specific enough to point to one child.

AI is a draft-builder. You are still the professional of record.

Key Takeaways

  • FERPA’s risk with AI isn’t the tool. It’s unprotected PII in your prompts.
  • Student ID numbers count as PII and must be removed, not just names
  • Anonymized prompts give AI everything it needs to produce strong IEP drafts.
  • A persona prompt, a prompt library, and the reverse outline technique work in any free AI tool.
  • The IEP Architect system prompt builds privacy guardrails into every session automatically.
  • Always check your district’s AI policy before using any tool with student-related content.

Special education teachers are already doing the hardest, most human part of IEP writing: observing students, building relationships, and advocating for what each child actually needs. AI can handle the blank page. You handle everything that matters.

Ready to put this into practice? Download the AI Prompt Bank for Special Education Teachers, a free resource with 25+ ready-to-use, privacy-safe prompts covering IEP writing, parent communication, behavior plans, progress monitoring, differentiation, and supporting general ed teachers.

Have a prompt that’s been a game-changer in your work? Share it in the comments. The best ideas in special education have always traveled teacher to teacher. This is no different.

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Collage of classroom scenes showing students collaborating on projects, with a teacher assisting a student, surrounded by decorative circles.
AccessibilityEquity, Diversity, InclusionGood TeachingInstructional CoachingSpecial Needs

Creating Inclusive Classrooms with UDL and Differentiation

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Are you looking to reach every student in your diverse classroom? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed trying to meet the varied needs of all your learners? You’re not alone. Many educators face this challenge daily. The good news is that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiation offer powerful solutions. These approaches can help you create a learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive. Let’s explore how these strategies can transform your teaching and make your classroom more inclusive and effective for all learners.

Understanding UDL and Differentiation

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Differentiation
Definition: A proactive approach to designing inclusive learning experiences Definition: A responsive approach that tailors instruction to meet individual student needs
Analogy: Building a ramp instead of stairs – accessible for everyone from the start Analogy: Customizing the interior of a building to suit specific requirements
Key Principles:
  • Spark interest and motivation for learning
  • Present information in various ways
  • Provide different ways for students to show what they know
 Areas for Differentiation:
  • Content: Adjust what students learn
  • Process: Modify how students learn
  • Product: Vary how students demonstrate learning
  • Learning environment: Change where and with whom students learn
Timing: Implemented during lesson planning, before instruction begins Timing: Applied during instruction, in response to observed student needs
Focus: Designing a flexible curriculum that can accommodate diverse learners Focus: Adapting teaching methods to address specific student strengths and challenges

Why Use UDL and Differentiation Together?

Universal Design for Learning and Differentiation, while powerful on their own, become even more effective when used in tandem. By combining these approaches, educators can create a learning environment that is both proactively designed to be accessible and responsive to individual student needs. This synergy allows teachers to address the diverse learning needs of their students more comprehensively than either approach could achieve alone. The flexibility of UDL provides a foundation that makes differentiation easier to implement, while the targeted nature of differentiation helps fine-tune the inclusive framework established by UDL principles.

Combining these approaches creates a powerful toolkit for inclusive education:

  • UDL sets the stage for accessibility
  • Differentiation fine-tunes the learning experience
  • Together, they address both group and individual needs

Implementing UDL and Differentiation in Your Classroom

STEP 1:
Start with UDL		 STEP 2:
Apply Differentiation
Design diverse materials:
  • Create digital presentations with text and audio
  • Provide physical models for hands-on learners
  • Include videos with captions
  • Offer choice in assessment methods
 Assess ongoing needs:
  • Monitor student progress regularly
  • Identify specific learning gaps
  • Recognize individual strengths and challenges
Plan for engagement:
  • Incorporate interactive simulations
  • Use multimedia resources
  • Develop collaborative projects
 Adjust instruction:
  • Form flexible groups based on needs
  • Provide tiered assignments
  • Offer one-on-one support when necessary

Practical Tips for Success

Implementing UDL and differentiation in your classroom doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By starting small and gradually expanding your approach, you can create a more inclusive learning environment over time. The following tips are designed to help you integrate these strategies into your teaching practice effectively and sustainably. Remember, the goal is progress, not perfection. As you experiment with these techniques, you’ll discover what works best for you and your students, leading to a more dynamic and responsive classroom.

  • Begin with small steps: Implement one UDL principle or differentiation strategy at a time
  • Use technology wisely: Explore assistive tools and adaptive software
  • Collaborate with colleagues: Share ideas and resources
  • Gather feedback from students regularly: Use their input to refine your approach
  • Conduct ongoing assessments: Inform your differentiation decisions with current data
  • Practice flexible grouping: Mix whole class, small group, and individual instruction
  • Reflect and adjust: Evaluate your strategies and be willing to make changes

Overcoming Common Challenges

While implementing UDL and differentiation can greatly enhance your teaching, it’s natural to encounter some obstacles along the way. Recognizing these common challenges is the first step in addressing them effectively. The following strategies can help you navigate potential hurdles, ensuring that you can successfully integrate these approaches into your classroom practice, regardless of constraints or limitations.

  • Time constraints: Build a resource bank over time and start small, gradually expanding.
  • Limited resources: Advocate for professional development and seek out free online tools and materials.
  • Large class sizes: Implement peer tutoring and use station rotation models.
  • Balancing individual needs with standards: Focus on core concepts and provide multiple paths to meet objectives.

Taking Action in Your Classroom

Now that you’re familiar with UDL and differentiation, it’s time to put these concepts into practice. Remember, transforming your classroom into a more inclusive learning environment is a journey, not a destination. Start with small, manageable steps and gradually build on your successes. The following action steps will help you begin implementing these strategies in your classroom, allowing you to see firsthand how they can benefit your students and enhance your teaching practice.

  1. Analyze your current teaching approach: Identify areas where you’re already using UDL or differentiation and spot opportunities for improvement.
  2. Set realistic goals: Choose one UDL principle to focus on this week and select a differentiation strategy to try in your next lesson.
  3. Measure your progress: Keep a teaching journal and ask for student feedback.
  4. Share your experiences: Discuss successes and challenges with colleagues and contribute to professional learning communities.

Remember, creating an inclusive classroom is an ongoing process that requires patience, flexibility, and a willingness to learn. Every step you take towards implementing UDL and differentiation is a step towards better serving all your students. As you continue to refine your practice, you’ll likely find that these approaches not only benefit your students but also reinvigorate your own passion for teaching. The diverse strengths and needs of your students can become a source of creativity and innovation in your instructional methods.

Are you ready to transform your classroom? Start by choosing one strategy from this post to implement in your next lesson. Whether it’s a UDL principle or a differentiation technique, take that first step towards creating a more inclusive learning environment. Share your experiences, celebrate your successes, and learn from the challenges. Together, we can create classrooms where every student has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.

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Special Needs

Digital Tools for Dyslexic Students

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

Dyslexia is a learning disorder affecting a person’s reading, writing, and spelling ability. There are many ways teachers can support dyslexic students, including allowing them to use digital tools. Many digital tools and assistive technologies have emerged, making it easier than ever for dyslexic students to succeed in school.

Let’s look at some of the most effective digital tools tailored for dyslexic students.

1. Text-to-Speech Tools

Natural Reader is a text-to-speech tool that can convert any written text, such as MS Word, a website, PDF files, and emails, into spoken words. It offers a range of natural-sounding voices, allowing dyslexic students to listen to content rather than solely relying on reading.

Image of ReachDeck's homepage showing the ReachDeck toolbar for accessibility.

ReachDeck Toolbar is a web page navigation software available for most versions of Windows that is designed to help those with dyslexia and second-language learners browse the internet. The software strips the web page down to its essential text so the user can focus on the text alone. Its text-to-speech feature also comes with a magnifying glass icon that follows the text as it is read aloud.

For more text-to-speech tools, check out this blog post.

2. Speech-to-Text Tools

Google Docs has a feature called “voice typing.” To use voice typing, your computer microphone needs to be on and working. Open a document in Google Docs. Click Tools and then Voice typing. A microphone box appears. When you’re ready to speak, click the microphone.

Image of Speechnotes home page explaining this to be a speech-to-text, voice typing, and transcription digital accessibility tool.

Speechnotes is a web-based speech-to-text tool that allows students to quickly dictate their notes instead of typing them. This will save them time and effort. Some additional features of the tool include transcribing and adding punctuation.

3. Dyslexia-friendly Fonts

OpenDyslexic for Chrome is a chrome extension that overrides all fonts on web pages with the OpenDyslexic font. It formats pages to make them more readable. It was created to increase readability for students with dyslexia.

BeeLine Reader is a tool that uses color gradients to guide the student’s eyes from one line to the next. This can help with reading speed and comprehension. BeeLine Reader also includes a setting option for an Open Dyslexic Font, allowing students with dyslexia to read in an adjusted font.

4. Mind Mapping Tools

Image of MindMeister's home page explaining this to be a collaborative mind mapping tool.

MindMeister is an online tool that enables collaborative mind mapping. It’s excellent for group projects or brainstorming sessions. For dyslexic students, visualizing information can be an effective way of understanding and retaining what they are learning.

Google Drawings is one of my favorite tools. It’s so easy to create a mind map in Google Drawing. Google Drawing allows you to draw shapes, write text, and then connect them. You can add color, images, and even share your mindmap.

5. Audio Books & Bookshare Services

Bookshare is a site that offers text-to-speech audiobooks for students with dyslexia. Students can listen to books, follow along with highlighting, read in braille or large font, and customize their reading experience.

An image of Learning Ally's home page.

Learning Ally is an excellent resource. It offers text-to-speech audiobooks for students with dyslexia. It offers a plethora of educational texts and literature.

6. Note-taking Apps with Audio Integration

OneNote with Learning Tools offers an ‘Immersive Reader’ mode, which reads out text and highlights it simultaneously, aiding comprehension.

Notability is an app that is beneficial for iPad users. Students can take notes, annotate PDFs, and even record lectures for playback.

These tools can not only offer support for dyslexic students, but they can also help instill a love for learning. Accessibility tools help every student be successful in the classroom. Remember, the effectiveness of these tools may vary from person to person. Therefore, finding which ones work best for each student is essential.

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AccessibilityEnglish Language Arts Reading (ELAR)Social-Emotional LearningSpecial Needs

Three Accessible Apps for Teaching Storytelling

by Tara Rocha
written by Tara Rocha

Everybody’s got at least one story worth sharing. And storytelling is a skill everyone needs to develop. Why?

  • It helps you organize your thoughts and remember key points to cover.
  • When you communicate in narrative form, others naturally relate and empathize.
  • Stories can be adapted to any communication medium: spoken, written, enacted, or electronic.
  • While many people associate the word “story” with fiction or memoirs, true-life narratives can enhance anything from op-eds to instruction manuals.

Customizable Apps for Storytelling

Everyone who knows how to communicate has some storytelling skills. Even toddlers will chatter nonstop about what they did today. But effective storytelling calls for instruction and practice. As a teacher, you know that students appreciate some say in how they learn, along with opportunities to explore which tools work best for them. The best tools are those selected to fit a student’s individual strengths and preferences and which also offer context, availability, and ease of use. You may be instructing a class of future broadcasters or simply looking to encourage more detail in basic writing assignments. Either way, your best tools for teaching storytelling will include customized apps.

Let’s look at three creative apps that make writing and storytelling come alive. These apps are designed to help students from pre-K through high school learn storytelling by creating projects and explaining their thinking. All three apps have proven, via testing with real students, to improve storytelling skills and help kids reach their educational goals. 

1. Book Creator

Book Creator allows students to create a book in a matter of minutes. Features, including fonts and design templates, are kept basic to avoid the problem of being distracted by too many options. But “basic” doesn’t mean “limiting.” Users can add original pictures and videos or audio of their own voices. Or they can set the app to read their books aloud for them. Other customized options include automatic page-turning, text highlighted as the words are read aloud, different accent options for the reading voice, and the ability to create bilingual books with parallel text and/or audio in multiple languages on each page. Book Creator can be accessed via a web browser or the iPad app ($2.99). There are a few account options: free starter accounts for individual teachers, paid premium accounts offering additional features, and paid accounts for schools/districts.

2. Puppet Pals 2

Puppet Pals 2 is a free app that lets students and teachers create social stories. With this educational tool, students and teachers can create stories designed to walk readers through social situations, and it’s best known for helping students with autism prepare for interactions with the larger world. Users can choose their own backgrounds, characters, and music. They can also dub in their own voices and upload their own pictures. Thanks to the intuitive interface, this app is fun, whimsical, and simple to use. 

3. Social Story Creator and Library

Here is another free app for further teaching children about social skills through stories. You and your students can use pictures, recordings (read the story aloud in your own voice), and/or text to create a digital or printable assignment that doubles as a useful tool to take wherever you go. A bonus: the clean interface makes it easy to build a story without distractions. Plus, kids never have to worry about accidentally deleting their stories because the app includes a “Parent Gate” to ensure any major action is double-checked.

storytelling with the social stories app
Source

Why Tech?

If you’re tempted to ask, “But why do students need apps to learn storytelling? Pen and keyboard were good enough for past generations,” simpler tools may be good enough for a standardized education system. But many human individuals (read: students) aren’t designed to fit into a “standard” box. Since apps are easily customized to a variety of skills and interests, they can help students, especially those with hearing, speaking, or learning difficulties, learn and express themselves in ways that simpler tools can’t.

All children deserve the opportunity to develop their unique selves according to their natural abilities. Storytelling tech plays a major role in providing that opportunity.

Interested in learning more? The 2025 TCEA Convention & Exposition will offer information on special-education apps, strategies for students with additional needs, and more resources for SPED educators . Don’t wait to register for a TCEA 2025 full badge, exhibit hall-only badge, OR one day-only badge. Register now!

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Back to SchoolClassroom ManagementGood TeachingSocial-Emotional LearningSpecial Needs

Seven Online Timers to Try in Your Classroom

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

One classroom essential- timers. Back in the day, I had a wind-up timer on my desk. Though it didn’t get used every day, there were definitely times it came in handy. Whether it was counting down the time that students had left to complete an assignment or keeping track of how long students were at centers, my trusty egg timer was ready to help…most of the time.

I use the word “trusty” with some skepticism. I would set the timer, put it on my desk so that I could walk around and help students, and trust it would do its job. Unfortunately, it would sometimes stop running before time was up, meaning it wouldn’t go off. Of course, I wouldn’t realize it until it was too late, which meant we would be late for lunch, or worse, late for P.E. which was my planning period!

While egg timers still dot teachers’ desks across districts, many find that digital timers are much more helpful. Not only can they go along with the theme of your classroom or unit, but they can also be displayed so that all the students can self-monitor how much time is left before the alarm goes off. So as the school year arrives, be sure to consider adding these timers to your stash. No one wants to be late for lunch or their planning period!

1. Google’s Chrome Timer

It appears that this trusty timer has been pulled off stage for a bit. As of the writing of this post, it seems that it has just vanished. Previously you could just type “1-minute timer” in Chrome’s Omnibox, and Google would generate a countdown timer for whatever time you designated. It wasn’t fancy, but it was reliable with nothing to download. It was also customizable to the time you needed. Forty-two minutes…no problem. Nineteen seconds…sure. Chrome-loving folks have already started announcing their dismay about the possible demise of Google. Only time will tell if it gets re-instated.

2. Alarmsetter

Image of Alarmsetter timer
Screenshot by author

Alarmsetter has a simple, no-frills set of tools that give a variety of options. This browser-based site offers an alarm clock, timer, and stopwatch to choose from. For the timer, besides setting the time, you can also choose the sound you want to be played when time’s up and give the timer a title. Juggling different groups which need different timers? No problem. Just use your browser’s split screen feature and set a different timer in the other window. What I like about this timer is that it shows the time as part of the tab label even if you have other tabs open that you are viewing! And unlike some timers that just play the final sound once, Alarmsetter will continue the sound you selected until you stop it.

By the way, if having the timer appear in the browser tab appeals to you, then you may want to check out timer-tab to see if their tool is an equal or better fit.

Screenshot of setting Alarmsetter timer
Screenshot by author

3. ESL Kids Games

Eslkidsgames has three well-designed timers and a stopwatch. Though they aren’t fancy and have very limited customizations beyond setting the time, they are clean and uncluttered except for the ads you may have to close out of at the beginning. So for this timer, I would also recommend an ad blocker extension such as the AdblockPlus Chrome extension to silence the ads. The countdown timer also displays a progress bar below the time as a visual for students who may benefit from it.

Screenshot of ESL Kids Games timer
Screenshot by author

4. Online-Stopwatch

Online-stopwatch has been around for ages. It’s a site you can trust to be reliable and offer a variety of resources. Don’t let the name fool you. This site has so many tools you will definitely want to bookmark it! Do you teach secondary students and need a timer that isn’t cutesy? Got it! Try the exam timers. Taking an SEL approach in your classroom? Explore the sensory timers. As you can see from the screenshot below, they probably have a timer to meet any need.

Screenshot of Online-Stopwatch website
Screenshot by author

5. ToyTheater

Toytheather, as the name suggests, is geared toward early childhood students. Set the time, choose a timer shape (circle, square, triangle, star, etc.), and then click the set button. You’ll need to scroll down to see the Full Screen button to expand and fill the browser window. Hit the Escape key to exit full screen.

Image of Toy Theater timer
Screenshot by author

6. Classroomscreen

Classroomscreen has a timer along with a myriad of other tools that you might want to explore. Though you can create an account at this freemium site, it isn’t necessary to take advantage of what Classroomscreen offers. The pro account does allow you to save screens making it faster to pull up collections of items that you want to use frequently. You cannot enter the time in via the number pad so be prepared to tap on the plus or minus symbols to adjust the time as needed. Besides resizing the timer, Classroomscreen even allows you to set the background or upload your own photo so you can make it as silly or as stoic as you would like.

Screenshot of ClassroomScreen timer
Screenshot by author

7. YouTube Options

If you are needing to countdown from a common designation of time, then you should be able to find plenty of timers on YouTube to take advantage of. Here are the search results for 20-minute timers. Besides having a variety of styles, you’ll notice that they also come with a variety of background music. If you find a timer that you like, but the background noise doesn’t fit your classroom atmosphere, you may need to mute it. Just be sure to pay attention to the video since you won’t hear the alarm when the time runs out.

Image of Youtube timer
Screenshot by author

What is Your Go-To Timer?

So what is your go-to timer? Is it a traditional one that sits on your desk, or is it one that’s online? Share with us! The timer you share may be the exact time someone else has been looking for. Hurry, time is ticking!

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Templates and Ideas for Making Differentiated Choice Boards

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

There’s a country song by Barbara Mandrell that says, “I was country when country wasn’t cool.” In the same sense, you may have been using choice boards way before they became trendy. It seems that “choice board” has now joined the list of educational buzzwords. You may know them by another name such as playlists, menu boards, pathways, tic-tac-toe, or learning menus.

Why Use Choice Boards

Regardless of what you call them, choice boards offer many benefits based on sound pedagogy. In fact, Dr. Robert J. Marzano, author of “The Highly Engaged Classroom,” provides some research-based tips on student engagement, several of which directly relate to the positive impact of choice. Allowing students to choose how they want to demonstrate their learning can increase student buy-in and recall because students are more interested in their learning. Choice boards also provide the teacher with an organized way to differentiate, even beyond what you may realize is possible. Yes, the teacher may be thinking of specific students when they identify types of activities for a choice board. But teachers also may find that some students shine more than expected and choose activities differently than anticipated, showing interests and gifts the teacher wasn’t aware of previously.

How to Differentiate with Choice Boards

To increase retention, many teachers using choice boards will have students select multiple activities to complete instead of just choosing a single activity. A few ways to ramp up the learning process when students select multiple activities is to differentiate with choice boards in one of the following ways.

Color code by degree of difficulty.

In this scenario, the teacher has identified a variety of activities that give students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of their learning. Along with this, they have identified which activities may be easier or harder than others. For example, out of ten activities, there may be three designated as easy, four designated medium difficulty, and three designated as hard. Students are then directed to choose one from each group to complete. Having students choose activities from each degree of difficulty ensures that they are engaged at various levels.

Assign points to activities.

In this scenario, each activity is assigned a points value, and students are tasked with choosing and completing enough activities to earn a certain number of points. The points can be based on difficulty level or how much time the activity may take. Students can complete activities that exceed the goal point total but should not subceed it. Some students will tackle the assignment by trying to accomplish the exact goal point total, while others will choose activities that they enjoy most, even if it means that they exceed the total points required.

Differentiate by learning goals with interventions.

In this scenario, you have some students who may have IEPs that afford them accommodations that the majority of students don’t have. Great! Identify some activities that take that into account by creating a separate choice board for them. It doesn’t have to be as extensive, but it can be more attuned to their needs while maintaining high expectations. Incorporating intervention strategies within the choices can help some students feel more confident tackling learning objectives.

Differentiate by learning goals with upperventions.

Likewise, you may have students who have been identified as gifted learners. For these students, consider offering upperventions– strategies that are incorporated and designed to meet the specific needs of talented and gifted students. Edutopia shares a variety of upperventions that you can consider when trying to meet the needs of gifted students.

Templates for Choice Boards

If you are looking for a Google Slide or PowerPoint template to create your choice board, consider checking out Slides Mania’s website. Here are a few specific templates to help you make your choice boards look great. These are ready-to-use, and you will just need to tweak the slide deck some in addition to adding activities. When you are done, you will have a digital choice board that your students can access online. They may need to Save a Copy to their Drive and edit their own copy if their work is in a digital format.

Fast Food Menu Theme
Fun Choice Board Theme
Minimalistic Choice Board Theme
Cinema Choice Board Theme
Funfair Choice Board Theme

Choice Board Resources

Anyone can use a search engine to look for choice boards. The dilemma is that you may have to wade through pages of results to find ones that are meaningful. To help you cut to the chase, here are some resources that you can explore (or tweak) to find choice boards that you can use in your classroom.

Choice Boards for Elementary Learners – Lori Gracey shares specific choice boards for elementary learners and more resources and blog posts to help you move forward in creating and using choice boards.

Interactive Summer Resources for Students with Diverse Learning Needs – Dufferin-Peel Catholic School’s Special Education and Learning Services has put together this extensive 46-page PDF of choice boards to support students with special needs.

Algebra 1 Tic-Tac-Toe Boards – Algebra teachers in Judson ISD used these four choice boards during the spring of 2020 to engage their math students online.

Earth Day Choice Board – If you engage your students on Earth Day, you will be ready for this year with this simple choice board. Since it is a Google Slide, you can click on File, Make a Copy, and then add the copy to your Google Drive to edit as needed. Earth Day this year is on Friday, April 22.

Rethink Choice Boards- Free Templates for All Grades – Beth Davidson of Elkhart Community Schools in Elkhart, Indiana, has curated a variety of choice board templates and samples, including progressive choice boards, homework choice boards, tic-tac-toe choice boards, staggered choice boards, and early finisher choice boards.

Progressive Choice Boards: Provide Choice Without Overwhelming – Matt Miller provides clear information (along with samples) on making your choice boards more appealing to students who may struggle with the freedom that typically comes with using choice boards.

How to See Quick Examples

If you are just trying to find examples quickly and aren’t so worried about having the examples in an editable format, you can Google search for choice boards and click on the images results tab. This will give you a much quicker and cleaner view of what may be available. Many times, just seeing examples will be enough for you to recreate them with your own spin on the activities. Or it may give you new ideas on how to make a particular choice board look more appealing. If you are trying to remove search results from sites behind a paywall, just include “-site:” and the name of the site you want to exclude from your results. You’ll notice in the search query provided here that examples from teacherspayteachers.com have been excluded.

choice boards template search

Share Your Favorite Choice Board Resources

What are your go-to choice board resources? Leave us a comment to share it with others. Or do you have a template that you’ve made that works well with your content and grade level? Share a link to it in the comments below so that others can recognize you for your work!

Interested in becoming a choice board pro? TCEA is offering a self-paced online course worth 12 CPEs for just $29! Interested? Register before April 1 to secure the $29 registration rate.

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Special Needs

Nine Technology Tools for Accommodation, Modification, and Intervention

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

In a previous post, Make Learning Accessible for All Students: Accommodation, Modification, and Intervention, I shared the differences between accommodation, modification, and intervention. Specific examples were also provided to help clarify and shed light on ways to accomplish these means of support for your students. Today, we’ll identify a few technology tools that can be used by the teacher and the student for accommodation, modification, and intervention. These tools are not necessarily designed as “assistive technology” as defined by special education, but can be used to varying degrees. Some of the tools mentioned below can also be found in our free, downloadable ebook 51 Fun Tech Tools and Resources for Busy Educators. After looking through the list, please be sure to comment below if you have ideas or tools to share.

1. Google Slides Closed Captioning

Even if you don’t have a presentation to show, you can still pull up a blank slide deck. Once opened, go into presenter mode. Then, you can enable closed captioning for your lecture. Google Slides doesn’t display punctuation, but does a great job of displaying what is being said. You can adjust the location of the captioning as well as the size of the text. Google Slides does not translate or save the captioning for later viewing. There is some other good information about closed captioning at Google Support.

Image of Microsoft Word Dictation microphone
Screenshot by author

2. Microsoft Word Dictation

If you have students that struggle to write, this is an option you might want to consider. With Dictation, students can speak into a microphone and have Word type out what they say. Besides speaking the words, students can also say the punctuation and have Word add it as they speak. For example, they would say something like, “Did you go to the park question mark.” Microsoft Office will then place the question mark when spoken.

You can also turn on Auto Punctuation. With this, Word will incorporate artificial intelligence to punctuate as it best understands. A profanity filter can also be turned on. Hopefully, you don’t need this, but if you have a student that has been diagnosed with coprolalia, you may find this is helpful if they also need to dictate their writing. You can also dictate to Word in other languages. This does not mean translating what you say, but instead typing what you are saying using the language you’re speaking. These dictation features are also available in Microsoft Outlook.

image of Google Voice Typing microphone
Screenshot by author

3. Google Voice Typing

Though not as robust as Word Dictation, Voice Typing in Google Docs or Google Slides (speaker notes) does allow you to dictate words and punctuation. This can later be edited in the typical fashion. Google Docs and Slides do not incorporate auto punctuation or a profanity filter. Once dictated, you can translate the Google Doc into another language. To do this, you will use a new document and then click on Tools and Translate Document. Keep in mind that the translation may not be perfect, so it is recommended that you have a native speaker of the language review the translation. Especially if you are creating documents for students, parents, or others using the translation feature, it is important they are correct.

image of recordcast website
Screenshot by author

4. RecordCast

This free and simple-to-use screen recording tool allows you to record your webcam, your screen, or both. This is great for students who need access to instruction multiple times. Utilizing the screen + webcam feature is handy for students who may be hard of hearing and need to see the teacher or interpreter sign. RecordCast also allows you to do simple video editing and sharing. You are limited to five minutes with the free version and up to 30 minutes for the paid version. If you need more robust software that is still simple and user-friendly, consider using Screencastify or Screencast-o-matic. If your students are using an iPad, they can easily create a screen recording (including sound) without downloading any apps. They’ll just need to:

  1. Go to Settings > Control Center, then tap the Insert button next to Screen Recording.
  2. Open Control Center, tap the Screen Recording button, then wait for the three-second countdown.
  3. To stop recording, open Control Center, tap the Selected Screen Recording button or the red status bar at the top of the screen, then tap Stop.
image of classroomscreen
Screenshot by author

5. Classroomscreen

This website has 14 tools to help with various classroom procedures. Several of the tools are great at helping students track their time and manage their behavior. As the teacher, you can pull these up on your computer and have them displayed on the board.

The sound level allows students to monitor their noise level while still being able to discuss and share. The teacher can adjust the mic level and sensitivity. The traffic light is a good way to indicate what task the students should be working on. It can also be used to show how much time is left for the assigned task. Of course, the timer, stopwatch, and clock are all great for helping students pace themselves and manage their efforts in using their time wisely.

Additionally, you can use multiple widgets at the same time. For example, you can use the work symbols so students are reminded what they should be working on. At the same time, you can have the timer displayed on the screen while also showing the sound level indicator. These tools help students practice appropriate classroom behavior and allow you to move around the classroom and assist students with other tasks.

6. Doozy

You’ll find plenty of fun on this site, as well as helpful tools for activities like short-answer or multiple-choice quizzes. You don’t have to register to use the site. It may take you a while to explore and see which features you like the most. It may also take time to determine when to use them, so plan ahead and explore now. Besides quizzes, you can have games, icebreakers, and more! Some activities have a limit of 25 students while others can have up to 100, so be sure to pay attention to the limit as you select and design.

image of website
Screenshot by author

7. Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is a free tool that employs effective and proven methods to enhance reading skills for individuals of any age or proficiency level. Students have the ability to have text read aloud to them, enlarge font size, modify the spacing between lines and characters, alter the background and text color contrast, access a picture dictionary, translation, and more!

Microsoft Immersive Reader is available on the following platforms:

  • OneNote Online
  • OneNote Universal App
  • OneNote for Mac and iPad
  • OneNote Desktop (as a free add-in)
  • Word Online
  • Word Desktop
  • Word for Mac, iPad, and iPhone
  • Outlook Online
  • Outlook Desktop
  • Office Lens for iPhone and iPad (iOS)
  • Microsoft Edge browser
  • Microsoft Teams
image of cloud stop motion tool
Screenshot by author

8. Cloud Stop Motion

If you ever wanted your students to do stop motion videos but didn’t have the “right” devices, this is the site for you. Stop motion is a video in which each frame is shot individually, with the producer (i.e., student) moving something a tiny bit between each shot. If you are looking for alternative ways in which students can communicate their learning, then think about this method. Here are some short stop motion examples on YouTube. Note: These are not necessarily educational examples, but just search results examples.

You can use Cloud Stop Motion on any device, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. And, to make it even better, there is no cost. You will need decent WIFI since everything is done in the cloud, but that also means you don’t have to download any software or have a specific plug-in installed. Yay! And, if you have created stop motion animation before, you will be happy to know that Cloud Stop Motion incorporates onion skinning, which makes the process much faster and more accurate. You’ll have up to 2GB of cloud storage and all the features, though the paid version also provides you with up to 1T of cloud storage.

image of infogram website
Screenshot by author

9. Infogram

This site is great for instances in which students need to create infographics and reports. The free version has plenty of features for your students to use. You can make up to 10 different projects, with each project containing up to five pages. You also can use any of the 37+ interactive chart types, including infographics, reports, slides, dashboards, posters, social media posts, email headers, and YouTube thumbnails. When creating infographics, you can import data and then easily manipulate it. The project you make will be public on the web via a publicly viewable URL that can be indexed by search engines. To have private (invite-only) projects, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Bitmoji of author thinking

What Other Tools?

What other tools (websites or apps) would you recommend to a teacher trying to help with accommodations, modifications, and/or interventions in his classroom? Drop us a line below in the comments and let us know.

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learning disabilities
Special Needs

Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Learning how to support students with learning disabilities is a central skill for all educators. Very few teachers will go through their career without being responsible for the education of at least a few students with learning differences or disabilities. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics reports that 14 percent of American students, or about one in seven, have some form of learning disability. That number more than doubles for students receiving special education services. 

How do we create learning environments that are responsive to the needs of these students? Let’s explore the research and some compelling ideas on the topic.

Understanding Learning Disabilities

The term “learning disabilities” includes several specific conditions that can negatively affect learning. These include:

  • Dyscalculia: Which “affects a person’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts.”
  • Dysgraphia: A condition that affects “a person’s handwriting ability and fine motor skills.”
  • Dyslexia: Perhaps the most commonly-known condition, affecting “reading and related language-based processing skills.”
  • Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities: These students may have “trouble interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions or body language and may have poor coordination.”
  • Oral / Written Language Disorder and Specific Reading Comprehension Deficit: A set of conditions which can “affect an individual’s understanding of what they read or of spoken language.”

Related disorders may also include ADHD, dyspraxia, and issues with executive functioning. 

In addition to defining learning disabilities, that is, what they are, it’s also important to note what they are not. Learning disabilities are an intentionally separate category from mental and physical handicaps or disabilities. 

According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, learning disabilities don’t include a number of conditions and constraints that may also affect learning.

Learning disabilities should not be confused with learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor handicaps; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages.

LDA. “Types of Learning Disabilities“

Resources for Support

Guiding students with learning disabilities may be a challenge, but best practices can help each educator in their quest to support every student, regardless of their physical, intellectual, or learning disabilities.

Distance Learning

In episode 45 of TCEA’s Ed Tech Club podcast, we spoke with Meghan Whittaker of the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). She shared NCLD’s insights and data regarding the effectiveness of remote learning during COVID-19 for students with learning disabilities. You can hear our conversation below.

Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen.

Whittaker also shared NCLD’s newly created toolkit for remote teaching and learning disabilities in episode 79. Listen below, and check out the toolkit here.

Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen.

Racial Disparities

In episode 58, we talked about NCLD’s data regarding disproportionate effects across racial groups. You can see the Center’s report here, learning disabilities checklist here, and listen to the podcast below to go in depth. 

Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen.

More Resources on Learning Disabilities from TechNotes

Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah from Pexels

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multi-sensory literacy
Good TeachingSpecial Needs

Multi-Sensory Literacy Activities

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

This post is part of a series celebrating National Library Week. Learn more about NLW events, activities, and resources here.

The idea behind multi-sensory learning is fairly simple. These learning/teaching techniques allow students to use multiple senses, not just sight and sound, to convey knowledge. This can have obvious benefits for students with learning disabilities and special needs. In particular, multi-sensory literacy approaches can help many students improve reading and writing skills.

Let’s look into multi-sensory teaching and learning, and check out some suggestions and activities that can boost language learning in your school or classroom.

Defining Multi-Sensory Learning

In a world that has connected digitally for so long, we can sometimes need a reminder that human minds are built to exist in a physical environment. For many learners, finding ways to engage the senses of touch, and even smell and taste, can bolster learning.

The approach involves consciously including sensory ways to engage learners.

For example, let’s say a class is studying apples. Kids might have the chance to visually examine, touch, smell, and taste apples — instead of just reading and listening to their teacher speak about how they grow. Then they might hold a halved apple and count the number of seeds inside, one by one.

That’s multisensory teaching. It conveys information through things like touch and movement — called tactile and kinesthetic elements — as well as sight and hearing.

Amanda Morin. “Multisensory instruction: What you need to know.” Understood.org

The idea has been discussed and practiced since at least the 1930s, and studies suggest that this practice works well with how human brains are wired to process information. 

These results indicate that multisensory training promotes more effective learning of the information than unisensory training. Although these findings span a large range of processing levels and might be mediated by different mechanisms, it nonetheless seems that the multisensory benefit to learning is an overarching phenomenon.

Shams L, Seitz AR. Benefits of multisensory learning. Trends Cogn Sci. 2008 Nov;12(11):411-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2008.07.006. PMID: 18805039.

Further, these practices are endorsed by groups like  International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHHD), and can be used in particular to teaching reading and literacy.

Multi-Sensory Literacy Techniques and Strategies

Here are a few suggestions and ideas for putting multi-sensory learning into practice.

Understood.org, a nonprofit focused on students with learning disabilities, recommends these eight multi-sensory activities for teaching literacy:

  • Sand or shaving cream writing
  • Air writing (or “sky writing”)
  • Sandpaper letters
  • Word building (color-coded tiles or letters)
  • A “Read it, build it, write it” mat
  • “Tapping out” sounds
  • “Story sticks” (color-coded popsicle sticks)
  • Shared reading

The Literacy Nest suggests the use of phonogram cards to help students’ literacy skills, as well as several other activities and practices.

Activities and Classroom Approaches

The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) recommends “Blending Board” activities in addition to those recommended by Understood.org, as well as links to other resources.

Creators of the Touch-type Read & Spell course outline the background behind the multi-sensory approach to reading and provide three reading-and-writing strategies here.

The Center for Effective Reading Instruction and International Dyslexia Association also promote a multi-sensory approach specifically for phonics instruction. 

You can find an in-depth exploration of the multi-sensory approach, as well as several literacy activities, in this document from the Minnesota Literacy Council (PDF). 

Do you use multi-sensory techniques to teach reading, writing, and literacy? Share your experiences in the comments!

Photo by Tatiana Syrikova from Pexels

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